"You've forgotten your own identity… Then what's your purpose? What's your worth?"
But his voice betrayed him. He suddenly fell silent, swallowing the harsh words before they could leave his mouth, as though they were nothing short of a death sentence.
Arthur approached Colton, his voice low but his words clear.
"Colton, I didn't force you to remember him. I was the one who went to him and told him that I was hosting a demon… a very powerful one. That's why Arlo asked to meet you. He simply wanted to see someone of his own kind again."
He took a short breath before continuing bitterly,
"But as you can see, he's become rather friendly. Yes… he kills and commits crimes on our behalf, but he's become more like a human than one of us. He's forgotten what he truly is."
He paused, searching for the right word.
"That's what they call… adaptation."
Colton's jaw trembled slightly before he finally responded, his voice heavy with seriousness.
"Mr. Arthur… What happened to him proves that Lady Eleanor's actions succeeded. She separated the worlds… and made us what we are today."
Arthur offered a tight smile.
"Then you can take your revenge."
Colton gestured toward Kayden.
"He'll be there."
Arthur nodded without hesitation.
"I don't mind. He must fight to make a name for himself. Both he and Henry… They must try, even if it means bringing down a god. Even if they have to wreak havoc in the process. I won't be there to tell them no. I'll support them… and prove that I made the right choice."
Colton raised his head and looked steadily at Arthur.
"You're a remarkable man."
But he soon changed his tone, lowering his voice.
"Let's speak without masks. You know I'm a demon, and I know you're incredibly powerful. Thank you for allowing me to stay here without interference… but I won't put my master in danger."
"Of course. Everyone wants that woman brought down… She's troublesome. And once she's defeated, flames will spread everywhere."
Arthur sighed slowly.
"This plan will take time… The twins need to become much stronger. So do my other children. And you, too. I told you before that I wouldn't say no, but I will refuse if I see carelessness or a reckless rush toward death."
Colton nodded.
"Of course… That won't happen anytime soon. I'm not about to rush toward death. As you can see, the Immortal's trial is almost over."
"This is the first time I've ever encountered a case like yours, Arlo."
Colton stepped closer before continuing with a crooked smile.
"So, my only suggestion is that you calm down… and remember what you really look like. I don't think you were quite that ugly."
George interrupted them, raising his voice with unusual enthusiasm.
"Can you show us what you look like? Colton, show me your true form!"
Henry suddenly gasped, his voice barely audible.
"Don't ask for that… He did it once… and made me regret it."
"Shut up, you annoying child! It's every man's dream! Show me your true form. Don't be selfish!"
George spoke rapidly once more, silencing his brothers.
Colton turned toward him without hesitation.
"Henry, I can hear you."
Then he raised an eyebrow at George.
"But… what do you have to offer me in return?"
George smiled with an unusual sense of ease, wiggling his fingers in the air as though trying to entice him.
"I have plenty of things. Just tell me what you want… Think carefully. I'll get it for you."
Colton remained silent for a moment before pointing toward Arlo.
"Focus."
Colton's body suddenly stretched, accompanied by sounds resembling cracking bones and grinding joints that echoed through the empty space. His long hair extended until it reached his waist, his eyes gleamed with an almost hellish clarity, and his smile revealed a set of sharp fangs. A pair of enormous black wings unfolded from his back, their glossy feathers wrapping around his body.
The brothers gasped in unison.
George stood frozen in astonishment, his eyes widening like a child witnessing his dreams come to life.
"This is the greatest day of my life… Every warrior dreams of seeing a high-ranking demon! Oh my God, he has four eyes!"
He rushed forward in a frenzy, pushing Kayden and Henry aside before circling Colton as though inspecting a legendary creature.
For a brief moment, Colton felt like the most important person in the room. A foolish smile slipped onto his face before he could stop it.
"Stop smiling like an idiot!" Kayden shouted from a distance.
He then approached and suddenly plucked a feather from Colton's wing.
"Colton, if I pull out a feather… does it hurt?"
"No?" Colton answered indifferently.
But Kayden had already pulled one out. He handed it to Henry with a mischievous grin.
"We shall use it in magic to make your life even darker."
He let out an exaggerated, sinister laugh.
Henry examined the feather before replying, "Or we could make better pens with it."
He then took it from Kayden's hand.
Kayden sighed sadly. "Why wouldn't you play along? You're losing yourself, Henry."
Meanwhile, George was still staring at Colton's appearance, as though trying to memorize every last detail.
"I'm… done," he finally muttered.
He slowly stepped away and sat down with an unusual calmness.
Colton suddenly raised his claws, his voice turning cold and harsh.
"Arlo… Just remember who you are. Look at my appearance. Remember how noble our bloodline is. And if you fail to remember… I can always remind you through violence."
Arlo's voice trembled slightly as he replied in a hurry, "Give me some time… to figure out where the mistake lies."
After Arlo departed, Kayden dragged himself upstairs to his room, utterly exhausted. He threw himself onto the bed, hoping to recover some of the energy he had wasted.
Only a few moments passed before a glowing message materialized in the air before him. Unfortunately, it met the harsh reality of his heavy sleep. Kayden was practically a corpse that happened to be breathing, and he didn't so much as twitch.
When no response came, the message moved on to Henry, who was sitting downstairs, studying an old manuscript in his hands. It suddenly appeared before him, but he made no attempt to reach for it.
George was quicker.
He casually extended his fingers, caught the message, and opened it.
"A ritual will be held to locate Adam. William refuses to begin without your presence, Colton's, and yours."
As soon as he finished reading, the message spontaneously burst into flames, turning into ashes that scattered through the air as though it had never existed.
Henry immediately stood up and hurried upstairs to wake Kayden, who was sleeping like the dead, buried beneath the weight of confused dreams—or perhaps nothing at all.
At the Church
Sergei had finished treating Enzo, allowing him to regain most of his vision.
Sergei didn't linger. He left in a hurry and returned home, throwing the door open with such force that it startled his wife.
He didn't even look at her. His eyes burned with a kind of anxiety she had never seen before.
"Where is my daughter?"
She pointed toward the room with a trembling hand.
He rushed inside and found his little daughter sitting among a large collection of colorful toys, her face still carrying the innocence of a child untouched by the world's impurities.
The mother spoke in a trembling voice.
"Mary… Lady Isabelle's maid came to visit us today. She greeted us…"
Sergei sat before his daughter, his eyes never leaving her features, as though searching for something hidden beneath her innocent appearance.
He remained silent for a long moment before biting his lip and muttering a quiet curse.
"That damn woman…"
Henry threw the door open so violently that it slammed against the wall.
"Kayden, wake up! Are you dead? Can't you hear me?"
It took several attempts before Kayden finally stirred. He raised his head sluggishly, his eyes half-closed.
"I'm changing the lock on this room… Next time, I'll actually hit you."
Henry exhaled in frustration and tried to pull him by the arm.
"Stop complaining! They said they're going to locate Adam. Get up, you lazy bastard."
But Kayden, his eyes still heavy with sleep, reached for a half-full glass of water and poured it directly over Henry's head.
The water splashed across his face and forehead. Henry didn't even try to dodge it.
He was furious.
"You started this… and it will never end!"
And just like that, the room turned into a battlefield. Their shouts filled the air, as though they were engaged in some ancient feud that would never die.
Arthur could no longer tolerate the noise. He stormed upstairs and stopped at the doorway, his eyes blazing with impatience.
"When are you two going to grow up? Stop it! Both of you!"
An awkward silence settled over the room for a few seconds.
Henry was the first to back down. He cleared his throat and announced, "Father, we're going to Ayrton's house."
They went downstairs one after another.
Arthur spoke sternly as he watched them.
"Don't cause any trouble. Kayden, watch your behavior. Henry, calm down a little. Don't be stupid!"
At the door, they ran into George, who was preparing to leave.
Arthur fixed his gaze on him, his expression heavy with suspicion.
"And you… Don't make any mistakes. I have a bad feeling about you."
George stared at him in confusion.
"Me? What did I do?"
Arthur replied in a low voice, "You… seem strange. My instincts are rarely wrong. You're planning to do something disastrous, aren't you?"
George stiffened.
"I haven't done anything wrong. I'm simply taking them there… then I'll return to work. Adele is waiting for me."
He strode forward confidently, ushering his brothers outside. Before closing the door, he glanced back at Arthur.
"Don't worry… Colton will take care of them."
Arthur remained alone in the house.
The silent walls seemed to close in around him, pressing against him with their stillness. For the first time in a long while, he felt a heavy anxiety gnawing at his chest, accompanied by a loneliness he had never known before.
It was as though the world around him was preparing for something inevitable.
Inside the Carriage
"Why does Father think you're strange?" Henry asked.
George fidgeted with his hand before answering indifferently, "I don't know… As you know, he's worried. Besides, my powers… are unstable."
Colton's voice came from the seat beside him.
"Unstable? They're on the verge of collapsing. I've noticed it for a while now. Stop whatever you're doing before you end up tearing yourself apart."
George slowly raised his head and looked at Colton.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Start meditating," Colton replied without hesitation.
George laughed bitterly, a sound that came close to despair.
"I don't have time… There's no time left."
Colton continued, as though weighing the possibilities in his mind.
"You could take medication to ease the collapse… Or find someone powerful enough to lend you some of their spiritual energy to stabilize you."
George placed a hand against his head, as though suffering from a terrible headache.
"There's no one."
Kayden chuckled mockingly and casually threw out a suggestion.
"How can there be no one? Roger is right there. You could ask him."
George replied coldly, "He's busy."
Kayden stared at him.
"Why are all your options closed off, George?"
George's shoulders relaxed slightly. His answer came in a voice that sounded almost like a confession.
"Because even if I were going to die tomorrow, I would never ask a stranger for a favor. When your power begins to collapse, you must never allow anyone to look into your core. Strangers will devour you. Colton only discovered my condition because I asked for his help while you were being transported. That's why. Never trust strangers."
Colton and Kayden exchanged a brief glance.
Then Kayden spoke with unexpected seriousness.
"Colton, can you help him?"
Colton adjusted his position, his eyes fixed on George.
"He's at the Reflection Stage… It's a destructive stage. Don't worry, George. This is pure energy. Afterward, you need to calm down and stop running around like a blind man, because you're not an idiot."
He then turned toward Henry, who had been watching attentively.
"Henry… You're a doctor. You should understand these fundamentals. What you're witnessing is a rare example unfolding right before your eyes."
Kayden muttered sarcastically as he glanced at his brother.
"Henry, take notes."
George removed his coat, followed by his upper garments.
Kayden's eyes widened, while Henry turned his face away in shock.
Kayden couldn't contain his reaction.
"What the actual hell is this?! What have you done to yourself?!"
George's body was covered in deep wounds and spreading black patches.
Henry cautiously reached out and touched one of them.
"Were you beaten up? Don't tell me… Was Adele the one who did this to you? She once injured me in exactly the same way."
George answered calmly, "It's nothing… Just a little training."
Colton hesitated for a moment before speaking, looking toward Kayden.
"What exactly does 'a little' mean in human terms?"
He wasn't waiting for an explanation. Instead, he was sending a concealed message to his master.
Kayden understood his intention.
"George… How the hell do your powers work?"
But George offered no answer. He simply looked out of the window and spoke slowly.
"We're approaching Ayrton's house, and I can't stay for long. Colton… Are you going to do it or not?"
Their eyes met.
George continued, "Be a good companion to me."
Colton closed his eyes, placing one hand on George's head and the other against his back.
Energy began pouring into George in tremendous quantities, far more than anyone had anticipated. It was almost as though Colton had realized that the situation was much worse than a small amount of energy could possibly resolve.
Henry watched closely, mentally recording every detail.
He even entertained a sarcastic thought.
'Perhaps I should try this on Kayden… after beating him half to death.'
When Colton finally opened his eyes, the carriage had already been parked outside Ayrton's house for ten minutes.
Colton spoke calmly, careful not to startle George.
"I've given you quite a lot, George. Don't think about medication… Try meditating instead. I know you don't have the time, but even Henry and Kayden can regulate their powers rather quickly. Don't use your abilities until they've stabilized."
George put his clothes back on, his expression returning to its usual cold composure.
"Don't tell anyone. Henry, please don't go around talking carelessly. I'll be back soon, and I'll explain everything to you."
Then he pointed at Kayden, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.
"And you… Those messages that suddenly appear are annoying. Find a way for the family to communicate privately. Just show me your ideas."