Inner Demons

Author's Note:

The writing will only get better and better as the chapters go by. So please be patient and look forward to the novel.

Please support my work, and if you are interested, you can join my Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/CelestialMountain

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Kael stood outside Seraphina's wooden house, waiting. He had spent over six years in this forest, training relentlessly, and now he was ready to set out on his own. He adjusted the cloak Seraphina had given him, a cloak that blended seamlessly with the shadows. His heart raced with anticipation as he imagined the world beyond the forest.

But as the minutes ticked by, there was still no sign of Seraphina. Kael frowned and scanned the forest's edge, wondering where she could be. Finally, he saw her emerging from the trees, her expression serious.

"You cannot venture outside," Seraphina said, her voice calm but firm.

Kael was taken aback. "What? Why not?"

"You must be suffering from inner demons," she replied.

"Inner demons?" Kael asked, confusion and frustration mixing in his tone. "What do you mean by that?"

Seraphina sighed and stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Inner demons are born from bad past experiences that cause irregular emotions. They can cloud your judgment and control your actions."

Kael's mind raced. The concept of inner demons was new to him, but he couldn't deny the truth in her words. He remembered the night his parents were killed, the rage and despair that had consumed him during his fight with Darion. He had been driven by emotion, not the cold, calculated precision of his past life.

"The past Kael would never have let emotions cloud his judgment," he thought. "I wasn't myself that night."

Kael looked into Seraphina's eyes, searching for answers. "What should I do?"

"You must meditate and go inside your conscious space to fight the demons from your life," she said.

Kael nodded, determination filling him. He followed Seraphina to a quiet clearing, where she instructed him on the meditation technique. He sat down, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. As he focused on his breathing, the world around him began to fade away.

In the darkness of his mind, Kael felt himself being pulled into a different realm. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a vast, desolate landscape. The air was thick with an oppressive energy, and the sky was a deep, swirling crimson.

In the distance, he saw a figure approaching. As it drew closer, Kael's heart pounded in his chest. The figure looked exactly like him, but with one key difference: its eyes were a burning, malevolent red.

The doppelgänger stopped a few feet away, a cruel smile twisting its lips. "You couldn't save them," it said, its voice dripping with venom. "You were too weak."

Kael clenched his fists, trying to steady his breathing. "Who are you?"

"I am you," the doppelgänger replied. "I am the part of you that holds all the pain, anger, and regret from your past life. I am your inner demon."

Kael took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "And what do you want?"

The doppelgänger laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "I want you to suffer. I want you to remember every failure, every moment of weakness."

With that, the doppelgänger lunged at Kael, its movements a blur. Kael barely had time to react as he dodged to the side, feeling the wind of the doppelgänger's strike brush past him. He spun around, his mind racing. This fight was unlike any he had ever faced before. He wasn't just fighting an enemy; he was fighting himself.

The doppelgänger attacked again, its strikes fast and relentless. "Why couldn't you save them, Kael? Why did you let them die?"

Kael gritted his teeth, blocking a punch and countering with a kick. "I didn't let them die! I was just a child!"

"Excuses," the doppelgänger sneered. "You were weak and useless. You let your emotions control you."

The words cut deep, stirring memories Kael had tried to bury. He remembered his parents' screams, the blood, the overwhelming helplessness. For a moment, his resolve wavered, and the doppelgänger took advantage, landing a powerful blow that sent Kael sprawling to the ground.

"You can't defeat me," the doppelgänger taunted, standing over him. "You are too consumed by your past."

Kael struggled to his feet, his vision blurred. He knew the doppelgänger was right. He had allowed his emotions to control him for too long. But he couldn't let that continue. He had to regain control, to prove that he was stronger than his inner demons.

Taking a deep breath, Kael focused on his training. He remembered Seraphina's lessons, the discipline and control she had taught him. He centered himself, pushing the emotions aside and focusing on the fight.

The doppelgänger charged again, but this time Kael was ready. He moved with precision, blocking and countering each attack. He fought not with anger, but with clarity and purpose. As the battle raged on, he began to see openings in the doppelgänger's attacks, exploiting them with calculated strikes.

"You can't defeat me!" the doppelgänger roared, its frustration growing.

"I can," Kael replied, his voice steady. "Because I am not you."

The doppelgänger laughed, its red eyes glowing brighter. "Not me? You are exactly me! Every failure, every weakness, every ounce of anger – it all lives within you!"

Kael blocked a flurry of strikes, his arms aching from the impact. "I may carry those memories, but they don't define me. I choose who I become!"

"You speak of choice, yet you let rage consume you when you faced Darion," the doppelgänger spat, landing a punch to Kael's ribs. "You let anger blind you. How can you claim control?"

Kael winced but fought through the pain. He countered with a quick jab and a sweeping kick, forcing the doppelgänger back. "Yes, I lost control. But that doesn't mean I can't regain it. I can learn from my mistakes."

The doppelgänger sneered, launching a series of rapid strikes. "Learn? What can you possibly learn from failure? From pain?"

Kael ducked under a high kick and delivered an elbow to the doppelgänger's midsection. "I can learn resilience. Strength. Determination."

The doppelgänger staggered but quickly recovered, its eyes burning with fury. "You talk of strength, yet your heart is weak. You care too much. You let emotions cloud your judgment."

Kael dodged a punch, his movements growing more fluid and precise. "I-"

"See? What has love ever brought you but pain and loss?" the doppelgänger hissed, its attacks becoming more frantic. "You were alone, abandoned, beaten. Love only made you weaker."

Kael blocked another series of strikes, his mind racing. The doppelgänger's words stung, but he knew he couldn't let them break him. "Bu-"

"But what?" the doppelgänger laughed, a hollow, bitter sound. "Your purpose is revenge. To kill. How noble."

Kael's eyes hardened. "Revenge may be part of it, but it's not everything."

"If not then what is??" the doppelgänger scoffed.

Kael gritted his teeth, blocking another punch and countering with a powerful kick that sent the doppelgänger stumbling back. "I want to take revenge but that is not the purpose of my life. I want to bring order to the world. I want to tame the world that is clouded with darkness. I want to be the king of the ASSASSINS!!!"

The doppelgänger's eyes looked surprised. "You will never be free of me. I am your shadow, your darkness. I will always be a part of you. So make sure you do what you just promised."

Kael took a deep breath, his resolve unshaken. "I will."

With a final, determined strike, Kael knocked the doppelgänger to the ground. He stood over it, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with determination. "I will not let my past control me. I will not let my emotions cloud my judgment. And I promise to fulfil my words I have given to you."

The doppelgänger looked up at him, its mouth smiling. "I will be there with you."

Kael nodded, knowing that the battle against his inner demons was far over. But he had to be cautious. "I will face you again if I have to. But I will not let you define me."

The doppelgänger's form began to dissolve, its voice echoing in the emptiness. "We will see, Kael. We will see."

As the world of his conscious space faded away, Kael felt himself being pulled back to reality. He opened his eyes and found Seraphina watching him, her expression one of calm support.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked.

Kael nodded, his mind clear and his voice devoid of emotions. "Yes. I faced my inner demon."

'Why does this brat look so cold right now?' Seraphina thought. But she shook her head thinking that it was just her imagination.

Seraphina smiled, a rare expression of pride. "Good. Remember, Kael, the journey to mastering oneself is a long and difficult one. But you have the strength and determination to succeed."

Kael rose to his feet, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Thank you, Seraphina."

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Author's Note:

The writing will only get better and better as the chapters go by. So please be patient and look forward to the novel.

Please support my work, and if you are interested, you can join my Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/CelestialMountain

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