𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 • ᵈᵉᵐᵒⁿ ˢˡᵃʸᵉʳ

Haru III

Haru had woken up from his short slumber, and was now looking around in surprise. He lifted up his gaze, and his red eyes met mine. He started remembering everything that had happened, and groaned in disbelief.

"He sent you after me I would guess..."

"He did," I replied.

"I hid so well too... until that happened. I should have asked miss Tamayo to stay with her."

Ignoring the name, I swiftly asked a question that was on my mind since I saw him.

"What was all that? Over there. Why were you hitting your head on that wall? You just satisfied your hunger by killing those villagers. What's so wrong about it?"

"You blood-thirsty demons will never understand," he growled, "I try to not kill humans unless I am really starving. But I had not eaten in a while, and when I sensed all those humans in that village, I just lost it. That's all."

I stared into his eyes. I saw remorse.

"Who are you? I didn't know demons were capable of feeling emotions. You make me curious."

"I assume you still remember your past?"

I nodded.

"Well," he continued, "So do I. It's not that rare, but most demons got brain-washed or threatened by him the moment they turned so they lost their morals and eventually forgot all about their past self.

I still remember everything that had happened. I used to be the head of our house, despite my young age. My mother died from childbirth and my father from an illness when I was 14. They left me in the care of my old grandmother and my 5 little siblings. Despite them being a handful, I cared for them deeply, like any family would.

One day, shortly after I turned 19, I went home to their death. A demon found its way to my home and feasted on my siblings. Meanwhile, my grandmother died from a heart attack from seeing such a gory sight. For a moment, I envisioned dying to join them, but I was so angry that I just picked up the closest weapon, a pitchfork that I brought with me from the fields, and stabbed it into the monster's stomach. It was not effective at all and just resulted in myself bleeding on the floor after getting clawed.

I was ready to welcome death when he appeared. His multicoloured eyes looked at me and he smiled. Saying something I couldn't hear, he dropped a bit of blood in my mouth. I fainted.

When I came to, he was still there, and I couldn't feel the pain from my wounds. He told me to forget about my family, that they weren't important, to embrace the new me, and never go outside in the sun. Then, he left, leaving me with my rage. My family still mattered to me, and they were dead"

He stopped, showing he was done.

"Why the sob story? I just wanted to know what got you like that."

"Because that said story explained it. I still feel like myself, and still feel the death of my loved ones. That's what kept my humanity, and what you don't know is that you're just like me."

I turned my head towards him. His head that I attached on a tree stared back.

"What does that mean," I growled.

"That means you're still yourself. The same person you used to be. Most demons are aggressive and would just hand me over as soon as they got their hands on me. But you stayed to listen, and the conversation we had was almost... human."

"I—"

"What scares me the most," he mumbled, cutting me off, "Is who were you in the past to ressemble a demon this much..?"

For a moment, we both just stared onto each others' eyes until I broke the silence.

"He should be arriving soon."

"I guess he is," Haru sighed, "I always wondered what death was like."

I ignored his comment, ready to pick up the sound of footsteps around us. We were hiding in a small cavern during the day and once the night fell, we got outside. I still had no idea how to contact that man, but my guess was on the fact I wouldn't have to. He probably already knows. After all, he is the God of us demons.

In the distance, the quiet sound of feet walking on dirt tickled my ears. Coming with it, the fearful smell that told me who it was. And apparently, Haru smelled it too.

His eyes widened as a shadowy figure appeared behind a tree.

"I see you have finished the job I gave you. You've done well," it declared. The man it belonged to stepped forward, the moon illuminating his pale face. "Give me his head, and I shall reward you."

"Of course."

I got up, and started walking towards my target. I had already forgotten about our past conversation and was now only focused towards my goal, the one I gave myself 32 years ago, the moment I woke up as a new being. Today would bring me one step closer to it.

We demons had some sort of hierarchy. The most powerful of us all were the Twelve Demon Moons. I aspired to be like them: strong, powerful, and feared. But if I wanted to follow that dream, I needed to prove my worth and loyalty.

I carefully grabbed Haru's head and approached the man. His eyes were cold, but a slight satisfied smile stood on his face as he grabbed his victim.

"I finally meet you, Haru," he uttered, "You were as well hidden as that woman. I would guess you know where she is?"

"I don't," Haru replied.

"Don't lie to me," his gaze went dark, intimidating. Haru flinched.

"I would never tell you. So you can just kill me now."

The black-haired man looked at him. Suddenly, in an almost imperceptible movement that I could have missed if I blinked, the man closed his hand, and Haru's head exploded, leaving droplets of blood on the trees in the vicinity. He was officially dead.

"Your task is done. As said, I shall reward you. Approach," that man added.

Carefully, I walked over to him. His palm was extended, and when I was close enough he cut it swiftly and let the crimson liquid fall into my palm.

"You are a privileged one. I do not give my blood to anyone, but I sense potential in you. Do not let me down."

1050 words