บท 20: Existential crisis
This was the perfect opportunity. I, with all my might, plunged my sword through the demon's mouth. She was so sure of her victory just seconds ago that she'd let her guard down.
For a moment she was stunned. She couldn't believe what happened. Her eyes twitched. Moving back a few steps, she groaned in agony and afterward went berserk. Her broken voice seemed like a melody in contrast to what came next. It was absolutely dreadful. It felt like my eardrums would burst but didn't.
"How dare you – I will –w-will-kill you!" with terrifying voice the demon shouted. Screeches hurt my ear. They were too loud and intensive.
How the hell did that mouth still work? Didn't you pull all of this to take me back? And now you want to kill me? This demon had severe priority issues. If she wanted me to obey, then she should have tried to break my will first. Killing me was something she couldn't afford, and yet, now it was all meaningless.
Her horns enlarged. Her skin turned all muddy and her eyes along with her hair turned blood red. For a moment my breath stopped. Just what is this thing?
This demon was nuts and so was I. Covered in blood, I smiled and recovered my dampened will. I had done all I could but this demon was beyond me. If I was supposed to be some chosen hero then surely I would have gained some wonderful skill or magic to face this impossible situation: but I did not. Learning the sword might have been a good skill but I was just a novice and worthless.
I was on my knees with my weight on the sword. Fainting at any moment was the natural resolution. My right hand clenched to my chest barely keeping the blood in. I clung to consciousness like an alligator biting a prey. I wouldn't let go. But everyone had their limits and mine was coming up real fast.
The sight of Dune and Sheila's severed heads came to mind. Intense anger welled up inside me, yet again. Will their deaths not be avenged? Just how many times will I go through this again? I didn't want to let this down. These guys sheltered me, saved my life and treated me good. Even my own family had branded me as a failure and gave up on me, but these guys were here for me. I just couldn't let their deaths be in vain, I just couldn't.
With the last of my strength, I stood up to face my doom. At that very moment the hooded mysterious man appeared in the corner of my eye. The demon hadn't noticed. I didn't have time to worry about him either.
The demon was fast, I was barely conscious and above all she now intended to kill me. With every blow I would almost lose consciousness. Her slices were getting awfully close to my vitals but I could tell she wasn't serious; if she was, I'd be dead already. I was a stubborn man. I wouldn't go down without taking her. So I never once backed down. Seeing so, the demon stopped before just before her scythe touched my neck. It looked at me with wonder. All the dread in the air instantly vanished. Was she pulling a ploy for me to beg for my life, so that she could take me back? It seemed very plausible.
"What- what is this?" the demon said in her broken voice.
I was stunned as well. What just happened?
I looked around. The man who gave me the elixir was there. I didn't know why but he was probably the one who stopped the demon.
My apparent on the fly theory was wrong. This demon didn't stop on its own accord; rather it stopped because of someone else.
The mysterious man slowly walked towards me. The undead parted to make way as if they were showing him great respect. "We meet again. Use the elixir on the demon: It'll kill her immediately. She was careless enough to forget her own mission. What a failure." His tone was nonchalant.
What is going on? I didn't understand anything but the throbbing pain on my chest was a good reminder that I didn't have much time left. "Who are you?"
"Shouldn't you first do what you're told?"
Although I hated it, I still took out the elixir. The demon writhed and tried to move desperately. "Ho-how did you get that?" I only wanted to see her reaction. Judging from that, I could tell that the mysterious hooded figure wasn't lying about this elixir being deadly for the demon.
But why? I didn't have time to question either. The situation appeared to be in my favor, but it felt too artificial. I opened the bottle and it was a red liquid. Quite pale but the odor was strong and acidic. Smelled like lemon juice, honestly. "I'll trust you… for now."
There wasn't any response. So I slowly dropped the liquid on the immobile demon. For Dune! For Sheila! And for all the villagers you killed! Die!
As soon as the liquid touched her skin she began to burn and cry. "Stop! Sto-stop! Argh! Noo!"
She screamed in pain and burned before my very eyes. Unlike the undead who turned to ash, she liquefied. The sight made me want to puke.
Before she could completely liquefy she gave us her last words. Quite ominous. "Ah, so you did survive you wretched filth. But I must thank you for stopping me in my master's place. It would have been a disgrace to show up without completing my mission. Fuck! … ha ahaha ah." Her sarcastic laughter echoed through the forest and soon there was silence. Did she talk to me or perhaps the man behind me?
I felt no remorse, no pity. If I had, I probably wouldn't have been human. I still had half of the elixir left.
The demon's scythe fell on the ground and she got completely annihilated staining the ground in a darker shade.
I was still on the brink of death. "Now then, would you mind explaining yourself?"
I couldn't see his face. It was hidden behind his hood. "Let's just say, I'm not your enemy, at least not yet." His voice was normal and his accent was a little different: a little old. But I could understand him nonetheless.
"But I don't understand why you'd help me."
I really didn't. The way he walked around, owning the place, I could at least tell that he wasn't some ordinary human. He wasn't completely good either: I had a gut feeling.
"Hmm… you see: I'm neutral in this play at the moment. So I don't think I can give you much information. But let's just say it would have been boring if you died here."
My body became cold. I could understand what he said but couldn't comprehend it. "That's all?" Too boring? Play? It was as if my blood froze. Just what was this guy saying? Boring? A play? So everything was just a game? Was he some kind of God or something?
Before I could say anything else though, he smiled. The scythe on the ground flew to his hand. "I believe it is time for me to leave." He pointed at the elixir. "It's a gift from me. It can revive someone even at the brink of death. It's more valuable than a thousand lives, so use it sparingly."
"Just what are you?"
He only smiled. "I go by many names. I believe you'll come across my name soon enough." His laughter stopped and a tinge of grief hung in the air. "But if I had to give you one now… Terron."
"Stop making riddles!" He got on my nerves. But I was glad that he at least told me his name.
He burst in laughter. The guy really had a lot going for him. Screaming was a bad idea. I might have worsened the bleeding. The pain increased by a lot more.
Suddenly mist covered the area. "What is this…?"
"It seems the sun is about to set. I'd hurry out if I were you…" he looked dead ahead. "And looks like that cold blooded cat's here too. You really should hurry." His words were like a play.
"But I can't leave these two!" If I did, they'd turn into undead and it'd be all my fault. I wouldn't be able to live with that. I'd rather be eaten alive than live through something like that. I really didn't want to leave Dune and Sheila behind.
"Why?" The figure didn't quite understand. I could tell just from his posture that he didn't care if anyone lived or died. It was just a game.
"So those two will be able to rest in peace!" My answer came out naturally. I didn't have to think. I didn't need to.
He scratched his chin. "Hmm, understanding you humans were always a drag but you might be an interesting one. A parting gift is in the order I suppose. Oh and don't forget the stuff in your pocket either…" He snapped his fingers.
"Are you… a God?" I remembered what Misrael told me. There were gods and half-gods still in this land. So the person before me could very well be one.
"Hmmm…. Not anymore." He vanished.
"Wait!"
Light disappeared and the undead let out low growls. I still couldn't believe my eyes. What just happened?
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