Taimanin: The Weakest's Resolve

Between The Line - 05

The darkness behind the eyelids wasn't as seclusive as he thought. To his surprise, he could still feel everything around him.

The smell of burning coal filled his nostril followed by the odor of hot steels. The gentle humming sound from a sunken hearth reached his ears. His skin felt the warmth floating around the fireplace. A floor cushion hugged his kneeling leg with care.

The left eye opened, Kotaro took in the sight of a small room. It was a place he has never been to, it gave out a traditional vibe, far away from the modern feelings Kotaro often recalls from his home.

Clang!

He turned to the hammering noise and saw a figure tending to an alloyed object by the forge. That was where the smell of burning coals came from.

Clang!

They appeared human, he couldn't get a view of their face as their back was facing him. That person repeatedly raised the hammer and knocked the object into shape. A blacksmith?

Wait a minute, Kotaro began to wonder about himself. What was he doing here? What was this place? How did he end up here?

And who was that person by the forge?

"Why?"

Kotaro startled as that person finally spoke up. Their voice was roughed, deepened and cracked by the flow of time. The tone seemed to bear an emotional burden. Based on the forging tools lying around and his voice, Kotaro took a guess. The person seemed to be a blacksmith who has entered his twilight years.

"Why did you try to save a demon?"

Demon? He was talking about Ingrid?

"Why did you make the choice that ends up getting yourself in danger by helping an enemy?"

The next hit of their hammer echoed louder.

"Was it worth it?"

They wanted his answers. Kotaro wasn't sure of how he should respond to the sudden questions.

"You are.....?"

For starter, he needed a name.

CLANG!

They had the tool raised higher and thrust it down the lengthy steel piece with a heavy blow. Kotaro covered his ears in time before the impact strikes and causes vibrations to rush through his body. That action was on purpose, he took this as the mysterious figure didn't want to have the questions answered by another question. Conversational manner didn't have a place in this intimidated atmosphere.

"Because..." Kotaro inhaled shortly. "Because that is what a Taimanin should do."

"Saving a demon is never part of the Code."

"That's true in the past. But through time, the Code has changed. There are good and bad demons out there."

"An excuse to turn away from a world overrun by grotesque creatures of the Dark World."

Kotaro couldn't deny what had been said. It was the current state of the world, it was already the way it was before humanity reaches the modern age. But addressing all of them as grotesque creatures might have been overdoing it.

The old man dropped the hammer and placed his work in a furnace.

"Do you not think this happened because we have failed to stop them from invading our world since the ancient time?"

"....."

"Or was it because we let sympathy took away our reasons and gave up in the hope that human and demon can live together in peace?"