---
The city remained oblivious to the horror that had unfolded in the shadows. The nobleman's lifeless body lay slumped in the alley, his fine silks now stained crimson. Elias wiped the last remnants of blood from his lips and exhaled, the hunger within him momentarily sated. But beneath that satisfaction lurked something else—something deeper, darker. A craving that would never truly be quenched.
He stepped out of the alley, melting into the night as if he had never been there. The world around him continued as if nothing had changed, but Elias knew better. He had changed. Power coursed through his veins, sharpening his senses, strengthening his body. He felt alive in a way he never had before.
But with this newfound strength came the knowledge that he had made a bargain he did not yet fully understand.
Malphas's voice echoed in his mind, a whisper laced with amusement. How does it feel, Hellbound One? To wield the power you were once denied?
Elias did not answer immediately. He walked the cobbled streets, his steps light, his presence unnoticed. It was exhilarating, this newfound freedom. No longer shackled by weakness, no longer at the mercy of those who had scorned him.
"I feel... complete," he murmured at last. "But I know this power is not given freely."
A chuckle, low and knowing. No power ever is.
Elias clenched his fists. He had expected a price. He had been willing to pay it. But what was the true cost of the power he now wielded? He had already surrendered his soul, but Malphas had not yet told him what that truly meant.
"I want to know everything," Elias demanded. "No more half-truths. No more riddles. If I am to serve, then I must understand what I have become."
The shadows around him thickened, swallowing the light of the lanterns nearby. The people on the streets did not notice—they simply turned away, walking faster, their instincts screaming at them to avoid the growing darkness.
Very well, Malphas whispered, his voice curling around Elias's thoughts like smoke. Then let us begin.
---
The world around Elias dissolved, replaced by darkness. He stood in a void, an endless abyss that stretched in all directions. Before him, Malphas emerged from the shadows, his form shifting between monstrous and human, fire and shadow.
You have been reborn, Malphas said. You are no longer bound by mortal frailty. But in gaining this power, you have entered a covenant far older than you can comprehend.
The air grew thick with the scent of blood, and the void trembled as ancient symbols ignited beneath Elias's feet. The markings twisted and pulsed, as if alive.
The hunger you feel will never fade, Malphas continued. You are bound to it, as it is bound to you. To sustain your strength, you must feed.
Elias remained still, absorbing the words. He had already understood as much. But there was something more, something the demon had not yet revealed.
"And if I refuse to feed?" Elias asked.
Malphas's smile widened, sharp and cruel. Then you will wither. Your body will decay, your mind will collapse into madness. You are no longer simply a man, Elias. You are something more—and you must embrace what you are, or be destroyed by it.
Elias met the demon's gaze, unflinching. "And what am I?"
Malphas reached forward, pressing a clawed hand against Elias's chest. A searing pain ripped through him, and in an instant, visions consumed his mind. He saw himself—changed, inhuman—his eyes glowing with the same fire that burned within Malphas. He saw blood spilled in his name, cities burning, shadows creeping through the world like a plague.
He saw himself standing atop a throne of bones.
The vision ended, and Elias staggered back, his breath ragged. His hands trembled, though not from fear. No, what he felt was something far more dangerous.
Anticipation.
You are Hellbound, Malphas murmured. And your ascension has only just begun.
---
Elias awoke with a start, his body drenched in cold sweat. He was back in the city, standing in the very street where he had last spoken to Malphas. But the night had deepened, and the streets were now empty. The weight of what he had seen pressed upon him, yet rather than fear, he felt something else entirely.
Determination.
He would not fight what he had become. He would not cower before the unknown. If he was to be Hellbound, then he would carve his own path through the darkness. He would not simply be a pawn in Malphas's game—he would become something far greater.
And so, he walked. The hunger within him simmered, but he did not yet feed again. There was something else he needed first.
Knowledge.
If he was to wield his power properly, he had to understand it. He needed to learn the extent of his abilities, the true nature of his transformation. And for that, he needed someone who knew of such things.
He needed the Occultists.
---
The hidden sect of scholars and sorcerers who delved into the forbidden arts. The ones who sought knowledge beyond mortal understanding, who dabbled in the same darkness that now coursed through Elias's veins. He had heard whispers of them before—shrouded figures lurking in the underbelly of the city, their rituals carried out in secret.
It did not take long for Elias to find the path that led to them. The city, for all its grandeur, held many secrets, and Elias had spent a lifetime learning how to navigate its shadows.
Through winding alleys and forgotten corridors, he descended into the depths beneath the city, where only those who truly sought the occult dared to tread.
At last, he arrived before a door marked with an ancient sigil, carved deep into the wood. The air crackled with latent magic, and a voice from within called out.
"You seek knowledge."
Elias did not hesitate. "I do."
The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber lined with books, artifacts, and symbols of power. Hooded figures sat in a circle, their faces hidden in the shadows. At the center of it all sat a man, his gaze piercing even through the darkness.
"You are touched by something beyond this world," the man observed. "The stench of hell lingers upon you."
Elias stepped forward. "Then you know why I am here."
The man studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. If you seek to understand the path you now walk, then let us begin."
Elias took a seat, his fate sealed. The blood price had been paid, but his journey was far from over.
It had only just begun.
---