His eyes caught every snowflake, every pebble on the ground, every glitter of light that came out of these accursed street lamps. and yet he felt a presence he couldn’t grasp. his arms and legs wobbled like hot noodles, he knew there was something, and yet he saw nothing like a blind seer predicting what is to come.

Usually, it sounds like a tree has hit the forest’s ground, with no witness to hear it, like a lumberjack shouting “Timber!”, with no one around to listen. That night, it was not calm for Shou Sato. he felt as if the moon was trying to make waves in the air as it made waves in the ocean

“Father, I'm cold” Shou’s hairs were pulled upright like a cat facing a dog.

“Sigh, What can I do, my son? Your nose is stiff as well, I hope you won't fall ill” Mr. Sato pulls his son under his embrace and starts rubbing his arms against Shou

“Here, feel any better?” Mr. Sato always wore a grin, even when faced with the anger of Susanoo’s storms.

“No, I don't think I am cold anymore.” Shou’s face softens, and he no longer shivers, but his senses are still on the move.

Mr. Sato knows his son’s talent, He knows how to deal with situations like this one.

And yet

His head was the one rolling on the ground. He was helpless, like a lamb against a wolf.

And now, Shou Sato is left alone against that thing. The creature’s belly was rumbling, and his mouth drooling with saliva.

His target, his prey, was Shou Sato, not his father, and yet, he did not move when faced with the one who lit his senses. all he did was stare.

His breathing was as heavy as the snow around them, and his legs trembled with the sound of the flickering lamps. He sensed it, he felt Shou’s mana leaking, and with every glitter, another part of him froze, at first it was his saliva, that came right back to his tongue, then his hairs, falling into a sleep, and eventually, his muscular legs, they stop trembling, all but the Beast's striking-red eyes, they widen.

The Thing's blue skin looked similar to the moon's lightened end, a bright blue, and under his messy brown hair hid a pair of deer-like Antlers.

The Creature quickly shakes his head and releases a grittle of growl “Wh-why do you not cry? Why do you not wail and despair? …oh, yes! Of course! It is because you are afraid, yes, you are afraid of me! That explains it… you lack any significant mana! That must be it…” Shou remains frozen in time, his eyes seem half-crossed, and he mouths something.

Sharp ears start to wiggle and the Creature quickly opens his mouth “What? You said something?” a small pause is all the thing could give Shou, his saliva dripping like rain from the tip of his tongue.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“...A-Anyway!, if you are not willing to talk, I will kill you!!”

The demon leaps onto Shou, his fangs shining in the moonlight, and as it shined into Shou's eye,

it was cut, and the street filled with fog.

now the street lamps became only faint light from behind the shroud. even the close body of his now cold father was out of his sight.

Simultaneously Shou heard a faint thud from under his legs, then he felt something lightly tap his feet.

it was the creature's head - rolling on the ground.

Shou's quick glance met with The thing's pitch-black eyes, the darkest he had seen, there was no white to them.

When he had rolled his eyes back to search for his father's lifeless corpse, he found another shadow standing before him.

after a few moments of silence, the mist had cleared and Shou's vision had cleared with it. in front of him was a man - wearing a white robe with a pattern of turquoise misty clouds, his hair - bright silver- but he did not look old, and he wore a nice beard. He was a broad man, with shoulders that should carry mountains, and a weapon to his side.

the man then takes a small knife-like object from his inside pockets.

it had a miniature bottle made of glass from one end and a silver flat blade from the other. he crouches down until he can sniff the bloody smell of the creature's body, and stabs it with the weird knife.

almost instantly the glass bottle paints red, and the strange man returns the knife to the inside of his robe.

after a few moments of anticipation, the demon's head and body start disappearing into ash - as if it had been torched by the sun.

Finally, the man shifted his eyes to face the awwed Shou Sato “Hey, are you alright?” The person's voice breaks a little, and his eyes start to water.

“I think… that was your father, right? …His name is Sato, right?" the man's cheeks redden slightly "Actually, you could be Sato as well…”

Shou’s lashes are swept up as he blinks “Yes, I am Shou Sato, and that is my father, Kaito Sato, or was, since he is gone now…”

He takes a deep breath before continuing “In any case… That attack you did, was it magic? It was you who made the fog appear, wasn't it? So, how did you do it? It was no ordinary magic… even my brother wouldn't be able to pull that off …and also, that thing clearly isn't human, but it isn't an animal either. What is that? How did you decapitate it so quickly?? in one strike as well…”

Shou’s savior stood in place, he scratched the back of his head, thinking about a way to end the barrage of words "Hold your horses, you aren't making any sense…"

finally, he coughs a little, and steadies his voice “I think we should go visit your mother, she must be worried about you.”

Shou moves his look elsewhere, his cheeks ridden as a rumble was heard from his stomach.

The man chuckles a little, “And of course, after such a tragedy, we must replenish our energy, don't you think?”

that sentence seemed to have piqued Shou's interest, as he closed the gap between the two and swayed his look onto his savior “...I could take you there! but Father always says we must wait until morning, we cannot see a thing at winter!" Shou squints his eyes a little and says in a sotto whisper "Or do you already know where I live? Because of your magic?”

The man did not respond, all he did was stand still, his eyes surveying Shou from neck to toe.

and as interest dimmed, Shou went staring at the dark skies, his posture weakened and softened, and a happy grin grew on his face.

witnessing such a thing made the man raise an eyebrow and ask again "Are you sure you are alright?"