Demon Being System

Inside the ruin, Kaden, Lira, and Jace sat in a circle, the oppressive sound of beasts clawing and banging against the barricades echoing around them. The wooden planks and debris they'd stacked began to creak under the pressure. Each thud felt like a ticking clock counting down to their inevitable end.

Jace's face was pale, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to mask his fear with a nervous laugh. "It'll really be bad if I die here," he said, breaking the silence. "My parents… I'm their only child. Their only hope. My dad—" He paused, swallowing hard. "He sold his kidney just to send me to this school. To die within a month of being here? That's... that's cruel. They'll miss me for sure."

He glanced at Lira, trying to keep his voice light despite the dire situation. "What about you, Lira? Is there someone who'll miss you if you die?"

Kaden shifted his gaze toward her, waiting for her answer. Lira hesitated, her eyes briefly meeting Kaden's before looking away. "Only one person," she finally said, her voice soft but steady. "My brother, Corin."

"What about your parents and family?" Kaden asked.

Her expression darkened. "My parents are dead," she replied flatly. A bitter scoff followed as she added, "And my family? They'd probably throw a celebration if they heard I was dead."

Jace tilted his head, confused. "Why would they be happy about that?"

Lira didn't reply immediately. Instead, she reached up and pulled her hair back, revealing the base of her neck. There, etched in dark ink, was the unmistakable mark of a flower—a tattoo that seemed to shimmer faintly under the dim light.

"Holy shit," Jace whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Kaden's expression hardened as realization dawned. "So that's what her elder brother meant when he said she didn't deserve what their parents left her... He was talking about a Grave Garden."

"You're the owner of a Grave Garden?" Jace asked, his voice still laced with shock.

"Yes," Lira admitted, her tone devoid of pride. "But I don't deserve it. I'm weak."

Kaden's gaze lingered on her. "If you're truly weak," he said quietly, "then you wouldn't have survived the Flower Dream."

Lira's eyes widened. "The Flower Dream? How do you know about that?"

Jace looked between them, confused. "What's the Flower Dream?"

"It's a test," Lira explained, her voice carrying a somber weight. "A test one must take to claim ownership of a Grave Garden. Only those who own one know about it. Kaden..." She turned to him, her gaze searching. "How do you know?"

Leaning back, Kaden rested his head against the crumbling wall and stared at the ceiling. "Because I almost took the test once," he admitted.

Both Lira and Jace stared at him, stunned.

"My father used to own a Grave Garden," Kaden continued, his voice steady but distant. "A portal break opened near it, and my parents died protecting the people from the beasts. As the eldest son, I was supposed to inherit it. I was close to taking the test, but..." His voice trailed off for a moment before he continued, his tone colder. "My uncles tried to kill me. They wanted the Grave Garden for themselves."

Lira and Jace exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing.

"So I ran," Kaden said, his gaze fixed on the memory. "I took my sister, and we fled to another city. But when we got there, we had no money. We ended up living in the outskirts, doing whatever we could to survive."

"How old were you then?" Lira asked softly.

"I was ten," Kaden replied, his voice tightening. "And she was two."

Jace frowned. "If you're here, what about your sister? Where is she now?"

Kaden's jaw clenched. "She's dead, he said while using his fingers to trace his braclet"

A heavy silence fell over the room. Before either Lira or Jace could say anything, Kaden continued, his tone bitter and full of self-loathing. "I killed her... I selfishly kept her with me. I didn't want to put her in an orphanage. I thought I could protect her, but I couldn't. She died because of me."

He stood abruptly, turning his back to them as he stared at the barricade, which was now visibly giving in under the relentless assault of the beasts. His shoulders were tense, his fists clenched. "Which is why I must not die now. I'm not ready to face her. Not yet."

Lira stood, gripping the emergency device tightly in her hand. "I agree," she said firmly. "There's no guarantee a teacher will come to our aid. If we're going to die, I'd rather die fighting."

Jace chuckled nervously. "I like the enthusiasm, but let's not forget the hordes of beasts outside."

Kaden turned to Jace, his expression resolute. "Can you still transform into a bull?"

Jace hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but I doubt I can hold the form for more than a minute."

"A minute is enough," Kaden replied.

He began outlining his plan, his voice low but firm. As he spoke, Lira suddenly blurted out, "Are you insane?!"

"I guess I am," Kaden admitted with a shrug. "But unless you have a better plan, we're using mine."

Lira and Jace exchanged uncertain glances before nodding reluctantly. "Fine," Lira said, her voice steady but her eyes wary. "Let's do it."