The village was loud that day.
Not with chaos...
—
but with life.
—
"Hey! That's cheating!"
"It's not cheating if you're just slow."
"You tripped me!"
"You tripped yourself."
—
A wooden sword spun through the air and landed in the dirt.
Kael stood a few steps away, holding another one over his shoulder, a faint smirk on his face.
"You're blaming me now?" he said. "That's kinda sad."
The boy on the ground groaned. "You didn't even try!"
"I did," Kael shrugged. "Just not hard."
—
The other kids nearby laughed.
"Again?" Kael asked.
"…No."
"Good choice."
—
He tossed the wooden sword aside and stretched lazily.
"You'll get it eventually. Maybe in ten years."
"Shut up!"
—
From nearby—
"Kael!"
—
He turned.
His mother stood outside their home, hands on her hips, trying (and failing) to look strict.
"You've been messing with them all morning."
"I'm teaching," Kael replied.
"That's not teaching."
"It is. They just don't appreciate it."
—
She sighed, walking toward him.
"You enjoy this too much."
"Of course I do," he said casually. "If I don't, who will?"
—
She flicked his forehead.
"Be serious for once."
"Ow—hey, I am serious."
"You just said you weren't trying."
"That's different."
—
She shook her head, smiling.
"You're impossible."
—
"…But I'm strong, right?" Kael said, grinning slightly.
—
She paused.
"…You are."
—
From inside the house—
"Kael."
—
His father's voice.
Calm. Firm.
—
Kael straightened slightly.
"Yeah?"
"Come help me after you're done playing."
"I'm not playing."
"You're laughing."
"…That doesn't mean I'm playing."
"Come help."
"…Yeah, yeah."
—
His father didn't respond again.
He never did.
—
Kael looked back at the other kids.
"…Alright, go. Before I actually start trying."
They scattered instantly.
—
He exhaled, stretching his arms again.
Peaceful.
Simple.
Normal.
—
"…Not bad," he muttered.
—
Then...
he stopped.
—
The wind shifted.
—
It wasn't strong.
Not loud.
But something about it felt… wrong.
—
The laughter behind him faded.
The air grew heavier.
—
Kael's smile disappeared.
"…You feel that?" one of the kids asked.
—
He didn't answer.
His eyes were already on the horizon.
—
Darkness.
—
Not clouds.
Not night.
—
Something moving.
—
"…Kael?" his mother called again, quieter this time.
—
He stepped forward slightly.
His body had already tensed.
—
"…Go inside," he said.
—
"What?"
"Just—go inside."
—
She frowned. "What's wro—"
—
BOOM.
—
The ground shook violently.
A deafening explosion tore through the far
side of the village.
Screams followed instantly.
—
Kael didn't move.
Not at first.
—
Then...
another explosion.
Closer.
—
Fire rose into the sky.
—
"…No way…" someone whispered.
—
Figures emerged from the smoke.
Dark.
Distorted.
Not human.
—
"…Demons."
—
The word spread like fear itself.
—
Kael grabbed the nearest real blade he could find.
His grip tightened.
—
"Stay inside," he said.
—
"Kael—don't go—"
—
"Please."
—
That was the first time his voice cracked.
—
She froze.
Then slowly—
stepped back.
—
Kael turned.
And ran.
—
The village collapsed around him.
Homes burned.
People screamed.
Shadows moved through the flames—
killing without hesitation.
—
A man ran past him—
and dropped instantly.
—
Kael stopped.
His body reacted before his thoughts did.
He stepped in.
Blocked.
Struck.
—
Steel clashed.
—
The impact...
was wrong.
—
Too heavy.
Too fast.
—
He slid back, feet digging into the ground.
—
"…Not human," he muttered.
—
The demon moved again.
Faster.
—
Kael adjusted.
Redirected.
Countered.
—
For a moment—
he held.
—
Then another one appeared.
Behind him.
Too late.
Impact.
—
He was thrown across the ground, crashing through wood and debris.
Pain shot through his body.
—
"…Tch."
—
He forced himself up.
Breathing steady.
Eyes focused.
—
"…So this is it."
—
More screams.
Closer.
—
From his home.
His eyes widened.
He ran.
—
Faster than before.
Faster than ever.
—
When he reached it—
Fire.
—
"Mother!"
No answer.
He stepped inside.
Everything slowed.
—
He froze.
—
A cold disbelief gripped him.
His mind refused to accept it.
—
His father lay on the ground, motionless.
His mother reached toward him, trembling—but she couldn't move.
He dropped to his knees beside them.
Heart hammering.
—
"…I… I should have protected you…"
The first tears came slowly, then faster.
"I… I'm weak… I couldn't…"
He clawed at the ground, pressed his forehead against their shoulders, sobbing silently.
—
"If only I were strong… this wouldn't have happened…"
—
He stayed there, frozen, trembling in silence for a long, unbearable moment.
—
"It's my fault for being weak."
Tears fell heavily, streaming down his face
as his body shook uncontrollably.
—
The boy who laughed.
The one who teased.
The one who didn't take anything seriously
...
...
Died that moment.
—
The seed of cold judgment began to take root.
He rose, trembling.
Tears still fell.
But his eyes—
—
they were no longer those of a boy.
—
They were sharp.
Focused.
Unforgiving.
—
He stepped forward into the battlefield.
—
Steel clashed.
—
Faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
—
He fought with everything he had.
—
Adapted.
Calculated.
Moved instinctively.
—
But it wasn't enough.
—
A strike broke through his defense.
Another followed.
He staggered.
Blood ran down his face.
—
"…Tch."
—
Even at his limit...
—
his eyes didn't waver.
Another impact.
He dropped to one knee.
The demon raised its weapon.
Death—
was certain.
Silence.
A breath.
—
Kael closed his eyes.
"…Is… this it?"
Silence. A single heartbeat. Then...
—
—
—
SHING.