Prologue :
“Was this the place where the rumour come from?”
“Yes, Captain. We were sure about it. There was a strange beast that able to use soul around here.”
A group of soldier was investigating the rumour about a strange beast that founded in the near forest that consist of dangerous monster. They were a group of elites that tasked to eliminate any dangerous monster around the city ,The young woman was the captain of this group and was requested to eliminate the threat of the strange beast with soul.
“Captain,there was something strange here.”
One of the squad member as he picked up a beast corpse, it was a horned rabbit to be exact.The corpse was so horrible and all over the place with the blood.The young woman come over and her eyes falls on the bitemark.
“The bite mark. It was from human.”
“Captain,shall we call backup?If its bandit,then..”
“It’s not bandit,the bite mark way too small to be a bandit.For now, I want everyone to be cautious of it.”
“Understood.”
Everyone replied, but as soon as they replied they heard a horned rabbit cry. Soon they went after it and saw something they think impossible. A kid around 4-5 years old with a dagger at his hand fighting a horned rabbit. Even though it was a rabbit that mutated a horned rabbit can kill adult if they were attacked. Yet he able to dodge the horned rabbit attacks easily and then stab the rabbit vital with his dagger. A simple and efficient movement come from 4-5 years old kid.
“What on earth?”
“Captain,the dagger he holding. It was a soul.”
“A 5 years kid with a soul? That is impossible!!!”
There was a reason why she said it was impossible ,a soul could only be manifested once you were ten years old and received a blessing, even a genius was no exception. Yet this 4-5 years old boy able to use soul.
“Captain, what should we do?”
“Let’s talk to him, we need to kno-.”
Before she finished ,the boy already turn around and look at them. His face was full of scar, yet the scar seems new and clearly because of sharp weapon. His face was covered by scar that they barely able to discern him being human or not. He them mumbled in small voice.
“Enemy.”
The boy begin to run from them, they were shocked for a second before begin to pursue him, the boy agility didn’t match his age which made them unable to understand what was the boy in front of them. The young woman already activate her soul which was in form of lance and caught up with the boy before the boy swing his dagger to the front and darkness enveloped both of the boy and the young woman. He then appear at the side followed by young woman ,the boy then looks the young woman and throw his dagger toward her. She immediately dodge it and try to catch the boy. But he disappear and appear 10 meter behind her.
“Soul magic come from 5 years old boy?”
The young woman was shocked, but then one of ruder member can’t be helped cursed aloud. As the boy ability are too much.
“What kind of devil spawn is this?”
“I know , there is no need to repeat it.”
As the boy running away from them, he then begin to disappear into the forest without any trace, once they lost sight the captain then proceed to smack the guy who say rude thing.
“Did you realize what have you done?”
“I..I am sorry.”
“Do you think sorry will cut it? That boy was obviously recently abandoned. The torn clothes and the wound was obviously hint about it. Yet you said that, didn’t you realize how much you hurt the boy?”
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The member felt regret the most, after all it was a slip of tongue and he never noticed how his mouth invite disaster for their team.
“Calls backup team, we need to cover the whole forest. We need to ensure his safety.”
“Not needed. Can protect myself.”
The boy appear from the shadow of tree with dagger at his hand, everyone looked at the boy and this time noticed there was a small shadow mist at his shoulder. Some of them can’t discern it, but the one who could notice it was a small black reptile with blue eyes. The young woman breathe in relief she then proceed to give them signal to let her negotiate the boy alone, the member nodded and the guy who cursed even cover his mouth to ensure success.
“Can I ask you ,why you show yourself again?”
“Hear, not enemy. Not needed to fight.”
The young woman knew the reason why the boy didn’t talk much. His throat was severely damaged and his whole body was full of scar. He also suffer malnutrition which could be danger to his life.
“Suggest, ignore. Not doing, fight back.”
“You will die at this rate.”
“Don’t care.”
The member who heard it didn’t understand what’s wrong with this boy? But the guy who cursed him before said with full of concern because he was worried that the boy truly wanted to die. He probably suffers a lot and lost his parent.
“Your parent didn’t want that, they want you to survive.”
The boy just titled his head and then said.
“Parents, happy.”
“What are you saying?”
The boy pointed himself. He then said.
“Devil, kill. Parents, happy.”
All of them that heard that gulped, they didn’t believe what they heard. So one of them can’t hold themselves back to ask question.
“Why?why they want to kill you?Surely,you were mistaken.”
The boy shake his head and lift his clothes a bit. A bruise with a lot of wound that isn’t healed yet was shown in front of him. The young woman shivered a bit consider that boy in front of him still can survive this long in forest by himself. Yet the boy still keep his sanity and calmness without trace of emotion. This boy is dangerous.
“Proof,enough.”
“One question, if you answer this correctly I would do whatever you wanted.”
“?”
The boy titled his head, while the members obviously they didn’t agree.
“There was a little girl around your age come here 3 days ago, I heard from her that she was helped by you when she was lost in this forest. Why you help her?”
The boy was silence for a moment, before he said.
“Need reason?”
“Yes.I want to know your reason.You were a devil, devil supposed no to help people”
The young woman obviously were tense, she was waiting for his answer. The boy just titled his head and said.
“Helping others, no need reason. Me want to help.”
“I see, then there is more reason I must bring you to safety.”
She give a signal for everyone to prepare a fight. After all, she was sure the boy wasn’t devil. The little girl that he saved was her daughter. Her Daughter enter a monster forest and yet able to return safely without scratch . At first she was worried that her daughter was lying, but she knows that boy in front of her were not devil at all. She heard how the boy give her daughter protection from monster in the forest. Only him able to do so, if she didn’t help her then she was an ungrateful toward her daughter saviour. The Boy then proceed to lift up his dagger before he step back and the black mist around his shoulder disperse which shown his soul true form.
“A black snake with a little wing on his back, was that the true form of your soul?”
The boy didn’t answer. At the same time the black snake disappear and his eyes changed to pure black. But before he could do anything the woman already hold his small body and lifted him up.
“Now, now there was no need to hypnotize yourself , it’s bad for kid around your age.”
“Release me!!”
The other member was relieved but then they ask their captain, a question.”
“Captain ,what should we do with the kid?”
“I have pla-.”
Before she finished replying, the boy already swing his dagger at his arm. He was trying to cut if off. The woman stopped him just before he could do it.
“It was better for you to try cut my arm instead. Why you are trying to hurt yourself?”
“…..”
The boy only glared at her ,she then sighed and released him. The boy only stare at her and prepare to fight if needed.
“I don’t know what happened to you, but you are just a kid.”
“Not A kid. A devil.”
As soon as he said that the snake appears in front of her face, which surprise her and make her release the kid. It is the black snake from before.
“Captain!!Let us help.”
“Don’t. We are not trying to fight.”
“But ,it’s dangerous!”
“He didn’t have any intention to hurt us, He just want to escape.”
The boy only stare, as he didn’t understand what is their purpose. He need to run, but how. She was stronger than any of his pursuer. He needs to kill the woman in front of him, but he can’t. He didn’t want to kill ,he didn’t want to be a devil. But he had no choice, he need to kill her. He moved quickly and try to kill her.
“Captain, Watch out!!!”
The woman only turn around and at the same time the boy already in front of her trying to stab her stomach. But just before he could stab her, he stopped.
“Why?Why not dodge?”
He asked the woman in front of him, after all he was sure his surprise attack failed. They were stronger than any previous pursuer. He didn’t understand. Aren’t they come to capture him?
As he wondered that, the woman already crouch and pat his head.
“You are kind boy. You are not devil at all.”
“I..I..”
A devil, is what he wanted to say. But he didn’t want to say that. He didn’t want to be one,but he was one. After all his father and mother said so.
“Do you have a name?”
He didn’t answer. The woman think he didn’t have a name, so she decided to give him a name.
“Lux, your name is lux. From now on, I am your mom.”
The rest was speechless, since the adoption was so sudden. But seeing the boy didn’t say anything, they decided to keep quiet. The boy didn’t say anything, after all he can’t do anything and he trying to believe her. He want to be a human. Meanwhile the woman was thinking.
“What should I say to my family? Since it's mother instinct.”