Ablaze (Are The Hearts of The Damned)

A Fox and His Mischief

Eons ago, demonic creatures walked the face of the earth alongside mortals. The world was a grisly place to live in, what with these monsters constantly spreading fear and death everywhere they go.

There was one particular demon notorious for being the culprit of various massacres throughout the region of Goryeo. He was known as the White Fox Demon, a demonic fox bearing nine-tails with a beautifully-deceiving face that greatly contrasted with his heart of frost and his unquenchable thirst for blood. Wherever he went, there was bound to be chaos and slaughter. It was said that he killed men for strength and power and killed women to maintain his ethereal beauty. He was an ultimate force of merciless destruction that the mention of his name alone brought a warrior sinking down to his knees in utter fear and panic, drowning in tears.

No one knows exactly where the White Fox Demon came from. Some say that he came from the Sunrise Mountains, where all nine-tailed foxes come from. But since he had a dark core, this cannot be possible because the foxes there were benevolent and peaceful - very unlike him. Others claim he came straight from the Dark Abyss, where most of the very malevolent spirits originate from. And while some more others claim he was once a mortal like the many of them, and was then tainted by violent mischief, bloodspill and death.

Nevertheless, the White Fox Demon lives on and continues sowing seeds of death, misery and torment in his wake wherever he goes.

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The White Fox Demon's singing voice held two attributes - one was full health to the listener who is in the brink of illness or death and two, it was the harbinger of the listeners' imminent death.

So when the demon's voice echoed through the Firemouth Village with a sweet, haunting melody, what should have been a normal day for the inhabitants has turned into a twisted apocalypse for them. They dropped what they were doing, scrambling around in panic and fear for their lives.

"The wretched White Fox Demon is coming!" the people shout as they bang their gongs and prepared their warriors for defense against him.

Meanwhile, in the woods, the demon chuckles to himself lightheartedly as he dips down to pick a rose then place it in his pale blonde locks. Mortals, they're so puny and paranoid. He couldn't even go and enjoy his alone time without having them screaming in fear and mercy. Does his voice sound that bad? The other demons love his voice though. But then again, he was known to be an auspicious sign of death that actually causes death himself, so it's no wonder they're acting like ants before a flood.

Choosing to mind his own business, the demon fox continues to sing his happy tune and makes a turn down the path, eager to find more roses which were of the likes of the one that he had placed in his hair. Meanwhile, the mortals continue to scream in fear in the distance, shattering the peace that the demon sought.

Annoyed, the edges of his plump lips twisting downward into an unpleased frown, the White Fox Demon mutters, "Dear dear, now my mood is ruined," as he straightens up. He unsheathes his katana, the metal making a sleek, sharp sound as it appears into plain sight. It then emits a dark, deadly glow as the fox succumbs into malevolence.

"Might as well give the mortals what they've been expecting," he says sinisterly as he heads towards the village, his dark aura making greenery wither around him.

With light steps, the demon walks down the path with a little hum. He couldn't hear panicked noises anymore. The inhabitants must be awaiting his arrival, expecting him to pounce like a lion, all with their breaths bated and their weapons poised over their heads.