NOVEL WEB Chapter 1440: Patricia
-----
The battle around the arena continued, Chris and Elfriedden burned and froze their foes, Elizabeth protected and healed allies, Blake focused on fighting Dylan and weakened him to lure Lucifer, and Erika jumped from one place to another, assisting students and professors while others couldn't completely target that in specific.
And as all of this happened… Patricia and Erdrich were missing, everyone was wondering where they were, or what had happened to them.
And indeed, they were not in this world anymore.
"Patricia where is this place?! Where did you bring me?!"
Erdrich looked around, realizing he was in a completely different realm altogether, flames encompassed his surroundings, the sky was red, there were seas of lava and magma, and monstrous demonic creatures wandered in the distance.
Things had happened too fast for Erdrich to even realize, from one time he was trying to have a date with Patricia, a sweet yet reserved girl that was interested in him despite being a half-demon.
And the other, as the entire thing started as Blake had planned and he got ready to fight… Patricia looked at him and held his arms, as a blazing portal pulled them elsewhere…
"Where else, Erdrich? Can't you feel it?"
"W-What?"
"This is your home."
"N-No…"
Erdrich looked at Patricia, and his surroundings, slowly standing up, realizing perfectly well where he was, but even then, he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want to admit he knew instinctively where this place was.
"This is the Dimension known as Hell, Erdrich."
"Patricia… you… Please… don't… don't tell me you're…!"
Patricia looked at him with a face filled with sorrow, it was as if she didn't want to do this, but she opened her palm, showing him her Demonic Rune.
She was a Demonic Cultist…
"H-How did you…?! How could you?!"
Erdrich stood up angrily, furious! His white skin quickly turned red as he transformed into his first demonic stage, horns and long hair appeared, his body was blazing with power.
"The perfect combination between Human and Demon."
"He, the Cambion, is the key to all."
"How majestic is his demonic presence."
"Honored we are, to see his demonic wrath…"
Suddenly, Erdrich heard voices, as he saw several strange demons walking towards them surrounding him and Patricia, wearing black hoods and carrying strange demonic relics.
"PATRICIA! ANSWER ME!"
Erdrich was losing his mind, as Patricia only remained in silence through all of this…
"I'm sorry, Erdrich… We never exactly planned for this; I never thought you would ever get interested in me… I wish… it could have been different."
"Y-You have to be kidding me…! Patricia, are you selling me out?!"
FLAAASH!
Suddenly, beneath Erdrich, a magic pentagram opened, he tried to leap out, but demonic chains wrapped his arms and legs, pulling him down onto the floor.
CRASH!
"Ugh?!"
He realized these chains drained his demonic power and sealed him, paralyzing him instantly, in place!
"What are you going to do to me?! I am not a monster! I am not your guinea pig, you know?! And I won't become anybody's vessel! I am myself! PATRICIA!"
"Don't worry, Cambion, you will become yourself."
"This is a ritual to unseal him."
"The Great Demon that dwells within you."
"The power your human side keeps sealed."
"We shall unleash it into the world, your glorious rebirth is upon ourselves!
"W-What?!" Erdrich started panicking as he heard what they said, as he saw thousands of runes floating around him, slowly beginning to create a powerful incantation.
The demon inside of him… the entity that had once taken over him when he tried to kill Blake.
That vengeful monster is the representation of his demonic side.
That monster he could never afford to become again!
"No…! That monster is not me! It has never been me! You're wrong! You damn…! YOU'RE WRONG!"
"Don't resist the ritual, child!"
"Stay still, you cannot fight back."
"Your power is sealed, and we shall completely release it and-"
"YOU THINK YOU CAN SEAL ME?!"
Erdrich roared, as his "inner demon" came out, but not as the cultists wanted it to be.
RUMBLE!
His Demonic Spirits appeared one after another, suddenly demonic armor covered his body and powerful gauntlets his arms.
Spiritual Energy couldn't be sealed as easily with the chains!
Indeed, the Holy Lady of Reminiscence and Restraint appeared by his side, her powerful spiritual energies helped him regain control of himself, the ritual was not working anymore.
His Giant Blazing Demonic Living Armor powered him up even more without transforming further, helping him fight back.
The Sealed Demonic Witch smiled by his side, hugging him and unleashing her seals, countless chains wrapped around him, which empowered him even further.
And lastly, the Twin Demonic Shadow Gauntlets gave him the power to break through all.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
"RAAAAHHHH!"
BOOOMMM!!!
Punches, explosions, and destruction, his surroundings erupted into nothing, as Erdrich freed himself instantly, amidst the cloud of dust, the cultists were shocked, glaring at him in disbelief.
"You cannot contain me! I am free to do as I please!"
"E-Erdrich…"
Patricia glanced at Erdrich in surprise, without realizing just how strong he truly was!
"Patricia… was everything we lived, everything we talked, and all we experienced together… false? Were your feelings for me not real?"
"I… That's not it! I… they were all genuine… But… my upbringing… I simply… I joined the demonic cult because I had nothing else…"
Patricia collapsed onto the floor, crying in front of him.
"I didn't want to do this, Erdrich…! I just… had no other option, this is all I have, this is all I am… a slave to them, I cannot disobey them, I can't… I will never be free…"
"You can."
Erdrich walked towards her side, holding her hand, as his power devoured the Demonic Rune.
"Ugh?! Eh?!"
She was shocked, she was freed from the contract instantly.
"You should have simply told me the truth… Patricia."
Erdrich caressed her face, as Patricia, who was usually called "manly" and "unattractive" felt truly like a damsel.
"Erdrich…! Wait, we're still in hell and…!"
"We're getting out of here then!"
As Erdrich prepared for battle, the Demon Cultists roared, suddenly beginning to tear apart their robes, becoming gigantic insectoid monstrosities.
"PATRICIA! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
"ARE YOU BETRAYING US?!"
"GIVE US THE CAMBION NOW!"
-----