"No! Jonathon! Stay with me! ....Ugh....I...love..yo- Ahhh!"
A woman screamed pitifully as her hair was dragged by a thing which seemed not to be human. Horns that resentfully pointed towards the heavens with a dark purple metallic sheen, the lower half of a goat and a body size much bigger than a human. A mocking and malicious smile on it's face as it dragged the woman away from a man who was covered in blood.
Despite his animal-like features, the demon possessed exceptionally handsome features that radiated masculinity. If one could ignore his different features, he would undoubedtly be a man who's facial features bordered on extraordinary.
The man that lay on the floor covered in blood no longer moved and several wooden stakes pierced throughout his body nailing him to the floor. The woman pitifully screamed towards the man, as she begged the beast-like demon to spare the man, a look of insanity in her eyes which clearly showed she did not understand the man was already dead. A four or five year old boy stood a short distance away opposite the corpse, his face unable to clearly understand what was happening and he seemed to be in a state of shock.
The boy who seemed stricken with fear could only look at the beast with wide eyes, his entire body trembling and he was unable to even utter a few screams. The beast dragged the woman before the boy and threw the woman before him. The beast like entity pieced through her abdomen with a bloody wooden stake nailing her to the ground yet he avoided her vitals.
"Ugh! Ahh! My son...close your...eyes"
"Hahahahaha!"
The beast laughed as though he was currently having the time of his life, an ecstasy filled with bloodlust emitting from the deep purple eyes that seemed to have devoured an entire nation worth of souls. The beast drew out a sword from his ring and placed it in the boy's hand, he then took one of his claw like fingers and stabbed the boy in the middle of his head.
The boy who seemed to have lost his mind had no sense of pain at all, and didn't notice that the beast had sunk a half inch of one of it's claws into his brain. The boy's hands without his permission and without delay, swung the sword down with a force he was not capable of beheading the woman's head with a single blow.
A look of horror in her eyes, not for herself..but for her son because of the act which the despicable demon made him do. She already understood what he was going to do the second he gave the child the sword.
The boy's body trembled uncontrollably and immediately after lost consciousness.
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"Ahhhhhhhh!"
Solomon woke up screaming as if his lungs were on fire, the dream so vivid he could remember every single detail. He could even remember the feeling of the blood on his hands, the stench of the demon, the blood of his parents along with their cries.
His pupils flickered and danced around the grassy plains, his heart in disarry as it wildly thumped as if it would fly out from his chest. After a few minutes, he took a few deep breathes before his eyes once more reverted to it's usual dilated state.
'...When will these dreams stop'
He pondered as he felt the cold sweat running down his back and the cold clammy hands that visibly trembled uncontrollably. Not long after, his trembling hands came to a standstill, his body also calmed the outbreak of the cold sweat as his mind came to clarity. He had gotten used to it, the nightmares that plagued him for as long as he could remember.
The nightmares never missed a single day, a horrid reminder of what he had endured forever instilled within him.
However, he had only gotten used to the after-effects; the nightmares would still make him awake with a terrible scream and the emotions were always fresh and had never gotten weaker over time. This was the curse he was bestowed.
*Grumble*
His stomach rumbled as he had become hungry, he had no idea how much time had passed and when his last meal was. He could no longer tolerate the hunger, at some point his appetite had returned and he decided to scower the grassy plains to find some source of nutrition.
As his mind wandered, and he had nowhere to go with no set destination; he walked and walked. He had to find food, and also a place to sleep. Luckily, encountering demonic beasts around the territory of Greendale was a very rare occurence otherwise he would have already become the meal of such a creature.
After not having found any food or wild animals, he decided not to continue searching as if he encountered a pack of wild wolves he would certainly not be their match because of his weakened state. Instead Solomon decided to find somewhere to sleep, and he would search for food in the morning.
Lucky for him, in the near distance he spotted a nest of caves just a bit further in front near a forest. He quickened his pace and after a short walk he had appeared in front of it's entrance. However, Solomon did not enter.
*Growl*
A growl of extreme hunger came from behind him that made him stop in his tracks, Solomon turned around slowly as his eyes met the owner of that growl. With black fur and sharp claws, saliva leaking from it's mouth; a wolf that seemed to be starving as much as he did stood in a pouncing posture behind him.
It's red eyes looked at him, it's hunger had driven it mad as one could see the imprint of it's rib cages through it's flesh. He soon noticed a few pair of red eyes also peering at him hungrily from the forest as they slowly came out making their presence known.
Solomon had unfortunately encountered a pack of hungry wolves. Solomon seemed exceptionally calm, he was neither scared nor nervous and this was not due to him being powerful or experienced. Solomon had his own thoughts.
'If this is how I die...so be it'
He had long lost his emotions, whether it be joy, sorrow or fear. He could not feel them at all. A normal human's reaction would have been to grab a nearby branch or even a stone, some would flee or have a similar action. A human would naturally cling to life as it was a pre-ordained instinct, however he was different.
Solomon's emotions had been altered by his nightmares and his life experiences, after seeing the Demon King and being in it's presence; his sense of fear was already destroyed. His will to live was similarly already destroyed after being betrayed by his friends, and being an outcast.
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He had no hopes or dreams, no favorite hobbies or precious treasures. The only thing he possessed was an unbearable hatred, and the knowledge that he would never be powerful enough to carry out his vengeance.
Suddenly dying didn't sound so bad. Even though he knew he possessed a terrifying hatred within him, he had no strength and as such it was bottled up very tightly. It was like trying to start a campfire with a carriage worth of damp wet wood, even though you had a lot; you would never get so much as a spark.
'I can never kill a Demon King...all this hatred and no outlet. Might as well kill a few of these guys to ease even a little bit of my hatred before I die'
Solomon suddenly smiled, a very strange smile. A smile with no joy or feeling in particular. An empty smile. Solomon took a step forward and his fist were coiled ready to attack and perish along with the wolves.
He wasn't strong and didn't know any combat techniques, he was fully prepared to do whatever he could. Whether it be bite their throats, or stick his fingers in their eyes or rip open their bellies with his teeth; he would do it all without hesitation and vent his bottled feelings.
Seeing this smile, and this calm look in Solomon's eyes that seemed to have some relief. The wolves suddenly regained clarity, and subconsciously backed away. It wasn't just his temperament and the look in his eyes, but the weird scars on his forehead seemed to emit an eerie glow and gave off a malevolent aura.
Solomon had missed this reaction as he had suddenly noticed a rusty pick-axe next to him, it would appear as though these caves were once mines and were not too long vacated as some tools seemed to be lying around randomly.
Solomon ignoring the wolf's reactions picked up the pick-axe and weighed it in his hands. Usually the wolves would have already attacked the second his attention came off from them, but the look in his eyes terrified them and their instincts kicked in making them awaken from their ravenous state.
These wolves had hunted humans before, they knew the natural reactions well. The humans that reeked of fear would be easy meals, the calm ones with vigilant eyes that wore armor with weapons were terrifying but this reaction was unique.
To them it was as if they had encountered a new species entirely. He didn't smell of fear, neither was he vigilant and didn't seem to be too strong. There was also something about the look in his eyes that kept them in bay, as if he were asking them to attack.
Wolves were naturally cunning creatures, this wasn't intellect but instinctual intelligence.
Something told them that this situation was altogether weird in many aspects.
Although Solomon wasn't trained in combat, his body was incredibly fit as he had to work a lot to stay alive. He did quite a bit of labor jobs and sometimes rarely ever ate anything, even though he was hungry and lacked a bit of energy; it was a feeling he was accustomed to.
His eyes once more fell upon the leader of the pack of wolves that first approached him, their eyes met and the wolf once more slowly backed up under the influence of those eyes that made it's fur raise on end.
Solomon swung the pick-axe without any warning!
The pack of wolves suddenly let out ravenous growls yet they did not attack as the leader turned tail and desperately dodged, tumbling away as it looked at the human with fear in it's eyes.
Solomon had a lot of openings when he swung, but he didn't care; he charged after the wolves swinging the pick-axe madly with wild eyes.
He swung and kept swinging, yet the wolves retreated even further and just stared at him with agitated expressions. The leader, didn't take a single step forward anymore and continously retreated. Seeing that a bit of fear crept into their eyes and they weren't willing to attack him, Solomon couldn't help but feel disappointed.
'...They aren't going to attack? ..Was it the pick-axe?'
Solomon dropped the pick-axe and the fear in their eyes disappeared as they once more prepared to attack. He couldn't help but feel something stirring inside him.
'...Are they going to attack now? ..Funny..I feel a bit happy. Finally, I can just forget everything. I don't have to see these nightmares anymore'
Solomon immediately ran towards the pack of wolves his arms opened wide as if he were going to embrace them. A smile that wasn't genuine by any means on his face, yet the fear the wolves felt magnified as their fur stand on end!
He was insane!
Wolves were pack creatures, even though they were hungry; they wouldn't be willing to fight a foe too strong and lose numbers. This was the reason they never attacked hunters, men wearing armor as they knew humans were quite capable killers. They would even stay away from bigger carnivorous beasts, this was the nature of a wolf.
A meal was a meal, but it wasn't a meal when it would be a potential disaster!
Wolves constantly fought for territory and leadership amongst themselves, if the target was too strong they would give up and find another prey while maintaining their numbers.
There was always exceptions in a hunt and they had enough smarts to give up a potential meal for the sake of numbers.
After arriving to a conclusion the leader gave out a howl and immediately ran towards the forests at full speed leaving a stumped Solomon.
'...What's wrong with these guys?'
Solomon didn't understand, he was but a single human and he even threw away his weapon.
In truth, Solomon had feelings of suicide a long while ago, however, the curse on his forehead prevented him from doing so. Many nights he awoke from the nightmare, wanting nothing more than to end his life and chase after his parents; yet the curse stopped any such movements and suppressed all thoughts.
As a result of this, Solomon had quite a warped personality. Possessing neither fear nor joy, neither pity or remorse. After his friends betrayed him, even his empathy was sealed off.
What he did not realize, was that his weird disposition coupled with the eerie scar on his forehead incited the instincts of the wolves. An extremely evil aura was constantly being emitted from the scar and it seemed to resonate with his personality.
What's more, is that Solomon did not know that these pack of wolves were extremely fearful of this particular area.
The wolves were no longer anywhere to be seen, Solomon let out a sigh and turned towards the caves.
Suddenly, Solomon noticed something about the caves. There was a terrifying aura being emitted from the caves, one....that was quite familiar.