As I stepped out of the bathroom, I walked toward the balcony. There, I could see the sunset as the light slowly faded over the town, with people below finishing their days and heading home.
The streetlights turned on, and the town began to light up. A new atmosphere took over as the lively town went to sleep.
I watched as the houses lit up from the inside as people entered. I felt a bit conflicted at the sight of happy families but brushed the thought aside.
I decided to rest.
After all, I was tired from the journey to the town and needed some sleep. Jumping onto the bed and wrapping myself in the covers, I fell asleep almost instantly.
------
"..."
"WHATT!!!"
A loud voice pierced the silence.
My eyes opened slowly as I blinked.
"You are telling me I can't have this room?!!"
The voice was coming from outside my room, and I quickly realised the situation.
'Someone wants my room?'
I got out of bed and walked to the door, putting the hood over, and focusing mana toward my abdomen.
I opened the door.
"What's going on?"
"We apologize for the commotion, sir." A worker spoke, bowing down.
"So you're the one who stole my room." A rough feminine voice came.
Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw her.
In front of me was a slightly tall woman with long, light red hair, grey eyes, and some freckles on her cheeks.
She was beautiful. In fact, she rivaled the models back on Earth.
I stared at her in a daze.
"What?!" She spat.
"You're beautiful."
"..."
"..."
Her cheeks began to flush bright red.
"H-how can you say that?"
"What? I'm being honest." I shrugged.
I didn't feel embarrassed at all, and I was aware my behavior was weird.
'I've become a bit unhinged havent I?'
Seeing my unchanged expression, she got quite angry
"Y-you're messing with me."
"I'm really not, I do think you're beau-"
"STOP!!" She screamed. "Don't you say another word."
"Pfft"
"Y-you!!"
-BOOOMMM
A loud explosion interrupted the moment, startling me.
I rushed to the balcony and saw it...
The town was on fire.
"Shit!"
I turned around grabbing my bag, and went back out of the room only to notice...
'She's gone?'
Not only her the worker was gone too.
"Wha-"
-BOOOMMM
Another explosion rang in my ears.
The building shook as I grabbed the wall to steady myself.
I immediately ran to the elevator but...
-click
The lights went off, and darkness swallowed my vision.
"Who's there?"
"..."
No reply.
I channeled mana toward my ears.
But nothing, no sound, no footstep until...
-BOOOMMM
Another explosion, this time from beneath.
"SHIT!!"
The floor sank beneath me, and I fell.
Grabbing a ledge, I kept myself from falling all the way.
But the building was already collapsing.
I pulled myself up and rushed to a nearby window, jumping out.
I began plummeting down to the ground from a massive height.
"Motherfu-!!"
I died.
------
"WHATT!!!"
My eyes snapped open, and I leaped out of bed.
"You are telling me I can't have this room?!!"
I stood in a daze for a moment before realizing the situation.
'It's like a new checkpoint.' I chuckled at the thought.
I moved toward the door and opened it.
"What's goi-"
But before I could finish, a spear rushed toward my face.
I dodged instinctively and backed up.
Taking a second to compose myself, I spoke.
"The fuck was that for?!"
"Don't speak to me, demon." She replied in a cold tone, her killing intent evident.
Hearing her words, I realised why.
'I forgot to cover my hair and form a fake core.'
"Haa..." I sighed at my own stupidity.
Before I could speak again, she rushed forward, spear in hand.
I summoned Fractus and blocked the attack.
I was pushed back by the force of her attack.
'Damn, she's strong!'
I prepared for another attack, but she paused.
Staring straight at Fractus with wide eyes, she spoke.
"A demonic sword."
'Demonic sword?'
"Wha-"
-BOOOMMM
The explosion interrupted me before I could speak.
"Is this your doing, demon?"
"Oh, come on, you think it was me?"
"..."
She coldly stared at me.
"If looks could kill, I'd be extra dead right now."
"..."
She didn't react to my amazing joke and rushed at me once again.
-BOOOMMM
The second explosion shook the building, startling her.
And just as she regained composure.
-click
The lights turned off, and she could no longer see.
"Where are you, demon?!!"
She screamed, her hostility was booming, get it.
Anyway...
-BOOOMMM
The third explosion came from beneath again.
The floor sank, and she fell, but...
I caught her just before she could die and ran with her in my arms.
I ran through the collapsing building, dodging debris, and jumping from floor to floor until I reached the second floor, where I jumped out the window and this time landed safely.
I sprinted away from the collapsing building and reached a safe distance.
Looking around, I saw the town on fire as...
-BOOOMMM
A fourth explosion went off in the distance.
"Damn it!"
I sprinted through the town until I reached a small warehouse.
I rushed inside, locking the door behind me.
"Ha...ha...ha..." I panted heavily.
"huuuu" Eventually regaining my composure, I let out a breath.
I scanned my surroundings. The warehouse was eerily quiet despite the outside chaos and almost empty, with just a few crates containing...
"Carrots?"
'Wait... the people.'
I realised it then.
Despite the fire and exploding buildings, I saw no people and heard no screams.
The town was empty as if everyone had disappeared when the explosions started.
I looked in my arms, and there lay the red-haired girl unconscious.
'She fainted.'
------
"Ughh"
The redhead groaned as she tried to move, but couldn't. She was tied up.
Her eyes snapped open only to see me sitting in front of her, eating a carrot.
"Oh, finally awake."
"..."
"Not gonna speak?"
"...What do you want, demon?"
"First of all, stop calling me a demon. I have a name, it's Leon."
"..."
"Second of all, I'm not a demon, I'm a half-blood, get your facts straight."
Her eyes widened at my words.
"A half-blood?"
"Yeah, you know half demon, half human."
"...You expect me to believe that?"
"Look into my eyes, do you see red?"
"..."
"Exactly, also no horns." I pointed at my head.
"Anyway, you want a carrot?"
"...No"
"Your loss." I shrugged, taking a bite.
"Okay lets discuss info."
"Do you have any idea why the bombings are happening?"
"..."
"You know silence isn't very helpful."
"I never agreed to help you."
"Wow, aren't you stingy?"
"Then let's start with something else. What's your name?"
"...Elara"
"Okay, nice to meet you, Elara. I'm Leon." I put out my hand to shake.
"..." She stared at my hand.
"Oh, right, you're tied up." I pulled my hand away.
"Ahem... I've discovered a few things looking around the area."
"There is nobody around. All the townspeople disappeared after the bombings, and we are the only ones still here."
"I couldn't figure out whe-"
"Sacrifice." She cut me off.
"They're going to be sacrificed."