Demon Lord Shapeshifting System

Harker decided he would pay that antique shop a visit later at night. He would first meet up with Artea for until all day classes were dismissed and he could meet with Headmaster Holmwood. 

He waved goodbye to Artea in a hurry. "Is that all? Right, see you tomorrow."

Of course she would not be settled. So she decided to stay in school by the gates, waiting for when she was sure Harker had been to her father's office. She was cautious enough to not actually follow him around as she could tell how observant he was. 

She finally went to the office after 5 minutes had passed since the time he should have entered by now. She went to listen by the door, pressing her ear against it. 

".... What are you talking about!? Liar!"

"I am telling the truth, Sir. What was it… Jones, right? I don't know anything about your father or his whereabouts."

Artea furrowed his brows. What does Harker's father have to do with this?

He sounded very angry, much more than she had ever heard him. The vitriol radiating from his words was so strong that she thought anyone who was that mad could kill someone. And yet her father remained calm, as if he was speaking while sipping his tea.

Artea clenched her fist, her manicured nails digging through her skin. Should she go inside? But if she did, the situation might just get worse.

The truth was that she never trusted Harker Jones. 

She was only doing Roland a favor, because Roland was her friend. Roland understood her situation, and she understood Roland's. But again and again, she had pointed out how Harker was not good for him. Even before she met the guy, she just had a feeling that he would spell trouble.

Yet a part of her hoped she wasn't right. Of course she didn't want to be in danger, and to have her family be endangered even for the sake of a friend. 

Her hand almost clasped at the doorknob when she heard:

"Fine…. But just so you know, your daughter is in danger. I'm possibly the only guy who could keep her safe. If you won't tell me anything, then I won't tell you anything about what might happen to her either. What might happen to us all."

She stopped at this, eyes wide. What is he talking about?

Since when had she been in danger? Does it have to do with how much he was so focused on Kian Shaw?

Mr. Holmwood seemed to reconsider this. He then spoke, much more guarded this time.

"I'm listening. I do remember something that might help with your ventures."

Harker seemed to be speaking through gritted teeth, and Artea could almost see a mirthless smile on his lips as he said: 

"You first, old man. Or is your pride more important than your daughter's life?"

Arthur Holmwood sighed and relented. "The one who sent you this urn, Yakov… He and I used to be associates. We worked together on this project, along with several others, after we encountered something the whole world was not ready to see."

"Monsters?" Harker guessed. 

"We prefer to call them other species. We don't know if they're intergalactic, or if they were made from our world. Did they come with the meteor that struck the dinosaurs? What is it with their relationship with humanity, and why were they sentient like us? As we tried to understand them…. We just learned there's no point."

"What do you mean there's no point?"

"They're unfathomable. They may be the Other, but they were intrinsically connected to us the way that no other creature that we the masses know of. They may be the gods that humans worshiped years ago, or the old inhabitants….. We just don't know. Trying to know would just be flying too close to the sun. The more you know, the more you lose."

Harker snickered. "And so you decided to cut ties with this… organization? Was that when you got struck by lightning?"

Arthur Holmwood said solemnly: "These scars…. They're a gift in a way. That's why I am able to do what I do now. But they are also a reminder. I am marked, there's nothing much I could do besides staying in my lane. I cannot divert farther, my family…. I cannot lose them. And trust me when I tell you this, boy."

He sounded so sorrowful, like he truly pitied those in his organization that had lost more than he had. 

"People like us…. People like me and your father… We always have more to lose than we initially think. It's arrogant to keep pursuing the Dark World, to continue looking through the veil. The veil is our safety net, it's what keeps us existing. Men lost their families, their sanity, their lives, themselves…."

But Harker made a sound that was like a grunt of disagreement. He said nothing else, and Arthur sighed again.

"Here is the address of one of the few remaining in our group. The one that marked him is not as unforgiving… And certainly gave him more leeway. As for the one who molded the urn, and the burning Lady…. Give up. They're not marked. They are much bigger forces than you are, even in the state that you are in."

"I'll be the judge of that. Used to being the underdog anyway." Harker said. "Here's the address of those who may be planning to hurt your daughter."

He handed something to him, but Artea couldn't see what. They just cleanly exchanged like this.

Arthur Holmwood made another 'Hmm'.

"Hmm, you're certain? They're making their move now?"

"Yes. From what I could tell in their recent activities. They're working with those involved with those face-tearing murders."

"Ah, I understand now. Thank you for letting me know about it, but this hardly suffices for all the information I gave you."

Harker scoffed. "Like I said, I am protecting her. Not really my choice, but I know how devastated my friend would be if something happens to her."

"Hmm… I see. I'm glad agreeing to Mr. Faust's terms was the right decision."

There was a pause, and then Harker said:

"Can you let me go now?"

She blinked at this. Let him go?

"Of course."

She didn't know exactly what happened, but she suddenly felt the slightest tremor from where she stood. It was like when you were standing in an elevator, and it started going down. 

"Please take care of Artea… And her innocence. I won't involve myself much for the fear that it would just make her suspicious. My daughter is wiser than most people give her credit for."

Harker nodded. "Sure thing. She won't know anything, and she won't be marked…. Unless she had been already, of course. You sure she hadn't?"

"No. And I have ways of knowing."

"Good. I'll check this guy you're talkin' about. Don't use vertigo on me next time."

The old man chuckled, which was a first for Artea after so many years of his sickness.

"It was just a precaution. But yes, I won't use it on you next time."

Harker left, and she quickly hid and walked away.

But as soon as Harker went outside the door, it seemed that he had already been aware of her presence. No, it was the moment that Arthur 'let him go'.

His eyes turned exactly on the direction by the wall where Artea hid. 

"Fuck. You just really have to go and make me break the deal I made with your dad not even a minute ago, huh?"