Natas walked home in a daze, what just happened? Was it a dream? Or did I...? His thoughts stopped when he heard the sound of screaming and saw a trail of broken plates leading to his home he shivered as he followed it into the house and saw Abigail curled up at the edge of the kitchen rocking herself knees tucked in between her arms muttering in what sounded like a different language Natas swallowed hard stepped closer but still kept a distance

"Mom?" He said

and she shuddered to hide her face

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She walked

"Mom!" Natas said voice cracking eyes watering he ran up to her and swung his arm around her neck and she slowly dropped her hands hugging Natas and they both cried for a while then Abigail stood up carrying him and hugging him

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this, I'm sorry you had to cry with me" and she carried him to his room and lay him down he sniffled and stopped

"I'm sorry" she whispered

"One moment I was thinking about making lunch the next I was terrified, it felt like something was attacking me something whose presence was terrifying I was I was scared but it's OK now I'm fine". She said feigning a smile

"I know what will take your mind off it" She got up and left the room and came back with a black box

"It's a memory box!" She exclaimed

"Memory box?" Natas stuttered

"Yes you see every time I open it after I close it I forget what is inside"

"How do you forget what you just see?" Natas asked

"I don't know but I do know it for you from your father maybe you can have a look-see" and she gave it to him

"I'll go make lunch you enjoy whatever is inside" She walked out leaving Natas, box on top of his lap he opened it and saw a blade the size of a dagger white. He reached out for it two inches close the blade handle turned to gold and the blade turned scarlet red he looked in awe and picked it up it was the size of his forearm and slightly wider than his but what caught his attention was a fresh-looking book with a brown cover and was surprisingly thick he carried it out and dropped the box to the side he opened it and jerked his hand back he looked at his fingers and they were slashed

"What kind of paper cut-" he was unconscious before he could finish his sentence and was immediately brought back jerking up he looked at his hand and the blood was gone and the first page of the book wrote in red we've been waiting for the for master

he got up and ran to the kitchen where Abigail laid out the table and he sat down and scoffed food down his throat

"Calm down or you'll choke!" She said holding his hands

"What's wrong?" She asked looking into his eyes

"The book it-" Abigail collapsed and Natas got up shoving her shoulder but she didn't move her ran to his room and picked up the book and opened it and saw on another page

do you wish to save her?

"Yes!" He exclaimed and the words on the page turned to a long smile with razor-sharp teeth and opened its mouth and mimicked a bite Natas clutched his chest as he felt his life drained weakening him he gasped desperately trying to catch his breath he thought

what's going on?

The feeling stopped and he got up taking in a lot of air and started breathing normally he ran back to the kitchen and saw Abigail breathing still unconscious and he breathed in relief and soon collapsed on the floor and the feeling of life-draining came back with something else....someone else..... And then the thoughts came...Drowning him...Suffocating him... Then finally it stopped and he got up walked to his room and carried the sword and walked out into the town cathedral and walked up to the altar where a priest stood praying for the elements

"What do you want little one?" The priest asked softly

"Father, why were we born even though we live to sin? To hurt? To suffer?" Natas asked

The priest looked at his hand and saw the blade

"Don't worry it was for my brave father"

"Loss is painful but remember Christ died to atone for our sins and he will forgive us when we sin true life is not easy it has all sorts of problems and pain but even gold has to go through fire to be refined so we must remember our life is in our hands a testimony of God's great mercies, miracles and greatness so we live to glorify God and ask for his guidance when we're lost and apologize when we go astray," The priest said

"Then may God forgive me now," Natas said with lifeless, soulless eyes and flicked his wrist and the priest fell forward head rolling, blood flowing and everyone paused in a moment of shock then screams for help. Guards all armed with hunting rifles and muskets surrounded the altar

"Step away from the altar devil! We have you surrounded!" One screamed 

Natas dipped a hand into the blood and licked it he carried a chalice and scooped some into it and drank

"You have me surrounded but not beat I suggest for the safety of yourself to retreat in agreement to the fact you can't beat me"

"Huh? What did you say you little-" He stopped mid-speech and visited blood and collapsed dead others fired and burst in flames screaming in sheer agony Natas walked  past them and was met with a flaming arrow which he caught one inch to his forehead explosives were thrown and the church burnt in mere seconds

"Is he dead?" A villager asked

"Didn't I tell you?" Natas voices rung the flames converged into a large ball mirroring the sun

"You can't beat me" the ball flew towards them doom imminent until it disappeared and a large metal box fell imprisoning Natas inside 

"Someone come here with a cart and drop the box in I can't hold him for long" a young man in a priests robe and hat clasped his hands together said a cart was immediately brought and the box was dropped in

"Go to a river and dump it in" and with that, the carriage races off the rider heard the box shake and jumped off his seat in utter fear and watched as it crashed down into a river

"Scary," he said and walked back to the village and saw the young man Panting

"Nice job," The young man said

"Who are you and how did you do that?" A villager asked

"I'm an ally, not an enemy and you all would have been in danger if that had continued I'm happy I came just in time," He said

"Is he a more powerful demon" A villager whispered

And the man clicked his tongue

"If I was I would not have contained him but help him," he said  and more opposition came and elders came out

"I know this man he is an exorcist we should be grateful" He declared and they all bowed their heads in shame

"What can we do to thank you and apologize?" He asked

"Nothing I'm just visiting old man"

"Well then we feast this night in his honour the elder said and everyone cheered in unison.

That night food was served to satisfy even the most glutinous of men and wine to the most chronic drinkers

Everyone ate and drank with joy in their hearts and the young man joined them during it a maid accidentally spilt a drink on one of the men and he took it Personally

"you dumb-"

"I'm sorry"

"Whore" He said

"Maybe I'll just have you pay me with your other services" and he grabbed her by the hand the young man caught the rude man's hand and knocked him out in a punch

"If you have no decency don't approach women," The young man said and grabbed her by the hand

"Let's drink on!" He exclaimed in high spirits and everyone carried on he pulled her away from the crowd

"Are you alright?" He asked

"People will talk if they see us here!"

"I'll take that as a yes"

"You're too nice"

"I get that a lot"

"I'm the village whore-"

"Says one drunk man"

"Look I have a child and I don't exactly have a good background check I wouldn't want you to ruin your reputation"

He sighed

"I understand"

She sighed in relief

"But before we leave you'll have to do one thing for me no matter what it is," he said smiling

"I wouldn't expect that from you but oh well what?"  she said blushing

"Marry me," he said smiling

She turned red

"You said what?"

"Marry me your son needs a good father figure or else he may grow up wayward"

"Yes but-"

"I said anything and you agreed so you have to do it"

"Marriage so fast?"

"Well I don't want to live alone and I want to settle down and if people want to talk let them and if more threats come with no one to stop it I don't know what I'll do"

"But there has to be more around the world and besides what if one that you can't handle comes?"

"Well then I'll die knowing I looked at my world and was happy it was so beautiful"

She turned even redder

"You shouldn't say stuff like that"

"I'll say anything to win your heart"

"You're too persistent OK if it will-"

"No do you agree?"

"Won't that make you happy? Didn't you say I have to marry you?"

"Yes but I never said you have to love me and besides I requested it but its still your decision"

"I will"

"Huh? Take your time-"

"No, I agree who else would look at me like this"

"Your weird"

"Says the person who made the request"

They both laughed

"Thank you for saving us"

"I didn't I only prolonged your time to live"

"What?"

"The kid he's still alive and only when I found out how to beat him will he be gone we have years but don't worry as I said I'll be here"

She nodded and swallowed hard.

"I thought that would kill me save me from my fate and you," Natas said to the man from the tree

"An island of solitude I handpicked it," the man said handing him the book

"You know what happens now right?"

the man said

Natas collected it

"Yes but just upset I could never thank her" and with that, the night rolled on