"Morgan" lay still for a few moments, his gaze fixed on the ceiling… his chest rising and falling with difficulty, heavy, deep breaths… until, little by little, he pushed himself up again.
He sat.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And then… he looked.
His eyes settled on Zarathoz… on her body trembling with faint spasms, with barely perceptible convulsions… and a smile formed on his lips.
A crooked smile.
Satisfied.
—Hope… you liked that, you bitch.
But immediately, the real Morgan surfaced in his mind and began speaking to Xol, who had taken over his body.
—What did you do to her…? What did you do…?
(Morgan's voice carried an edge of anger… and worry.)
"Morgan" frowned. His expression tightened with irritation, as if that voice were an unbearable buzzing inside his head.
—Relax, brat… I didn't do anything to her.
The annoyance lasted only a moment.
Because he looked again.
And then… he smiled once more.
Wider.
Pleased.
That… sparked something in Morgan.
—Hey… I saw that smile. What the hell did you do to her?
(Morgan said, slightly angry.)
A low chuckle slipped from his lips.
—Saved our asses, idiot…
(he muttered with disdain.)
—I just gave that bitch what she wanted…
He paused.
His eyes gleamed with something disturbing.
—…I simply satisfied her curiosity.
And then he laughed.
But it wasn't a normal laugh.
Twisted.
Like a classic cartoon villain.
Meanwhile… unaware of that invisible argument—
Galahad and Satana began to move.
Their bodies still ached from Zarathoz's violent outburst. It took effort to rise… every movement heavy, clumsy… but in the end, they managed to lift their heads.
And they saw him.
Morgan.
Talking to himself.
Cursing.
Smiling… laughing…
Like a madman.
Satana couldn't see what was happening inside… but she could feel it.
That change.
Sudden.
Unnatural.
As if someone else were occupying Morgan's body.
But Galahad…
Galahad could see it.
And that made her worry.
They exchanged glances, confused… uneasy.
Galahad swallowed.
And gathering a bit of courage, she stepped forward. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached toward him.
—M-Mr. Morgan…
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Soft.
Gentle.
Filled with concern.
—Are you… alright…?
The argument between Xol and Morgan didn't stop… it was a heated clash within himself. Both had forgotten where they were, and neither seemed to notice the world around them.
Not even Galahad.
She moved closer… cautiously, as if each step might shatter something invisible in the air.
—S-sir Morgan… are you okaa…?
Her voice broke.
She extended her trembling hand… trying to touch him.
But then—
Morgan turned sharply.
His eyes… were not his own.
There was something in that gaze.
Something hard.
Cold.
Sharp.
Threatening.
Galahad froze for a moment… then instinctively stepped back, fear plainly reflected on her face.
—Hey… what the hell is wrong with you?
The irritation in Morgan's voice couldn't hide the tension vibrating beneath it.
Xol didn't respond.
He simply watched.
Galahad's fear.
Her uneven breathing. Her hesitant steps backward.
And that… irritated him.
He turned his head sharply, as if looking at her were unbearable. His teeth clicked together with a dry, restrained… almost animal sound.
—Don't call me brat again…
The whisper was low…
But venomous.
And then—
Silence.
Morgan returned.
His body tensed… the pain was still there, embedded in every muscle, but he ignored it. Pushed it aside. It didn't matter.
Not now.
—I-I'm sorry…
His voice trembled.
—I'm really sorry… I… I was just… shaken… by all of this…
He tried to step closer.
—I'm sorry… I didn't mean to react like that…
But Galahad stepped back again.
Further.
The fear was still there.
And that… hurt him.
The air grew heavy.
Uncomfortable.
—What… was that?
Satana's voice broke the moment.
Confused. Uneasy.
Morgan looked at her, lost.
—What…?
Satana rubbed her head, frowning, searching for words that refused to come.
—For a moment… you weren't you…
(she murmured.)
—It was like… like someone else was inside… moving you… using your body…
She hesitated.
Swallowed.
—What was that…?
The world stopped.
Morgan's heart… too.
Cold.
She had felt it.
She knew.
She had realized that Xol had taken control of his body for a moment.
Using him.
Morgan opened his mouth… but nothing came out.
Only stuttering. Broken fragments of words that never fully formed.
And then—
Movement.
Slow.
Heavy.
Luzbel had regained consciousness.
She pushed herself up with difficulty, every breath marked by pain.
Morgan reacted immediately, clinging to that distraction like a lifeline.
—A-are you alright, Miss Luzbel? Are you okay?
—I think…
she whispered, touching her head, noticing the faint trace of blood.
—She hit me really hard in the head…
But when she saw him…
She ignored her own pain.
Her trembling hands reached up, searching his face.
—Are you okay…? Did she hurt you?
Pure concern.
Genuine.
Morgan lowered his gaze for a moment.
—I'm fine… but you're hurt…
Satana approached as well, snapping out of her confusion.
—Are you alright, Miss Luzbel?
(Satana asked, worried.)
—I'm fine… just help me up…
The two of them supported her, carefully lifting her as small groans of pain escaped her lips.
And then—
A laugh.
Barely noticeable at first.
Almost a whisper.
But growing.
Crawling through the air like something alive.
Until it became impossible to ignore.
They all turned.
Zarathoz.
She was laughing.
Her body shook with laughter… her face twisted by a sick, euphoric delight.
—HAHAHAHAHA…
Her voice cracked between madness and ecstasy.
—I knew it…! I knew there was something in you…!
Her eyes gleamed with near-religious delirium.
—But this… this… is far more than I imagined… far more…!
She laughed again.
Louder.
More disturbing.
The atmosphere… became tainted.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Only one question…
A single one…
Forced its way into Morgan's mind.
Heavy.
Dark.
Inevitable.
—Xol…
Morgan looked on with fear and concern.
—What did you show her…?
End of chapter.
Next chapter: The Visitor.