The black eyes resembled the pits of the abyss, though they still reflected the intruder standing before Ruel with a scowl on his face.

"Welcome." Ruel spoke with a smirk.

The air trembled around the intruder and they stepped closer. Their aqua-blue eyes were so icy that Ruel felt he would be impaled the second he faltered.

"Where’s the pendant?" Ocean demanded.

Ruel lifted his hand, revealing the silver chain tangled around his long fingers, the mana-stone pendant dangling from it.

"It’s right here."

Ocean’s eyes grew sharper and the pressure around Ruel grew but he held his ground.

"I want to talk to Carlos." Ocean demanded.

Ruel shook his head, "The child is terrified of you. He isn’t willing to come."

Ocean took another threatening step closer and Ruel felt his knees growing weaker because of the pressure over his body.

"Fine then, I’ll talk to you." Ocean spoke.

"As you should." Ruel said.

Ocean glared at Ruel, "You killed two humans in this body knowing full well that my people had their eyes on you."

Ruel tilted his head slightly trying not to let Ocean’s Dragon’s Presence make him crack.

"Yes." Ruel answered.

"You were dying to see me, huh. I’m here, so, tell me, are you so desperate to be exorcised?" Ocean asked.

Ruel felt Carlos’s heart beating so fast that he wondered if he would faint. He had made sure that Carlos wouldn’t listen to this conversation but Ocean’s presence was enough to evoke a reaction from Carlos’s body. His fear was already ingrained deep.

"Of course, not." Ruel chuckled, "I just needed to tell you that I find your surveillance annoying."

Ocean crossed his arms at his chest, "Is that so? Well, too bad, they’re not going anywhere."

Ruel scoffed but then smiled, "How about I take them out too then?"

Ocean’s eyes started glowing and Ruel felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Lay a finger on them, and you’ll learn exactly what it means to challenge a Dragon." Ocean spoke.

Ruel clenched his fists at his sides while maintaining his stance, "All right, jokes aside. I wanted to tell you something."

Ocean cocked his brow, tilting his head, "And what is it?"

Ruel smiled, "You don’t know what the Witch is planning, right?"

Ocean didn’t say anything and Ruel continued, "I know whatever they’re planning is going to fail..."

Ocean still made no response making Ruel sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"I need your help."

Ocean snorted, "What made you think that I will help a demon?"

Ruel opened his mouth but then released an exasperated sigh.

"You need my help too, that’s why I’m suggesting a deal, Dragon." Ruel said.

Ocean smirked, shaking his head, "If you don’t remember, let me remind you, Dragons and Demons don’t make deals. Besides, I don’t trust you at all."

Ruel’s eyebrows furrowed as he appeared a little frustrated.

"I knew it would be like this, you don’t trust me because I’m possessing this child and also because I killed those humans, right? Well, those two were bad men, I did this place and its people a favor by killing them."

"Still doesn’t help your side." Ocean spoke with his arms still crossed.

Ruel pursed his lips for a moment as if contemplating on what to say or do. Ocean observed him for a moment. He hadn’t expected this when he had come here intending to give Carlos a piece of his mind.

Ocean used telekinesis to snatch the pendant from Ruel’s hand and grabbed it. He then poured a substantial amount of his mana into it making Ruel appear apprehensive.

"Wait," Ruel spoke and Ocean looked at him, eyes glowing menacingly.

"I had warned Carlos," Ocean said, "that if he didn’t wear this, I will put it inside his body. Guess you two didn’t take me seriously back then."

Ocean said before he stepped closer, his nails morphed into black claws and Ruel’s eyes widened.

"If I can’t exorcise you, I can very well trap you in this body as a dead weight." Ocean said and Ruel’s breathing quickened as he stepped back. His back hitting the vanity as he watched Ocean’s claws heading toward his chest.

"No, wait!" Ruel shouted but Ocean reached out and grabbed the front of Ruel’s shirt and ripped the fabric off in a swift motion.

Ruel covered his chest with his hands before he shouted, "I’m not a demon!"

Ocean scoffed before grabbing Ruel’s throat, digging his claws into his skin as he lifted him up in the air.

"I told you, I don’t trust you."

Ruel coughed as his feet dangled and he gripped Ocean’s wrist which was very well capable of snapping his neck before he could even say his part.

"I’m not lying." Ruel coughed, "I’m really not a demon."

Ocean didn’t look convinced at all but Ruel continued, "I-If I were a demon... I would have more power... I wouldn’t... have to... rely on Ca-Carlos’s cooperation... H-He would have already been gone..."

"Then who are you?"

"Ru-Ruel." Ruel struggled to get his name out.

"You have dark essence." Ocean pointed out.

Ruel’s face was starting to turn purple and his vision was dwindling, his ears began to ring.

"B-Because I was summoned!" Ruel wheezed.

"Summoned by the Witch?" Ocean asked.

"Yes!"

"Why?"

Ruel wheezed as his eyes slowly started closing because of the lack of air and Ocean let go of his throat letting him fall on his knees at Ocean’s feet coughing and wincing.

Ocean watched Ruel with a detached expression and the blood from the cuts from Ocean’s claw marks flowed freely down Ruel’s neck, staining his shirt and dripping onto the carpet.

"Why?" Ocean repeated and Ruel looked up at him, eyes bloodshot and teary.

"B-Because... I’m related..."

"How?"

Ruel shook his head, wincing and groaning, "I... can’t tell you that..."

Ocean narrowed his eyes, "What’s the Witch’s plan?"

Ruel breathed heavily before he slowly pushed himself up to his feet covering the bleeding with his hand. Ocean’s claws reverted back to his human palm, covered in Carlos’s blood.

"S-So... you will make a deal with me then?"

"Don’t get your hopes up. Just answer my question." Ocean spoke.

"I-I can’t unless you promise me that you’ll help me." Ruel insisted.

Ocean rolled his eyes, "Fine, don’t tell me. I have ways to flush those roaches out and get rid of them. And once I’m done with them, I’ll come for you."

Ruel reached out grabbing Ocean’s coat, looking at him with strained eyes.

"E-Even if you do that you will miss some of them... Th-They have connections beyond the human kingdom." Ruel said making Ocean frown.

"What?"

A small hopeful smile appeared over Ruel’s face, "I-I can tell you what I know... You deal with information, right? So, make a deal with me."

Ocean narrowed his eyes, he wasn’t going to trust this guy but he was curious now. What could it be that this demon or spirit wanted so desperately that he was abandoning those who summoned him and was willing to make a deal with his enemy?

"Let’s hear what you want first," Ocean said.

Ruel pursed his lips for a moment, the blood still flowing from the gashes on his neck seeping through his fingers as he clutched the wounds.

"I-I want the throne of Sestia." Ruel said.

"No." Ocean spoke instantly.

Ruel almost frowned in frustration but then he sighed, "Th-Then... don’t exorcise me... Let me stay in this boy’s body."

"That’s not your or my decision. You should be asking that to the owner of that body."

Ruel clenched his fist, as he lowered his eyes, "I-It had to come to this some day, huh... That I would have to beg you..."

Ocean narrowed his eyes, "You speak as if you know me."

Ruel looked at him, "Not you specifically..."

Ocean’s eyebrows twitched but before he could ask Ruel spoke, "Then, at least... let me be... Don’t exorcise me for some time... I’m helping this child..."

Ocean didn’t say anything and Ruel continued, "You are already supporting the other Prince, aren’t you? So,... why can’t you let me help this one?"

Ocean observed him before he sighed, "Fine... But the moment you cross the line, you can kiss your second life goodbye."

Ruel’s face brightened up and Ocean asked, "So, what’s this grand plan that you were going to tell me about?"

Ruel’s face grew serious before he started speaking, Ocean listened quietly until Ruel was done and Ocean couldn’t help but find it shocking. He had expected the Witch’s side to have some backing but this was beyond his predetermined possibilities.

"What’s the proof that this all is legit?" Ocean asked.

Ruel’s face grew sweaty and clammy as he gripped the vanity table for support.

"I-It’s only my word... Re-Rest you can... see for yourself." Ruel spoke.

His face was completely pale now and he looked on the verge of collapsing because of blood loss. The bleeding hadn’t stopped because Ocean’s claws had ended up slicing through the jugular vein.

"I’ll keep that in mind," Ocean said, "We have a deal... Ruel."

A small smile appeared on Ruel’s face as his control over Carlos’s body started fading and Ocean reached out with his clean hand and grabbed Ruel’s shoulder casting the healing spell.

The gashes closed up quickly and the color started returning to Ruel’s face and his eyes turned scarlet just before they slid closed. Carlos’s body fell limply in Ocean’s arms who watched him with detached eyes before pushing him away, holding him up with telekinesis.

"I don’t like being hugged by men," Ocean spoke before he thought of something and corrected himself, "except for one man."

Ocean then slipped the pendant over Carlos’s neck before tossing him on the bed and then he used his spell to remove the traces of Carlos’s blood from the carpet and from his shirt. He grabbed the empty vial from his pocket. He had come with the motive of collecting some blood so that he could give it to Silas and Master Vonstein for research.

Then before leaving the room he glanced once at Carlos and then leapt out.