《The Field of Fallen Stars》


 Chapter 1: The Rider

    The air reeked with the stench of rotting flesh. Remnants of torn paper wards littered the war beaten ground. There were several buildings left untouched in the distance, but they were eerily silent. The only sound that could be heard throughout the village was the slight whistling of the wind.


    ¡°This is as far as I can take you,¡± said the wagon driver, bead of sweat slowly trickling down his wrinkled cheek. ¡°You follow the path through here and you¡¯ll reach the next town in two, three hours. Should still be standin¡¯.¡±


    The rider nodded his appreciation and handed the wagon driver several coins. As soon as the rider descended with his pack slung over his shoulder, the wagon driver turned his horses around and urged them on with a quick flick of his whip.


    When the trundling of the wagon¡¯s wooden wheels faded into the distance, the rider was left alone with nothing but the wind. He surveyed his surroundings briefly before continuing down the dirt path through the abandoned village.


    The village wasn¡¯t any different from the rest. Most of the buildings had been burnt to the ground and blood had stained the ground a reddish brown. The bodies lying in the open had already been picked clean by the vultures while those hidden in the shadows lay silently, decaying into nonexistence. The rider¡¯s dull brown eyes glanced over the scene nonchalantly. His shock of seeing the dead had long passed.


    A loud laugh echoed in the distance and the rider halted in the middle of a step. Survivors? Or had he just been imagining things?


    Another loud laugh this time followed by a whimper of pain. The voices were near. Probably just behind one of the few standing buildings ahead.


    The rider made his way around the building and peeked around the corner. Nothing but a heap of dead bodies. He frowned and rubbed his ears with his hand. He must¡¯ve been hearing things. Nothing living would be in a place like this.


    Another sharp cry of pain interrupted the rider¡¯s thoughts. It was coming from beyond the wall of the house. Was there someone still alive inside?


    The rider hurried back around to the front of the house and placed his hand on the handle of the door, ready to slide it open.


    ¡°Stay still little girly!¡± bellowed a loud voice from inside the house. ¡°It ain¡¯t fun for none of us if you keep doin¡¯ that!¡±


    The rider slowly took his hand off the handle of the door. It sounded like some bandits had ambushed a poor woman on her way through town. There was nothing he could do about this situation. The rider turned and got ready to go.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got ourselves a freak!¡± shouted the same voice.


    The rider froze.


    ¡°Must be one o¡¯ those demons they¡¯re always talkin¡¯ about,¡± replied another man. ¡°They ain¡¯t as scary as everyone thinks!¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± said the first voice. ¡°Bunch of cowards I tell you!¡±


    There was some scuffling inside followed by some loud thuds. Before the rider could really comprehend what he was doing, he slid the door open and barged into the house.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The four burly men whirled around to face the rider as he entered the room. A small figure lay slumped on the floor between them, bruised and beaten.


    ¡°Who the heck are you?¡± one of the men barked.


    Now that he had actually entered the room, the rider realized that he had probably made a very big mistake. These men were twice his size and each of them bore scars on their faces and along their arms. They weren¡¯t simpletons looking to loot a devastated town. They had fought many times before and had lived to tell the tale.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± said the rider, taking a step back. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Who said you were goin¡¯ anywhere?¡± one of the men growled, stepping forward and giving the rider a shove in the chest.


    The rider stumbled backwards and crashed into the wall. His pack slipped off his shoulder and onto the ground. Several sheets of paper slipped out of his pack, followed by several bottles of ink.


    ¡°A writer?¡± one of the bandits asked, face splitting open into a sneer. ¡°What else do you have in those pockets of yours?¡±


    The rider stood still as the bandits rummaged through the pockets of his cloak. To their dismay, they found nothing but lint and a purse holding only three coins.


    ¡°What is this?¡± said one of the bandits, brow furrowing with confusion and anger. ¡°How d¡¯you have less money than we do?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s tryin¡¯ to play funny with us!¡± growled one of the other bandits. ¡°Maybe if we rough ¡®im up a bit he¡¯ll start talkin¡¯!¡±


    Before the rider could make a move, one of the bandits dealt him a blow to his stomach, dropping him to his knees. The rider gasped for air while he tried to keep himself from retching. One of the bandits grabbed him by a handful of his hair and hauled him back up to his feet.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your money?¡± the bandit asked, the stench of his voice making the rider wrinkle his nose.


    ¡°You have it all,¡± said the rider. ¡°That¡¯s all the money I have.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± said the bandit, smacking the rider across the face. The rider crumpled to the ground once more. He could feel blood trickling down the corner of his mouth from where his lip had been punctured by his teeth.


    ¡°Boss,¡± said one of the bandits. ¡°It¡¯s gettin¡¯ late. We should head back before it gets dark.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± said the boss. He gave the rider a final kick to the midsection and beckoned to his men. ¡°Bring that girly with us. We ain¡¯t done with ¡®er yet.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s one of them!¡± one of the bandits hissed.


    ¡°Do I look like I give half a damn?¡± said the boss.


    ¡°Yes, boss,¡± said the bandit hurriedly. The bandits moved towards the little girl who still lay crumpled on the floor. The rider watched as one of the bandits lifted her and slung her over his shoulder. It was a pity. He had hoped that his intrusion would¡¯ve bought enough time for her to get away.


    But as the bandit carrying the girl passed by the rider, the little girl raised her head briefly, glancing down at the rider. The rider¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Aona?¡± the rider whispered. For some reason, his body felt hot, almost as if it was on fire. His vision had grown slightly blurry and his breathing was rapid and uncontrollable. The stump that had once been his right arm exploded with pain.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± said the bandit, turning around.


    The rider clambered back to his feet, hand clenching into a fist.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked the boss, chuckling. ¡°You ain¡¯t a hero, boy.¡±


    ¡°Give me my sister back,¡± the rider whispered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°GIVE ME MY SISTER BACK!¡± the rider roared, leaping forward.


    The rider drove his fist into the face of the bandit holding the girl, feeling the man¡¯s nose crunch underneath his knuckles. The bandit tumbled backwards and tripped over a fallen chair and collapsed the ground.


    The other three bandits leapt at the rider, bellowing their own battle cries. Reflexes that had long been shut away took over the rider¡¯s body. A quick step back evaded the first messy attack. A duck to avoid the first thrown by the next bandit. Finally, a parry of the last bandit¡¯s fist using his forearm.


    Now it was his turn to attack.


    The rider whirled around and knocked one of the bandit¡¯s off of his feet using a leg. He used his left arm to bash the next bandit across the face and his right arm to block the oncoming attack from the last bandit. Right arm?


    The last bandit¡¯s blow sailed through the rider¡¯s nonexistent right arm and smashed him in the face. The rider¡¯s vision flashed red and he blinked rapidly, trying to see the next attack.


    The attack caught him square in the temple and everything went black.

 Chapter 2: Meeting the Demon

    Kota opened his eyes and blinked several times, trying to shake the pain from his head. He resigned from his efforts when the pain failed to cease. Body aching from the beating, Kota hauled himself onto his hands and knees and shuffled over to his pack. Most of the ink bottles were intact and the pens were undamaged. Heaving a sigh of relief, Kota tidied up his materials and slung the pack over his shoulder.


    Shuffling through the building, Kota couldn¡¯t help but notice the fresh stains of blood splattered along the wooden floorboards of the home. The bandits had not had any mercy.


    Stepping out from the ragged hole that had once been the house¡¯s door, Kota froze. The bodies of the four men were strewn across the ground. Long gashes covered their bodies and dismembered limbs lay scattered nearby. In their midst lay a small figure, covered head to toe in blood.


    ¡°May the stars take you to a better place,¡± whispered Kota, hand straying to the pendant hanging from his neck.


    The little girl¡¯s leg twitched.


    The stump of Kota¡¯s right arm flared with pain, muscles twisting to control digits that no longer existed. Grimacing, Kota¡¯s left hand tightened around the strap of his pack and he knelt in front of the little girl. He reached out his arm, tentative and unsure.


    The little girl burst to her hands and feet, splattering fresh blood everywhere. A pair of pointed wolf ears, matted with blood, protruded from the light gray hair of her head. A bushy tail curled menacingly around her feet, and feral yellow eyes followed Kota¡¯s every movement.


    It wasn¡¯t a little girl. It was a demon.


    Kota¡¯s stump exploded with pain and he stumbled backwards, tripping over his feet. He collapsed several feet away from the demon, chest heaving.


    A low growl emanated from the demon¡¯s throat as it stared him down. One of its arms hung limp at its side and it favored its right leg. Its face was swollen and bruised from the beating the bandits and administered.


    Kota¡¯s hand curled around the pendant around his neck.


    ¡°Leave,¡± he said, voice wavering. ¡°I swore never to hurt your kind again.¡±


    The creature¡¯s growling intensified.


    Kota eyed the creature¡¯s wounds. While the demon had slain its attackers, it had sustained significant damage. With his legs, he could probably outrun it.


    Keeping his eyes locked on the demon, Kota reached down and made sure his feet were snug in his sandals. A moment later, he glanced around quickly. To the left of the village was a small forest. If he made his way there, he could hide and wait for the demon to bleed out.


    Plan settled, Kota place his left hand on the dirt path. A moment later, he pushed off with his arm and leapt to his feet, exploding towards the small forest. Without bothering to glance over his shoulder, he lowered his head and sprinted, letting his legs carry him to the outskirts of the village. Only when he reached the edge of the forest did he dare spare a glance behind him.


    There was nothing.


    Sliding to a stop, Kota bent over, chest heaving and sweat trickling down his brow. Gasping for breath, he fumbled open his water flask and took several gulps. After taking several deep breaths, Kota¡¯s heart slowed and he stood up straight, making sure he had his pack.


    His pack was gone.


    ¡°Curse the stars!¡± Kota muttered, kicking the nearest tree. He couldn¡¯t leave without his supplies. Glancing around, his eyes fell on a thick branch that was about two feet long. He walked over and lifted it, feeling its weight. The branch seemed to be quite dry, making it easy to swing. Not satisfied but not having another other choice, Kota headed back towards the village.


    It was a short trek, not because of the distance that Kota had traveled but rather because the demon had followed Kota. Kota halted about fifteen feet away from the demon, staring it in the eyes. Its yellow eyes had already dulled, probably due to the blood loss. A trail of blood was left from its open wounds.


    It held Kota¡¯s pack in its thin arms.


    The human and the demon stared at each other for several moments. When the silence grew unbearable, Kota gestured at the pack with his stick.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Give me my pack.¡±


    The demon bared its teeth and growled. In response, Kota raised his stick in defense. As he did so, the demon¡¯s eyes darted to the stick and its growl turned into a nasty snarl. It bent over, as if preparing to pounce.


    Kota frowned and lowered the stick. When he did so, the snarls of the demon faded into a low growl. It straightened up and scratched its ear.


    ¡°Give me my pack,¡± Kota repeated. This time, he set the thick stick on the ground next to him.


    Watching the stick closely, the demon¡¯s growls ceased.


    Not quite sure what he was thinking, Kota slowly made his way over to the demon. The demon watched him warily but did not make a move. When the two of them were an arm¡¯s length away, Kota knelt, making his eyes level with the demon¡¯s.


    Up close, the demon really did look like a little girl. Its body looked to be human, besides the wolf ears, wolf eyes, and wolf tail.


    When the demon still did not react, Kota reached his arm up for his pack.


    The demon bared its teeth and hissed at him, wiry arms tightening around the pack.


    Kota had a thought. He lowered his arm and rummaged in his pockets. Several moments later, he pulled out a small loaf of bread that he had been saving for supper. Unwrapping the loaf, he tore off a chunk and held it out to the demon.


    The demon¡¯s nose twitched and its eyes flickered towards the chunk of bread in Kota¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You can have it,¡± said Kota.


    The impasse lasted for the better part of ten seconds. At last, the demon could not resist any longer and released the pack, snatching the small piece of break with both hands. As it did so, Kota released the piece of bread and snatched his pack up off the ground, immediately taking several steps back.


    The demon paid him no heed, instead choosing to shove the break into its mouth, spraying crumbs everywhere. The chunk of bread was finished in seconds. The demon licked at its grimy hands before turning its gaze to Kota.


    ¡°Even trade, okay?¡± said Kota.


    When the demon did not respond, Kota began to take small steps away from the demon. Its yellow eyes followed him, but the demon did not move.


    Did it understand me?


    Kota shook his head in response to his own questions, cursing himself for his foolishness. That¡¯s something that my sister would¡¯ve said.


    Convinced that the demon would soon succumb to its wounds, Kota turned his back on the demon and began trudging down the path towards the next town, as directed by the wagon driver. After taking several steps, Kota heard a shuffling sound from behind him. He spun around and fell into a fighting stance.


    The demon stood still, watching him with wide eyes. Kota¡¯s glanced down at the ground near its feet. There were several bloody footprints smudged on the dirt path behind the demon. It was following him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any more food!¡± Kota said.


    The demon simply stared back at him, slightly wavering on its thin legs.


    There¡¯s no way it can attack me, thought Kota. It looks like it¡¯s about to die. Convincing himself that he would be rid of this trouble soon, Kota turned his back on the demon and began walking down the path.


    He walked for several minutes, forcing himself not to look back. Only after he had traveled a good distance away from the ruined village did he allow himself a glance over his shoulder. In the distance, he watched the little demon shuffle after him, no longer caring that it was seen. The demon¡¯s slight shoulders shook as it gasped for breath, forcing itself to take hobbling step after hobbling step.


    Looking back, Kota felt nothing but sadness. It was truly cruel, having to watch a living creature suffer on its way to death. Even if that creature was a demon.


    I would put you out of your misery, if I still carried a blade.


    Kota stood still as the demon slowly but surely approached him. With every step it took, it teetered and tottered, on the verge of falling. But from inside, the creature seemed to find some inner reserve of strength, allowing it to push forward.


    The demon came to a halt when it faced Kota at about the same distance as in the village. It stood still for just a moment and then collapsed in a heap.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Kota. ¡°No human would help a demon.¡±


    The moment the words left his mouth, the stump of Kota¡¯s right arm flared with pain. In his head, he saw his little sister, beaming at him with that wide, toothy smile of hers. The happy image shattered nad was replaced with her body, bloody and crumpled on the floor. Kota grabbed the pendant that hung from his neck, shoulders heaving.


    Aona would¡¯ve helped.


    That was enough for Kota. He rushed over to the fallen demon and rolled it onto its back. Its eyes were shut and its chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. He quickly scanned its body for injuries. There was a deep gash along its left calf and one of its arms looked to be dislocated. There were several other cuts along its torso and back, but they didn¡¯t seem to be too bad. Most of the blood that covered the demon¡¯s body did not seem to be its own.


    With some treatment, it should recover. Kota glanced around and his eyes landed on the small grove of trees he had fled to before. That small cluster of trees could not have grown in such a barren area without a water source.


    Kota leaned down and awkwardly lifted the demon with his arm. With only one arm, the best he could do was hook his arm around the demon¡¯s waist and sling it over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Luckily, the demon was very light, as suggested by its emaciated appearance.


    Kota made his way into the small forest. Before he entered, he glanced upwards at the sunlight beaming through the branches of the tall trees. There seemed to be enough light to keep most demons away. Tightening his grip around the demon¡¯s frail body, he trotted into the woods.


    It was a short trek to the small river cutting through the forest. Setting the demon on the grassy clearing near the bank of the river, Kota knelt at the river¡¯s edge and stuck his fingers in the water. The water was cold and clear, seemingly free of grime. Satisfied, Kota pulled off his cloak and got to work.

 Chapter 3: Taming?

    Kota woke with a start, immediately grimacing with pain from the injuries he had suffered earlier. He cast a quick glance up at the sky. Based on the movement of the sun, it seemed like a couple of hours had passed.


    I can¡¯t afford to doze off in the wild! Kota did a quick survey of his surroundings, paying special attention to the banks of the river. If any creatures were to approach, it was most likely for the water. Luckily, the dirt and ferns near the riverside appeared to be untouched.


    A scuffling sound interrupted Kota¡¯s thoughts. Several feet away from him, the little demon waged war against Kota¡¯s cloak. Kota had torn the bottom half of his cloak off for bandages. The upper half of the cloak was still wearable, so Kota had dressed the demon, which definitely needed clothing beyond the torn rags it had previously worn. Apparently, the demon disagreed.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± said Kota, grabbing the cloak and pulling the hood off the demon¡¯s head.


    The demon hissed and lashed out with its good arm, gashing Kota¡¯s wrist. Cursing, Kota stumbled backwards, trying to shake off the pain. Across from him, the demon had gotten over its fear of the cloak and began sniffing at the bandages wrapped around its leg and abdomen. Growling, the demon raised its arm to start clawing at the bandages.


    ¡°No!¡± said Kota, extending an arm. The demon turned its attention away from the bandages and faced Kota, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. After staring at him for several moments, Kota saw a flicker in the demon¡¯s eyes. A moment later, the demon slumped onto the ground, curling up into a ball.


    It needs food, water, and rest, thought Kota. He spared a glance at the sky. It seemed to be late afternoon, which meant that sunset would be coming in four or five hours. I should have enough time to reach the next village.


    Kota took out the loaf of bread and tore it in half. Carefully, he dangled a piece of the bread over the demon¡¯s head. The demon slowly uncurled and looked up at Kota. Kota wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was a trick of the light, but the demon¡¯s eyes no longer showed aggression. Instead, the eyes staring back at Kota showed nothing but fear and sadness.


    ¡°It¡¯s for you,¡± said Kota, offering the piece of bread.


    The demon reached a small hand out towards the bread. Right before it grabbed the bread, it yanked back its arm, hissing at Kota.


    Someone must¡¯ve done something bad to it before, thought Kota. He set the piece of bread on the ground and took several steps back. He sat and took out his half of the loaf, tearing into it with his teeth. Across from him, the little demon lunged and snatched the piece of bread off the ground. It pulled the bread to its chest and turned away from Kota, furtively taking large bites.


    A while later, Kota felt eyes on him. The demon had finished its part of the bread and was now staring at the bread Kota held in his hands. Kota¡¯s stomach growled, but somehow he felt that this was a small test of trust that the demon was giving him.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Ignoring the pangs of hunger in his stomach, Kota offered the piece of bread to the demon. Eyes lighting up, the demon hobbled over and snatched the piece of bread from his hand. It plopped down next to him and began munching away.


    ¡°Seems like I passed, eh?¡± said Kota, reaching a hand up to pat the demon on the head.


    The demon hissed and ducked away from his hand but did not make any further movements to attack him. Progress, at least, thought Kota. He uncapped his water flask and took a few gulps to distract himself from the hunger.


    A small, clawed hand reached up and swiped at the water flask. Kota glanced at the demon, which had already finished the other half of the bread. It was quite the messy eater ¨C crumbs were scattered across the ground and on its chin.


    Sighing, Kota handed the demon the water flask. It took the flask in its hands and peered at it intently.


    ¡°You open it like -¡±


    Kota was interrupted by a hiss. The demon turned away from him and fumbled with the cap of the water flask, eventually managing to uncap it. The demon stared at the water flask for several moments. Then it turned the flask upside down, pouring water all over the ground.


    ¡°No!¡± said Kota, lunging to snatch the water flask from the demon¡¯s hands.


    The demon dropped the flask and covered its head, trembling with fear. Kota paused for a moment before picking up the water flask. He held it out to the demon.


    Slowly, the demon lowered its arms and raised its head, wolf ears un-flattening. It gave Kota a quick glance before snatching the water flask out of his hand. Watching the demon empty the rest of his water on the ground, Kota couldn¡¯t help but crack a small smile.


    -


    ¡°I have to get going,¡± said Kota, brushing his knees off and standing. ¡°You should get going too.¡±


    The little demon glanced up from the inky mess it had drawn on a piece of paper. Kota, in an attempt to appease the demon, had sacrificed several sheets of paper, one pen, and one bottle of ink. After spending ten minutes convincing the demon that his writing supplies were not food, he had spent another hour trying to teach the little devil how to draw. The result was supplies wasted, time wasted, and Kota realizing he was a failure as a teacher.


    Kota stood and slung his pack over his shoulder. The demon looked up at him from its drawing. From what Kota could tell, it had lost most of its aggression towards him and acted much like a cat ¨C it lashed out at him whenever he tried to touch it.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± said Kota, scratching his head. ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    With his majestic words of farewell said, Kota turned and began walking towards the exit of the forest. He hadn¡¯t taken ten steps before he heard the desperate scuffling of the demon as it limped to follow him. He sighed and turned around, ready to berate the demon.


    It was crying.


    Tears streamed down the demon¡¯s face as it stumbled over to him and latched onto his leg, wrapping its arms around him and holding tight. Its sniffles and whimpers sounded like those of a human child, twisting even Kota¡¯s heart. It didn¡¯t let me touch it a single time ¨C and now it forces itself to hold onto a human. How lonely could it have been?


    Kota sighed. ¡°Well, I¡¯d be the demon if I left you behind after this.¡±


    He leaned down and put a hand on the demon¡¯s head. It emitted a weak hiss and refused to let go of his leg. After struggling with the demons grip for several moments, Kota finally unlatched the demon¡¯s arms. Before it could leap onto him again, Kota put a vice-like hand on its shoulder, keeping it from moving.


    ¡°We need to make it to the next village before dark, so you need to listen to me,¡± said Kota, not quite sure why he was speaking to a creature which obviously didn¡¯t understand him. When the demon gave no indication that it understood, Kota took his pack and turned it so that it hung over his chest instead of his back. Then he knelt and turned his back towards the demon. Immediately, the demon leaped up onto his back and grabbed onto him, digging its claws into Kota¡¯s torso.


    Kota stood took several experimental steps. The weight of the demon and his pack didn¡¯t seem to be too bad.


    Getting to the next village should be a piece of cake!

 Chapter 4: Into the Village

    Getting to the next village was not a piece of cake. After walking two hours with the demon latched onto his back, Kota¡¯s legs and waist screamed with every step he took. Sweat dripped down his brow and his breathing was ragged. It didn¡¯t help that all of his food and water had been consumed by the demon.


    The demon was in much better condition, having dozed off on Kota¡¯s shoulder. Kota had pulled the hood of the cloak up to cover the demon¡¯s ears. The cloak hung low enough to conceal the demon¡¯s bushy tail. If someone saw him carrying a demon, it would basically be a death sentence.


    Up ahead, the village came into sight. The village was surrounded by a tall wall of tall bamboo shoots driven into the ground. At the entrance of the path there was a moveable section of bamboo serving as the gate. There were two scarecrows standing in front of the gate.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Kota muttered to himself.


    Steeling himself, Kota managed to stagger his way to the gate. As he neared, he saw that they two figures weren¡¯t scarecrows. Instead, it was two men whose bodies were covered with straw laced together in what looked like a suit of armor. The one on the left carried a shovel and the one on the right carried a rake. Both wore rice hats on their heads.


    ¡°Halt!¡± shouted the man on the right, a pudgy man who looked like a pig.


    Obediently, Kota stopped ten feet away from the gate.


    ¡°Actually, come a little closer,¡± said the man on the left, a tall, thin man who looked like a snake.


    ¡°Why are you letting this bugger get so close?¡± hissed the pudgy man.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna step away from the gate,¡± replied his tall friend.


    ¡°Coward,¡± spat the pudgy man. ¡°Oi! Come a bit closer mate!¡±


    Kota took a few steps forward. A cold sweat broke on his brow. If the demon awoke, he wasn¡¯t sure what its reaction would be. To him it might behave like a human, but with strangers¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re lookin¡¯ a little nervous, mate!¡± said the pudgy man, glaring at Kota. ¡°You hidin¡¯ somethin¡¯ from us?¡±


    ¡°No sir,¡± said Kota, keeping his gaze level.


    ¡°He¡¯s just kiddin¡¯ with ya,¡± said the thin man, forcing a laugh. The pudgy man silenced him with a glare.


    ¡°What you have there on your back?¡± asked the pudgy man.


    ¡°It¡¯s my little sister,¡± said Kota. ¡°She¡¯s tired from walking.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± said the pudgy man. ¡°Lemme have a quick looksie.¡±


    Heart pounding, Kota knelt. He flexed his leg muscles, preparing himself in case he had to flee. Even with the demon on his back, he was sure he could outrun these poor excuses for guards.


    The pudgy man peered underneath the hood of the cloak. A moment later, the pudgy man leaned backwards, eyes wide and face pale. Kota¡¯s heart sank and dug his feet into the ground, getting ready to sprint.


    ¡°Y-yeah it¡¯s his sister all right,¡± said the pudgy man.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Kota frowned.


    ¡°He beat his little sister to a pulp!¡± the pudgy man hissed to his friend.


    ¡°Shhh! Shhh!¡± the tall man whispered back. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die here!¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± asked Kota, interrupting their conversation.


    ¡°No no no, mate,¡± said the pudgy man, grinning at Kota. ¡°Go on ahead, good sir.¡±


    Kota relaxed and stepped forward when the two men pulled the gate aside. Before he entered, the pudgy man stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.


    ¡°If yer just passin¡¯ by, don¡¯t worry ¡®bout what the kid with the red hair says,¡± said the pudgy man. ¡°Also, make sure ya stay on the path.¡±


    Kota thanked the man for the tip with a nod and trudged past the gate. What he saw shocked him. The village itself was surrounded by another wall of thick wooden logs. Between the inner wall and the outer bamboo wall was a battlefield. Holes and trenches were dug in the clearing. The holes housed sharpened stakes to impale those who fell in. Men and women worked to cover the pits with a thin layer of straw disguised as the ground.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± shouted one man. ¡°We only got a couple o¡¯ hours til nightfall!¡±


    Kota lowered his head and hurried down the path. From what he had seen, the traps were rudimentary and the men were farmers, not soldiers. It was only a matter of time before this village was run over by the demons.


    ¡°Hey!¡± called a voice from behind Kota.


    Kota turned. Behind him stood a man who looked to be in his early twenties. He was a short man, only coming to Kota¡¯s shoulder. He wore the same straw armor as the guards that made him look even stockier than he already was. Lastly, the man¡¯s head was covered by a mess of curly bright red hair, tied into a bun.


    ¡°You a passerby?¡± said the youth, walking up to Kota.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Kota, the pudgy man¡¯s warning still fresh in his mind. ¡°My sister and I will stay the night here ¨C then we will be on our way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± said the young man, face splitting into a wide smile. ¡°What do ya fight with?¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°What do ya fight with?¡± the man repeated, not missing a beat.


    ¡°Fight?¡± said Kota. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you mean.¡±


    ¡°If you wanna stay, you gotta fight,¡± said the young man, still grinning.


    Kota scowled, back and legs aching from carrying the demon. ¡°Is this the hospitality that you use to treat guests?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a coward, aren¡¯t ya?¡± said the man with red hair. ¡°You don¡¯t care who dies. As long as you live, everything¡¯s okay?¡±


    Kota didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if the elderly die? It¡¯s okay if the children die?¡± asked the young man, still smiling. ¡°Say it. I know you¡¯re thinking it.¡±


    Kota turned to continue on his way. He took one step before battle reflexes lying dormant in his body sprang awake. Kota dropped into a crouch, feeling a whoosh of air above his head as the youth¡¯s fist sailed passed. Not giving his attacker any time to recover, Kota pivoted on his left foot, sweeping his right foot in an arc behind him. His right shin crashed into the ankle of his opponent, sending him crashing to the ground. Kota leaped backwards, facing the man with red hair.


    ¡°Kip!¡± shouted a man. Several older men, also dressed in the straw armor, hurried over to the scene. The young man, Kip, sprang to his feet, face as red as his hair. The older men held him back, keeping him from attacking Kota.


    ¡°I beg ya pardon, sir,¡± said one of the older men, bowing to Kota. ¡°He is but a wee lad, caught up in the madness of war.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bow to that coward!¡± Kip roared, straining against the men holding him.


    ¡°Go on now,¡± said the older man, gesturing at Kota. ¡°We hope ya enjoy yer time here!¡±


    Something about the older man¡¯s twinkling smile calmed Kota. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, soothing his nerves and slowing his heart. When he had calmed himself, he returned the smile to the old man.


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    Kota watched as the men pulled a seething Kip away. It was then that Kota noticed the pain in his torso and the low growling coming from behind him. Kota glanced over his shoulder at the demon. Fierce yellow eyes glared out from under the hood of the cloak and the creature¡¯s sharp claws dug into his shoulders. Kota could feel its tail swishing back and forth against his back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kota whispered, giving the demon a quick rub on the head.


    The movement seemed to calm it, and the demon¡¯s growing ceased. It lifted an arm to pull the hood of its head, but Kota caught its arm in his hand.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Kota whispered.


    The demon stared at him for a long moment. Then it placed its arm back around Kota¡¯s neck. Surprised by its obedience, Kota wondered if he had actually tamed it. Definitely not, he concluded. Just a coincidence.


    Dismissing the incident with Kip from his mind, Kota headed into the village.

 Chapter 5: Nightfall

    The village was completely abandoned. Or so it looked. It was a small village, consisting of only thirty or so wooden shack-like buildings. Each of the buildings had wooden panels hammered over the windows and every door seemed to be securely shut. There wasn¡¯t a single person in sight in the streets of the town.


    Near the entrance to the town was a large two-story building that had a sign that read ¡®Inn¡¯ hanging on the front door. Just like all of the other buildings, the windows were shut with wooden planks and the inn itself emanated a sense of abandonment.


    On his back, the demon was getting antsy, scrabbling against Kota¡¯s back with its legs. This, combined with the ache of Kota¡¯s body from carrying the demon, caused him to kneel and let the demon off. As soon as its feet touched the ground, the demon began to explore its surroundings.


    Keeping a careful eye on the demon, Kota walked up the steps to the inn and tried the handle. It was locked. Frowning, Kota pressed his ear against the thick wooden door. Inside the inn, he heard some quiet voices talking. Kota stepped back and pounded on the door three times with his fist.


    Several moments later, the door slid open and a burly man with a bald head and thick bushy beard peered out at Kota.


    ¡°Is this inn open?¡± Kota asked.


    ¡°You passin¡¯ by this town?¡± the man asked.


    Kota nodded.


    ¡°We don¡¯t get many visitors these days,¡± said the man, holding the door open for Kota. ¡°But you can try an¡¯ find space where ya can.¡±


    Kota turned to beckon the demon over, only to find it already huddled behind his back. It peeked out from behind him, keeping a tight grip on Kota¡¯s tunic. Kota reached down and took the demon by the hand. The demon glanced at his hand for a moment, as if it were debating whether or not to sink its fangs into the flesh. Deciding against it, the demon allowed itself to be pulled into the inn by hand.


    Kota¡¯s eyes widened as they got used to the dim lighting of the inn. The inn¡¯s lobby was packed with women, children, and the elderly. Each family seemed to take up a little area along a wall, while a single waitress walked around and distributed food. There were no smiles, even from the children. Somber eyes stared back at Kota as he made his way into the inn.


    ¡°Come sit ¡®ere, young ¡®un,¡± said a middle aged woman, shifting over to make room for Kota. She wore a baker¡¯s apron and rocked a young baby in her arms.


    Kota glanced down at the demon. Its eyes seemed dull and tired, not a hint of bloodthirst. Keeping his arm around the demon¡¯s shoulders, more for the villager¡¯s safety than his own, Kota took a seat against the wall. The demon curled into a ball next to him, yawning and closing its eyes. Kota tugged the demon¡¯s cloak a bit to make sure that its ears and tail didn¡¯t stick out as it slept.


    ¡°How old is she?¡± asked the woman sitting next to him, smiling warmly.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± said Kota. ¡°She just turned twelve.¡±


    ¡°Take good care o¡¯ her,¡± said the woman, glancing down fondly at her own baby. ¡°Ya don¡¯t really know how much somethin¡¯ means ta you ¡®til ya lose it.¡±


    Kota could only nod, reaching up to grab his pendant. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for these¡­living arrangements?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the demons!¡± said the woman, eyes narrowing. ¡°They¡¯ve been runnin¡¯ every town around ¡®ere down! It¡¯s a miracle we¡¯re still alive!¡±


    Kota grimaced, thinking back to the ruins of the village he had come from.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°It¡¯s all ¡®cuz of young Kip, bless his soul!¡± continued the woman. ¡°He came up with all the ideas of the traps an¡¯ movin¡¯ everyone in here. Says the other homes are a dis-track-shun or somethin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Kip?¡± said Kota. ¡°He¡¯s the one with the red hair?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡± said the woman. ¡°He¡¯s always been a bright ¡®un. It¡¯s jus¡¯ that¡­he feels responsible for this entire situa-shun.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± asked Kota.


    The woman leaned in and lowered her voice. ¡°He was th¡¯ one who led ¡®em here. Poor boy ran into one of ¡®em demons and was scared for ¡®is life. Ran all the way back ta his mama and papa. Demon killed ¡®is whole family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± said Kota, glancing down at the demon next to him. For the first time, he began wondering how many lives it had taken. The demon had been in the ruins of the last village. That meant it had taken innocent lives. And I¡¯m showing this murderous creature pity? The stump of Kota¡¯s arm pulsated with pain and he bit the inside of his lip, forcing himself to remain still.


    ¡°After that, all th¡¯ other demons started comin¡¯,¡± said the woman. ¡°More an¡¯ more each night. Don¡¯t seem like they gonna stop ¡®til we¡¯re all dead.¡±


    Next to them, a little boy started to cry.


    ¡°Passerby, can I talk to ya real quick?¡± asked the burly man who had opened the door of Kota.


    Kota nodded and stood, glancing behind him to make sure that the little demon was still sleeping. If the demon ever takes the life of another human, I will personally kill it, Kota vowed. And after that, I will take my own life.


    ¡°I¡¯m about ta go out an¡¯ join the boys,¡± said the man, placing an arm around Kota¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I need ya ta promise me, if the demons get here, you gotta fight!¡±


    Kota lowered his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a writer. I don¡¯t know how to fight.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to!¡± said the man, patting Kota on the back. ¡°I jus¡¯¡­jus¡¯ want a lil¡¯ peace o¡¯ mind¡­¡¯specially since my wife and kids are ¡®ere.¡±


    Kota sighed. ¡°I give you my word. If the demons get here, I¡¯ll try to keep these people safe.¡±


    The man grinned and clapped Kota on the shoulder. But through the grin, Kota could see the fear in the man¡¯s eyes. Kota watched as the man walked over to a woman and two kids sitting next to the counter of the inn. He bent down and kissed each of his children on the head. After giving his wife a long embrace, the man turned and walked to the door. He turned back and looked Kota in the eye briefly. Then he was gone.


    Night fell.


    -


    There was absolute silence in the inn apart from the occasional cough or whimper. All of the candles had been blown out and families huddled together to keep warm. Kota sat next to the demon, keeping a hand on its body, feeling its torso move up and down as it breathed. As he sat, he mulled over the story that the woman had told him.


    Demons had plagued the land for as long as Kota could remember, but the more he thought about, it the more he realized he had no idea what they actually were. All of his life, he had thought of demons the same way that the people in the village had ¨C foul creatures that existed for the purpose of tormenting humans. But after seeing how the little wolf demon acted and hearing about demons coordinated attacks on the village, he began to wonder if demons were more than simply pestilence.


    Kota¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as screams and shouts were heard from outside. Inside the inn, several people began to whisper and sob. A moment later, the snarls and growls of demons were heard as well. There was a loud crash and the lobby of the inn was illuminated by a large fire burning outside. Frightened faces glanced around at each other, wordlessly praying for the safety of loved ones.


    Kota heard a low growling next to him. He glanced down at the little demon, which had raised itself to a crouching position next to Kota. Its yellow eyes glinted in the darkness of the inn and its head twitched around. A baby across the room started to wail.


    Kota¡¯s breath quickened when the demon started to prowl towards the baby.


    ¡°No!¡± Kota hissed, reaching out to grab the demon.


    The demon whirled around and batted his hand away, emitting a frightening hiss.


    ¡°What was that?¡± a voice asked, trembling.


    I was a fool!


    Kota cursed himself, springing to his feet. He lunged, trying to grab onto the demon. It darted out from under his arms, letting him crash onto the floorboards of the inn. Kota could only watch as the demon bounded towards the baby, still sobbing.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Kota screamed.


    As the demon approached its prey, it loosed a frightening roar. The people sitting next to the baby began to scream, fleeing away from the wall and flocking towards the side of the inn that Kota had been sitting against.


    Kota forced himself to his feet, trying to push his way to through the panicking crowd. Bumping and crashing against strangers, Kota finally made his way out of the chaos. The demon stood by itself in front of the now-emptied wall. Its fangs were bared, and its tail swished back and forth. A continuous low growl rumbled from the demon¡¯s throat.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± someone whispered.


    ¡°Is that a demon?¡±


    ¡°Are we gonna die?¡±


    That¡¯s when another demon exploded through the wall of the inn.

 Chapter 6: Aona

    The demon was a monstrous sight. From first glance it looked to be a bear standing on its hind legs. However, its arms and legs were not short and stocky like those of a bear. The demon¡¯s body and limbs were proportioned the same as a human¡¯s, giving the creature a warped and distorted appearance. Crazed black eyes glared around the inn¡¯s lobby and thick globules of drool dripped onto the floor.


    Facing the bear demon, the little wolf demon hissed and dropped into a fighting pose.


    ¡°Get back!¡± Kota hissed. There was no way the little wolf demon could fight against this monstrosity.


    The little wolf demon ignored him, growling at the bear demon.


    The bear demon smacked the wolf demon aside with one of its enormous paws. The little wolf demon crashed into the wall of the inn, landing in a crumpled heap amongst the village citizens huddling against the wall.


    Behind Kota, the villagers began to scream and wail. Kota was frozen, only seeing one thing ¨C the body of the little wolf demon, limp and unmoving on the ground. Just like his sister.


    Kota¡¯s body started to tremble, and his breath quickened. His left hand curled into a first and the stump of his right arm seared with pain. The bear demon turned away from the fallen wolf demon and faced Kota. The villagers whimpered in fear and pressed up against the wall, leaving Kota standing in the middle of the inn by himself.


    The bear demon released an earth-shattering roar, spraying spittle across the inn.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I swore never to touch a sword again,¡± whispered Kota.


    When the bear demon swung clawed paw at Kota, Kota leaped forward, transitioning his dive into a somersault between the demon¡¯s legs. Kota swung upwards, smashing his fist upwards into the bear demon¡¯s groin.


    The bear demon roared with rage and staggered forward. As it stumbled, Kota kicked the back of the demon¡¯s knee, sending it crumpling to the ground. Before the demon could respond, Kota leaped onto the back of the demon, straddling the demon¡¯s neck between his legs. As the bear demon hauled itself to its feet, Kota twisted his body, jerking his legs around in an attempt to snap the demon¡¯s neck.


    The bear demon¡¯s neck was too thick.


    Kota released the bear demon and dropped to the ground to avoid being gashed by its claws. He pounced backwards, furiously working to calculate his next move. That¡¯s when the bear demon struck.


    With lightning speed for its size, the demon spun around and lashed out with a leg, making contact with Kota¡¯s chest. Kota felt all the air being expelled from his lungs as he hurtled backwards, tumbling across the wooden floorboards of the inn.


    Head ringing, Kota rolled to a stop. He felt a trickle of blood down his chin where his teeth had cut his lip. Kota tried to pull himself to his feet, but his vision blurred and he fell to a knee. In front of him, the bear demon stomped closer and closer.


    The little wolf demon shot through the air, tackling the bear demon from behind. The bear demon roared and twisted around, trying to shake the wolf demon off. The wolf demon sunk its teeth into the bear demon¡¯s flank, eliciting a growl of pain.


    I need to help her. Kota staggered to his feet, trying to regain his bearings.


    The bear demon, annoyed with the wolf demon¡¯s interference, dropped onto all fours. Kota shielded his face as the demon flexed all of its muscles at once, releasing a small shockwave that blasted the little wolf demon off its back.


    In the dim light of the fires burning outside, Kota could make out a dull red aura surrounding the bear demon¡¯s body. He swallowed as he remembered what his master had said: Auras are unique to each demon ¨C some burn, some cut, some are hard as steel. But if you need to remember one thing about an aura, it¡¯s that you should¡¯ve killed the demon before you saw its aura.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The little wolf demon crept out of the shadows, surrounded by its own light blue aura. However, unlike the bear demon¡¯s aura, which enveloped its entire body like a flame, the wolf demon¡¯s aura was pitifully small. From what Kota could see, the little wolf demon¡¯s aura was little more than just a slight glow emitted from its skin. A moment later, the slight glow of its aura vanished as it struggled to remain on its feet after the beating it had taken.


    Kota lurched forward, trying to engage the bear demon in battle. The bear demon ignored him, swinging its paw down towards the little wolf demon. Even from a distance away, Kota could hear the air whistling from the sheer force of the blow.


    If I don¡¯t stop this, she¡¯s going to die.


    Time seemed to slow for Kota. Underneath the incoming attack, the little wolf demon turned to look at Kota. In that instant, its eyes seemed so very human. They seemed to understand what was about to happen. There was no fear ¨C just a little bit of sadness.


    ¡°I WON¡¯T LOSE YOU TOO!¡± Kota screamed.


    The bear demon¡¯s paw crashed into the floor of the inn, splintering wood and rupturing the surrounding area. When it lifted its paw, Kota could only see the darkness of the crater it left. He didn¡¯t want to see anything else.


    As the bear demon turned its eyes to Kota, Kota felt the coldness of pure hatred course through his veins. Rage consuming all common sense in his brain, Kota leapt forward. But when he launched himself at his enemy, Kota felt some kind of energy exploding from the soles of his feet.


    Kota rocketed forward, air crackling around him. He shot forward like an arrow moving at the speed of light. The bear demon raised a paw to defend itself, but by the time it registered the danger, Kota¡¯s left first was already an inch away from the demon¡¯s face.


    Kota unleashed a frightening battle cry as his fist made contact with the demon¡¯s face. In an instant, his first exploded with bright blue energy, snapping and crackling in the night air. His first blistered through the demon¡¯s head, smashing the demon¡¯s body down into a crater five the times the size of the one it had created.


    As Kota fell, the mysterious energy vanished and he crashed to the floor, tumbling and sliding into one of the intact walls of the inn. His entire body spasmed with pain, as if his blood was boiling inside of him. Kota fought to stay awake, but the pain eventually engulfed his mind. The last thing Kota thought about before he fainted was the little wolf demon.


    I hope she¡¯s in a better place.


    -


    When Kota awoke, he felt surprisingly good. The sun was shining over his head, and the blue skies were clear of any cloud. A slight breeze lifted Kota¡¯s hair, and he breathed in the faint scent of pine.


    Am I in heaven?


    Kota¡¯s question was answered as something pounced on top of him, scratching and clawing with all its might. Kota¡¯s defense mechanism kicked in and he snatched his assailant by the scruff of the shirt. He sat up to face his attacker.


    It was the little wolf demon.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch ya,¡± said the woman who Kota had been sitting next to last night.


    Kota released the wolf demon, who immediately went back to attempting to wrestle with him. He was still sitting in the middle of the remnants of the inn. There were still several families sitting around, but through the large hole in the wall created by the bear demon, Kota could see villagers bustling around in the town.


    ¡°What happened last night?¡± Kota asked, mouth dry and parched.


    ¡°¡¯Twas a miracle, I tell ya!¡± said the woman. ¡°Once ya killed that big bear, the rest ¡®o them demons ran off like scoundrels!¡±


    A small crowd had formed around Kota. He recognized several of the women, children, and elderly from the inn last night, but there were a lot of new faces mixed in. The little wolf demon hid behind Kota, crouching so only its fuzzy ears could be seen from over Kota¡¯s shoulder.


    Fuzzy ears?


    Kota whirled around and quickly yanked the demon¡¯s hood over its head. The little wolf demon swiped the hood off instantly and hissed at Kota, scratching at its ears.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± said Kota, turning around to face the crowd, increasing in size. ¡°Fake ears.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the lies, young ¡®un,¡± said the woman. ¡°She protected us too.¡±


    A few others in the crowd chimed in with their assent.


    ¡°Mr. Passerby!¡± shouted a voice in the midst of the crowd. The crowd parted and Kip forced his way to the front, stocky frame making for an intimidating figure. Without waiting for a response, Kip dropped to his knees, smashing his forehead against the floorboards of the inn.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for callin¡¯ ya a coward!¡± Kip said. ¡°Thanks for protectin¡¯ the village!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how ya thank the village savior?¡± snapped the woman, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°Shame on you!¡±


    Kip raised his head, forehead red from the floorboards. His face split into that wide grin again. This time, Kota sensed no hidden malice or resentment from the smile. ¡°From now on, yer my big bro!¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­?¡± said Kota.


    ¡°Yer welcome!¡± said Kip. ¡°Who¡¯s yer cute lil¡¯ friend?¡±


    Kota glanced over at the little wolf demon, who peered curiously out at the crowd. Looking at the faces staring back at them, Kota only saw expressions of respect and admiration. Not a single face of disgust or fear. Kota smiled. If other people were going to start treating the little wolf demon like a human, it was about time that he did too.


    ¡°This is Aona.¡±

 Chapter 7: An Old Friend

    Kota sat on the front steps of the inn, watching as people bustled about to repair the damage from the attack. Aona stood next to him, leaning over the wooden railing of the front porch. For someone who had almost met her maker last night, she was surprisingly energetic.


    ¡°What happened last night?¡± Kota asked, stroking his chin. All he remembered was the bear demon smashing Aona into the ground. The strange burst of energy inside him and how Aona had survived were both mysteries to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Wandering!¡± shouted a voice from just outside the gate of the town. ¡°The stars have blessed us! One of the Wandering has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Aona, come over here,¡± said Kota. The Wandering was the name given to the regiment of super soldiers who patrolled the land. They were not assigned any specific duties; they simply roamed the land in search for place in need of help, hence their name. The purpose of their creation was the elimination of all demons. Needless to say, it would not be wise for Aona to show herself.


    However, Aona had other ideas. She sprang off the railing of the front porch and dashed towards the gate of the village, where a small crowd was forming. Cursing, Kota had no choice but to go after her.


    Once they were in the middle of the crowd, Kota was finally able to get a hold of Aona. He managed to slip the hood of her cloak over her head after giving her a piece of bread as a bribe, courtesy of the villagers. Semi-satisfied with her disguise, Kota glanced through the crowd at the Wandering.


    At the entrance of the inner gates stood a group of three people, one man and two women. The man was tall, towering over almost everyone in the village. He wore a bright white cloak that made his pale skin seem even paler. His shoulder-length blond hair was slicked back and tucked neatly behind his ears. At his waist was one of the legendary swords of the Wandering. Forged by the greatest blacksmiths in the land, these blades were custom made for each of the Wandering, guaranteed to cut the toughest material and resist breaking outside of extraordinary circumstances.


    The two women were not members of the Wandering. Due to the almost mythical status of the Wandering, people flocked to their sides to become assistants. The two assistants were both dressed scantily and gave each other sideways glares every few moments. Kota suspected they were not real assistants.


    ¡°Thank the stars you¡¯ve come!¡± said Kip, standing at the forefront of the crowd. ¡°We didn¡¯t think ya heard our cries for help!¡±


    ¡°Have no fear,¡± said the member of the Wandering, voice smooth as silk. ¡°The demons won¡¯t dare return after I¡¯m done with them.¡±


    As the crowd murmured with excitement, the member of the Wandering¡¯s eyes scanned over the mass of people. As the man did so, his eyes met Kota¡¯s for an instant, widening. Kota cursed under his breath and lowered his head. I know him!


    ¡°Kota!¡± called the member of the Wandering. ¡°Kota! Is that you?¡±


    The crowd hushed and began parting as man approached Kota. Kota tried to take a step back, but the mass of people behind him prevented him from moving. Aona clutched at the back of his tunic with her little hands.


    The tall man came to a stop in front of Kota. With nowhere to move, Kota had no choice but to look up at meet the eyes the man. The man¡¯s brilliant green eyes stared down at the dull brown eyes of Kota, haughty and confident.


    ¡°By the stars, imagine meeting you here!¡± said the member of the Wandering. ¡°Missing arm and everything!¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Kota¡¯s mouth twisted with contempt. ¡°Hello, Francis.¡±


    Francis returned the sneer. ¡°You look tired, old friend.¡±


    ¡°And you look like you¡¯re not tired enough,¡± said Kota. ¡°You should¡¯ve been here earlier.¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± spat Francis. He raised his voice so the crowd could hear. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who got kicked from the Wandering for murdering his own sister!¡±


    The crowd gasped and hushed whispers were exchanged.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± said Francis. ¡°Those in the Wandering once called this man a genius! Turns out he¡¯s nothing more than scum.¡±


    ¡°That man is our savior!¡± shouted Kip, stomping up to face Francis. The short, stocky young man was a full head and a half shorter than Francis.


    ¡°That man killed his own sister, peasant,¡± Francis said, staring down his nose at Kip.


    Kip paused for a moment, then turned to look back at Kota. ¡°That true?¡±


    Kota lowered his head. ¡°¡­I was responsible for the death of my sister.¡±


    Kip stared at Kota for a moment. ¡°Ah¡­is that so¡­¡±


    Abruptly, Kip whirled around and threw a fist at Francis. Francis, with the grace of a swan, side-stepped the blow.


    ¡°Kip!¡± several village people cried.


    ¡°I used ta look up to the Wandering,¡± said Kip, taking up a fighting stance. ¡°Ya don¡¯t have ta worry, big bro! I can tell from yer face it¡¯s not the whole story!¡±


    Francis stared at Kip¡¯s fighting stance for a moment. Then he burst into laughter. Behind him, his companions began chiming in with their own giggles.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you, peasant,¡± said Francis, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°That would be a waste of both of our time.¡±


    ¡°Say what?¡± roared Kip.


    ¡°But you, Kota¡­¡± said Francis, licking his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s spar, just like we used to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Kip shouted, lunging at Francis.


    Without even glancing in Kip¡¯s direction, Francis grabbed Kip by the face and slammed him into the ground, all in one fluid motion. In an instant, Francis shifted his grip to Kip¡¯s neck, squeezing with an iron grasp. Kip batted at the arm holding him down to no avail.


    Kota¡¯s right stump pulsated with pain and his left hand curled into a first.


    Francis looked up at Kota, eyes dead serious. ¡°Come. Let me show you something the masters never taught you.¡±


    Kota had had enough. Fighting off the weariness in his body, he aimed a kick at Francis¡¯s head. Francis hopped backwards, finally releasing Kip¡¯s neck. Kip coughed and gagged, gasping for breath. Several of the villagers reached down to help him up.


    Kota stared Francis down. If I recall correctly, he¡¯s strong but not too fast. If I put him in a pinch, he¡¯ll panic.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± taunted Francis. ¡°You -¡±


    Kota launched his attack. He darted forward, swinging his fist at Francis¡¯s face. Francis smirked at the obvious attack, lifting his arms to parry. Right before he made contact with Francis, Kota switched the trajectory of his blow from forward to up. His fist glanced off of Francis¡¯s forearm, forcing Francis to take a step back.


    That¡¯s when Kota used the speed that he had always been praised for. In an instant, he dropped into a crouch and exploded forth, aiming a blow at Francis¡¯s midsection. Kota knew that Francis was tall ¨C because he was leaning back from Kota¡¯s first punch, there was no way Francis could parry in time.


    Francis vanished.


    What?


    A first rammed into Kota¡¯s abdomen, knocking all the air from his lungs. Gasping, Kota staggered backwards, only to get another first in the face. He wildly raised his arm to protect himself, but a third punch from Francis blew past his guard, catching him on the chin and knocking him onto the ground.


    Kota lay on his back, wheezing for air. He felt blood trickling from his nose and his ribs ached every time he breathed. Francis towered over him, face twisted with disappointment. In the hazy air of midday, the sun¡¯s rays made it seem like the space around Francis was waving and flickering, almost like an aura. When Kota blinked, the illusion was gone.


    ¡°You¡¯re a failure, Kota,¡± said Francis. ¡°Get out of this town before you embarrass yourself further.¡±


    Francis turned and began walking away. Kota hauled himself into a sitting position, still panting from the fight. Behind him, he heard a low growling. Aona had walked forward, fangs bared and yellow eyes fixed on Francis¡¯s turned back.


    Kota stopped her with a hand, impeding any further movement. Glancing up at Francis¡¯s receding back, Kota pounded his fist into the ground and squeezed his eyes shut. In his years training with the masters of the Wandering, Kota had sparred with Francis many times. He had never lost.


    But things were different now, and the sad truth burned through Kota, reigniting desires and frustrations that he had locked away after he had left the Wandering.


    I can¡¯t beat him.

 Chapter 8: The Nobleman

    It was the second day since leaving the small village. From Kota¡¯s estimations, he had traveled about halfway to Arabol, a large city that was well defended against demons. There was supposed to be another small village on the way there, but Kota had discovered only their ruins last night. Luckily, there still had been several buildings standing where he could camp out for the night.


    Of course, where Kota went, Aona followed.


    ¡°You tired?¡± Kota asked, glancing down at Aona.


    Aona tilted her head up at him and gave him a fanged smile. The little wolf demon definitely didn¡¯t understand the words he was saying, but she at least recognized when he was speaking to her. Kota wondered if he would one day be able to train her to speak.


    What am I thinking, one day? Kota chided himself. She¡¯s a wild demon. I¡¯m lucky that she hasn¡¯t butchered me in my sleep.


    But truth be told, Kota had already realized that Aona was a little different from other demons the moment she had attacked the bear demon to protect the humans. Whether she was underdeveloped for a demon or simply did not have the hunger, Kota did not know, but for the time being, he was happy to have a little company on his journey.


    Aona meowed at Kota. The meows were a new sound that Aona had started making the past couple of days. Kota had heard her growl and hiss, but the meow was the first unaggressive sound that Kota had heard her make. Kota understood it as some kind of comment or question.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± said Kota. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Field of Fallen Stars.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± said Kota. ¡°I¡¯m having a little trouble writing the story I want to write. I¡¯ve heard the Field of Fallen Stars is the most beautiful sight known to mankind ¨C if I see it, I bet I could get inspiration to finish.¡±


    Aona stared up at Kota, yellow eyes wide with wonder.


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Kota asked, pausing in the middle of the path.


    Aona hissed and leaped upwards, swiping at a butterfly fluttering over Kota¡¯s head. Kota sighed and stared plodding down the path again, shaking his head and smiling.


    The smile slipped off of Kota¡¯s face as a small group of people came into view in the distance. Kota reached down and pulled Aona¡¯s rice hat off her back and onto her head. She scowled at him and swiped half-heartedly at his arm. Over the past couple of days, Kota had gotten it into her head that if she wanted to travel with him, there were times were she simply needed to wear a hat. Her tail was now safely covered by the brown peasant¡¯s dress hanging to her ankles. Aona had left more than a few scratches on Kota and the village tailor when they had dressed her.


    Kota scanned the group of people as they came into a view. There were five of them in total ¨C four men and one woman. Each one of them was dressed in light armor and each wielded a weapon. However, none of them carried themselves like a member of the Wandering.


    Beside him, Aona hissed quietly at the sight. Kota vaguely remembered Aona¡¯s reaction when he had wielded the stick ¨C these people carrying swords, spears, and shields probably appeared much more frightening. Kota reached down and took her hand ¨C a gesture that seemed to calm her.


    ¡°Good day, stranger!¡± said the man walking at the head of the group. He was young, probably younger than twenty. He had curly brown hair hanging to his shoulders, dark blue eyes, and a haughty smile on his face. He was dressed in a suit of golden armor and had a sword as long as he was tall strapped to his back. The hilt of the sword was infused with gems of all color, making it look more like treasure than a weapon.


    Kota dipped his head in greeting, casting a glance at the rest of the party as he passed. The other three men and the woman were dressed and armed nowhere near as fancily as their leader. They wore leather armor and the weapons they carried were dirty and dull.


    Seems like a noble and his guards, thought Kota. Nothing to see here.


    The low growls from Aona stopped him. Her right hand had tightened around his left, squeezing intensely. Her yellow eyes were fixed on the party of five.


    It¡¯s none of my business! Kota ignored Aona and tugged on her hand. Aona glared up at him and hissed loudly.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°What was that sound?¡± asked one of the men, pausing. ¡°Sounded like a demon.¡±


    Kota turned to Aona and pressed a finger against his lips. Fortunately, she understood this gesture and quieted her growls to a low grumble.


    ¡°Did you hear that too?¡± said Kota. It¡¯ll be trouble if these five attack me.


    ¡°We must be getting close!¡± said the noble, eyes glinting.


    Seeing the look in the man¡¯s eyes, Kota couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Close to what?¡±


    ¡°Demons!¡± said the young nobleman, eyes wide with excitement. Behind him, his guards gave each other quick glances.


    ¡°There indeed are demons everywhere around here,¡± said Kota. ¡°The next village up the road has already been decimated. I¡¯d suggest you hurry if you want to make it civilization before dark.¡±


    ¡°Why would we do that?¡± asked the nobleman, brow furrowed. ¡°We¡¯re hunting demons.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± said one of the guards. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Humans hunting demons? Kota made sure to keep a tight grip on Aona¡¯s hand. He watched as the noble and his guards turned and started making their way down the path once more. No one in the right mind would go after demons.


    ¡°You said you knew where the demons¡¯ lair was, right?¡± the nobleman asked one of his guards, voice faint in the distance but still loud enough to be heard.


    Kota didn¡¯t hear the response, but he had heard enough. First, with only five fighters with poor equipment, a single demon could destroy their whole party. But that wasn¡¯t what Kota was concerned about. He was more concerned about the fact that the only people who had ever made it close enough to a so-called demon lair without dying were the Wandering.


    Aona strained against Kota¡¯s hand, pulling him towards the receding backs of the party.


    ¡°Seems like something about those people is really bothering you,¡± said Kota.


    Aona hissed and glared at him.


    Kota sighed and glanced up at the sky. They were probably half an hour to an hour out from Arabol and there was plenty of day to work with. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t hurt to see what they¡¯re up to.¡±


    Acquiescing to Aona¡¯s demands, Kota let her pull him after the party.


    -


    The two of them tailed the party for the better part of twenty minutes. Kota had pulled Aona off the main path and into the tall weeds lining the sides of the path, disguising their behavior from the target. Unfortunately, Aona seemed to hate the weeds more than she hated humans. Every few moments, she would whirl around and gnash at the weeds tickling her tail, almost mauling Kota in the process and disturbing everything within a close radius. Kota had almost decided to call it quits and head back in the direction of Arabol when the party came to an abrupt stop in the middle of nowhere.


    Because Aona was so loud, they were too far away to hear what the people were saying. In the distance, the three men and one woman dressed in ordinary armor surrounded the nobleman, drawing their weapons and facing him. The nobleman, looked around, face a sickly shade of pallid white.


    Serves him right for wearing such flamboyant armor, thought Kota, checking to make sure that Aona was behaving.


    She was gone.


    Kota cursed under his breath and glanced around. A distance away, there was a whoosh of gray cutting through the tall weeds. The next moment, Aona burst out of the weeds and onto the path, barreling into the back of one of the men.


    ¡°Curse the stars!¡± Kota roared, charging through the weeds.


    ¡°A demon!¡± screamed the nobleman.


    Ignoring his cry, the woman lunged forward with her sword, aiming not at Aona but for the nobleman. In the midst of the woman¡¯s attack, Aona sprang through the air, surrounded by a faint blue aura. Even with an aura as weak as her own, Aona moved like a bullet. She rammed into the woman¡¯s abdomen, sending the woman tumbling off the path and into the weeds.


    ¡°Kill it!¡± shouted the nobleman, cowering on the ground and covering his head with his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll give you anything you want if you save me!¡±


    Kota finally burst out of the tall weeds, sweating and panting from wading through the thick vegetation. Before he had time to catch his breath, one of the remaining three men leaped at him, swinging a sword straight down at Kota¡¯s head.


    Maybe it was the pain of having countless small cuts on his legs from baring through the weeds. Maybe it was the frustration of losing the fight to Francis. Whatever it was, rage surged through Kota, igniting an emotion in him that he had not felt since his days as one of the Wandering.


    Bloodlust.


    Kota took a single step to the side. The man¡¯s blade sunk into the ground an inch to the side of Kota¡¯s body. Not giving the man time to draw his blade, Kota drew his fist back and released all of his rage in a single blow. His fist smashed into the man¡¯s face. Kota felt bones and cartilage crunching beneath his knuckles. With a roar, Kota angled the trajectory of his blow to the ground, smashing the man¡¯s head against the dirt path. There was a dull thud and the man no longer moved.


    Shoulders heaving, Kota looked up. Several feet away from him, Aona darted in between the cowering nobleman and the two men attacking her. Aona snarled and batted away a blow aimed at her. Immediately pouncing to the left, she lashed out with a leg and kicked the other man away, who had tried to grab the noble behind her. Kota¡¯s eyes widened as we realized what was happening.


    She¡¯s protecting him.


    A small smile crossed Kota¡¯s lips and he sprang into action. Like the defeated man and woman, these last two men did not put up much of a fight. When it was all said and done, the men had fled, carrying their injured companions off into the distance. The nobleman remained where he was, curled up in a ball and whimpering.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kota to Aona, who was licking at a scrape on her arm. She glanced up at him and bared her fangs in a smile. Kota slung his pack back over his shoulder and started heading back down the path where they had come from, Aona on his heels.


    ¡°Wait!¡± a voice called from behind them.


    The nobleman had crawled to his feet, legs trembling as he stood. He slowly raised his head, blue eyes determined despite the fear that quavered through his body.


    ¡°I need your help.¡±