Hunting the Creator

Chapter 68 Cabin

The demon stayed in the meeting place, but instead of leaving it as it was, decided to build. And after a half year had passed the home was finally finished. She lounged around her small peaceful cabin and possessed and killed travelers willing to be brave enough to conquer the forest, but in the end they all died by her hands. Their souls taken for their greed and selfishness for glory and recognition, wanting power like no other King.

But in the end no matter how hard they tried, no matter how many illusions that the demon gave them they would always fall and cave into their deepest desires, shortly after dying in regret for ever going into the cursed forest.

As the long years passed by, the demon darkened the vast forest, and made it seems like the only bright light in the dark woods being her cabin, the only spot where the sun was bright enough to penetrate and give life.

"Hello? Anybody there?" A hard voice sounded and panted; it was clear enough to see that the stranger needed some aid.

Yet as he knocked harder one fateful evening the door opened slightly with a creek. He pushed the door open wider to see inside. It looked cozy, like someone has lived there. If it hadn't been for the looming darkness behind him, he would have thought he wasn't in the most dangerous forest known to this world.

Walking in, the wooden floorboards creaked in agony at the heavy guest. He was well over the weight a usual adventurer should be at. The stranger was around 5'7 and was over 300 pounds heavy. But it didn't stop him from hunting or being an adventurer, a clear copper adventurer tag hung from the wavering leather belt around his waist holding a sword not so expensive.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, and he gripped at the wound on his stomach. Because there was no one inside he sat down onto the wooden table. Looking around he saw a warm bowl of potato soup with a spoon, not at all touched by anyone.

Not taking into account that no one was here the fool adventurer dug right into the soup, his hunger getting the best of his mind which was trying to rationalize what was happening.

Finishing his bowl, he saw a fresh glass of ale by his hand.

That wasn't there before. Was it?

Again, his stomach got the best of him, he downed it in a couple of gulps and as he belched a beautifully cooked rotisserie chicken sat right where the empty bowl of potato soup had been left. And like a beast he dug into the juicy white beast meat. Finishing it in an astounding time he saw the empty glass of ale was in fact not empty. It was full yet again without him noticing.

Laughing in wonder he chugged it right away. His belly thinking instead of his brain.

It went on like this for hours on end. He ate as food appeared, he drank as more ale appeared and many more dishes appeared. It went on and on and on like this. And before he knew it his body lay rotting far from the cabin, his corpse eaten halfway through by the wild beasts who knew that whoever went into the cabin would be thrown right after ten minutes of being inside.

Many fell in diverse ways, and so the night came where the female lead came running in pain as she stumbled upon the cabin. She had been fighting off a monster until it had gotten the upper hand and slashed as her stomach.

She was bleeding badly and stumbled upon the cabin, opening the door she was met with a warm fireplace and a cut out whole in the roof where flower petals fell and twirled slowly through the air, falling silently beside her. Nadian fell to the floor, her face looking up as she felt herself bleeding out.

Is this it? She thought in misery. Is this how I'll die, without getting justice for my father and mother?

"It doesn't have to be." A voice echoed throughout the cabin.

"Who's there?" Nadian strained her voice as she searched for the person who was speaking. Not once realizing that the voice had responded to her thoughts.

"I am someone who can heal you and give you powers to seek out your vengeance."

"Happiness." Nadain whispered painfully.

"Happiness?" The demon pondered in disbelief.

"No... Peace-peace."

"Peace, is it?" The demon mocked now not believing it even a little.

"I-I want- I want justice." Nadain said as she started to wheeze from her now collapsing lung.

"Whatever you wish for, I shall grant, do you seek for money and power, to have everyone respect you and have people to trust?" The demon suggested.

"No."

"Then what is it that you seek so deep in these dangerous parts of the woods?" The demon asked.

"I want to find my father's killer and my mother's kidnapper and make him pay for what he did to my peaceful life." She held back a sob, tears of frustration running down to the back of her head.

"Then I can help you, but it comes with a price." The demon said as it suddenly reappeared, their surroundings began to change and suddenly Nadain found herself in the same clearing where the cabin was, except the soft sun that shined on the cabin was now on her. The snow was part of her imagination since it didn't seem to be anywhere else, like an illusion.

Nadain thought deeply and concluded much to the demon's prediction, as always, when it came to these kinds of people she can see right through them, unlike the sticky soul.

"For my father and mother, I'll pay any price, just name it." She says as her breathing became weaker and her body started to sway.

"Your soul."

Nadain didn't hesitate. She simply nodded and gave a weak "Deal, save me." A sudden surge of energy coursed through her body as she seemed to breath better. Her aching stomach did not burn, and she could finally feel her limbs coming back to her instead of feeling numb, she looked around to see a small flower, reaching out she plucked it from the ground and extended it up where the demon began to materialize.

She wanted to give it something for thanks, even though she was already giving it her soul for justice. The demon didn't seem to ridicule her, in fact Nadain couldn't tell the expression from the monstrous look, but she knew because the demon reached out to take it, and like that the demon rammed into her head and merged with her.

Nadain swayed back and forth, everything around her seemed to spin, and with a sharp pained gasp she fell unconscious.

Waking up with a shout Nadain looked to her surrounding, there was a road right in front of her and behind her was the forest that she had entered when escaping that beast. She grasped at her stomach and felt her entire body, realizing her injuries were now non-existent. Thinking back to what she could remember she found the feint memories of a demon possessing her and giving her power. She lamented and a bitter smile was etched into her pink soft lips.

"So, it's real?" She sighed.

"Of course it's real, I'll be with you until your justice is fulfilled and you hold up your end of the deal." An amused voice sounded from her thoughts.

"Deal?"

"Don't do that sweetheart, don't feign ignorance, I know full well you remember I'm in your head, don't forget." A tone laced with disgust spoke.

Not responding Nadain simply nodded and began her walk towards the destination of the recent clue she had gotten from a wandering merchant. To Harshen Valley, a valley where everyone comes and goes and sometimes never comes out. This place is where someone comes to disappear or to hide their sins.

"Such a dirty city for a little girl to go to."

".."

Again, not responding Nadain gave her identification token to the so-called guard and entered after paying a ridiculous amount. The female lead wasn't dressed spectacular, if anything she held a raggedy looking coat over herself and the guard secretly marked her for not complaining and notified some inside people to follow her. People that complain usually don't have much money and people that don't well...

They don't come back out.