The meadow is under fire, dead bodies are scattered everywhere. We continue to fight a losing battle, many of our men are dead. Most of them were stomped by Kachuseus, while some of them were engulfed by the blue flames it spews. Some were even devoured by it. We: Me, Mana, Chief, and two guards, stood several yards away from it. We looked worn out from the battle. One of the elite guards is wearing a light leather gear, wielding a bow. The other guard is wearing a bronze armor suit, wielding a claymore. Mana looked tired and parts of her hair are singed from the fire; Endo is lying beside her. Burgh broke his right leg when he saved me from a giant rock thrown by the demon. He used his axe as a cane to keep himself up. I, on the other hand, feel very tired; I can barely keep myself from collapsing. My sword broke when I tried to pierce the demon's hide; the only thing I have left on me is my lucky charm. Kachuseus slowly walked towards us, blue flames surrounding it. It laughed at us, "I thought you were going to kill me. Bodies of your pitiless kind litters the meadow."
Burgh gritted his teeth, "You'll pay for what you did to them!"
Kachuseus gave a sinister smile, "Don't make me laugh, human. You weren't able to kill me at your full strength, what more in your current state? Don't worry; I will end your suffering soon enough."
The two guards positioned themselves between us and Kachuseus. The guard wielding the bow looked at us, "Get back to the village and look for stragglers. Leave as soon as you're able."
The other one grinned at us, "We'll try to hold it off while you guys make a break for it."
Burgh looked at them sternly, "Don't be stupid! I'll hold it off myself, while you guys escape."
He winced when he took a step.
The guard with the claymore stopped Burgh from walking towards the demon, "Chief, Pacemia needs you more than us. We'll buy you some time."
Before Burgh could give another protest, they charged towards the demon. The archer shot arrow after arrow, targeting the joints. The other elite guard "danced" with the demon, swinging his claymore and dodging the demon's blows. Kachuseus looked at them with mild admiration, "What a noble gesture; sacrificing yourselves for your limp leader."
It laughed hysterically, "Fine, I'll play with you two for a while."
The two elite guards fought hard against it, dodging blue flames here and there, shooting arrows and swinging like a madman. Mana picked up her spear, and then we helped Burgh walk towards Pacemia.
After several minutes, we reached the village. Though distant, the demon's roar echoed loudly in the village. I then looked at Mana, "Stay here. I'll have a quick look around if there's still people around."
I quickly scanned for any stragglers. Luckily, all of them made it out. All that's left now is to leave. As I rejoined Mana and Burgh, heavy footfalls shook the earth, as if there's an earthquake. Just a few yards away, Kachuseus stood towering over the village. It would seem it quickly disposed of our friends. It set some parts of the meadow ablaze, apparently enjoying its victory, "Run, tiny humans. Run while you still can."
I let go of Burgh and looked at Mana, "Go and hide inside one of the houses. Or, if you can, run away as fast as possible. Inform the king what happened here, I'll buy you guys some time."
Burgh looked at me angrily, "NO! You will not do such a thing!"
I looked at Burgh with a smile on my face, "This is the only chance we have."
Burgh tried to talk. I raised my hand to stop him, "Don't say anything. I'm thankful for everything you did for me. Please take care of my sister for me."
Mana looked at me teary-eyed, "No! We can still run away from it! Together!"
I shook my head and patted her, "I don't think we'll be able to, sister. I can hold it off longer than the other two did; you and uncle need to go. Besides, I'm the best fighter in our village, a mere demon can't be a match for me."
I kissed her forehead then charged towards Kachuseus. I picked up a two spare swords from a nearby equipment stall and jumped high, striking at its knee. I then rolled to the side, dodging its fiery breath by inches. I charged towards it again, ducking from its snake-arms. I then stabbed it hard behind its knee, pushing it in as hard as I could. Kachuseus roared; not out of pain, but out of annoyance. It didn't faze it at all. I backed up a bit as it pulled out the sword. It laughed and kicked me with such strength I flew a few yards away, slamming hard on the ground. It then shot a blue fireball at me. I immediately got up and dodge-rolled out of the way. The heat from the blast is so hot, it felt like my skin was going to melt. It slowly walked towards me, "I told you before, didn't I? No one can stop me."
I stood up shakily, feeling quite dizzy. I looked back at the village. I'm glad Mana and Burgh are out of sight, I hope they were able to escape.
I then smiled at the demon before me, "I'll be the first then."
Kachuseus became enraged. Well, a mere human has the audacity to mock it. Lowering its head, it charged, "I'll wipe that smile off your face!"
I charged as well. With a quick feint to the left, I dodged its deadly horns. Kachuseus then jumped and blasted blue fire balls at me. I was able to dodge all of them; ducking, rolling, jumping, and even sidestepping out of the way. It's kind of hard to concentrate with this heat, my eyes have become somewhat blurry. It then dived hard and caused a powerful tremor. I tried to retain my balance. That gave the demon an opportunity. It grabbed me by the waist with its snake-arms and held me close. The heat emanating from it is scorching hot.
It sneered, "Your time is up, little human. You know, you're an unusual one. This is the first time I've seen someone like you. I sense something powerful within you. Tell me your name, boy."
I struggled against its grip. I answered, "My name is Kei Hawthorne."
It smiled devilishly, "Kei Hawthorne, I'll let you in on a little secret. I was ordered to destroy this village as our leaders foresaw a hero emerging here."
I squirmed from its tight grip, "A hero?"
Kachuseus gripped me tightly, "Yes, a hero. But for now, I will give you the honor of watching your village burn to the ground."
I looked at it in horror, "NO!!!"
This can't be happening! I have to stop Kachuseus! Mana and uncle Burgh might still be there. I'm not entirely sure if they hid or ran. I have to save them!
Kachuseus started walking towards the village while I struggle to free myself. I tried clawing at it, its grip only got tighter. I punched and kicked, nothing seems to faze it at all. I even tried stabbing it with a sword, Kachuseus simply snickered. As we got near Pacemia, it looked at me and said, "Any last words, Kei Hawthorne?"
I looked at Pacemia: the village where I grew up, the village where I made friends and family, the village where my parents lived. It left tears in my eyes, knowing that it'll be gone soon. Kachuseus smiled, "Speechless, eh? Once I destroy this tiny village of yours, I'm going to toss you in the midst of it."
It blasted blue fireballs at the village, setting the houses on fire. I struggled hard, still hoping to stop it from destroying the village. A cloaked person suddenly emerged from the village. The person is holding a staff in one hand, "That's enough. You will not destroy this village!"
Kachuseus sighed; blue flames came out of his nostrils, "Another one? You humans are so persistent."
It blasted one big blue fireball towards the stranger. The stranger pointed his staff at the big blue fireball and shouted, "Hailstorm!"
One big cloud formed in front of the stranger. A fierce blizzard blew, obscuring my vision. The cold is unbearable, my teeth won't stop chattering. Kachuseus growled, "Where are you, mortal?!"
It shielded its eyes, trying to find the stranger. A lightning bolt came out of nowhere, hitting Kachuseus hard in the chest. It staggered backwards and fell, releasing its grip on me. The surrounding cleared, revealing the stranger holding the now glowing staff. The flames on the houses has been extinguished; the blizzard seemed to have doused it. The stranger walked towards us, staff at the ready. I slowly got up and limped away from Kachuseus. After a few minutes, it got up and roared. The fangs in its snake-arms emerged. I tried to run away but it easily caught up to me. It grabbed me then sank the fangs on my left side. The searing pain is excruciating, as if my insides are slowly melting. I felt lifeless, like my vitality is being sapped away. It threatened the stranger, "Do not come any closer, mortal! Cast one more spell and this boy is dead!"
The stranger stopped walking, still aiming the staff at Kachuseus. My mind became fuzzy; I tried to think of a way out. Adrenaline is the only thing keeping me awake now. I remembered that I have my lucky charm. Knowing that it won't do much, I still pulled it out and started hitting its snake-arms with it. Kachuseus laughed at my efforts. It then glanced at my lucky charm, and it became horrified at the sight of it. Kachuseus immediately let go of me, letting me fall hard on the ground. Is it scared of my lucky charm? I slowly backed away from the demon. Kachuseus mumbled something; the only words I could discern are "Accursed sword" and "Sorcerer". The stranger ran towards me and helped me up. Kachuseus looked at me with its fierce red eyes, "You and that sorcerer got lucky today. I will let both of you go. Heed my words, the demons are coming and there's nothing you humans can do to stop us!"
Kachuseus erupted like a volcano and disappeared, leaving a big crater in its wake. The stranger then carried me towards Pacemia. I lost consciousness.
I woke up and tried to remember what happened. Apparently, I lost consciousness during a battle with Kachuseus. I looked around and noticed I'm in our room, mine and my sister's. It would seem somebody changed my clothes too. I'm wearing my usual blue pajamas. I'm relieved to know that our house isn't burned down. I got up and walked towards the window, my lucky charm sat on the desk by the window. I wondered how this scared Kachuseus; it's probably cursed or something. I shook my head and then I looked outside, its way past noontime already; the sun is way up high. So many people are up and about. I see all of them rebuilding houses, stables, and other buildings that caught fire. I suddenly felt an excruciating pain on my left side; I fell down on the floor. Somebody helped me stand up. It was the stranger from last night! It looks like he's wearing one of my clothes: a red sleeveless shirt and black trousers. He looks young, probably the same age as me. He's got black hair and he wore glasses. Why do I feel like I know him? He helped me sit down on my bed, "Take it easy, Kei. You've had a rough night."
I touched my left side, trying to suppress the pain, "How do you know my name?"
He took the chair from the desk and sat across me. He chuckled, "What?! You don't remember me?!"
I thought hard, "You look very familiar. I guess the battle from last night took its toll on me."
He scratched his head, "Hmmm. I guess so."
I shook my head, "So, what happened last night? All I remember is confronting Kachuseus. And you, carrying me back here."
"Well, I went towards this house since it was the only stable building left. When I got inside, your relatives were here. They cleaned and patched you up."
I nodded, "I see. They hid instead of fighting. Good, at least they're safe."
He leaned back on his sit, a smile on his face, "So, you remember me now?"
Looking at him smile, a memory flashed in my mind. A memory where I was playing with a friend, my childhood friend. I looked at him teary-eyed, "Ryle? Ryle Galvant?"
He grinned, "Yup! It's me! It's been a while."
I smiled, "Yeah, it sure has."
"Oh yeah, your uncle said that the king postponed your meeting with him. The king has also sent knights to protect the village while we rebuild here."
"That's good; we'll be able to relax a bit, I guess."
He stretched in his sit, "Wish I could have chosen a better time though. Earlier, at best."
I chuckled, "Last night was better than not coming back at all."
He laughed, "I promised, didn't I? Sorry it took so long though."
I winced, caressing my left side. He pointed at it, "Kachuseus is bad news. That demon is one of the most feared demons out there. Kachuseus is frequently mentioned in some of our textbooks, portraying it as the general who led the demon army. One of its snake-arms bit you, deadly demon poison now runs in your veins."
I shuddered, "So, will I be alright? Is this going to kill me? How long do I have left?"
He took a deep breath, "If my analysis is correct, you'll probably die in two days."
I felt sick inside. I'll die in two days?! I took my shirt off and looked at where I feel the pain. Bulging purple veins crisscrossing two swollen marks are what I see. I opened my mouth and closed it, trying to find the words.
Ryle looked at me, worry in his eyes, "I'm sorry. I really am! If only I fought harder. If only I came sooner. If only-"
He balled his fists, trembling with anger. I put my shirt back on, "It's not your fault, and I should thank you! You saved the village! It's worth it, dying for their sake."
He looked at me, "I won't let you die! I'll find a way to save you."
I chuckled, "Oh yeah? How are you going to do that?"
He stood up and walked towards the door, "Let me take a look at the scrolls I brought. I think I remember reading something about demon poison."
I smiled, "I see, good luck with that."
He opened the door, "Don't you worry, I will find a cure."
Just as he's about to leave, he looked my way, "Oh, I'm a full-fledged sorcerer now. I specialize in ice and lightning magic. I just want to brag about it."
I grinned, "Cool! You have to show me some more next time."
He stepped out of the room, "Sure thing."
He closed the door as he left. I then lied down on the bed; pondering on how my life turned out. A burst of light suddenly exploded in my room. I covered my eyes, unable to see anything.
"Whoa! That's quite a rough ride."
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. A fairy is fluttering in front of me. She's glowing bright green and is the size of my fist. She looks beautiful wearing a blooming green frock. She has long wavy hair. She looked at me with a warm smile. She spoke in a melodious tone, "Hello, Sir Kei Hawthorne! It is lovely to meet you."
I looked at her blankly. She blushed then bowed, "Oh, I'm sorry! I haven't introduced myself yet."
She flew towards the chair in front of me and landed. She smiled, "I'm-"
She stopped, deep in thought, "I don't know how my name translates to your language."
She snapped her fingers, "Well, I suppose you can call me Nerrie."
I nodded, still astonished to see a real fairy for the first time, "I've heard rumors that fairies exist. This is the first time I've seen one."
She grinned, "Well, we like to keep to ourselves. Getting involved with your kind is quite troublesome. Besides, I only came here under the king's orders."
"You mean the king of the fairies?"
She nodded, "Of course."
I tilted my head, "What does he want with me?"
She pointed at me, "The king ordered me to help you in your adventures, in your quest to defeat the demons once and for all. That's the role you have to fill in."
I looked at her; confused, "Defeat the demons? My role? Me? What do you mean? You're not making any sense. And why now? Why me?"
She floated in front of me, "I will elaborate on that after you rest."
I shook my head, "No! Tell me now!"
I winced, holding my left side. The excruciating pain is truly unbearable. Nerrie flew a few meters away from me and began chanting unintelligible words. Both of us began to glow; I feel a little light-headed. After the light show, the pain subsided. Both of us stopped glowing. She then stood on the chair, concern in her eyes, "I wish I could do more, but this is the best I can do for you."
I lifted the left side of my shirt. The bulging purple veins disappeared and the two swollen marks looked better than awhile ago, "What did you do to me?"
She smiled, "I do not have the power to heal you completely, but I can slow down the venom running through your veins. I have expanded your lifespan to at least a week."
She then threw sparkling dust at me, "For now, you should rest. You have a lot to do in the coming days."
I wiped my face, removing the sparkling dust. I suddenly felt drowsy. I lied down on the bed, barely able to keep one eye open. She said something to me, but I didn't understand it. Sleep overcame me.