Mar Derral was an orphan child, born in a village whose name was forgotten, he was ostracized by the people, but the mayor was always with him.
"Grandpa, am I different than the others?" asks Mar whose body is shrouded in an aura of darkness that gave off an eerie and almost ominous sensation.
"No, Mar, you aren't different than anyone" Says Grandpa with a smile on his face.
The mayor had been the child's guardian ever since he was a newborn. The boy was ostracized by the people because even at a young age, his aura was something that others could not forgive. However, as a result of the mayor's intervention, the boy had found a family and is able to live to this day.
"Then you are like me Grandpa?" asks the child
"Of course, I am human and so are you" the mayor answers staring at Mar.
"Hehe, Grandpa I am going to play!" says the child while dispersing his aura.
"Okay, but don't go too far" says the old man to the child who's running off.
Years passed by and the child grew. So much so that he had become fifteen years of age. His daily life consisted of helping around the village and unbeknownst to him, these daily tasks acted as training for his abilities, and helping to augment his capabilities.
It seemed as though others were not aware, not even the boy, but the person who was closest to him, the mayor, had noticed something: the child was restraining himself. One day he had killed an animal that came to him by absorbing its life.
After the animal was killed, the child panicked and ran for the elder. That was the first true display of his powers. Since that day, however, it was not seen again.
Mar enjoyed fighting, but there was already no one his age who could stand against him; as his power grew, so too did his physical capabilities. One day he had injured one of the children that were bothering him, and the villagers began to remember their fear toward him.
"Did I do something wrong?" asks Mar
"You shouldn't resort to violence in these cases. They are children just like you Mar—fragile" says the Mayor
"Okay…" answers Mar with a downcast face, his gaze peering at the watching that once again have started to harbor fear towards him.
One day a patrol came looking for the young Mar and stated that he should be executed. If the village did not comply then the village would be branded as an entity that had committed treason and would be attacked.
It was obvious someone had blabbed about the boy's power, but he could not worry about the criminal, but instead stalled for time by giving excuses.
He went fast towards Mar, but it was too late, the boy had been surrounded by the citizens of the village and, as a result, been injured. He did not resort to using his powers to fight back
The young boy saw the elder and his eyes were asking for help.
The elder could see fear in the boy's eyes and shouts
"Escape!"
It seemed as if he had pushed a trigger in Mar's conscience and he starts rampaging.
Even during the chaos, he is still not giving any lethal injuries to the people. From his actions, the elder could see that his intent was to run, to escape the mass who, just moments ago, were in the midst physically devouring him.
Unfortunately, it's not going well, the citizens surrounded him, and the patrol arrives just in time to help injure Mar by stabbing him—creating an extremely deep and deadly wound. The youth's body gives out and darkness suddenly starts to envelop him, becoming darker, more solid until, suddenly, it explodes—propelling everyone away from him.
The boy goes berserk, dark matter begins to seep out of his wound and he lunges at the person responsible for his injury, ripping his body apart and absorbing his life force.
The man starts yelling for his life, but the whole village was petrified from sight of the monster standing before them.
The elder tries to stop Mar, but even he, who loved the boy, is filled with fear at the scene before his eyes.
Mar is indiscriminately killing the people who approach him.
In the aftermath of the massacre, the boy was able to recover his senses.
Seeing the bloodbath in front of him, the boy screams in terror-after all, he is only a child.
Mar sees grandpa and tells him "I-I- didn't want to do it" tears streaming down his face.
However, the elder ignores him and surreptitiously backs away from fear. The elder asks in a trembling voice "wh, what are you?"
"I-I am human elder, I am like you" answers Mar who responds with a panicked expression to the elder's actions.
"YOU ARE NOT LIKE ME! MONSTER!" Shouts the Mayor while crawling and getting farther from Mar driven by his fear towards Mar.
Mar face goes blank, the words of his Grandpa pierces his soul.
A hollow expression shines on Mar's face, and he begins to laugh hysterically as his arm goes throw the elder's heart
It was then that he had an epiphany:
He was a monster! Something foreign from them! He wasn't human! If he had to endure suffering because of them, then why should only they be allowed to bathe in the sunlight that people call happiness? He should also be given the privilege or happiness should cease to exist.
This is how the Evil Being Mader was born, who enjoyed the expressions of terror from the faces of his victims.
He had continued on his path of savagery until he eventually was transformed from the innocent adolescent to a creature of abomination.
Now the once young adolescent is on the ground with blood seeping from his wounds. He had learnt many things about demons, and those who rule over them—the death lords. It was his goal to eventually become one and bring suffering to the masses. This was the hedonistic goal that he held dear.
Yet it seems that that his dreams would end. He is soon to be defeated by lowly adventurers whose flames were burning away at his very essence.
'So I really became a Monster…' he was thinking while laughing out loud.
He shouts at the young man in front of him
"YOU ARE JUST LIKE ME!"
He wanted his final moments to be able to gaze at the expression of trepidation and confusion from the young man but the response he receives is something that he had not expected.
"Of course, you were once human, and I am one too, don't think I will have mercy on you" The boy responds.
The response elicits long forgotten words and memories of his childhood. He now wanted to believe, more than anything, at the words of this young man.
What he sees isn't the face of a man in denial or one of deception, but of acceptance. Mader becomes silent while bearing the flames that now still continue to burn away at his flesh and damage his soul.
'Ahhh, being erased hurts this much…'
And with that last thought Mader disappears from existence.
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I wake up and take off the capsule and make a call to my friend Nicholas to ask how he is doing.
- "Hey! What happened after I died!?" He asks frantically after he answered the phone
"We defeated Mader. However, Isa also died. Zenith received a great deal of damage and is heavily injured. Vladi, who is the only one alive, is currently taking care of him" I hurriedly tell my friend.
- "Haaaaaah, at least they didn't end up dead" Says Nicolas in a relieved tone
"Isa had just called me too but only told me she died. How on earth did you guys manage to kill that?"
"Isa's last attack weakened him and afterwards Zenith unleashed his full-burst damage combo before retreating from combat. I then finished Mader off.
- "What a simple explanation, well, at least we won"
"Yes, I received the quest completion…" I say to Nicolas and with a feeling of worry I finish my sentence
"But Zenith received an attack at point blank range…"
- "Don't worry, Vladi should be treating them right now" Says Nicolas to help to put me at ease.
Nevertheless, I can tell that he is also nervous—I could always distinguish by the sound of his voice.
- "Hey, I forgot to tell you, but I am on my way to your house and I think Isa is as well"
"Huh? Why?"
- "Well, we were both worried, so we together decided to come over."
"Okay…" a sigh escaped my lips as I say that, but a smile form along.
- "Also, have something ready, I think both us had forgotten to eat~"
"You guys are gluttons…"
- "Look who is talking, the number 1 nightmare for buffets restaurants~"
"Okay okay, I will prepare something, see ya" I hang up on my friend before he gets ahead of himself.
As I was preparing something, my friends knocked on the door and I opened it to greet them. It seems Nicholas had already told her what happened.
We sit to talk while Isa contemplated the place I am currently living in and wait for Vladi's phone call, it seemed the girls exchanged numbers before
*Ring*
At the ringing phone, Isa answers immediately without watching the caller's number
"Hello, Isa speaking"
- "Isa! Are you okay?"
"Yes, how is Zenith and Peko, Viviana?" Isa inquires as she puts the phone on speaker for us to hear.
- "Peko regained consciousness, but Zenith is still unconscious, although he has stabilized; there was a moment where I thought he was done for…"
A sigh of relief came from our mouths and Isa continues talking
"That's a relief; I am with Ezequiel and Nicolas"
- "Ardha and Arksen?"
"Yes"
- "How are they?"
"" We are fine"" we both answer at the same time and it looks like Vladi got startled a bit… No, Viviana…
- "Oh, hello guys"
"Hello"
"Yo~"
- "Oh yeah, Ard- I mean, Ezequiel, right? Did you get a new skill?"
"Yes, I did, so it was a reward from the quest…" I tell them while also remembering the Dark Coat I got after defeating Mader…
"Did we receive skills?" Asks Nicolas
"Yes, I think we all did" I answer to him
"Viviana, please take care of Peko and Zenith until we can log in"
- "Yes, I will! Now I have to go"
""" Bye""" We bid our farewell to Viviana
At this the phone call ends, It is great that we were able to make sure that both of them are alive and recovering.
Thus, time passed, and I walked my friends out. I went inside my house and did something that I hadn't done in a while, call my parents
- "Ezequiel! My baby, how are you!?"
"I am fine, mom" I casually respond while continuing idle conversation.
The talk with my parents lasted for a while, until the day ended, and my breath eased after taking everything that happened today.
I could finally sleep.