The Midnight Leave: What It Means to Be Human

CHAPTER 15

“You can talk?!”

The Demon seemed amused at Axis Demkil’s reaction, as the possessed bear bared its teeth in an attempt to grin.

“WHAT, DID YOU REALLY THINK I WAS JUST A MINDLESS BEAST?”

“You sure as hell acted like one!” Axis snapped back in response. “Why didn’t you respond to me before?!”

The Demon c****d its head from side to side as it studied Axis, completely disregarding his question.

“HOW INTERESTING… YOU ARE IN THE FORM OF A HUMAN AGAIN. THEN, WAS THAT FORM JUST NOW YOUR TRUE NATURE? THIS MUST MEAN THAT YOU POSSESSED A LIVING VESSEL, OVERTAKING ITS ORIGINAL SPIRIT AND CLAIMING THE BODY AS YOUR OWN. THAT’S VERY IMPRESSIVE.”

Axis glared back at the Demon while his brows twitched in frustration.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Also, don’t ignore my question, jackass.”

“DON’T BE SO ANGRY. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT TOOK TIME TO GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THIS BODY. APPARENTLY, MY DISAPPOINTMENT RESONATED WITH THIS CREATURE’S LEFTOVER GRUDGE TOWARDS ITS KILLERS, WHO WERE ALSO THE ONES THAT BROUGHT ME INTO THIS WORLD OF HUMANS.”

Dalton f*****g Swinger! Axis cursed internally. I’m going to kill him. The next time I see him, he’s dead.

“AS A RESULT, I ENDED UP IN A FRENZIED STATE, AND KILLED EVERYTHING IN MY WAY, INCLUDING THE ONE WHO SEEMED TO BE THE MASTER OF THIS TERRITORY. THAT IS, UNTIL ENCOUNTERING THE ELVES AND YOURSELF.”

Okay, never mind. He’s already dead. Well, at least I don’t have to deal with that problem anymore.

“That aside, you still don’t seem to be used to that body. Your words are all capitalized… Can’t you do something about that? It’s kind of annoying.”

The Demon c****d its head to the side again, this time in confusion.

“MY WORDS ARE… WHAT?”

“Just forget it…” Axis sighed in resignation.

“REGARDLESS, I USUALLY HAVE NO INTEREST IN SPEAKING WITH OTHER CREATURES. ANY THAT ARE WEAKER THAN I ARE NO MORE THAN FOOD OR MERE OBSTACLES. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND… THAT POWER YOU DISPLAYED MATCHED WHAT WAS SPOKEN OF IN THE LEGEND.”

‘The Legend?’ Axis thought to himself. This had better not be related to that f*****g prophecy!

“UNLESS… COULD I BE MISTAKEN? COULD YOU BE A HUMAN WHO SUCCESSFULLY THWARTED A POSSESSION, AND INSTEAD TOOK ANOTHER SPIRIT’S POWER FOR YOURSELF? THAT SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. THE CLOSEST I HAVE HEARD OF WAS A HUMAN THAT COULD RENDER OUR INFLUENCE INEFFECTIVE. COULD THAT BE YOU?”

Then again, if I can keep this thing talking until Vilda gets back…

“Apparently, I’m an enemy of Humans just like you. To be honest, I don’t know about this legend you mentioned, but if it has anything to do with destroying this world, I’m most likely the one.”

The Demon fell silent, giving no visible sign of a reaction. After a few seconds of no response, Axis started to think that it was about to go berserk again. Suddenly, it started growling, and its shoulders trembled as if it were enraged. However, after the Demon spoke again, Axis realized that it was actually laughing at him.

“NOW I SEE! YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL! YOU’RE NO BETTER THAN A NEWBORN! WHAT A SAD, YET HUMOROUS COST TO POSSESSING A HUMAN!”

This motherfucking…! No, Axis, stay calm. Remember the goal behind this…

“Yes, it’s very funny. Could you just explain this legend of yours? It may help me remember something…”

The Demon ceased its “laughter” and gazed upon Axis seriously. For Axis, it felt more as if it was gazing past him, to once again catch a glimpse of a far-out scene as it recounted a tale from its world.

“PERHAPS THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS WORLD IS MEANT TO BE THE END RESULT. NONETHELESS, THE LEGEND STATES THAT THERE IS ONE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SET ALL OF US FREE.”

“Set you ‘free?’” Axis inquired.

“THAT’S CORRECT.” The Demon explained further. “THE WORLD I CAME FROM IS JUST A DARK PRISON, DESIGNED FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF BARRING US FROM ENTERING THIS REALM. THE ONLY METHODS WE FOUND OF ESCAPE WERE THROUGH THE SMALLEST CRACKS IN THE WALLS SEPARATING THE REALMS, AND OF COURSE, BY HUMANS CALLING UPON US FROM THE OTHER SIDE.”

Axis did his best to keep his expressions under control. The more that he heard, the more furious he became.

If what this thing says is true, Axis thought, this means that the reason why so many Monsters exist in this world is because Humans have been messing with them for a while now! What the hell?! If Humans hate Monsters so much, why the hell would they invite them?! Dumbasses! Idiots! Morons! Oh yeah, I should focus back on what it’s saying…

“YET, THE LEGEND SPEAKS OF A POWERFUL BEING, ONE WHO EXISTED BEFORE HUMANKIND WAS EVEN A CONCEPT. IT IS SAID THAT THIS BEING OBSERVED THE CREATION OF ALL WORLDS, AND CAN ENTER ANY OF THEM DUE TO ITS POWER TO CLAIM ANY VESSEL. YET, WHEN HUMANS BEGAN TO RULE THIS WORLD, THAT BEING DISAPPEARED FROM ALL PLANES OF EXISTENCE. IT IS BELIEVED AMONGST MY KIND THAT THIS BEING WILL RETURN TO BREAK OPEN THE ‘GATES’ CLOSING OFF THE PATHS BETWEEN WORLDS, MEANING OUR FREEDOM.”

“I see… I’m starting to understand now.”

After listening to the Demon’s story, he was certain that the legend the Demon spoke of was not about Nexus. After all, according to Swinger’s account, Nexus first appeared to threaten Demkil centuries ago, and the being the Demon spoke of seemed far more ancient and disparate.

Still, Axis thought, the only reason this Demon stopped trying to kill me was because it believed I could be this legendary thing. I should let it keep believing that for now.

“In that case, do you know where these ‘gates’ could be found?”

“I DO NOT. YET, I SUSPECT THE ANSWER TO LIE SOMEWHERE WITHIN THESE LANDS, HIDDEN BY THE HUMANS. DESTROYING EVERYTHING THEY’VE EVER BUILT SHOULD REVEAL THEM. OF COURSE, I PLAN ON ELIMINATING THE HUMANS EITHER WAY.”

Upon realizing the Demon’s conviction towards Humankind, Axis couldn’t resist the urge to ask the question he had yet to receive an answer for.

“So, Demon, what do you think a Human is?”

The Demon c****d its head to the side yet again, this time puzzled by the question.

“I BELIEVE I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU: ANY THAT ARE WEAKER THAN I ARE JUST LIVESTOCK. HUMANS ARE NO EXCEPTION.”

I don’t even know what I was expecting from this one… Axis sighed as he internally complained. That’s such a basic answer.

Suddenly, the Demon keeled over as if in pain, yet growled angrily.

“DAMN IT ALL! IT SEEMS THAT MY INFLUENCE HAS HASTENED THIS VESSEL’S EXPIRATION. I’M USING UP TOO MUCH POWER JUST TO PREVENT ITS DECOMPOSITION FROM PROGRESSING FURTHER. I MUST FIND ANOTHER VESSEL BEFORE THIS ONE ROTS AWAY COMPLETELY!”

The Demon looked back up towards Axis as it stood from two to four, the desperation evident even on its distorted face.

“LISTEN, I WILL IMPEDE YOU NO LONGER. JUST ALLOW ME POSSESSION OF ONE OF THOSE ELVES. THE LIGHT ONE WOULD BE SATISFACTORY, BUT WITH THE DARK ONE, I WOULD BE ABLE TO EXERT A MAJORITY OF MY POWER EVEN BEFORE SHAPING THE VESSEL TO MY LIKING.”

“Hell no.” Axis rejected the request immediately.

“WHY NOT?!”

“Those two are my companions. I won’t let you have either of them.”

“THERE’S NO NEED TO BE SO SELFISH! SURELY, HAVING ONLY ONE OF THEM AS A BACKUP VESSEL WOULD SUFFICE! THERE ARE SO FEW WORTHY VESSELS IN THIS WORLD ALREADY, AND THE ELVES SEEM TO BE A DYING BREED! DON’T HOARD THEM ALL FOR YOURSELF!”

“I said no. If you need a vessel so badly, take one of Swinger’s surviving servants or pick up another corpse in his dungeon. I don’t care which, but if you keep pushing me, you won’t have a vessel at all.”

As the Demon stared at Axis while growling lowly in discontent, he brandished his sword while glaring back into its red eyes. Meanwhile, he admonished himself mentally.

What the hell am I doing?! I’m supposed to be buying time, and Vilda hasn’t made it back yet! If it doesn’t buy my bluff, this Demon will f**k me up!

There was no telling how much time had passed as they faced each other silently, the tension steadily rising the longer the stare-down went on. However, the Demon eventually broke the silence.

“VERY WELL. IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO GO AGAINST YOU IN MY CURRENT STATE. THEREFORE, I WILL FOLLOW YOUR ADVICE; THERE WAS ANOTHER VESSEL WITHIN THE DUNGEON THAT WILL DO FOR NOW.”

Axis released a breath of relief as subtly as possible as the Demon turned away from him. Then, the Demon stopped and turned back towards him, making Axis think for a second that he had been caught.

“BY THE BY, I NEVER DID GET YOUR NAME. I AM CALLED ‘CHERNOS’ BY OTHERS OF MY KIND.”

Axis opened his mouth to answer, prepared to give the Human name his mother gave him. Yet, he paused to preemptively correct himself, and instead gave the Monster’s name that his father labelled him.

“Nexus.”

Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to Axis, that was a fatal error on his part. Upon hearing that name, the Demon’s dark aura flared as its red eyes gleamed furiously.

“DID YOU SAY ‘NEXUS?!’” The Demon bellowed, alarming Axis of his mistake.

Uh-oh… I screwed it up!

“YOU ARE NOT THE ONE THE LEGEND SPEAKS OF! RATHER, YOU ARE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ERASED FROM EXISTENCE!”

Axis jumped back as the Demon swung its claw at him, just barely avoiding damage as he was grazed. The Demon resumed chasing him like it did before their conversation, and Axis couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

Give me a damn break! I’m an enemy of Humans and Monsters now?! This is some bullshit!

Then, just as the Demon was about to lunge towards him, it was suddenly halted, as if obstructed by an invisible wall. As it struck against the obstacle, the wall became less transparent, to where even Axis could tell that it was formed by Magic. He grinned upon that realization, while the Demon continued striking at it to no avail.

“DAMN THESE TRICKS! THE STORM OF DESTRUCTION WOULD HIDE BEHIND SUCH A THING?! HOW CONTEMPTIBLE!”

“‘Contemptible,’ it says…” Axis reacted tauntingly. “I didn’t think a Demon would know such a word. You must have been to the same library as that bastard, Dalton.”

As soon as the Demon attempted to move around the wall, the mana forming it stretched out around the Demon, shaping a cube to keep it in place. Then, the cube began to contract, and it seemed as if the Demon was shrinking along with it.

“I WILL NOT FORGET THIS, NEXUS!” The Demon once again roared, knowing that its escape was not possible. “NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES, NOR HOW MANY ATTEMPTS, I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN, AND I WILL KILL YOU!”

With that last promise, the cube and the Demon were both minimized to the point where they were no longer visible, and their traces eventually disappeared completely. In their place, Vilda suddenly appeared from behind some trees that remained standing, as if she had been hiding there all along.

“Good save, Vilda.” Axis thanked her with a voice filled with relief. “I thought that was the end of my story, for a moment there.”

However, Vilda’s response didn’t match Axis’s, as she responded with a sigh of frustration before correcting him.

“No, it wasn’t me.”

Vilda then motioned with her chin towards the blonde Elf standing behind her to her right, who stepped forward ahead of her to check on Axis. After confirming that he wasn’t too badly injured, she turned away with a huff.

“Yeah, you’re welcome.”