Devil's Bargain

2

The Objective

"Master, wake up…"

Elara heard a call from a distant voice. She remained silent, still attempting to identify the source of that voice. Then she felt a fluffy object stab her in the face.

She gave a tiny grunt and shifted. The thick eyelashes that had been hiding her cheeks for a few seconds lifted, perplexed by the abrupt shift in illumination.

A set of silver-gray eyes met hers, and she blinked in stunned stillness. Something fluffy and winged hovered just over her face. She now realized that the fluffy paw of the beast had been jabbing her cheek some time ago.

Oh no! Why am I seeing a fluffy, winged, flying cat creature? She sat up, giving it some consideration. Glancing around, she was even more astonished to discover her own body lying on a sickbed. Her body has many tubes attached to it.

"What on earth is this?" Did I really die? Why do I perceive my body at this moment? I'm not sure where I am. This seems more like a jail cell than a hospital, doesn't it? She questioned herself as she became aware of her strange surroundings.

Her bewildered response made the little winged thing chuckle. He had some way of knowing what was going through her head.

The winged creature stated matter-of-factly, "Don't worry, master! You are not dead yet! Your soul just got separated from your body, and you ended up in a coma."

Elara: "...

When she heard the creature's reply, she was dumbfounded. How is it even possible? In front of her adversary, she made sure to puncture her heart in order to commit herself.

"There's no way I can survive that! I plunged and buried the dagger deep enough to kill me on the spot!" She sighed.

She was trying to approach her sickbed, but something was preventing her from getting any closer to her body.

She moaned, "What the hell is this?!" She then faced the cat with wings. "And who are you? I mean, what are you? I assume you are not an angel nor a grim reaper."

The monster only tried not to chuckle as he observed her with enjoyment.

The winged magical creature said, "Pffft... Master is right! I'm no angel, nor grim reaper! I am a magical creature. I'm Bam-Bam." When his owner finally saw him, he was happy. He made his introduction positively.

The winged magical creature said excitedly, "My task is to accompany you and guide you during your mission!" "Do you have any questions, master? Don't hesitate to ask me!"

Elara said, eagerly, "Am I here to be punished for my crimes? When am I going to die?" to Bam-Bam.

The magical creature said, "You might actually die. If you fail to complete your mission, you will be punished."

Just as she turned to ask him more questions, the door burst open, and a guy stepped out, making his way over to her sickbed.

Elara's heart tightened within her chest as soon as she saw the man's face. Rhea Sparks was the one! She had a pounding headache that seemed like it was about to explode. Flashes of that terrible night passed across her memory.

"He is the reason why you are still alive, Master. Two years had passed since that night he came to annihilate all the members of his guild. He tried his best to prolong your life and revive you after you pierced your heart with your double-edged dagger."

When she heard it, she was shocked. "What?." The Devil Has been keeping me alive for two years?"

She looked away, sharply returning her focus to Rhea. Even after two years, he remained the same ruthless and unkind guy as before. She could still feel her spine tingle from his intense scrutiny.

Her other self said, "And he is still as handsome as ever." She dismissed the idea out of her thoughts with a quick shake of her head. It was not her place to be impressed by this Devil. He was the villain who had murdered every member of her guild!

She recognized that Bam-Bam's statement made sense: "Master, he has deep resentment towards you. He is only keeping you alive so that he can kill you by himself."

She responded with a proud grin, "Yes, that is the reason why I chose death by my own hands that night."

She was staring at Rhea. Now he stood beside her hospital bed. He was staring at her with obvious hate and rage in his eyes. His hands were balled into fists and fiercely clenched. Then he resumed his usual face, hiding any residual feelings.

"My guild was destroyed. Even if I survived and killed him, it's still a total defeat," Elara said to Bam-Bam, "I should have killed him, instead of killing myself. But my pride couldn't take it."

"But, Master, it's not yet too late. You still have a second chance. Just accomplish your mission and you will get your body back! Your soul can return to your body and wake up!"

She looked at the magical creature and raised an eyebrow, "Mission? What mission are you talking about?" He has been discussing the task for some time now.

Rhea stood still next to her sickbed, but the flying magical creature pointed his little claws at him and said, "Make him fall in love with you within 100 days!"

Elara: "...

Elara gave the flying monster a "you've got to be kidding me" expression as her eyes widened.

Not at all! It's an impossible assignment! This man really hated her. How on earth could she do it?

The flying magical creature stroked her back and whispered, "Master, don't worry. He won't recognize you. You will have to borrow a temporary body and live with a new identity." It was as if he could read her thinking.

Elara furiously shook her head. "NO WAY! I had better be dead than making a devil fall in love with me! Furthermore, all my life I only knew how to kill and chase after my target, not chase after a man and make him fall in love! I don't even believe in Love!" She was furious.

"Mister... are you certain about this?" Bam-Bam gave her a serious look. Elara was forced to consider the situation after his unexpected silence.

For a little while, she was lost in contemplation. She then returned her attention to the attractive demon standing in front of her. Her family and other fighters were brutally murdered by this monster. She was now granted another shot at life, this time to get vengeance on this fiend.

Would she flee in the same way as she did that evening? Or will she have the guts to confront him and exact revenge on her fallen allies?

Elara squeezed her eyes shut, recalling how her friends suffered and were killed that evening. "They fought until their last breath..." "I ought to follow suit."

With confidence, she said, "Fine! I'll do it... this ridiculous mission! I will make the Devil fall in love with me!"

"Yush! Let's go, Master. Let's find your body."

The magical being brought his two paws together, and an intense light burst around them. Shortly after, Rhea and her body remained in that room as Elara and Bam-Bam vanished in an instant like a bubble.