Fate growled at Jacob in a hoarse voice, with his bloodshot eyes narrowing into a glare, as furious screams filled his head...

 

-You...this is all of your f***ing fault!!! If it wasn’t for you...I wouldn’t know just how...how weak I am!!! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have needed Liza to hurt herself to make me come back to my senses…If it wasn’t for you...I…!!!

 

Fate was currently overwhelmed by his own shame and self-loathing, ignoring the overwhelming difference in strength and authority between him and the elderly butler, and was now shifting the focus for these emotions away from himself and onto Jacob, as he prepared to scream out every single last curse and hateful sentence he could put to words...

 

-I’ll scream at you...till the last bit of moisture is gone from my throat...everything...everything that I f***ing hate about you!!!

 

He recalled every single moment where Jacob had humiliated him, every time when he was powerless to act against him, allowing his hatred to burn his heart!

 

However, at that moment, before Fate could flood the room with his cursings, Jacob’s tired eyes became clouded, his eyebrows furrowed, and he quickly raised his other hand toward the candle, extending his thumb and index finger towards the flame, as his expression continued to darken…

 

And, as his gloved fingers enveloped the flickering flame...

 

[Psssh…]

 

Fate’s reddened eyes disappeared into the shadows, as the sound of the dying sizzle of the candle’s flame penetrated his ears, and the room around him was, once again, plunged into darkness…

 

And, from these shadows, spread an overwhelming bloodlust that covered the entire room and assaulted Fate’s senses, causing his rage to retreat, and his fear to flood into his mind like a tsunami!

 

Now, he began to fully relive those terrifying memories, and every single second of nightmarish fear, every moment when his end seemed all but certain, unable to hold them back, as his terror soared and as Jacob’s vicious killing intent poured over him…

 

He almost instantly forgot the warmth of Liza’s hand felt, and it felt as if someone had just drenched him with frigid, cold water...

 

All of the things he wanted to scream out were now frozen in his throat, while his body, which had only just before shaken in fury, now trembled in fear…

 

-I...I-I...he’s...c-coming…!!! I c-can’t...his footsteps...t-they’re not there...but this f-feeling...this s-sense of...dread...it’s definitely him!!!

 

Fate couldn’t hear a single footstep amidst the darkness, but he could feel Jacob’s overwhelming bloodlust penetrating his mind and soul, digging deeper and deeper as he approached from the darkness…

 

He desperately wanted to run, but could only helplessly wait for whenever Jacob would emerge from the darkness, as his powerless, trembling, severely injured body prevented him from taking a single step…

 

-N-now...after I’ve survived that boar...after everything I’ve suffered through..!!!

 

Suddenly, he felt a hot sensation grip his right shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain, and his eyes to widen further as he looked to his side…

 

Jacob: “Young master, though I am merely a humble servant, I am also your teacher…”

 

Fate: “A-arggh…!!!”

 

The grip on Fate’s arm grew tighter, with Jacob’s fingers digging into his shoulder, even harder than he had previously had when Fate attempted to stab him in the woods, causing Fate to grunt in pain!

 

Jacob: “And to show such disrespect to those who would instruct you...does not befit a person of your standing...as my student...in which your age and disowned status make no difference…”

 

Jacob’s hot, gloved hand suddenly became as cold as ice, chilling Fate’s entire body as he continued to push his fingers deeper into the burnt skin, and as he released wave after wave of killing intent that continuously assaulted Fate’s mind!

 

-N-no...no, no...no..n-no...no…

 

Fate bit down on his lip...

 

Jacob: “You are the one I have chosen to inherit my art...that is certain...and yet, the faults you currently display will not be tolerated…”

 

-...S-some...one...p-plea...se..!!

 

The image of a massive devil, formed out of swirling, black blood, with a massive, monstrous claw placed on his shoulder began to emerge next to him…

 

He bit down harder, as his trembling rattled the bed, and the air around him became frigid and stinging...

 

Fate, in this moment, felt the overwhelming disparity between himself and Jacob, as beads of cold sweat poured down his trembling body…

 

-...I-I...d-do...n’t...n-not here…!!!

 

He could feel his internal cries being drowned by terror and insanity, as his senses began to slowly fade from his grasp...

 

Suddenly, a gloved hand emerged from the darkness…!

 

Jacob: “And now, young master…!”

 

Jacob’s bone-chilling, murderous tone permeated throughout every cell in Fate’s body…

 

The hand was consumed by a black aura, emerging as a gruesome claw, which shot towards Fate’s head!!!

 

-NOOOOOO!!!!!

 

Finally, unable to think, and unable to withstand the tremendous strain on his mind, and with one final cry, he allowed his grasp on consciousness to slip…

 

He slowly slipped into unconsciousness…

...

 

Jacob: “Haaaaaaa...it appears that I might have overdone it, if only just a little…”

 

The elderly butler spoke in a weary, dissatisfied voice, erasing the chilling tone from his words...

 

Jacob’s bloodlust ceased to flow, and the grip that had caused Fate such horrendous pain vanished, as a pair of footsteps slowly made their way to the foot of the bed...

 

[Crackle…]

 

The light of a candle suddenly emerged, illuminating Jacob’s thoughtful, yet also dissatisfied  expression, which didn’t contain a single hint of his previously exuded bloodlust…

 

And slowly, the light began to touch on the blankets that wrapped around the unmoving child on the bed, which were stained with blood and tears...

...