Monster

An Ending

In the depths of dark, deep woods stood a slightly swaying tall form of a man, his clothing ragged and stained with ash and blood. One of his hands clutched to a heaving chest and the other held a pickaxe with a glowing diamond edge, from where blood also dripped to the ground.

Strange, white eyes seemed to glow in the expressionless face, glaring down at the ground before him, where a tiny baby lay in the center of a circular space burnt into the ground. Wisps of smoke rose around the edges of the circle, while all around peacefully towered untouched trees, their leaves faintly rustling in the gentle touch of the wind.

Slowly, the man lowered his hand and the pickaxe in it vanished. The blank expression shifted to dismay, then a displeased frown, as he stepped toward the child and lifted him up along with the silky, white cloth that lay next to him, which he then carelessly wrapped around the child.

Small chest rose and fell with breath while the small being slept, unaware of the anger that dwelt in the white-eyed man's face as he considered the child in his hands. 

His lips briefly twisting down, the man closed his glowing eyes and slightly bowed his head. 

W-Whuzzt.

The sound buzzing through the air preceded the arrival of a skinny, tall creature with skin as dark as night itself. Purple particles slowly fell, dissolving, as lilac eyes turned in confusion and searched, until they met the strange man's critically narrowed white eyes as he regarded the summoned servant. 

"Rrrur." The monster's croak held a cautious question.

The man's eyes narrowed even more and a wave of voiceless, stern command flowed from him, encompassing the young monster. Its body cowered and shook in the force of power that took over its mind. Then, unwillingly, it made a step forward and reached out its long, clawed hands to accept the tiny burden.

The man's gaze followed the sleeping child with regret, then turned harsh as he looked at the mob. 

Another command went out, carrying voiceless warning, direction, demand. Tearing its puzzled lilac eyes away from the fragile baby surrendered to its hands, the mob looked at the man and hesitantly shifted from foot to foot beneath his impatient glare.

"Rrupt rrupt!" The monster finally responded and vanished, leaving more of the faintly visible purple particles that melted in the air before touching the ground.

The man continued to frown at the spot where the mob had left, annoyance giving way to a helpless frown, then sighed in defeat, his wide shoulders slumping. Turning away, he made a step and stumbled, his wounded body not responding to him. Scowling, he forced himself to walk from the burnt circle to the edge where blue sky shone calmly through the heavy trees. 

There, on the edge of a cliff that fell off into the valley below, the man leaned his weight against the crooked trunk of the nearest tree and with a hooded look considered the valley spreading below him.

The sight was majestic. Endless woods spread as far as the eye could see, fresh and green under the brightly shining sun above. Bands of rivers made their way amid mountain crags that poked out among the softly rolling hills, framed behind by the insurmountable walls guarding sides of the valley. Scattered all along the quiet depths were tiny villages with wooden, single-story houses cropped close to each other for protection.

The man's white eyes swept indifferently over those villages before rising to the horizon, lost in gathering clouds.

A peaceful expression that almost settled upon the man's face suddenly morphed to that of pain, white eyes closing shut and one hand jerking to grasp his side, where it held, slightly shaking. His tanned face paling, he stood there, bearing through the pain with tightly clenched teeth, while all around his figure, air strangely warped, as if heat rose around his figure and obscured the image. The man's other hand, leaning against the tree for support, tightened its grip, sharp fingernails piercing into the bark of the tree and crumbling it.