CHAPTER 19: SECRET EXPOSED

"Zeliker!!!"

Everyone watched in horror when Zeliker slashed his neck without hesitation. His blood flowed down from the wounds onto the floor and he staggered down to one knee. He felt tremendous pain again but still held on to his consciousness. His eyes went to Elamos.

"Happy…? I did… What you wanted…" He said with blood also dripping from his lips.

Elamos already stood up from his chair. His expression showed disbelief while Zelfon stood frozen with eyes widened at Zeliker.

Blood… Too much blood… Is he gonna die? Why did he do that?!

Zelfon screamed in his head. He suddenly felt dizzy and grabbed the throne to hold on to.

"If he dies, we are doomed!" He thought in fear.

It was because of Zeliker's identity as the last heir to the Flink Kingdom. If Zeliker dies, it would be a good and bad thing to happen to the human race. The good thing was that they lost one royal demon to defeat but the worst thing was they would get Nekruis warring with them.

Who didn't know that Nekruis, if he was present in the war, would massacre the human race without leaving a single one alive?

His strength alone was far greater than any other royal demon king. If Zeliker died, they feared Nekruis' anger would eliminate their kingdom. So, everyone there was also thinking the same thing as Zelfon. Their expression went pale.

"Zeliker! Zeliker, let us go!" Xcerox and Miulwess screeched.

They feared their friend would die after seeing so much blood gushing out from Zeliker. Before, when Zeliker was injured, they didn't care but now, it was different. Their eyes had turned red with little tears forming.

"Zeliker, let me go and treat you! You've done it many times! You might die this time!" Silvert growled with eyes that had changed to rainbow colour.

He was using his power to try to break free from Zeliker's power over him but it was so hard.

Many times?! He did it many times?! Everyone was shocked to hear the truth.

"Your highness Zeliker, you can't do this. You can't sacrifice your life. This is unreasonable!" Riseptos choked on his words.

This was the first time he saw Zeliker do this and knew about it. Why didn't he know this prince earlier? Wait, he did but he didn't even care. He was truly a bad subject for Zeliker and felt guilty over it.

Elamos slowly walks to get near Zeliker. His face looks grave.

"Why did you do that? You are a royal demon. Where's your pride?!"

Zeliker laughed but he choked on his blood. He coughed them out.

What pride? He didn't have it anymore when he befriended these humans.

But damn it! This really hurts!

"Isn't this… What all humans… Want? I would be honoured… To have my life ended… If that is the way… To lower your hate… Toward us demons…"

He replied slowly since he needs to take a breath while holding the pain. His face already gives out lots of sweat, showing his bad circumstances. His friends were all anxious and more eager to save him when they heard his words. Zelfon who heard it gasped with tears welled up in his eyes.

How can this royal demon be so self-sacrifice?! He was a royal demon, wasn't he?! Even they can't do this, especially if the cause was to let go of their hatred for each other's races.

"You… Don't hate humans…?" Elamos continued to ask.

He still felt surreal about the royal demon in front of him. He also was thinking the same thing as his son.

Zeliker smiled and shook his head. "I… I can't… kill them or… Drink their blood…"

"Zeliker!" Silvert and Gizelis shouted at the same time.

Zeliker telling his secret openly like this makes them irritated and anxious. Elamos and other people were confused after hearing it.

Zeliker can't drink human blood? But he is a demon! There's no way a demon would not be able to drink human blood. Humans were their main course every mealtime.

"You're lying. Every demon would do this thing and you're telling me you are different? Proof it. If not, I won't believe it." Elamos folded his hands on his chest.

"That's enough, Elamos! If you can't trust him, leave him alone!" Sektar snapped at him.

He already feels very guilty looking at the injured Zeliker. If it wasn't for him agreeing to the friendly match with the Drick Kingdom, Zeliker wouldn't have been found by Elamos that a demon prince was living here.

Everyone nodded their head while glaring at Elamos. They began to hate him. Even the royal guards were dissatisfied with Elamos. If all of them could move, they would have forced Elamos and his people to leave their kingdom right away.

Zelfon swallowed after seeing their increasing anger. He looked at his father with worry.

"What? Do you believe him? A royal demon who can't even drink human blood. That's just a dream that all humans would want to happen." Elamos tsked.

Zeliker slowly stood up while holding his neck. The blood has stopped temporarily after a long time. He had a slow recovery but for now, he can still hold on to his pain. He and Elamos stare at each other.

"I'll prove it with the condition you would let the demons in your custody go. Do you agree, Your Majesty?" He asked without stuttering.

"No! I disagree!" Silvert and Gizelis once more said together.

They can't let Zeliker drink any human blood. Zeliker was already injured. Who knows what might happen to him. Although they know Zeliker would be in tremendous pain and might not die, they don't want to see him in misery again.

Xcerox, Miulwess and their friends looked at Silvert and Gizelis' fearful expressions.

Could Zeliker really can't drink human blood? If so, what'll happen if he drinks it? They have a bad feeling about it.

"Very well. I promise by the Goddess of Truth that if I break my promise, I will be scorched by her thunder."

Elamos makes a vow and instantly something around them appears a cold wind. There shouldn't be any wind when they were in a closed room. Sektar's eyes narrowed. The promise can no longer be broken and if it did, Elamos will be punished severely by it.

"Zelfon, give him your blood. I would really like to see if this demon prince can drink human blood or not."

Zelfon almost backs away when Silvert and Gizelis stare at him with animosity. They would kill him if he did it. Unfortunately, even if Zelfon won't do it, it was too late for him to say it.

Zeliker suddenly appeared in front of him and took his right palm before he slash it with his elongated claw. Then, Zeliker licked the blood coming out of the wound. His action surprised everyone there.

"Zeliker, no!!!"

Silvert and Gizelis couldn't believe Zeliker still would do it. The moment they felt Zeliker's power over them was gone, they immediately ran toward Zeliker who slowly fell to the floor. Silvert used his power to make Zeliker cough Zelfon's blood out.

"Zeliker, vomit the blood out now!" Gizelis persuades him.

"Urgh!"

ARGHH!!!

A loud scream and groaning sounded before it was silent by Silvert who let Zeliker bite viciously into his arm. Still, Zeliker was whimpering in pain. Silvert and Gizelis who could no longer help Zeliker had tears fall to their cheeks. They felt really awful after hearing and seeing Zeliker like this.

"Get the medical team now!" Sektar ordered fast after Zeliker's painful scream.

The scream makes everyone in the hall shiver. Their eyes also widened while looking at the struggling Zeliker that was held down by Silvert and Gizelis. This scene was impossible to fake.

"Make him faint!" Silvert told Gizelis after he got a scratch from Zeliker's claw on his left cheek.

Gizelis suddenly realised he should have done that earlier. So, he did it after Silvert pushed Zeliker's head to make space for him to hit. Silvert couldn't do it because of Zeliker's wild movement.

A moment later, Zeliker slumped on Silvert after he fainted and finally he was quiet. However, blood from his neck flowed out again.

Zelfon, who was near them, had fallen to the floor because of his weak legs. The screaming makes him lose the strength and stability of his body. This scene was a nightmare and he might never be able to forget it. Not just him but everyone in the hall too would not be able to forget this miserable and chilling scene.

Xcerox and Miulwess couldn't take their eyes off of Zeliker. They were too stunned to move. They got normal again after seeing the medical team arrive and help Zeliker into a stretcher. An oxygen mask was put on Zeliker's face while Bekura held a cloth on Zeliker's neck to stop the bleeding.

The medical team that was led by Bekura and Dian arrived not long after with their high speed. Bekura and the medic teams were horrified at first after seeing the situation of Zeliker and turned serious afterwards because their king had ordered them to save Zeliker. They brought a stretcher and other medical items along and instantly used them on Zeliker.

Silvert, who had let go of Zeliker to the Bekura teams for a check, looked miserable. He felt that he failed to protect Zeliker again. Gizelis patted his shoulder to tell him that he felt it too.

"Zeliker is strong. He will live." He whispered to Silvert who nodded his head. "By the way, you need to get treated."

Silvert looked at his arm that was bitten by Zeliker. He could see his bone but he ignored it. Gizelis's eyes twitched. He pushed Silvert to a medic to have his arm stitched and bandaged.

"Your Majesties, we will leave first." Bekura bowed to Sektar and Elamos.

She wanted to take Zeliker to the infirmary building.

"Go. Please take care of him." Sektar replied.

"Understood!"

Silvert, Gizelis and their friends follow along. They wanted to make sure Zeliker was alright. They no longer care about Elamos or Zelfon anymore. Only the royal guard was left by their king's side.

"Are you satisfied now, Elamos?" Sektar asked.

Elamos was silent. He was looking at the blood that was left on the floor. He frowned while thinking of something. Zelfon slowly stood up again while staring at his father.

"Prince Zelfon, why don't you go rest first and treat your palm. I need to talk with your father alone." Sektar ordered.

Zelfon nodded his head. He left with one of the royal guards that would accompany him to the Drick guest room.

"I still don't understand… Is this demon condemnation after what they have done to us, humans? Now, one of the royal blood can't drink our blood…" Elamos was perplexed.

Sektar sighed. "Could be yes or no. Zeliker is a special demon. That's why I'm hiding him from anyone."

Elamos finally realised something. "You know he can't drink human blood?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Gizelis already explained everything to me before. Zeliker was like this after Gizelis made Zeliker drink his blood. Have you ever wondered why we can capture him?"

Elamor growled. "... I thought you cared for him but it seems you're not. What is your purpose for showing me this?"

Sektar smirked. "You're wrong about something. I didn't expose his weakness but he did it himself. Don't you understand why he did it? Why did he want to show us his weakness? This weakness of his could be used for a lot of things. Especially when some hateful people want to capture him or convict him."

Elamos slowly thinks about it. "He wants me to trust him."

"And?"

"And because he wants to save the demons in my custody. This is weird… Why would he care when he is a royal demon? Moreover, he doesn't have any relationship with them except that they are the same race."

Sektar chuckled. "You still don't get it? That's because that was his principle of life! He couldn't tolerate when other people were in trouble. Didn't you see him in the stadium? What did he do? If you want to know something else about him, then I'll tell you."

Sektar slowly talks about someone else and also explains Zeliker's kind attitude. Elamos who heard it almost tripped his leg.

"You're kidding! This, this…! Does it really happen?! And you mean that devil wants it?!" He looked astonished.

Sektar nodded. "Please take note this is a secret between me, him and you now. Don't ask anymore. Who knows if the wall has ears."

Elamos swallowed. He felt disbelieving again but no longer doubted it. He sighed heavily while feeling a slight regret after making Zeliker hurt himself.

"So, what'd you say? Are you going to help us?" Sektar asked.

"... Do I even have a choice. You already force me to agree because of him and my guilt towards Zeliker! So, whatever. If it goes wrong I will shoot you both down!"

"Reassure… We will not fail." Sektar's eyes glinted seriously.

Their plan was already long begun and only waited for it to connect to each other. And Zeliker was perfect to execute it. So, Sektar can't have him dying yet.