“What? YOU! How can I still hear you?”

Dreading that this overdramatic, grumpy demon will still haunt me, I try to look around. I cannot understand this. Everything around me seems dead; destroyed.

“How could this have happened!? My village!”

“SHUT IT! Sh- shut it, dammit!”

Why? Why did this happen? As I look around all I can see is rubble and ruins. As I try to stand up I don’t even notice my current state before a tidal wave of pain swept me back onto my knees.

“AAARGH!”

I cannot help but scream. Looking down I see what my other half meant. I was partly chewed, my left arm almost entirely missing, but somehow I’m still alive. The demon must’ve stopped the bleeding, but what am I supposed to do now, with only one arm? I even see large gashes on my torso, some organs are visible! Oh no... please, no.

“Make it stop… please!”

Great! Now he is silent!? Oh god… why me?

My family! My little sister! She was so small and tiny. I even remember her first words and how cute she looked when she took her first steps! She even stopped crying when I picked her up, once I learned to hold her right! And now…now… this! How can this be?

“SCREW YOU! Screw your revenge! I don’t even know these stupid former brothers of yours, nor do I want to find these stupid dogs! I don’t care anymore, I want my family back, I want my friends back and I want to go back to just playing all day!”

“What do you mean?”

I focus again, gritting my teeth and trying to stand. Under immense pain and a pounding headache I finally manage, feeling very ill after doing so. I try to take a step and it takes a lot more than I thought, but I must search. I have to see if someone survived! Anyone at all!

“He-HEEEY! Anyone there?”

Argh… I can’t do this. Each step takes so much effort. There must be a better way.

Collapsing from the effort of walking I lie down and think. What did he say? The answers are within me, I just have to focus on them. Meditate and access my previous knowledge as a demon… I hate him, I hated that feeling of this scorching pain and the contrasting coldness following it, but I have to! I need to know!

So, focus. Focus… If I had to know if someone survived, if I had to check an area in my vicinity, what would I have done as a demon? I’d focus on the life force of others, right? Not just the change in the wind and sounds they make, since they could be unconscious, but their presence, their beating heart itself. But how? Sensing their soul? How could one do that though? If-

“What? Why did you do that for! I nearly had it!”

“b-but I have to know!”

“DAYS!? How much time has passed?”

“No… it… it cannot be!”

He lies! I know he does! He cannot know what has happened, or if they all died. Some must have survived. Ignoring the pain, I push myself forward.

…………………………………………………

With great effort I managed to search the village. I do not know how long I have spent searching, passing out from the pain and trying to get up again, just to pass out from the effort, but when I finally search the last of the houses, my house, it finally dawns on me. I am alone. Utterly alone.

“Father! Mother! Why… why did you have to die?”

Crying I fall down on my knees and sit there. A long time passes before my face grew cold and a grim look replaced the sad one. Getting up I search my house and scan it one last time, before a sudden thought hits me like lightning.

My sister! She was nowhere to be found! This means… someone must have found her and taken her to safety! My father still has his sword in hand, even now, as if dreading to let it go. Wanting to protect his family even in death. My mother is lying in the doorway towards my sisters’ room, but it stood empty. Not in the least bit destroyed. It’s silent and there is no sign of her. This must mean she is safe, it MUST!

So he was lying! My sister was alive and I would find her, no matter the cost… but I cannot deny what my demon said. I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t protect my family.

“Demon! You said to go north, didn’t you. You said I could become strong. I could protect this ‘baggage’ if I would have the resolution to!”

“JUST ANSWER ME!”

“Good… then it’s settled. I do not care if I have to make a pact with a devil, if it means to find and protect my sister!”

Slowly, but with new found resolve, I make my way north. Intend to go to where ever he would lead me to and do whatever dark deed necessary. I would find my sister and I would protect her, not even the gods would stop me!

______________________________________________

Heya folks! The next one might be a long one, in comparison to the usual chapters up till now.

I don’t really know if I want to break it up in parts, or not. Tell me your thoughts about it, if you’d like one or the other. Please leave me any suggestions/advice/mistakes you spotted while you’re at it!

Thanks you for reading. :)