Closing my eyes.

"So what we are doing today?"

Woman asked while I was busy trying to pay for my breakfast. I did not answer her until I found somewhere people wouldn't hear me.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Don't ignore meeeeee!"

I sighed.

"You know that when people see someone talking to themselves in public they think they are crazy."

"But you are not talking to yourself. You are talking to me."

I frowned to her.

"I know, I know but this isn't a reason to ignore a Goddess like me."

She told me while puffing her chest. I averted my eyes. She always wore clothes that didn't let anything to imagination. Her behavior didn't also help.

"If you are a Goddess give me something useful. Only thing you do for entire day is talk and tease me."

She smiled widely. I did not like her smile.

"Did you never read any myths? Everytime a mortal wants something from Gods they end up worse than how they were before."

"So you are telling me that you can actually give me something?"

"Well, if you ask me nicely."

I pushed last of my eggs down my throat.

"Only thing I want is you to stay true to the contract."

I again woke up with a horrible headache. Just like the time I hatched. I did not know people in my dream. I did not know what contract meant. I did not know why I saw these dreams. Everytime I saw these dreams I felt horrible. Like I forgot something very important. But everytime I tried to dig deeper I faced with that pain again.

(You finished the quest. Every stat increased by 1.)

(New quest. Kill 25 enemies. Difficulty D)

So that's how it's going. I kept hunting and killing.

(You finished the quest. Every stat increased by 1.)

(New quest. Kill 30 enemies. Difficulty D)

(Skill Fury became level 2.)

I met with less and less demons everyday. On the other hand I found more and more corpses. Same corpses which killed in one strike. Corpses that didn't get eaten. Everytime I saw one of them I felt fear. Fear that whatever killed those demons would came for me. Fear was a new feeling. Despite my many hunts I never felt it before. Even when I was outnumbered. Even when I was against bigger opponents. But looking at those terrified me. The fact that I didn't understood why I felt fear made me even more afraid. I had many questions and no answers. It felt frustrating. How could I even escape this situation?

(Became stronger.)

Thanks for not really helping, Voice. Let's say that I became stronger. Let's say that I became strong enough to effortlessly kill whatever were killing demons. Would that get me any answers? Would make my life better?....

"Answer me, damn it!"

(Became stronger.)

That's the only thing you will say to me? Do you think I would listen to you just because you are the only one talking to me? I have no reason to follow your order!

(Became stronger.)

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

(Became stronger. Strong enough to never get hurt. Strong enough to not die. Strong enough to rule.)

What? Rule who? Rule what? I desperately tried to get her talk to me again. She only gave me more questions and no answers. I roared in my cave, all alone. After throwing a fit like a brat I gained my composure. I could have screamed all day but I needed to eat. Killing meant that I would continue quests but it can't be helped. Just to spite her I wouldn't starve myself. But weird. I couldn't find actual prey. Corpses yes but no alive. I could eat corpses but it felt weird. There were always some stupid demons trying to kill me. Searching for this long and not finding even one alive was first. I ate one of fresher one and returned to my cave. I was bored and best thing I could do was sleeping so I closed my eyes.

"Half rep. Half. Half."

I let go pull-up bar. I crossed my arms and looked at her.

"Hey, I am just trying to help you."

I gave her a "Are you kidding me?" look.

"Come on! If you keep cheating at exercises you never get girls."

"I am not trying to get girls."

"Boys then. I am not judging."

I just sighed. Whatever I told her she would find a way to counter attack me.

"It must be easy for you. I bet Gods don't need to exercise to look good."

"You don't look good even with exercises."

"Would it kill you to not return to me once?"

"Nope."

"What do you even do? This version of you is just an illusion, right? Where is your original body?"

"In my Divine Realm, of course."

"What are you doing there?"

"Nothing!"

"Nothing, really?"

"Yep, nothing."

For once a blue moon she looked slightly serious.

"It is natural for humans to not understand. Gods aren't like you. Once a Divine Being came to existence they are same eternity. Only through mortals and several exceptions we move."

"Is that why you mess with me every second? Because I am your only source of movement?

She snorted.

"Puff, you think you can move me? Don't be so arrogant, mortal. You can't even do 20 pull-ups in one go."

"If you didn't distracted me I would have got it this time!"

"Excuses, excuses!"

I opened my eyes, again with a headache but this time it did not felt that bad. Despite their bickering that two people seemed to enjoy each other company. It made me feel warm inside.

(Surpassing unnecessary emotions.)

Time to hunt. I went outside of my cave. My quest did not progressed due me not meeting alive prey for several days . I ate already killed ones. But I think it will not last long. Due heat corpses started to decompose. I did not knew if my body would process rotten meat. I also did not wanted to test it. Without any kind of help all it took was a little sickness for one to die in the wilderness. While I ate already dead prey until today I can't say it felt good. It felt dirty. I don't know how to explain it. When I killed others it felt like I deserved it. No more like it was now my responsibility. Since I killed them for my own benefit I could eat them. But eating already dead prey made me feel like a parasite. I did not like it.

"If prey around here died then I would move."

That morning as soon as sun shined its first light I moved. I did not know how long I needed to go for finding other demons. I also did not know how long I could go on without eating. I walked, rested, walked, rested. For two days. I was starting to lose hope when I heard roaring. Yes, now that's the voice I am used to hearing. I quickly rushed.

(Run. Run. Don't go.)

Shut up. I finally found something alive after days. I have to check it out. Even if it is strong I could ran away. I stopped suddenly. It stood, back turned to me. Just at its foot a newly killed demon lied. It was tall, around 200 cms not counting two horns it had. Black exoskeleton, which gave out black luster covered its body like medival armor. Rather than hands he had blades. I did not dared to look away. I quietly stepped back. One step. Two steps. I did not realized that I stopped breathing. Thing that was killing all the demons stood in front of me. It was strong. No, strong wasn't enough. Just its existence made me feel terrified. It was different than other demons. That thing was a "Stain" in the existence. If the world around was a painting done with paints that thing was artist wildly stabbing painting with a knife. It did not belong here. It slowly turned to me. I gulped. Between less time than closing and opening my eyes it was front of me slashing my throat. I lifted and guarded with my wristblade. Snap. It broke. My wristblade, which killed everything broke like a twig. I screamed in pain. It was like breaking a bone. I was thrown back, at least several metres.

(Run. Run. RUN.RUN.RUN.)

I know. I observed it. It stood there. Maybe it was suprised that it didn't killed me in one hit? I activated Fury. My fuel reserves were low but I had no choice. It closed the distance and tried to slash me again. I threw myself to right. I got cut pretty bad but survived. A cut in shoulder and broken wristblade but alive. I looked around. A cliff? I did not know how long I would fall or if I could survive it. Do I had any other choice? No. I could barely follow its movements. If I missed one move I would die. I dodged another attack and it kicked me. I felt my arm breaking as I was pushed towards the cliff. I felt like screaming but all the air in my lungs escaped when I got hit. I saw him coming towards me and I painfully rolled myself down the cliff. And damn, that was a long fall. A fall I can't survive. Wait, I had wing like things in my back! Could I use them to slow my fall? Perhaps, glide? I tried to move them but I couldn't even feel them in my back. As I was about to hit to ground I closed my eyes.