The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>Moments before the present time…</strong>

"Open the door…" Aries scratched her bleeding fingertips against the door after pounding her fist against it repeatedly. "Abel…"

Tears had been blurring her vision, helplessness dominating her heart. Her face contorted as she suppressed the cry tempting to escape her mouth.

Aries had always known the Haimirich Empire and Abel were different. She had always known her life would be different, but she was naive to think it would be easy if she just opened her heart. Obviously, it was easier said than done.

What could a human like her do? Before those vampires and other creatures, what could she do to protect Abel? She could only cry and beg pathetically but to no avail.

"Please…" she hung her head low, bumping her forehead against the door mildly. "Don't hurt him anymore. He did nothing wrong." — or rather, Abel had lived a sinful life, but he was now correcting it now. That may not be enough, but they shouldn't take that chance away from him.

Aries begged and cried, trying to push the door open. As she did so, something suddenly crossed her head.

Maleficent.

Everything regarding that name, Maleficent, surged in her head. And by everything, all the little details she collected from those who knew one or two things about her.

<strong>"It'll be a shame if you let it lie dormant,"</strong> were the words that made an impression on her, that Sunny had commented weeks ago.

"Can I…" Aries hiccuped, wiping her tears with the back of her hands. She recomposed herself, facing the shut door, still on her knees. She held her head, recalling everything she could remember.

If what they told her was correct, and the power of this powerful witch was inside her, she could do something, right? But how?

"I don't know how," came out a shaking voice full of fear, confusion, and urgency.

Just then, Aries recalled the body paint on her body for a very long time. Back in the Maganti Empire, Aries had also a fair amount of time to retouch the body paint on her body whenever they were fading.

She remembered them.

"I can try… right?" her lips trembled, gazing at the door in this darkness. Her eyes already adjusted to the lack of light, raising her bleeding fingers.

Aries used her blood, marking the door with the 'arts' she remembered. Good thing they weren't complicated to draw. But as she did so, Aries had to scratch her fingertips whenever she would run out of ink (blood.)

She bit the tip of her index, peeling just a bit of her skin. The slight affliction didn't hinder her from continuing in the drawing. Little did she know, what she was creating was a more complex magic circle, and it wasn't as easy as drawing something and making a wish.

Until… her memories started to blur, adding things she wasn't supposed to add.

"Please let this work," she prayed deep in her heart, not knowing what she was doing didn't need the help of any god. It was an act of blasphemy, deserving divine punishment.

"Open!" Aries opened the door, only for it to rattle. She clenched her teeth, glaring daggers at it. "Come on, please open the door!"

Aries held onto the handle, trying to push it open. Her other hand — the one that was bleeding heavily — was pounding against the door. Blood smeared against the magic circle she had created, glowing faintly that she didn't even notice.

"Please open the —"

"Hahaha!"

Her breath hitched as she froze, looking around in this hallway to see if someone was there. Her heart thudded, breaking out in a cold sweat. Just now, she heard a woman's waves of diabolical laughter just right behind her… or maybe in her head.

The laughter was distinct and loud; it wasn't something she would mistake for coming from a distance. But when Aries shook her head, paying no attention to it, she pushed the door handle.

Much to her surprise, her brows rose as the door creaked. She gazed at the ajar door, still holding the door handle.

Aries didn't know how it suddenly opened, but that didn't matter at the moment. When she realized she could enter, she pushed it open and ran inside. The second she went in, all she saw were people dragging Abel by the shoulders. His knees were still on the floor, head hanging low.

Her heart instantly sank as her mouth fell open. Right then and there, even when she saw a devil in Abel minutes ago, her heart ached at the sight of him. Abel was the love of her life, her husband, her partner, and everything.

She was his world, and he was her lifeline.

Aries had promised Abel she would protect herself so he would have a safe place to rest. He had protected his world, and his world had to do the same for him.

"Let him go," she whispered. Her voice was quiet and low, but it was enough to get the attention of those around her.

Leon and the witch instantly turned their attention to Aries. Their blank and wide eyes went huge once again. Both of them instinctively glanced at the door, and much to their surprise, it was disintegrated into a pile of ashes.

"You…" Leon called under his breath, watching Aries ball her hands, her eyes fixed on Abel.

Meanwhile, Conan held his breath as he gazed at Aries. He didn't know if she had noticed him already since her eyes were on Abel, and those holding His Majesty.

"What are you…" he trailed off, sensing this dark shroud coming out of her back. "Lady Aries… you…"

"I said, let him go!!" Aries's voice pitched, making others cover their ears in pain. Aries took a step forward, grinding her teeth while saying, "Let him go!"

Without thinking twice, Leon and the other witch jumped to stop Aries from approaching after noticing Conan's eyes glow in bright red. For Leon, he only understood the murderous intent in Conan's aura. But for the witch, she had only sensed such a repulsive reaction from Conan whenever he was with Isaiah.

Holding Aries by both her arms, Aries gazed at her right and left. "What are you doing?" she ground her teeth, wiggling her arms to freedom, but the two held onto her tightly.

"Let me go!" she harrumphed and then looked in Abel's direction. "Let him go!"

"Drag him to the magic circle," Conan ordered firmly, eyes fixed on Aries. "Now!"

Those who were holding Abel glanced at Conan before executing the order.

"I said!!! Let him go!" Her voice echoed across the great hall. As her voice continued to echo, a tiny slash appeared across Conan's cheek.

Blood instantly dripped from Conan's cheek before he heard a faint thud. When he moved his eyes to where it came from, all he saw was the severed finger of the member of the council — the one who was holding Abel — on the floor. The one who had lost a finger was just as shocked as everyone, only to snap back to the current lapse when his arms bled heavily when they heard another, "let him go," from Aries, followed by a loud cough.