The sky was gloomy. Nothing could be heard because of the sound of the wind. The weather was like a wild boar running wild. With each passing second, the wind's velocity increased rapidly. All the animals hid in their dens to survive the wild storm. It was almost sunset. At a time like this, an old man was walking with a bundle of sticks on his back and an axe in his right hand.
Arthur Crimson, 34, a man without a fixed job.
Things got unlucky, and he didn't notice the weather while cutting wood. Arthur was ripped. Several scars could be seen all over his body. His hair could reach his shoulders.
"Why?....WHY?....WHYY!?? WHY DO I HAVE TO BE ALWAYS UNLUCKY?!?!?
"The weather was nice just a while ago! Can I get more unlucky than this!?"
As soon as he said that, a lightning bolt struck right on his head.
Arthur was totally fine. The lightning couldn't scratch him a little. But it burned some parts of his clothes.
"Really? Ahhh!!!!"
After letting out a stressful scream, Arthur started walking towards the mountain again. Arthur was a lumberjack and a miner. Mostly, his job was not fixed. He switched jobs a lot. He did whatever paid more. He was now doing his job as a lumberjack. A rare type of tree grew on top of the mountain. It is a very expensive type of tree, the Phyrophylax. The wood from Phyrophylax was non-flammable.
Just as he was walking, he stopped in front of a closed cave.
"Hmm?
"What's that noise?"
Arthur became curious about the strange noise. He got closer to the cave.
The noise got louder.
The noise was coming from the cave. It was closed with boulders.
Arthur focused on the noise and heard the sound of a baby's cry. He flinched for a moment.
'I-Is it really a baby? Or is it a demon?'
He got confused. It could be a demon trying to lure humans to its trap.
'I think I should leave.
'Wait, what if it really is a baby? Uhh! Fine, I'll just check it.
'The worst could happen, if it's a demon, the demon will rip all my limbs and feast upon me.'
He put his basket full of wood and his axe on the ground. He began removing the boulders one by one. As he removed the boulders, the crying sound became clear. His strength was enough to remove big boulders easily.
He removed the last boulder, which was big enough to cover the whole entrance.
"What the....!?!?"
He froze for a moment.
There was a crying baby wrapped in a white blanket covered in blood. The corpse of a young woman was lying on the ground, limbs torn apart, with bitten marks all over. It was a work of a demon. The traces of blood led to the depths of the cave.
Even though there were no signs of a demon anymore, there were possibilities of a demon hiding in the cave. There could also be more than one.
He hurriedly picked up the baby and put him outside the cave. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze landed on the corpse of the lady.
"Sigh! I guess I have to put her to peace or I'll never be able to sleep again."
Arthur dragged the corpse outside along with the separated limbs. He pushed the big boulder and closed the entrance of the cave.
Arthur began to dig a grave in front of the cave.
He buried the young lady's corpse and prayed for her peace.
"May you rest in peace.
"Don't worry about your son. He will be safe in the hands."
Arthur picked up his things and left with the sleeping baby. While he was walking through the gloomy forest, he was continuously thinking about what had happened in the cave before he went there.
'What happened there? How did the woman and the baby get in there in the first place?'
'I wish I could have investigated further, but if it was truly the work of a demon, it would have been dangerous to fight it while protecting the child.'
'I'll go there later.'
"But more importantly, what is wrong with this child?
"I can't even trace a drop of magical essence from this child. You are a strange one, aren't you?"
The baby in his hands giggled and started smiling while looking at Arthur.
Seeing the smile on the baby's face, Arthur also let out a warm smile.
"Let's get you checked up once we enter the village. Dr. Elly is a very good doctor."
.....
Crowvill village.
Arthur was walking around the village street trying to find Dr. Elly's clinic. He hadn't gone there for weeks, so he forgot where the clinic was.
"Dang it! Where the hell did the clinic go?! I know it was supposed to be here."
"Clinics don't move like that, Arthur. Except for the fact that you are stupid."
Old man, Frank stood behind Arthur. Arthur was startled.
"Aah! Frank! Don't scare me like that! And please don't call me stupid!"
"Chuckle. You still haven't grown up, Arthur. Dr. Elly's clinic is on the next street.
"Huh? Arthur... Whose baby is that?"
"Oh! I'll tell you later, back in Carl's shop. Anyway, I have to get this boy checked up right now."
Arthur went to the next street. He stopped in front of an old clinic. The signboard was rusty.
Dr. Elizabeth's Clinic.
"Found it."
Just as he opened the clinic's door, a knife flew towards Arthur from the inside. He barely dodged it. Still, it grazed his right cheek a bit. Blood came out. Suddenly, the pressure in the air rose drastically.
The shadow of a mysterious figure could be seen.
"Gulp! Ha..ha..haha.....E-Elly? Is that you?"
"Growl. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN...FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS!? ANSWER ME, ARTHUR CRIMSON!"
"Wait!"
Arthur covered the baby with his body and tried to stop Elly.
Elly dashed towards Arthur. Her fists were covered with a thick layer of stone. It was a spell.
'Earth Magic: Stone Fists'
"You are dead, Arthur-
"....!?"
Just right when she was about to punch him, she stopped. Her eyes landed on the sweet little baby in Arthur's arms.
"Hmm?"
Arthur slowly turned his head to Elly. Elly's arms were crossed, and her face bore an eerie vibe.
"Explain yourself at once."
Arthur knew that his time in the living world was over if he couldn't explain everything properly. He stepped forward and spoke.