𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 // Akaza x reader (+18)

Chapter 21 | Click

As you venture out of your village, the weight of the impending mission and Akaza's presence weigh heavily on your mind. His cryptic remarks and unsettling demeanor add an extra layer of tension to the already daunting task ahead. With each step, you steel yourself for the confrontation with the demon.

Your thoughts race as you follow your crow's guidance towards the location of the demon. You can't shake off the feeling of unease knowing that Akaza might soon be nearby, observing your every move.

As you draw nearer to the demon's location, you focus on the training Akaza has provided, drawing strength from his belief in your skills. You prepare yourself mentally for the upcoming battle, ready to prove both to yourself and to Akaza that you are capable of facing the challenge.

***

You're entering the forest by nightfall and the determination from earlier fades.

It smells of deceased life. Of dread and grief. Of hunger and rage. The scent of decay hangs heavy in the air, stirring unease within you. Each breath feels labored, as if the very atmosphere is constricting your lungs.

Your grip on the katana tightens, the clatter of its hilt against your trembling hand a stark reminder of your own faltering resolve.

Cold sweat forms on your forehead and your limbs are feeling oddly weak.

Your thoughts stray to the demon and you find yourself grappling with uncertainty. Which rank does it hold? Was that detail outlined in the letter you received?

You try to push aside the creeping doubts, knowing that succumbing to anxiety will only lead to failure. But shutting off your mind proves to be an impossible task.

You shake your head violently to get rid of the devastating thoughts. It won't help you. In fact you will definitely fail if you listen to your anxiety.

You need to distract yourself from your thoughts without losing the focus on your surroundings.

What you do next is betrayal.
And you hate yourself for it.

The first and only solution to stop your harming mind is to think of Akaza. The way he effortlessly exudes confidence, even as he taunts and challenges you. You think of the way he mocks you. You abhor the way he treats you and yet ... a shy smile appears on your lips.

You'll fix this when you're done here.
For now you need to make a strategy on how to find the demon.

Usually you would just walk around and search for traces on the floor, bushes and trees around you but gratefully Akaza taught you a skill which will hopefully aid you better.

You begin to climb a nearby tree, not too high with thick branches. When high enough to be out of sight for the residents of the forests you cross your legs to sit in the lotus pose. Just sitting like this, having a sort of routine, something you know, gives you comfort and calms you down a little.

You close your eyes and breathe in very deeply. Then you hold your breath for a long moment.

When you breathe out your inner eye opens. The smell of the forest stings in your nose, the silence drums in your ears, the shallow breeze makes you shiver.
There's nothing. Pure death lays in the air, heavy as a curtain.

It continues like that for several more minutes. Then a flicker on the edge of your mind. You try to catch it.
The directon, anything.

It appears again and you grasp it. A clicking noise, the tearing of flesh and the breaking of bones, crystal clear against the silence.