Everything's black... Such emptiness.

Where am I? I need to defeat that monster!

«Calm down... This is inside of you»(?)

«Who is talking? »(Me)

«Down here... »(?)

I looked down to find nothing but my shadow... My shadow has a weird face on it though...

«Who are you!? »(Me)

«Me? I am nothing... but I'm you at the same time. »(?)

«What do you mean by that? »(Me)

« I am everything that you banished from within you. I am everything, from your fears to your true power... »(?)

«True power? »(Me)

« The power of a monster capable of global destruction. »(?)

«I am human. »(Me)

« You still don't trust me huh... Well, I'll let it move a bit based on your desires. »(?)

A small portal appeared before me. There can be seen what is being seen with my eyes. The eyes that are on my physical body I mean. My body is moving but it is not me who is moving it. It's moving on its own. It caught up with the monster and made a giant wound on his body.

«Is that really me? »(Me)

«Yes and no. You banished that at an early age. »(?)

«...»(Me)

He is saying something. What a weird monster.

«He is running for the villagers! Save them! »(Me)

I just screamed when I saw him running towards the villagers.

«Are you crazy?! »(?)

The body was hit. Intense pain ran through me.

«We feel pain in here? »(Me)

«Yes, we do! And not only is it more intense but also if the body dies, we both die! »(?)

But it was already too late now.

The body was sent flying while trying to protect the villagers.

«That hurts... »(Me)

«Crap! The power is going out of control! »(?)

My shadow starts panicking.

«What?! »(Me)

«It's going to be consumed by the power! »(?)

« I won't let that happen! GRRRR! »(Me)

This is so exhausting...

«Like that, you are going to become a ghoul! »(?)

«I won't become like that! »(Me)

(...)

I finally stabilized the power and regained control over the body after a while...

But I'm too tired now...

This sure was exhausting... I might just take a nap...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where am I?

Is this the village's hospital?

«Are you awake? »(Village Chief)

«Oh, chief... How long has it been since I got unconscious? »(Me)

«About a day. »(Village Chief)

It seems like the other me and the power disappeared completely...

When I looked around I noticed something was off...

«Why is this empty? »(Me)

«There were no more injured thanks to you. »(Village Chief)

«Then shouldn't there be some more people here?»(Me)

«Go outside to get some answers. Probably you'll understand after that. »(Village Chief)

Is he making the face of disappointment? When I went outside I understood his words. When I appeared outside everyone looked coldly at me as if I was the most despicable and disgusting creature. Why though...? I almost died protecting them... Why are they being like that?

«Do you understand now? Everyone fears you... »(Village Chief)

«I...I did everything I could... I saved them... »(Me)

«I know. I understand what happened. But they don't. So I'm going to ask you to go away from here and never come back. » (Village Chief)

What is this...? I am being exiled from the village I helped the most...

Where is the warm village I always knew...?

I arrived at home.

«What happened to you?! Call the healers! »(Head maid)

The head maid is in panic. It's understandable after all I'm arriving one day late, covered in wounds and with a face of someone dying on the inside.

«The village was attacked by a monster. I defeated him. »(Me)

«Him? You mean the monster? »(Head maid)

«Who else could I be referring to as "him"? »(Me)

«Monsters are not people. They are not referred to as "him" »(Head maid)

«He had intelligence and people to protect. »(Me)

«Most animals are like that and we don't call them people right? »

This isn't going anywhere... I don't even know when I started to believe the words he said and treat him like something that is not a monster...

«Brother, what happened? »(Laura)

«Got in a fight to protect the village. »(Me)

«Did you lose? »(Laura)

«No... How could I lose and let them all die? »(Me)

«Then why are you so sad? »(Laura)

«They banned me from the village... After the fight, they started to fear me... I don't really understand what really happened... »(Me)

«THAT'S HORRIBLE! HOW DARE THEY! How can they treat their savior like that? »(Laura)

While my little sister complained about what the villagers did, a group of people in white arrived.

«The healing team has arrived. Let us heal you. »(Healer)

The healing took quite a while...

(...)

Next day... Father entered the room with a happy face.

«Seems like you are almost good again. »(Papa)

«Yeah... »(Me)

«Don't get sad like that! Let's have a trip! »(Papa)

«I'm not really in the mood... »(Me)

«YES, YOU ARE! I'll get the wind dragon. »(Papa)

«hmmmmm... »(Me)

I always wanted to ride the wind dragon! But Papa would never let me...

I can't say no right now can I?

(...)

«Ready son?? »(Papa)

«YEAS! »(Me)

«LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! »(Papa)

We took flight...

It's the same I've always seen but much more majestic and beautiful seen from above.

We are going around in our lands...

«Remember that ravine son? »(Papa)

«Of course I do! I always wanted to go down there. Haha »(Me)

«It was next to this ravine that I taught you the meaning of being human, remember? »(Papa)

«Yeah! To fight the monsters and the demons! »(Me)

«Exactly... »(Papa?)

The mood is going down for some reason... My instinct is screaming! Are we gonna get attacked by someone?

Wait... it's coming from...Dad?

«Then you understand what I have to do right now... »(Dad?)

I got slashed by my own father and fell from the dragon.

«W-w-why... father... »(Me)

He is looking at me with the same eyes as the villagers did the other day. Is this what it is to be human?! To simply slash everything that is abnormal, everything that you fear? Isn't that no different from what we are taught that demons and monsters are? Is a human just someone who has no honor at all? Someone that finds any way to have things their way? Are humans such lowly creatures? Am I such a lowly creature...? I'm a human after all... NO! that's not possible, right? I'm not like them!

I am not human...

I must not be...

........

After a while, I finally hit the bottom of the ravine... I fell right inside it and lost consciousness.

I woke up on a leaf bed... In a poor house made with raw materials from a forest like straw and wood.

I don't know where I am at all.

«You are finally awake! You were really injured you know! I thought you'd never wake up... »(?)

«AAAAAAAAH»(Me)

A female humanoid creature stands before me. She has a greenish skin and some vines and leaves around some parts of her voluptuous and erotic body. Pretty much everything about her is greenish. Apart from that, she was almost the same as a human.

If I'm not wrong it's a dryad.

I tried to get away from her but my body wouldn't move as I wanted.

«As expected you fear me... That's not something you were supposed to do to your savior you know? Don't humans understand the meaning of a savior? »(?)

«I'm... no human... I refuse to be such a disgusting creature... you just scared me... I'm not used to seeing anything but humans. »(Me)

«No, you ARE human. Son of humans is human you know? »(?)

«I refuse to be called that! Ouch... »(Me)

«Don't move too much. Here there are no healers. Only medicines made from the resources of the forest. »(?)

«...»

After a bit of silence, she breaks it with her sweet and friendly voice.

«Is there something on your mind? »(?)

I can't resist such voice... I'll just be direct with her I guess...

«Why...? Why did you save me? Why are you treating me? »(Me)

«Don't humans treat people in need? »(?)

«Usually they do but they don't treat enemies, so why would you help a human? Aren't humans and other creatures enemies? »(Me)

«First of all, don't call us creatures. We are demons. Second, the humans made us their enemies. We usually only protect ourselves. It's very uncommon for us to attack the humans. »(?)

«Why was the village attacked then? »(Me)

«There were a few families who were exploiting our reserves from a few villages. We couldn't get them so we sent Galgo to deal with them. He started from the north and then destroyed the responsible families' villages on his way back»(?)

«... That's why I don't want you to call me human... »(Me)

«You don't want to be human but then what are you? »(?)

«Neither do I know nor do I care... I'm just not a disgusting human... »(Me)

«Then would you like to become a demon? Or will you become a monster? »(?)

«...»(Me)

«See? »(?)

«...»(Me)

She stayed a few more hours next to me until the sun started to set.

«Get some rest. Tomorrow I'll come back again. Until then rest. There is some food for you right there if you feel hungry. »(?)

She said while pointing at a bowl with some fruits and something that looked like soup.

Why would they do this to a complete stranger... that's what I was going to ask but I stopped myself... I'm tired anyway.

I might be able to move tomorrow... I might just run away... But where to? I have nowhere to go now... I might just stay here for a bit longer then...

Thinking about that I fell asleep

(...)

«WAKE UP NYSTRO!!!! It's a new morning! »(?)

I was woken by such an energetic scream.

«When did I tell you my name? »(Me)

«You didn't. He told me. »(?)

She said while pointing at the door of the poor house.

When I looked at it there was a lion-like demon... it's the one I fought in the village...

My body froze at the sight of him. Neither can I fight not can I run.

«Hey, how are your wounds? »(Galgo)

What he said was completely out of my expectations.

Is he caring for me? I almost killed him! Wait, where are his wounds? There isn't even a scar?

«MWAHAHA! You seem surprised with my regenerative capabilities! Awesome aren't they? »(Galgo)

What do you mean awesome? A wound that could kill pretty much anyone was healed in days! I still have the wounds you made me you know?

«But For you to make such a wound on our village's strongest warrior you sure are something! »(?)

«You are strong! »(Galgo)

They are both praising me... They are being so friendly with me... Never have I been treated with such friendliness in such a small time like this...

«Haha... you sure are different from humans... Humans are taught from a little age to fear and kill demons and monsters. »(Me)

«Is that so? Then why did you listen to me when we were about to fight? »(Galgo)

«I would like not to be compared to humans if you don't mind. »(Me)

«What are you then? »(Galgo)

This again...

«Stop it... He doesn't want to talk about that... »(?)

The dryad's sweet voice tries to stop the lion-like demon. Such... bewitching voice...

«Why not Mirim? Is he a demon or something now? »(Galgo)

«GALGO! Can't you seriously get it for once? »(Mirim)

«Fine... »(Galgo)

«Can you just give me some time to sort out my life? »(Me)

«Ok. Rest as much as you want. »(Mirim)

They walk out of the tent like house talking about something, but I can't hear it anymore...

So... what am I gonna do now?

Mirim POV

«...»

«So Mirin... what did you want to tell me? »(Galgo)

«You said he was fighting for the village's people right? And he was severely injured right?? »(Me)

«Yes, that's what he was doing... Why are you asking that? »(Galgo)

«I appraised the poor boy... »(Me)

«Why "poor boy"? »(Galgo)

«After the fight with you, he might have acquired two titles... »(Me)

«Isn't that a good thing? Which titles are they? »(Galgo)

«"Dead man" and "Betrayed one"... »(me)

A thick silence takes over for quite some time.

«You serious? Was he betrayed and presumed dead?»(Galgo)

«Most likely.»(Me)

«That's... Horrible... »(Galgo)

«Do you now understand? He is rejecting the fact that he is the same species as them. »(Me)

«I... I kind of get it now... poor boy... »(Galgo)

«Good. Tomorrow we'll revisit him and help him live on. »(Me)

«Better to live than to be alive right? »(Galgo)

«That is right! »(Mirim)

... Where is this?

Oh

I remember... This is inside of me right? It seems hollower than before...

«Hey... we somehow survived huh? »(?)

My shadow is talking to me again...

«Yeah... I wasn't expecting to be saved by demons... they sure are nicer than humans... »(Me)

«Maybe. Maybe not. We still don't know what the other demons will do if they know you are a human. »(?)

«I am no human... at least not anymore. »(Me)

«No. You are human. You must not deny it. »(?)

«I will still deny it no matter what! I'm not human! »(Me)

Everything is shaking for some reason...

«You can't deny it! You can't deny your own HUMANITY! »(?)

This space is about to collapse!

«YOU CAN'T DENY ME! »(?)

«NYSTRO! WAKE THE HELL UP ALREADY! »(Mirim)

A... A dream?

No that was too real... we met again... I can't quite remember everything he said but I feel like I really wanted to forget anyway.

«Nystro are you listening? »(Mirim)

I woke up from that nightmare to a screaming dryad.

«I'm awake already! »(Me)

«Finally! We have something to discuss with you! »(Mirim)

She seems enthusiastic about it... A bit too much.

«So what is it? »(Me)

I sit on the bed to hear Mirin.

«Me and Galgo are going to the demonic Academy. What do you think about coming with us? »(Mirim)

I still haven't decided on what to do with my life so it's quite a tempting suggestion.

«Isn't Galgo the strongest in this village? Why is there a need for him to go? »(Me)

«He is still 132 Years old you know? »(Mirim)

«What do you mean by still? That is almost ten times my age! »(Me)

«Oh I kind of forgot to tell you that demons have really long life spans in comparison to humans. For Galgo's specie, until 200 you are still a teenager. »(Mirim)

«That sure is unfair... How old are you exactly? »(Me)

«You sure know no courtesy... 52... Compared to humans I'm about 17 years old. »(Mirim)

«Is that good..? »(Me)

«Probably! Haha »(Mirim)

«Haha...»(Me)

«SOOOOOOOOOOOOO? What do you say? »(Mirim)

To such suggestion, there is only one answer. After all, I really have no idea of what to do anyway.

«I'll go. But I want to go to that village one last time. Just to say goodbye to my old life. »(Me)

«You are presumed dead so... How about we get you a new name and something to cover your face? »(Mirim)

Well, I did get the title so that might be a good thing to do... How does she know though?

«Sounds nice. I'll ask the villagers around here if someone can get me something like a mask. They seem nice. »(Me)

«What about Jim as a name? »(Mirim)

«Anything is fine for now at least. »(Me)

«Then it's decided! Prepare everything! »Mirim)