I knew it!

Jumping back a few feet to create some distance, I stare down my foe.

I knew it was strange that he knew my exact age, and why he said that a child becoming a knight was a bad thing. He meant demon children right, that must be it.

“Kid, aren’t you supposed to be guiding me?” Shut up, I know what you want. You wanted me to find you a secluded place nobody would look. That would be the perfect place to kill huh. Don’t take me for a fool, I’m not that dumb to just follow you without being ready to run away.

“Don’t worry your little ass, nobody heard me.” Heard you? Oh shit, I forgot we’re in a public village.

I quickly survey the houses, the streets, the little dark corners that surround this small village.

Luckily I couldn’t find anyone. That was a good start, but what do I do about this guy?

A smart person would run away screaming help. So that’s what I’m going to do, minus the screaming part.

Turning my back towards him, I make a mad dash towards the other end of the village.

Nothing mattered at this point, I just needed to get away from this guy and try and remember where I lived.

I don’t understand, why can’t I remember anything, hell I’m starting to forget my mother’s face, what’s going on.

Thinking back on it, the only thing I remember was this Leon guy, so it must have something to do with him.

I ran and ran, didn't stop for anything. Not like there was anyone to run to seeing how my mother should still be at home and every other person in this village was somewhere else.

Although nobody being around would actually be a good thing, considering my situation.

Consider this, this guy found out I was a demon, then that must mean he has a secret method of figuring out who’s a human and who's not.

If I scream for help and others come to my aid, Leon could just tell everybody the method he used, turning everybody against me. Right now, it’s best that I just get away and try to remember where my house is.

“Kid, this spot of yours better be good. Making me have to chase you down the street.” A familiar voice ringed out to my right. And I was horrified by the sight of Leon and his legs backstepping.

Somehow this guy backstepping is equivalent to me running at full speed down a straight path.

Welp, I’m not outrunning this guy.

Hitting the breaks, I instantly stopped myself. But for Leon, because of my sudden actions, wasn’t able to fully prepare himself.

He tripped over his own legs, falling in an arc motion. His head hit the ground before anything else did. Creating a loud but strangely poetic sound.

Soon after that, a cry of pain loud enough for the entire human continent to hear.

I would say that he’s overreacting but he is wearing a giant metal can, so it probably hurts way more than it looks.

After that whole incident, Leon got up from the damaged ground he created. He rubbed the backside of his helmet and with a serious tone said, “Ow. I really need to stop trying to look cool.”

You were trying to look cool. You looked like a monster, or an idiot. Either works, “Uh, Are you ok?”

“Of course I’m ok, I’m one of the strongest beings on this stupid planet.” Getting up, he rubs the newly acquired dirt from his armor.

“...Sssure. Anyways, can I go now? My mom’s waiting for me.”

“W-What? N-No no no, you are not going anywhere. You said you would guide me to a nice secluded place. You are not backing out of this deal, I have been through way too much and I need a nice place to relax. Besides, it’s your fault I’m injured.”

“How is it my fault?! You didn’t have to follow me.”

“Yes I do! You’re my guide, it’s your fucking job to show me around the place and it’s my job to follow you dumbass!”

“Don’t call me a dumbass! Dumbass!”

“I’ll call you whatever the fuck I what dumbass!”

I swear the only reason I don’t just leave this man is because he knows I’m a demon and because he’s faster than me. Plus I don’t know where I live.

Currently, Leon and I are in a fierce debate, each calling each other a dumbass and trying to put the blame for his injuries on the other.

I don’t know how long we were going at it, but it became high noon and the sun seemed to have directed all of its sunlight onto us. But this didn’t stop us, we just continued to argue about whether the other person was dumber than us, and it wasn’t until both of us were drenched in sweat and out of breath.

My clothes feel heavy. Like I dropped them in water and now I’m holding a ten-pound shirt. The same goes for my pants and underpants.

We stare into each other's eyes. My face was all oily and my clothing was dark. While I couldn’t see Leon’s face, his breathing was rough and with every breath he took, his shoulders would follow. Making his armor make a clunking sound with every breath.

I stare at his helmet, the holes within that should contain his eyes but just show a black abyss.

It’s strange. We were yelling pretty loudly, and yet no one came to stop us or just to tell us to be quiet.

I don’t understand. Ever since I met this man, nothing about my life has been normal. And it’s barely been an hour with him.

A deep raspy voice echoed from Leon’s helmet, one that shouldn’t belong to a young man, “Hah, hah. Not bad kid. Been a while since I’ve met someone who’s almost as stubborn as I am. But. You really need to work on your insults. Because many of those sentences don’t make sense.”

He says this, but it’s clear as day that he won our debate. A lot of the things he said were way better than anything I could come up with. Guess that shows the gap in our experience, “You say that like half of the things you said were relevant or made sense.”

“Yeah well, they were still better than yours.”

It’s a strange feeling really. When you just have a normal conversation with someone, you usually can’t figure them out right away. But when you argue with that person, their true self comes out.

When you argue with someone, you can see what they really like and what they truly think about you, but then, “Hey. Are you really a knight that hunts demons? Or are you just another demon yourself?”

Without a second delay, he quickly answers me with perfect clarity, “No. I’m not a knight or a demon. I’m human.”

“Your human, and you know I’m a demon... So what now? Are you going to tell everybody about what I am?”

“Heh, why would I do that? Listen kid, I don't give two shits about what you are. Honestly, I hate every race, such as the elves, beastmen, dwarves, or even fricking fairies. It doesn’t matter to me, but I do hate humans more than the others. Besides, even if I told others how I figured out you're not human, they wouldn’t understand or believe me. Hah, surrounded by idiots.” That last part he said under his breath and I was barely able to pick out the words.

He says he’s human, but he hates humans. What a strange man, “A human that hates humans. You are a strange person Leon.”

“Don’t call me strange.”

“Sure.” Even if he says this, I still trust him. No matter what, he’s still human, “Anyways, are you going to let me go. I can point you in the direction of that secluded place you wanted to go to.”

“Heheh, no stupid. You're showing me the way to that little spot you told me about.”

“Why though, you have no reason to keep me.”

“Well actually. This is a punishment for you.” Punishment, what did I do?

He saw the confusion on my face, like why would you need to punish a helpless little boy who doesn’t even remember where he lives, “Kid, did you really forget about how you were the one who tripped me?”

“You're still on about that!” Like I guess that little debate of ours never did find a true culprit, but still. I’m twelve and yet I was able to let go of that faster than you.

“Of course. Why the hell would I let the person who made me hit the back of my helmet, which cracked, by the way, go just like that?”

Nooooooooo, not the armor! I’m more concerned about that sick ass armor he’s got then the possibility of him bleeding from the back of his head, “Again, that’s your dumbass’s fault. Plus, what’s stopping me from just screaming that a small dick rapist is running around the village trying to catch a four-year-old.”

“Okay, first of all, you can’t talk about dick sizes. You're literally the size of a baby pig standing on its hind legs. Plus, nobody will hear you.”

“Now that you mention it. I’ve been wondering why nobody has gone out of their house to shout at us.” I haven't been living in this village for a very long time, but whenever I watch the children play outdoors making lots of sounds, these adults will go out of their way to chase them. Shouting at them to shut up.

“That’s because those adventurers left the village to slay that chimera. So all these villagers are bunkering down in their homes in case they fail.” The fuck is bunkering down?

Using context clues, I’m guessing that means everybody is staying inside their homes for protection, “Alright that answers one of my questions, but what about the sound. Even if they were staying in their homes, shouldn’t they at least shout at us from their windows or something. Maybe throw wooden spoons and forks.”

“Um, why would they do that? They need something to eat with.”

“That doesn’t matter. Tell me why they can’t hear us.”

“Oh that. That’s simple, I put a large wind sphere around us to stop any form of sound from entering or exiting. This isn’t the first time I’ve yelled at someone showing me around the place.” You know, I believe him. The part about him yelling at a guide, not the wind sphere thing.

“A wind sphere?”

I stare at him like he was either crazy or stupid. Whichever one was worse.

But could you blame me. A sphere that’s made of wind that’s large enough to cover the distance between me and Leon. I don’t know much about magic, but I feel like doing something like that would take an enormous amount of mana and skill. And sorry to say this, but you don’t look like the skilled type.

He tilts his head, wondering why I haven’t responded to him, “Um, you know a sphere. That 3D circle thing. It’s that but made from wind.” he connected the tips of his fingers together to form a sphere, “H-Have you ever seen a ball before. You know a ball you bounce, catch or throw, it’s like that but larger and is made from wind.”

“Yes yes I know what a sphere.” Did this guy really think I didn’t know what a sphere looked like. He treats me like I’m five even though he clearly knows my real age.

“Alright then, since you understand, lets go.”

This wind sphere thing is stupid, but again, it’s the only explinatation for what’s happening. We were very loud when we were arguing, and also using very inappropriate language. But still, “Just because you say something is there, doesn’t mean it’s real. Why can’t I see it, why can’t I hear it?”

“Um, it’s wind. While it’s true you can hear the wind, and I actually had to do something special with it. But let me ask you something,can you see the wind?”

“Um, no.”

“Then why the fuck would I make this wind visible?” Huh, you know, when you put it that way it makes sense. Why would you want to create something that’s supposed to harm your enemies visible. You could just have it sneak up on your enemy and attack them from behind. Although I wonder how difficult it would be to guide the projectile when it’s invisible.

“Well, clearly you still have doubts.” Well yeah. Your logic makes sense but just because it makes sense doesn’t mean shit.

“Watch this.” He creates another strange symbol similar to that of a bull head with his right hand. With his index and pinky pointing out, and his two middle fingers being held back with his thumb.

After a few seconds he releases his two fingers, firing off a ball of invisible wind towards my thigh. Bashing into it like a small rock, not breaking the bones, but just enough for a black mark to appear there.

“Ffffuck! Owowowo, what the hell did you do to me!”

“I just shot a ball of wind at your thigh. Believe that wind sphere story now?” That was wind!

“The fuck are you talking about! This proves nothing but you being able to use wind magic. It has nothing to do with a sphere of wind surrounding us. I bet you just wanted to hit me.”

“Maybe I did, but hey, are you coming with me?”

I look at him with a fire in my eye. I wanted to punch him as hard as I could right now, but I knew that punching metal would hurt a lot, “Sure, not like I can run. You could either shoot another ball of wind or just run after me.”

“Glad you think so. Come one.”

Dammit, this guy could do whatever the hell he wants with me. He’s able to shoot me and mentally degrade me, and for some unknown reason, my respect for this man keeps growing.

Whatever, I might learn something cool from him. He may teach me a trick that could allow me to use magic. Like that invisible wind ball thing he just used on me. It wouldn’t be very effective, but it’s a start. I just want the ability to use magic.

Plus it’s invisible? I can already imagine all the annoying things I could do to strangers and my mother.

Now that I think about it, “Leon, this wind sphere that surrounds us is invisible, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Does that mean everybody in the village can see…”

“See us look like complete idiots. Yeah, they can.”

Well shit, “Alright let’s go. Rather fear for my life with a person I know the name of, then look like an idiot in front of a bunch of people I don’t know.”

And with that, we set off towards the hill that looks over the village.

The difference being that we could talk about anything we wanted without worry since Leon’s Wind Sphere blocked all our words from escaping. And talk we did.

I refuse to let silence take control again. Last time it did, I had a heart attack, thinking that a knight was about to kill me. But this time, I really got into it. Talking about all the things I would never say to anyone, even my mother. And of course, Leon told me things about the outside world.

Like the endless desert that reached the very edges of the world. Or, this part of the world.

Apparently, there are hundreds of different islands that surround us, some being larger than this one. I find that hard to believe, but hey, it was fun imagining.

“Hey Leon. How did you know I was a demon?”

“You're going to ask me that now?”

“Well yeah, I thought this would be a good time to ask.” He said that his method of finding who’s not a human is a strange method that most people wouldn’t understand. Once me and my mom leave this village, that skill he has may prove useful.

“We were talking about Draconic Language, aka, the thing that lets people use Draconic Magic, the most powerful form of magic. How did you go from talking about Dragons to Demons?” Well if what my mother says is true, then that means demons are the offspring of dragons soo... Actually, I should keep that little information to myself.

“I don’t know. Draconic Magic is a type of magic, and demons are known for their magical skills.”

He looks at me like I just commit a crime. Well, that’s what I think he’s doing. Again, I haven’t seen his face once, I’ve just been staring at his helmet this whole time.

“Alright. If you want to know so badly I guess I can tell you. Not like you could use it anyways.”

“I don’t know, my mother is pretty good at learning new skills.”

“Well clearly that skill skips a generation.” What’s that supposed to mean? “Anyways, the method I use is very complicated, but it separates into three main parts. First one is your horn.”

“My horn, but mine aren’t there. It never grew.”

“That’s where you're wrong kid. Your horn did grow, but then someone cut it off. You see, demon horns are special in the way that they will always grow back if you physically cut them off. But to have someone’s horn not grow back, they need to cut off the magical veins that make up the true horn. You see, demon horns are much like dragon horns in the way they can absorb mass amounts of mana through the air that lets them constantly increase or refill their mana supplies. I don’t know why they do this, or why they’re like dragon horns. Could be an experiment, trying to make elves more like dragons.” Or it could be that Demons are the offspring of an elf and a dragon.

“For you, your horns are only physically cut. The reason why your horn isn’t growing back, or why you can’t see it, is likely because your horn were cut off when you were small… smaller. And either someone kept cutting off your horn until your skin grew over it, or they used a spell to stop it from growing and then had your skin grow over it. Which is kinda gross when you think about.”

Yeah, that’s an image I don’t want, “Still, I never knew those stupid looking horns had a purpose.”

“Well yeah, why do you think people cut off the horns of a demon. They use them as a way to gather more mana in a kingdom that’s focused more on magic than anything else.” Wait what? That’s why they take them.

“Now time for why I know your horns are only physically cut. For one I can see your true horns, well their spiritual veins anyways. You see, I forgot to tell you, but those horns have another function. You see, the reason why those horns grow around your spiritual veins is because those veins are extremely fragile and need a specific type mana to function. So those veins would take in mass amounts of mana from the air, and your horn would then filter it out until it’s the exact type of mana your veins could handle. So that’s why I know you're a demon. While your physical horns are gone, your spiritual horns are still there.”

“Wait, then how can you see them?”

“I have a spell that I created, which lets me see the lines of mana that runs through your blood, through the air, through your ass, and spiritual horns.” Was the ass part necessary? “I don’t have a name for it yet, but I’m thinking something on the line of Heavenly Eye, Saint Eye, Third Eye, or the weird eye that grows out of my forehead.”

“I say either Saint Eye or Third Eye. Heavenly Eye is kinda overused.”

“Hmm, thanks kid. I’ve been needing a name for that for a while now.” Still though, does an eye really start growing from his forehead or just a drawing of an eye made from mana. If it’s the first one, that would look terrifying.

“So is that all your methods?”

“No, I have another. This one being something anyone could figure out.” Great, cause the other one doesn’t seem realistic for me or mom.

“Really? Then tell me.”

“Uhhh, I guess. I was planning on telling you after I fixed the problem.” A problem? Something to do with me I guess.

“You remember back at the Inn with that female knight?”

“Yeah”

“And you remember when I opened the door and sent you flying towards the chest of that female knight?”

“Yeah...Why?”

“That’s the thing. When she was holding you, I saw the smoke coming from your face and hands.” Oh yeah, the smoke did come off me huh.

“Okay. I don’t understand why you were so scared to tell me.”

“Trust me, you’ll understand as soon as you see the problem.”

“Alright, but what’s wrong with,”

“Look at your hands.”

Well that’s a strange thing to tell someone.

Looking down towards my hands, a gruesome sight laid before me.

Like boiling fish, the skin from my hands were falling off. And like boiling water, the fat and muscles that held together my bones were popping from my bones.

My bones that were originally pure white but were now dark in color. They were sizzling and beginning to gain a texture similar to that of charcoal.

The pores that were still intact upon my hands were excreting pus and smoke.

The blood veins which should have contained red blood have been dried up. The blood within has evaporated from their tubes and into the world.

My breath was stuck. I was suffocating.

I could feel the blood from my face draining from my veins, and the short breaths I was able to force out were rough and painful.

I wanted to scream, I wanted to yell for help.

I already knew that nobody would hear me, and even if they could, they would lay their eyes upon this, and with a simple test with the female knight’s armor would prove I’m a demon. But that didn’t matter. All forms of reason flew out of mind.

I couldn’t feel anything, my hands felt numb, but the image alone was enough for me.

Somehow, for reasons unknown, the empty space within my lungs started to fill up.

And with one large push, I use all my power to push out all the air that occupied my lungs. Sending them out of my body.

But to my horrified eyes, a large metal hand, cold to the touch grabbed hold of my mouth. Sealing the air, letting out all that air through my nose.

“Kid, don’t yell. I’m right next to you.” His arms were cold to the touches. His grip, slowly pushing out my teeth from my gums.

Although I could breathe through my nose, I felt like I was underwater. My body felt like iron, and my breath was short, to the point it was nonexistent.

“Alright kid, I’m going to let go of you now. And I want you to promise me you won’t just start screaming and spasming everywhere. Remember people can still see us.”

That’s easy for you to say huh. I have felt pain before, but nothing like this. I don’t even feel my palms anymore.

“If you don’t shout, I’ll heal those suckers right up. How about that, you want to take my offer now?”

He can fix my hands. Should I believe him?

I don’t think I have much of a choice really, I’m stuck in here.

I haven’t confirmed whether that wind sphere he was talking about is real, but based on the fact that nobody came out to see what all the shouting is about, it has to be true. I don’t believe he could have done it himself, but a magical item could have.

I nod my head, signaling that I would control myself.

“Good”

He releases my mouth, allowing me to take in air once again.

“Gross! Your spit is all over my gauntlets. Hah, I’m going to have to disinfect them again.”

I didn’t respond to him. I was just breathing, I didn’t realize how many breaths I’ve lost in those short moments.

“You good. Can we hurry and start walking over to the hill?”

I look up at him, his helmet still blocking my view of his face.

Heh, I’m so small that it cracks my neck when I try to look at him through the eye, “So. You said you could heal my hands.”

“Pretty much.”

“And in return you want me to guide you to that hill.”

“No. You were going to do that anyway. In return, I want you to start learning the Draconic Language and carry me back to your house. I’ve decided I’m going to sleep at your place.”

He’s going to teach me the Draconic Language, the language of dragons. Really, is that punishment, and sleeping at my house, “Really, learning the Draconic Language. Also, sleeping at my house, you do know my mother will attack you.”

“I’ll be fine.” You say that, but you have no idea what’s waiting for you there.

“I don’t even remember my mother’s face anymore, or where I live. Are you going to fix that as well?”

“Sure. Despite what it looks like, I actually have a soft spot for children.” What a fucking lie. I’m not really four, but twelve is still considered a child. Hell, he’s been calling me kid this entire time.

“You know, I have a hard time believing you.” And that’s saying something seeing how I believe that he does know Draconic Magic, also known as the magic of dragons and that there is a giant ball of wind stopping all sound from escaping.

“But you should believe me. I’m actually being very nice to you, don’t know why. But understand this kid, if you weren’t a child, that little argument about you tripping me... Would have gone very differently.”

His eyes flashed red for a moment, and a feeling of danger came flooding over me.

A feeling of meeting your natural predator. No, something worse. An image flashed through my mind.

It was filled with an army of shadowy figures, some the sizes of your average human while others towered over them like giants. Creatures that flew through the air, with swords and spears dripping with the blood and guts of its previous victims.

Giants with bows that could trap a kingdom, a snake that could devour the world.

Everything I saw was a predator. Everything I saw had the power to overcome this world’s army.

My legs were shaking, I thought I would piss my pants, but my body wouldn’t let me. The only movement from my body was the sweat that formed and fell from my skin.

“Anyways let’s go. The sun has passed its peak, which means it’s only going to get darker from here.” With one large step, Leon closed the distance between me and him. And like a form of encouragement, he slaps the opposite side of my cheek. Bruising it a little, although not by much considering what’s happening to my hands.

Just like that, the image I had disappeared. And for reasons unknown, I couldn’t remember what I just saw. Like a nightmare you woke up from, but couldn’t remember any of the details. But you knew you saw something, something terrifying.

I unknowingly lifted my hand to start rubbing the spot he slapped, but then remember what happened.

I instantly became depressed, my curiosity about what I just saw, was now nothing but a simple thought. I look to my side to see if the spreading has gotten worse or not.

And to my surprise, the charcoal texture that once dominated my bones was beginning to cool down. It’s color returning back to the whiteness it should have.

And once that was born, the fibers that made up my muscles started to squirm and connected to the other side. And shortly after that, my skin started to grow at a rapid pace.

Once my hand was completely healed, I started opening and closing them. They didn’t feel numb anymore. I clapped the two together forming a large bang, and the painful feeling began to emerge from the palms of my hands.

I could feel again. My hands aren’t gross anymore, they seem normal. Actually, I feel a strange pulsation coming from them. It felt warm and yet hot to the touch.

“Are you coming or not?!”

I look up, tears forming in my eyes. Not only did Leon fix my hands, but my memories of my house, memories of my mother were coming back.

I run towards him, “I’m good. Let’s hurry up before it gets dark.”

“You say that, but I’ve been waiting for you.”

We share a little laugh and continue on our way.

“So, you said you had a soft spot for children. What would have happened if I was an adult?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I would have left you to die.”

Of course you would say something like. Although I do believe he would have left me, “So, tell me. Why did the female knight do that whole burning hands thing? Does she know I’m a demon?”

“No, she’s too stupid for that.”

“Then how did she do all those things?”

“Well you see, stupid child. That armor of hers is made out of a special material known as the holy ingot, I think there's another name for it, but I don’t remember it. This metal of hers has a special property, in which it can burn the body of any demon it comes in contact with. It’s usually used for torture or getting information out of someone. Sometimes they would force this metal down a demon’s throat, to burn them from the inside.” Of course they would use such disgusting means. Though, I can’t feel sorry for the demons, because if it’s happening on one side, it’s happening on the other as well.

“Alright. I could have figured that part myself, but why did it continue to burn after I lost contact with it?”

“Well I don’t know the specific method they use, I’m guessing they drew a sigil onto that piece of armor and made the burning effect stronger. This in turn made it so that the burning would spread throughout the body.”

“But why though. I get the burning part, but why would it spread. What point is there?”

“Well, of course it’s to make the person the knight is fighting to die a slow painless death, that would also make their deceased body into a disgusting vile body that looked like a pact of wolves had eaten him.” What? Our steps slowed as he continued to explain this to me, “You see, that rumour about knights hunting demons is only partially true. For lower rank knights, they for sure hunted demons and made sure no creature on the side of Demon King was on their land, but they don’t have the spreading effect, but for higher ranked knights it’s different. Most of them think they're above everybody else. They almost think they are like gods, so why would a god like them waste their precious time hunting demons. It’s below them.”

“If it’s below them, then why would they have that spreading effect?”

“It’s for battle, war and of course torture. Knights like that female one will usually fight alongside the Hero against the Demon hordes. And of course, the Hero won’t waste their time against weak demons. No, they fight the Demon King. And next to the Demon King are the Demon Generals, and those guys are what the knights fight.”

But that doesn’t explain why they have it. I get why they need it for fighting powerful demons, every amount of damage you can inflict on them can help you, but how often can you actually fight one, “But Leon, that’s only useful during a battle with the Demon King. Other than that, they don’t need it, so why don’t they just wear normal armor?”

“Think about this, would you really want the person you just poisoned to know they’re poisoned?” Of course, “Remember when your hands were burning a couple seconds ago, you didn’t feel anything right?” I quickly nod my head yes. It was strange why I couldn’t feel anything.

“The greatest ability of that armor is surprise. It first burns the target skin, planting itself into you. Then it drills into you, and finally, it will attack your nerves. This way, you won’t feel anything wrong with your body except for it feeling numb. This way, the burns can spread throughout your insides, destroying everything, and the only thing you would feel is a slight numbing feeling. By the time you realize what’s happening, it’s already too late.”

That’s terrible. Essentially you will die a gruesome, but painless death. You could die while having dinner with your family. Although, you may look nothing like yourself, but a pile of burning flesh and charred bones.

“Wait a second Leon, you healed me. Can’t the Demon Generals just do the same thing? Heal themselves.”

“You would think so but no. Think about it, if someone punches you five hundred times, and you only heal around four hundred and ninety. You wouldn’t know where or if there are more to be healed. Also, because of the spread, even if you heal one part of the body, doesn’t mean the rest is healed.”

That makes sense. It’s like an attack from a necromancer. They could come into your house with an army of undead, but even if you kill the head necromancer, in the end, you still have an army of undead to worry about.

You fix one thing, doesn’t mean you fixed everything, “Wait, then how did you heal me? You just told me how hard it is to fix that spreading problem, but you were able to do it with a slap of the cheek.”

“I don’t know. Talent, determination, hard-work. In most cases, just not being an idiot.” He began to stretch his body as he said this.

“No really, how did you do it?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you this, but hey, it would be fun to see your reaction. So listen, what I did was inject a few souls of some creature, monster or person, I have killed into you. And by using their souls, their lives were offered up in exchange for your life. How does that make you feel?”

“Wait, you mean you used other people's souls to save me?”

“Yep. I killed those things, and then used them to save you. Although I didn’t actually have to use them. Could have saved you without them.”

“But it wasn’t my choice to make. You forced it onto me.” My voice was getting lower with every word I spoke.

“Did I really force it onto you? You were the one who asked me to heal you.” His voice seemed at first to have a hint of smugness inside it, but when you listen closer, you could hear him threatening you to answer. He was forcing me to tell him what I think.

Then again, did he force it onto me? I do remember asking him to heal me, but not like this. If he had told me how he would have healed me, would I have taken the offer. If I say yes to this, then it’s really like I killed a person.

Would I have said yes, “So, it’s like I killed a person?”

“Well, not exactly a person. I don’t keep track of all the souls I got. But, that thing you used to save yourself, was still a living thing.”

Would I have still said yes. Of course I would have! I would have said yes. I want to live, I want to live long enough to go back home to my mother.

The hell kind of dumb question did he ask me, I don’t know those creatures he used, I don’t know the people he killed to heal me, “I am shocked that I used other people’s souls to save myself, but in the end I don’t care. What’s the point of caring for others when I don't even know them. It’s like asking me to choose between my own mother and a group of strangers. While I do feel guilty and a little scared, I will always choose myself and my family over a bunch of strangers.”

“...Hmph, large words for such a small kid.” That's all you have to say. Nothing after that grand, but also crappy speech I just made.

Silence took over. While we were walking I felt the eyes of a creature. A powerful one, like my mother, but more cruel and uncaring. Like that of a hungry dragon staring down on me from the sky.

Out of nowhere, a soft but intimidating voice spoke out, “Good answer. Why should you care about others over yourself and the ones you love. In the end, they will only ever betray you, either intentionally or unintentionally.”

The dragon that was staring at me was now full, and looked away.

I never knew someone other than my mother could ever make me this scared, but also this worried about their opinions about me, “Hey Leon.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“How were you able to collect and use the souls of others like you did?”

“Oh that. It’s one of my classes' abilities.”

A class? But by the looks of it, you seem more like a knight, or a class more physically orientated, “But you used others souls, that’s not a knights ability.”

“When did I ever say I was a knight. I just wear this thing because it looks cool.” I fucking knew this guy had good taste in armor.

“Then what are you?”

With a soft chuckle, Leon started rubbing my head with his dirt covered gauntlet. And in an almost compassionate voice, he said, “Kid, I’m a Necromancer.”