My Demon

There was an old mansion in the forest, forgotten even by time itself. Its gray stone walls were covered in moss, its roof tiles had been displaced by the wind, and its windows were shattered. In its garden, only thorny vines and wild weeds now reigned. Once a symbol of grandeur, the structure now carried nothing but the silence of past memories. Inside the mansion, a long stone staircase descended into a dark cellar that smelled of dust and mold. The cellar was surrounded by thick stone walls, windowless and damp. Rusted chains hung from the ceiling beams, and roots stretched inward through cracks in the walls. There was a being inside the cellar. Chained to the wall. By its hands, its feet, and its wings… Each chain was marked with seals. Its eyes were hidden in the shadows, yet its presence alone made the air in the room heavy. From one corner of the room, a figure emerged from the darkness. Only its silhouette was visible as light fell upon it. It moved silently, holding a glowing sphere in its hand. Inside the sphere, something swirled vividly, radiating light. As if bending time itself… Devil: Angel, you can’t leave me here! Angel: You deserve this. Devil: How long do you think you can keep me here? The angel did not respond. Slowly, he raised the sphere into the air, its light licking the walls. The devil narrowed his eyes and looked at him. Angel: With this sphere, you will lose your power over time. And then… The devil shouted in rage. His words echoed through the dark cellar. Devil: There is no “then”! Losing my power won’t change anything! I’m not human, you foolish angel! You can’t kill me like this! Angel: I don’t want to kill you. That’s not my goal. While you struggle to escape from here… I will have already taken what I wanted. There was a brief silence. Then the devil strained against his chains, shaking them violently. Devil: You know what… you’re the real devil! Without saying a word, the angel turned his back and left the cellar with heavy steps. He left behind a cold loneliness. The iron door of the cellar closed. The devil lifted his head. His eyes gleamed. His lips moved—he whispered magical words in an unknown language. He used his last remaining strength for this. At that moment, a piece of paper appeared in front of the cellar door. Devil: A single drop of blood will be enough. --- 15 Years Later Spending the summer vacation at my grandmother’s house… even thinking about it bored me. This gloomy stone house, old books, and the ticking wall clock… It was a place where time stood still, where memories mixed with dust. Everything was silent. Too silent. One morning, I decided to create a new adventure for myself. I walked toward the abandoned mansion deep in the forest, the one said to have been untouched for years, a little distance away from my grandmother’s house. With a feeling mixed with curiosity and unease… The mansion was almost invisible beneath the shadows of the trees. Wild vines were suffocating its walls, its roof had collapsed… The windowpanes were broken. The door of the mansion creaked as it opened, as if the house itself were whispering a warning against my entering. Dust had settled everywhere, and spider webs hung from the ceiling. The furniture was exactly where it had been left, as if someone had abandoned the house with the certainty that they would return one day. A marble statue on top of the old fireplace caught my attention. I picked it up, but the fine cracks on its surface couldn’t withstand the weight and it broke. “Oh my God…” I whispered. I bent down. As I gathered the pieces, I cut my hand. The pain was mild, but blood dripped onto the broken marble. I hesitated for a moment, then left the pieces there without caring. The house was already under years of decay—what difference would a few pieces of a statue make? My curiosity pulled me deeper. Following the stone flooring, I came across a spiral staircase leading beneath the house. With every step, the stones groaned from within. Below, there was a heavy iron door sealed with thick chains. As if someone didn’t want those outside to get in. Or didn’t want someone inside to get out… Right in front of the door lay a yellowed piece of paper. On it were words and symbols written in a foreign language. I picked up the paper. A few drops of blood from the cut on my hand flowed directly onto it. At that moment… the chains began to tremble with a strained groan. Then, one by one, they fell to the ground. The paper was still in my hand—the strange symbols and words on it were glowing. The cellar door slowly opened on its own. Its creaking echoed through the depths of the cellar. Cold air rose from within. In the pitch-black room, a figure was sitting, leaning against the stone wall. Its eyes were looking straight at me—inside them was the gleam of a joy, the sparkle of a hunger suppressed for years. Its red wings seemed to shine even in the darkness. The figure leaning against the cellar wall began to move. I stared at it for a few seconds. My body was frozen, my heart as if it had forgotten how to beat. Then I screamed. At that moment, my entire body moved on instinct. I nearly stumbled as I ran up the stairs. Breathless, I ran toward my grandmother’s house. No one followed me. But something inside me told me that it was free now.