Prologue
Spoiler: show
My name is Kalan. I was given this name by my father, my name meaning “Sun Warrior.” Ironically my personality isn’t bright as a sun is supposed to be. I am the “child of darkness” given that title by my aunt because I am always in the dark, ever givin the chance that is. I have long dark brown almost black hair, tannish skin and my eyes have many different colors. I have an ever changing color in my eye being the main color, but within that color a permanent color stays, yellow strains shooting out in every direction of my pupil and into the whites of my eyes. People say these eyes are the eyes of a monster. My eyes main color reflects off of the color that is most dominant in an area, in most cases my eyes are grey and yellow because I stay in dark places. In the day I wear a hood to keep my eyes grey, seems to keep people away at a distance.
I have a bad reputation around the area I grew up as a monster, even though I have no resemblance to the mamono I suppose I have similar features in my moments of rage. It started out when I was with friends of my friend in my village, they were playing knights. Smacking wooden sticks pretending to be soldiers in the midst of a battle, I was watching them when one of the kids of another group jumped on me and started to hit me. I fell to the floor hoping that my friend would notice but they were all to in depth with their own game. I laid there on the ground in a ball trying to cover any areas that could be harmful if hit. Slowly I began to see only black. I didn’t see anything, but I heard the screams. I smelt the blood. And when I awoke, I was no longer on the ground in a ball. I was hunched over forward with blood in my mouth slowly flowing through my teeth and down my chin. I looked around and saw mangled bodies all around me.
I looked at my feet to find the boy who had been hitting me, split up the stomach to the base of his throat and his left ankle in my right hand. The only person to see what happened and live was my friend, Tim. I was ten years old and had killed thirteen people. Nine of them were the friends of Tim’s that were playing knights. Two of the thirteen people killed by me were a woman and a man who had tried to stop me. And the last was an unknown boy who thought I was somebody else I suppose I don’t know the reason he attacked me. Nobody could identify his face after what I did. After the guards found me on my knees in a pool of this boy’s blood, they shackled me up and took me to a cell. Chained to a wall with chains only long enough to sit on the cold ground with my arms hanging from my shackles with only a fist sized piece of bread and a small cup of water, awaiting my sentencing.
When the day came for my execution, my father begged the Emperor for my release and in exchange for my life, he gave his life to save mine under the condition that I would be banished from the territory of Zytang. I watched my father hang for my crimes and was banished from my homeland. My mother was driven mad with grief and took her own life not three hours after my father’s execution. My family taken from me, my home gone, but I was not alone. Though he saw me murder thirteen souls, he stood beside me as my brother. Tim traveled the world with me in search for riches as a treasure hunter with me as his aid.
If you were to classify us as an RPG class we would be that of rouges. We aren’t thieves so get that out of your head. We have come across many obstacles and have overcome every one of them. Everything from escaping the law to mercenary work, right now we are on our own, walking down the path to the next well-lit human settlements.
I have a bad reputation around the area I grew up as a monster, even though I have no resemblance to the mamono I suppose I have similar features in my moments of rage. It started out when I was with friends of my friend in my village, they were playing knights. Smacking wooden sticks pretending to be soldiers in the midst of a battle, I was watching them when one of the kids of another group jumped on me and started to hit me. I fell to the floor hoping that my friend would notice but they were all to in depth with their own game. I laid there on the ground in a ball trying to cover any areas that could be harmful if hit. Slowly I began to see only black. I didn’t see anything, but I heard the screams. I smelt the blood. And when I awoke, I was no longer on the ground in a ball. I was hunched over forward with blood in my mouth slowly flowing through my teeth and down my chin. I looked around and saw mangled bodies all around me.
I looked at my feet to find the boy who had been hitting me, split up the stomach to the base of his throat and his left ankle in my right hand. The only person to see what happened and live was my friend, Tim. I was ten years old and had killed thirteen people. Nine of them were the friends of Tim’s that were playing knights. Two of the thirteen people killed by me were a woman and a man who had tried to stop me. And the last was an unknown boy who thought I was somebody else I suppose I don’t know the reason he attacked me. Nobody could identify his face after what I did. After the guards found me on my knees in a pool of this boy’s blood, they shackled me up and took me to a cell. Chained to a wall with chains only long enough to sit on the cold ground with my arms hanging from my shackles with only a fist sized piece of bread and a small cup of water, awaiting my sentencing.
When the day came for my execution, my father begged the Emperor for my release and in exchange for my life, he gave his life to save mine under the condition that I would be banished from the territory of Zytang. I watched my father hang for my crimes and was banished from my homeland. My mother was driven mad with grief and took her own life not three hours after my father’s execution. My family taken from me, my home gone, but I was not alone. Though he saw me murder thirteen souls, he stood beside me as my brother. Tim traveled the world with me in search for riches as a treasure hunter with me as his aid.
If you were to classify us as an RPG class we would be that of rouges. We aren’t thieves so get that out of your head. We have come across many obstacles and have overcome every one of them. Everything from escaping the law to mercenary work, right now we are on our own, walking down the path to the next well-lit human settlements.
Spoiler: show
“This is why I hate walking the mountain paths on the coast.” Kalan said in an emotionless tone. “It’s always raining making the paths muddy.”
“It’s just a little water, what can’t stand getting a little wet? Tim said with a smirk.
“It’s not that I don’t like being wet, I just don’t want to hear you complaining how cold you are when we get to an inn.” Kalan said lifting his gaze up from the muddy path trying to get a rouse out of him.
Tim just shot back his head and laughed.
By the time we made it to the inn the rain and wind were in full swing. Trees were swaying; the rain was coming down so hard if you extended your arm forward you wouldn’t be able to see your own finger tips. As the two made it through the door of the inn, Tim took off his hood and walked to the inn keeper.
“Good evening inn keeper! My friend and I are travelers and are trying to escape the cold storm do you have any beds available?” Tim asked trying to sound polite.
The inn keep turned around from the wall filled with cubby slots, some filled with mail and some empty.
“We have one room tonight with only one bed; everyone who isn’t a permanent resident here is trying to escape the storm. One of you can stay in lobby if that is okay? The fire place keeps the room warm.” She said trying to be helpful.
Tim looked over at Kalan, with a silent question asking if it would be alright. Kalan made a slight nod as if saying it was alright.
Tim turned his attention back to the inn keeper and set up the arrangements.
“Thank you very much for the business and sleep well!” The inn keep said cheerfully.
The building was made of stone, which was a relief for travelers staying here knowing they won’t have to worry about drafts coming in through the wall.
“You take the bed I will take the lobby.” Kalan said to Tim not looking at him.
Tim turned in surprise as if to argue with him.
“Looks like you are going to need it anyways with those women ogling you at the bar.” Kalan said looking at the flames in the fire place.
“What are you talking about?” Tim said looking to the bar seeing three young women smiling and giggling while one gives a gesture to come and have a drink with them.
“See, you go have some fun. I am going to look around. See what is in this town.” And before Tim could turn around to reply, Kalan had gone out the door.
Outside it was just as windy but the rain had subsided enough to where you could see down the road. The roads were muddy and covered in pine tree branches. Kalan doesn’t like walking in mud so he tried his best to hop from branch. Noticing he was drawing attention to himself he quickly refrained from branch hopping and deciding dragging his cloak in the mud was better than drawing unwanted attention. He found himself at the border of the town and found a library. Intrigued, he walked in and closed the door.
“Hello?” He said loudly hoping to be heard.
It was dark and looked to be abandoned; the dust and cobwebs gave the impression that it hadn’t had any visitors in any recent years.
Then suddenly Kalan heard something in the back.
“I told you before and I will tell you damn thieves again! There is no money here! Now get out of here immediately!” What sounded like an old man yelling at him.
“Is this how the librarian of Illimoth treats his guests?” Kalan asked calmly but stern.
“Are you actually here to read my books?” this time the old man said in a shaky voice as a figure of a short feeble old man came out of the shadows.
He was mostly bald on the top of his head with a few stray grey hair covered his head. He had bright blue eyes filled with hope of his to be new friend. He wore a green tunic with silver buttons and a light brown jacket with the pants to match.
“I am here to see what there is to offer. I see you have much to offer but look as if things here have not been touched in quite some time.” Kalan said with his hood on looking at the floor.
“I am sorry pardon my intrusions. My name is Kalan, son of Balathan of Indiruc of the Zytang Empire. I am traveling and came to this town to escape the storm and I decided to see what this town had to offer me.” Kalan said politely as he could as to try and avoid trouble or in the least any bad feelings towards him.
The old man looked shocked and took a few steps back as if an arrow had struck him in the heart.
“Kalan?” The old man said quietly.
“I can’t believe it is you. Lift your hood and let me see your face.” The old man said rather hastily.
Kalan knew he had no other choice but to do as he said and removed his hood. Beyond the wet strains of hair that covered his face you could easily see the glowing veins the spread throughout his eyes that glowed like gold stuck in stone.
“It really is you.” The old man said under his breath. “Follow me lad.” He said while gesturing a hand to follow him.
Kalan wearily followed him into a back room.
“My name is Dabtiel. Your father told me that if you ever were led to me, that I was to tell you this.” Dabtiel said excitedly.
“You knew my father? How?” Kalan asked forcefully.
“Calm down lad. He came to me once, I’d say twenty-three summers ago I believe. He told me he would keep this a secret from you. He said that unless you came to me he would never tell you, it must be fate that you must hear this. Your bloodline is that of royalty. ”Dabtiel said quietly.
Kalan almost furious hearing this. “You dare mock me? My family lived in the slums how could I be that of royal blood!?” Kalan yelled in anger.
Dabtiel waved his hands down as if to tell him to quite. “Let me finish lad, you are not new royal blood. You are a descendant of Ra, the God of the sun.”
“This cannot be, my father told you this?” Kalan said
“The glowing yellow streams in your eyes, show you have the blood of Ra, they are proof of that. Listen lad, I know what happened when you were young. I know what made you do it.” Dabtiel said sadly.
Shaken by what Kalan had heard he quickly looked to the floor remembering the split corpse of the boy in his hand.
“It wasn’t your fault, there is something inside of you that-“ Dabtiel was quickly cut off hearing the door slam open and the yell of a husky male voice.
“Where are you, you god dammed librarian! You owe us something!” The voice yelled
“Sounds like you have some nice friends.” Kalan said with a slight smile
“They are not friends of mine. No matter what happens you must not come out of this room.” Dabtiel said sternly and ran out to confront the men who were causing trouble.
Kalan could hear Dabtiel yelling at the men trying to get them to leave.
“This is a library there is nothing valuable here, just leave!” Dabtiel yelled viciously.
“There is always something valuable somewhere and if you don’t tell me where it is I won’t be so nice this time. This time I’ll slit your throat. Now where is it!”
As the savage man began to walk towards Dabtiel with knife in hand he was quickly confronted by a dark figure just as tall as he. He had glowing yellow eyes that looked like the steady flow of liquid gold.
“Ah you have a friend with you today huh? Tell you what Dabtiel you tell me where the goodies are or your friend here will be six feet under you got tha-“the thief said with a brief halt.
The thief than fell to the ground with a small knife lodged in forehead, Kalan looked around the room to count seven more watching with weapons in hand.
“Dabtiel you should go back to the other room. This is no place for the old to be.” And with that said Dabtiel went back into the other room where they had been talking, but decided to see what would be happening and was peeking his head around the corner.
“Ya shouldn’t ought to av done dat boy.” One of the men said trying to be intimidating.
“I will give everybody one warning. Leave and never return or die by my blades.” Kalan said looking at them while they circled around him.
“Ya hear that lads? He said he was goin kill us.”
One of the men on the right said. Another man laughed.
“Aye boy! When we is done puttin your head on a steak we is goin torcher dat old man until he be beggin us for death, then he will be joinin ya!”
And without further ado, Kalan dropped to the floor throwing two small blades at the men who were to his left and right and hit them both in the throats. They both dropped their weapons and put their hands around their necks and dropped to the floor. Startled one of the men fell back into the darkness while two more rushed forward to attack Kalan.
The closest man was then tripped by a pile of books he had not seen. Seeing and predicting where he would land Kalan grabbed his dagger and plunged it into the chest of the falling man. The other man still coming at him, Kalan swung around and punched the thief in the cheek with the back of his fist to stun him while the dagger came out of the previous man’s chest and struck him in the side of the head straight to the brain. Another of the crew came running around Kalan’s left swinging what looked like a blacksmiths hammer and came crashing into the desk as Kalan dodged his mighty swing as the desk crashed down to the floor. The man didn’t give up though he kept coming and Kalan kept dodging. While the man with the hammer was distracting Kalan one of the last thieves drew his bow but while he had done that Kalan was drawing closer and closer until he was only feet away. The bow man had his arrow ready to release as the hammer man was about to make his final strike Kalan dropped to the floor and let the two kill each other. The arrow was shot and plunged into the man’s chest and the hammer crashed into the rib cage of the bowman, both fell to the floor. The bow man was dead without question but the hammer man was still alive.
“I told you this would happen. I gave you all the opportunity to leave peacefully.” Kalan said in a pant kneeling next to the bleeding hammer man.
But to his surprise he was smiling.
“You forget someone boy?” The bandit said grinning ear to ear.
Kalan then realized only six were down and at that time he heard a bow being drawn and to feel the cold steel of the arrow smack into him his right shoulder blade.
Kalan let out a yell of pain.
“HAHAHAHAHA you ain't so strong now is ya boy! HAHAHAHA” He heard in the corner as another arrow stabbed him in left side of his ribs.
Kalan fell to the floor on his side only hearing his heart beat slowly start to fade and the high pitch laugh of that inbred piece of trash that had gotten the best of him.
“I don’t want to die yet. This can’t be how it is supposed to end. Right when I learn apart of who I really am. I want to live. I…want…to ……live……”
His thoughts began to slip into darkness.
Once again he couldn’t see anything but heard the screams and smelt the blood of men. Then he slipped into darkness and all was silenced.
The second bow man who had struck Kalan with two arrows was laughing to his heart’s content only to be confused as Kalan had got back up.
“Up for another round there boy? Fine let me break your spirit!”
He let loose another arrow and as it got close to hitting him in the back again the arrow burst into yellow flame.
“Heh?” The bowman said confused.
The yellow flame fell to the ground and only seemed to be burning the arrow and not the wooden floor. Then disappeared once the arrow had completely disappeared into dust the flame diminished as if nothing happened. Even the iron tip of the arrow had no trace of its existence.
Kalan turned half way around to show his eyes that had been covered in black and the bright yellow shine of the veins. It looked as if liquid gold was flowing releasing gold aura at the outer corner of his eyes. Kalan stood there for a few moments before he drew a huge sadistic smile.
“Your turn….”
“It’s just a little water, what can’t stand getting a little wet? Tim said with a smirk.
“It’s not that I don’t like being wet, I just don’t want to hear you complaining how cold you are when we get to an inn.” Kalan said lifting his gaze up from the muddy path trying to get a rouse out of him.
Tim just shot back his head and laughed.
By the time we made it to the inn the rain and wind were in full swing. Trees were swaying; the rain was coming down so hard if you extended your arm forward you wouldn’t be able to see your own finger tips. As the two made it through the door of the inn, Tim took off his hood and walked to the inn keeper.
“Good evening inn keeper! My friend and I are travelers and are trying to escape the cold storm do you have any beds available?” Tim asked trying to sound polite.
The inn keep turned around from the wall filled with cubby slots, some filled with mail and some empty.
“We have one room tonight with only one bed; everyone who isn’t a permanent resident here is trying to escape the storm. One of you can stay in lobby if that is okay? The fire place keeps the room warm.” She said trying to be helpful.
Tim looked over at Kalan, with a silent question asking if it would be alright. Kalan made a slight nod as if saying it was alright.
Tim turned his attention back to the inn keeper and set up the arrangements.
“Thank you very much for the business and sleep well!” The inn keep said cheerfully.
The building was made of stone, which was a relief for travelers staying here knowing they won’t have to worry about drafts coming in through the wall.
“You take the bed I will take the lobby.” Kalan said to Tim not looking at him.
Tim turned in surprise as if to argue with him.
“Looks like you are going to need it anyways with those women ogling you at the bar.” Kalan said looking at the flames in the fire place.
“What are you talking about?” Tim said looking to the bar seeing three young women smiling and giggling while one gives a gesture to come and have a drink with them.
“See, you go have some fun. I am going to look around. See what is in this town.” And before Tim could turn around to reply, Kalan had gone out the door.
Outside it was just as windy but the rain had subsided enough to where you could see down the road. The roads were muddy and covered in pine tree branches. Kalan doesn’t like walking in mud so he tried his best to hop from branch. Noticing he was drawing attention to himself he quickly refrained from branch hopping and deciding dragging his cloak in the mud was better than drawing unwanted attention. He found himself at the border of the town and found a library. Intrigued, he walked in and closed the door.
“Hello?” He said loudly hoping to be heard.
It was dark and looked to be abandoned; the dust and cobwebs gave the impression that it hadn’t had any visitors in any recent years.
Then suddenly Kalan heard something in the back.
“I told you before and I will tell you damn thieves again! There is no money here! Now get out of here immediately!” What sounded like an old man yelling at him.
“Is this how the librarian of Illimoth treats his guests?” Kalan asked calmly but stern.
“Are you actually here to read my books?” this time the old man said in a shaky voice as a figure of a short feeble old man came out of the shadows.
He was mostly bald on the top of his head with a few stray grey hair covered his head. He had bright blue eyes filled with hope of his to be new friend. He wore a green tunic with silver buttons and a light brown jacket with the pants to match.
“I am here to see what there is to offer. I see you have much to offer but look as if things here have not been touched in quite some time.” Kalan said with his hood on looking at the floor.
“I am sorry pardon my intrusions. My name is Kalan, son of Balathan of Indiruc of the Zytang Empire. I am traveling and came to this town to escape the storm and I decided to see what this town had to offer me.” Kalan said politely as he could as to try and avoid trouble or in the least any bad feelings towards him.
The old man looked shocked and took a few steps back as if an arrow had struck him in the heart.
“Kalan?” The old man said quietly.
“I can’t believe it is you. Lift your hood and let me see your face.” The old man said rather hastily.
Kalan knew he had no other choice but to do as he said and removed his hood. Beyond the wet strains of hair that covered his face you could easily see the glowing veins the spread throughout his eyes that glowed like gold stuck in stone.
“It really is you.” The old man said under his breath. “Follow me lad.” He said while gesturing a hand to follow him.
Kalan wearily followed him into a back room.
“My name is Dabtiel. Your father told me that if you ever were led to me, that I was to tell you this.” Dabtiel said excitedly.
“You knew my father? How?” Kalan asked forcefully.
“Calm down lad. He came to me once, I’d say twenty-three summers ago I believe. He told me he would keep this a secret from you. He said that unless you came to me he would never tell you, it must be fate that you must hear this. Your bloodline is that of royalty. ”Dabtiel said quietly.
Kalan almost furious hearing this. “You dare mock me? My family lived in the slums how could I be that of royal blood!?” Kalan yelled in anger.
Dabtiel waved his hands down as if to tell him to quite. “Let me finish lad, you are not new royal blood. You are a descendant of Ra, the God of the sun.”
“This cannot be, my father told you this?” Kalan said
“The glowing yellow streams in your eyes, show you have the blood of Ra, they are proof of that. Listen lad, I know what happened when you were young. I know what made you do it.” Dabtiel said sadly.
Shaken by what Kalan had heard he quickly looked to the floor remembering the split corpse of the boy in his hand.
“It wasn’t your fault, there is something inside of you that-“ Dabtiel was quickly cut off hearing the door slam open and the yell of a husky male voice.
“Where are you, you god dammed librarian! You owe us something!” The voice yelled
“Sounds like you have some nice friends.” Kalan said with a slight smile
“They are not friends of mine. No matter what happens you must not come out of this room.” Dabtiel said sternly and ran out to confront the men who were causing trouble.
Kalan could hear Dabtiel yelling at the men trying to get them to leave.
“This is a library there is nothing valuable here, just leave!” Dabtiel yelled viciously.
“There is always something valuable somewhere and if you don’t tell me where it is I won’t be so nice this time. This time I’ll slit your throat. Now where is it!”
As the savage man began to walk towards Dabtiel with knife in hand he was quickly confronted by a dark figure just as tall as he. He had glowing yellow eyes that looked like the steady flow of liquid gold.
“Ah you have a friend with you today huh? Tell you what Dabtiel you tell me where the goodies are or your friend here will be six feet under you got tha-“the thief said with a brief halt.
The thief than fell to the ground with a small knife lodged in forehead, Kalan looked around the room to count seven more watching with weapons in hand.
“Dabtiel you should go back to the other room. This is no place for the old to be.” And with that said Dabtiel went back into the other room where they had been talking, but decided to see what would be happening and was peeking his head around the corner.
“Ya shouldn’t ought to av done dat boy.” One of the men said trying to be intimidating.
“I will give everybody one warning. Leave and never return or die by my blades.” Kalan said looking at them while they circled around him.
“Ya hear that lads? He said he was goin kill us.”
One of the men on the right said. Another man laughed.
“Aye boy! When we is done puttin your head on a steak we is goin torcher dat old man until he be beggin us for death, then he will be joinin ya!”
And without further ado, Kalan dropped to the floor throwing two small blades at the men who were to his left and right and hit them both in the throats. They both dropped their weapons and put their hands around their necks and dropped to the floor. Startled one of the men fell back into the darkness while two more rushed forward to attack Kalan.
The closest man was then tripped by a pile of books he had not seen. Seeing and predicting where he would land Kalan grabbed his dagger and plunged it into the chest of the falling man. The other man still coming at him, Kalan swung around and punched the thief in the cheek with the back of his fist to stun him while the dagger came out of the previous man’s chest and struck him in the side of the head straight to the brain. Another of the crew came running around Kalan’s left swinging what looked like a blacksmiths hammer and came crashing into the desk as Kalan dodged his mighty swing as the desk crashed down to the floor. The man didn’t give up though he kept coming and Kalan kept dodging. While the man with the hammer was distracting Kalan one of the last thieves drew his bow but while he had done that Kalan was drawing closer and closer until he was only feet away. The bow man had his arrow ready to release as the hammer man was about to make his final strike Kalan dropped to the floor and let the two kill each other. The arrow was shot and plunged into the man’s chest and the hammer crashed into the rib cage of the bowman, both fell to the floor. The bow man was dead without question but the hammer man was still alive.
“I told you this would happen. I gave you all the opportunity to leave peacefully.” Kalan said in a pant kneeling next to the bleeding hammer man.
But to his surprise he was smiling.
“You forget someone boy?” The bandit said grinning ear to ear.
Kalan then realized only six were down and at that time he heard a bow being drawn and to feel the cold steel of the arrow smack into him his right shoulder blade.
Kalan let out a yell of pain.
“HAHAHAHAHA you ain't so strong now is ya boy! HAHAHAHA” He heard in the corner as another arrow stabbed him in left side of his ribs.
Kalan fell to the floor on his side only hearing his heart beat slowly start to fade and the high pitch laugh of that inbred piece of trash that had gotten the best of him.
“I don’t want to die yet. This can’t be how it is supposed to end. Right when I learn apart of who I really am. I want to live. I…want…to ……live……”
His thoughts began to slip into darkness.
Once again he couldn’t see anything but heard the screams and smelt the blood of men. Then he slipped into darkness and all was silenced.
The second bow man who had struck Kalan with two arrows was laughing to his heart’s content only to be confused as Kalan had got back up.
“Up for another round there boy? Fine let me break your spirit!”
He let loose another arrow and as it got close to hitting him in the back again the arrow burst into yellow flame.
“Heh?” The bowman said confused.
The yellow flame fell to the ground and only seemed to be burning the arrow and not the wooden floor. Then disappeared once the arrow had completely disappeared into dust the flame diminished as if nothing happened. Even the iron tip of the arrow had no trace of its existence.
Kalan turned half way around to show his eyes that had been covered in black and the bright yellow shine of the veins. It looked as if liquid gold was flowing releasing gold aura at the outer corner of his eyes. Kalan stood there for a few moments before he drew a huge sadistic smile.
“Your turn….”
Spoiler: show
Chapter 2.
“It’s so dark. All I can see is darkness. It’s cold and damp. Where am I?”
All around was darkness, nothing more. In the process of a three hundred and sixty degree turn, Kalan saw something faint in the distance. An orange light, small and flickering.
“Wait, what is that?”
Kalan began to walk closer, but the closer he got the further away he felt. Until the orange light disappeared, Kalan stopped, confused on how it could be that the light seemed to be running from him. He then suddenly began to feel warmth cover his back, Kalan turned around to find a small camp fire. Kalan quickly looked to find it was just him, he was alone. He sat down next to the fire and pushed his hands towards the fire to warm them.
Everything was silent except for the small crackling that the fire made. It wasn’t soon after that that a feint voice could be heard almost as if the speaker was directly over Kalan’s left shoulder.
“You should have died that day.”
With wide eyes Kalan spun around to his left to find only nothing in the darkness. He turned back to the fire to find a young boy standing in front of him.
“You should have been the one to die that day, you monster.”
The young boy said emotionlessly.
Kalan froze, wide eyed not knowing the face but knowing who the boy was. Neither Kalan nor the boy said anything, everything was silent.
The boy then gave a look of pain and began to scream to the high heavens as his boy was then torn to from his belly to his throat. His entrails splattered across the cold ground and fell to the floor.
Kalan jumped back a few feet and covered his mouth in total shock.
“Kalan?”
It was Tim’s voice, in questioning tone as to what was going on.
Kalan turned back to respond but to only see the look of horror on Tim’s face.
“You monster! I hope you burn in hell!”
Tim yelled as he turned and ran as he disappeared into the darkness.
Kalan had no idea what he meant until he looked in his left hand to see the ankle of the young boy, his face was smashed in and Kalan was covered from head to toe in this boys blood.
“No…This can’t be right…I didn’t do this!”
Kalan began to exclaim, only to see the head of the young boy turn and look at him.
“You did this to me, and now…IT’S YOUR TURN TO DIE!”
As the young boy made a horrific screeching sound darkness covered.
“AAAAAHHHHHHH!”
Kalan yelled lurching forward to find himself covered in sweat and on a cold stone floor. Kalan looked around to see a barely staying alive campfire. The fire was dim but was bright enough to illuminate the surrounding area. It was a small circular stone room, rough and damp on the walls. Kalan found it safe to call this place a cave.
He further looked around the room to have one passageway leading somewhere he couldn’t see. Kalan then felt movement and a slight moan come from his left. He turned his head to see that something was right next to him.
Kalan instantly lurched to the other side of the cave and pushed his back against the wall. He couldn’t tell what it was exactly but he could noticed that the form hand a very shapely form.
A slight moan was given again by the figure that had been lying next to him; it was a light voice and feminine. The figure rolled over and Kalan only became more cautious when he realized what it was that had been lying next to him.
She had a ragged appearance, her soot black hair was all in disarray and her long pointed ears on the top of her head even seemed to be messy. The furs on her arms are black and faded into dark red the closer the fur got to her shoulders. Her skin was a charcoal tint and she had a patch of dark red fur on her chest and a black collar, spiked with a red skull on the front. From the corner of her eyes, red flames spread but didn’t seem to burn anything.
Kalan was so busy examining her he didn’t realize that she was awake and staring at him, but something was off. Either way Kalan felt danger, he had heard the stories of these beasts killing and ripping full grown men to shreds without even having to use full force. She was a Hellhound.
Her dark red eyes melting in with the black of her eyes only made her more intimidating.
But Kalan noticed something. She was blushing and breathing very heavily. Then the silence was broken.
“I’m so sorry!”
The hellhound yelled with quite a high pitched voice.
This completely through off Kalan, he had heard that hellhounds were ruthless and evil cast from the fiery pits of hell to reap havoc on the human world.
“I saw you leaned up against a tree passed out in the woods! The rain was picking up so I brought you here! I swear I didn’t do anything please believe me!”
The hellhound pleaded franticly.
Kalan was still cautious though, he wasn’t going to let his guard down.
“How can I trust what you’re saying is true? How do I know that you didn’t just drag me out of the inn...?”
Kalan came to a halt and remembered what he figured was the previous night.
The hellhound was franticly trying to explain to him that she was just trying to help him get out of the storm but Kalan was deep in thought about what actually happened.
“Tell me, where is Illimoth. The town, how far away is it?”
Kalan tried to sound as intimidating as he could.
The hellhound thought for a moment.
“I believe it is thirty or so miles east from here.”
She said quietly.
Kalan could not believe it.
“Thirty miles, how could I travel that long is only one night!?”
The hellhound retracted from him yelling at him.
Kalan then noticed her eyes becoming watery.
“Wait a second, no no no no. Don’t cry, you’re a hellhound! Hellhounds don’t cry!”
Kalan said franticly and utterly confused.
The hellhound lifted up her paws to her face to wash the tears off of her face. Kalan then noticed two things. One, she had been using his cloak as a blanket. Two she had quite the bust size, easily a D cup at least. It also didn’t help that she was basically over flowing her three prong/spiked bra.
“Please stop crying, I’m sorry I yelled at you just please stop crying.”
Kalan said as he drew closer. He put his hand on her shoulder and quickly wished he hadn’t. The hellhound flashed a big grin and pounced on him.
“Awe does the human not want to see me cry? You were being so mean just a moment ago.”
The hellhound had Kalan pinned down holding his shoulders against the hard stone floor beneath them.
“You were just crying a moment ago-“
Kalan began to say before getting cut off.
“So you think my acting skills are good huh? I take pride in them.”
She said while wagging her bushy black tail.
Kalan stared up at her wide eyed and scared of what he thought would come next. Quickly he came to his senses he pulled his knees to his chest put the flats of his feet on her stomach and rolled over doing a somersault pushing her off of him and pushing her forward with his legs.
By the time he got to his feet the hellhound was already in a stance to pounce on him yet again. Kalan searched his through his pockets to see if he had anything to defend himself with but found nothing but lint.
“Awe, you looking for your toys? They won’t be any help to you right now even if you did have them. You did surprise me when you threw me off of you, I like that. The sensation to be free of somebodies grasps, the will to stay free. It’s admirable really it is, but all I can think of is how to BREAK that in you.”
She said wide eyed with a sadistic smile with a little drool seeping out the side of her mouth. She looked as a cat would look as it corned the small defenseless mouse.
“So not only will I break your will and make you be the father of my children but you will be my sweet husband and you will learn to enjoy it.”
She said smiling as she lunged at Kalan with everything she had.
Her speed was incredibly fast, Kalan was barely able to avoid being pinned again.
Kalan darted for the entrance tunnel with the hellhound quickly on his tail. Of course it didn’t help that the passage was only ten feet long and had a boulder over the top of the entrance.
“There isn’t any place for you turn and run this time.”
The hellhound said with a husky voice, satisfied that she had her prey in a corner but almost disappointed that the game was now over.
Kalan didn’t turn around he kept facing the boulder and closed his eyes, coming to terms with his defeat. Waiting to hear the quick footsteps of the hellhound’s feet hitting the stone ground.
But to Kalan’s surprise, he heard nothing. He opened his eyes, expecting to already be on the ground being held down by the hellhound.
Kalan slowly turned around to see nothing behind him but the fire blazing a little brighter. He then started to creep back into the stone room. He saw the hellhound sitting by the fire with her knees brought to her chest being held by one of her arms, while the other was tossing small sticks onto the fire.
“You know I absolutely hate doing this.”
The hellhound said after a few moments of silence.
“W-what do you mean?”
Kalan said quickly and quietly, scared that she may actually do as the stories say.
She was silent for a few moments again.
“I hate having to act like a hellhound is known to act. I hate being feared by everybody I try to reach out to.”
She then hid her face in her knees but what Kalan actually saw was just enough to show the true emotion. The tears he saw fall to the ground as she hid her face told him, this is real.
Kalan slowly sat on the opposite side of the fire, sighed and looked down at the fire.
“You know, I understand how you feel-“
He started to say but was interrupted by the furious temper of the hellhound.
“HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE HATED BY EVERY SINGE PERSON THAT SEES YOU?! Do you know what it is like to have armed forces try to kill you just for being in the wrong spot at the right time? Just because I’m a hellhound doesn’t mean that I am a mindless monster that kills for fun. I have a life; I exist to live a life by the torment of solitude.”
Kalan looked up at her shocked then turned his attention back to the fire.
“When I was a young boy, I killed thirteen people; the bodies were so mangled that nobody could identify who they even were. I was to be executed but, my father took my place and I was banished from my homeland. And after that last night I don’t know how many more innocent lives I’ve taken. I know what it feels to have the glares of those who believe you to be a monster that kills just for the sake of death. Even those who do not live in that land still know my name and fear me. Even if they do not know who I am by name they know my eyes. So yes I do know what it is like to have people flee at the very sight of you. I have not had to live in solitude as you though. My friend has always with me. I need to leave and find him, I am sorry but I cannot stay.”
Kalan looked back up to see the teary eyed hellhound staring at him intently. As if shocked to hear this come from a human.
“What about the rest of your family? They must be somewhere right? Did they escape like you?”
Kalan looked at the hellhound cautiously.
“I am an only child. My mother took her own life shortly after my father’s execution. I am the last of my family.”
Kalan said looking back at the fire throwing in a small stick he found sitting next to him.
“So you are like me?!”
The hellhounds voice sounded closer and almost excited.
Kalan turned his head to see the hellhound only inches away from his own. Kalan jumped back a bit and had a questioning facial expression as to why she was so close.
“In a sense, I suppose.”
Kalan said shakily.
The hellhound lurched forward but to Kalan’s surprise, she wrapped her arms around him in an embracive hug instead of simply pinning him down on the ground like she had done before.
“Finally someone like me. I am sorry for acting the way I did before. I was just trying to act as other hellhounds do but I just can’t to do it. It’s just not who I am. My name is Letha. I know you have to leave but I have two conditions to letting you go. If you accept these two conditions I will let you go free to find your friend without me trying to stop you.”
Kalan pushed her back but he couldn’t push her back any further than backing her face up only a few inches away from his own.
“What conditions?”
Kalan asked cautiously.
Letha smiled and let him go, stood and turned around facing the wall. She turned her head to reveal that sadistic smile again. She turned and kneeled a few feet away.
“One, you must take me with you and agree to never leave me.”
Kalan seemed as if he had expected that one. Kalan sighed and looked at her face looking deep into her eyes.
“Fine, but we will have to have rules about walking through towns. Evading guards and-“
Kalan was cut off by a very excited hellhound.
“OH! I can teach you about evading people!”
She said very happily with her tail wagging ferociously behind her.
“No I mean, never mind we will talk about that later. What is your second condition?”
Kalan asked hastily wanting to leave and find Tim.
“You must….”
Suddenly Letha became very shy about the topic she was bringing up. Her face went blush, and with a dark red tint to her face she went silent.
“Well? What is your second condition?”
Kalan said trying to leave as soon as possible, while already grabbing his cloak from where he and Letha had slept.
“You must…BE MY HUSBAND!”
Letha became quite after she heard Kalan drop his equipment back to the stone floor he had picked up.
“Why would you want me as your husband? You will be traveling the world; you could find anybody out there more suited to you than me.”
Kalan said while still facing the wall. He then felt warmth press up against his back and arms reach around and tighten around his chest. He felt Letha press the side of her cheek against his back and felt her paws grab his shirt.
“I feel more connected to you than I have anything else. You know how it feels to be looked at like a monster. You have been hated, feared and cast aside. We are the same, so will you please say yes?”
Kalan then began to realize, that he is the first person to connect with this girl. He remembered sitting in the stockades as a young boy waiting for anybody to come to his need and tell him it would be okay, that it wasn’t his fault and that he would be out soon. He began to realize this cave as Letha’s stockade. He never had anybody other than guards to shower him with unpleasant looks and beatings gladly given to him.
“As of this moment, it is a no.”
He was quickly cut off by Letha.
“B-b-but!-“
She said teary eyed.
Kalan turned around and looked down into her eyes and pushed his finger to her lips.
“As of now it is a no. But, in the future I promise that I will be yours.”
Kalan said almost shocked at what he had told her. But the look that she gave him almost made him not regret what he had just said. Her eyes filled with hope and happiness then reached up and grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in kissed him. She pulled back almost immediately and looked up at him in worry.
Kalan stood there looking into her eyes shocked. He was thrown back a bit but finally spit out some words.
“To be honest, that was my first kiss.”
Letha looked at him turned her head in a look of confusion and then began to chuckle until she burst into laughter.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA…….To be completely honest…Mine too.”
Letha said letting him go and walking towards the fire with a sway in her hips as she walked. Kalan couldn’t help but feel doubt about her though; she had tricked him before with her “acting skills.” This could be just another trick but he felt as if she was herself and not what she was pretending to be before.
The two got there previsions in order and Letha then showed a hidden passage way not a foot away from the boulder that had all of Kalan’s weapons and other goodies. The small passage way led to a hidden door buried in broken tree branches and pine needles. And Letha pointed in the direction of Illimoth, then the pair set off in search of Tim.
“It’s so dark. All I can see is darkness. It’s cold and damp. Where am I?”
All around was darkness, nothing more. In the process of a three hundred and sixty degree turn, Kalan saw something faint in the distance. An orange light, small and flickering.
“Wait, what is that?”
Kalan began to walk closer, but the closer he got the further away he felt. Until the orange light disappeared, Kalan stopped, confused on how it could be that the light seemed to be running from him. He then suddenly began to feel warmth cover his back, Kalan turned around to find a small camp fire. Kalan quickly looked to find it was just him, he was alone. He sat down next to the fire and pushed his hands towards the fire to warm them.
Everything was silent except for the small crackling that the fire made. It wasn’t soon after that that a feint voice could be heard almost as if the speaker was directly over Kalan’s left shoulder.
“You should have died that day.”
With wide eyes Kalan spun around to his left to find only nothing in the darkness. He turned back to the fire to find a young boy standing in front of him.
“You should have been the one to die that day, you monster.”
The young boy said emotionlessly.
Kalan froze, wide eyed not knowing the face but knowing who the boy was. Neither Kalan nor the boy said anything, everything was silent.
The boy then gave a look of pain and began to scream to the high heavens as his boy was then torn to from his belly to his throat. His entrails splattered across the cold ground and fell to the floor.
Kalan jumped back a few feet and covered his mouth in total shock.
“Kalan?”
It was Tim’s voice, in questioning tone as to what was going on.
Kalan turned back to respond but to only see the look of horror on Tim’s face.
“You monster! I hope you burn in hell!”
Tim yelled as he turned and ran as he disappeared into the darkness.
Kalan had no idea what he meant until he looked in his left hand to see the ankle of the young boy, his face was smashed in and Kalan was covered from head to toe in this boys blood.
“No…This can’t be right…I didn’t do this!”
Kalan began to exclaim, only to see the head of the young boy turn and look at him.
“You did this to me, and now…IT’S YOUR TURN TO DIE!”
As the young boy made a horrific screeching sound darkness covered.
“AAAAAHHHHHHH!”
Kalan yelled lurching forward to find himself covered in sweat and on a cold stone floor. Kalan looked around to see a barely staying alive campfire. The fire was dim but was bright enough to illuminate the surrounding area. It was a small circular stone room, rough and damp on the walls. Kalan found it safe to call this place a cave.
He further looked around the room to have one passageway leading somewhere he couldn’t see. Kalan then felt movement and a slight moan come from his left. He turned his head to see that something was right next to him.
Kalan instantly lurched to the other side of the cave and pushed his back against the wall. He couldn’t tell what it was exactly but he could noticed that the form hand a very shapely form.
A slight moan was given again by the figure that had been lying next to him; it was a light voice and feminine. The figure rolled over and Kalan only became more cautious when he realized what it was that had been lying next to him.
She had a ragged appearance, her soot black hair was all in disarray and her long pointed ears on the top of her head even seemed to be messy. The furs on her arms are black and faded into dark red the closer the fur got to her shoulders. Her skin was a charcoal tint and she had a patch of dark red fur on her chest and a black collar, spiked with a red skull on the front. From the corner of her eyes, red flames spread but didn’t seem to burn anything.
Kalan was so busy examining her he didn’t realize that she was awake and staring at him, but something was off. Either way Kalan felt danger, he had heard the stories of these beasts killing and ripping full grown men to shreds without even having to use full force. She was a Hellhound.
Her dark red eyes melting in with the black of her eyes only made her more intimidating.
But Kalan noticed something. She was blushing and breathing very heavily. Then the silence was broken.
“I’m so sorry!”
The hellhound yelled with quite a high pitched voice.
This completely through off Kalan, he had heard that hellhounds were ruthless and evil cast from the fiery pits of hell to reap havoc on the human world.
“I saw you leaned up against a tree passed out in the woods! The rain was picking up so I brought you here! I swear I didn’t do anything please believe me!”
The hellhound pleaded franticly.
Kalan was still cautious though, he wasn’t going to let his guard down.
“How can I trust what you’re saying is true? How do I know that you didn’t just drag me out of the inn...?”
Kalan came to a halt and remembered what he figured was the previous night.
The hellhound was franticly trying to explain to him that she was just trying to help him get out of the storm but Kalan was deep in thought about what actually happened.
“Tell me, where is Illimoth. The town, how far away is it?”
Kalan tried to sound as intimidating as he could.
The hellhound thought for a moment.
“I believe it is thirty or so miles east from here.”
She said quietly.
Kalan could not believe it.
“Thirty miles, how could I travel that long is only one night!?”
The hellhound retracted from him yelling at him.
Kalan then noticed her eyes becoming watery.
“Wait a second, no no no no. Don’t cry, you’re a hellhound! Hellhounds don’t cry!”
Kalan said franticly and utterly confused.
The hellhound lifted up her paws to her face to wash the tears off of her face. Kalan then noticed two things. One, she had been using his cloak as a blanket. Two she had quite the bust size, easily a D cup at least. It also didn’t help that she was basically over flowing her three prong/spiked bra.
“Please stop crying, I’m sorry I yelled at you just please stop crying.”
Kalan said as he drew closer. He put his hand on her shoulder and quickly wished he hadn’t. The hellhound flashed a big grin and pounced on him.
“Awe does the human not want to see me cry? You were being so mean just a moment ago.”
The hellhound had Kalan pinned down holding his shoulders against the hard stone floor beneath them.
“You were just crying a moment ago-“
Kalan began to say before getting cut off.
“So you think my acting skills are good huh? I take pride in them.”
She said while wagging her bushy black tail.
Kalan stared up at her wide eyed and scared of what he thought would come next. Quickly he came to his senses he pulled his knees to his chest put the flats of his feet on her stomach and rolled over doing a somersault pushing her off of him and pushing her forward with his legs.
By the time he got to his feet the hellhound was already in a stance to pounce on him yet again. Kalan searched his through his pockets to see if he had anything to defend himself with but found nothing but lint.
“Awe, you looking for your toys? They won’t be any help to you right now even if you did have them. You did surprise me when you threw me off of you, I like that. The sensation to be free of somebodies grasps, the will to stay free. It’s admirable really it is, but all I can think of is how to BREAK that in you.”
She said wide eyed with a sadistic smile with a little drool seeping out the side of her mouth. She looked as a cat would look as it corned the small defenseless mouse.
“So not only will I break your will and make you be the father of my children but you will be my sweet husband and you will learn to enjoy it.”
She said smiling as she lunged at Kalan with everything she had.
Her speed was incredibly fast, Kalan was barely able to avoid being pinned again.
Kalan darted for the entrance tunnel with the hellhound quickly on his tail. Of course it didn’t help that the passage was only ten feet long and had a boulder over the top of the entrance.
“There isn’t any place for you turn and run this time.”
The hellhound said with a husky voice, satisfied that she had her prey in a corner but almost disappointed that the game was now over.
Kalan didn’t turn around he kept facing the boulder and closed his eyes, coming to terms with his defeat. Waiting to hear the quick footsteps of the hellhound’s feet hitting the stone ground.
But to Kalan’s surprise, he heard nothing. He opened his eyes, expecting to already be on the ground being held down by the hellhound.
Kalan slowly turned around to see nothing behind him but the fire blazing a little brighter. He then started to creep back into the stone room. He saw the hellhound sitting by the fire with her knees brought to her chest being held by one of her arms, while the other was tossing small sticks onto the fire.
“You know I absolutely hate doing this.”
The hellhound said after a few moments of silence.
“W-what do you mean?”
Kalan said quickly and quietly, scared that she may actually do as the stories say.
She was silent for a few moments again.
“I hate having to act like a hellhound is known to act. I hate being feared by everybody I try to reach out to.”
She then hid her face in her knees but what Kalan actually saw was just enough to show the true emotion. The tears he saw fall to the ground as she hid her face told him, this is real.
Kalan slowly sat on the opposite side of the fire, sighed and looked down at the fire.
“You know, I understand how you feel-“
He started to say but was interrupted by the furious temper of the hellhound.
“HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE HATED BY EVERY SINGE PERSON THAT SEES YOU?! Do you know what it is like to have armed forces try to kill you just for being in the wrong spot at the right time? Just because I’m a hellhound doesn’t mean that I am a mindless monster that kills for fun. I have a life; I exist to live a life by the torment of solitude.”
Kalan looked up at her shocked then turned his attention back to the fire.
“When I was a young boy, I killed thirteen people; the bodies were so mangled that nobody could identify who they even were. I was to be executed but, my father took my place and I was banished from my homeland. And after that last night I don’t know how many more innocent lives I’ve taken. I know what it feels to have the glares of those who believe you to be a monster that kills just for the sake of death. Even those who do not live in that land still know my name and fear me. Even if they do not know who I am by name they know my eyes. So yes I do know what it is like to have people flee at the very sight of you. I have not had to live in solitude as you though. My friend has always with me. I need to leave and find him, I am sorry but I cannot stay.”
Kalan looked back up to see the teary eyed hellhound staring at him intently. As if shocked to hear this come from a human.
“What about the rest of your family? They must be somewhere right? Did they escape like you?”
Kalan looked at the hellhound cautiously.
“I am an only child. My mother took her own life shortly after my father’s execution. I am the last of my family.”
Kalan said looking back at the fire throwing in a small stick he found sitting next to him.
“So you are like me?!”
The hellhounds voice sounded closer and almost excited.
Kalan turned his head to see the hellhound only inches away from his own. Kalan jumped back a bit and had a questioning facial expression as to why she was so close.
“In a sense, I suppose.”
Kalan said shakily.
The hellhound lurched forward but to Kalan’s surprise, she wrapped her arms around him in an embracive hug instead of simply pinning him down on the ground like she had done before.
“Finally someone like me. I am sorry for acting the way I did before. I was just trying to act as other hellhounds do but I just can’t to do it. It’s just not who I am. My name is Letha. I know you have to leave but I have two conditions to letting you go. If you accept these two conditions I will let you go free to find your friend without me trying to stop you.”
Kalan pushed her back but he couldn’t push her back any further than backing her face up only a few inches away from his own.
“What conditions?”
Kalan asked cautiously.
Letha smiled and let him go, stood and turned around facing the wall. She turned her head to reveal that sadistic smile again. She turned and kneeled a few feet away.
“One, you must take me with you and agree to never leave me.”
Kalan seemed as if he had expected that one. Kalan sighed and looked at her face looking deep into her eyes.
“Fine, but we will have to have rules about walking through towns. Evading guards and-“
Kalan was cut off by a very excited hellhound.
“OH! I can teach you about evading people!”
She said very happily with her tail wagging ferociously behind her.
“No I mean, never mind we will talk about that later. What is your second condition?”
Kalan asked hastily wanting to leave and find Tim.
“You must….”
Suddenly Letha became very shy about the topic she was bringing up. Her face went blush, and with a dark red tint to her face she went silent.
“Well? What is your second condition?”
Kalan said trying to leave as soon as possible, while already grabbing his cloak from where he and Letha had slept.
“You must…BE MY HUSBAND!”
Letha became quite after she heard Kalan drop his equipment back to the stone floor he had picked up.
“Why would you want me as your husband? You will be traveling the world; you could find anybody out there more suited to you than me.”
Kalan said while still facing the wall. He then felt warmth press up against his back and arms reach around and tighten around his chest. He felt Letha press the side of her cheek against his back and felt her paws grab his shirt.
“I feel more connected to you than I have anything else. You know how it feels to be looked at like a monster. You have been hated, feared and cast aside. We are the same, so will you please say yes?”
Kalan then began to realize, that he is the first person to connect with this girl. He remembered sitting in the stockades as a young boy waiting for anybody to come to his need and tell him it would be okay, that it wasn’t his fault and that he would be out soon. He began to realize this cave as Letha’s stockade. He never had anybody other than guards to shower him with unpleasant looks and beatings gladly given to him.
“As of this moment, it is a no.”
He was quickly cut off by Letha.
“B-b-but!-“
She said teary eyed.
Kalan turned around and looked down into her eyes and pushed his finger to her lips.
“As of now it is a no. But, in the future I promise that I will be yours.”
Kalan said almost shocked at what he had told her. But the look that she gave him almost made him not regret what he had just said. Her eyes filled with hope and happiness then reached up and grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in kissed him. She pulled back almost immediately and looked up at him in worry.
Kalan stood there looking into her eyes shocked. He was thrown back a bit but finally spit out some words.
“To be honest, that was my first kiss.”
Letha looked at him turned her head in a look of confusion and then began to chuckle until she burst into laughter.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA…….To be completely honest…Mine too.”
Letha said letting him go and walking towards the fire with a sway in her hips as she walked. Kalan couldn’t help but feel doubt about her though; she had tricked him before with her “acting skills.” This could be just another trick but he felt as if she was herself and not what she was pretending to be before.
The two got there previsions in order and Letha then showed a hidden passage way not a foot away from the boulder that had all of Kalan’s weapons and other goodies. The small passage way led to a hidden door buried in broken tree branches and pine needles. And Letha pointed in the direction of Illimoth, then the pair set off in search of Tim.
Spoiler: show
A week has almost passed since Kalan and Letha had taken off.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long just to walk thirty miles.”
Kalan said a little bitterly.
“Well if you hadn’t been so fussy about mud and trying to find somebody who sells clothes who wouldn’t run away from us, sure took its time don’t you think?”
Letha said with a small grin.
“And whose fault is it that we needed new clothes? Who was it that decided to messing around with that Ushi-Oni was a good idea?”
Kalan said while glaring at Letha and raising an eye brow.
“Hey! She looked at you funny. You can never trust what they are thinking.”
Letha said crossing her arms and puffed her cheeks out.
Kalan couldn’t help but smile at her. Then he couldn’t help but check her out a little. She just looked so good in the clothes they had bought. She wore these blue shorts that had a loop and button at the top of them, she later cut the leggings almost completely off saying that she felt restricted but Kalan felt an alternate motive, they were tight enough to not leave much for the imagination. She then bought a matching tunic and again cut the sleeves off.
Kalan didn’t realize but he had taken a little too long admiring Letha and soon met eyes with her.
Kalan turned bright red and turned his attention to the road. But Letha wasn’t going to just leave it at that. Letha then ran into Kalan and grabbed his arm and pressed her breasts onto his arm.
“You know you don’t have to hide your gaze. You could have me at any time you know.”
Letha said with a lust filled smile.
Kalan turned bright red again and stopped in the road just staring at her not knowing the words to say to her. Then Letha’s ears began to twitch a little bit and while still having ahold of Kalan bolted for the woods just off the side of the road and hid behind a tree.
Shortly after a few dozen armed soldiers came marching by with their captain on horseback. About where Kalan and Letha had been standing the captain stopped his horse at the sound of his scouting party coming back with their report.
“Captain Arioch Sir!”
One of the scouts said while kneeling down on one knee and quickly standing back up.
“Captain Arioch Sir, Illimoth has been flattened sir.”
Arioch was taken back at what he had just heard. The soldier then continued.
“I was told by some of the remaining survivors that is was attacked by an unknown monster. It was completely burnt to the ground.”
Letha and Kalan were close enough to hear what was being said but Kalan had no emotion on his face, no response to hearing the news.
“How many survived? Is there is no identification of the culprit who did this?”
Arioch questioned.
“Only the few people who were on the outskirts of the town and no sir, but there has been word of a hellhound being in the area, she may have done this. It is pure speculation but it is a possibility sir.”
Arioch nodded and then gave the command to continue their way east towards the decimated town.
After the last soldier was out of sight, Letha began to loosen her grip around Kalan.
She stood and noticed Kalan hadn’t moved, he sat there wide eyed. Letha kneeled back down and placed a paw on Kalan’s hand and as soon as she touched him he began a silent cry. Tears fell down his face but his expression never changed.
By the time Kalan came to, it was already night time and as usual Letha was gone and in her place was a small fire.
Soon after Letha came into view holding a bundle of wood walking slowly and her gaze on the ground. She met eyes with Kalan and without breaking eye contact dropped her bundle of wood and in a split second had her arms wrapped around Kalan’s neck bringing his face into her chest.
The two stayed silent for a few moments before Kalan could feel Letha jerk back and forth every couple seconds. Kalan looked up at the teary eyed hellhound question and confusion.
“What’s wrong Letha? Why are you crying sweetie?”
Letha was a little surprised hearing him being so affectionate to her but that didn’t change the worry she had for him.
“After those soldiers came by and left, it’s like you weren’t even there. Your eyes were open but it was like you were corpse. I brought us here. We are several hundred feet away from the road. Just far enough so people can’t see us. Now are you okay Kalan?”
Letha asked him in the most concerning tone she could make.
Kalan pushed her back a little so she was sitting on the ground in front of him with her legs to her sides.
Kalan gave her a blank stare and slightly tilted his head on one side. Kalan then slowly began to lean forward until he was almost crawling on all fours. The closer and closer he got to Letha the more concerned she became yet her curiosity was peaking. Kalan at this point was now only an inch away from Letha’s blushing and confused face, but Kalan remained silent.
“I-I-is th-there something on my face?”
Letha tried her best to get her words out but all she could think of was Kalan’s blank stare.
“Your face.”
Kalan said quietly.
“It’s so pretty.”
Letha could almost feel her heart starting skip beats.
“W-w-w-what? M-m-m-my face is pretty?”
Letha said about to turn to look somewhere else. But before she could she felt Kalan’s palm cup her cheek. Letha turned back her gaze back to Kalan only to feel his lips on her own.
Letha felt her blood boil and then she feinted. Before she fell to the ground Kalan grabbed her and laid her on the ground next to the fire and walked over to the wood Letha had dropped and brought it over to the side of the fire,
Kalan looked back at the passed out Hellhound and saw an almost dazed expression.
“Well I guess I will have to add that trick to the book. Seduce target until unconscious. So much for being untamable.”
Kalan let out a small laugh only to feel furry arms wrap around from behind him and grip the shirt on his chest.
“Awake already huh?”
Kalan laughed and looked up with a smile only to quickly turn into a look of fear to see that the claws weren’t Letha’s, but that of a very stimulated Ushi-Oni.
Everything was silent except for the crackling of the fire and the heavy breathing of the monstrous Ushi-Oni.
“Well human, you almost sound like you were waiting for me. Don’t get quiet on me now, the fun is just about to begin!
Kalan made a desperate move to escape the clutches of the Ushi-Oni but all was in vain. She had her claws tightly wrapped around her prey and she wasn’t about to let go, until a loud growl from behind her grabbed her attention to face a battle ready hellhound showing her fangs and claws.
“Let go of him, NOW!”
Letha said as intimidatingly she could.
The Ushi-Oni looked at Letha not certain if she should see her as a threat or not. Size was obviously in her court.
“Is this your human? This human is mine now got it dog?”
With that said the Ushi-Oni couldn’t even react to the over powering speed of the hellhound and took one of Letha’s claws to the chest. Letha dug her claws into the skin of the Ushi-Oni and tore down to her belly. While the Ushi-Oni began to scream, Letha took her chance to grab Kalan only to be swatted away by one of the big claws of the Ushi-Oni. Letha dodged and quickly lunged again to try and get another strike in.
The Ushi-Oni let out a scream of anger and hatred and charged Letha full speed still grabbing on to Kalan with her right arm. Letha Turned tail and ran still being chased by the enraged monster.
“What’s the matter? Having problems beating the dog you eight legged freak?!”
Letha yelled over her shoulder trying to get at her opponent.
The Ushi-Oni could no longer make out any words; her voice only came out as screams of rage.
Letha found what she was looking for, a very large very old pine tree about fifty feet ahead of her. She then began to slow down until she was only a claws length away from her chaser.
She then fell to the floor only five feet away from the tree and as she hit the ground the Ushi-Oni couldn’t stop in time and was in collision course with the old pine.
As the Ushi-Oni passed over Letha, Letha grabbed ahold of Kalan and with the free hand dug her claws into the underbelly of the Ushi-Oni giving her that extra little bit to steal Kalan from her grasp.
And with a big “thud” their pursuer had smashed into the old pine and was out cold.
Letha had Kalan in her arms still eyeing the Ushi-Oni not letting her guard down.
“Well that was pretty intense don’t yeah think?”
Kalan said jokingly.
Letha made a quick glance at him and then back up to keep a steady glare at her defeated opponent.
Kalan tried to get out of Letha’s grasp but she wouldn’t let go, not even a budge.
“Letha? Are you alright? We need to go before she wakes up.”
Kalan said while again trying to get free.
Letha finally let her grip slip and let Kalan stand up, as did she.
“Are you okay?”
Letha said turning her attention to Kalan.
“Yes I’m fine are you hurt at all?”
Kalan asked concerned.
“No I’m okay. I can’t believe I actually took on that monster.”
Letha said quietly as she began to laugh and turn around with Kalan to head back to their camp site to pack up.
But Letha then felt something coming out from her chest. She saw blood, she felt a cold boney piece in her chest she looked down only to see a spear like spike sticking out where her heart should have been.
She turned to face Kalan in horror and confusion and was then thrown into the ground twenty feet away.
She saw the Ushi-Oni with a triumphant, smug expression and to watch Kalan run over to her.
She could see his mouth moving and the tears running down his face but she didn’t hear anything. There was only silence.
Kalan reached her and held her head in his chest screaming and crying only to see the emotionless expression Letha and a single tear roll down her cheek.
Kalan tried to make since of it all but nothing came. No matter how much he cried and screamed he realized, she was gone.
The steps of the Ushi-Oni could be heard slowly walking upon him.
She could see him curling over the corpse of the Hellhound but didn’t seem to really care, she had won the battle and was going to claim her prize.
She reached to grab him only to see him spin around and stab her in the stomach and tear up to her breasts.
The Ushi-Oni screamed in pain as her thick blood spewed out and on to Kalan almost drenching him head to toe.
“YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!”
Kalan screamed at the Ushi-Oni trying to take more slices at her.
But she jumped back wrapping her torso in her threads to try and stop the bleeding.
Kalan lunged with his blade ready to strike, only to be swatted like a fly sending Kalan flying along with his sword no longer anywhere reachable.
Kalan stood back up on his feet only to feel immense pain and agony. He fell to his knees screaming.
The Ushi-Oni was confused and scared that she may have severely damaged who she wanted to be her play thing but only watched from the distance between the two.
Kalan could feel the skin on his back ripping apart from his back and almost as if bones were breaking and turning into new appendages, He felt his skull shifting and crackling around the sides of his skull above his ears. His clothes on his back tore apart to reveal the bat like wings and a set of horns that sprouted outwards two inches and rounded forwards to face his direction.
At first Kalan had no idea what was happening but then remember something he had been told about these certain types of Mamono. The blood of an Ushi-Oni is so thick with demonic energy that if spilt onto a human man it will turn him from human, to an Incubus.
He felt his body noticing he now had claws instead of finger tips, he had an eight foot wing span, a pair of sharp horns protruding from his skull and a black tail coming out of his lower back with a very sharp tip.
He looked to face the one responsible for Letha’s death only to find a blushing and very excited Ushi-Oni.
The thought of Letha came into his head and searched for her body and found her lying by an old looking pine tree. He walked over to Letha’s body saw the six inch wide hole in her chest where her heart should be. He knelt down next to her and held her into his chest and began his silent cry.
It was only a few moments after he felt his blood boiling, he felt his eyes scorching hot like fire and heard a small voice in his ear almost as if a ghost was whispering in his ear.
“Your blood is awakening. Become who you know you are to be. My son, and take revenge on this beast!”
Kalan stood up slowly and faced the one who had killed his Letha.
The Ushi-Oni was experiencing something she had never felt before, fear.
Bright flames of gold exploded out the sides of his eyes as he felt his arms cover themselves in the yellow flame.
The Ushi-Oni took a few steps backwards coming to the conclusion it’s time to leave. As she turned around she found her path blocked by yellow flame.
She turned gaze back to Kalan only to see he wasn’t there anymore. She looked around frantically driven by fear only to see she was surrounded by fire.
She looked up to see him staring down at her emotionless.
“WHAT ARE YOU?!”
She screamed feeling the flames nip at her legs.
Kalan said nothing and then disappeared only to appear and inch from her own face taking a deep breath.
“Your death.”
With that the flames swallowed her.
She screamed to the high heavens drawing attention from anything within a minimum of two miles.
She ran but could only get a few feet before falling to the ground and into the open arms of death.
Kalan watched over head emotionless watching as her body began to perish.
But her screaming and the flames brought attention to other Mamono; a few Wererabbits, mantises and even a curious dragon flying overhead watching carefully.
As if it were sheer willpower Kalan extinguished his flames and landed on the scorched ground with a pile of ash, the only remnants of what used to be a Mamono.
He walked over to Letha’s body, knelt down and stared at her for the rest of the night, never leaving her side.
The following day he dug a grave and wrapped her body in his cloak and kept hers and buried her. Leaving an engraved log above:
My One Love
Letha
Kalan was sitting in front of Letha’s grave about to get up when heard an unknown voice from behind him.
“I am sorry for your loss.”
Kalan turned around to see a human woman with a young holstaurus.
The woman after seeing his eyes took a couple steps back but was stopped by the Holstaurus.
Kalan turned his attention back to Letha’s grave and gave no attention to the two.
The woman took a few steps forward trying to find words to say.
“My name is Ann, and this is my friend Beth.”
Ann said, trying to make conversation but of no avail.
“Who was it that passed may I ask?”
Beth asked, quickly having Ann’s hand slap on her mouth to try and keep her from asking another stupid question.
Kalan did not turn to them. He took in a deep breath.
“She was a Hellhound.”
Both Ann and Beth were stunned not thinking that a human would have the company of such a dangerous Mamono.
“Her name was…is Letha. She died defending me from an Ushi-Oni.”
Fear struck Ann and Beth’s hearts as they looked around.
“There is an Ushi-Oni around here?”
Ann asked with a slight whimper in her voice.
Kalan turned to face the two and looked Ann in the eyes.
“Not anymore. She was burned alive.”
Turning back to take one last look back to where Letha was buried and began to walk back towards the road.
But before he got too far Kalan saw Beth pull something out of the basket that Ann had in her left arm. She walked over to Letha’s headstone.
Kalan stopped and turned around to see her lay a dark red rose next to her headstone.
Kalan almost broke into tears but managed to keep his tears hidden.
“Thank you, Beth. She would have liked that..”
Beth simply nodded and walked back to Ann.
Ann looked at the two and decided to finally speak up.
“We are going to Daggland. It is only a few miles south from here, you are welcome to join us if you’d like. You don’t have to but, it would be nice to try and get through the rest of this forest without being attacked by wild animals or worse a dangerous Mamono.”
Beth gave Ann a certain look of disbelief but, decided to go with Ann on this one after all there was an Ushi-Oni in the area.
Kalan stared at the two not really wanting to accept but can understand their fear.
“Fine just until we reach the road though, got it, no farther than that.”
Ann thanked him and Beth took lead followed by Ann then Kalan taking the back.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the road but when they did they were surrounded by guardsmen pointing their spears in the threes direction.
A man on horseback, a man that Kalan recognized immediately, Captain Arioch spoke from behind his men eyed the three of them.
“By the Order of this land I place you three under arrest!”
Ann was about to step forward to protest but Kalan held her back and beat her to it.
“Under what charges may I ask sir?”
Captain Arioch looked at Kalan with a smile.
“For torching and bring Illimoth to the ground. Monster. I know who you are, the eyes give it away. MEN! Do you know who this man is?”
The sound of armor shifting could be heard as the men glanced over at each other.
“This man is a murderer. At the age of ten he had already killed thirteen people. The bodies were so mangled that nobody could tell who the poor souls even were. But I knew for a fact that one of them was. He was a blonde kid. This poor kid was cut from the stomach all the way from the stomach to the base of his neck and was found in the hands of that monster! And that child was my younger brother!”
Hearing this Kalan almost went into shock from the images going through his head of that kid’s face and his ankle in his hands.
“SO! Men place these scumbags under arrest and execute them.”
Ann began to cry and mumble words that nobody could understand. Beth ran to Ann and held to her arm.
But Kalan just stood there and as the men drew closer to arrest them in one fluid motion Kalan cut the throat of one of the men. The soldier held his throat trying to stop the bleeding but would ultimately die as he hit the ground.
The other men were confused. Kalan hadn’t drawn his sword, they saw blood dripping from his fingers but didn’t know what to think of it.
In the midst of the confusion Kalan looked at Ann and Beth and only said one word.
“Run.”
“It shouldn’t have taken this long just to walk thirty miles.”
Kalan said a little bitterly.
“Well if you hadn’t been so fussy about mud and trying to find somebody who sells clothes who wouldn’t run away from us, sure took its time don’t you think?”
Letha said with a small grin.
“And whose fault is it that we needed new clothes? Who was it that decided to messing around with that Ushi-Oni was a good idea?”
Kalan said while glaring at Letha and raising an eye brow.
“Hey! She looked at you funny. You can never trust what they are thinking.”
Letha said crossing her arms and puffed her cheeks out.
Kalan couldn’t help but smile at her. Then he couldn’t help but check her out a little. She just looked so good in the clothes they had bought. She wore these blue shorts that had a loop and button at the top of them, she later cut the leggings almost completely off saying that she felt restricted but Kalan felt an alternate motive, they were tight enough to not leave much for the imagination. She then bought a matching tunic and again cut the sleeves off.
Kalan didn’t realize but he had taken a little too long admiring Letha and soon met eyes with her.
Kalan turned bright red and turned his attention to the road. But Letha wasn’t going to just leave it at that. Letha then ran into Kalan and grabbed his arm and pressed her breasts onto his arm.
“You know you don’t have to hide your gaze. You could have me at any time you know.”
Letha said with a lust filled smile.
Kalan turned bright red again and stopped in the road just staring at her not knowing the words to say to her. Then Letha’s ears began to twitch a little bit and while still having ahold of Kalan bolted for the woods just off the side of the road and hid behind a tree.
Shortly after a few dozen armed soldiers came marching by with their captain on horseback. About where Kalan and Letha had been standing the captain stopped his horse at the sound of his scouting party coming back with their report.
“Captain Arioch Sir!”
One of the scouts said while kneeling down on one knee and quickly standing back up.
“Captain Arioch Sir, Illimoth has been flattened sir.”
Arioch was taken back at what he had just heard. The soldier then continued.
“I was told by some of the remaining survivors that is was attacked by an unknown monster. It was completely burnt to the ground.”
Letha and Kalan were close enough to hear what was being said but Kalan had no emotion on his face, no response to hearing the news.
“How many survived? Is there is no identification of the culprit who did this?”
Arioch questioned.
“Only the few people who were on the outskirts of the town and no sir, but there has been word of a hellhound being in the area, she may have done this. It is pure speculation but it is a possibility sir.”
Arioch nodded and then gave the command to continue their way east towards the decimated town.
After the last soldier was out of sight, Letha began to loosen her grip around Kalan.
She stood and noticed Kalan hadn’t moved, he sat there wide eyed. Letha kneeled back down and placed a paw on Kalan’s hand and as soon as she touched him he began a silent cry. Tears fell down his face but his expression never changed.
By the time Kalan came to, it was already night time and as usual Letha was gone and in her place was a small fire.
Soon after Letha came into view holding a bundle of wood walking slowly and her gaze on the ground. She met eyes with Kalan and without breaking eye contact dropped her bundle of wood and in a split second had her arms wrapped around Kalan’s neck bringing his face into her chest.
The two stayed silent for a few moments before Kalan could feel Letha jerk back and forth every couple seconds. Kalan looked up at the teary eyed hellhound question and confusion.
“What’s wrong Letha? Why are you crying sweetie?”
Letha was a little surprised hearing him being so affectionate to her but that didn’t change the worry she had for him.
“After those soldiers came by and left, it’s like you weren’t even there. Your eyes were open but it was like you were corpse. I brought us here. We are several hundred feet away from the road. Just far enough so people can’t see us. Now are you okay Kalan?”
Letha asked him in the most concerning tone she could make.
Kalan pushed her back a little so she was sitting on the ground in front of him with her legs to her sides.
Kalan gave her a blank stare and slightly tilted his head on one side. Kalan then slowly began to lean forward until he was almost crawling on all fours. The closer and closer he got to Letha the more concerned she became yet her curiosity was peaking. Kalan at this point was now only an inch away from Letha’s blushing and confused face, but Kalan remained silent.
“I-I-is th-there something on my face?”
Letha tried her best to get her words out but all she could think of was Kalan’s blank stare.
“Your face.”
Kalan said quietly.
“It’s so pretty.”
Letha could almost feel her heart starting skip beats.
“W-w-w-what? M-m-m-my face is pretty?”
Letha said about to turn to look somewhere else. But before she could she felt Kalan’s palm cup her cheek. Letha turned back her gaze back to Kalan only to feel his lips on her own.
Letha felt her blood boil and then she feinted. Before she fell to the ground Kalan grabbed her and laid her on the ground next to the fire and walked over to the wood Letha had dropped and brought it over to the side of the fire,
Kalan looked back at the passed out Hellhound and saw an almost dazed expression.
“Well I guess I will have to add that trick to the book. Seduce target until unconscious. So much for being untamable.”
Kalan let out a small laugh only to feel furry arms wrap around from behind him and grip the shirt on his chest.
“Awake already huh?”
Kalan laughed and looked up with a smile only to quickly turn into a look of fear to see that the claws weren’t Letha’s, but that of a very stimulated Ushi-Oni.
Everything was silent except for the crackling of the fire and the heavy breathing of the monstrous Ushi-Oni.
“Well human, you almost sound like you were waiting for me. Don’t get quiet on me now, the fun is just about to begin!
Kalan made a desperate move to escape the clutches of the Ushi-Oni but all was in vain. She had her claws tightly wrapped around her prey and she wasn’t about to let go, until a loud growl from behind her grabbed her attention to face a battle ready hellhound showing her fangs and claws.
“Let go of him, NOW!”
Letha said as intimidatingly she could.
The Ushi-Oni looked at Letha not certain if she should see her as a threat or not. Size was obviously in her court.
“Is this your human? This human is mine now got it dog?”
With that said the Ushi-Oni couldn’t even react to the over powering speed of the hellhound and took one of Letha’s claws to the chest. Letha dug her claws into the skin of the Ushi-Oni and tore down to her belly. While the Ushi-Oni began to scream, Letha took her chance to grab Kalan only to be swatted away by one of the big claws of the Ushi-Oni. Letha dodged and quickly lunged again to try and get another strike in.
The Ushi-Oni let out a scream of anger and hatred and charged Letha full speed still grabbing on to Kalan with her right arm. Letha Turned tail and ran still being chased by the enraged monster.
“What’s the matter? Having problems beating the dog you eight legged freak?!”
Letha yelled over her shoulder trying to get at her opponent.
The Ushi-Oni could no longer make out any words; her voice only came out as screams of rage.
Letha found what she was looking for, a very large very old pine tree about fifty feet ahead of her. She then began to slow down until she was only a claws length away from her chaser.
She then fell to the floor only five feet away from the tree and as she hit the ground the Ushi-Oni couldn’t stop in time and was in collision course with the old pine.
As the Ushi-Oni passed over Letha, Letha grabbed ahold of Kalan and with the free hand dug her claws into the underbelly of the Ushi-Oni giving her that extra little bit to steal Kalan from her grasp.
And with a big “thud” their pursuer had smashed into the old pine and was out cold.
Letha had Kalan in her arms still eyeing the Ushi-Oni not letting her guard down.
“Well that was pretty intense don’t yeah think?”
Kalan said jokingly.
Letha made a quick glance at him and then back up to keep a steady glare at her defeated opponent.
Kalan tried to get out of Letha’s grasp but she wouldn’t let go, not even a budge.
“Letha? Are you alright? We need to go before she wakes up.”
Kalan said while again trying to get free.
Letha finally let her grip slip and let Kalan stand up, as did she.
“Are you okay?”
Letha said turning her attention to Kalan.
“Yes I’m fine are you hurt at all?”
Kalan asked concerned.
“No I’m okay. I can’t believe I actually took on that monster.”
Letha said quietly as she began to laugh and turn around with Kalan to head back to their camp site to pack up.
But Letha then felt something coming out from her chest. She saw blood, she felt a cold boney piece in her chest she looked down only to see a spear like spike sticking out where her heart should have been.
She turned to face Kalan in horror and confusion and was then thrown into the ground twenty feet away.
She saw the Ushi-Oni with a triumphant, smug expression and to watch Kalan run over to her.
She could see his mouth moving and the tears running down his face but she didn’t hear anything. There was only silence.
Kalan reached her and held her head in his chest screaming and crying only to see the emotionless expression Letha and a single tear roll down her cheek.
Kalan tried to make since of it all but nothing came. No matter how much he cried and screamed he realized, she was gone.
The steps of the Ushi-Oni could be heard slowly walking upon him.
She could see him curling over the corpse of the Hellhound but didn’t seem to really care, she had won the battle and was going to claim her prize.
She reached to grab him only to see him spin around and stab her in the stomach and tear up to her breasts.
The Ushi-Oni screamed in pain as her thick blood spewed out and on to Kalan almost drenching him head to toe.
“YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!”
Kalan screamed at the Ushi-Oni trying to take more slices at her.
But she jumped back wrapping her torso in her threads to try and stop the bleeding.
Kalan lunged with his blade ready to strike, only to be swatted like a fly sending Kalan flying along with his sword no longer anywhere reachable.
Kalan stood back up on his feet only to feel immense pain and agony. He fell to his knees screaming.
The Ushi-Oni was confused and scared that she may have severely damaged who she wanted to be her play thing but only watched from the distance between the two.
Kalan could feel the skin on his back ripping apart from his back and almost as if bones were breaking and turning into new appendages, He felt his skull shifting and crackling around the sides of his skull above his ears. His clothes on his back tore apart to reveal the bat like wings and a set of horns that sprouted outwards two inches and rounded forwards to face his direction.
At first Kalan had no idea what was happening but then remember something he had been told about these certain types of Mamono. The blood of an Ushi-Oni is so thick with demonic energy that if spilt onto a human man it will turn him from human, to an Incubus.
He felt his body noticing he now had claws instead of finger tips, he had an eight foot wing span, a pair of sharp horns protruding from his skull and a black tail coming out of his lower back with a very sharp tip.
He looked to face the one responsible for Letha’s death only to find a blushing and very excited Ushi-Oni.
The thought of Letha came into his head and searched for her body and found her lying by an old looking pine tree. He walked over to Letha’s body saw the six inch wide hole in her chest where her heart should be. He knelt down next to her and held her into his chest and began his silent cry.
It was only a few moments after he felt his blood boiling, he felt his eyes scorching hot like fire and heard a small voice in his ear almost as if a ghost was whispering in his ear.
“Your blood is awakening. Become who you know you are to be. My son, and take revenge on this beast!”
Kalan stood up slowly and faced the one who had killed his Letha.
The Ushi-Oni was experiencing something she had never felt before, fear.
Bright flames of gold exploded out the sides of his eyes as he felt his arms cover themselves in the yellow flame.
The Ushi-Oni took a few steps backwards coming to the conclusion it’s time to leave. As she turned around she found her path blocked by yellow flame.
She turned gaze back to Kalan only to see he wasn’t there anymore. She looked around frantically driven by fear only to see she was surrounded by fire.
She looked up to see him staring down at her emotionless.
“WHAT ARE YOU?!”
She screamed feeling the flames nip at her legs.
Kalan said nothing and then disappeared only to appear and inch from her own face taking a deep breath.
“Your death.”
With that the flames swallowed her.
She screamed to the high heavens drawing attention from anything within a minimum of two miles.
She ran but could only get a few feet before falling to the ground and into the open arms of death.
Kalan watched over head emotionless watching as her body began to perish.
But her screaming and the flames brought attention to other Mamono; a few Wererabbits, mantises and even a curious dragon flying overhead watching carefully.
As if it were sheer willpower Kalan extinguished his flames and landed on the scorched ground with a pile of ash, the only remnants of what used to be a Mamono.
He walked over to Letha’s body, knelt down and stared at her for the rest of the night, never leaving her side.
The following day he dug a grave and wrapped her body in his cloak and kept hers and buried her. Leaving an engraved log above:
My One Love
Letha
Kalan was sitting in front of Letha’s grave about to get up when heard an unknown voice from behind him.
“I am sorry for your loss.”
Kalan turned around to see a human woman with a young holstaurus.
The woman after seeing his eyes took a couple steps back but was stopped by the Holstaurus.
Kalan turned his attention back to Letha’s grave and gave no attention to the two.
The woman took a few steps forward trying to find words to say.
“My name is Ann, and this is my friend Beth.”
Ann said, trying to make conversation but of no avail.
“Who was it that passed may I ask?”
Beth asked, quickly having Ann’s hand slap on her mouth to try and keep her from asking another stupid question.
Kalan did not turn to them. He took in a deep breath.
“She was a Hellhound.”
Both Ann and Beth were stunned not thinking that a human would have the company of such a dangerous Mamono.
“Her name was…is Letha. She died defending me from an Ushi-Oni.”
Fear struck Ann and Beth’s hearts as they looked around.
“There is an Ushi-Oni around here?”
Ann asked with a slight whimper in her voice.
Kalan turned to face the two and looked Ann in the eyes.
“Not anymore. She was burned alive.”
Turning back to take one last look back to where Letha was buried and began to walk back towards the road.
But before he got too far Kalan saw Beth pull something out of the basket that Ann had in her left arm. She walked over to Letha’s headstone.
Kalan stopped and turned around to see her lay a dark red rose next to her headstone.
Kalan almost broke into tears but managed to keep his tears hidden.
“Thank you, Beth. She would have liked that..”
Beth simply nodded and walked back to Ann.
Ann looked at the two and decided to finally speak up.
“We are going to Daggland. It is only a few miles south from here, you are welcome to join us if you’d like. You don’t have to but, it would be nice to try and get through the rest of this forest without being attacked by wild animals or worse a dangerous Mamono.”
Beth gave Ann a certain look of disbelief but, decided to go with Ann on this one after all there was an Ushi-Oni in the area.
Kalan stared at the two not really wanting to accept but can understand their fear.
“Fine just until we reach the road though, got it, no farther than that.”
Ann thanked him and Beth took lead followed by Ann then Kalan taking the back.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the road but when they did they were surrounded by guardsmen pointing their spears in the threes direction.
A man on horseback, a man that Kalan recognized immediately, Captain Arioch spoke from behind his men eyed the three of them.
“By the Order of this land I place you three under arrest!”
Ann was about to step forward to protest but Kalan held her back and beat her to it.
“Under what charges may I ask sir?”
Captain Arioch looked at Kalan with a smile.
“For torching and bring Illimoth to the ground. Monster. I know who you are, the eyes give it away. MEN! Do you know who this man is?”
The sound of armor shifting could be heard as the men glanced over at each other.
“This man is a murderer. At the age of ten he had already killed thirteen people. The bodies were so mangled that nobody could tell who the poor souls even were. But I knew for a fact that one of them was. He was a blonde kid. This poor kid was cut from the stomach all the way from the stomach to the base of his neck and was found in the hands of that monster! And that child was my younger brother!”
Hearing this Kalan almost went into shock from the images going through his head of that kid’s face and his ankle in his hands.
“SO! Men place these scumbags under arrest and execute them.”
Ann began to cry and mumble words that nobody could understand. Beth ran to Ann and held to her arm.
But Kalan just stood there and as the men drew closer to arrest them in one fluid motion Kalan cut the throat of one of the men. The soldier held his throat trying to stop the bleeding but would ultimately die as he hit the ground.
The other men were confused. Kalan hadn’t drawn his sword, they saw blood dripping from his fingers but didn’t know what to think of it.
In the midst of the confusion Kalan looked at Ann and Beth and only said one word.
“Run.”
Just when they think they've won, things gets serious. 
I understand this chapter doesn't have the blood lust or action or anything that the previous chapter and prologue show but it was to show a growing relation between the two. The next chapter will be a bit more, fun. I hope you keep reading as i put up more chapters though and if I end up do screwing up, do tell 
