The Eighth Sin - 61 The Act of Intimidation

Taking a few deep breaths they would enter the office where the head of the academy himself was sitting at his desk with paper littered all over it. There were bookshelves posted along the right side of the wall filled from one end to the other. To the left side were various paintings from people to landscaping. At the center of the room was a massive crimson rug to go well with the black brimstone flooring. Looking up from the desk had been a pair of glowing crimson eyes that looked up from the papers he was glancing over. Short white and kempt hair on top of the man’s head. Chiseled jaw-line with a scar from a blade along his cheek and a larger one near his neck. The man’s attire was an all-black suit. Sitting back against the black leather chair, the man would release a heavy sigh. “I was wondering when the three of you would show up. Come on in and sit down. I already know what you wish to speak of.” The man’s voice was deep and rough, but strong and proud.

As instructed Riyku, Astraia, and Astrid would move further into the room. The doors closing behind them automatically which drew in their attention. “Pay no mind. It is a new feature I installed recently. Now, take a seat.” The man would call out to them to get their attention. Gesturing with a hand which he brought from the armrest to the chairs that appeared from magic circles. At first, they were reluctant to take a seat but decided to do so in the end considering nothing was progressing. Once they took their seats with Astraia on the left, Riyku in the middle, and Astrid on the right the man would begin.

“Good.” The man would confirm before continuing. “To recap, Riyku DarkFang and Astraia BurningAsh were instructed to battle against all of class nine including Instructor Risa as a simple mock battle. The only rule was that there was no killing involved and that the winner of said battle would as they pleased with the loser. Am I correct?” The man would inquire while looking over the three of them with a somewhat relaxed glance. “That is.” Astraia would confirm the man’s inquiry. “Then I see nothing wrong with what happened. No one was killed and the winner did as they pleased with the loser. So, why are you three in my office?” The man would address as he leaned onto the desk cupping his hands together with his elbows on the table. A piercing gaze seemed to come from those crimson eyes of his as well. Astraia and Astrid seemed to freeze up instantly. When each of them took Riyku’s hand, he could feel them shivering in fear. Although… Riyku did not understand why they were shivering so much. Why was he not affected?

Turning his glances from both of them he looked at the man whose brow arched in surprise when he noticed Riyku was unaffected by his mirage of killing intent. The man would go into thought; ‘Is this is boy truly that strong, or…’ The man’s eyes fixated at Riyku’s right arm for a moment considering his attention was shifted back towards a voice. “Excuse me, can you stop whatever it is you are doing to Astrid and Astraia. I would really appreciate it.” Riyku would ask as politely as possible. He was taught to respect those older than him. The man took a moment to think about a reply. He could simply heed Riyku’s request. Although, why would he do that? He decided… “And If I do not?” The man would reply. He decided to test Riyku.

Riyku would blink in awe for a moment. Taking time to process the response he just got. He had forgotten that this is what demons were supposed to be like. That being older, or running a place of ‘learning’ did not mean that they were necessarily ‘good’. Riyku was not only taught to respect those older than him, but he was also taught that just because someone was older than him; did not mean that deserve respect. Therefore, if they lost it… “Can I ask why you doing this? Have we done something disrespectful towards you?” Riyku would try to get some information out of the man. He did not see anything he had done as disrespectful. The man’s eyes kept upon Riyku. They did not move from him. “No. Nothing. I just see no reason why I should heed your request. What do I gain from doing as you ask?” The man would reply with a question to follow.

With the man’s response, Riyku was starting to become annoyed. ‘So we have done nothing disrespectful towards you and yet you are punishing us?’ That was Riyku’s inner thought. A voice peered forth into Riyku’s mind. “Of course he is. He is a demon. They all act solely out of their own interest. You are the only odd one here who cares about these things.” It was Skeith. “Go on, ask him what he gains from sending those two into a state of fear.” Skeith would urge Riyku so he could see for himself just what a normal demon is like. “Then what about you? What do you gain from putting them into such a state?” Riyku inquired while holding back his annoyance. For a moment the man was silent. He was debating on an answer. Though, he saw no reason to lie to the boy. “Arousal. I enjoy watching women quiver in fear and satisfaction. Both in that order. I enjoy watching them break down and beg for it to stop only to be begging for it to continue on. Even now, I am enjoying it. So I ask once more, why should I heed your request?” The man would reply, his hands were hiding his devilish grin. They had been set like that on purpose it would seem.

Riyku was stunned. He did not understand why the demons were like this. Astrid and Astraia were not like that, and neither was he. So why were the majority of them like this? Was it just that natural? Skeith clearly understood these thoughts that Riyku was having. “As I said, you are the only abnormal one. Astrid and Astraia are different, yes, but they are not that different from normal demons. They do still seek to gain.” Skeith’s voice seemed to enter Riyku’s mind once again. Riyku would grit his teeth. He was clearly annoyed and angry. The anger was steadily rising the more he thought about the man before him getting off these the state that Astrid and Astraia were in. These two women he loved. They were special to him. So he hated seeing them in such a state and thus he would end up hating the man. Since Skeith shared Riyku’s body, he could feel these emotions. If he could give facial expressions he would be thrilled. “Do you want to stop him?” Skeith would inquire which caused Riyku to nod silently. The man’s brow arched in confusion when he saw this. He figured Riyku was probably upset right now, but to nod? That was an odd way of showing anger. Then do as I say and repeat after me…

Riyku would look up, his eyes flaring open and a wicked grin curving across his face. “Do you want me to devour your heart just as I did Hades and Lucifer?” The words that came out of Riyku’s mouth seemed to cause the man’s eyes to go wide. This was no normal threat after all. Not everyone knew the name Hades and Lucifer either, or even the original tale of what truly happened. To add, there was no killing intent either. Just a wicked smile to be paired with an innocent light-hearted tone of voice. So it made it completely odd to hear. If it was any normal threat the man had nothing to be afraid of, but devour his heart just like Hades and Lucifer? His body began to shiver and his eyes slowly shifted towards his right arm. “A-A-Are you…” The man was clearly his own state of fear, but not by mirage or spell. Simply put, he was sent into a state of fear by word as well as his own mental image. “Would you like to find out?” Riyku would add. Although on the inside he was surprised. Everything was going just like Skeith said it would.

Skeith had told him to just act natural. Speak like he normally does, but shift his expression a bit. A wicked grin and the flaring of innocent eyes. If he had changed something it may have appeared like he was trying too hard to intimidate someone. With this, his look would be more natural and if he kept his lighthearted and innocent tone of voice compared to what demon’s normally sound like then it would come off as ‘creepy’. Like he was ‘insane’ or something. “You see when you do something like this that is unbefitting of someone of your nature it sends the person you are directing your statement towards into a panicked state. At first, they will have doubts, but as long as you keep it up they will begin to wonder. When that comes you play it off as a mystery. Never let the person you are intimidating know the truth. Even if you were to be The Shadow King. That is because mystery can cause the mind to seek answers. It would cause the person to continuously wonder and thus send them further into a panicked state which would eventually send them into a state of fear. In that case, you’ve already won.” Skeith’s explanation of intimidation was spot on. This was the first time Riyku had ever intimidated someone. It felt weird to him. Having someone shake in fear of him merely because of words and expressions.

“I.. do not. I will release them. My apologies, Sir.” The man’s attitude had completely flipped. “I also assume you will not speak of this to anyone. Trust me, I will know if you do.” Riyku would add, just as Skeith had told him to do and the man would nod just as Skeith had predicted. The man would snap his fingers to end the mirage he placed upon Astrid and Astraia. The two of them were no longer in a state of fear and started to breathe heavily as if they were unable to breathe normally the entire time. Hastily they looked around the room in which Riyku took hold of each of their hands. “There is no reason to be afraid. I am here, Astraia… Astrid…” Riyku’s expression shifted into a caring one. His voice filled with warmth as he spoke to both of them. Each of them seemed to slowly relax when they finally noticed where they were. They laced their fingers with his own before looking at the man. “So… about the incident.” Riyku would begin speaking, which caused the man who was still in a state of fear to speak up instantly. “I will take care of everything. I will place both you and our top student in a different class with a different Instructor. Instructor Minx. She is the best of the best and since there is an opening in her class you two will be transferred starting tomorrow. Is that good?” The man seemed to hastily put forth. Riyku would turn to look at Astraia. “Is that okay?” He would ask her. “I see nothing wrong with it. Instructor Minx is a wonderful Instructor!” Astraia seemed quite happy about this and with that answer, his attention shifted towards Astrid. “What do you think?” He would inquire from her. “I suppose it is fine.” Astrid would give her okay even though it seemed she wanted a bit more of a clear answer as to the ‘punishment’ for those who tried to harm her daughter and Riyku.

“T-Then… we are done here.” The man would comment in which Riyku would turn his attention towards him with a nod. “We are. I do hope I do not have to come back here.” Riyku would add with an innocent smile which caused the man to freeze up from fear entirely; however, this one remark was based solely on his own train of thought. Skeith did not tell him to do such. Riyku would head out of the office with Astrid and Astraia on each arm. Shortly after one of the students who went to the academy left after them. Her hair was in a mess along with her uniform; although her attention was currently looking at the back of Riyku. Not one of fear or love, not even lust but pure admiration. Although… where was this little succubus at the entire time? The only ones thought to be in the room were Riyku, Astrid, Astraia, and the principal.

Since the transfer wasn’t going to be finished until tomorrow the three of them left the academy. “Soo… what was that back there?” Astrid finally spoke up which caused Riyku to side-eye her. She was taller than him so he had to shift his eyes upward. “Yeah, I am curious as well. When someone is put into a mirage of fear they are engulfed in it. However, they can still perceive what goes on around them. You were the only one who wasn’t engulfed, and you even instilled fear into the principal who was renowned for putting people in a state of fear as well as mentally breaking them down. He was a torturer before he became a principal. So instilling fear into him should have not been easy.” Astraia would speak up since she was also curious. Riyku was not too sure what to tell them. He couldn’t just say, ‘Oh Skeith is living inside of me and told me to do it.’. That sort of thing would probably draw in concern and worry which he did not want to burden them with. “Ah. I… made it up. I took what you told us about Hades and Lucifer as well as The Shadow King into my mind and made the entire thing up hoping it would work.” Riyku would explain and while he was not ‘technically lying’ he was not ‘technically being honest’ either. After all, Skeith was the one who told him the story, and it came out through his mouth.

“I see…” Astraia seemed astonished.

“How devious of you, and here I thought you were just a goody-two-shoes.” Astrid would tease him but did seem just as surprised as Astraia.

Riyku would blush softly from embarrassment. “I just did not like seeing you two in that state. I want you two to always be happy and smiling. I want you two to always feel comfortable and safe. I want you two to be able to relax and feel at ease. That is all.” Riyku would add, his words causing both of them to blush softly in turn. Sure they only just poured their hearts out yesterday, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t feel happy to hear those words coming from him. Both of them turned to kiss Riyku on the cheek at the same time before cuddling closer towards him. Riyku’s eyes lit up in awe before turning into a smile and his attention placed on both of them. “I think we should go shopping. I want to find some ingredients to make you both something nice to eat tonight.” Riyku would add a suggestion on what they should do now. Both Astraia and Astrid seemed happy with such a question and went along with it. The three of them drew in eyes; however, no one said anything or approached them. It was not quite clear as to why no one tried to interrupt them, but maybe the fact that Riyku’s right arm was completely abnormal for a normal demon to have; was one thing.

“Is that him?” A voice could be heard from the shadow of an alleyway. Three sets of eyes were peering from the black each figure cloaked in a tattered robe. “Yeah, that’s the guy.” Another voice peered forth. “I see. Think you can take him, Shade?” The silence was there as a single pair of eyes narrowed upon Riyku. “With a bit of training and time.” A final voice came forth. All vocals were masculine, but the final one was a bit darker than the other two. “I see. Then we will give you two months to train before we engage in the plan.” The second voice which was more commanding than the first voice or the third voice had spoken up again. The first and the third would agree before the three eyes seemed to close out as if signaling their leave.