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(POV James)
I walk through the familiar hellscape, still disgusted by the meat paste that stupid demon forced me to consume. The taste lingers unpleasantly, but I refuse to waste food, even poorly prepared food.
Around me, the usual chaos unfolds. Monsters tear at each other for sport, sustenance, or simple survival. Some of the weaker ones attempt to form alliances, desperately seeking strength in numbers. Yet none dare approach me. My demonic presence keeps them at bay, and my ever-present smile seems to unnerve even the boldest predators.
'Concentrate, James. You need to think about future plans.'
I continue walking until I reach my destination, a cave that has served as my home ever since I was forced back from that... interesting expedition to another world.
How did I end up in another world, you ask? This planet is riddled with space rifts, and if that wasn't troublesome enough, we also deal with constant warfare, frequent earthquakes, lava rivers, and most pathetically, demonic dodos. Those creatures rank as the weakest beings here, below even insects. Even demonic rabbits can kill them, which makes me wonder why they exist at all.
But I digress. That other world, what an entertaining place it turned out to be. I had found such a perfect little family to play with. The husband, leaving his wife all alone in their pathetic hovel. It was almost too easy to take his form and... well, let's just say the wife was quite surprised when her "husband" came home early.
'The look of confusion in her eyes when she realized something was wrong. The terror when she saw my true smile.
Delicious.'
But then everything went wrong. The real husband returned just as I was finishing my fun, and then those meddling church people showed up. The whole world seemed to turn against me, reality itself began rejecting my presence as the rift started closing. I barely escaped their chanting before being pulled back here.
'Cowards. They probably worship some rival demon and couldn't stand the competition.'
No matter. I'll find a way back eventually. And when I do, I'll make sure to deal with that church properly.
---
Three months earlier, (Knov's POV)
The construction site foreman had sent me home early due to rain. I was grateful for the free time, Marina should be fuming cause I haven't talked to her in a while. Maybe I should buy something for her?
I pushed open the door to our small home, calling out, "Marina! I'm back early!"
Silence greeted me. Strange. She was usually here at this time, doing chores or preparing our evening meal.
"Marina?" I called again, moving deeper into the house.
I found her in the kitchen, lying in a pool of blood. Her eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling, and her throat had been torn open as if by claws. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, making me gag.
"Marina! Oh god, Marina!" I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands hovering over her body, not knowing what to do.
That's when I heard the slow clapping behind me.
I spun around to find... myself.
Another version of me stood in the doorway, identical in every way except for the smile. That smile was wrong, too wide, too full of teeth, too pleased with itself.
"Excellent timing," the other me said in my voice, but with an undertone that made my skin crawl.
"I was just finishing up."
"What... what are you?" I whispered, scrambling backward.
"I'm you, obviously," it replied, tilting its head. "Though I must say, your wife was quite entertaining. She kept calling your name right until the end."
Rage exploded through my terror. I lunged at the creature, but it moved with inhuman speed, catching me by the throat and lifting me off the ground with one hand.
"Now, now," it said, its features beginning to shimmer and change. "Don't be rude to your guest."
The false face melted away, revealing something nightmarish, pale skin, goat-like horns, and those terrible red eyes. The smile remained, now showing rows of sharp teeth.
"I am James," it said conversationally. "And I've been having such fun playing house with your wife."
Before I could respond, our neighbors burst through the door, drawn by the commotion.
"Knov! What's--" Mrs. Henderson's scream cut through the air as she saw Marina's body.
The demon, vanished in that instant, leaving me alone with my dead wife and witnesses who had seen me standing over her body.
"He killed her!" someone shouted. "Knov killed Marina!"
"No!" I tried to explain, but who would believe such an impossible story? "It wasn't me! There was a demon, it took my form!"
But they had seen what they expected to see: a husband standing over his murdered wife, covered in her blood.
---
Present day, (Knov's POV)
Three months in the church's dungeon had given me plenty of time to think. The priests questioned me daily, demanding confessions, seeking explanations for Marina's death. Some seemed to believe my story about the demon, while others insisted I was simply mad with guilt.
Father Benedict, the eldest priest, had been the most sympathetic.
"I've seen stranger things in my years of service," he'd told me.
"But even if your story is true, the people need someone to blame. Justice must be served."
They'd planned to execute me at dawn, but fate intervened. A group of hooded figures had attacked the church during the night, seeking something in the archives. In the chaos, my cell door was left unlocked.
I escaped into the night, but freedom felt hollow. Marina was still dead, and the real killer walked free. The church had failed to protect her, failed to believe me, and now they hunted me as a fugitive.
'Maybe they're in league with that demon. Maybe they let it escape on purpose.'
The paranoia had been growing for weeks. Why else would they refuse to believe my story? Why else would they be so quick to blame me instead of investigating the truth?
I'd heard whispers in the taverns and back alleys, rumors of a group that opposed the church's authority, that knew the truth about the darkness lurking in the world. They called themselves the Red Cross, and they were said to accept anyone who had been wronged by the church's hypocrisy.
'If the church won't give me justice, perhaps I'll find it elsewhere.'
But first, I needed to see if that demon had returned. The old woman in the wasteland had mentioned strange sightings, creatures that shouldn't exist, shadows that moved against the light.
That's why I was here now, scouting the edges of our settlement. If James had returned, I would be ready.
And then I saw it.
The same pale skin, the same horns, the same predatory smile. James stood at the edge of our settlement, studying the area with those burning red eyes.
Our gazes met across the distance. Recognition flickered in those demonic features, and the smile widened.
"Hello there," it called out in that grinding voice, speaking in its own language but somehow I understood the mocking tone.
Every instinct screamed at me to confront the monster, to demand justice for Marina. But I knew I was no match for it alone.
I ran.
Not from cowardice, but from necessity. If I was going to destroy this demon, I would need allies. I would need the Crimson Veil.
*Wait for me, Marina. I'll make this right.*
---
Present time, (James POV)
Back in my cave, I settle into my usual resting spot and consider the day's events. Seeing that pathetic human again brought back pleasant memories of our last encounter.
'He recognized me. Good. I was worried he might have forgotten about me.'
The terror in his eyes was even more delicious than before, seasoned with the knowledge of what I was capable of. And the way he ran, not the blind panic of our first meeting, but the desperate flight of someone with a purpose.
'Interesting. He's planning something.'
This could prove entertaining. The human world had been far more amusing than I'd initially expected, and it seems the fun isn't over yet.
I close my eyes and allow myself to rest, my mind already planning future hunts and perhaps... future visits to settle old scores.
"Let's see what you're planning, little human. I do enjoy a good game."
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