《The Demon Slayer》


 The Swedish Fiend

    The mist gradually lifted, revealing an incredible sight. The darkness of the midnight sky was now lighted up by a heavenly velvet of stars, shining like a diamond in midst of the winter night. The moon did not struggle anymore, its light enlightened up the dark and gloomy street.


    Snorum was unlike any place I have ever seen, Sweden was land of breathtaking scenic beauty while London had become more of a car parking.When I gazed upon the sky, my soul and mind received salvation as the heavenly ballets light danced across the night sky, an impeccable phenomenon: The Northern Lights. The whole town was asleep, while I was the one wandering around the unknown streets. Within all its beauty remained a darker side, the people of this town have been experiencing a number of paranormal phenomenons, and more strikingly more than ten people went missing last month.


    I am Hei Pattinson, a demon slayer. For the ones unaware of my job, I am gifted with a curse mark that supports me fight the supernatural, with this newly acquired power I decided to travel across the world and investigate paranormal activities, to help the people who require me. This is my story, might seem like a fantasy but it''s the reality of the realm we don¡¯t understand.Enough with introductions now, I must get going.


    I did try to talk to the locals, but all of them were way to petrified to answer my questions. Ever since I arrived in this town, I experienced an overwhelming evil presence, one that had terrified the inhabitants of this town. I was incapable to identify its source previously, but during the midnight its caliber almost doubled! Its a dominant one, one that I must eradicate as soon as possible.


    ¡®Hei, want to end up dead?¡¯ something whispered into my ears, there was no doubt about it, that was the evil presence I was looking for.


    ¡®What is it that you want?¡¯ I asked calmly.


    ¡®I am not answerable to such an inferior creature.¡¯ whispered the spirit.


    ¡®Well then, seems like I will have to force you to speak.¡¯ I said as I took of my jet black trench coat, the curse mark ran along my palm all the way along to my torso. (Personally, I liked to flaunt the curse mark in front of demons!)


    ¡®The curse mark of rebirth, I see so you are the chosen one.¡¯ remarked as the evil finally showed itself.


    It was a adolescent child with chestnut hair and thin eye brows (almost insignificant), he possessed velvet red eyes and wore a long black coloured robe.


    ¡®So, tell me what are your true intentions.¡¯ I enquired.


    ¡®I am cursed by faith, and my soul can never attain salvation until I continue to take lives.¡¯ said the boy as tears rolled down his face.


    ¡®Why is it so? For all one knows, I can help.¡¯I said as I walked forward towards him, as I took out my handkerchief and wiped his tears. This boy wasn¡¯t evil, he was being manipulated by another supernatural creature.


    ¡®Its him, he is Loki¡¯s most evil offspring. I must serve him otherwise he claims that he would annihilate the villagers!¡¯said the boy bursting out into tears.


    ¡®Loki, you mean the God of Mischief!¡¯ I was surprised, this one wasn¡¯t going to be easy.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡®Yes, you have the curse mark of rebirth at your side, please save this village!¡¯ he screamed.


    ¡®Ok, just tell me where I can find him.¡¯ I asked the poor soul.


    ¡®He resides deep into the forest, please be careful sir.¡¯ he said as I extended my hand on his head and enchanted the heavenly words of salvation that would set his soul free, he soon disappeared as the moonlight shone on him.


    ¡®May your soul rest in eternal peace.¡¯ I said as I moved on.


    <hr>


    The trees in the gloomy forest were nicotine-brown. Orcs were devouring meat and grinding on bone. Gloomy scrubs hid savage creatures. The musty air was challenging to breathe. The forest was ancient and otherworldly. Oxblood-red toadstools strewed the ground. Poisonous cowbane grew next to them. An acrid odour hung off everything, I was nervous, this was a place which is better left undiscovered.


    The forest was ancient. The trees thick and old, roots that were twisted. It might once have been filled with bird-song and animals that roamed. But now it was ages past its former glory. Its canopy was so dense that you could only see the occasional streak of sunlight that rarely touched the forest floor,and now it was three past midnight. Even its thick vines were slowly taking away the last remnants of the temple that stood in the centre. I have discovered the source of the catastrophe, and now I must take charge and set things back to normal.


    The cursed mark started to glow, the pale blue glow of the cursed mark lit up my face in the midst of the dark forest. As I set my foot into the ruined and tattered temple, I was greeted with a fatal blow on my forehead which sent me flying backwards.


    Quite an unwelcoming act, one that was committed by the same evil which terrorised this town. I stood up and caught hold of myself, and the pitch-black darkness blindfolded the eyes, I calmly breathed in the cold damp air of the forest and lurched forward. This time the cursed mark glowed with all its might, it what forewarned me of an undesirable scenario but the future of the town was promptly in my hands. I walked right into the temple, and the pungent odour of rotten wood was unbearable, I did not want to fight as I needed to gather more knowledge about afterlife.


    Suddenly, an unusual wretched coloured four-legged creature with a torso and two hands appeared in front of me. For an instance I thought it was just an illusion, but when I took a proper look I realised that this creature was my foe.


    The supernatural creature screamed at me, indicating that my presence was not appreciated, but now at this stage there was no looking back. I had to fight this creature and bring an end to this curse.


    ¡®In the name of the Almighty, I order you to return back to your realm!¡¯ I screamed as I summoned the sword of rebirth. ( A mystical sword that can be summoned by anyone in possession of the curse mark of rebirth, it seals away any supernatural being under an unending loop of illusion!)


    The creature started to assault me, it tried to punch me but I was swift enough to dodge that one, could have being fatal if it had made contact.


    ¡¯The curse mark of rebirth, so you are the one that helped out that brat¡¯s soul.Stay out of this human, otherwise I would have to take away your soul.¡¯said the creature with a rude and rusty tone.


    ¡®Why are you doing this?¡¯ I enquired as I ran across the temple dodging each one of his blows, he possessed immense strength but he distinctly lacked the swiftness required to defeat me.


    ¡®It shouldn¡¯t concern you human, anyways you aren¡¯t going to make it out of here alive.¡¯


    ¡®Well, I would suspect that!¡¯ I exclaimed as I horizontally sliced his body off into two pieces.


    The creature screamed with pain and agony, I knew that the fight was won. I have been victorious, and the villagers can now sleep with peace.


    ¡®How? I am a GOD! I cannot be defeated by a mortal creature.¡¯screamed the creature as my sword sucked him in, and in an instance he was no longer there.


    ¡®You weren¡¯t a God. You were a fiend, a God never preys on the weak.¡¯ I said as I walked the way out from the temple.


    The mission was accomplished, I must spend the night and embark on my journey tomorrow. It was frosty outside, and I had no intentions of getting a frost bite.


    One more adventure comes to an end, and I faced a fiend in Sweden. I was aware of my next stop and people there were suffering, I had to get there as soon as possible. This marks the end of this chapter.I feel that you guys need to know more about me.

 Humanity and Dark magic.

    The cruel sun beat down, it''s one malevolent eye unblinking, and the sky was it''s co-conspirator with not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. The lizards took shelter in the shadows of the rocks where the sand was not burning enough to roast them, but there was no shade large enough for me. Each step sunk into the searing sand, the air was thick and hazy, each breath like drowning in the larva.


    I knew I wasn¡¯t far away from my destination, and I knew that my suffering was worth it. I am here to meet a certain someone, one who has deciphered the true meaning of wisdom.Very well, what I seek is value of our existence.I want to recognize the value of a human¡¯s life.


    ¡®Why are you here?¡¯ inquired an unknown voice.


    ¡®I am over here at his will, the one and all.To gather knowledge.To fight the evil within me, in the name of the cursed one.¡¯I said chanted the secret words, which is not meant to be spoken by normal people.


    Suddenly, an old man appeared in front of me.He was tall and had well built physique,quite a rare thing to see,considering his age.He wore an ivory white robe and a turban. I knew that he was the one I was looking for.


    ¡¯Therefore, you are the sixth holder of the cursed mark of rebirth?¡¯ inquired the old man.


    ¡®Indeed, I am the sixth holder.¡¯ I said as I presented my palm to him.


    ¡®I see, what do you seek child?¡¯ asked the old man as he walked up to me.


    ¡®I want to know more about this realm.¡¯ I answered, I was tensed. I was now talking to one of the most capable beings in the universe.


    ¡®Close your eyes son.¡¯ he ordered. So, I did as he asked me without any further doubts.


    ¡¯In the present circumstances, you may open your eyes.¡¯ he said. When I unclosed my eyes, I realised I wasn¡¯t on the middle of the desert anymore.


    I was standing right in front of a massive castle, it was nighttime all of a sudden.The darkness surrounded the mountains nearby. The moon was struggling to shine beyond the dark clouds.


    The historic castle stood on a rugged slope, moonlit snowdrifts piled against half-ruined walls, the windows dark and gaping. It''s battlements glistened with ice in the crystal frosty air, their ragged outlines blending into the rocks behind.


    It was cold in here, and I was dressed in a jet-black shirt and a track pant.The breeze had started to freeze my bones already.


    ¡®Follow me, child.¡¯ said the old man as he lit up darkness with a snap of a finger, yes all the candles of the castle were lit up at once.Although it wasn¡¯t bright enough, yet one can clearly figure it out from the outside.


    I followed him, without asking any questions. I knew he was a wise man and a strong one too.


    Judging by the looks, the castle looked as ancient as time itself.The walls were tattered,I followed the old man as I walked down the gloomy old stairs of the castle.I had a lot to know, and he had a lot of knowledge to give.


    ¡®You are quite young, young enough for this job.¡¯ remarked the old man.


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t disagree with that, but I guess I am quite capable.¡¯I replied.


    ¡¯The answer I would expect from a Demon Slayer.¡¯he giggled.


    ¡®How long do we have to keep walking?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®I guess holding a Demon Slayer back wouldn¡¯t be a nice idea, I must make it quick as there are people who need you.Okay, let us talk here itself.¡¯he said as he sat down on the dusty floor of the castle.


    I sat down on the staircases just as he did.


    ¡®Where are we master?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®You may call me Ethos, as for our location we are right at the centre of the universe.¡¯ he replied.


    ¡®How did we get here?¡¯


    ¡¯This is the teleportation magic, a form of lost magic that I mastered during my more youthful days.¡¯ he replied, and he took immense pride in saying so.


    ¡¯So Ethos, tell me all you know about the human realm.¡¯


    ¡®Look carefully, this would help you to develop a better understanding of the universe.¡¯ he said as a table rose up from the dusty floor, it was magic.


    ¡®Earth is the centre of the entire universe. So as we start, there are five realms in particular that are present in this universe:The Demon realm, The Angel realm, The Afterlife realm, The Celestial realm and The Earth realm.


    These four realms rotate around the centre of the universe:The Earth realm.The supernatural belongs to The Demon realm or The Afterlife realm.The Demon realm is home to the most wicked and the intelligentest beings, they seduce their prey to fall into their trap and feed on their soul¡¯s darkness. The Afterlife realm remains a mystery, no one comprehends what it is like but it is said to maintain the balance between life and death.The Angel realm is genuine one, the one who work to serve God. The Celestial realm is home to celestial creatures.


    Finally, the realm of Earth. Its purpose remains a mystery to the other, but it is the only way of getting to the centre of the universe:The one that maintains the balance between all of the realms, it stops waging war between five alternative forms of life.


    I don¡¯t know the purpose of human existence. They are way more vulnerable and weak compared to the other four of them.


    But, humankind has being blessed with protectors through history.The ones who bear the cursed mark at their side are recognised to be the strongest of them all, the one chooses by God himself to maintain the balance of the universe.¡¯


    ¡®Well thats helpful, I must also know more about elemental magic.¡¯ I complemented and demanded more information.


    ¡®You are a curious one.¡¯ he said as he bit his tongue.


    ¡®Okay, elementary magic is composed of the vast amount of cosmic energy that the universe gives out every moment. It is almost an unlimited source of power that fuels the universe.


    This form of infinite energy was first used for medicinal purposes, it was capable enough to recover a man on the verge of death. Very soon, humans started to face problems as supernatural beings came to the planet seeking the centre of the universe. Soon, this immense and unending amount of energy from this vast universe was harvested to be used in combat.Humans were the weakest ones, so they needed magic to aid their fight. Elemental magic consists of five main forms:The water, The fire, The wind, The lightening and the strongest of them all, The Dark magic.¡¯he said as he breathed in the cold damp air.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡¯Inform me more about dark magic.¡¯ I pleaded.


    ¡®Magic¡¯s origins don¡¯t have a background, it was neither evil nor pure at the same time.Even dark magic was pure at its core, but soon it was harvested for malevolent purposes.Being the strongest form of magic, it was capable of destroying the whole universe.


    Dark magic originated from Earth itself, from a man named Lereft, someone who practised a taboo.¡¯


    ¡®What kind of taboo?¡¯I enquired, I took interest in the subject, this would be helpful in the far future.


    ¡¯He interfered the cycle of life and death, to be more direct, he revived the dead.¡¯ he said as he sighed and leaned back on the ancient wall of the staircase.


    ¡®How¡¯s that even possible?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®An entity that can destroy the universe can easily do that, his actions caused catastrophe in the Afterlife realm. As a result, a war waged out.God had to punish Lereft, and hence the first cursed mark was placed, not as a gift but as a punishment.


    That curse was mighty enough to destroy the entire universe, with the help of the cursed mark Lereft slaughtered any form of life that threatened the planet.He is the reason for the universe¡¯s survival, but he was rejected by the people of the planet that he worked so hard to protect.He developed hatred. His curse granted him immortality and geared him with the deadly demise magic.A form of magic capable of taking any form of life.His power was feared among all realms, even God himself acknowledged that he was the only one who could have defeated him.¡¯


    ¡¯So, where is he now?¡¯ I asked jumping out in excitement.


    ¡®Lereft was the very founder of magic. But then again, his passion for forbidden knowledge did not stop.He produced objects that continue to haunt the universe till date.His current location is unknown, no one has perceived his power for hundreds of centuries.But no one knows when he might strike again.That¡¯s all I know for the instance.¡¯he said as he took a breath of relief.


    ¡®You have my thanks Ethos,it''s been long since I have used my used mark of rebirth, I must get going.¡¯ I said I got up and picked up my backpack.


    ¡®It''s called the cursed mark of revival, the cursed mark of rebirth is interlinked with the cursed mark of revival.This is a common misconception. It can grant you some of the powers of the cursed mark of rebirth but it isn¡¯t the particular curse itself.


    You are a strong and determined man, I guess you might have to stay a little longer.¡¯he said touching his long ivory white beard.


    ¡®Why do I need to stay?¡¯


    ¡®Because I intend to teach you the trickiest of all tricky magic out there:Teleportation and dimension shifting.¡¯he smirked and I smiled.


    I don¡¯t have much up my sleeve when it comes to magic, in that case I wouldn¡¯t mind staying a bit longer with this wise old man.


    <hr>


    he fireplace was our tiny sun for the night, casting long shadows over the rug. The flames curl and sway, flicking this way and that, crackling as they burn the dry wood. It''s so good to feel their warmth at last, even if from only one direction. I watched it burn brightly. I now knew that I had to stay here a bit longer, and now I knew that the woods can provide great comfort during the harsh winter.


    There I was, seated beside Ethos.I intended to stay, in order to practise teleportation magic.


    ¡®Ethos, you wanted to say something right?¡¯ I said as I sipped my cup of warm coffee.


    ¡®Why did you become a demon slayer?¡¯ he asked, I saw the flames inside his eyes.I knew that my answer would be of certain importance to him.


    ¡®I wanted to know the value of my existence, since childhood I haven¡¯t been an exceptional kid.I was never a good at anything in particular and yet I thought myself to be quite important.


    As I matured, I realised that my existence did not carry any worth.I wanted to know what a mortal creature is worth, in the end we would all perish.A life is born and a life dies.What makes the difference, which made the fine borderline between the rich and the poor, the wise and the fool, the attractive one and the ugly.¡¯I answered.


    ¡®A Demon Slayer is meant to take lives, on the contrary you want to know its value, you are an interesting character.¡¯ he said as he smirked.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know it for myself either, but I know that my occupation is quite crucial to the universe itself.If I have to take lives to make things better, then I would choose the lesser of the two evils.¡¯I replied.


    ¡®I see, I just wanted to know the motivation you were driven by.I would teach you teleportation magic, but you might as well die during the process.¡¯he said, and he was eagerly waiting for a response.


    ¡®I would undertake whatever it takes.¡¯ I replied.


    ¡®What if I notified you that the deep forest over there is the gateway to the Demon realm?¡¯


    ¡®What does that have to do with my training?¡¯ I asked, the words slipped out of my mouth.To be honest, Ethos was quite unpredictable.


    A wild deduction, I just met him yesterday!Yet he genuinely liked to twist things up.


    ¡®Teleportation magic is the trickiest of all other branches of magic, it can only be mastered under extreme circumstances.So, can you fight against demons without killing them?¡¯


    ¡®That certainly isn¡¯t possible, a fight like that would only end when a life is taken.¡¯


    ¡®Obviously Hei, you cannot survive if you don¡¯t fight, and you are not supposed to slay a creature if they have not performed anything wrong.¡¯


    ¡®Ethos, both of us know the value of time, so please be more direct.¡¯


    ¡®I will leave you at the Demon realm. The only way to survive there is to teleport yourself.¡¯


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t you teach me this form of magic first?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®I definitely would teach you the basics.¡¯ he said.


    His intentions and my ambition were complete strangers, honestly speaking I don¡¯t have much experience, so entering another realm and surviving is quite a difficult task to accomplish.


    ¡¯To begin with, you are quite weak.You are quite new to this world, but since you have a cursed mark then I assume taking in cosmic energy wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.¡¯Ethos remarked while backstroking his long and stringy hair.


    ¡®Beware, it can only be harvested if driven by sheer will and desire.You say you intend to know the value of life, but what I decipher is that you only carve for attention.¡¯he said with a savage look in his eyes.


    His words were harsh, although it might not be the truth.His response was straight and direct, it left me startled for a moment.I myself did not know whether his words were accurate or not.Maybe what I always seemed was attention, once again I started to doubt myself.


    ¡®A person who doubts their own ability is bound to fail, no matter the premises given.First of all you must overcome the darkness within your soul.¡¯said Ethos.


    I must erase the darkness within me with darkness itself I mumbled.


    ¡¯Take me to the demon realm.¡¯ I pleaded of Ethos.


    I was fired up now.I was prepared to take things on.


    ¡®You look motivated, that confused look in your eyes disappeared all of a sudden.What is your true intention?¡¯Ethos asked.


    ¡®My aim remains unchanged, but I know how to get a step closer to it.¡¯I replied as I took a deep breath, the air distinctly lacked the dampness of polluted air.


    ¡®Good then young man, I would do as you please.¡¯


    ¡®Let¡¯s get started Ethos.¡¯ I said out of excitement.


    ¡®To begin with, you need to take in cosmic energy by turning yourself into an empty vessel, that means you must stop thinking for a while to ensure maximum possible gain of cosmic energy.¡¯


    Ethos said as he walked towards me.


    ¡®I merely need to concentrate, right?¡¯


    ¡®It is easier said than done, it is equally considered to represent the most critical step of learning magic because it requires a pious soul.¡¯ he said as he struck my forehead.


    I was nervous, but I still felt motivated.I was in an ambivalent state of mind.


    ¡®Just assume that the nature itself is talking to you, feel your ideal existence and keep looking into my eyes till the very end.¡¯


    I did as he ordered me to.


    Definitely, it was a strenuous task.It was way easier said than done, I wasn¡¯t supposed to just simply concentrate.I had to concentrate and maintain my eye contact with Ethos and at the same time I had to empty myself of every possible thought that crossed my mind.


    Then finally, I understood what he wanted me to do, I had to make confusion my ally.Thus, I had to choose.


    I must either listen to his order or concentrate upon myself and feel my existence. I closed my eyes.


    I experienced immense amount of energy surging through my blood. I heard the dead leaves rumbling. I heard the sound of the river flowing at a distance. I could feel the wind hitting my body, I could smell the pure woody aroma of the air. All of my senses came back to life like never before, yes I could feel my existence and the cosmic energy that flowed within me.


    ¡®Admirably done young man, you were able to overcome your confusion, this is a difficult task.Life would always present two roads to you, no matter how difficult things are you must choose.You would have to abandon one to get going otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be able to move on.


    ¡®What next?¡¯ I enquired.


    ¡¯Now, everything else is unto you.You figured out the path to harvest cosmic energy, now you must teach yourself to teleport.¡¯he said as he snapped his fingers.


    I felt flat on my face, I fell upon a dead ground dwelling plant.


    When I caught hold of myself and took a proper look around, I realised that I was in the middle of an unending forest full of dead rotten trees.

 Flashback:1

    It was a gloomy day out here in London, the clouds that had been wispy and white at morning were now darker and more dense. In a short time, the rain would rush down pouring with all its might. There I was seated on the luxurious chair of an expensive restaurant. I gaped outside the transparent window in hope that a certain someone would presently arrive. I retained an unpleasant habit of being flown away by random thoughts, something that many people found annoying.


    It was one hell of a day. My application to the Cambridge University was rejected (Even though my academic record was good enough and so was my portfolio.), I realised my singular existence maintained no value, not in this vast ever maddening world. My father had high hopes for me, even after his death I wasn¡¯t capable to fulfil his dying wishes.


    She finally arrived as she slowly slit push open the hazel door of the restaurant, she carried a frown on her face which revealed her intentions. I had to face another tragedy today, and she was dressed in a splendid black dress, she was looking lovelier than ever. She slowly jerked the chair in front of me and took her seat.


    ¡®What about your application?¡¯ she asked.


    ¡®It got rejected, as always.¡¯ I said as I looked elsewhere in shame.


    ¡®Okay, don¡¯t worry it would be alright.¡¯ she said as she caught hold of my hand.


    ¡®I have been rejected by life, all along till this day.¡¯ I remarked.


    ¡®That wasn¡¯t your fault Hei. You are not responsible for your father¡¯s death.¡¯


    ¡®Only if I had steered the car cautiously, then he would have been over here with me today.¡¯ I said as tears came streaming down my face.


    ¡®Accept it Hei, you cannot turn back time.¡¯ she said as she wiped my tears with a tissue paper.


    ¡®Okay crying wouldn¡¯t alter a thing. Why did you call me here?¡¯


    I asked anxiously.


    ¡®Well, I don¡¯t recognize how you might feel, but the thing is¡­¡¯


    ¡¯Spit it out Diana, I am ready to take it.¡¯


    ¡®I am getting engaged, I am sorry but I don¡¯t have any other choice.¡¯ she said as her words pierced my chest.


    ¡®Why are you doing this?¡¯


    ¡®Our relationship does not have any future. You are constantly busy whining about the past and don¡¯t work on yourself. It wouldn¡¯t be long before your property worth a million is turned into ash. You remain a filthy loser! My fianc¨¦ is a Greek billionaire, and I have never really loved you, why should I even consider my future with a trash like you?¡¯she screamed, took her Louis Vuitton handbag, and ran out of the restaurant.


    Once again life had denounced me, yes indeed my existence was worth nothing.


    I walked into the most expensive wine shop in London, bought a the costliest one out there, and drove back home in my Maserati.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.I couldn¡¯t stop crying, it was conceivably the most unpleasant day of my life.That was the day that would transform my life forever.


    I walked up to the rooftop of my mansion, took an ultimate sip of my wine and I decided to terminate my life. As I looked down, I couldn¡¯t establish myself do it and suddenly I fainted. That was the ultimate rational thing I remember. The day went away, brisker than it ever did for me.


    Then all that happened transformed my life forever, it might sound like fantasy but it isn¡¯t a fairy tale. It is the truth itself.


    When I opened my eyes, I found myself to stationed in the London Eye. I don¡¯t recognize how I got there, I didn¡¯t know how come I was still breathing. All of it seemed strange, and when I took a proper look around I realised that I wasn¡¯t isolated. I saw a adolescent child with jet black air and keen blue eyes, dressed in a pale blue shirt and a black trouser. There was no doubt about it, my pupil widened and my heart was beating the hell out of my chest, it was my former self:When I was about twelve years old.


    That scenario was rationally impossible, at the moment I bought that it was just a dream. I don¡¯t realise what was going on.


    ¡®Hei, you have grown up!¡¯ exclaimed my former self.


    Is this in fact happening? I thought to myself.


    ¡®You tried to terminate your life, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ he asked of me bearing a dignified look. His age barely affected his maturity.


    ¡®I did, I don¡¯t possess any reason to continue living.¡¯ I replied.


    ¡®You must remember.¡¯ he said.


    ¡®What are you trying to say?¡¯ I asked, after being unable to comprehend his words. Conceivably he was more mature than I was.


    ¡®Remember the day Hei, the day, your father died.¡¯ he said. These time things were getting tensed, I only felt guilt running in my blood.


    ¡®It was all your fault Hei. You don¡¯t deserve to live anyways.¡¯ he remarked, laughing at me like I was a piece of trash.


    It was advancing the incorrect way. I got up and struck his face sending him flying off as his body and hit the glass.


    ¡¯That¡¯s the best you can do, motherfucker.¡¯ he said as I knocked him again.


    ¡®You know Hei. I was hurt by a lot of people I loved.¡¯


    ¡®WHAT?¡¯ I screamed.


    ¡®Our mother Hei, we loved her and yet she abandoned us just like disposable pests.¡¯ he said as tears came streaming down his face.


    ¡®I wanted to die, because I was utterly useless this whole time.¡¯ I said as I forwarded my hand to him.


    ¡¯Then our father, he also past away leaving us vulnerable to solitude.¡¯


    ¡®I am way to addicted to it, my former self.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s the harmfullest thing about it. It is your enemy and your ally at the same time. Once addicted, you absolutely don¡¯t want to deal with people.¡¯my former self remarked, the conversation was now quite philosophical in nature.


    ¡®Definitely, indeed, I am way past the returning point. I belonged to one of the wealthiest families in London, that established me as the centre of humiliation among others, others who envied my wealth. Most astonishingly, I never asked for it and neither did I appreciate wealth, all I ever wanted was to be loved by people around me. I came to comprehend the precise nature of this world we live in, it isn¡¯t made for the likes of us.¡¯I said, I got emotional too.


    ¡¯Salvation, that is my ultimate goal. I want to be loved by people. I demand my life to acquire a meaning, I want to recognize the value of my existence.¡¯ I said, I noticed my former self smirk.


    ¡¯To be loved and to find your life¡¯s value. I can make that happen, but can bear the burden that would come along with it?¡¯he asked.


    ¡®Definitely, I¡¯ve had enough of dreaming now, I will be valued someway or another.¡¯


    ¡®You will have to bear the burden of humanity¡¯s future, be careful before you determine your choice.¡¯ he forewarned me, but I wasn¡¯t holding back.


    ¡®I will accomplish anything!¡¯ I exclaimed.


    ¡®Okay, from today forwards you wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary human anymore. From now, you will have to deal with a superior race. You might as well die, but for the greater good you just need to put your life on line.¡¯


    ¡®I agree!¡¯ I repeated.


    ¡®Hereby, you are the sixth successor of the cursed race.You will directly acquire the cursed mark of rebirth.¡¯he said as he vanished off into thin air.


    I woke up panting heavily, I realised that I was admitted in a hospital. When I took a look at my right palm, I saw a hexagonal mark. That was the very start of my journey.

 Slaying The Demon

    The trees in the forest were malady-brown. Grains of poison begrimed the bark and gleamed like witch dust. Trolls haunted the sooty coppices, salivating over their prey and smearing the blood over their heavy faces. The decaying air and stifling atmosphere provided the perfect abode for those who worshipped the darkness rather than the light. In the dense shadows, spiders clutched their snare-strings. Their webs shimmered like meshed steel dipped in silver. Eyes a-flame with hunger, they were hoping to dine on bloated bodies and slurp on hot blood.


    I could overhear something growling at a distance, and at the same time I could hear whispers along the way.


    It was the most unlikely of places, the moon struggled to shine against the silver clouds. The darkness started blindfolding the eyes.Suddenly an unpleasant smell struck my nose. It was that of the dead rotten leaves that lay upon the path.


    The whispers became more and more prominent, loud and frequent as I walked deeper into the woods.


    And then suddenly I hear footsteps.My heart started to beat the hell out of my chest, I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my blood as I recognized something not so warming was coming.


    I summoned my sword of rebirth, shivers came rushing down my spine. The footsteps became louder and frequent as every second passed by.


    I honestly was scared to death. I might have been a Demon slayer but this was their territory, their sacred ground.


    It ultimately appeared, a tall middle-aged lady with long hazel coloured hair and turquoise blue eyes.


    Tears came streaming down my eyes, and in an instance I knew that she was my mother.


    ¡®It has been a long time Hei.¡¯ she said as I went on and hugged her.


    ¡®Why did you leave me alone?¡¯ I asked bursting into tears.


    ¡®I know you have a lot of questions, but I can answer them if we were to stay here.¡¯


    ¡®I feel so isolated without you mom!¡¯


    ¡®Me too dear, now there is no need to shed tears any longer.Do you want to stay with me?¡¯


    ¡®Hell no, you freaking demon.¡¯ I said as I cut her body into two halves.


    Then it showed me its true form. It was a crooked old man with fiery red eyes.


    ¡®But How?¡¯ he screamed, his voice was way heavier as for his size.


    ¡®You almost got me, but my mother had a scar on her forehead.¡¯ I answered.


    ¡®A mortal can never defeat me!¡¯ he remarked, the succeeding moment he seized hold of my head and haled me a long way until he finally released me and I crashed with a gigantic tree.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    He was way too fast, he kicked my torso and my body flew off and had struck another such tree.Blood came flooding out of my mouth, I couldn¡¯t possibly raise my body and I realised that I had fractured a few bones.


    The crooked man appeared once again as he gripped a long knife on his right hand. He set his foot upon my head and pierced my forehead with the knife. I saw his real form. It looked just like a shadow with read glowing eyes and long nails.


    I was still breathing, but it became more burdensome as every second passed by. I was completely bloodbathed with my very own blood.


    I knew that the end was nearby. Finally, I closed my eyes.


    <hr>


    ¡®Wake up, its time for our subsequent reunion.¡¯ something whispered onto my ears.


    I opened my eyes and found myself to be seated inside the London eye, I remember this place. It was nighttime, and the city looked as charming as ever. I felt nostalgic.


    When I took a proper look, I saw my younger self, dressed in the same white shirt. I don¡¯t know how to describe this phenomenon, maybe it was an illusion of the scenario that crossed my mind.


    ¡®At this place we meet once more, poor Hei.¡¯ mentioned the boy.


    I didn¡¯t recognize how I was still breathing, I should have been slain by now.


    ¡®Life always bestows misery upon you Hei.¡¯ he remarked.


    ¡®I assume that to be an understatement, former self.¡¯


    ¡®Understatement, what makes you feel so?¡¯


    ¡®I have never being any happier you know, I know that I am long gone by now. I don¡¯t maintain the control over my own feelings, but I suffer no agony all I feel right now is the peace that surrounds the air.¡¯I replied.


    ¡®You are as weak as ever Hei, you still have a hard time accepting the truth.¡¯ he said walking towards me.


    ¡®It absolutely happened because you were too weak all along, Ethos is one hell of a teacher I guess. He should have realised that you couldn¡¯t possibly have survived inside the demon realm.¡¯he continued as he offered me his hand.


    ¡®I am always there to aid you Hei, you can escape this situation and all you need to do is accept me as a part of you.¡¯


    ¡®Accept? But I never rejected you!¡¯I screamed in agony, yes I felt agony.


    ¡®You always sacrificed your desires for the sake of others. You were kind but at the same time you were equally foolish. All you constantly received was hatred and criticism.You must live Hei, but in a alternative way. As a demon slayer you must serve others, there is nothing wrong in being kind but being weak is a completely contradictory thing.¡¯ he remarked.


    I stooped down and hugged him tightly. I never possessed a reason to die.The value of my existence lied deep within myself all this time.


    I will live for myself!


    <hr>


    ¡®Now I can devour a mortal soul, I haven¡¯t tasted one for centuries.But I must allow him to suffer some more, I will let it blend perfectly. I must return within an hour.¡¯said a dusky figure as he walked away from Hei¡¯s terribly injured body.


    ¡®You won¡¯t have it that easy you demon.¡¯ shrieked a man, the demon turned backwards to witness an unbelievable scenario.


    It was Hei. All his wounds had healed all of a sudden.His eyes were shining like an emerald with its overwhelming green glow, it was slit-shaped like that of a cat.


    How the hell does he possess those eyes? Thought the nervous demon.


    Instantaneously, Hei appeared in front of the demon and delivered a kick right on its head, thus causing it to fly off and crashing through several trees.


    ''There no way a mortal can ever defeat...'' he tried to continue, but he got punched hard by Hei, right on his stomach.


    The demon collapsed.But it tried to counterattack Hei, extending his claws to pierce Hei but he dodged all of them and stroked the demon once more.


    The demon summoned its wings and tried to fly off. But Hei summoned the sword of rebirth and swooshed it in thin air, and a giant lunar shaped green colored energy wave was created that slashed the demon''s body, and later on caused a massive explosion in air.


    ''Farewell, filthy demon.'' He said as he teleported himself to the mortal world.

 Aftermath

    In The Demon Realm.


    Two shadowy figures were standing on the top of the hill, filled with dead trees.Nothing had life there. The only thing that lived were demons.


    ¡®There is no doubt about it. We just witnessed the actions of a demon slayer.¡¯ said thoughtfully, a man wearing a beige hooded t-shirt, a top hat concealed his face.


    ¡®I see, he was undoubtedly no ordinary human.¡¯ said another man dressed in a jet black overcoat with a white shirt underneath. He had fairly long black hair with a fairly muscular physique. He was a handsome guy who wore an aviator spectacle.


    ¡®That is pretty much obvious, a demon slayer is under no circumstances an ordinary human.¡¯ said eagerly the man in beige.


    ¡®Those eyes were not that of a human, I guess you know what it means right?¡¯ enquired the man in the sleek coat as he lit his fragrant cigar.


    ¡®I do, but the chances are next too impossible. A half mortal cannot typically exist¡­¡¯


    ¡®Hold it demon king. I have lived a long life and tragically I can never die. During my lifetime I came across various scenarios and gathered vast amount of knowledge, so given the circumstances such an unique phenomenon can definitely exist.¡¯said the man as he smoked his fine cigar.


    ¡®I get it, but the fundamental premises are currently unclear. Anyways I do undoubtedly intend to know your true motives. You have handily defeated, no annihilated our kind before, so why are you generously helping us this time?¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t get me wrong demon king, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to slaughter your kind once and for all. So consider me a guest here, I would work alongside you as long as I see fit.¡¯


    ¡®If you were to choose between the mortals and


    us and you end up helping the other side, then I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take you on, wizard.¡¯


    The man in the coat did not reply, he instantly started walking away as he slowly disappeared into the impenetrable mist.


    <hr>


    woke up jumping out of my bed. Sweat was dripping down my face, and my heart was still thumping. I did not know how I got there and neither did I desperately want to know, I calmed myself down.


    The flimsy curtains were incapable of standing against the suns roaring rays, I woke up and drew the curtains.


    The precipitous mountains were covered with a rug of trees, green, yellow, scarlet and orange, but their bare tops were scarfed and beribboned with overnight snow. From carved rocky outcrops, waterfalls drifted like skeins of white lawn, and in the fields we could see the amber glint of shallow rivers and the occasional mirror-like flash of a mountain lake.It was a wonderful day indeed.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    But, the last thing I merely remember was brutally slaying a wicked demon. It was quite a violent fight, if it wasn¡¯t for my former self then I would have been dead by now. Though I wonder, how was he able to grant me such strength or it was something that I always harboured inside me?


    I remember my childhood days. They weren¡¯t the most pleasant of memories. My mind was confused and so was my soul. I took a look at my right palm. The cursed mark itself was full of mysteries.


    I do wonder sometimes, why was I choosen for this task?


    It all seemed like a forceful fantasy sometimes, but it is in contrast real business.


    Though I am quite fond of using the term supernatural, I don¡¯t deal with the supernatural rather these are quite a natural phenomenons, it is just something we human do not understand.


    ¡®I see so you are finally awake, that makes me feel delighted you know.¡¯ said Ethos as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡®So its you, was I able to teleport myself?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®You did so, but it seems that you got yourself entangled into some sort of trouble.There were minor wounds all across your body I healed them with my magic. You indeed are quite an exceptional student.¡¯


    ¡®Ethos, I fought furiously with a demon and stayed it with my sword.I was cornered at first but suddenly I felt acute an enormous amount of power surging through me. I was in contrast able see each one of the demon¡¯s violent attack in critical detail, and I was able to dodge it with little effort.¡¯I opened unto to Ethos.


    His facial expression changed, he sat down on the miserable bed and looked anxiously into my sunken eyes.


    ¡®How did you crushingly defeat it?¡¯ he asked out of burning curiosity.


    ¡®I created a lunar shaped green coloured form of energy that with mum sword.¡¯


    ¡®I see, so you have successfully mastered one of the sword¡¯s powerful trick. Compared unfavorably to the two others you rather are a quick learner.¡¯he remarked, but hold in a second what did he just say!


    ¡®There are other demon slayers down there?¡¯ I screamed in agony in surprise and got back a surprised look to.


    ¡®I assumed you knew that in one generation there are three holders of the cursed mark!¡¯


    ¡®What do you merely mean? How will I know any such odd things?¡¯


    ¡®You are merely quite a sarcastic guy. Okay, there are three cursed marks one of which is the mark of revival, the one you behold.One is merely the mark of summoning, a mark that allegedly allows the user to summon strong creatures fro other dimensions, an interesting guy came here a month ago the one who had the mark of summoning, he mastered lightening magic within a week!¡¯


    ¡®You could have at least told me stupid old man!¡¯ I screamed in agony.


    ¡®Old man! What do you think of yourself little brat?¡¯ and the small fight continued until things went back to normal.


    ¡¯The third one is the mark of conscience, it can grant the beholder the ability to create false experiences by using illusions, it is considered a rather weak ability among some idiots, but I feel that this one has the most potential.


    We all have our secrets and individual thinking process, if that gets messed up there is no cure.¡¯


    ¡®Well, I do not know what do next?¡¯ I remarked.


    ¡®You have spent two days in here. You must get going and help people who need you at the moment. Fate will decide the rest.¡¯


    ¡®Okay then, I must leave at once. Thanks for everything old man.¡¯


    ¡®Do not call me an OLD MANNNNNNNN!¡¯


    I said as I teleported myself to London, I must visit my home for once I guess.