He felt the cold wind blewing at his face. As well as the shivering body that he was embracing.
Slowly, he opened his eyes to be greeted by darkness. He can feel the crawling bugs and insects around him and the pungent smell in the air. He was familliar with it. It was the smell of blood and rotten corpses. He was not that surprise about it. He already expected it since he jumped in a corpse dumpster.
Although he was a kid, he experienced things that even adults will fear. He is not that dumb. He just didn't expect that there was someone guarding the entrance since that devil pig didn't like someone watching while he was playing even if it is only by the door.
It was a good thing that he have a Plan B. But he didn't know if it was a good thing since he heard that the holes were connected to different levels of dungeons and even a low level dungeon is filled with ferocious beasts that could rip them apart.
He slowly sit up and looked to the little girl in his embrace. She also looked at him.
"Jacky, where are we?" She asked before looking around. She moved her eyes through the dim surrounding. Only getting vague images.
She suddenly got stiffed looking down to where they are sitting. He followed her eyes. There was ripped flesh scattered around and white long slimy maggots covered the rotting corpse. One of it went out of its nose before going in its eye socket. It looks like a middle aged man. It was clear that it has been here for a long time and had been feasted upon by vicious beasts.
Although it wasn't her first time seeing a corpse, she will never get used to it. She already had her share of hardship, but she's still a little girl.
"Don't look at it. Just close your eyes and I'll carry you on my back. I'll get us out of here." Jack told her gently before turning away showing his back to her.
"Okay." She tightly closed her eyes then wrapped her tiny arms around Jack's neck.
Sera was small and petite. She was very light and he was able to carry her at ease. But even if she was several times heavier, he could still carry her without difficulty. Afterall, they were treated like slaves, and carrying heavy packages are the easiest work they could ever hope for.
Looking around, he take his steps very carefully. He stood close to the walls of the narrow square corridors.
He turned a lot of times, but the corridors seemed the same; they were lifeless.
Soon he didn't even know where he came from. He could feel his heart clenched from the thought of being lost in such a huge high level dungeon. The only thing that he could hear was the fast pumping of his heart and his rough breathing.
The arms around his neck tightened, then he walks faster.
Maybe he was too terrified that he didn't even cared about the sounds he make might attract something.
Then he stopped and arrived in a spacious square hall. He couldn't see anything over a few meters away from him in the darkness.
But as if the darkness was accumulating at the center, he could roughly see the high ceiling.
*whooosh* *whooosh*
The wind blew towards the opening he was at as if a huge beast was breathing in front of him.
He take a deep breath. Pulling towards his remaining courage and took a small step forward.
He just need to peek a little to look around. But it seemed to be a huge mistake.
As soon as his foot touched the ground, it felt like time froze. The wind stopped. The deafening silence took over, and a pair of huge red eyes stared at him.
He was terrified he wanted to run but his shaking legs refused to move as if it was glued to the ground.
He had no choice but to only stared back at the blood red eyes. His teeth clattered and he shivered uncontrollably.
He had nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. He could vaguely feel the sickle of the grim reaper on his neck.
Perhaps, life is indeed not fair afterall...
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*rumble* *rumble*
The ground shook for every step the giant figure made. Dark scales glistened even though it was dark.
"Hehehe... It was a very long time that I saw a human. I thought I already scared them enough..." A deep voice reverberated around the room, and a giant scaly lizard revealed itself in front of Jack; a black dragon.
"A-a-a-a d-dragon?!" Jack exclaimed like a frightened rabbit and took a step back.
He didn't dare to run away. He knows that he might die. If it was only him, he might gambled his chances and run, however, over his back is little Sera gripping him tightly.
"Hmm... a little kid? How'd you get here?" It seemed that the voice came from the vague figure sitting atop the dragon's head.
He was surprise to know that a kid managed to get to the very end of the gigantic dungeon without getting killed by the ferocious beast roaming everywhere in the first half of the dungeon. They wouldn't dare to go at the latter half since they could sense the strong entity which is him and the dark dragon.
He waved his hand and an invisible force ingulfed Jack and little Sera. They were forcefully separated and floated in the air a few meters in front of the figure.
"LET SERA GO!!! She doesn't deserve this!" Jack tried to struggle, but it was futile. He could only move his head and look towards the figure and Sera.
The poor little girl was petrified at the scary face of the dragon. Her mouth was open with ragged breathing, and tears was falling on her pale cheeks.
"Hmm... Interesting... Your just a pathetically weak human, yet I feel a burning flame inside your soul. It is deeply concealed and looks fragile, but, It also looks like it can burn everything. Looks like I found what I need. Kekeke..."
Piercing bloody red eyes released a faint glow in the dark staring at Jack. He felt a chill run down his spine being stared by those pair of eyes, as if he is completely naked; unable to hide anything.
"I-I don't know what your talking about! We're just mere slaves! We don't have anything. P-please just let us go!"
Jack's voice was trembling. He knew they were like pigs ready to be slaughtered in front of these monsters.
"That's the whole reason I'm giving you an opportunity. Of course you can refuse, but I can assure you that you'll never leave this place alive. The best case scenario, you will starve to death."
The vague shadow calmly explained. Although Jack can't see him clearly, he felt like it was smiling at him. The kind of terrifying smile.
"I-I don't understand..."
Jack don't understand why. Why would someone suddenly would pop out of nowhere to give him something that he needs? He fully understand that there is no free lunch in this world, therefore he knows that he must want something in return.
"Well, I can see that burning flame of hatred in your heart. For me, it is like a seed, waiting to be nourished to unleash its full bloom to burn everything in its path! I'm giving you the fertile land, and you will cultivate it and harvest its fruits."
There was a faint ancient feel to it, as if the one speaking has withstood the test of time and had been living for hundred years.
"I..."
To Jack, who was only a decade and a few years old, and whose knowledge is mostly consists of things only affiliated to his tasks, he is bound to not be able to know most of things.
"What I mean is I can give you power, but in return, you must unleash that hatred and make those whose sins cannot be condone pay the price. Make them suffer! For those poor souls they had scourged."
"You...you want me to be an embodiment of Justice? I don't believe such a thing exist."
At first he was bewildered. He can't believe that the vague shadow would say such a thing. However, remembering the things he had seen and experienced in the past, he spoked the latter half with viciousness.
At this point, the mouth of the giant black Lizard suddenly opened, and a harsh voice like metals scraping entered his ears.
"Justice is but a mere illusion humans used to fool themselves in thinking they are a better existence than what they really are. I've been living for hundreds of years, and seen numerous humans hiding behind a fake mask of rightiousness. There are times they can be more evil than a devil!"
Jack's face was full of fear and awe. He didn't know it was capable of speech. Nevertheless, he still understand the gist of what it was saying.
"Indeed, humans are despicable beings."
"Then, why would you help us if you hate humans? Won't you rather kill us?"
He was puzzled since he can feel the hate inside the words of the vague shadow.
The vague shadow paused for a moment, seemingly pondering about something before he looks at him and asked.
".....Tell me, if someone offended you, will you hate their whole family and everyone related to them?"
Jack thought for a second before he answered.
"No. They have nothing to do with it."
"Exactly. My hate is only for those who have sinned and not for the entire mankind."
Jack fell deep in thought. All this time, he hated everything and everyone for what he suffered, except Sera. Although some people did him wrong, but is it fair to hate everybody else? Life isn't fair but if he's also not, then he's no different to them that he hates.
This thought lingered in his mind and seems to changed him for the better. Only god knows how much lives this single sentence saved.
"I understand. Can you tell me clearly what opportunity it is?"
The vague shadow seemed to nod. Suddenly, dim light flowed through the darkness, illuminating the surroundings.
A cloaked man can be seen on top of the black dragon. Strangely, darkness seemed to gather inside his cloak and his face can't be seen.
He raised his hand and the darkness looming around him seemed to gather on his hand. A thumb-sized pitch-black orb appeared.
"This thing on my hand is filled with demonic power. Once you swallowed this, it can give you power, but, you will also pay an equal amount."
"This price, what is it?"
Jack felt uneasiness looking at the pitch- black orb on his hand.
"Your humanity."
"Ah?"
He said it calmly, but Jack was utterly speechless.
"Listen clearly. This crystal can indeed give someone power, but it also has some evil energy. I haven't tried doing this before, so I don't know what side effect it will have. But I can assure you that something bad is bound to happen. It's either you'll get corrupted in mind or body. It's even possible you will suddenly transformed into a monster after taking this. It's only natural since human's body structure are not meant for this. Also, I will need to apply a curse in your mind. You will be forced to hunt those needed to be hunted. Purify this land with their blood! I don't want to see you running away from your obligations just to live a peaceful life. So, are you brave enough to take this chance?"
The man said it solemnly, hoping to ingrain every word in the child's mind.
Jack looked towards Sera. She was unconsciously floating mid-air, but she tightly gripped her brown tattered teddy bear. She was the only one very close to him, even though they only met a few weeks ago. It can even be said that she was his only living relative and he treats her like a little sister although he denies it.
Jack hesitated before he asked.
"If I suddenly become a monster, can you ensure that Sera will be safe?"
"I can even help her get out, but it was up to her if she survive outside. I'm a demon, not a devil, so you can say that your not having a contract with the devil."
Jack nodded.
"I accept."
The man seemed to widen his smile. He pushed his hands forward and the pitch-black orb floated towards Jack. At the same time, Jack and Sera gently dropped on the floor.
Jack looked at the black orb with complex emotion. He stared at it deeply before swallowing.