Gaia's Bestiary Journal Entry #5 - The Curupyr (Forest Fire Demon) (Incomplete)

The Curupyr are an extremely controversial existence. Their unique origin and behavior, controversial to that origin, is the sole reason behind this. Born as demonic and tainted entities, the curupyr are a special kind of demon that learned, or rather, developed a henchman behavior to most civilizations. Their diminutive and child-like body not often tricks traveler and not-knowing adventurers into their traps and mischievousness, should the approached person not gift the Curupyr a batch of tobacco or some other form of 'smoke', the curupyr may unleash what can only be described as a 'nature hell' of pain among him\her.

For the Curupyr is not a child, nor an infant demon existence. It is an old and trickster being, that made forests and natural environments as it's home, and if the time comes he needs to act to protect such home, the forest demon will leave his child-like body and take on the form of a gigantic 250cm tall black being whose long hair in his head, and the furred spots on wrists and ankles, are made of nothing but green ghost-fire, his teeth are entirely white and resemble more sharp edged knives and his eyes are ever-burning flames. No survivor has ever overcome the trauma of looking at an 'enraged' Curupyr, spending the rest of their days in lunatic and psycothic screaming episodes in their sleep, invalid and disabled for the rest of their lives...

Should you ever come into a Curupyr, always give him some tobbaco, and never, I warn you, never, do anything that should hurt the forest or it's inhabitants... Remember that for being a demon the Curupyr respect the 'survival of the fittest'law, it is not offensive to kill for food or safety, but killing for sport will surely cause the rage of such demon...

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Chapter 2 - Nightfall

“Uhm... Ok, I think I'm ready for Hell, right now.”, his mind was a chaotic mess after suddenly being enveloped into shadows and appearing at what could only be described as a chess table in the middle of the Cosmos.

“What to do you mean?”, the woman was sincerely confused at the boy's statement.

“What I mean is that I've grown tired of this crazy shit, and I'm done trying to understand this maze of a shitty situation I am currently in. Get me down to Hell at once and just end this bullshit, for Christ's sake...”. The young man left the arms of the woman, as he felt his body once again. He looked down and mired his form in a faintly golden and transparent glow.

“*sigh... There is no catch. Seriously, you're not going to hell, Ra...”, the woman sighed, sounding annoyed at the boy insistence on that matter.

“Ok, stop calling me that! Whenever you call me like that I feel...”

“What? Fidgety? Haha... just embrace it, honey. It's yours.”

“You know what I just remembered something.”

“You did? What!? What did you remember!?”, excitement filled her voice, as her eyes started gleaming with hope. 'Finally! I knew it! If someone could pull through it would be him!'

'Tell me once again why am I not angry with you for getting me- oh I don't know... KILLED!?', the boy tried to find reason as the logical reality around him crumbled down to tiny bits as he walked as a golden ghost in and endless horizon of stars and planets. His mind was the eye of the storm right now, he didn't even know why he accepted to help the woman, his mind screamed at him that she was the one at fault for his death, even though he wasn't too much a fan of living as well, but something inside him, he felt that it was only right to do so... Still, the frustration of not understanding what was happening was being vented out at the woman, who could be claimed as guilty, depending on your perspective...

“...”, the woman had no words, her hope was utterly crushed by a young man simply raging at her for a tiny circumstance that could be hardly attributed to her in normal situations while she desperately tried to have a glimpse of the loved one she lost so many centuries ago, and for whom she faced, literally Hell, so that she could keep an eye on him and help him get back on his feet once the time came...

“Don't you dare try put the blame on me!! You were the one at fault! You chose to be left behind while the rest of us would be safely protected in another Legacy! You didn't even care to think about how we would feel without you! You just did whatever suited you, JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS DID!!”, her voice burst out in anger while her voice started crackling down in sobs, her heart ached and her love was not there to comfort her... The only thing she had in her arms reach was but a husk of him... It's essence, it's soul, smelled just like him, even this mortal body resembled his, but it just wasn't him... It was so unfair...

“…”, the boy's mind went blank, the sound of her tears were like battering rams crushing down his heart. He couldn't tell why, but her sobbing voice just cracked his soul at his core...

“Nine centuries... Nine hundred years... Three hundred twenty-eight thousand and five hundred days... I counted every second, every minute... Each time the day ended my heart skipped a beat hoping for your brothers to contact me and say that it was the time...”

“Look I-i...”

“Every day I would wait... And every day I would watch you from afar... Each one of your lives...”

“Hey let me apo-!”

“Dawns!! How it hurt to see you suffer in so many of them... The times you had your loved ones taken from you... I remember each one of them. Still! You just would reincarnate every time it ended! By your third time, you couldn't even muster the will to live anymore...”

“I AM SORRY, OKAY!?”

“*sob *sob *sob...”

“I shouldn't have said it was your fault, okay!? I was the one who chose to go there and stop that robber, I was the one who chose not to call 190 and I was the one who got killed by my own volition. So could you please stop crying...?”. 'God, seeing her crying is tearing me apart... but why...? Seriously, who is she? Why do I feel so... connected to her...', the thought raced through his mind, not paying attention that he was no longer subjected to having the woman reading his mind. After all, they were no longer at Earth, at the Void, one cannot bend reality to obey one's whims for there isn't one to bend in the first place.

In other words, the demoness bended the reality tissue so that she could communicate with the imprisoned soul in the body, but now in a sortf of spiritual realm, his soul was free to do what he pleased and was allowed to freely talk, think and do as he wished with none to fret or interfere with his actions.

“Hm... *sob...”, the woman took a deep breath, trying to calm down as her emotions poured out of her with no restraints.

“Damn, chief, shouldn't you have learned already not to make 'er cry? I mean she is the Mistress of the Night, even though she doesn't seem so, right now. It gives ya bad mojo to make a beautiful lady cry like that.”, a strange and accented voice came from the sides, as the sound of steps only grew louder and closer.

The boy turned to see the source, only for his eyes to meet a tall man, 210cm, slouching and casually walking towards them. His body was covered in scars, animal pelts and on his head there was a headdress made out of a very big eagle. His skin was brownish, and his eyes were slightly greenish. He had a smile on his face and a nostalgic look on his face.

“Ma'am Noctai...”, the bird-man bowed to the woman in front of him. She took a deep breath, contained her tears and gave a dignified nod to him.

“Okay...”, the boy stared at the man, even slouching the bird-man was taller than him, not that he was already used to that, I mean even the woman here is taller than him. Hard to be taller than someone when you have only about 165cm tall. “What is happening...?”

“...”, the bird-man stared at the boy, he brought his face closer, eye to eye. It was like looking into the eyes of an old eagle, ready to strike at it's prey, and how little was this prey at the eyes of the eagle. “His spark... it's too dim, m'lady... what happened? It's even like his empty inside...”

“I'll tell you what happened! You and the others took too long!”, the woman raged as she poked her finger in the man's chest, pushing him back. “Do you know many times he died? Do you know how many times he watched his family all around him dying while he could do nothing!? Without a name he can't have any power, he can't have even a potential fate like the rest of the mortals!”

“...”, the man dared not to speak a word, he knew it would only suffice to ignite even more her rage, he just bowed his head lowly, in shame.

“Dawns! His soul is barely mortal after all the stress it went through! Where's Raoni with his name? We need it before he starts thinking about going back!”

“We cannot bring Raoni over before our... ally appears. Right now, there's only me, Mamuf, Ursus, Tighra and that four-winged fella, Gabrieli or something.”

“Gabriel? Archangel Gabriel? He is the ally?”

“No, he is the message-boy of the ally.”

“...”, Nox couldn't help but be surprised, if an Archangel was being the messenger... there could only be three persons that could be that powerful and respected... and one of them was Ra's enemy, while the other was his jailer. “Take us to the others, then. Lift him up if you have to, I'm done trying to make him remember.”

“Hang on! Don't I have a say in thi- Woah!”, the boy tried to rebuke, but the bird-man easily lifted him on his shoulders and walked behind the woman, who was clearly irritated as her steps were hard enough to leave small cracks in the 'chess table' beneath her feet.

“Sorry, chief, you heard the lady... Woah, you're so light! Heck, you're not even one hundredth of the power you had... That is so strange... and sad... Damn...”, the bird-man had a joyful tone at first, but as he realized the situation his voice grew somber and gloom, now he just silently walked by at the side of the lady as they crossed the Void space.

“...”, the boy just stood silent. Trying to set his mind right, his thoughts racing from one side to the other, trying to remember as those strangers wanted him to remember, but he simply couldn't, it was like something was missing or taken. But there was another strange feeling, I mean he just met these two people, but deep inside he felt as if he had known them for ages. Total strangers, crazy ones at that you might say, but his gut kept telling him they were dear to him... 'Fuck... How more crazy can this get?'

They kept walking until five figures came into sight. One of them was a heavily armored eight-winged blond man, his features were fine and delicate, almost feminine. The other three remembered the bird-man, but there were differences, like there were two gigantic figures, one taller than the other, that is the mammoth-man, and the other sturdier, bear-man, the third one was about the boy's height, but his muscles were far more stronger and his body also showed many scars, that is the tiger-man. The fifth figure, that stood between the angel and the other 3, was a tall man with gentle eyes, he had a long hair and a short-beard, his skin was not white, rather resembled a lot of the skin from the animal-men but it was much more 'untouched', and looked indeed brighter. He had a worn-out jeans, a pair of leather sandals and a simple white shirt with a three coloured circle, saying on top of it 'Olodum'. One could see a beaded necklace, blue and white, as well. The boy stared at that strangely casual-looking man, something was off. He remembered seeing that man's face somewhere, but he couldn't tell where...

“Noctumai”, the three animal-men bowed at the sight of the woman. She nodded back at then. She looked at the other two figures, and bowed to him in a noble manner, even though she seemed not wanting to do so.

“Yehsu, Lion of Judah.”, the words slipped through her teeth as she gritted them. She was not fond of doing this, apparently, or rather she wasn't fond of that person.

'Oh shit, you got to be kiddin' me...', the boy stared slack-jawed and wide-eyed at the young man with hippie style. When they were alive his family was rather religious, even though they mixed other beliefs, one could say that they believed in God and Christ together with afro-brazillian religions... So... meeting Christ, in flesh, well, sort of... Let's just stick with the rest of the dialogue while the boy tries to put his jaw back into place.

“Careful with how you refer to the Lamb of God, yo-”, the angel started unsheathing his sword, furiously.

“Gabriel!”, the hippie man yelled at the angel. He looked at the woman who already stood proud again. On high heels she was even taller than him. “Please, Lady Nox, you mustn't bow to anyone... Rather, I should be the one bowing...”, he started to bow, “I'm deeply sorry for the wrong-doings of my Father, m'lady.”

“Hmph...”, the angel twisted his nose seeing this.

The woman lifted her brow. She wasn't convinced, not after nine hundred years of seeing her loved one suffer at the hands of the so called 'merciful and glorious Holy father'. “Remind me again, Yehsu, why did you come...?”

“Haha...”, the man chuckled as he realized the woman was still clearly mad at him, rather his father, but he paid no mind, “For years me and older brother Oxalah have counseled Father to relieve Ra from his punishment. But the shame of his actions and the fear of retaliation took the best of his actions and he simply let it slide on...”

“Shouldn't your 'Holy Father' be bigger and more powerful than a simple fear...?”, the woman sneered with a frowning and angry look in her eyes. It was just so hypocrite...

“Ahh...”, the hippie-guy sighed, “What is God if not a man trying his best to keep his loved ones safe? A man with other-wordily powers and just as humanly intentions and feelings?”

“Tch...”, the angel clicked his tongue... hearing, from the Son itself, the Holy Father being diminished to simple mortal man was just...

“...”, the woman's eye flickered for a moment, perhaps he was not as bad...

Seeing her still silent the man turned to the animal-men, “Should we continue, then? Brother Oxalah is keeping Father distracted but it shouldn't take long for him to become watchful again.”

The three-animal men looked between themselves them turned to the boy on the eagle-man's shoulder. They could feel it, the essence of their leader, their warchief, but it was so faint and deep inside that boy. It had to be done and quickly before his soul started denying the Void and vanished into oblivion. “Yes.”, the bear-man spoke.

The hippie then proceeded to make a cross in the air in front of him. And closed his eyes and mumbling prayers, with his hands in a praying pose. Then he suddenly stopped and turned to eagle-man. “Hey, Agio, I forgot to bring my stuff, mind lending me your mojo charms for a while?”

“Heh? What? Aren't you supposed to be fine with that cross-thingy?”

“Wel...”, the hippy just casually started scratching the back of his head, with an embarassed expression on his face, “It is exactly that thing I forgot back home...”

“By the Skies, brotha...”, the eagle-man face-palmed... “You're kinda careless for a holy Son guy, aren't ya? Here.”, the eagle-man tossed an engraved wooden totem with feathers and a tiny skull attached to it.

“Thanks!”, the hippie man grabbed it with both of his hands and closed his eyes, once again he began chanting. The others, whom appeared concerned, were now relieved, and patiently waited for the outcome. Then...

“Nope, it won't do. I'm gonna break if I try it with this one.”, the hippie guy suddenly stated, breaking his focus and opening his eyes again.

“What!?”, Ursus was startled.

“You're kiddin!?”, Tighra snapped.

“He doesn't even know what he is doing!” Mamuf accused.

“Have some respect for our Lord!”, the angel vociferated.

“SHUT IT ALL OF YOU!!”, silence filled the space as Nox screamed them down. “Now, Yehsu, please elaborate, I am no mood for your plays...”, Nox's face was twitching as she held herself down in control... Agio was the only who kept silence as he thought to himself.

“Well, the thing is if I channel the amount of power this totem here might break just at the exact critical point of the summoning. It is not fit for this huge amount of power.”, the hippie guy explained while wearing a 'I can't do much' sort of expression.

“Hmpf...”, Nox sighed as she massaged her temple wearing a tired face... “I can't believe I trusted you...”

“Hey, brothas, do you have ya totems wit ya, too?”, Agio suddenly inquired his kinsmen.

“Yes.”, Mamuf responded sincerely.

“Hm!”, Tighra suddenly jumped out realizing what Agio was planning, “I'm not trusting my totem to that softened junky!! He might as well be coacting with his damned and treacherous Father!”

“That's it! If you're not going to respect him I am not letting you breathe anymore!”, the angel lunged himself at the tiger-man.

“Bring it on, dovey-boy!”, Tighra prepared himself to battle. The angel sliced down his sword, aiming from his target's right shoulder to his stomach.

Raaawr, the tiger-man roared and jumped to the left, while raking, with talon-like blades, at the stomach side of the angel, but his target barreled to the side and using his wings to cover, a few feathers scattered in the air. They faced each other.

“I'm totally not releasing your seals, Nox.”, the hippie said as he ignored the other two fighting, as if he already expected that.

“Then tell me why shouldn't I force you to do so!?”, the woman yelled the words through her teeth while gritting forcefully.

“That's actually pretty simple. Lucy is the one that have the power over your seals. Father wouldn't trust me with them, he knew I would have set you free once I had it in my hands.”, the man explained nonchalantly, lifting his hands in the air in a 'I can't do nothing' pose, while casually ignoring the threat the woman just muttered to him.

“By all the darkest heavens... WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO ANNOYING!?”, the woman's voice became thunder as darkness seeped out of her and an extreme pressure exhaled from her, forcing the tribesmen and the angel into the ground with devastating strength. Only the hippie guys seemed to be fine with it, although he started sweating a bit on his forehead. The boy could do nothing as he felt as his bones were being crushed down to mush...

“M'lady!”, Agio tried to talk while he could barely lift his head up from the ground, “There is a way! Calm down! Plea-se...”.

“Fine...”, the woman backed down her pressure. “And you two stay down or you gonna get more than just pressure...” she hissed to the two fighters that could barely standing up after fighting and being knocked to the ground in the slip of a second.

“Whoosh... Damn, that was some nice pressure... I even sweated a bit”, the hippie guy was strangely excited when everyone started looking at him strangely he lifted his hand, apollogetic, “Okay, sorry, my bad, hehe...”

“Agio, what are you planning?”, Ursus was the first to ask, while Mamuf stared with inquisitive eyes at his eagle-kinsman.

“Maybe one of our other totems is strong enough to harness the amount of power needed to complete the summoning. Eagle may be a major totem, but it never was the strongest one in the first place...”

“Which is the reason why you let a stranger harness your spirit totem, because you knew he would not tap from our strongest source.”, Mamuf muttered with a strong voice.

“Yes...”, Agio admitted.

“Even when I am the helping you guys won't budge... People weren't joking when they said primal men are sturdy and stubborn...”, the hippie guy casually stated while sighing, once he noticed the frustrated looks at him he lifted his hands in a 'not-guilty' manner.

'What a Jesus, huh...', the boy couldn't help but be a bit disappointed at the careless attitude of the 'Lamb of God', he wasn't sure what he expected from him either, maybe something more... dignified...?

“Brother.”, Ursus called to Mamuf, “Maybe we should try that.”

“Hm? Are you crazy? Ravahn was the only one to ever accomplish that. We can't possibly do it, even with the four of us, together. Especially the four of us together.”, Mamuf rebuked.

“What is 'that'?”, Nox asked coldly.

“To unite several different spirit totems into one, increasing it's power by manyfolds.”, Ursus replied, he then turned to Mamuf again, “our descendants pulled it through. You saw it.”

“...”, Mamuf had a worried look.

“Brother, who are we to our ancestors if we cannot do something even those after us, our children, pulled through!”

“...”, Mamuf stood silent.

“What have we got to lose anyway!?”, Ursus yelled. When his words stopped spreading through the horizon, a thunderous drumming sound started resonating in all of the space.

DRMDRUMDRUMDRUMDRUM...

It could hardly be noticed, but if looked at closely one could see moving outlines, dark silhouettes, lurking in the infinity of the Cosmos around them. They started lurking, and when the sound stopped, they stopped too. The group was left with an eerie feeling inside them, but they shook it off. The boy, though, he had a gut feeling, screaming at him to prepare for battle or run away, and the feeling just wouldn't leave...

SCREEEEEEEEAAEEEEWW. BRRRRAWWWWIIIAAAAH.

Deafening screeches pierced the ambient while creatures made of cosmos lunged themselves at the group. Void beasts...

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Author's Note: SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER! But it won't be long I promise! Thanks a lot for the feedback so far, and for so many followers in such short time xD! Keep up with me, we're almost at the reincarnation scene \o\! Hope you guys are enjoying it so far! Also, I'm trying to keep most (if not all) of the chapter titles as real music titles, so if you wanna enjoy music that slightly influenced the chapter\story development, take some time to give it a shot xD!

First Chapter - Like a Stone - Audioslave

Second Chapter - Nightfall - Xandria