The Devil Wore My Name

IX. STAR OF DAVID

"You...Again," Elfric almost snorted as he spat out those words. Eying the man in black from head to toe. "Surprised that you have recovered your energy and came to meet *the monster*." He quoted those same words that Zeph stuttered earlier this morning.

Zeph held up his fist over his mouth as he cleared his throat. A gesture that Elfric saw was made out of shame and embarrassment from the way he had reacted this morning. Though he couldn't find it in him to fully blame him, after all…there was no way knowing what he looked like…no…what Orathan looked like when he took over.

Obviously something…unfriendly judging from how it made this man, who looks like he never loses his composure, fall to his knees. On a second lock, Elfric saw that he was alone, unlike the previous shameful encounter – at least to one of them.

"I see that you came alone this time," said Elfric while raising a questioning eyebrow.

"And I thought you would appear with an extra couple of men."

"Let me first introduce myself," he stated with his eyes closed, keeping his composure in check. "My name is Zeph. I work under Lord Crane Gotham, and…"

"Not interested," interrupted Rick as he tried to maneuver his way around Zeph.

"Hey! Wait a min…" Zeph exclaimed as he caught him by the wrist, forcing him to twist around, almost colliding. The stare that he got from those two different eye colors brought out his worst demons. He released Rick's wrist instantly as the bad memories slapped him across the face.

"W-What I want to say is…my Lord wants to see you," Zeph stated, threading the words together to be said in one breath.

"Last I checked, he wanted to kill me," said Elfric. "And that wasn't even long ago."

"I-it was a mistake…I assure you that we are willing to compensate you for all the trouble that we have caused,"

Rick didn't buy it. He held back on pointing out that he was the one that caused them trouble, killing 4 of their men without even a scratch on his body. Every conclusion that he reached was screaming for him to get away from this Zeph and whoever this Lord Crane was…simply…stay the hell away from mingling with Nobles.

'You let that privilege go the moment that you took something that wasn't yours, Rick,' he heard his conscience tell him. He was positive that this time it wasn't Orathan; he had been doing a good job at keeping his promise so far. To leave him alone to reach a decision.

Though he has got to admit that he felt his head was lighter, he was more firm on what was true and what's not. For example, this guy in black in front of him. He saw through him like glass. Was that because Orathan was still dwelling somewhere inside him? Or has he always been like this? He doubted the latter.

Elfric's head dropped, not bothering to hide the chuckle that rocked his shoulders. Aware of Zeph's intense gaze at him every moment. He figured that he must have learned that taking him lightly wasn't a very good idea. Rick already made up his mind.

"Alright," said Rick. "Let's go."

Zeph blinked himself to reality. This went queit easier than he was prepared for. Was what Lord Crane said was true? He thought. Was he really just another commoner who can sell anything for the right price? He doubted that. He doubted that when the scenes from this morning unfolded in front of his eyes once again.

"What hell has he become?" he mumbled under his breath as he watched Elfric walk ahead of him.

"Lead the way, redhead,"

"Y-yes!"

~~~~

Elfric has never stepped foot inside Lauxdale. Why would he when it was reeking of Nobles at every corner. He couldn't help but compare the view from this luxury limousine that he was riding in with the subway route that he had taken a couple of minutes ago. Skyscrapers that seem to reach up to the sky. Shimmering white plaster and glass curtains covering almost all the buildings, all prepared and adjusted to fit the need…no…to satisfy the greed that these people have.

On every building was the same insignia, Cosmos Group. It built more than half of Lauxdale if not all of it. After all, as far as everyone knows, the whole new city idea came up with them. Naming themselves Cosmos made them feel a little closer to the Gods…to the spiritual realm that they have no control over – or at least that's what Elfric thought.

He was pulled out of his daze when the car's door was suddenly opened from the other side. He hesitated, making sure that he had his hood up and shading over his eyes. Zeph pretended not to notice as he led the way inside the 100 story building. The insignia of the Gotham family was depicted next to their name, Gotham Group. The stare of David was their mark.

Elfric found it hard that there were still people in this day age who still cared about religions that were long forgotten since the end of the once-great Britain. "You guys still go by the Jew's teachings?" Rick puzzled, the question coming out by mistake.

Zeph spared him a glance as he pushed the elevator's button.

"I'm surprised that you even recognized the seal," said Zeph. "I think there is no need for us to hide that we associate with the devil, don't you think?"

He nodded once, and that much Elfric figured out on his own since that day, as well as the club that was under their name. Though why? That's what he couldn't get his hands on. Why do those people risk so much? They already have so much so why would they gamble on a table in hell? And the dealer is none other than the devil himself – the same devil that seems to be residing in him.

"If we believe that there is the devil, then, most definitely, there is also God," Zeph stated, his words making sense more or less.

"Sorry but it sounds kind of stupid that you believe in the presence of God but still choose to dine with the devil," Rick scoffed as he heard the elevator ding, getting in first before Zeph accompanied him.

The journey up to the 100th floor was quiet. Zeph would steal glances at Rick, thinking what he would say to Lord Crane's offer. Or…or that preparation that he has personally looked over.

Zeph led the way out of the elevator and across a long hall with only one gigantic door at the end of it. He knocked before taking a step to the side, giving Elfric space to go through.

Elfric's eyes took their time to adapt to the brightly lit room after being the dim corridor. At the very end lay the desk with a nobleman that he guessed was Crane.

"Welcome, Mr. Elfric," Crane exclaimed as he stood up with his arms wide open. Rick suspected that he might have seen him somewhere on T.V but didn't bother to think where; he was never interested in Noble's affairs.

Elfric remained silent as he glared at the man in front of him; his whole attire made him uneasy. A typical villain, Elfric thought. But was he the one to talk when he literally had the devil dwelling somewhere in his mind?

Crane cleared his throat. "I hope that my men from this morning didn't cause you much trouble," he faked a smile that Rick saw right through it.

"By trouble, you mean to kill me?" Elfric puzzled; his tone was stripped of emotions. His own calmness shocked him.

"Kill…not a pretty word to say, don't you think?" Crane replied with a question as he made his way around the desk to now stand in front of it, leaning his weight on it. "You could say that I was only testing your capabilities." He added.

"I killed 4 of your men,"

"Expected," stated Crane, his face showed just how much he couldn't care less about the souls that were lost…the souls of his men.

"You think that I would prepare an attack against you…no…to put it correctly, the *both* of you, without at least taking into consideration the collateral damage?"

Elfric snorted in disbelief. This man could just stamp over anything and anyone that wasn't his level, even his own men. But what made Rick more on edge was the fact that they figured out that he wasn't alone…well, at least not physically speaking.

"How did you know?"

"You are underestimating us, Elfric," Crane replied as he started to take long strides to cover the distance between the two of them. "After all, we Gotham's are a family that wanted what you now have…Orathan. And we are here to take him back."

Elfric scoffed.

"So, you just brought me all the way here to forcefully take him out?" he questioned and wondered how the hell Orathan was quiet at a time like this.

Crane was now a mere step away from Elfric. Yet, he never budged but glared right back at him. Crane took a deep, good look at Elfric's eyes for the first time. "I brought you here to offer a deal of your lifetime," he said, slowly he took off the hood from Elfric's head. Taking a good look at the boy, as if he was embedding his features in his mind.

"Join us, Elfric."

"Join us and you will become us."