Awakening from his slumber, the boy jumped forwards, grasping his chest with a racing heart. Sweat covered his body, the warmth of where he laid was getting to him. "Graugh." He gripped his head, feeling a troublesome amount of pain. "I'm bleeding." He comments to himself upon taking sight of his palm.
He pulled his blue eyes to the side, then behind him, and finally... Before him. He was in a small hole, barely enough space to fit a small bathroom. In all directions, there lied a wall, blue torches lit, giving off a grim scent. The boy stood to his feet, shaking his head. "A shrine..."
Infront of him was a very small red shrine, one with the symbol of "Ashura" present upon it. "I don't believe in God but..." He took a step forwards and fell to his knees. After bowing his head, he clasped his hands and began a short prayer.
'I'll need all the help I can get if I wanna survive in this place... I can't do it as i am now.'
*Clack*
The boy swiftly turned to the threat, ready for combat. "Aah! So your awake." An old man, short in demeanor and fragile in appearance. He made his way down the wall, descending the wall carefully.
He had Tsuki's bow in hand, alongside a large chunk of flesh in his other. 'He doesn't seem violent.' Mugen dropped his guard and allowed the old man to pass by. "So..." He fell against the wall, watching the man stroke his beard and lay the bow to the side.
"What's your name boy?" He took one of the blue torches and had a seat, roasting the meat with slow progression. "Mugen... Sora." Weak words flowed from the boy's mouth. But he wasn't in that mindset. Infact, he was quite perceptive. 'How'd he get that meat?' The boy bit into his bottom lip, finally piercing through his lip's skin.
"Hahaha!! Yer' last name brings back memories kid! So do yer' looks! Ya wouldn't be?" He rubbed his chin, popping an eye at the boy. "Yamato's son... The war general, yes..." Mugen kept his distance. This hole wasn't big, but big enough to avoid a surprise attack.
"Aaah... You look like him too... Though that ain't possible. Sora was something great! A man amongst men who started from slavery! You? You're just some boy who nearly died to a couple o' bats."
Mugen sighed, "I'm aware gramps..." Looking up the wall, Mugen had set his goal to climb back up. Similar as to how the old man descended. "Aah! Where ya goin? You wanna die kid? Hell, how'd you even get here?"
Mugen turned his head, a frown taking place. "You said it yourself didn't you? I ain't strong enough regardless. Makes no difference if I go now, or later."
"Kyehahahah!" The man fell back in laughter, just before hopping back to his feet. He took Tsuki's bow from off of the wall. "You don't want this?" Mugen shook his head, "Can't use it... Not strong enough." The man's smirk became wider.
"Sit down boy. You'll do well to do that atleast." The man ran his fingers against the wires of the bow, showing a smile missing all sorts of teeth. His grey, lifeless eyes took to his roasted meal, then the boy. With his old, wrinkling arms, he fetched the meal and threw it to the boy, to whom caught it promptly. "Eat that and sleep. You'll get stronger when you do."
Mugen, confused at such words tried standing but was stopped. The elderly being smashed the bow into his forehead, knocking him back into the wall and sliding back down. "Graugh!" Mugen dropped the roasted meat and crumbled over. The migraines were bad enough, but now his head was pouring blood.
Mugen was gasping heavily. Did a stone hit him? Was it the sharp end of the bow? Why was he bleeding so much? Blood continued to pour from his head before he made the decision to lean against the wall in a lifeless sitting.
"Yer' deaf kid? Eat! Then sleep!"
Without much of a choice, and already at the end of his consciousness, Mugen took a bite out of the meal. It tasted pretty good for simply being roasted. Of course, he didn't stop there, and infact, finished rather quickly. What happened after that was darkness. He passed out, whether by fatigue or blood loss was unknown
"I'm up!" Jumping from his cold slumber, the male awoke with sweat prickling down his face. "Good, your up." The man chuckled to himself, watching the boy, squinting his eyes. "Get up, your gonna catch me the wing of a bat." He shuffled across the small opening and over to the boy, dropping his bow and arrows onto him.
Mugen stood to his feet, dazed as all hell. He wasn't ready for this crap. Infact, he didn't like where this was going. "I told you already...I can't do this!" Slamming his fist into the wall, his fist chipped into the stone, causing a small crack in the wall.
!!!
After pulling his arm back, he took a moment to look at his hand. His skin, it was almost gone, nearly completely shredded from his very knuckles. His wrist shook in mild pain, his very mind unable to fathom the power before him.
"Hehehe! What are you waiting for boy?" Mugen was still in a loose fit of shock. What happened to him when he was asleep? This shouldn't be possible.
"Take a pull at the bow, why don't you?" He eagerly says, watching from the distance.
Mugen pulled the wire and surprisingly, he was able to move it. "What's this?" Mugen was completely shocked, now biting on his already bloody lip, still tipsy. "The meat of demons give you a growth second to no other. It is much greater than protein from meat. However, each meal drains years from your life."
Mugen, now with this new found knowledge, couldn't help but to smirk. "I see!" The boy exclaimed, looking up the wall. "So I have to eat these demons to gain power?"
"Uhm boy, hadn't you heard the latter?"
Mugen ignored the old man's banter and grabbed hold of one of the loose stones, shattering it on accident.
"Whoops!" He reached for another, ready to climb out of this hole. "I'll be back. I'll grab a bunch of wings for ya, so don't worry."
Mugen was different, there was something different about him... He was confident. Confident that he'd tear those winged fiends to shreds. He didn't even take a moment to think this through. He just knew that he'd kill then eat! That's how he'd survive!
Watching the boy ascend, the old timer simply smiled. "Those acts of determination... He sure is similar to you, ehh Yamato?"