The Demon Queen's Contract

Chapter 120: Flashback

The monster's grip on me tightened as it leaned closer, its voice low and almost reverent. "You are our boss, Elara. You always have been." The words slithered into my mind, coiling around my thoughts like a serpent. I shook my head, refusing to accept what it was saying.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I managed to choke out, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and disbelief. "I'm not your boss. I've never been."

The monster's eyes gleamed with a dark, knowing glint. It raised its hand, and a glowing bubble of light formed in its palm, pulsating with an eerie energy. "You've forgotten," it hissed. "But memories have a way of returning, whether you want them to or not."

Before I could react, the bubble burst, sending a shockwave of light and energy surging through me. I staggered back, my vision blurring as the world around me faded into a swirling vortex of colors and shapes. My mind was pulled into the depths of the past, into memories that weren't mine… or perhaps they were.

The scene around me shifted, and I found myself in a dimly lit room filled with shadowy figures. They were huddled together, speaking in low, urgent tones. I recognized the room as a hideout, a place where plans were made and secrets were kept. The air was thick with tension, and the smell of sweat and fear hung heavy in the air.

In the center of the room stood a woman who looked eerily familiar her red eyes cold and calculating, her lips twisted into a cruel smile. It took me a moment to realize that this woman was me. Or rather, the person whose body I had come to inhabit.

I watched in horror as she no, I barked orders at the men and women around her, her voice sharp and authoritative. "We strike at dawn," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. "No mercy. We take everything of value and leave no witnesses."

The group nodded, their expressions grim and determined. There was a loyalty in their eyes that was chilling, a loyalty that was born out of fear and respect.

They followed her not out of love, but because they knew she was capable of anything and that she wouldn't hesitate to kill them if they crossed her.

As the memory unfolded, I saw her leading these people on a raid. The night was dark and filled with the sounds of clashing swords and the cries of the innocent.

I felt every moment of it the adrenaline, the thrill of the fight, and the cold satisfaction that came with every life she took. She was ruthless, efficient, and utterly devoid of compassion.

But it wasn't just the killing. She this past version of me was a thief, a murderer, a woman who took what she wanted without a second thought. I watched as she betrayed her allies for a handful of gold, as she cut down anyone who stood in her way. There was a darkness in her, a hunger for power and control that seemed insatiable.

The memory shifted again, and I saw her standing over a man who was begging for his life. He was on his knees, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded for mercy. She stared down at him, her expression cold and unfeeling.

"Please," the man sobbed, his voice breaking. "I have a family… children…"

She tilted her head, considering his words for a moment. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she drove her sword through his heart, silencing his cries forever. She wiped the blood from her blade with a look of disgust, as if the man's life had meant nothing to her.

I could feel the horror and revulsion building inside me, but I was powerless to stop the memory from playing out. I watched as she continued her reign of terror, leading her followers on a path of destruction and chaos.

She was feared and hated, a monster in human form. And yet, they called her boss with a mixture of fear and reverence, just as the creature had done.

The memories came faster now, each one more terrible than the last. I saw myself her burning villages, stealing from the weak, and killing anyone who dared to defy her. The blood of the innocent was on her hands, and the cries of the dying echoed in my ears.

The final memory was the worst of all. She stood in front of a mirror, her reflection staring back at her with empty eyes. There was a moment of clarity, a brief flicker of something human in her gaze. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the cold, hard mask she always wore.

"You've become everything you once despised," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with something that might have been regret. But then she shook her head, banishing the thought. "No, this is who I am now. This is who I was meant to be."

The scene began to dissolve, the edges of the memory blurring as I was pulled back to the present. The creature's voice echoed in my mind, a final whisper before the memory faded completely. "You are our boss, Elara. You always have been."

With a jolt, I was thrust back into reality. The monster was still in front of me, its eyes watching me with a twisted kind of affection. My heart was racing, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The memories were still fresh in my mind, the blood and the terror all too real.

But it wasn't me. It couldn't be. I had no memory of those things, no recollection of ever being that person. And yet, the images were so vivid, so terrifyingly real.

My legs gave way beneath me, and I crumpled to the ground, the weight of the memories pressing down on me. My vision blurred, and the world around me began to spin. I could hear Seraphina's voice calling my name, but it sounded distant, as if she were miles away.

The last thing I saw before everything went black was the creature's face, its eyes filled with a sickening mixture of pity and reverence.

Then, there was only darkness.