Demon Sovereignty: Retake Our Freedom

[Era of Old Demonity] Part 70: The Broken Soul (Story of Satou Lance)

If we accept that life has no predetermined purpose, does that liberate us or condemn us to despair?

The forest stood resolute, its leaves rustling vigorously as shafts of light pierced through, casting the shadows of demons. Despite the forceful wind, a warm air enveloped the area. They were on the verge of exiting the woods when Satou Lance suddenly halted, rooted to the spot.

"Hey, move it. What's up, Lance?" Hisa called out, concern etching his voice. "L... Lance! Hey, talk to me!"

Everyone's gaze snapped to Lance. His eyes shook uncontrollably, and a sheen of cold sweat blanketed his body. "H... Hey!""

Sagakiri Kazuri wasted no time. He closed the distance, positioning himself directly before Lance, meeting his gaze. "Pull yourself together! I feel it, too!"

"I've never seen the Atlas building so deserted before! It's so empty!"

"Tch! Now that you mention it..." Raxus ran in front like a beast and knocked down trees like they were small pebbles. "Something's wrong, fuck!"

As they approached the building, each step heavier than the last, a quiet stillness overcame their souls. It wasn't just a respite in movement; it was as if time itself had frozen. They stood there, bodies quivering, minds reeling under the weight of emotions too complex and chaotic to name. Misery surged through their minds, a torrent of fear. 

Some fell to their knees, unable to tear their eyes away from the horrific scene that unfolded before them. Rivers of blood gently flowed at their feet, leading their gaze to the source of their horror: five lifeless bodies lay scattered in the aftermath of unseen brutality.

Lance, on the verge of succumbing to his own despair, somehow found the strength to take one more step forward. 

Onyx's face was now tainted by an expression of utter horror. His eyes screamed for help, yet he still managed to hold himself. Both Onyx and Raxus didn't know how to feel at this very moment. Angry? Sad? Frustrated?

The air around felt really heavy, heavy with sorrow. It was as if they were drowning in a sea of black water, each wave a surge of hopelessness.

The entrance door was open and Yemon Setsu was seen lying down, covered in blood. But the horrible thing was that half of her entire body was missing. It was simply sliced in half. There was no way she could regenerate from this. Only a remnant of her body was left and it even was hard to see it since it was all bloodied up. Her mouth was still open from the screaming. Her eyes still showed horror.

Beside the first sight, lay another corpse, equally harrowing in its presentation. It was Yamaguchi Konami. The scene bore the marks of unspeakable cruelty. Konami's body was a testament to torment; both her arms and legs were severed, and her head bore the gruesome evidence of being sliced vertically. 

The lifeless forms before them told a silent, ghost-like story. Their aura energy was completely absent. This chilling detail revealed a sinister truth: they had been slain by a weapon, which was infused with a special technique that could slice one's soul.

Not far away from their bodies, another slain comrade was seen—Kenji Asawaru, the only remaining demon from the Asawaru Clan, which was a small clan that used alchemy. He was tortured to death as they clearly saw and understood. His legs were completely cut off as well as his hands. 

Right next to Kenji, Yasewara Bashira was seen. A lot of blood was still leaking from her mouth and her jaw was completely torn off. Her eyes were taken out and her chest was cut in half. It was truly a horrifying sight to witness, especially from the comrades who cared a lot.