The darkness vanished and I was back in the torture room with Eliza. It took me a while to figure out what happened.

I looked at my body to see if everything was in order. I had dark fissures spread across my whole body. Through the cracks a dark aura was leaking out like black gas.

The thousand years in prison made a great change in my soul. The only thing I knew was that after so long in that dark place I got used to it. The despair and pain didn't bother me much anymore.

"You... Your soul changed." Eliza seemed surprised.

She blinked a few times and her eye color changed.

The moment she looked at me she shivered and took a step back.

"..."

"Eliza long time no see." I chuckled and got closer to her.

"Hah, Albert you have changed. That dark speck inside has grown."

"Did you miss me?"

"For me only a short time passed."

"I see. Take me back to that place. This time I want to stay longer."

"Watch who you are talking, stop ordering me."

"I see, now can you please bring me back?"

"If you ask me like that then how can I refuse? Your growth pleased me so I forgive you."

Her attitude changed. She was much more respectful towards me, I didn't knew if fear played a part. But when she checked out my soul she had a quite fearful look on her.

This must be the effect of the dark speck inside of me. One thing I noticed was that I could feel the dark energy in the air.

"Thank you. Now, if you can I want to stay much longer in there. How about a million years. Can you do it."

Eliza raised her brow and seemed a bit hesitant at first.

"Of course for me nothing is too difficult."

"Great, I'm ready."

"You're crazy." She said in a low voice.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, nothing. Now have good time." She snapped her fingers and my vision turned dark again.

- - - -

I was back at the dark place again. Somehow it felt like home. Being imprisoned didn't bother me that much anymore as long as it contributes to my personal development.

...

A sharp pain interrupted my meditation. My whole body shook and the pain intensified.

It became unbearable as if my body was being torn apart. Various cracking sounds could be hurt.

My soul was transforming, the whole process seemed to never end.

The pain got worse and worse. I gotta say today was a bad day.

My skin shattered like glass and with that the shackles that held me down. The moment it happened I could see in the darkness just fine. It turned out that I got night vision.

I saw the beast that was torturing me for years. It looked like a cute puppy with black fur and red eyes.

It was currently covering in fear not daring to look at me. This is suppose to be a hell hound? It looked cute.

Suddenly various negative thoughts arose in my mind. The thoughts overwhelmed me, it demanded for carnage.

I approached the little puppy while my killing intend grew. The dog trembled and let out whining sounds.

My hand moved on its own, I grabbed it by its neck and got a surge to twist it.

Just before twisting its neck something stopped me. It was myself, the self that steeled his willpower through years of suffering.

Anger boiled inside of me and I suppressed the negative thoughts. Being imprisoned is one thing but to lose my own will is unforgivable.

I felt a coldness and indifference towards all the living, this feeling was appearing after I shed my skin. Seems like the dark seed finally sprouted.

"Good, boy. Were you scared? I'm sorry, it's alright." I patted the little puppy.

It was still scared, I picked it up and looked up.

"Eliza get me out of here. "

"What's with that tone. Ask nicely and I might consider it."

Still the same huh?

"You are testing my patience."

"What? Did I hear right? Don't get cocky or else-"

With a snort the space shattered and I was back at the private torture chamber of Eliza.

"Or else what?"

Eliza's face turned pale from fright, she wasn't even trying to hide it.

"You- " She took a few steps back.

"What's the matter? You don't look so confident all of sudden."

"What the hell are you? Stay down boy or I will punish you."

I chuckled at her threat, before I would have pissed my pants but now after a the change it feels like the threat of a child.

I put down the puppy and it instantly vanished to some corner.

"Do you want to try?"

"Humph, just because you have become more powerful don't think you stand a chance against me."

"We will need to find that out."

Her eyes begun to glow and the whole room was covered with a red aura. The smell of death and blood mixed with the room.

She pointed her finger at my forehead and a red beam materialized going for my head.

The moment it hit my forehead my soul shook. There was a slight pain in my head but it faded as quick as it came.

"Is that all you've got?"

"How is it possible? You shouldn't be alright."

"Maybe you still hold me dear as a pet? That hindered you going full force."

"Right, right. That must be it boy, how silly of me, sentiment has no place in this place.So you want to defy your master? Be prepared to be destroyed"

"Now now, you make it sound like I want to kill you. You are still my dear master. How could I bear harming you?"

I had a feeling of unwavering pride, I had no fear of death nor pain. Whatever happened to me changed me. For all I care, it as a good change. I felt like the king of the universe.

She raised her guard but didn't made a move, she just stood there dumbfounded.

My hand moved closer and I inserted my hand into her forehead.

The moment my hand was inside her head she went pale and trembled as if seeing a nightmare.

I knew what I was doing by instinct. I wanted to find out her biggest fears, since the seed inside of me grew I acquired a technique that enables me to look into her painful moments in life.

My vision turned dark for a moment and various images appeared inside of my head.

I saw a Eliza as child how she tortured a soul that would not yield. She failed the most basic duty of a devil.

Her father was standing beside her.

The little Eliza looked at her father who looked disappointed.

"Father I, I'm sorry."

"Humph, today's display of you power is such a disappointment. How can you the daughter of Belesh fail so miserably."

"Father I can expl-"

"Enough, go to bed and think about what you did wrong."

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"Humph, words mean nothing. You have to show it to me Eliza. Now scram."

That night Eliza cried herself into sleep.

So she is a daddy's girl. It seemed that she was afraid to disappoint her father.

The vision stopped and I took back my hand.

Eliza fell down on her knees. Since the vision I saw was shared she seemed to have taken quite the blow.

Tears welled up on her eyes.

"How can this be? I made a devil cry? Do you think such a shameful display is befitting a devil?"

"You saw it too right? How...why. This can not be... I'm a devil, I reveal people fears and sufferings not you, a mere mortal. I worked so hard in the end I'm out done by trash."

"Now, now. I won't tell your father about this don't worry."

Realization hit her like thunder. Rage was burning inside her eyes and the ground begun to shake.

"You are not allowed to exists. I made a mistake in giving you free reign, I should have destroyed you when I noticed the change in your soul."

"So you fear me now?"

"Fear? I fear nothing." She laughed like she heard the funniest joke ever.

"Except your daddy."

Her laughter came to a halt and her face turned cold. You could still see the fires burning inside her eyes however.

"Humph, enough of your talk, now die."

She held out her hand and a dark orb formed in her hand. Strange sounds of wailing people could be heard.

A feeling of death washed over my soul. Fear rose up but vanished instantly.

The orb was flying my way. I had the feeling that if the orb touched me I would die.

I snorted and black smoke shot out of my mouth and coated me like a shield.

As the orb made contact with the black smoke it begun to absorb it at an incredible rate. More and more black smoke got sucked into the orb. I had to compensate with pouring more smoke out of my mouth.

Since I am quite inexperienced with the new powers I gained there was nothing I could think of to get out of this situation.

A few breaths later the suction rate of the orb overpowered my mist producing capabilities.

Just before I couldn't hold out any more the orb exploded. The blast of the orb sent me flying towards a wall, leaving behind a crater.

Even though I didn't get hit directly by the orb the blast was strong enough to almost shatter my soul.

Cracks appeared on the surface of my soul and a black aura leaked out.

Despair and fear rose up up but these negative feelings got quenched instantly. It was as if negative feelings gave me new strength, the cracks slowly faded away becoming unreal.

My killing intend rose up, inside of me countless thoughts of killing appeared in my mind. My soul screamed for slaughter. It was about to take control of my body but I could barley suppress it.

“How can this be? Impossible.“

“Surprise, surprise. Now it is my turn.“ I had no idea what to do, the defensive technique I used earlier was by reflex. Now standing in front of her I had no plan how to approach this situation.

Vigiliance showed on Eliza's face, she was much more careful.

“You can still apologize, I'm a man that holds no grudges, let bygones be bygones.“

“Humph, you are only talk after all. Well, you are promising since you could withstand my weakest attack, I only used about 0.01% of my power.“

“Is that so? You have to know I only used 0.001% of my power. I know its difficult to accept, but once you realize how great I am, everything will become much easier.”

“It didn't look like you held back boy, you were struggling.”

“Aiya, there is no use to talk people who only can boast, not like me, a humble man that knows his limits.”

Eliza only shook her head, it seemed like she didn't want to discuss further. Well, I also wouldn't fight a loosing battle.

“It's too bad you have to die. Any last words?”

“I will tell your daddy.”

“You bastard. Just die.”

She yet again held out her hand and the same orb formed. This time it was taking a much bigger form.

Just as she was about to throw the orb at me there was a ripple in the air and a space tore open.

From the space tear a roaring bald man in loin cloth appeared.

“Eliza HALT.” With an beastly roar the orb shattered in an instant and Eliza was forced to her knees.

“Ah, you must be Eliza's father. I want to complain about your daughter, not only is she a naughty kid she even tried to kill me. Please, I beg you spank her ass really hard until it changes color.”

“Who the hell are you?” Eliza's father looked at me with strange eyes. I guess he is not used to mortals complaining about his daughter.

He looked at me with discerning eyes until his eyes widen all of sudden.

“This... How can this be.” Joy spread on this savage man.

Eliza sensing that his father was acting strange tried to explain the situation.

“Father I can expla-”

“Shut up. Don't think I didn't know what you tried to do. I'm not finished with you yet.” Eliza shrieked back from fear and didn't dare to refute any longer.

His stern face soften as he looked at me and laughed. It was a joyous laugh that made the whole room quake.

“Kid, I'm sorry what my daughter has done to you. I hope you take no offense.” He smiled with a tint of red on his face showing his embarrassment.

“No offense taken, you must be Eliza's father?”

“Yes, yes. I'm Belesh, everyone calls me the god of madness.”

“It is good to meet you. My name is Frank, they call me the profound man of men.” Not really but who cared.

“Ah, yes, yes a profound man indeed.”

Eliza's mouth was agape from shock she couldn't utter a single word.