Perceived Fate

With much more blood staining their clothes, and there weapons far more blunt than they used to be, they finally hit the half way point.

The growing sequences whilst causing more injuries wasn’t enough to keep them from moving.

His sword arm in particular was beginning to give up on him. Aches were now constant and a dose of pain was the price of every swing.

Nothing to high sequence had attacked them. Another 011 had managed to hurt Jake but his reaction time allowed for any larger injuries to have been avoided.

Death was constantly close, but they had managed to avoid her grasp so far.

Malum looked over to see the other two and saw their lights a little while back. With some time to spare, they reached higher ground where they could canvass some more terrain. The early morning sun gave enough light to see some faint idea of where they were going. Malum just wanted to see if he could spot any really dangerous demon.

Variant 054 otherwise known as the Titanosaur was exactly how it sounded. A titan among beasts it was large as any good mountain and whilst it wasn’t quick with how much it weighed any good attack was going to immediately end Malum journey. No matter how much skill was in the block.

With nothing like that in sight, Malum and Jake climbed down to see a torch running towards them. Jake had a smile on his face, Malum’s held a frown.

They both went to see what the team member wanted and as they got closer Malum saw tear running down a distraught Alicia’s face.

Malum couldn’t even ask what it was as she mouthed !RUN!

`No, no, fuck.`

He could turn around and he could help. Whatever it was Malum knew that Gerald would stand a better chance with his sword by his side.

With Malum’s running becoming slower he got another message from Alicia.

It was her hands.

She held up seven fingers.

Then she held up another 4.

Malum didn’t even think about turning back again. Screw helping, his presence would do nothing but give the demon another lunch break.

That wasn’t a strong demon that one of the strongest demons. That was a level even his Uncle would have to have to think about let alone his team leader.

`Gerald is dead.`

Malum finally realised it. Over his shock of the high tier came the realisation of what it meant.

It didn’t make sense though, Gerald dying just didn’t make sense.

Gerald was strong, and his love of fighting and compassion for training had made him into the bets soldier Malum could ask for. Sure he was a massive knob but in the field Malum had no complaints.

Him, dead?

How?

Why?

Fuck! it never made sense. This time he couldn’t even see the body. Malum’s mind struggled to even think about it. The consequence didn’t even compute.

He just continued to run. Taking his anger and confusion out on any poor demon that got in his way. Blood met tears as Malum continued to fight.

But as they continued to run, Malum saw something over a small hill. A face, with glowing red eyes.

It weight was the first thing they felt as they ran away.

It sheer weight against the earth made the earth quake as it ran towards them. That 74 hadn’t given up them, it was just relaxing after it’s starter.

It was faster than them. Malum didn’t even need to think to know that fact. The being called 74 was in every way superior to humans, the only thing Malum had over the beast was the useless intellect telling him how dead he was.

`Wait dead.

I’m going to die. Shit.

Really?`

Malum looked back and continued to feel the earthquaking as the demon grew closer.

`I’m going to die.`

He tried to run faster but couldn’t. He wasn’t stronger than the beast, any comparison was laughable. The only real way out he saw was killing his two teammates for extra time and never could he do that.

Whilst he may not have been a good person, Malum prided on the fact that he wasn’t a bad person. Never did he hurt someone with foul intentions. But was his pride worth more than his life.

To Malum. Logic said no, and yet his answer remained yes.

For every quote Malum could provide from his Uncle’s endless sayings, never could he put into words because his pride was worth so much.

It was him.

So his goal switched. His mind focused on how he could live his final moments. He wanted Alicia and Jake to live. And whilst he may not have the power to kill his foe, Malum would be damned if he couldn’t slow it down slightly for even a moment.

He thought about his parents, then his Uncle. His goal of revenge became pitiful as Malums legs began to slow.

He saw how Jake and Alicia turned to give him one look of surprise, then gratitude before he looked one last time at the rising sun.

The demon grew ever closer. Its body slowly shading Malum from the light.

He drew back his sword and gave his best battle cry. He was never one for those antics but with his emotions running high and no fucks left to give, he said why not.

074 looked as one of it’s pray turned to face him. Sad that the chase wasn’t needed anymore, he decided to kill this one extra slowly.

Chases were so much fun and this stupid meal had ruined it. Closer it stomped before he could reach the food with it’s claws.

The small bug tried to fight back but its shiny stick didn’t even pierce through its skin. It kept trying though, which the demon found fun.

It was missing some meat on it’s body but that didn’t matter, if it were really hungry it would have had some fun elsewhere no it here simply to relax and eat some these small treats.

One of it’s claws smashed through one of the arms and the bug let out a cry. It smashed both legs and the bug continued to let out its screams.

Having fun, the beast showed the bug what a real scream was a was saddened when it’s prey finally fell dead.

The sauce had left the meat but before it went bad the demon quickly licked it up. It got some yucky soil in it’s mouth and it had to spit that out but the taste of the human was very good.

It looked at the sun and decided to not chase down the other bugs he had seen. It’s small vacation as already running late and it certainly didn’t want dad to come and get it.

074 shivered at the thought of its dad.

Black.

Not actually a colour as he had heard. In fact, it was simply the absence of it. His Uncle had described the idea when he was younger. It was a stray thought that got Malum thinking.

Then he thought about where he was.

He had died, and whilst he knew that it didn’t help in finding where he was.

He felt his body, touch provided the sensation of being underwater and when he breathed that seemed strange as well.

Moving was even odder, he tried to look for his hands and when he brought them to his eyes he noticed that his hands didn’t exist.

Or maybe his eyes didn’t exits.

He pressed on his own body and felt small pockets of pressure where it should have but his sight revealed nothing of the sort.

Trapped, Malum tried to think of ways out.

He tried everything. For how long, Malum didn’t even know all he did know was that nothing worked.

Instead of that, he thought of his life.

From his lost parents to his lost Uncle. He truly was good at loosing.

Now he had even lost his life.

Although, looking at his actions Malum didn’t regret a single one of them. Everything that went poorly was out of his control, and he always tried his best.

He lived a miserable life but he didn’t regret any of his actions for a second. He tried and what else could he do.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t angry. But he already dead so cursing would do nothing. He was powerless, he always was.

If Malum had any regret it would be that. He should have grown stronger faster, so that he wouldn’t be pushed around anymore. So his freedom stayed intact, and so then when something went poorly at least he could blame himself.

He hoped Alicia and Jake got out freely, at least then his life had some impact. Perhaps they would name one of their children in his honour.

As he sat back and relaxed. He was trapped and there was nothing better to do other than relax so he did exactly that.

No longer did he feel the need to train, no longer did he feel the need to get revenge. No, he could close his eyes without any regrets.

Okay he was getting bored now. Malum was expecting somethin to change but nothing had happened and worse was the fact that he didn’t even know what time it was. Had it been a few days or a few seconds? Did time even work here?

It was these questions that burned panic into Malum.

He tried to keep calm; he knew panic would nothing to help but as time continually passed without anything changing he couldn’t stop himself from begging to feel agitated.

He thought of his death. To the enemy he couldn’t even scratch, the thing probably ate him like a snack. That meant he was never going to be sent to the underworld.

`Does that mean I will remain here forever?`

His soul couldn’t help but shake after that thought.

What was the point? In life, it ended all the same so why did he even bother. He should have just skipped straight to the end and get it done with. At least then he probably would have been sent off.

The only good news he had received was his now extremely limited sight. The words to describe it didn’t really exist. Even sight was a bit of a stretch. He could feel himself and he was a ball.

It stretched and moved when he willed it and through the ocean he could even move slowly. He thought about trying to roll back to a nearby funeral pyre but he didn’t even know what dimension he was in let alone trying to find his way back to a particular location.

It was his soul, Malum knew that much. His Uncle had talked about the damn thing enough to transmit that much.

This was all he was. The centre of everything.

The world might not revolve around him but all he would ever experience was around him so what was the difference?

Malum was over madness. He had done that a couple years ago, or maybe it was yesterday. He didn’t know.

Now he was just left doing simple queries in his head. Things like the winter or demonic death count thing. This time he was doing what would he do it he had a second chance.

`I’d live like a coward. That’s for sure. I’d check up on Alcia and Jake, wish them well. Then maybe find my Uncle and give him a good whack. Then a big hug.

Everything else is just kinda pointless. Maybe try again on the immortality thing. I never got to cultivate and that sounds fun.

Not like I’m not used to being alone for long periods of time.`

He found that funny, far too funny.

He just hoped that something would happen. Even true death. The silence of his thought would be enough. Even dreams weren’t enough of an escape. At least nightmares didn’t provide him with a horrible feeling when he got up.

He waited.

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Until something happened.