章 1: Chapter 1, Life and Death, Beginnings and Ends
Once upon a time, there was an egg.
Deep inside of a mountain where there were a myriad number of tunnels going who knows how far and how deep.
Deep deep down inside one of those underground tunnels was a cave. And inside of the cave was an egg. One that contained a Demon. But this Demon was not like other Demons.
No. For they had something which drastically set them apart from others of their kind. Humanity, the slightest traces of it. Even if it is something that they themselves did not realize. Even if it is just lingering traces from their memories.
What is it that makes a person who they are after all? Their memories? Their body? Their soul? Their personality? Let us find out.
As you may have guessed by now, this story is about a Demon and their time in the unique and strange world known as Eden.
No one knows where the name came from or who named it such. Some claim that it came from the elves. Others claim that it was named such by THE GODDESS herself.
But that is enough of that. This is the story of this Demon's journey of discovery in the magical land of Eden, and how they would eventually leave a profound impact that changed the world forever.
____________________________________________
'Ugh. Where am I?' I thought as I slowly regained consciousness, struggling to move around.
Then it struck me. 'I, who am I? I last remember… remember what? It is all so fragmented, my memories.'
As my thoughts churned chaotically, I tried to collect myself and focus on the situation. 'Ok ok ok, let's try to get ahold of my situation here. First, where am I? Let's address that first.'
'… I cannot see.' I thought as I flexed my eyelids in an attempt to be able to discern my surroundings.
'I can open and close my eyes at least, so there is no need to worry there about whether something happened to them.'
Making the assumption that they are fine and well with what else I can sense. 'I feel, squeezed. Like I am entombed in something. It feels very snug in here.'
As I squirmed around inside of this snug space I felt that I should leave. Not in panic but in a more instinctual manner. Not really thinking about it but feeling as though I should.
'Now that I think about it, I feel calm, way too calm. Even though I am not the best with emotions and never have been and never have felt much, this is a bit much for my situation.' All the while, not feeling much either way.
'And now that I think about it, my feelings feel, less dominant in a sense. The best way that I can describe it is like they have less control in dictating my actions so to speak. As if they have less say.' I thought apathetically as I positioned myself, squirming all the while inside of this strangely smooth contraption.
'That is weird. Why are emotions like that? Something to think about later.' Dismissing the train of thought to focus on the task at hand.
It was way too smooth, this contraption or whatever it is. It is making it troublesome to gain the leverage needed to shift my body.
After what felt like quite some time, not that I could possibly tell, it finally felt like my feet were in the bottom of the contraption instead of feeling as though I am hanging upside down with my head hanging below my feet.
'Sooooo, how do I get out? Just push out. Is it simple as that or maybe I am overthinking it as I tend to do.' I distinctly recall in my previous life that they, I? Whatever, that, they tended to often overthink things.
So, I decided not to do that. 'Don't think just do.' I thought like I used to when I overthought things.
And so I pushed against the confines of my prison.
CRACK it went as it broke apart. 'Huh, I guess I was overthinking it.'
'It felt much more fragile than I expected.' I thought as I continued to break free from my confinement. Still unable to see.
'Though I am definitely not human anymore. Let's call it a guess for now, but why would I be underground if I was a human? Especially if what I felt around me felt disturbingly similar to that of an eggshell.'
In an attempt to see if there was any sort of exit I extended my arms and felt around, only feeling some dirt. Unable to completely stand or extend my arms.
'I feel that I should be panicking or feeling claustrophobic or something, yet I am not. How odd. Oh well, the only way to go is up, though that is a bit hard to tell having just been born and all.' I thought as I started to push the ceiling gently in order to confirm whether it would collapse if pushed too hard.
Oddly enough it held firm.
'Or it should have been, but then again I am no longer human, and this is likely some inborn instinct of whatever species I am. Because it would be stupid if they just dug in the wrong direction and died after all, and really. I really doubt that any species would have such a design flaw and survived as a species.'
'Unless there are thousands born at once, but still, even then I doubt it.'
'Though one thing for certain is that they are definitely born with their senses much more developed than they are for human babies. More like deer or some other species that are able to walk from birth now that I think about it.'
Gaining confidence, I started to push harder against the packed earth.
'On a random note, I feel that my body is humanoid, at the very least my arms and legs feel similar to a human's, including fingers and toes. Though my body size and other such details feel different from those of my memories, but that is a given in being reincarnated as another species.'
'In any case, I do not feel remotely similar to a spider or lizard or any such creature.'
All of a sudden it felt as if I had opened my eyes for the first time, I started to sense something. Feeling something that I never have before.
The suddenness of it all caused me to pause my actions in order to adjust to this new sense. It was difficult to put into words, this new sense of mine. The closest senses that I could use for a comparison would be that of touch and just the mythical sixth sense.
While there are many more senses than the main five. The other senses are usually just lumped up together with the main five. Such as the sense of pressure could count as part of the sense of touch if you think about it.
My new sense felt similar to that in a sense. As though feeling the pressure around oneself, but at the same time it did not feel exactly physical. Akin to air pressure, not anything overbearing but just, there.
But I was also somehow able to sense this sort of pressure even from a distance, if that made sense. I could tell that the pressure could vary, but it was as if I was a newborn child seeing for the first time.
I could only feel things vaguely in a general sense. Only able to sense larger variations but nowhere close to the possibility of sensing more minute details.
Having the general sense that I should be able to sense the more minute differences but am simply unable to due to just being born and my new sense is still developing. Similar to that of a human child needing time to develop their sight after being born.
It was all around me, this energy, and even inside of me. Currently only being able to differentiate between myself, the general amount of the surrounding energy, and these nine large blobs of this energy that stood out distinctly from the rest of the surroundings in terms of density.
And though it was difficult to tell the distances these blobs were from myself; I could tell their general directions. Being much more away than above myself.
And as I sensed all of this, I could not feel but be overwhelmed with wonder and curiosity. 'I wonder what this energy is?' What this energy was, what those blobs are, what other wonderful and magnificent things must exist inside of this world.
Maybe it is something similar to how platypi and some other living beings could sense electromagnetic fields. However, through it, I can sense these nine particularly large clumps of the energy above me, and even though my instincts were telling me to be wary of them. I could not help but feel curious.
Filled with curiosity I wondered if I could do anything with this energy, and so I poked at it in a sense. Trying to see if I could will it to do anything. And while I was able to move it, it did not really feel like it really did anything.
'I am just gonna call this energy mana since it is obviously not anything like electromagnetism. You certainly cannot move it around inside of yourself.'
After a period of time of being fascinated with mana, I decided that I have been putting off reaching the surface and pushed as hard as I could. Only to find the earth above me collapse and engulf me. Knocking me onto my back and covering me completely.
After some time squirming I managed to escape, evidently I was not as deep as I thought I would be. Nonetheless, I still could not see. Still being completely engulfed in darkness.
Only then did I notice that one of the blobs seemed to be rapidly approaching me. Practically atop of me before I even noticed.
Luckily though my instincts had me prepared from the start, even as I just got to my knees.
As soon as I felt the time was right, I lunged forward with my claws. Being completely blind I relied on my mana sense and just struck towards the center of the blob crouched as I was.
And to my utter shock, though far milder than it had any right to have been. I first felt something strike the top of my head before my claws. At the same time I realized that I had horns, and yet it felt natural at the same time. Akin to 'I have horns?' and 'Obviously I have horns, why would I not have them?' As natural as having claws or toes or even a head would be.
Nevertheless, this occurred for only the slightest moment before my claws struck through their torso like a hot knife through butter.
And so, my enemy, skewered by my horns, with my arms lodged through their chest and organs, died before they could even retaliate. Drenching me in their blood.
Filling me with satisfaction for eliminating my competition. At the same time, I realized that they were probably my siblings. And all that I thought in of that was, 'there are some species that eat their siblings like great whites. This is probably something similar to that.'
Feeling nothing such as remorse or guilt or any other emotion, only apathy and the urge to kill the others. Not even questioning why I should not do something so natural.
'How will I get them off me now? It would be hard for me to fight with them on my arms and covered in blood.' It would not do to slip mid fight, I wish to live after all.
It was then that I noticed something quite intriguing. 'They are dissipating into mana? How interesting, it also helps with the problem of getting them off of me or worrying about blood.' As I felt their mana merge with that of the environment's.
Then I easily shook them off as they were less body than ambient mana in the short amount of time the thought took.
Focusing on the other blobs I noticed something peculiar. They seem to prefer to fight in duels, as though they had some sort of pride in establishing their dominance and strength. No free for all fights or such things, no one sneak attacking me and the creature that I just killed while I was focusing on our fight.
Still, it is purely speculation considering that they bunched up in groups of two. This simply could be a coincidence. But I had a feeling that I was right and that my newfound species instincts were the reason behind it.
'I can use this.'
One of them seems to have been defeated. With their mana dissipating and all.
The victor started to move and they seemed to be approaching me. Even though they are the farthest blob away from me. Adding evidence to prove my theory.
And while I felt the urge to attack them as well, I held back. Instead, I simply sit and wait for them to waste their energy coming to me instead. This is a marathon, not a sprint. I will make it to the end. No matter what.
And so, they approached. Though it is hard to tell with this new sense of mine, I would hazard a guess that they are sprinting towards me.
As they sprinted towards me, I grabbed some dirt from the ground and prepared to throw it. With being unable to see it would surely come out of nowhere and surprise and distract them, giving me an advantage.
So when they passed the closest blobs I threw it.
Though difficult to tell if they were struck, I committed to the next part of my admittedly simple plan. I leaned forward with my horns that jutted straight up from my forehead. Positioned to have them strike with my opponent off balanced, alongside my claws.
The next thing that I knew they were right before me, and so I lunged, claws prepared to strike along with my horns.
It happened in an instant. We both fell to the side and not behind me like we originally should have with their momentum.
They seemed to be bigger than me since their claws barely passed over my shoulders. Air swishing past them as they did. My claws thrusted forward towards their stomach, but this time not to skewer them through and get them stuck once again.
All the while my horns jutted through their throat if their gurgling indicated anything.
Caught off guard they were unable to retaliate. As they were caught up in the chaos of it all, with us both on the ground I struck where I was sure their shoulders would be.
And struck true they did, tearing through muscle and bone in their way.
Though, it seems that they had suffered wounds even before our fight, nothing fatal but enough to help tip them over the edge. Dissipating before my claws even dug their way out of my opponent's remains. It really does seem like that the shoulder attacks were unneeded.
It is best to be cautious either way.
However it seems that I have been less cautious than I thought. Since, retrospectively, it seems while I favor the all or nothing berserker approach that would at the very least take myself with them. The other creatures instead seemed to favor clawing at each other to their deaths.
With just their method of attack and their previous injuries.
Which is why my lunge worked so well, with me moving through their clawing motion into extremely close quarters combined with my small stature has made my strategy work quite well.
There are only two blobs left it seems. Perfect, then let's wait until they weaken one another and are distracted to strike. They would never anticipate it with their lack of experience and their inborn pride. It seems that this is a win for human malice that has been perfected for millennia.
No time like now then, one of them is dissipating already and I do not want to miss my chance for an easy win.
And so, I ran. Closing in on the distance quickly. Although difficult to tell the situation in this darkness, I could hear their cries. It seems that the weaker one is the one that is closer to me.
So, when I was in range, I struck. Nothing else to it. One of them seemed to be on top of the other, clawing at them while the other feebly resisted. Judging by the mana and the weak sounds that they were making.
With my claw aimed at the center of the stronger one's head, it struck clean through, shattering their skull.
With the only one remaining being too weak to even cry out anymore.
Finishing the job I tore through their throat. Leaving nothing behind as they dissipated into ambient mana.
Concluding it all. With everything being over I finally was able to relax. Left alone with my thoughts.
'Now that I think about it. I… I weirdly feel nothing. Even though I should. I feared blood ever since I was a child since cut myself on a knife in my previous life. Yet I feel nothing after killing those beings, nothing at all. That is weird. There is no other possible way in which I can explain it. Even thinking this and thinking I should feel SOMETHING over this entire situation, I don't. It is as simple as that.'
'The only thing that I do feel if at all is curiosity. Just wondering what kind of living beings dissipate into ambient mana.'
'Actually, I just called it mana but is it really mana? Is that what it really is? How does it work?'
'I have only arbitrarily designated what I sense as mana due to my memories and how it is like nothing else from my memories? Does it even work remotely similar to the way it does in the fantasy stories that I have read?'
'Now that I think about it, I will call it ether for now, though there is not much of a difference if any at all either way, but I will do so because why not.' I thought whimsically.
'I guess I should leave though. I mean there is nothing else to do here and I do not want to stay underground here forever without anything to do. Yet, how do I even exit? I cannot see and my mana sense does not give any indication.'
'Time for the classic labyrinth hand to wall method then.'
And so walked till I hit a wall, 'ow', and stuck my hand onto it and walked.
________________________________________
I have no idea how long I have walked but it definitely has not been a small amount of time.
'Man, I am bored' I thought apathetically.
'I never got any time to think on it, but it feels as though there is some kind of disconnect between myself and my memories. As though we are related and are connected, but no longer the same "person". As though I am a different living being, but once was the person in my memories.' I thought pondering.
The closest approximation that I could think of was remembering who you were as a child, but being a completely different person compared to them and being unable to relate or even remember who you were or what you thought back then. Even if you have a general idea of who you were, you are simply unable to really feel that you are them anymore. As though that they are someone else. Even if you can recognize pieces of who you were in who you are now.
'Although, the fact that my memories feel fragmented definitely plays a role in it.'
___________________________________________
After even more time I finally started being able to see, proving that I was on the right track.
And after an indeterminate amount of time later I finally saw the light.
'Freedom!'
'I wonder what is out there, what sorts of wonders and mysteries are out there. I cannot wait to see them all!'
Filled with childlike excitement and wonder they set out. Into the forest filled with trees that covered the sky and sunlight struggled to slip through. Leaving the dirt tunnel behind.
クリエイターの想い 
Dao_of_Bibliomania
Dao_of_Bibliomania Hello guys! I would like to welcome you to my first work! I will be honest and say that I have been procrastinating writing this for months. It is my first time writing. But do not worry I will not be dropping this. Though I will try to get a decent cover soon.
Though I would like to thank my beta readers dancematdan and xJin3k! Go read some of dancematdan's works while you guys are at it!
As for the cover art, I am working on it but the ai art thingy hates me, this is the best that I got for now. Will change when I get one that matches what I envision.
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