The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the town as I sat outside the orphanage, the wooden bench beneath me rough and uneven.
The others had already left. Reid's butler had come for him shortly after the incident, his face twisted in a mask of pure fury.
Apparently, word had spread fast. The man had scolded Reid for even associating with someone like Ben–someone tied to the serpents.
As if friendships were dictated by bloodlines and not by choice.
Alice had stayed a bit longer, but even she had to leave eventually. Her mother were worried.
I could see it in the way she hesitated before walking off, as if lingering for just a moment longer would change something.
On the way back, I had asked them–well, mostly Alice–for more information about the serpents.
I had no interest in the insignificant details of human affairs, but my curiousity had been piqued after what happened today.
Turns out they were a local gang that terrorized the town. A festering rot that no one bothered to cut away.
Strong enough to oppress, enslave, and harass those beneath them, yet not so strong as to challenge the real powers in town.
There were those they dared not touch–people like Reid's parents, the Mayor, and a few select hunters that frequented the town.
Why? Because power ruled this world. Those who had it dictated the rules, and those who lacked it could only cower.
The Mayor for one could stop them but didn't cause he had no interest or reason to do so. Infact he profited off them, happily accepting their bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye.
As for the hunters? They simply didn't care. As long as the serpents didn't interfere with their business, they wouldn't waste their strength fighting a battle that wasn't theirs.
Hypocrites.
Humans called demons evil, monsters for treating the weak with cruelty.
But what were they, if not the same? They let filth like the serpents run rampant, preying on those who couldn't fight back.
But of course, the moment a Demon did the same, they were labeled the true enemy of the world.
Laughable.
And as for Ben's situation...
Pitiable. Real pitiable.
His father had borrowed money from the serpents to start a business. Foolish, but desperate men made desperate choices.
At first, things had gone well. The business had begun to flourish–until disaster struck. A beast tide.
Yep. Humanity still suffered from those as it would seem. A wave of monsters had devastated the outskirts of town, and with it, Ben's father's livelihood was reduced to nothing but ash and rubble.
He had searched for ways to pay back his debt. He had begged, pleaded for more time. But the serpents didn't care.
And then the night came–the night his loan period ended.
They broke into their home that night.
Ben's father had dropped to his knees, begging them for a chance to make things right.
But Hanma–their so-called leader who had beat up Ben tonight–wasn't interested in his pleas.
He beat the man until his face was unrecognisable, swollen and bloodied beyond recognition. Ben's mother had tried to step in, but she was powerless.
And then...
Ben's voice had cracked at this part.
I didn't need him to say it. I already knew.
The serpents weren't satisfied with just beating them. No, that wasn't enough. So they turned to Ben's mother and sister. And with twisted grins on their faces, they...
I clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms, but I barely noticed the pain.
Ben's father had screamed, pleaded, begged for them to stop. But they didn't care. They never cared.
When they were done, they dragged the two away, ignoring their desperate cries for mercy.
Ben had started crying at this point as he told the story. He must've held it in for so long, but the weight of it had finally cracked his defenses.
And even l, who had seen the worst humanity had to offer, felt something stir in me. Rage? Disgust? Or was it just another reminder of the world's filth?
Ben had gone home shortly after. After letting it all put, after crying his heart dry, he had wiped his tears and walked away.
And now, I sat here, staring at the orphanage, a bitter taste in my mouth.
How was Ben still standing? How did he still smile, still joke around as if he weren't drowning in his own misery?
Was it real? Or was it just a façade–a defense mechanism to block out the crushing weight of his reality?
Now it wasn't so hard to figure out the real reason he was so eager to awaken. It wasn't about strength. Or becoming the greatest hero. Or pride.
It was about them.
His mother and sister.
But I wasn't so naïve. I had seen what happened to slaves. I knew how they were treated.
Regardless of where you were–human territory or demon lands–the fate of a slave was the same.
Useless trash. Worthless. Kept only as long as they served a purpose. And the moment they didn't...
I exhaled.
They were probably dead by now.
It was a cold truth, but the truth nonetheless.
And Ben–he was likely chasing a dream that had already been buried.
The creaking of wooden steps drew my attention. I lifted my gaze just in time to see a figure approaching.
Sister.
I stiffened instantly. Something was wrong.
Her clothes were torn, her hair dishelved. There were bruises along her arms, her skin marked with violence. Her make-up was smeared, her once pristine appearance now ruined.
But that wasn't the worst part. No, it was her eyes.
They were hollow.
Empty.
Devoid of will.
She walked past me without a word, moving like a puppet whose strings had been cut. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
I didn't need anyone to tell me what had happened.
I already knew.
The rage that had been simmering in my chest boiled over. My hands trembled, not with fear, but with the overwhelming urge to kill.
To rip those animals apart, to carve my name into their flesh and remind them why demons, no, why I was so feared.
I had seen this before.
Too many times infact.
This world was filth. The humans who claimed to be righteous, who looked down upon demons with disgust, were no better than the very creatures they despised.
No, they were worse. Much worse. At least the demons didn't pretend to be something they weren't.
Sister paused at the door, her voice barely a whisper.
"Don't tell anyone."
Then she disappeared inside.
I sat there, frozen, the night air chilling my skin.
The serpents thought themselves untouchable.
They thought their meager power meant they could do whatever they pleased.
They thought no one would dare challenge them.
Well then. They thought wrong.