Once upon a time, a lonely boy was sitting under a tree in the forest. He had no toys to play nor friends to stay with him for a while. The boy sought love and care from others, yet his family and neighbors couldn't treat him him more than a mere trash. A child who could gain nothing for his home and nothing to gain their attention. Some might say he was destined to disappear and no one was there to say goodbye to.

One day, he was drawing on the ground with a stick he found. He drew himself playing with a ball and the friends he couldn't make. This garnered a mysterious presence around the forest. Darkness that observed him for a long time the moment his existence was set in stone. They approached the boy with a form of his own shadow and gave him a peculiar question.

"Why are you playing alone?"

The boy didn't know how to answer. He visited the forest to escape their cruelty to him, yet he never found the real reason why he visited it in the first place. And yet, he knew what to answer next.

"Because no one loves me."

The shadow grew confused. It knew he had a family. It knew they would love him no matter what. But the boy sighed when it expressed their confusion.

"Mom and Dad don't love me, too. They always call me a "mistake" and that I shouldn't born in the first place. I tried to do everything to love me again, but they hurt me when I did."

The shadow became curious at the boy and what was once a brief encounter turned into a bond that grew for a long time. From that day onward, the boy continued to visit the forest to see his friends made of darkness and began playing with them, telling everything he endured, and simply being by their side.

For the first time in his life, he was very happy to have a friend to play and hang out with in his favorite place. Yet at the same time, he felt something in his heart that he thought didn't exist.

Pain, anguish, frustration, and hate.

He wondered what was the point of trying to gain love from his parents when they did nothing but hurt his body and confidence.

He wondered why he had to be the only one miserable and everyone else was happy from his pain.

He wondered if everything he did meant nothing after all.

And if so, why did he have to keep loving the people who treated him like trash?

The boy grew jaded as the world of light shattered from these revelations. Then, he grew to hate the village, his own home. He began to wish that his parents would disappear instead of him. That the children and their parents would suffer the same bullying as he was.

Then an evil thought grew in his head.

"What if I could give them their own medicine?"

So the boy returned to his village. With a match on his left hand and a torch on his right, he lit the wooden houses on fire. One by one, he happily turned the bullies' loving homes into ashes. People who came out to douse the flames turned into his toys that broke apart the moment he threw large rocks over their heads, breaking them into squished tomatoes. Some tried to stop his fun and hurt him, but the shadows helped him and turned them into their own playthings as well.

As the sky grew dark, the whole village that was once his home became a big bonfire and the boy danced in the middle while playing ball with the shadows and the heads of his parents. No more of them treating him like trash and a punching bag. No more kids who would treat him like a monster. And no more villagers who would make him hungry in the streets.

And they lived happily ever after.

Is that all you wanted in your life, As-

Vander!

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I gasped as soon as I heard Thurkith calling out to me. Man... I didn't expect my brief rest to turn into a full-on nap. I wish I could nap a little longer. But how could I when I'm in front of injured and deceased mercenaries lying on the ground?

I still couldn't believe it, though. Casia told me again and again that the wall couldn't be breached by Wild Demons alone. Yet that chimera proved us wrong and fulfilled our greatest fears. However, what I thought was an anomaly was something more than that. After sharing everything with him when I managed to contact him, we might have a possible theory of how and why it happened. The chimera's past memories were enough to support it, but the resolution was something I feared once it broke a hole in the wall. What's worse was that even with the most experienced mercenaries helping me, it wasn't enough to stop that monster.

Most mercenaries were still on the ground while the abled tended to their injuries. As for the ones who sacrificed themselves to protect us from the destruction of the wall, they were lined up with Thurkith and his aide as some of them prayed and cried at their fallen allies. I could have done something to avoid this tragedy, but I'm only a young Demi-Fiend. I hate that I'm useless. But that was the reality I was forced to accept. I didn't want to, but my powers and spells were proof of my weakness.

However, there were more important issues I need to consider first. With the destruction of the Demon Wall came with casualties. I quickly approached Thurkith the moment he finished his silent condolences to his fallen men.

"Sir, may I speak?"

Thurkith turned to me once I approached him with a bow. "What is it, young Master? Do you want to share your condolences to my men? I apologize if I sound rude, but I feel like most of them appreciate your help until their final breath."

I frowned. He was right about one thing. Those men sacrificed their lives to protect us and the whole Monochroma. It would be wrong of me to leave without sharing my condolences and prayers. But I need to tell him of my plans first.

"I will. But after that, I may need your assistance with a task that might help us stop that Wild Demon."

"Stop the Wild...?" He quickly gasped in horror. That didn't take long. "Wait a minute... Are you telling me you're going to chase that monster outside the wall?! You will die if you try to fight it!"

"But there's a chance Casia is out there trying to save the guards and people nearby. This isn't a simple observation support anymore. Humanoids will die if it isn't stopped on time. Sure, we can just abandon them! But I know him and I know he isn't willing to abandon them, whether they are demon or humanoid!"

I almost lost my breath from my speech. Either way, my words are true without a fault. I don't care if Thurkith said otherwise. I felt like it was my responsibility to let that monster out of the territory. I get I'm weak. I get that I'm still a child. But I can't do nothing with Casia is still out risking his life and identity to stop him!

"You do realize you will die if you dare to face against a Wild Demon of an unknown rank. I appreciate your help with the attempt to stop it from breaching through the wall. But this is far as your aid would take you."

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Talk about frustrating. I never thought my young age would end up stopping me from saving Casia and the humanoids. I knew how strong he was as a Drago Nox. But I felt it wasn't enough to truly stop that beast.

"Yeah, I can't deny I'm still a kid. I can't deny that I still have a lot to learn. But right now, I'm the only one who saw most of the demon's past life and motives. Casia might defeat it through force, but there will be casualties if we rely on it alone."

Thurkith hummed in thought. "Are you saying you have another way to stop him?"

"It's a long shot, but it's better than having more innocent humanoids get caught in the crossfire. Yeah, I get it's a risky gamble. But I rather die in battle than go home to hear possible deaths of Casia and the targeted and pass the news to Gabriel."

And that was all I could say. Regardless of what answer Thurkith would give me, I would charge through that hole and find Casia and the demon like my life depended on...

"Very well..."

I froze. Did he say "yes"?

"I will allow you to explore outside the territory with my aid. However, promise me that you won't do anything reckless while we're in the world of light. You might be rumored to be a prodigy under the former Master of Lavender's care, but you are still a child who is helpless against the prejudice of humanity and the dangers of that demonic monstrosity." He handed me a small crystal ball. "This crystal grants you a temporary barrier that protects you from sunlight. The moment you accept this, you will agree to my conditions. Is that okay for you, young Master?"

He didn't need to tell me twice. I know the dangers, but I couldn't let things be over my safety. "I accept them," I answered while taking the crystal and placing it inside my shorts pocket. "Lead the way, Thurkith."

The mercenary leader nodded and turned to his men. "The rest of you should retreat at base camp and update the higher-ups about this. We will be back with the Drago Nox and hopefully, the demon's crystal."

I look at the other mercenaries one more time. They didn't seem to voice their disagreements, yet they looked at each other with concerns written on their faces. I get why they were worried about him. But at the same time, they showed nothing but respect for him. I should do the same after everything he did to protect me from this chaotic incident.

Before I could do anything else, Thurkith grabbed my body and he carried me to his arms. Then, I saw his black wings stretched out from his back as they started to flap us up in the air. "Hang on, kid. This is going to be a bumpy ride."

That's all he could say to me before we took off into the hole in the wall left behind by the Wild Demon. All I could do now was to pray for Casia's safety and hope we made it in time.

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Despair.

That was the only word that popped into my mind the moment we left the dungeons of the Demon Wall. The once prideful border army was left in rubble filled with bodies of humanoid soldiers along with the helpless otherworlders. Not even the prickly general was spared by this carnage. While the army itself wasn't wiped completely, some surviving soldiers were completely helpless as their swords and spears simply deflected against the tough skins of demonic rhinos and fiends piling over the panicked.

As we continued to look on, we saw a large demon we had never seen before. A body and head of a fiend with the torso and legs of a black dragon... I thought Vander was exaggerating about the demonic chimera, but I never knew how horrifying it looked in person. What's worse was it already passed through the border guards and gone deeper through the woods that covered the plains behind it without any signs of scars from the light outside the Demon Territory. I would chalk it up to the sun setting at this time, but if what Vander and Thurkith said was true, then...!

"Cass!"

My thoughts quickly broke the moment I heard Val's voice. "S-Sorry about that. We already wasting time standing here. We must make haste to that village!"

"I'm right behind you...is what I would say." I looked around at the field of corpses around me. "As much as I want to rush in and warn them, we have other issues to deal with. With the demonic and racial discrimination plaguing it, there's no way for them to believe a bunch of strangers right away."

"But still... That demon might kill anyone once he's done with the village! I get the villagers to deserve for all of the misery that he faced, but the chances of a demonic stampede are already high with the whole border guards dead," Val argued. "Besides, I know you're the type not to leave them to their gory fates."

He's right. Killing the villagers for catharsis wasn't the way to go. I understand the demon's pain from Gabriel and I knew how it felt from his neglect and abuse. Even so, there's a line between creating karma and creating twisted entertainment for revenge. However, we're facing an unknown Wild Demon who massacred the guards and almost gave the same fate as Thurkith's band of mercenaries. Even with my power, I doubt I could defeat it in my current state.

"CASIA!!!"

My eyes widened when I heard a familiar voice. It didn't come from a telepathy call, yet it was nearby. Then, Val nudged my shoulder and pointed up. "Well, looks like the surprises keep piling on."

I looked at where he was pointing. To my surprise, I saw not only Thurkith flying in the air but also Vander in his arms. How could this be?! I thought they were back behind the wall!

No... Calm down, Casia. There must be a reason why Vander was here. He could have rushed through the hole with his own wings. Yet he prompted the veteran mercenary to fly to us instead. I quickly ran to where they were going to land and I watched them fly down before Thurkith landed on both of his feet.

"Looks like you two got out lucky," he said while gingerly putting Vander down on the ground. "Wish I can say the same with those others and humanoids."

"That depends. Mind explaining why you brought the young Master out of the territory?" I turned to Vander next. "You know I told you t-"

"I know what you warned me and I know how stupid am I crashing here without your permission, Casia. But even if you go out there and face that demon with your full power, it's not enough to quell his rage," Vander said with a sudden stern tone. "I said before that I saw his memories. I know what he wants for the village. But in the end, he was only a kid who was a victim of bullying and abuse. The only way to beat him is to face him without force or hostility."

I froze at his proposal. I didn't expect that kind of conclusion coming from him. It made sense why, but I'm doubtful of his solution. "No offense, Vander. But after seeing the carnage that demon left, I doubt he's willing to listen to us."

"The Drago Nox is right, young Master," Thurkith added. "After everything we did to defend the wall, avoiding force is out of the question to deal with him."

"I know and there is a low chance it will work. But I not only saw his past but the misery and despair he felt for that village. He didn't receive any love or care from his parents and the villagers aren't willing to do the same all because of their stupid "ritual"! And if you didn't find Gabriel on time, would he become the same demon who would kill everyone in the village for that desire?"

...

He has a point. If the village was gone, what would happen to the survivors? What if the villagers also disappeared and the kingdom nearby learned of the attack? What would happen to the peace between humanity and the demonic? The humanoids attacked the Demon Territory and we fought back. Then the reverse would happen if we suffered a severe loss. Eventually, it would become a never-ending cycle trapped within the confines of war. In the end, the peace I sought would become extinct once more. I already saw the effects of a civil war once and I won't allow it to spread throughout Monochroma anymore!

I sighed as I turned to Thurkith. "You heard the young Master. It would be impossible to stop the Wild Demon on our own. But are we willing to wait for someone to kill it in exchange for the lives of the innocent and a war coming to our world?"

Thurkith stared at us for a while. Then he sighed as he folded his wings. "I'm only doing this to mitigate the damage that demon has wrought on the border," he answered. "However, you're not the only one who cared for the lives of both Demi-Fiends and humanoids. You better owe me once this is all over, old friend."

"Same here!" Val approached us while cracking his knuckles. "I have my reasons, too. But that doesn't mean I oppose your views. If you want to owe me as well, then how about a drink back at the usual spot?"

I smiled at their resolution. How long have we gathered together since my evolution? They might have grown in centuries, but they're still the same ol' companions I knew long ago.

"As for you, young Master, right?" Val asked Vander next. "You said you know something about that demon, right? Tell us everything you know and we'll take care of whatever plan you're cooking up!"

Vander also smiled and nodded. "Thank you. And thank you, Casia."

"Well, they're not the only ones I should owe them," I said to the mischievous Vander. "I assume you have a plan to deal with it, correct?"

"Yeah..." Vander then frowned. "It may involve his past and that village. I'll explain along the way once we reach there."

Sounds like a plan to me. Normally, I have to avoid using my true form to travel. But with the guards already dead and the demon inching closer to the village, there was no time to dawdle.

It's all or nothing.