The Story of Aria and the Slayer

Chapter 10

Aria flinched as the doors to the bedroom slammed shut behind her. She peered over her shoulder at the Slayer who simply walked past her. It was as if she wasn't even there, and she was fine with that. Especially after their last conversation. Since then, neither cared to speak up.

Natural light still shone brightly through the long windows, high up on the wall opposite to her. It was mid-afternoon at the latest, meaning she would be stuck in the same room as the demon with nothing to focus on. There was no direction any sort of conversation could move toward. At least, Aria couldn't figure out an important enough topic to discuss. So she meandered around the room, keeping to a several meter distance from the Slayer at all times, before settling down on the edge of her bed.

She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. Then she focused on every bit of power she had, letting it materialize in the air. What appeared before her was a wide loop of golden shinsu. Though “loop” wasn't the best word to describe it. It was more like an outline of the mountains Aria used to hike back when she had the freedom to. Back when she lived in a growing and developing country, still so full of hope. 

And yet, she'd been too naive, too young, to notice the underlying hatred the residents of that new land had had for the place that turned its back on them. Too naive to realize that that rage could be twisted—manipulated into something lethal. Something that would cause millions of people to die. Including her beloved parents, who she hadn't had enough time to spend with. Who didn't deserve to be killed by someone they used to admire. By someone she used to admire.

With that thought, came rage, came despair, came confusion, and hopelessness. With that thought, her shinsu spiralled out of control. Shaking uncontrollably on the spot before sending itself racing toward the wall to Aria's left, and the Slayer who'd had his back turned.

By pure instinct, she extended a hand to stop the unintentional attack, but too late. Though in the split second before the shinsu struck true, the demon tilted his head and the golden light slammed into the wall.

Aria froze for a moment, then retracted her hand. Her throat felt tight as she blurted, “I didn't mean to do that. I was just practicing something, and I got distracted, and then before I knew it—”

“It's alright.” The Slayer peered over his shoulder and Aria saw the disinterested expression on his face. He didn't care. He wouldn't attack her.

Letting out a breath, she relaxed her body little by little. She straightened however when she remembered something. “Hey,” Aria started, regaining the demon's attention. “I know I'm not allowed to ask about your siblings, but how about something else? Something that may not even involve you.”

“Like what?”

“Miraan's ring. What exactly is it?” she wondered aloud, twisting the empty space around her own finger. 

“She told you about her past teammate, did she not?” the Slayer sighed. “The one who stayed by her side as she went up the tower.”

Aria nodded, not fully comprehending his answer. Then her eyes widened as it dawned on her. “Wait, Miraan's married? But she said her teammate died. Is there a reason why she still wears the ring?”

“Look,” the monster drawled, “all you need to know is that I placed some of my shinsu into it. It's why she's able to unlock the doors to this room as well as the doors to this building as a whole. It's not my place to tell you any more. If Miraan wants to tell you more about her past, she'll do so herself.”

She raised her brows, not expecting the Slayer to be the type who recognized when a topic is too personal to someone else to be discussed without permission. Though with the amount of trust Miraan had put in him, Aria probably should've realized the healer had at least somewhat valid reasons for her faith in the demon.