26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhT5inxjSZ
'The people of my village stood and cheered at the sight of me, but I had no reason to be happy, only sad. I felt warm tears slowly running down my face, but no one seemed to notice them. It wasn't strange though, my face was already covered by a black lace scarf. My dress, also black, made me feel like I was going to my own funeral, which wasn't so different from my true destiny.I was a sacrifice. A sacrifice for the Prince of Death. No one had ever seen him with their own eyes, but the people of the village believed that if they didn't give him blood sacrifices, he would bring death and despair to them. I slowly walked forward, hearing cheers behind me. The person leading me by the hand gently pushed me forward, making me trip over my own feet. Before I fell, my hands rested on something cold and hard, it was an altar. The same one where my life would soon end.
I felt as if someone had forced me down on that cold, stone floor against my will. Defeated, I closed my eyes. The last thing I remember is someone's raised voice giving a speech, and then... sharp pain.
And then...
Silence.
Darkness.''
Kimoko slowly opened her eyes. The first thing that occurred to her was that her face was uncovered. She could look around without any obstacles. The room she was in was small, with high, stone walls. It was filled with the intense smell of wet earth. All of this together made her feel like she was... in a grave.
" Am I dead?"
Memories began to return. "I was a victim. People killed me for the demon of death. But if I died... how on earth am I breathing again? She tried to stand up, but a sudden, intense pain in her chest knocked her back down onto the stone floor. Her breathing quickened. She raised her hands to her chest, but where her heart should have been, she felt nothing... nothing but a deep gash.
Her face immediately paled. She screamed. She stared at her torso in panic, feeling her heart, or rather its absence, thump against her ribs. She ran her trembling fingers over the bandages that tightly wrapped her body. Although they were almost snow-white, a dried, dark stain was visible right next to where her heart should have been.
Her gaze fell on the black dress, carefully folded next to her.
" Someone... someone was here. Someone saved me."
' I'm glad you finally woke up.'
A quiet, calm voice echoed in the stone cell, and the sound of it sent shivers down her spine.
It was a voice that simultaneously inspired anxiety and a strange... trust.
She froze.
Behind her, she heard heavy footsteps.
She slowly turned around.
In the light of the dim, flickering torch, she saw a tall man. His complexion was deathly pale, as if he had not had life in him for a long time. Part of his long, dark hair was tied in a low ponytail, but a few strands fell loosely over his face.
But it was not his hair that caught Kimoko's attention.
His eyes...
They were different.
He had heterochromia, one eye purple, the other green.
But it was the whiteness of his eyes... or rather the lack thereof... that made Kimoko feel a blood-curdling fear. The whites of his eyes were black.
A smile spread from his lips, disturbing, sinister, but also intriguing.
' Not everyone has enough willpower to break out of eternal sleep... Especially as a sacrifice to powerful beings.'
' Who... who are you?' she asked in a trembling voice.
Her heart was beating so hard that she felt like it was going to burst, even though she knew that there was nothing where it should be.
The man looked at her for a moment, then smiled even wider and sat down next to the girl.
' I am Kigami. But you and your people know me by another name...'
He approached.
Kimoko couldn't breathe.
' Koschei. Prince of Death.'
She didn't have time to think. She didn't have time to react.
Her body moved on its own.
With all the strength she had in her body, she punched him in the face. Kimoko immediately moved away from him on her knees, trying to get as far away from him as possible.
' What the hell is wrong with you?! What have I done to you that you have to hit me right away?!' Kigami shouted, looking at her in shock.
Kimoko saw dark, almost black blood start to drip from his nose onto the stone floor. Still, she didn't feel an ounce of guilt for breaking it. Tears were streaming down her cheeks again.
' You're a demon. It's your fault I had to die!'
she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice from shaking. His eyes filled with hatred as he rubbed his nose with his hand. He looked at his bloody hand, then raised his gaze to Kimoko.
' So what? You're alive. And it's all because of me! And you pay me back with a punch in the nose? Why are you all so afraid of me?'
Kigami slowly stood up and began to approach her, a black, sticky substance leaking from his eyes and mouth. Kimoko felt fear paralyze her body, but she knew she couldn't show it to him. She was ready for anything, although she knew perfectly well that she had no chance of winning against the demon who was slowly approaching her. She stood up with determination, feeling her legs shaking as if they were made of jelly. She raised her hands, ready to defend herself. 'I won't give up on you so easily, demon! I won't give in without a fight!' she shouted, but her voice was trembling. Kigami stopped right in front of her, his face was as cold as ice, and his breath caressed her hair. She calmly raised her head and looked into his eyes.
' And?' he asked quietly, looking at her with irony.
Kimoko still couldn't answer. Her heart was beating like crazy in her chest. The question he asked still haunted her.
" Why is the whole village afraid of this demon?" But she didn't know the answer. Ever since she was a child, her father had told her about the Prince of Death, about how cruel he was, about his power, and how he would destroy their village if they didn't sacrifice to him.
' I don't know.'
she replied quietly, still staring into his eyes. She was afraid to look away.
Kigami noticed her uncertainty and disappointment began to show on his face.
' You're only afraid of me because I'm a demon, right?' he asked, turning away from her for a moment.
' Yes...' she replied, not entirely sure if she should say what she thought.
' Everyone is afraid of you.'
' I always knew I was different. My brothers and sisters loved to cause trouble, and I... I looked for ways to break away from this reality,' he added, his voice quiet, almost reflective.
' Are you talking to me?' Kimoko asked, looking up uncertainly.
Kigami turned around again, and Kimoko immediately regretted speaking. She saw traces of tears on his face, which surprised her.
" If he's a demon, then what reason does he have for his despair and pain?" she thought, feeling an odd tension in the air.
' That's right, human," he said quietly. "I'm talking to you because I need help.'
' Help?" Kimoko looked at him in surprise.
' Why should I help you?'
Kigami looked at her again, his smile returning to his face.
' Because I gave you back your life, and you owe me one. Besides, I have a proposition for you.'
Kimoko was surprised, even though she had no intention of helping him. She was still intrigued by what he had to offer.
' What proposition?' she asked.
' In exchange for your help, I will give you your freedom. You can do whatever you want, wherever you want.'
' What's stopping me?' she asked, barely containing her anger. 'What's stopping me from leaving now?'
' That if you leave this place without my permission, you'll die. So, what do you say, human?' he said, holding his hand out to her.
Kimoko looked at his hand, anger boiling inside her. '' How dare he? First I die because of him, and now he tells me I'm his prisoner?'
Sighing, she took his hand, and his smile grew even wider.
' I will help you,' she said,
' but not out of my own will or the goodness of my heart, I will help you only to regain my freedom.'
' Oh, dear human, I know that. You and I are not so different. We will both do whatever it takes to achieve our goal, even if it means working with the enemy.' he replied, and his smile brightened.
Kimoko rolled her eyes and reached out, freeing herself from his grip.
' First, stop calling me 'human'. Second, what is your real purpose for needing my help?'
' First, I don't know your name, so what should I address you? And second...' he continued, but Kimoko cut him off.
' Call me Kimoko.' she replied. 'Since I'll be with you for a while anyway, it doesn't matter if I hide my name.'
His smile disappeared. Kimoko felt uneasy as Kigami leaned towards her and whispered,
' So, Kimoko, my purpose is revenge... revenge on the demons.'
Kimoko couldn't believe what she was hearing. '' Revenge on the demons? Why does he want revenge on his own?''
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrHQfnYWpc
