The Damned Demon

The air was electric with tension as Anna closed in on Derek, her hand crackling with dark yellow lightning. At this moment, she couldn't think of anything else but drawing out his blood until his soul screamed.

The energy danced wildly around her fingers, as if eager to strike. Derek's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze harsh, though his body seemed frozen in time just like the others.

But just as Anna was about to make contact, her body jerked violently, the lightning dying down as suddenly as it had appeared. Her legs went limp, her eyes returning to their original dark gray color. A grimace twisted her face as Derek's hand suddenly gripped her neck, his grip like a vice.

"Urgh!" Anna gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with frustration.

"Ha! Look at this bold rat. Did you forget that the M.A.M tech we installed in you shuts down the moment you try to use your mana against your masters?" Max's voice was filled with scorn, his laughter echoing off the cold walls.

"Looks like someone enjoys being handicapped," Lila chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Cila's heart clenched as she watched the scene unfold. She had always suspected that there was something holding Anna back, something that prevented her from fighting back against their masters. Now, she knew the truth. This M.A.M tech was a leash, a constant reminder of Anna's place in their world. Cila's throat constricted, her voice trapped inside her., feeling helpless and broken.

She wanted to scream, to rage against the injustice of it all, but she was frozen in silence, especially after seeing Mira's lifeless body.

Anna's face twisted in a snarl as she tried to remove the blue-eyed monster's hand, but he held fast. He slowly lifted her up, her limp legs dangling in the air like a puppet on a string.

"You were destined to be butchered by your own barbaric kind before you could even take your first breath," Derek said, his voice cold and detached, "But I prevented that and brought you here, allowed you to grow, and even gave you a purpose in your otherwise meaningless life. And yet...you felt you had the right to raise your hand against me?"

Anna's vengeful eyes shook uncontrollably, her heart wracked with emotions. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of despair, unable to escape the crushing weight of her circumstances.

"That anger and pain you are feeling inside you...Use that to remind yourself again of what happens if you don't fulfill what you were born to do. Or else I will have to keep reminding you like this, and you wouldn't want that, do you? All the lives of your friends literally depend on you," Derek continued, his threat hanging in the air like a guillotine ready to drop.

His words cut deep, her resistance crumbling under the weight of his threats. Anna's eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears as her hands loosened their hold on his wrist, falling off like a defeated flag. Her eyes became dull, her spirit crushed.

Derek dropped her to the ground, satisfied by her reaction, "Let's go," he said, turning to the others.

As the others left the dark room, Cila tried to crawl towards Anna, her eyes brimming with tears.

She dragged herself across the cold floor, her metal arms scraping against the unforgiving surface. But before she could even reach her, one of the guards grabbed her by the nape, dragging her out of the room. Cila raised her metal arms as if to latch onto Anna, her feebly calling out, "A-Anna..." She still couldn't process what had happened.

Anna, her body racked with silent sobs, lifted her gaze to Cila's retreating form. The sight of Cila's arms stretching out towards her, grasping at the air, etched a deep scar of guilt and regret in Anna's heart. Her voice was but a whisper, lost in the void of the room, as the door slammed shut, leaving her enveloped in darkness with the chilling presence of her sister's lifeless body nearby.

-

Not long after, on Earth,

Arthur walked into the orphanage where Anna worked, his face troubled and worried. The assistants and teachers greeted him with warm smiles, but their expressions quickly faded as they took in his concerned look.

"Is everything alright, son?" a middle-aged teacher asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Good evening, Ms. Potts," Arthur replied, his voice laced with worry. "I was wondering if Anna is still here?"

Ms. Potts adjusted her glasses, a look of confusion crossing her features. "Anna? She never showed up here today. We were confused since she would never take a leave without informing us. But we thought she might have gone on a sudden trip, perhaps with you."

Arthur shook his head, his anxiety mounting. "No. We never planned anything like that for today. I came here because she wasn't at her home, and she usually would be. I'm also unable to reach her phone. Do you know if she could have gone to any other place?"

The small hallway was filled with concerned glances, the staff exchanging worried looks. Ms. Potts sighed, her voice gentle yet tinged with worry, "I'm afraid not. Even though Anna is a friendly soul, she doesn't share much about her affairs or where she goes in between at times. We never pressed her, not wanting to intrude on her personal affairs. That poor thing has surely been through a lot. I wouldn't want you to worry too much because she could be taking a break somewhere. But if you think something's wrong, we can notify the police."

Arthur was surprised that Anna would go somewhere else in between her work hours. She never mentioned anything like that to him and made him wonder where she would go alone. It must not be easy to travel in a wheelchair.

Arthur's lips arched into a brief smile, his eyes filled with gratitude. "It's fine, I will take care of it. Thank you."

With that, he turned and ran out of the orphanage, his footsteps echoing through the hallway. The teachers and assistants watched him go, their faces filled with concern and worry for Anna's safety, especially due to her condition.

Arthur's feet pounded the ground as he ran to an isolated corner, and with a burst of speed, he took off into the skies, soaring high above the land to get a bird's eye view of the landscape below.

His enhanced eyes scanned the wide expanse of land below him for any sign of Anna. He had already flown over the entire country in search of her, but he wanted to check again before he took drastic actions to find her. However, after a while, with the intent of leaving no stone unturned, he was on the verge of enlisting Rachel's secretive assistance when a peculiar sight arrested his attention. With a sharp intake of breath, he halted mid-air, then swiftly descended toward a particular location with furrowed brows.

Meanwhile, just minutes ago, Anna had just wheeled herself out of the abandoned bathroom she usually used to change her clothes. Her eyes were still dull, her face pale, as if she had lived through a nightmare. She lifelessly moved the stick on her electric wheelchair, wheeling herself forward with a mechanical motion.

But as she moved, she struggled to suppress the pain within her heart. She knew she had to make herself seem normal when she saw Arthur, but it was hard to shake off the feeling of despair that had settled over her.

And then, her eyes widened as she realized she never got the chance to leave a message at the orphanage that she would be absent today. Since it was already past evening, Arthur must have wondered why she wasn't at her house.

As she reached for her phone to call him, her solitude was abruptly interrupted,

"Ho? Look at this hot wheelchair girl, bro," a rowdy voice called out from behind. Anna frowned and glanced sideways, catching sight of two scrawny young men with tattoos marking their bodies, trailing her with unsettling interest.

"I have seen her around our streets. But she doesn't live here, right?" one chuckled, his companion nodding in agreement.

"Nah, but she's hanging around here at this time, which means she must be interested to know us locals better. Right, bro?" the first man jeered, a smirk playing on his lips.

Realizing their dark intentions, Anna sped up her wheelchair, her movements becoming urgent as she sought to get away from their advances. "Yo, where you going so fast, girl?" the first man called out, sprinting to intercept her. He blocked her path with a jeering smile, his gaze roaming over her, especially her ample bosom highlighted by her top, in a way that made her skin crawl.

"Leave me…alone…" Anna muttered, her voice ice cold as her dark gray eyes pierced the leering man in front of her.

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