❝ 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 ❞ ↠𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐈 |𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐈

𝐁𝐲 ↠ CaptainSai

↠𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠!

|𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬| 

Demon.

That was what he was called, from the very day he was born.

Born with blood-red eyes and snow white hair, Hans was an immediate outcast from his very family.

"I say, that boy will certainly bring bad luck to our family!"

"Do not talk to him, for he isn't fully human."

"He is the devil's spawn."

"Demon."

Even though he only got scraps for food with only the guard dogs to dine with, and barely any appropriate clothing to protect him from the elements, Hans grew up to be a strikingly handsome youth, lean but fit due to the physical effort he had to put in every day from a young age, from gathering wood from the nearby forest, to catching trouts and eels from the bubbling streams that cut through the village.

By the time he turned sixteen, Hans decided to leave the epicenter of the village in favor of living within the more welcoming forest, building himself a sturdy little house to reside in. Not that anyone complained about his decision- he knew his family sighed in relief when they no longer found him in the shed behind their house.

But his presence within the forest in turn created further rumors, with parents warning their children to not step into it because of its red-eyed inhabitant.

Not that Hans minded it.

It meant he would be left in peace. It was certainly lonely, but loneliness was something that has been a constant in his life. It was better to be amongst nature than to be surrounded by fellow humans who despised his very existence.

.

.

.

A shortcut.

That was what it was supposed to be -- a fairly easy to follow path through a section of the forest where the growth was a little sparse. It would reduce the travel time by as much as two hours, and given that sunset was just a few hours away, you took a leap of faith to trust the rumpled old map tucked carefully in your sturdy, well-worn boot.

However, given that you were now lost amongst the trees, you realized that perhaps the map was a little too out of date.

Cursing under your breath, you tried to keep calm, knowing very well how panic can blind a human, making it very easy to be swallowed up by a forest like this. Leaves crunched under your feet as you vigilantly walked on, unsure of the direction you were heading. You only had one destination- a little village tucked between the forest and the mountains, a place which you hoped would become your new home, at least for some time.

The forest only grew denser and the light weaker as the sun began to dip beyond the horizon, painting the sky above in streaks of vivid orange and breathtaking red. The forest was alive- you could hear the sounds of a few unknown birds calling out and the buzzing of crickets. It was a tad bit comforting, hearing the indication of life flourishing around you.

Soon enough, you heard the highly welcoming sound of a babbling stream nearby, and after carefully listening for its source, you found yourself standing on the edge of one. Kneeling down, you cupped your hands to take a sip of the fresh-water, before refilling your half empty bottle gourd, feeling a little better that you could at least ensure your survival now that you had a supply of the life-giving liquid.