[I polish my writing using AI tools to keep the reading experience smooth and exciting.]
Scene 1
The ancient throne gate creaked open with a long, heavy moan. Creak…
A chilling silence swallowed the air. The vast chamber was drenched in darkness, where only faint strands of moonlight slipped through the cracks and high windows of the ancient castle. The faint hum of insects echoed somewhere in the corners, the only sound alive in that still, suffocating place.
A few cloaked figures pushed the heavy throne gate wider, their trembling hands slick with sweat. As they stepped inside, their eyes widened in horror.
Upon the elevated dais sat a figure—human in shape, but horrifyingly inhuman to the eye. His head bore two long, sharp horns sprouting from both sides. His entire body was stripped of skin, exposing the hard tension of his grey muscles beneath a faint stone coating that trapped him like a statue. His fingers ended in long, curved claws, and his slit eyes—open yet unmoving—stared blankly forward.
Upon his head rested a black crown embedded with seven glowing gems, each faintly shimmering with an eerie, shifting light.
One of the intruders looked up and froze. Above the tall window behind the throne, the mangled corpse of an enormous insect was impaled into the wall. Its withered wings—thin, elongated, and stretched like those of a monstrous dragonfly—hung lifeless. The creature's long, narrow body reached almost halfway up the towering window, its wings spanning wide across the shattered glass and cracked stone around it, as if something had hurled the beast there with an unimaginable force.
None of them dared to speak. Their fear was absolute—the kind that silenced even the will to breathe. They moved closer, slowly and cautiously, stopping before the throne's steps. The floor beneath them was lined with a red carpet stretching from the gate to the base of the dais, where the sealed figure sat upon his throne.
Their faces were pale, frozen with terror. Then they fell to their knees—first their knees struck the cold floor, then their palms, and finally their foreheads and noses touched the ground.
One of them whispered, his voice quivering, "We have come here, and for that… we beg forgiveness. We are unworthy even to bow before you. For stepping into this land and speaking in your presence—we seek forgiveness."
Another figure spoke next, his voice trembling through the suffocating stillness. "We came seeking something. We do not deserve to ask, yet we beg—grant us what we seek. Help us."
The air hung heavy, cold, and unmoving. The stone figure's slit eyes gleamed faintly under the dim light—open, lifeless, and forever staring into the void.
Scene 2
[FEW MONTHS AGO]
"Haruto! Haruto!"
A woman's gentle voice echoed through a small house, filled with the morning light slipping through the window. The warmth of her tone carried a kindness that could ease even the hardest heart.
A boy—around thirteen—lay curled under a blanket, eyes half-open as he fought against sleep. He groaned softly and tried to open them again, but they fluttered shut.
"Wake up, Haruto," his mother's voice came again, patient and warm. Mihane stood near a small table, adjusting the gear laid out neatly before her—a sword, a bow, a quiver filled with arrows. Her movements were calm yet practiced, as if every gesture spoke of quiet strength.
"Get up now," she said, glancing over her shoulder with a faint smile. "We're going hunting today."
After a moment, Haruto's eyes finally opened, and a cheerful smile spread across his face. He sat up, stretching his arms and back with a soft yawn.
Mihane walked over and began folding his blanket neatly. "Go wash up and get ready. I'll be waiting for you outside," she said kindly.
Haruto jumped off the bed. "Wait for me, Mama! I'll be right back!" he shouted as he ran toward the washroom.
Outside, Mihane adjusted the belt at her waist, where her sword rested snugly inside its scabbard. She waited by the door, the morning breeze brushing past her hair.
Moments later, Haruto came running out—his clothes half-worn, one sleeve still dangling as he tried to slip his arm through while running.
"Mama! Let's go! I'm ready!" he said, eyes shining with excitement.
Mihane smiled, locked the door, and hung the key on her belt. "You're in quite a hurry for the hunt today."
Haruto grabbed her hand happily as they began walking together down the path. "Mama," he asked with a grin, "why isn't Sensei coming today? Is he busy?"
"Yes," she replied gently. "He's away for a few days, so you have a short break."
"Haruto," she added after a moment, "how much have you learned so far?"
Haruto swung his arms through the air, pretending to hold a sword. "I've learned how to swing a sword! And a little bit of magic too!"
Mihane smiled softly. "One day, you'll be just like your Papa in magic."
"Papa?" Haruto blinked, lowering his hand. "Who's Papa?"
Mihane chuckled lightly. "Your father."
Then she exhaled slowly and looked up at the sky, her smile gentle but distant. "He was a wonderful man… strong and kind."
"Was?" Haruto asked, his voice small. "Where is he now?"
Mihane's eyes softened as she looked toward the horizon. "He's no longer in this world," she said quietly. "He's gone… forever."
Haruto lowered his gaze, his hands tightening slightly around hers. The morning air felt heavier now, though still peaceful—like the kind of silence that follows after a soft farewell.
…
After some time had passed, Haruto and Mihane walked from their home, reaching a forest where tall trees towered over them. Their leaves spread wide, covering the ground with a soft blanket of shadows, shielding it gently from the sunlight. The air was calm—quiet enough to hear only the faint whisper of the breeze. It was that quiet hour between day and evening, when sunlight still touched every leaf.
Mihane's eyes caught something—far ahead, beyond a tree—the head of a deer moving behind a trunk. Without making a sound, she crouched and reached for her bow. Her fingers smoothly pulled an arrow from the quiver, loading it into the bowstring. She drew it back with full pull, her arms tense, eyes narrowed. FWIP!—the arrow sliced through the air, cutting the wind with sharp precision before striking the deer's head from afar. She and Haruto had been standing on an elevated patch of land, something like a small cliff or hill, and the deer had been far below in the distance.
Just as the sound faded, Mihane's left ear twitched—she heard something. From her left came the rustling of dry leaves—quick, uneven footsteps rushing toward them. Her eyes darted toward the sound.
Mihane turned her head back toward Haruto. Her face tensed for a second, then softened into a gentle smile. "Haruto," she said lightly, "I think I forgot to bring water. Can you go back home and get it?"
Haruto, still cheerful and full of energy, nodded eagerly. "Yeah, of course!" he said with a bright grin. Then he turned around and ran off through the trees, his quick footsteps fading behind him.
"Go straight home! Don't stop anywhere on the way!" Mihane called after him. Her voice echoed briefly between the trunks before silence returned. She exhaled softly, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword. Then, turning toward the source of the sound, she leapt down the small cliff—roughly eight or nine feet high—landing on her feet among the dry leaves.
THUD. She quickly turned her gaze left and right, alert. "How can this be?" she thought. "It's still daytime... sunlight shouldn't be harmless to them." She frowned slightly, her breath pausing for a second. "Maybe they're surviving under the trees' shade."
From between the trunks, a distorted creature—a Demon—lunged toward her from the right, letting out a strange, guttural sound. Its claws—long and sharp—slashed forward. WHOOSH! Mihane spun around, crouched, and drew her sword in one swift motion, striking upward in a fast, clean arc. SLASH! The Demon's four fingers were severed mid-air, scattering and hitting the ground with a faint thud.
The creature staggered back, hissing in pain. Mihane rose to her feet again just as the Demon swung its other hand, claws flashing toward her. In the same heartbeat, Mihane shifted right, closing the distance in a blur, and placed her blade at the Demon's neck—a single move that could have sliced its throat and arm in one stroke. But before her strike landed—
CRASH! A large stone came flying from behind the trees. It smashed through the Demon's right hand, CRACK!—and then struck Mihane's head with brutal force. The impact sent her reeling backward against the cliff wall. Blood began to run down her forehead and from the back of her skull, dripping down her cheek.
The Demon with the crushed hand staggered, trembling. Its mutilated arm began to regenerate slowly, but something was wrong. Its hand twitched violently, shaking as if in pain. A deep, strangled groan escaped its throat—a sound filled with agony and confusion.
Then, from behind a tree just a short distance in front of her, another creature emerged. Its appearance was even more grotesque—instead of a tongue, a fleshy limb extended from its mouth, twisting unnaturally. It had a second mouth on its neck, filled with uneven, jagged teeth, drooling thick saliva that dripped onto the forest floor. The limb moved like a boneless tentacle, writhing as though it had a mind of its own.
The Demon extended that grotesque limb, picked up another stone from the ground, and began walking slowly toward Mihane. Its slimy appendage twitched and swayed, lifting the stone higher and higher.
Mihane, still dazed, pressed her hand to her head—when she looked at it, it was covered in blood. She took a sharp breath, realizing how deep the wound was. The Demon's slow, jerky steps came closer, its deformed body swaying with each move.
It raised the stone above its head, ready to strike. But Mihane, breathing heavily, sheathed her sword for a split second, pushed herself up from where she'd been leaning against the cliff, and dashed sideways with surprising speed. Her footing was unsteady but determined; her body was bleeding, but her movements were fast and deliberate.
THUNK! The stone missed her and struck the ground where she had been standing. Mihane sprinted across the forest floor, moving toward the trees ahead—the same direction where the double-mouthed Demon had appeared earlier.
The two-mouthed creature, seeing her run, growled and hurled another stone. WHAM! It slammed into Mihane's stomach mid-run, knocking her down hard. She fell to the ground with a sharp gasp, pain shooting through her entire body.
But Mihane didn't waste a single heartbeat. While still on the ground, she rolled slightly, reached behind her back, and pulled out her bow and an arrow. In one fluid motion, she loaded the arrow—TWANG!—and fired straight ahead. The arrow lodged deep into the Demon's neck-mouth in an instant.
The creature convulsed violently, clutching its neck as dark blood spewed from both mouths. It staggered, trying to scream, but only blood gushed out instead of sound. It thrashed wildly, scraping at its own skin until the flesh tore and its muscles were exposed, dripping with blood.
Meanwhile, Mihane pushed herself up, but the long-clawed Demon rushed toward her from behind. Its claws slashed downward, aiming to pierce her skull. WHOOSH! Mihane twisted to the side just in time, drawing her sword mid-motion and swinging it upward. CLANG! Her blade met its claws, sending sparks flying—but the claws didn't break.
The Demon attacked again, both hands tearing forward. Mihane stumbled backward but quickly regained her footing, crouching low. With precise control, she slashed again—SHNK!—cutting both of its wrists cleanly. The Demon's severed hands dropped to the ground, twitching.
Without wasting a second, Mihane turned and sprinted toward a nearby tree, using it as cover. Her breathing was sharp, but her focus remained cold and steady.
The double-mouthed Demon, the arrow still buried in its neck-mouth, roared furiously and charged forward like a wild beast. As it sprinted, it twisted its head sharply, extending its grotesque tongue toward a nearby tree, wrapping it around the trunk and pulling with all its might.
But before the tongue could even touch the trunk, Mihane had already sensed the movement. Her instincts kicked in—she quickly stepped back and turned, facing the direction of the Demon and the tree just in time. The ground beneath her shifted slightly as she moved.
CREAK... CRACK! The tree began to split apart, its bark peeling away and falling to the forest floor. Deep cracks spread along the trunk as the Demon's strength pulled harder. With a final wrenching sound—KRAAASH!—the tree broke loose from its base. The bottom part still remained embedded in the ground, but the rest was gripped tightly in the Demon's long, fleshy tongue.
As the fallen tree moved aside, direct sunlight poured through the opening. The searing light struck the long-clawed Demon first—its body instantly began to smoke, its skin blackening like burning coal. SZZZHHH! It collapsed to the ground, its flesh curling and blackening as the sunlight burned through its skin.
The sunlight then hit the double-mouthed Demon. Its skin, too, began to burn, turning pitch-black and brittle. It tried to scream, but the arrow lodged in its neck-mouth choked the sound. Only muffled, broken noises escaped—weak, trembling cries of agony that faded quickly.
In desperation, the Demon hurled the heavy tree aside. THUUD! The massive trunk crashed to the ground, shaking the forest floor. Then, like a deranged animal, it began clawing at the ground—frantically scraping away dry leaves, dirt, and roots. Its tongue joined in the effort, digging wildly to find shade from the deadly sunlight.
But the earth beneath was too hard. Its nails tore against the soil, bleeding. The creature didn't stop—it kept digging, slower and slower, its fingers shredded, blood dripping down its hands. The sunlight burned deeper into its skin until finally, it turned completely black, its body stiffened, and it fell motionless. The double-mouthed Demon was dead.
THUMP THUMP THUMP—light footsteps echoed through the trees.
Haruto was running joyfully through the forest, a water bottle clutched in his hand. He ran between the trees, smiling, unaware of the chaos ahead.
When all was silent again, Haruto appeared on the upper ground—the same place where he and Mihane had stood earlier. He looked around, still smiling, but the moment he realized Mihane wasn't there, his expression faded into worry.
He glanced around anxiously. "M-Mama…?" he called softly, but there was no answer. Confusion deepened in his eyes.
Taking cautious steps forward, Haruto reached the edge of the cliff and peered down. His breath caught. Below, he saw two blackened corpses—Demons burned into charcoal-like remains. One lay half-buried in the soil, the other sprawled beside a fallen tree. The sight froze him in place.
Mihane, leaning against the broken tree, sat weak and bloodied, breathing heavily through pain. She looked at the double-mouthed Demon's corpse, then slowly raised her eyes toward the cliff. When she saw Haruto, a gentle, peaceful smile touched her lips. Her smile deepened as she used her sword for support and pushed herself to stand, her happiness shining through her exhaustion. "Ha—"
SHLCK!
Two long, razor-sharp, needle-like wing-horns pierced through her body—straight through just below her chest. Blood burst outward, scattering into the air in a spray of crimson.
Her calm smile twisted into sudden shock. Her voice faltered as she gasped, N-No... another one...?
Haruto froze at the sight. Just then—behind Mihane—a new Demon appeared. It had just arrived, crouched low, its bat-like wings unfolding wide. The wings bore two long, razor-sharp horns at their upper edges, unnaturally thin and deadly. In the blink of an eye, those horns shot forward, stabbing through Mihane from behind and emerging just below her chest.
The creature straightened slowly, unfolding its crouched form. As it stood, it pulled its wings back, the horns sliding out of Mihane's body with a wet, tearing sound. SPLSH... DRIP... Droplets of blood fell from the horn-tips, hitting the dirt below in tiny, crimson splatters.
Mihane gripped her sword with all her strength, her face tightening with anger as she clenched her jaw. She tried to turn back quickly—
—but the sword slipped from her hand, and she dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach tightly. THUD Her body trembled as she pressed her hands hard against her abdomen, the pain too unbearable to stand. Her tears began to fall, yet she didn't scream. She endured it in silence, her trembling lips barely parting as she whispered, T-This pain…?
She pressed her stomach even tighter, her body curling slightly from the pain.
Haruto, standing nearby, began to tremble uncontrollably. "M—!" No sound left his throat. His face twisted in shock and fear, eyes wet with tears he couldn't even shed properly. His knees shook; he couldn't move an inch.
The demon, partially veiled by a shadow, lunged forward and began tearing into Mihane's left arm, ripping her flesh apart with its teeth and devouring it piece by piece.
Fighting through the agony in her abdomen, Mihane thought through gritted teeth,
N-No, no! This pain is starting again…
She took a deep, shaky breath to hold herself together, her lips tightening and jaw trembling from the pain. Then, with what strength she had left, she swung her elbow back sharply—
THUD!
—smashing it into the demon's forehead. The demon stumbled backward with a snarl.
Her left arm was mangled, torn in several places, almost stripped bare. Mihane struggled to stand, her body trembling from pain. She reached for her sword, her hand shaking, and with effort, she lifted it. Holding it firmly in her right hand, she twisted her body—and with a swift, precise slash—SHING!—she struck the demon's neck, cutting more than half through. The demon screeched in pain and, with its half-hanging neck, flew away in panic.
Her body had grown unbearably weak, but Mihane endured it. Turning her head toward Haruto, she forced a faint smile.
"M-M...a..ma." Haruto's voice cracked, barely a whisper as his water bottle slipped from his trembling hand and hit the ground. CLINK He tried to move forward, forcing his body to respond, but his legs refused to obey. The next second, his body gave way, and he fell from the cliff's edge onto dry leaves below. THUD!
His knees, hands, and head scraped against the rough ground, bleeding from the fall. He tried to push himself up, but his strength gave out again, and he collapsed.
Seeing him like that, Mihane smiled softly, painfully, and began walking toward him slowly—each step heavy but calm.
Haruto, lying below, kept trying to crawl forward but couldn't. Tears streamed endlessly down his face as he kept wiping them away with shaking hands.
Mihane reached him and sat down gently beside him. She carefully lifted Haruto, holding him in her lap, wrapping her arms around him, and softly caressing his head. Haruto sobbed uncontrollably, his voice breaking as he tried to speak between his sniffling breaths. "Mama!" he cried harder, wiping his tears. "P-Please forgive me! I'm useless… I couldn't protect you! Even after all that training, I still couldn't do anything!"
Mihane gave a faint, gentle smile. From her hands glowed a warm green light that softly healed Haruto's wounds before fading away. "You know how to live alone… don't you, my son?" she whispered. Her eyes twitched slightly in pain as tears began to fall from them.
Haruto, still crying, shouted between sobs, "No!! No!!"
As her smile lingered, Mihane's eyes slowly began to close.
Through his trembling sobs, Haruto wiped his tears and sniffed, trying to speak. "I… I promise…" His voice broke, weak and full of grief. "I promise… I will erase every single demon from this world. I won't let any of them live. They'll all die!"
Hearing his words, Mihane smiled softly one last time, a tear rolling down her cheek. Her arms, still wrapped around him, slowly loosened—their strength fading. One of her hands slipped down beside him, while the other slid beneath his waist, falling limply.
Haruto clutched her tightly, crying harder, pressing his face against her chest. He shook as his sobs echoed through the forest, his voice breaking again and again, his pain spilling out with every breath.
He wept like a child who had lost his entire world, his tears soaking her clothes, his trembling hands refusing to let her go.
…
The evening was drawing near; the sun had not yet set, but dusk was approaching. Haruto had cried so much that his eyes had run dry. Now, hungry and thirsty, he sat there, still holding Mihane tightly in his arms.
He had stopped crying and screaming, but his throat was parched beyond relief. Finally, he loosened his grip, stepping back. Mihane's body, which had been leaning forward, tilted a little more and fell sideways, her limbs resting unevenly on the ground. She had been sitting on her knees, but now that Haruto had released her, her body collapsed to the earth.
Some time later, Haruto began digging a grave in the ground. He used a piece of wood he had taken from the fallen tree—the same one the two-headed demon had broken apart. He dug with trembling hands until the pit was deep enough. When he was done, he gently placed Mihane's body inside, looking at her face one last time before covering her with soil by hand. Once finished, he planted her sword firmly into the ground above the grave.
After that, Haruto lifted both his hands and silently prayed while still standing—a gesture filled with calm sincerity. Then, he began walking away.
Haruto wandered through the forest for a long time. When he finally reached home, the door was locked. The key was with Mihane, who now rested beneath the soil. His eyes shifted to the side of the door, where his sword rested quietly in its scabbard. He picked it up and decided to leave—to find his sensei.
The sun was close to setting as Haruto wandered far in search of him. His body had weakened from hunger and thirst. Exhausted, he sat down beside a large boulder, leaning against it for rest. Slowly, his eyes began to close, and he drifted into sleep.
...
"Hey, hey!" a voice called out. "Hey, kid!"
Haruto's eyes opened. In front of him sat a man on horseback.
The man looked to be in his early thirties—tall and broad-shouldered. He had short, tousled aqua-blue hair that moved slightly with the breeze, and pale grey eyes with faint blue glints. His expression was calm yet sharp, giving off quiet confidence. A long cape hung from his shoulders, faintly lined with gold that shimmered under the light.
Haruto blinked slowly. "W… What happened? Who are you?" he asked softly, his voice low.
The man smiled faintly. "What? You don't know me? Well, my name's Einzuro ShinKami. And who might you be?"
Haruto stood, gripping his sword, and began to walk closer. "My name is Haru—"
Before he could finish, he unsheathed his sword in a smooth motion and swung it toward the man's neck. The blade cut through the air with a sharp WHOOSH!
But before the strike could land—ZAP!—sparks flickered as a surge of energy burst through the air. In an instant, the man vanished from the horse and reappeared beside Haruto, his hand gripping Haruto's wrist. The sword slipped from Haruto's hand and clattered onto the stone ground with a sharp CLANG! Haruto winced, trying to free himself.
The man leaned closer, a confident smile touching his lips. "Haruto ShinKami… you really do have potential." He released Haruto's hand gently, without any force. "Tell me—are we related or something?" he said with a light laugh.
He added casually, "What are you doing out here alone? Go home, kid. Demons are more active at this time."
Haruto turned his face away, his tone serious, empty of warmth. "Leave me alone. Just go."
Einzuro tilted his head. "Why? What's wrong? A kid like you shouldn't look that sad. You've got something special inside you—I can see it." He extended a hand toward Haruto. "How about becoming my student, Haruto ShinKami?"
Without answering, Haruto picked up his sword and began walking away.
Einzuro lowered his hand, resting it at his side again. "Alright then, suit yourself. Maybe you're just not in the mood to talk right now." He turned his horse around and began to ride away.
"Wait," a voice called out.
Einzuro turned back and saw Haruto looking at him.
He smiled lightly. "What's wrong, talented boy? Changed your mind about becoming my student?"
Haruto said, "Can you… tell me your name again?"
Einzuro laughed softly, his voice firm yet casual. "You already forgot? My name's Einzuro ShinKami!"
Haruto lowered his gaze and walked closer. "I'm sorry… I didn't know you were a good person. I shouldn't have attacked you."
Einzuro waved it off. "It's fine. Happens all the time. Besides, we're relatives—so it's all good."
Haruto, still quiet and heavy with grief, looked up slightly. "Relatives…? Are you really related to me?"
Einzuro shrugged. "Maybe. Not close ones, but distant perhaps."
Haruto couldn't say anything, only looked aside, his jaw moving faintly as if lost in thought.
Einzuro smiled faintly. "So, tell me—do you want to become my student? My instincts are telling me you should. You have real potential."
Haruto's expression turned somber, his brows tightening. "What's the point of such potential," he said quietly, "if it can't even save your own mother?"
Einzuro's expression shifted—his usual relaxed face growing serious.
Haruto continued, "When your body freezes in fear, when your legs tremble, when you can't even save the one who raised you… what's the point of all that power?"
Einzuro asked, "What are you trying to say?"
Haruto's eyes lowered as he clenched his fist tightly. His tone was firm, his face calm yet determined. "I want to become stronger. I want to overcome my fear—and avenge my mother."
Einzuro's eyes narrowed slightly. "Avenge? Avenge against who?"
Haruto replied, "Demons. I promised my mother before she died that I wouldn't rest until I erased every single demon from this world. Every one of them will fall for what they did to her."
Einzuro asked quietly, "So, have you decided?"
Haruto nodded, his tone resolute. "I'm ready. I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger. I'll become your student. And I won't die until I've avenged my mother. Those demons… and the place they come from—I'll destroy it all. I'll leave none alive."
Einzuro gave a confident, proud smile. "Another brilliant student—just like the others." He gestured toward the horse behind him. "Come on, get on. From today onward, you're my student, Haruto."
Haruto climbed onto the horse behind him, and together they rode off—toward a journey that would change Haruto's life forever.