The boiling rain continued to pelt down on the Boiling Isles as Hunter kept pace with Superboy. He rode his staff, the only way he would be fast enough to keep up with his flight. They followed the Masters of Disaster's trail with Superboy's newly acquired ability to see through solid matter. Wherever the band of criminals had retreated, it was outside of Bonesborough, taking the two of them through the dense forest.
The two made an odd pair: one was a loyal servant of the great Emperor Belos; the other was a vigilante. Yet, their shared goal of bringing the Masters of Disaster to justice united them.
"I can hear your mumbling," Superboy said, glancing at his companion. "What's on your mind?"
"I was just thinking out loud," Hunter replied, his voice low and thoughtful. He adjusted his grip on his staff.
"About what?"
Hunter glanced at him, his expression unreadable. Yes, he wore a mask, but that wouldn't stop Superboy from seeing through it. "Duty. Purpose. Why do we do what we do?" he pondered, his mind filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions.
Superboy stopped and faced him. "We do it because someone has to," he replied, a sense of determination in his voice.
"That's it?" Hunter scoffed, his voice laced with disbelief. "My purpose in life is clear. I serve Emperor Belos, the man who saved me from misery. My loyalty and power lie in obeying him. Where are yours?"
Superboy shook his head at the stark contrast in their beliefs, the tension between loyalty and justice, power and altruism. "Loyalty isn't blind obedience. I do what I do because I believe in justice, in protecting those who can't protect themselves," Superboy said, his voice firm. "Because it's the right thing to do."
"You expect me to believe someone as powerful as you is motivated solely by altruism?" Hunter raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Superboy smiled. "Power means nothing without purpose. And mine is to make this world better, no matter the cost. The emperor may hold power, but that doesn't make him infallible."
"Careful, Superboy, your words are dangerously close to treason," Hunter warned, his tone dripping with seriousness. His grip tightened on his staff, a silent threat. "Suppose I believe that you are as selfless as you say you are. What do you gain from it? Emperor Belos rewards loyalty. He grants his followers power and influence. Why throw that away?"
"Because it's not about rewards," Superboy said. "It's about responsibility. If we can help, we must. Even if there's no glory, there's no honor. Even if it means standing against our leader."
Hunter's eyes narrowed. "You're a fool. Emeper Belos is our salvation. He brought order to the Isles."
"Order at what cost? You may not see it now, but his rule is built on fear and oppression," Superboy replied, his voice unwavering. "I know because I can hear those suffering under his regime crying under their breaths so that they're not heard."
"You're delusional," Hunter scoffed. "And if our emperor is such a monster, why don't you do something about it? I mean, what's to stop you from flying to his castle right now and taking him down yourself?"
Superboy shook his head. "It's not that simple."
"Sounds like you're just making excuses," Hunter retorted, crossing his arms.
"I'm not. If I used my gifts to remove Belos by force, the Isles would be afraid of me, and rightfully so. If people saw that, what would stop me from becoming a tyrant? Who would be able to stop me?" Superboy's voice carried the burden of these questions; the weight of his responsibility was evident.
Hunter's eyes narrowed, his mind racing to process Superboy's words. While his expression remained stoic, his body language betrayed a flicker of uncertainty. Hunter couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for Superboy's restraint, a respect that was as unexpected as it was begrudging.
"Come on, we have to keep up the search," Superboy said as he flew ahead, resuming their search for the Masters of Disaster.
Hunter followed closely behind, still mulling over the conversation. Despite his initial skepticism, he couldn't deny that Superboy's perspective had given him something to consider. Well, something else to think about.
When Superboy grappled with the Masters of Disaster, Olivia and Valerie's lightning and fire crackled through the air, the acrid smell of burnt ozone filling the atmosphere—the sizzle of Superboy's invulnerability to the attacks.
But something was different this time. Superboy was getting hurt. How could Olivia's electric attacks hurt him when they hadn't before? Without flinching, he'd shrugged off Valerie's fire and even Geoffrey's attacks. What had changed? The realization of Superboy's vulnerability raised more questions.
Hunter's analytical mind raced. It all started when Misty returned with the stolen artifact—a small, unassuming green rock that pulsed with an inexplicable energy. The green rock? Could it somehow nullify Superboy's invulnerability?
The ground quaked, a gaping hole tearing open in the forest clearing. Geoffrey and Misty emerged from the newly formed cavern together, and the former helped lift Olivia and Valerie to the surface. "I think we managed to put some good distance between them and us," Geoffrey remarked, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of pursuit from Superboy and the Golden Guard.
"I doubt it'll be long before Superboy finds us," Olivia said.
Valerie leaned against a moss-covered boulder, her crimson hair sizzling. "We should've killed him when we had the chance," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. "Then we wouldn't have to worry about that."
Olivia shot her a warning look. "We got what we came for," she said. "Once we sell that rock, we won't have to worry about Superboy or the Emperor's Coven again. We'll be set for life."
Misty settled into a cross-legged position, her levitating form casting a soft glow on the forest floor. "Speaking of the rock," she announced, holding up the luminous stone cradled in her palm. It emitted a gentle green light, casting an ethereal glow on the dense, shadowy forest around them. "Geoffrey, what are your thoughts on this peculiar find?"
The rock demon scratched his rocky chin. "I've seen many stones in my time, but this one... It's not native to the Isles or even the realm."
Misty's eyes widened with curiosity as she gazed at the mysterious stone. "Do you have any clue where it could've come from? The Human Realm, maybe?" She pondered, her voice filled with intrigue.
Geoffrey shook his head. "Not a clue, but I feel it's a part of something bigger than us."
Olivia's attention shifted away from the stone and towards the rustling in the bushes nearby. "Anyone else hear that?"
Geoffrey's gaze sharpened, and his senses attuned to the slightest disturbance in the forest. "We may not be the only ones here," he cautioned, his voice low and serious.
"Do you think Superboy and the Golden Guard found us?" Valerie whispered as she prepared her flames for battle.
"If it is, why are they sneaking around?" Misty questioned, huddling near her admittedly more combat-oriented compatriots. "Superboy is always upfront and direct."
"It could just be the guard," Olivia suggested. "Just be ready for anything."
The rustling grew louder. The air was tense as the Masters of Disaster prepared themselves for a potential confrontation, their hearts pounding in anticipation of the unknown threat lurking in the darkness.
"Forget this!" Valerie exclaimed, unleashing a burst of flames and burning away the foliage.
"What are you doing?" Olivia shouted, stopping Valerie's actions. "Are you trying to set the whole forest on fire?"
"I'm just showing them we're not afraid!" Valerie declared defiantly, her eyes blazing with determination. "We need to make it clear that we won't go down without—"
Suddenly, a creature jumped out from the shadows and lunged at Valerie, who barely had time to react as it swiped at her. "What the hell!" Olivia yelled, grabbing Valerie and pulling her away from the creature. The sudden attack caught everyone off guard.
The creature was some cross between a serpentine beast demon and a bipedal demon with pink scales, long claws, and a maw full of serrated fangs. "Feed. Must feed." The creature snarled its voice, a guttural growl that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"What… what is that thing?" Misty asked, her voice trembling. The creature continued to advance, its eyes glowing with hunger and malice.
"Don't care! I'm killing it!" Valerie declared, unleashing her fire magic on the creature. It opened its maw wide, and the flames funneled into its throat. Valerie's flames flickered, waning with each passing moment before they disappeared completely. The creature let out a satisfied belch.
"Did it just… eat your fire?" Geoffrey asked in disbelief.
The creature grinned, revealing its serrated fangs once more. "More. I need more." It opened its maw, and the same fire Valerie had just unleashed on the creature was being unleashed on them. Geoffrey formed a wall of earth to shield them from the incoming flames. But the blast was too powerful, cracking through the barrier and scattering them.
"More!" The creature roared as it tunneled for Valerie. She summoned more fire magic to combat the beast, but her flames were absorbed like last time. "MORE!" The creature leaped at Valerie and grabbed her face in its clawed hands. She began to feel woozy, as if she were drained of energy. "MORE!" Valerie struggled to break free as the creature's grip tightened, her vision blurred.
"Let her go!" Geoffrey shouted as he hurled a massive boulder at the creature. The impact knocked it away and made it drop Valerie.
She fell to the ground, gasping for air. Her strength was utterly sapped. Geoffrey and the others rushed to her side. "How is she?" Misty asked, concern evident in her voice.
Geoffrey gently lifted Valerie and checked her pulse before replying, "She's alive, but we need to get her out of here quickly."
The creature tossed the boulder aside. "Power. Give me the power!"
Misty floated forward, her wind magic swirling around her as she summoned a powerful gust to push the creature back. She was managing to hold it off, but it opened its maw and sucked up the wind as it had done with the flames earlier. Misty tried to stop it, but the creature grew stronger with each passing moment. It was siphoning her power!
"Misty!" Olivia shouted. The creature sucked the apparition whole into its gaping mouth, where she vanished. It had wholly devoured her. "GIVE HER BACK!" Olivia unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts at the creature, determined to rescue her friend.
"Olivia, no!" Geoffrey tried to stop her, but it was too late. The creature absorbed the lightning, growing even more powerful. It then hurled both fire and lightning at the two Masters of Disaster.
Geoffrey summoned more boulders to hurl at the creature when it suddenly turned intangible like Misty. The boulders passed right through it, causing no harm. The creature cackled with glee and flew at Geoffrey, becoming solid again as it grabbed him and absorbed his energy.
"Geoffrey!" Olivia watched in horror as her friend weakened before her eyes, and she knew she would be next!
Dell's super-hearing picked up the sounds of conflict. He heard a mix of fire, lightning, and earth magic being used. The Masters of Disaster were fighting against something. "I've found them," Dell told the Golden Guard as he pointed toward the commotion. "And it sounds like they're in trouble." Dell flew off towards the source of the conflict as the Golden Guard followed as closely behind as he could.
With a burst of speed, Dell arrived just in time to see a serpentine-like creature holding the electric-wielding witch of the Masters of Disaster. She looked terrified and appeared to grow weaker by the second. Dell leaped into action, his cape billowing behind him. He sent the creature flying into tree after tree with a powerful punch.
"Superboy!" The electric witch spoke weakly in relief. "Thank… Titan…"
The Golden Guard then arrived next to Dell. "What happened?" he asked the witch.
"That… that creature… ambushed us," she explained. "It absorbed our magic… used it against us."
Dell looked around to see the fire witch and rock demon on the ground. He could hear their heartbeats—they were alive but in need of medical attention. But he noticed one of them was missing. "Where's the other one? The spirit?" He asked the electric witch.
"That thing… It…" The electric witch paused, a look of fear crossing her face. "It absorbed her… Save her… Superboy…"
Superboy nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "I will." The electric witch then passed out.
Suddenly, a mix of fire and lightning was blasted at Superboy, who used his body to shield the electric witch and Golden Guard from the attack. The creature slithered out of the woods, fire magic in one hand and lightning magic in the other. "Superboy." It hissed as it approached. Then, its attention turned to the Golden Guard, and its expression changed to recognition. "You will not interfere with my meal."
"Oh, this isn't good." The Golden Guard said.
Dell picked up his tone and asked, "You know what it is?"
"It's a basilisk."
"A basilisk? But I thought they were extinct."
"They were, until now," the Golden Guard replied cryptically.
Before Dell could ask what the Golden Guard meant by that, the basilisk slammed its hands onto the ground, sending a rock wave rippling toward them. The Golden Guard quickly teleported out of the way with the unconscious electric witch while withstood the impact. He flew at the basilisk.
"Superboy, wait!" The Golden Guard yelled, but it was too late. Dell punched the basilisk in the face, causing it to stumble back. While he managed to hurt the creature, Dell felt some of his strength leave him.
The basilisk recovered and smirked. "More! Give me more!"
"Superboy, this basilisk is a parasite!" The Golden Guard warned. "It doesn't just absorb magic; it absorbs all kinds of energy!" Dell's eyes widened in realization as he flew back.
"Parasite?" The basilisk laughed menacingly, its eyes glowing with hunger. "Yes. I Parasite!" It named itself before lunging at Dell, using wind magic from the spirit it absorbed to propel itself forward.
Dell dodged the attack, only to realize Parasite was heading for the Golden Guard and the electric witch. "No!" He grabbed Parasite by its tail, feeling his strength drained, but he did not let that stop him from slamming the basilisk to the ground with all his might.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the ground, causing the basilisk to release some stolen energy. The energy formed into the unconsciously floating form of the spirit that Parasite had absorbed. Dell kept his promise.
Dell released Parasite before it could drain him anymore. But Parasite rose; the energy it took from Dell made up for what it had lost. It swiped at Dell with its tail; the attack was swift and decisive, knocking Dell to the ground.
Dell found it a slight struggle to regain, feeling more of his strength drained. Parasite's strength matched Dell's now, and if this continued, it would be soon that the basilisk would exceed him. A power-hungry basilisk with Dell's strength, speed, and invulnerability would be a nightmare for the Isles.
"I got this!" The Golden Guard shouted as he pointed his staff at Parasite and a red sphere formed around it.
"Try to trap me with magic." The basilisk chuckled and opened its maw to absorb it, only to start coughing. "What is this?"
"Basilisks can't absorb artificial magic," the Golden Guard explained. "The power you stole will eventually fade away. There's nowhere left for you to run."
"No… No!" Parasite slammed its fist against the sphere's surface. It shook violently but held firm.
"The more you resist, the more strength you'll lose. Give up now and save yourself the trouble," the Golden Guard warned. "You're coming with me."
"I will not go back there!" Parasite screamed. "I'd rather die than return to that wretched place." Its eyes began to glow red. Dell knew what that color meant. "I WILL NOT GO BACK!" Similar to Dell's powers, red-hot energy surged from Parasite's eyes. The heat vision was so intense that it created cracks in the artificial magic sphere. The Golden Guard tried to keep it stable, but Parasite's power overwhelmed him.
Eventually, the heat vision broke through. "Look out!" Dell shouted, rushing forward to push the Golden Guard out of the way and taking the blast head-on. The impact sent Dell flying across the field. He could smell the burning of the witch's wool as he hit the ground. He knew what it felt like to get hit by his heat vision.
Parasite leaped at Dell and grabbed him by the face. He could feel his life force being sapped slowly. Dell struggled to break free, but Parasite's grip was too firm and was growing stronger by the second. "Superboy…" It hissed. "Dell Whispers…" It was draining him of his knowledge and memories. "Superboy… Dell Whispers…"
Hunter groaned as he forced himself up from the ground, his head spinning from the impact. But it cleared up in time to see Parasite on top of Superboy. "Superboy!" Hunter knew he had to act fast to save him before it was too late. Not because he saw him as an ally but because he couldn't risk Parasite becoming too powerful to control.
Hunter sent a bolt of artificial magic at the basilisk, hoping to distract it enough for Superboy to break free. But the attack merely bounced off its scales. Its invulnerability was already beginning to match Superboy's.
"Dammit." Hunter cursed under his breath, realizing that they were in serious trouble. As Parasite absorbed more of Superboy's powers, their chances of survival dwindled rapidly. Desperation set in as Hunter frantically sought a weakness. Anything to exploit before it was too late.
While pacing around, Hunter noticed a faint green glow near Geoffrey's unconscious body. He moved over to him. "The rock." The same one the Masters of Disaster stole is still intact. And his thoughts reiterated his theory that it could weaken Superboy. Perhaps it could also…
"Only one way to find out," Hunter said as he picked up the stone and teleported right above Parasite. He grunted as he stabbed the basilisk with the sharp end of the stone. The basilisk screeched in pain as the green glow from the stone enveloped its body. It had no other choice but to absorb the energy, inadvertently weakening itself in the process. Hunter's theory was proven correct.
"Get… off!" Superboy yelled as he pushed Parasite away, taking advantage of its weakened state. With a swift punch, Superboy knocked Parasite away. It still writhed in pain from the energy it continued absorbing into its body.
"Stop! Make it stop!" the Parasite begged. It raised its hands above its head and slammed them into the earth, using whatever stores of Geoffrey's earth magic it had to dig its escape route.
"No!" Hunter tried to stop Parasite, but it was too late. The creature disappeared underground. "I almost had it!" Hunter was frustrated at the missed opportunity.
Superboy looked at him. "We'll find it again… don't worry." He tried to maintain a determined expression but was tired.
"Can't you track where it's going?"
Superboy shook his head. "Parasite… drained too much… from me. I can… barely stand."
Hunter clenched his fists in frustration. "Are you gonna be alright?"
"I'll be fine," Superboy said with a weak smile. "I just need some time to recover. And so do they." He looked at the unconscious Masters of Disaster. Superboy seemed relieved that even the criminals would survive this encounter with Parasite. Hunter still could not understand Superboy's unwavering compassion for even his enemies.
"I'll be bringing the Masters of Disaster to the Conformatorium, where they can receive proper medical attention and be kept under control until they recover," Hunter explained. "I'll also have to fill out a report to the emperor about what happened here tonight."
"Do what you have to," Superboy replied, understanding. He extended his hand out to Hunter, showing his gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance."
"My assistance? You were the one assisting me," Hunter countered. "But I do appreciate it, Superboy. And maybe it wouldn't be so bad to work together again."
Superboy smiled at the unexpected partnership that had formed between them. "I look forward to it." Superboy took off into the night sky, leaving Hunter to tend to the injured.
Dell took his time flying back to the Owl House. Though he felt his strength was returning gradually, his fight against Parasite took a lot out of him. If he ever reencountered the basilisk, which he felt was a strong possibility, he would need to fight smarter, not stronger.
Dell returned to the Owl House, the magical shield still protecting it from the boiling rain, but was surprised to see Hooty off his hinges. "Hey, hey!" The house demon called out. "Is anyone there? Hello? HOOT! I'm on the floor. It's cold!"
"Hooty?" Dell floated down to him. "What happened to you?" He looked inside to see that the living room was ravaged as if some beast had… Oh, dear Titan! "What happened here?"
"Eda turned into her Owl Beast form and went on a rampage! HOOT!" Hooty explained.
"Where are Luz, King, and Baba?"
"They're safe! They're upstairs! HOOT!"
"Thanks, Hooty," Dell helped Hooty back onto his hinges and ran into the house, passing by more destruction as he made his way upstairs to check on his family. He prayed that they were alright. He couldn't forgive himself if they were hurt and wasn't there to stop it. He barged through the door. "Everyone!"
"Ugh, so loud," Mom groaned as she sat up in her nest, slurping an elixir while Baba and King looked after her. Baba also held an ice pack against their head.
They both then noticed Dell enter the room. "Well, you're back," Baba said. They and King looked relieved to see him.
"Hooty told me what happened," Dell said. "Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, I just bumped my head. But everyone else is fine."
"Can you turn down the volume?" Mom moaned. "I… I… have the worst headache. And my mouth tastes like roadkill." Unprompted, she reaches out a giant owl pellet, which breaks open to reveal a tiny pink creature curled up in a ball.
"What in the world is that?" Dell asked.
"A snaggleback," King answered.
"I'm… I'm just going to lie here for a minute." The snaggleback, clearly traumatized, whimpered.
"I thought you made sure Mom got her elixir." Dell reminded Baba.
"I did," Baba replied. "She promised to drink it after I helped her get into bed."
"Then I stole it," King admitted. "Luckily, we found an extra one in her closet."
"King? You stole my elixir?" Mom exclaimed, sitting up in bed. "I ought to break every bone in your body for putting me through that!"
"Eda, if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me." Baba defended their son. "I should've stayed and made sure you drank the elixir."
"Besides, something good came out of all this," King continued. "Look over there." King pointed to the corner of the room, where balls of light were all around Luz. She drew a strange symbol on a sticking note and tapped it, grinning as it transformed into a ball of light to join the others.
"Woah." Mom said. She was amazed by the magical display.
"How is she doing that?" Dell, equally amazed, asked.
"I don't know, but she did it all alone," Baba answered, proudly smiling.
"Hey, I, uh, kind of messed a bunch of things up back there," King admitted to Mom. "And I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
"Well, you better be," Mom replied sternly. "I have a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it. But it's not entirely your fault. Luz, come here."
"Oh, Eda, you're awake," Luz said, walking over to her mentor. "And Dell's back, too. Sorry, I was wrapped up in my discovery of magic."
"We could tell," Dell said with a chuckle.
"Time to be frank here," Mom began, taking a deep breath. "Dell and Raine already know this. When I was younger, I was cursed. I don't know how or why. But I know that if I don't drink my elixirs, I turn into… well, you know."
"Is that why you're called the Owl Lady?" Luz asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Mom nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's part of it. I've been hiding this secret for so long, but now that you know, I hope you understand why I must keep it hidden. No one likes having a curse, but it's manageable if you take the right steps."
"Is there anything we can do for you?" Dell asked his mother.
"There's nothing for you to worry about. Everything is under control, and I am content so long as my elixir isn't stolen." She glared at King, who would not live this down for a while. "But enough about me, how's everyone else? Luz discovered magic. Good on you, kid." Luz beamed with pride at the mention of her newfound abilities. "And Dell… you look exhausted."
"It's a long story," Dell began, "but I promise I'll fill you in later. Right now, I want to make sure you're okay."
Dell's mother smiled warmly at him. "Always worried about others," she said, "But don't forget to take care of yourself, too."
"I'm not too tired that I can't help out cleaning, and Luz can tell me how she discovered this magic she's doing."
Luz nodded eagerly. "I can't wait to tell you!" And with that, Dell, Luz, King, and Baba went to work to clean up the Owl House and wait out the remainder of the boiling rainstorm.
"And that is all I have to report, sire," Hunter said, kneeling before his uncle, his emperor. Kikimora was by his side; her one exposed eye watching Hunter closely.
Belos nodded. "Very well, Hunter. You have done well to handle the situation with the Masters of Disaster. Those criminals will be punished accordingly."
"I would like to go on record and commend Superboy for helping me stop them," Hunter added.
"You did mention that in your report," Belos nodded. "Was there anything you were able to uncover about him during your brief team-up?"
One part of Hunter wanted to tell his uncle about Superboy's weakness and the strange rock the Masters of Disaster were using. On the other hand, he knew that revealing that information could potentially put Superboy in danger if it fell into the wrong hands. Not that he thought his uncle's hands were the wrong ones, but… "No, nothing significant. Just that he's a strong and reliable ally for the Boiling Isles."
Belos' eyes glowed blue as he considered Hunter's response. "Very well," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Continue to monitor him closely, Hunter. We cannot afford any surprises."
"Thank you, Uncle." Hunter nodded, knowing that his loyalty to his uncle and the Emperor's Coven would always come first, no matter the cost. He stood up and left the throne room.
"You know he's not telling you everything," Kikimora whispered to Belos as Hunter exited.
Belos nodded. "Yes, Kiki, I'm aware of that. It would be a shame to replace him with a new Grimwalker already."
"I can have the Vitimir make a truth serum for him if you'd like," Kikimora suggested.
Belos considered it for a moment before shaking his head. "No need for that just yet. Let's see how this situation unfolds first. This could prove to be a valuable test of Hunter's loyalty."
"How so?" The diminutive demon was lost.
"Dear Kiki, trust goes both ways. If Hunter trusts Superboy enough to withhold information about him from me, then Superboy must also trust Hunter."
Kikimora nodded in understanding, realizing the complexity of the situation.
Belos continued, "Let's observe closely and see where my Golden Guard's loyalty truly lies."
Parasite's pained screams echoed throughout the cave as it pulled the remaining shards out of its back. With them finally removed, it could no longer absorb the debilitating energy that had weakened it during its fight against Superboy. Just a little longer, it would've had all of Superboy's powers for itself.
"Heal. Just heal." Parasite's voice was a desperate whisper. Once the boiling rainstorm had passed, it would hunt for more magic. Its hunger for power was insatiable, a relentless craving that consumed its every thought.
Suddenly, a barrier manifested around it. As a magical sphere encircled it, the Parasite exclaimed, "What?!" Parasite's first instinct was to try and absorb the magic, but it found something… off about it. "Can't absorb." It wasn't like the artificial magic that the Golden Guard used, but it was too different from anything on the Isles.
"You can't escape that, so don't even bother." A voice from within the cave taunted.
Parasite's eyes widened as it spotted the source of the voice. A bald man, his purple robes adorned with intricate gold embroidery, stood before it. His eyes glowed with a power that seemed to defy Parasite's understanding of magic. But that wasn't the only thing that caught Parasite's attention. His ears were round. "Human?" Parasite questioned, its curiosity piqued.
"Yes, very astute." The man replied with a smirk, his lips curling up in amusement. "But I am more than just a mere human." With a flick of his wrist, the man conjured a dark energy that crackled around them.
"What do you want?" Parasite asked, wary of the man's power.
The man chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with malice. 'I want you to join me and my cult in seeking the ultimate power. A power that I'm sure you'll want.'
Parasite considered the man's offer, and the allure of power was tempting. He said the ultimate power; perhaps this power could be what Parasite needed to get revenge on those who had wronged it, to feel the strength and control it had always desired finally. "Yes. Power. Ultimate power."
"I figured you would be interested," the man said with a sinister smile.
"I Parasite," Parasite said. "You? Your name?"
"My name is Felix Faust," the man replied, his smile widening. "Welcome to the Cult of The Cold Flame."
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