Walking the corridor I could feel my mind wandering a bit, whether that's an effect from the temple or me letting thoughts get to me, I need to keep going.
Haru continued down the long corridor but nothing was the same around him, he was starting to picture something he hadn't seen in a long time.
The sun was beating down on me, the wind blew past me and the grassy fields, this scene was all too familiar. What made me truly decide to become a hero was the day that my mother died.
The memory that I usually block out but yet this temple could be making me see it once again for the first time in years.
A woman with long white hair going past her shoulders appeared, sitting on a chair outside of a small house.
"Haru why don't you come and join me." The woman says with a soft tone in her voice.
"You know I'd usually join you but this time there's something I need to do." Haru responds while turning towards the distant fields.
Growing up in a house way out of the way of any villages or kingdoms wasn't the worst thing in the world until that day had hit us. Demons had made there way towards our home and when I came back from hunting with Dad it was all over.
Mom was gone. Her body on the floor, lifeless.
"My little Haru, protect your sister. No matter what happens you will always be the one to keep her safe." Mom's voice echoes.
Everything quickly disappeared around him once more and it was back to the same corridor as before.
I can see a light at the end of this corridor so I'm wondering if that's the room I'm looking for here. That memory of mine can wait, I've seen it more than enough.
Everything I need to do is engraved in my head the way it is so I don't need to keep living through it over and over again. I'll keep her safe no matter what but to do that I need to kill the demon lord.
"The walls are caving in, caving in." A voice begins to sing.
A strange voice singing within the temple? A magic incantation perhaps.
Dash! Haru begins to run down the corridor towards the light as the walls begin to close in from both sides. Getting faster with each second until finally he jumps before it closes on him into the room.
"I will say that I was worried for a second there." Haru says outloud.
Obviously I wasn't concerned but this thing needs to believe it and maybe it'll show itself to me. There shouldn't be anyone else but a magic protector of some sort wouldn't be surprising to run into here.
Looking around the room he noticed all sorts of bookshelves with different scrolls and books on them. But most looked like they were falling apart or like they would turn to dust.
Until suddenly a small figure popped out from the shadows, taking on the appearance of a boy with elf ears wearing ragged leather clothing.
"Are you the protector of this temple?" Haru questions while staring intently at the boy.
"I could be. Depends on your intentions here in the temple, most come here to steal for their own gain." The boy answers while looking back at Haru.
My intentions are the temple huh? It would be considered personal gain I guess so maybe it's best not to say the real reason behind my visit.
"The Artifact that's said to be here could help a lot of people regain memories that were taken from them. I need it." Haru says with a calm, yet serious tone in his voice.
The boy began to scour about the room searching through places that Haru couldn't even see. But yet he came out with empty hands.
"No artifact like that has been here in a long time. Someone probably took it ages ago or it must've been moved. I'm sorry you wasted time coming here." The boy says while glancing around.
For that artifact to be missing from here isn't surprising but that would mean another hero has to have it. Demons wouldn't make it anywhere near- wait no it's possible to have someone sent in here who could grab it for them.
"Don't worry about it. It's always nice to visit the temple either way." Haru responds before turning around.
The walls returned to normal already? I guess he knew I wasn't here for anything bad, works in my favor.
After a couple of minutes he had reached the outside of the temple once more but this time he could sense eyes on him. Someone or something was watching him.
The grip I had on my sword already was pure instinct but maybe I just knew something would be waiting out here for me. Demon scouts? Goblins, ogres, undead, what could possibly be watching?
A group of demons began to emerge from the shadows of the trees, slowly coming out into the open. Only one of them stuck out compared to the rest and it was the one in the middle of the group.
He wore dark robes over his demonic armor, his black hair reaching past his shoulders, the red eyes, the short sword he had drawn already, it was a captain.
"Little early to be out on your own don't you think?" Haru questions with a bit of a joyful time in his voice.
This happiness I feel is something I haven't had in a long time, the chance to kill demons again is before me.
"No. It's nice to see someone from the list. Kenshin Haru, the executioner of the left hand. Most of us assumed you died by now." The Demon captain says while staring at Haru.
His gaze was that with the intent to kill, not something I'm surprised to have aimed towards me. Most heroes must've been put on a list for the demons to hunt, this group before me isn't a normal one.
A demon death squad after me already? I've only been out of Zianna for a few days and yet they got a whiff of me. How cute.