453 [85.3] An Unlikely Savior

The boy felt panic overtake him and rushed into the house.

What could be worse than the people chasing him?!

The windows were all locked, but he didn't have time to waste. Using a rock, he smashed a window, climbing in quickly as the men rushed to the window. Just as his torso was through, hands grabbed his ankles and pulled him back out. His jacket was ripped and his family emblem was torn off as he fought to stay inside. 

He no longer cared about the broken glass as the fear of what would happen if he was pulled out was much stronger than the pain. Ignoring the cuts he got on his hands, he managed to kick off the hands that held him and pull the rest of his body inside. His hands left bloody prints as he forcibly crawled inside, slipping out of the man's grip.

"HE'S GONE INSIDE!"

The boy gasped in a panic, his heart thumping loudly in his ears.

Without waiting for the men to follow, he sprinted through the house, his running feet echoing throughout the abandoned halls. His head jumped side to side, looking for any place to hide. However, he was leaving behind a blood trail…

He knew he couldn't hide.

So what could he do?

How can he escape?

Just as he was about to give up, a stairway appeared in front of him.

His gaze was pulled down into the darkness.

…If there was no light…

Then no one would see blood.

The boy didn't fear what lay beyond, only what was pursuing him.

He ran down the stairs, so quickly that he actually stumbled. He rolled down the final steps, landing harshly on his face. White stars erupted in his vision.

He couldn't move any longer…

"He went downstairs!"

"KILL THAT BASTARD CHILD OF MINE!"

No, he couldn't give up yet.

At the sound of his father's voice, the boy forced himself to stand.

A shooting pain traveled up his leg, causing him to yelp.

He fell once more. 

His adrenaline couldn't ignore the pain of a broken leg.

However, the boy wasn't ready to die.

He reached his arms out and started pulling himself away from the stairs. Tears rushed down his cheeks as he crawled miserably, "Scilla… Scilla…"

Just as the men arrived downstairs to the boy, lights erupted in the room.

His father's face was illuminated by the flickering flames, revealing the evil in his gaze. He laughed as he enjoyed the miserable sight, "Oh? You still want to run? HAHA! Go on! Crawl!"

The boy dragged himself as he sobbed, "Scilla… Scilla… I'm sorry…"

"Since the day I met you, I've been waiting for this!" Duke Newman tauntingly walked inches behind him, "I couldn't turn you away due to that d*mned royal law. Since then, I've dreamed of the day I would finally be rid of you!"

The boy heard something shift in front of him. He raised his head slowly…

A creature hiding in the shadows slowly stood up.

It was a wolf.

A hawk.

A lion.

Every single predator.

All made out of shadows.

Its orange eyes glared down at the child who stared back into them in wonder.

The creature's eyes narrowed, confused that the child was staring at him in a way he had never been looked at before. A croak came from his throat as if it hadn't spoke in years, "...Do you not fear me?"

Duke Newman pushed aside the tarp, "Prepare yourself you d*mn basta-"

He froze upon seeing the Monster.

The boy took advantage of this timing and reached out to the creature, "Please! Help me! Please save me!"

The creature's turned his head, "...How odd."

Duke Newman took a step back in fear, "M-Monster!"

The boy turned at the sound of his voice, fear returning to his horror stricken face.

The predators all morphed into one shadow, solidifying into a human shape. From the shadows, a man stepped out. His orange eyes were cold and his gaze confident. He stared at the men behind the boy who were staring at him in obvious fear. He muttered, "That's the look I always get… And yet."

He bent down to touch the boy's chin and gently raised it to look back at him, "You saw the real me, yet you didn't look afraid… But when you saw this man… You looked so scared."

His orange harsh eyes slowly raised to look at the Duke, "It really is a first."

The boy suddenly grabbed onto him, "Please… Save me…"

The creature carefully picked up the boy, startling the child with the gentle touch. He smiled, his orange eyes turning into crescent shapes, "As you wish."

Shadows rushed out, stabbing into the men, leaving only Duke Newman alive.

The Duke tried to escape, but the exit was sealed by shadows.

The creature ignored him and spoke solely to the child, "What's your name?"

"F-Felix."

"Felix… My name is Moni."

"H-Hello M-Moni…" Felix looked back into the vibrant orange eyes, "Are you a… Demon?"

"That's right… Do you fear me now?"

"N-No…" The boy bit his lip and glanced anxiously at his father. When the Duke looked back at him, he suddenly clung to Moni tighter, "P-Please help me."

"You keep saying that." Moni spoke to the boy, "But what would you like me to do? Kill him? Torture him? I can do anything you tell me to."

The boy slowly turned to look at Moni, "I want him to suffer… Like he made me suffer."

"Oh, that's easy."

Shadows raced out, entering the father's body.

"I will give him a fate worse than death."

Felix stared at Moni's orange eyes, entranced by the vibrance behind them. In the small boy's eyes, he didn't see Moni as a demon.

He saw him as a hero.

Felix leaned his small head to nuzzle into Moni's neck. He could hear the rhythmic beating of a heart, lulling him to sleep. His bruised eyes started to flutter closed.

Soon, he felt himself drifting off into unconsciousness unwillingly.

"Kid… Are you okay?"

"..."

"Hey! HEY! Wake up!"