True Incubus: The Demon with No Limits

”For perhaps the first time in decades...

Varek does not need to hide.

And he is going to use that to his fullest advantage.”

Silvian spoke with a solemn look on his face.

”This is why he is doing what he is doing.

He attacks a candidate and instead of eliminating them from the Trial normally, he restrains them, then before they understand what’s happening, he seals their mouths, making sure they do not surrender and leave the Trial.

Then, he tortures them, making sure none of the wounds he inflicts cross the threshold Aevrienne recognises as fatal.

And he does all that while keeping the candidate conscious, making them suffer so he can gain strength like he intends to.

From what I found out, once he captures a candidate, he tortures them, then he heals them, tortures them again, continuing the cycle until he no longer gets any more power from them.”

”That’s... disgusting.”

Naomi felt like throwing up. The more she imagined it in her mind, the worse she felt. Lucian held her hand, trying to calm her down.

Silvian looked at her and nodded.

”Yes, it is.”

”Why isn’t Aevrienne stopping him? Isn’t it her Trial? She could remove anyone she wants, can she not?”

She asked with a frown.

Silvian let out a laugh at that question.

”Because she knows the real world is not any different.”

He spoke directly. Naomi frowned at his words and the Vampire continued—

”Aevrienne wants a Contractor, someone who would have control over her powers. She obviously would not give her power away to just anyone.

This was the entire point of the Trial, to select the candidate she liked the most and that candidate most definitely wouldn’t be someone she needs to constantly look out for.

To her, Varek is merely a representation of the darkness hidden in the world and how candidates react in front of him can tell a lot about them.”

”So she is keeping him because he is helping her choose?”

”You can say that, yes.”

Silvian nodded.

”...what about the victims?”

”What about them?”

”The Trial only prevents death, does it not? It does not heal one’s injuries. So all the people Varek tortured, all the bodies he has ruined so far—

Those bodies are ruined for life, aren’t they?”

”If they do not have a healer strong enough to heal those wounds in time, then yes, that is correct as well.”

Silvian nodded.

”Would Aevrienne not be held responsible for that?”

Silvian chuckled again.

”Say, if you went on a treasure hunt, then injured yourself while fighting other treasure hunters, would you blame the treasure?”

”...”

Naomi did not answer.

”That’s what I thought.”

Silvian laughed.

”This is the same situation.

This is a Trial, a test to receive what could easily be called one of the strongest powers in the world, a power that could change any being’s very fate if they happened to receive it.

Aevrienne is already doing more than expected of her by making sure no one dies inside her Trial.

Now she is supposed to promise protection too?

Don’t be ridiculous. Nothing in this world is free, everything comes with a risk. Coming here was a risk, the candidates knew something like this could happen, yet they still came.

That should tell you a lot.”

Silvian spoke, staring right at Naomi.

Naomi heard those words very clearly and slowly, her mind started to clear up. Those words made sense.

This was not Aevrienne’s responsibility.

It was the candidates’.

They couldn’t just push the blame onto Aevrienne if something happened to them, especially when they were the ones who chose not only to enter, but also to remain inside when they were free to leave anytime they wanted.

She nodded to herself and as she continued thinking about it—

”How do you know so much?”

Lucian asked another question.

”Know what?”

Silvian tilted his head.

”About Varek. I understand you know about the things he has done outside, but how do you know so much about his movements inside the Trial?”

”I met his victims.”

Silvian answered.

Lucian frowned at that.

Sabine was the same. She had met a few victims, which was how she knew about Varek in the first place.

”He leaves them alive?”

He asked.

”Since killing them wouldn’t actually kill them, he lets them live and suffer in agony.”

Silvian answered and Lucian’s frown deepened even further.

”This is what I do not understand.

Why would he do that? Why not... just eliminate them once he has taken all the power he can from them?

This way, other candidates would not find his victims, leaving them completely unprepared for him.

Won’t that give him a clear advantage?”

”That is correct.”

Silvian nodded.

He had considered that as well.

”It is possible that he wants other candidates to know about him.”

He shared his theory.

”This is Aevrienne’s Trial, no being can interfere with it from outside. Since he knows that, maybe he wants the candidates to find out about him, maybe he wants the candidates to hear the rumours, so when he appears, they recognise him and feel greater despair and hopelessness, eventually leading to more suffering.”

”So that’s why you do not want to fight me.”

Lucian spoke in a solemn tone.

Silvian nodded.

”Yes. It has been hours since the Trial started. By now, Varek must have attacked hundreds of candidates and absorbed as much power as he could.

At this point, his strength must have grown to a significant level.

He might even be on my level.

And if he is...

Then I would like to remain in the best possible condition in case I ever encounter him.”

”You are preparing for him.”

Lucian nodded back.

”In some way, yes.”

Silvian nodded.

”This benefits you too. If you encounter him right after a battle with me, your chances will become even thinner.”

Lucian understood that.

Actually, he had already made up his mind.

”Alright, I accept your deal.

You can have the Waymark.”

He extended his hand, making his decision and the Vampire Noble smiled gently.

”Thank you, Lucian.

House Veyr owes you.”