Evil

First Meeting

Stillness.

Nothing but chirping insects and flowing water.

I clutched the sheathed blade's handle, waiting with bated breath. We were training, slaughtering monsters when we came across this beast.

Jet black fur, piercing hazel eyes narrowed into slits, a low growl emitted from its jaws—Territorial.

Beside it, the corpses of two men I had come to know as Danny and Pollusk. They were good men, simply mortals who had conscripted in the army to feed the mouths at home like many other fathers. Now, fate had taken away their lives without batting an eyelid, not an ounce of remorse, sympathy or pity for their family. This was my fault. My fault for bringing them here. My fault for not trying hard enough.

I let them die.

That rational part of my mind shot back that I couldn't have done anything about it.

I was sickened by this side of me, this dark side that wished to push all the blame and responsibility away pmyself. How could I be such a coward?

"Yue, retreat with the rest."

"But Great—Arakan, we can't—"

"LEAVE!" I yelled with all my conviction. I couldn't let these innocents die. Screw what ever destiny I had. If I became this great hero at the expense of innocent lives—They would haunt my conscience for a lifetime. This, I couldn't live with, power or otherwise.

I sensed their gazes of gratitude. One stood out. One gaze of protest. Unwillingness.

"Go," I laughed lightheartedly as I stared down this beast I would face as soon as it struck,"I won't lose. I'm the Great Hero after all, aren't I?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." I voiced out. But internally, I had my fingers crossed. Hell, I didn't even know if I would live, let alone lose.

But I had to stand my ground. I needed to give enough them time to retreat. I sighed, wondering what good it would do against this beast's monstrous maw and terrifyingly sharp claws that graced its paws.

I looked down at my right wrist. Fifteen red triangles stood, six down from previously. Six people had died following my orders. Those six lives weighed heavily on my conscience.

"Come you bastard," With the steeliest glare I could muster, I drew my blade from its sheath, the metallic ring agitating the beast. Gulping down my cowardice like a lump of hairy cotton, I desperately tried to remember my kendo lessons,"Okay. Okay. Just a single horizontal strike to get the momentum going and we'll see how it goes. Alright. Alright. Calm down Arakan. You're going to be okay."

"GROARRRR!" A petrifying roar ripped through my confidence like shredding a single piece paper with a thousand scissors. I stood rooted to the ground it charged at me with bestial might.

"Ahh...AHHHH! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" I cried out pathetically, tears streaking down my face as snot dripped from my nose. I was pathetic.

Slicing down with the sword, I found myself slammed into a tree, blood spraying from my mouth as intense pain racked every fibre of my being. I heard cracking. Bones were definitely fractured. Broken. Snapped.

"Haaah...HAAAA!" I screamed in acute pain as its jaws sank into my stomach, ripping out a chunk of flesh.

Somehow, my hands hadn't let go of the sword, as if my life depended on it. Well, it did. I slammed the handle of the sword down on its skull with all the might I could muster, making it recoil, staggering back.

I leaned on the tree, gasping for air as I clutched at my stomach. This was bad. Not just the wound itself, I couldn't even muster the strength run away now even if I wished to. My life was at the mercy of this...This monster.