Demons and Deceit

Chapter 5: A Secret and An Investigation

"ALEX POV"

I woke up early, driven by the urgency of my task. The library was bathed in the soft pinkish glow of dawn, a stark contrast to the cold, quiet space. Ms. Lane, the librarian, was restocking shelves, her movements tense. I approached with a hopeful smile. "Good morning, Ms. Lane!"

Her eyes, sharp and wary, met mine. "What are YOU doing here? If you're here to cause chaos in my library, I'll have to ask you to leave." I felt a pang of frustration but tried to stay calm. "I'm here on orders from King Marcus to research the recent demon attacks." Her gaze hardened. "I'm watching you, wicked witch's son."

I turned away, a mix of sadness and determination driving me. The library's serene atmosphere, warmed by the early light, was a stark contrast to the tension of the moment. I headed toward the monster bookshelves.

Suddenly, Ms. Lane intercepted me. "What do you think you're doing? I won't let you summon demons in my library!" "But Ms. Lane, I was just—"She cut me off. "No 'buts'. You're the son of a wicked witch. Who knows what trouble you'll bring?"

Just then, Lily entered, holding a certificate. "By order of King Marcus, Alexios Thornheart is now a certified sorcerer and must be treated with respect." Ms. Lane's expression shifted from suspicion to panic. "But— but—"

"And," Lily continued, her voice firm, "the King has granted Alex access to all books, public and restricted. Now please leave, or I'll inform the King about your behavior." Ms. Lane, visibly flustered, hurried back to her desk, mumbling apologies. I couldn't help but chuckle at her retreat.

"Thanks, Lily," I said, genuinely grateful. "Where did you get this certificate?" Lily smiled, though her eyes were still serious. "You were supposed to receive it at last week's ceremony, but it was postponed due to the attacks." "Thanks for your help. Now, let's find out what we can about the demons."

Lily and I began to search through the library's collection. Lily selected a book on cosmic entities, while I picked several volumes with ominous covers that might hold insights about demons.

As Lily flipped through the cosmic book, her expression seemed unusually thoughtful. "Look at this," she said, pointing to an illustration of a Cosmic Elf. "It says they can manipulate time and reality itself." "Really? That's impressive. Samuel must be holding back," I said, flipping through my book on witchcraft.

The book's images were disturbing. "This is giving me nightmares," I said, my voice uneasy. "It describes a ritual where a witch steals an elf's power by... brutally killing them." Lily's reaction was telling; she glanced at the book with a fleeting look of discomfort before her expression quickly masked itself with concern. "That's horrifying. It makes sense why the demon attacks are increasing—someone could be using these rituals to gain power."

We continued our research, noting important details. Lily's demeanor was slightly off; she seemed unusually keen to gloss over the darker details and shifted topics quickly.

Demon Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Magical Resilience: Strong resistance to most magical attacks.

Enhanced Abilities: Superior strength and agility.

Illusions: Ability to create misleading illusions.

Weaknesses:

Light Magic: Vulnerable to light-based spells.

Sacred Symbols: Effective in warding off or containing them.

Binding Spells: Can restrict their movement and power.

Witchcraft Rituals

Power Theft Ritual: Involves sacrificing an elf to absorb their power.