Hatred.
A word everyone knew of.
A word that symbolize, anger, and could be also envy.
In an event of hatred, often connected a tragedy. Which led one to ruin one's life.
In this clear blue sky. Hid underneath was revenger who took upon eternal hatred.
Were they all evil?
No? Maybe?
If not, where did they came from?
Even that question, smart people often avoid to answer.
There's no definite answer to that question...
Evil wasn't something born natural. Truth that there may be some who were born to be evil in natural way, but there are also who were created by some kind of life—event.
Swursh—!
As the light wind brush past through Jon's hair, his gazes were still heading over the beautiful white sky.
Why is it so beautiful, sometimes he himself, even doubt his self.
Ever since in his younger days, it has been his hobby to look up to the sky. Even though he didn't know the exact reason to it.
"Jon!"
Jon who was constantly staring up to the sky, thoughtless. Changed after he heard someone called out his name. He shifted his gaze to that direction, and saw a middle aged man in his beard, wearing a farmer clothes.
A white t-shirt, accompanied by a long grey jeans. Indeed, his looks like someone who spent most of his lifetime in a field.
But what stand out the most to this man is his black horns. Both were attached to his forehead, and it looks more like a marauder bull's horn. No, maybe more than that.
It's outstanding color made it standout the most…
Jon licked his lips before speaking to the middle aged man.
"Father!"
His tone to that word of his were similar to a son, who were happy to see his father like it was a long time since they saw each other.
Jon immediately moved his feet, and ran towards his father…
Like it was their long awaited reunion.
His father readied, and opened wide his open arms. Then cuddle Jon into his arms, burying his face to his sturdy chest.
"Faaather~~!" Jon squished himself to his father chest, as his face reddened in embarrassment.
His father face went red, before weeping out in tears.
***
A simple house.
It's not huge is all, but a 1 story building which contain almost, dining room, two bedrooms, toilet, and lastly, the most important thing… The kitchen.
Jon and his father, arrived in front of a 1 story building house made out of woods.
His soft and rather fragile palm, were holding it's best to his father sturdy palms, as they hold each other's hands.
Along the way, they had a conversation.
Apparently, his father has been gone for a two weeks. He had gone through the west to sell out some woods, for them, to be able to buy a meal or two…
Jon almost burst out in tears, but held it before it even fell out of his eyes. He had to be strong to be able to help his father, that's why he thought, being a cry baby won't help.
Even though at some end, he couldn't help clenching his fist, after hearing his father risked his life throughout the journey.
His father, and family were from a demon bloodline. Completely apart from human, so they were treated wrongly by them. No, it might be better to spell out that they 'despise' them, the most.
Well, that's the rule of survival…
Compared to human's, demon's lived much more longer.
Also, in the past, demons and human's broke out in war, and almost one of them, went extinction.
Words spread that the one responsible of starting the war, was perhaps the human side.
Well, maybe because they were envious of demon's long lifespan, that they set out a war, to leave a horrible hate towards each other.
Knock, knock, knock—!
Not too long after reaching the front door of their house. His father knocked to their door, made out of wood.
Creeeeecch—!
As the door opened slowly, a figure of a lady in her apron shown up. Her black long hair were neatly tied, making her ridiculously beautiful.
"Oh my, oh my. The two of you are back."
The beautiful lady who spoke in gentle manner broke out in a wide smile. turns out that she's Jon's mother.
Both the two of them, shook their head in shock.
Was it perhaps because of the presence of the beautiful lady who were currently welcoming them with a wide smile? No.
It is because, behind the back of the beautiful lady was, a fest of meal were served into a wooden table.
It was finely served like in some kind of fine quality restaurant…
As their eyes shone in excitement.
Jon and his father couldn't stop their self from running over the served meal, like a child, who's hunger reached it's peak, unwillingly to pay attention towards their surrounding.
As the distance towards the both of those narrowed almost immediately. Jon and his father couldn't stop their drool from falling over their red and pink lips.
Jon's mother watched the father and son scenery before her eyes, with a satisfied expression.
"Seeing this is enough, right?" His mother muttered to herself, before going "Ah!" in surprise. How could she not be? It's been a long time since she saw those two smile in happiness.
As her eyes minimized in excitement… something within her awakened…
She then covered her mouth with her palm, as her lips starts to crept up in figurative smile. Smile that is something similar to those masochist has.
Her aloof lips opened, and then burst out of laughter out of nowhere, harder than you could ever heard in your entire lifetime.
Jon and his father got distracted from her loud laugh…
They turned their heads in her direction and tilted it in confusion.
She then raised her right hand, and waved at them, as if delivering a message saying, 'it's nothing, don't mind it'.
Only then the father and son was able to be at ease, and continue where they left of…
Eating, of course.
***
Outskirt woods…
Inside there Jon and his family lived in peace.
His father was a lumberjack, while his mother was a housewife.
Doing woodcutting is one thing, but also selling them to the town.
His father needed to be in full disguise.
It wasn't because of the presence of thieves in the road. The only reason was, because of their different races.
They were demons…
Demon's who's neither good nor bad. More like, a neutral. But it would be much better to call them good rather than bad.
Jon's father belatedly realized that he hadn't done much wood cutting after coming home since last week. So, he decided to head over to the forest to cut a wood or two. Unfortunately, even though he was opposed to the decision of bringing Jon's with him, he was forced to, out of fear of his aloof wife.
Sigh—
Sighing like a burning furnace, cold sweat started pouring down from his father, forehead.
Jon immediately saw this, and handed over a handkerchief. His father formed a smile before taking the handkerchief in his hand, thereafter wiping out the sweat from his forehead.
"Let me take over."
As Jon's father was about to raise the axe that he was holding, to cut down a wood. Jon's fragile arms crossed over to his hands, and he was forced to stop. If he didn't stop it, Jon would be dragged along his furious swing, that's why.
Even though his breathing already became rather harsh, after cutting woods for about 12 hours non-stop. He didn't took a rest and let Jon handle it. He just shook Jon's hands off from his shoulder, and kneeled his torso unto the ground, to pat the lad onto his silky white hair.
"It's okay. Dad still has a lots of energy." He said, with an unwavering smile.
Jon wasn't able to stop his father. He knew full well how persistence his father was, so he didn't oppose his decision, instead respected it.
No, maybe it's just because, he really just felt like he didn't want to, after seeing his father strong resolve…
"Then…" As he has also firmed his weak will, Jon spoke up his honest thought, "At least, let me do some wood cutting."
What he was expecting is, his father would reject his proposal. But, either he reject it, Jon doesn't plan on giving up.
His father shook his head in pain, as he tapped his neck for about one and two. Before letting out a huge sigh.
"… Fine then."
***
As what resulted…
Jon and his father were completely exhausted. It was a tough work indeed. Even though Jon only helped his father half way, due to his half assed knowledge wood cutting, it took much longer than how it was supposed to.
Jon couldn't even hold the axe properly at first. Welp, at least his father fatigue vanished seeing his son, hold the axe in a funny way.
The only reason it took longer is because, his father has to teach him how to cut wood that time. It even took an hours just for him to properly learn how to do it, despite having the strength of a demon race.
Still, that moment was truly a father and son moment.
Indeed, even though they suffered a huge fatigue. At least they had fun themselves.
Rather than saying they had a tough time, it would be better to spell out that, that moment was a pure bliss.
While carrying the fatigued Jon on his back shoulders. They reached their destinations.
Home sweet home…
That destination was their one and only sweet home.
Knock, knock, knock—!
Once again, after they reached the doorway, his father used his right hand to knock on their wooden door, hoping for it to soon open, while holding Jon's back with his left hand.
Even though the way it resounded was so loud. Jon was still asleep to his father broad shoulders.
Creeeaaak—!
Slowly being opened once again. A lady wearing a normal clothes of pair t-shirt and grey jeans, welcomed them with a bit worried on her smile.
"Did he fall asleep along the way?" Seeing the so tired Jon, the lady asked the middle aged man an obvious question.
"Yea, he tried to help me with his very best, so I bet he's so tired." Tapping his back like he was troubled a bit by what happened, his face started sighing like a furnace in embarrassment.
The lady soon narrowed the distance towards her and the man, within a seconds. Thereafter reached out her soft arms towards the sleeping Jon.
"Let me carry him to his bedroom."
The lady was none other than his mother…
"Aight." Jon's father scratched his neck before handing him slowly towards her reaching hands.
Soon after he landed over the soft arms of his mother, instead of annoyance, he felt a warmth feeling and fallen even deeper into deep unconsciousness.
His mother cuddled him so tightly in her arms, as if she didn't want to let him go almost forever.
As her eyes stared down over the young lad sleeping in her arms, a warm smile formed in her face. Not a masochist one, but a motherly smile.
Jon's face turned bright red. Perhaps he was dreaming of his mother, and on how warmth his mother is…
His father watched her smile in wide before forming a smile as well.
"Haaah…. Don't make such a face in front of our child." But instead of a nice words, a teasing words came out of his mouth, as if it was intended.
"I, I'm not making such a weird face…!" Reddening in embarrassment with a slight anger, his mother shouted in loud, but yet, funny tone.
'I want to tease her more, but I guess it can't be helped.' Seeing as his wife took seriously his joke, he finally decided to stop. Was it perhaps because he felt bad towards her? No. It's because, he wanted his wife to remained that smile, he didn't want to tainted the beautiful expression of his wife with a new one.
After a last glance to the face of his beautiful wife, he finally turned his back to them, and raised his hand to the air before waving it.
"Then, I'm going to our bed now."
Jon's mother looked at the back of her husband, as his image started to vanished within her sight.
Not too long, after her husband finally gone from her view, she finally decided to start walking, and her feet were headed to a bedroom near her.
It was Jon's bedroom…
***
I had a dream…
It was a beautiful dream…
A girl wearing a straw hat welcomed me with her open arms…
She was wearing a white dress, and her facial looks were hidden in black shadowed…
But I've never thought it's weird, perhaps because it's a dream…
Her long white arms cuddled my body, and hugged me tightly…
It was a warmth hug…
My eyes were wide opened as I also hugged back the girl in front of me…
It's our first time meeting each other, so why…
Why does it feel like we've known each other since then…
As my head started processing thoughts, a wind brew past my hair…
I fixed my silky white hair almost immediately, then once again looked at her…
But her face remained shadowed…
But, if all. There is one thing I remember…
Her hair color was dyed in brown…
As I was embraced by her warmth hugged even more…
I closed my eyes shut for a second to put my head at ease, and enjoy this warmth…
And when I opened it once again…
A burn of ashes smelled over my nose…
It was a nasty, and lungs destroying smell…..
***
"Is he asleep now?" A man in his middle aged, with a horns in his forehead, spoken up before the lady in front of him.
They were surrounded in rather neatly cleaned bedroom.
The lady slowly swallowed down her saliva as a cold sweat poured down on top of her forehead.
"Yes…"
The middle aged man walked rather closer to the face of sleeping lad.
What is it that he is trying to do? That's what would other's would say, if someone saw a middle aged man, went closer to a sleeping lad without knowledge of it, they would immediately misunderstood it…
But that middle aged man was Jon's father so it was no big deal.
He stretched out his palm towards the head of the sleeping lad, before patting it's head softly, making sure the lad doesn't wake up…
Inside the bedroom of the sleeping Jon, was a small window.
His mother took a quick glance outside before shifting her gaze to the direction of her husband.
"Dear…" It seemed like she has something to say, but couldn't say it firmly, due to being too nervous.
As her voice began to shuddered in fear. Her husband walked closer to her and cuddled her up into his sturdy arms.
"Are they already outside?"
Jon's mother nodded her head in her husband question…
"I see…" He shook his head before letting go of the lady in his arms.
Afterwards pointed his pointing finger into the closet hidden underneath the doorway to the underground room. The closet were seen through a small hole in a wood, to the direction of the inside of their underground room.
And with a strongly resolved determination, he spoken his last wish;
"Take our son with you and hide."
"What about you…!" The lady's eyes widened in shock, with a little bit fear.
Everyone would, after seeing someone saying a word close to sacrificial word…
But, the middle aged man already made out his decision, and replied a word instead, to not make his wife worry about it anymore.
"I'll make it out somehow…"
But due to her quick wit, she has immediately seen through to what he meant.
"What do you mean somehow?! Do you have a death wish!?"
As that word came out of his wife mouth, he began to become silent.
After a while, he then screamed out in angry tone towards his wife;
"Then do you have a plan so we could make it all out alive!"
"…." At that word, the lady fell in silent.
"Hurry and take him to the underground room, then hide in a closet!"
The lady was about to argue with her husband once more, but came to halt, after seeing a part of their house that is made out of wood, started to burnt up in an intense fire
Her husband screamed in anger once again, at the sight of fire.
"Hurry!"
And with that, his wife left in hurry, while carrying the sleeping lad in her arms. Without looking back to the standing middle aged man.
The middle aged man sighed in one last time…
"Haaa….. I guess this is a fine end… At least they were both safe."
Instead of despair, a regret leaked out of his eyes…
"If I knew this thing is gonna happen… I would have spend a lot more time with them…"
Regret of not being to see his wife and son till the end of his life.
That's what he thought so...….
But that relieved immediately painted in despair.
"Dear!"
The lady he thought that would be hiding by now, was showed running to his direction, without stopping.
Although her breathing was rather hard… She's not letting a one stop from her movement…
He was finally ready to die, but why did she has to show up once again?
The middle aged man relieved expression, distorted in a painful way.
He had a one question popping out, again and again, from his mind at this very moment…
A word that is made out in a single sentence…
'JUST WHY!?'
Before he even knew it, his eyes became lifeless.
His wife arrived unto her standing aloof husband…
Her hands were ready to gasp through the hands of her husband at that moment. But just when her palm was about to reach his side, their doorway suddenly made a loud thud.
When her husband eyes began to have life again, Human's were already inside their house…
And within his sight, was a lying corpse…
A beautiful lady, whose clothes bathed in bloody red.
His wife…
As if the world has stopped. His hand went into his forehead…
And he cried out a word with purely despise and anger, as a sickle was about to reach his neck…
"CURSE YOU HUMANS!"
Soon, his sturdy body fell down like a light feather falling down upon the air…
Clu, clu, clung...—!
Along with it, fell down, a round shape ball shadowed in darkness…
As the fire continued to spread, the ball cloaked in darkness, began to be seen.
It was a head of the middle aged man, whose has a horn in his forehead, and eyes which is painted in bloody red of entirely anger—
***
'Wh, What is going on…'
Jon woke up being put up unto the closet, and saw a lady holding up both of his shoulders, with a tight gripped...
"You must never get out of this closet… Never… You hear me!?" She said.
It was his gentle mother..
But this time, something seemed different. Her eyes were colored in fear, he had never seen before in his lifetime with his mother.
Gulp…
Jon swallowed down his saliva rather slowly, as his head started pouring out in cold sweat.
"Did father and mother had a fight?!" He thought.
He couldn't bring himself to ask the lady before his eyes. He figured that it might be about something important, so he just nodded his head in answer.
Seeing him nodded his head, twice. The girl put up a brave looked in her face, as if she's strengthening her resolve.
And then, after locking the closet, she immediately ran upstairs and hid the underground doorway.
Jon started sobbing, as his surroundings began to be cloaked in darkness…
He was scared… Utterly scared.
He had only one wish…
That is to none of them, to be hurt. If it were a fight over each other, he was praying that none of them would get hurt.
Soon, as his eyes were forced to be closed in instinct. His surroundings became cloaked in entirely darkness.
Even though there is a small hole in the closet he was hiding. He could not see a thing.
"I'm scared…" Hugging his head, while trapped in void alike place, Jon started sobbing.
His eyes began to form a dark circles over his eyes sockets, as he continued to weep in tears.
Sob, sob—
In the midst of it, rang out, out of nowhere a frightening scream.
Although the tone was quite frightening, Jon wasn't scared a bit.
Why though? Because it sounded familiar.
As he started organizing his thoughts, a slight memory of his blurred out, along with a gentle voice he was familiar with.
'Mother?!'
Jon hugged his head even more tighter than before, in fear.
He had no idea what to do now. He didn't want to get in his parents bad side.
As he was wishing for that day to end. He had finally decided to close his eyes, and let his head be put at ease.
"Maybe next day, everything would be over", He thought.
If life was that easy, as closing your eyes. None would have suffered.
But reality was rather harsh…
Even if you're an adult or a child. Reality was always harsh. Like a poor child that couldn't get a job due to his age, and ended up becoming slaves. That's how it'll be if it were to be spell out.
Jon may had closed his eyes, but not his ears….
As he succumb to the dark side, the scream of the familiar voice died down.
I wonder what happened.
As the voice of the familiar one, vanquished like a bubble exploading in the air, his head started processing negative thoughts.
Is their fight, has been finished?
Is it not the right time yet?
Are they both fine?
But no matter how deep he thought for an answer, he couldn't sweep away his curiosity.
He wanted to take a peek…
It would be fine if it's just once, right? He thought…
And, because curiosity took over him, he saw something grievous he shouldn't have seen.
His eyes widened in shock, along with mixed emotions.
Unto the ground, he found was a broken doll, dyed in bloody red…
A lady that was wearing a white dress, whose been cloaked in entirely bloody red, of a blood moon. While the other one was a sturdy doll with great built body. The only difference was, this one was headless, only blood that were connecting it's color through the wooden floor were highly seen. It's head were nowhere to be find, surely, it's head rolled around the fire, and was burnt to ashes.
Through the small gap, Jon recognized immediately the identity of those two.
IT WAS NONE OTHER THAN HIS MOTHER AND FATHER.
****
Anger, despair, loathing, all kinds of mixed emotions went through his head.
Before it even vanished, Jon saw who's responsible of his parents death through the small gap of hole. The shadows of who killed them. It was none other than the humans he always loved.
Ever since he was a child, he had always heard a lots of stories about the greatness of humans history through his father bedtime story.
Since then, he had always looked up to them.
Like how they were able to repel the demon's army in the great war. And how they were able to create new technologies.
Jon had always thought that every humans was kind despite knowing how hard his father job was because of their interfering. He had always thought, they were just misunderstanding each other, that's why they ought to have killed each other through fear.
But now, the story up to his head has changed through this incident.
His head was completely blinded by hatred, anger, and revenge.
As the shadow of humans became smaller, and smaller, till their image vanished in Jon's sight. Jon kept himself hidden through that basement of theirs.
He wanted to rush over to his parents to check if they're fine, but stopped on track, because he didn't want to be killed.
At the very least, He wanted to survive and take revenge.
Even though he was a child, his perspective made a huge changed through this event. Instead of thinking, the way child was, and immediately heading over to their dead family, he didn't hesitate to stopped the track.
Along with hatred, there was calmness through his head. Perhaps he's talented to pick the right choice in grave situation, that's why…
Afterwards, after finally making sure that they were gone. Jon took a crowbar inside the closet, and used it to dig a hole fitted to his size through the weakened part.
After he finished digging a hole through this wooden floor, he crawled upstairs with his full strength.
And, what unfolded through his eyes, was HELL…
LITERALLY HELL...
Their warmth house that were filled with happiness and sunlight through the morning, was now shrouded with intense fire, and entirely darkness. Only the dancing fire was the light to their house.
And at the center of their house was, his parents body, whose cloaked in entirely red.
Jon's body shuddered in despair…
As he went closer to their body, he checked their breathing and pulse.
—But there was no pulse nor a sign of breathing, only the silent atmosphere of a corpse…
Not only the lady in white, but also his father with built body.
Gleaaaammmmm—!
Jon's eyes burned with hatred, as he looked over to the corpse of his warm mother.
Her eyes were painted with despair, and sadness.
And, as he looked around to find the head of his father. He found it near the fire, and picked it up.
Chush—!
Because it was near the fire, his fingernails were burnt a little. Not only that, but the head of his father was also burnt in fire, and was dyed in black. Despite that, something eye catching caught his attention. The eye's of his father that was normally never been angered. Was painted in entirely red of anger.
Tears… Tears starts falling through the eyes of the youth…..
WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!!
Not even paying attention to the situation whether the humans were still near or not. Jon screamed out all his emotions.
Jon hugged the head of his headless father and buried it on his chest, as his knees fell the ground.
His head became literally empty as white blank, as he cried out in despair.
He wanted to get stronger…
He wanted to get revenge...
There was nothing in his head, instead of revenge...…..