Shudders: Reclamation Day

Chapter 38 - The Jar

Blood Warning ⚠️
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"Decisions... decisions~" Zankoku hummed to himself.

"What are your plans, sir...?" Bodhi quietly whispered. Watching his King pace back and forth in his throne room.

    The large demon couldn't decide. The two outcomes he had for the woman were both worthwhile but he needed to pick one. "I can just kill him. Reuban is inside of her hiding like a coward. He doesn't want to face me for the consequences of his actions."

     His hand gripped onto the concrete arm rest of his throne as his mind went back to so long ago. "I can get my revenge. He killed my Sade and used her body like a puppet. Took advantage of her like she was nothing. Like she was just another body to him."

    Sade was Zankoku's rock. The only person that kept him grounded when he would lose himself. She was a blessing to him until Reuban defiled her body in such a way. Having to see her be turned into the monster she wasn't made the King go on a murderous rampage. He tracked Reuban for months but underestimated how smart the demon was.

"Sade was the only good this place had..." Bodhi spoke. He too missed her. She was a breath a fresh air in this decrepit place until Reuban used her. There's no forgiving or forgetting that. "His death is what you want, Sir...?"

"Not quite." The King muttered.

    Unbeknownst to them, Ki was hiding amongst the rubble above and listening in on the two. He kept his body close to a large slab of concrete that was sticking out and pushed his tail in as well. He was high enough to where they wouldn't be able to sense him but enough to be able to send out a small portal to help listen in.

"I could just kill the woman. Reuban would die alongside her into the afterlife where he belongs. He deserves hell for what he did to my Sade... But that would be a waste, wouldn't it?"

    Bodhi slowly nodded his head, the cloths draped over his body rubbing against each other roughly. "The abilities Reuban holds are too valuable, even he deserves the worst... If we want your kingdom to grow, we need to harvest them..."

    Zankoku leaned against his throne with his large arms crossed. "If only it were as simple as extracting them from him. I'll have the abilities and my revenge~."

     Ki narrowed his eye. What was he planning?

"We've already inspected the woman. She's not a demon. So she won't live long enough to my liking. But we can change that, can we?" Zankoku snickered to himself.

"The same way you changed Bis, Peach, and Dolores...?" Bodhi asked. Ki tilted his head at this. What was he saying?

     The King nodded. "Why have human subjects who can die so easily? Those three wouldn't serve me well stuck in vulnerable bodies, no matter how willing they were."

     He was surprised when the three humans he was going to just kill and feed to his lackeys wanted to join his kingdom. They were different than most humans. They didn't run and hide or try to fight him, they simply gave in. Something most demons never did until he put his hold on them. He had to have subjects so dedicated in his ranks but they needed to be changed first.

     Peach and Dolores accepted the change with arms open wide. Bis was a bit of a challenge, hesitant on wanting the change. They had a human family, one they couldn't just return to as a demon and not expect a negative reaction. But Bis wanted to protect them. They're little mind thought becoming a demon will help.

     They were too late of course. The only remaining family member left is just Bis.

    Because of the loyalty and passion the three held for him, it was no challenge making them into his scouts. An example to the rest of his Kingdom for what being a loyal member can do for them.

     Zankoku can change the woman too. She'll become a demon and live long enough for him to use. She can become the ultimate weapon in his arsenal with Reuban's mind manipulation at his grasp. Simply killing the woman and Reuban would be as equally satisfying but that'll be such a waste. But with the woman being a demon and Reuban inside of her, he can torture them both as much as he wanted and she won't die.

    As long as he doesn't overdue it.

"My mind is set. I'll keep her alive." He decided. "It'll take some time for me to whip up the right concoction to begin her transformation. Then I'll put a hold on her and toy around with her body as much as I want. She'll have no choice but to follow me after that and Reuban will receive his punishment for a long time~."

"Are you positive about this, Sir...?" Bodhi asked. "Reuban got away before. What's saying he won't do it again?"

     Zankoku stood up and shook his head. "We've learned our lesson the first time and paid for it. I'm not letting him slip away again." He growled.

     This was bad. Really bad. Ki went to call back his portal but almost missed some more from the King. He quickly returned it just as Zankoku went to retrieve something.

     The King walked to the hole in the wall and entered inside before coming back with a large jar in his hand. Inside the jar was something black and wriggly. It was a blood clot. A large one. The same one attached to Ki's heart that can kill him in any second.

"It's been awhile since I've had to do this. But it shouldn't be too hard." Zankoku inspected the jar like it was something precious. He twisted the lid open and placed the jar on an old table nearby. In one quick motion, Zankoku held his hand over the opening and used his claws on the other to make a long and deep slit across his palm.

     Ki watched closely. Was this how he's going to turn his love into a demon? With an altered hold?

     He watched the blood spill from his hand like rushing water and into the jar. The black blood slowly filled the jar and submerged the blood clot inside, disappearing into the thick liquid. Once the jar was filled, Zankoku stopped his bleeding and allowed his wound to heal before closing the jar with the lid.

"We'll give it three days to fully saturated. I'll have Peach keep an eye on it to make sure it's working properly. Then on the final day, we'll have a new demon apart of the family~." Zankoku snickered.

     Ki growled to himself. Three days?! They can't allow that bastard to turn (Y/N) to use her as some weapon. He needed to find Akai. Their time to escape was now and not later.

"What about the two with an attachment to her..?" Bodhi brought up as he watched Zankoku store the jar back in the room he emerged from. "Will they agree to this..?"

     The King tsked. "Their opinions mean nothing to me. If anything they'll see this as a positive. More time to spend with someone who won't grow old, weak, and die long before their time."

     Ki gritted his teeth and canceled the portal. He carefully stood to his feet and teleported deeper into the building and out of the throne room. Silent growls emanated from him before his tail violently struck the wall next to him, causing drywall to fly into the air.

     He'll kill Zankoku before he could ever lay a finger on (Y/N). Ki wasn't going to let him turn her into some weapon for his own benefits.

    But turning her? Her becoming a demon like them? He huffed to himself and began walking, off to find Akai.

    He couldn't believe he was actually thinking it. But turning her can be beneficial in the long run. There's going to be a point where she'll grow old and weak. Worse, she'll die.

      Anything that is minor to him and Akai were a danger to her. If age doesn't kill her then everything else will. But her being human is something that attracts him the most, he doesn't want her to lose that...

     He needs to think on it with Akai. But the number one priority right now is to make sure Zankoku doesn't get to her first.