The Sacrifice

"Dad, something's not right," I whispered, my voice barely above a tremor.

Dad stopped, his hand hovering over the door handle. He turned to look at me, his expression suddenly serious as he too sensed the change.

Without a word, he pushed the door open, and we both stepped inside.

The house, which had always been warm and welcoming, now felt cold and lifeless.

The air was thick, almost suffocating, and a heavy silence hung over everything. The comforting smell of breakfast had vanished, replaced by an unsettling, metallic scent that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Mom?" I called out, my voice shaky. There was no answer, only the oppressive quiet that seemed to grow heavier with each passing second.

Dad moved forward cautiously, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. I followed close behind, my heart pounding in my chest. As we reached the kitchen, my worst fears were realized.

"M-Mom...?"

No. God. No.

I've promised you that I would do anything.

Please.

Just not this.

There, on the floor, lay Mom's lifeless body. Her eyes, once so full of warmth and love, stared blankly at the ceiling, devoid of life. Blood pooled around her, soaking into the wooden floor, and the metallic scent I had noticed earlier hit me full force, making me gag.

"Mom!" I screamed, rushing to her side, dropping to my knees as tears welled up in my eyes. I grabbed her hand, shaking her, willing her to wake up. "Mom, please! Wake up!"

Please! Mom!

But she didn't respond. Her skin was cold to the touch, and her hand limp in mine. I felt like my world was collapsing around me, the grief and terror overwhelming my senses.

Dad stood frozen, his face pale as he stared down at her. I had never seen him look so vulnerable, so broken. He was always the strong one, the one who held everything together. But now, he looked like he was about to shatter.

"Dad… what happened?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Who did this?"

Before he could answer, a sudden movement caught my eye. I looked up to see the dark, shadowy figure looming in the corner of the room. It was tall and amorphous, its form shifting like smoke, and it radiated an intense, malevolent energy that sent chills down my spine.

"Dad!" I cried out, scrambling to my feet. "We have to—"

But before I could finish, the figure lunged at us with terrifying speed. Dad barely had time to react, drawing his sword and raising it to block the attack. The force of the impact sent him staggering backward, but he managed to receive that attack gracefuly, and the dark figure pressed forward, relentless and powerful.

"Get out of here, Darius!" Dad shouted, his voice strained as he struggled to hold the creature back. "Run!" I never saw his eyes as filled with rage as this.

"But—" I hesitated, my mind racing. I couldn't just leave him, not like this.

"Go!" he roared, his eyes locking onto mine, filled with urgency and desperation. "Now!"

I knew I had no choice. My feet moved on their own, carrying me out of the kitchen and through the house, my heart pounding in my chest. The sounds of the struggle behind me echoed in my ears, Dad's grunts of exertion and the terrifying screeches of the creature.

As I reached the front door, I hesitated, torn between my instinct to flee and the urge to go back and help. But a sudden, agonized cry from the kitchen made my blood run cold. I knew that sound. It was my dad, and it was the sound of him losing the fight.

Impossible.

Dad is the strongest of the village.

He could defeat any demon, I've saw it with my own eyes.

All of the people inside this village are strong, and dad is the strongest, there is no way he'll lose!

Without thinking, I turned back, sprinting towards the kitchen. I couldn't leave him. I couldn't let this thing win. But as I reached the doorway, I stopped dead in my tracks.

The creature was standing over Dad, who lay on the floor, blood pooling beneath him. His sword was knocked from his hand, and his chest rose and fell with labored, shallow breaths. The dark figure turned its attention to me, and I could feel its malevolent gaze piercing through me.

"....Run... Da...rius...." He barely uttered as he saw me.

I wanted to move, to fight, to do something—anything—but my body refused to cooperate. Fear had taken hold of me, paralyzing me where I stood. The creature began to move towards me, and I knew that if I didn't do something now, I would be next.

This is not a normal demon.

If it's just a normal demon.

I won't be getting paralyzed like this!

"Hm..." The demon put his dark black hand on his head that seem to be his chin. "So you're the son of this man. I guess you need to be eliminated as well then,"

But just as it was about to reach me, a blinding light filled the room, forcing me to shield my eyes. The creature let out a shriek, recoiling from the light, and I felt a sudden surge of power coursing through me.

"Use it, Mongrel! Darius!" a voice echoed in my mind. It was Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, his voice filled with authority. "Use the power I've given you!"

In that moment, something inside me clicked. The fear that had paralyzed me melted away, replaced by a fierce determination.

"Come forth! Gate of Babylonia!" I shouted.

I reached for the Gate of Babylonia that appeared through the air, the grimoire that Gilgamesh had entrusted to me in the dream. It wasn't physically with me, but I could feel its presence, its power waiting to be unleashed.

"Open!" I commanded, and the grimoire responded. A golden portal appeared before me, shimmering with an ethereal light. From it, a weapon emerged—a golden axe shimmering with power, unlike any I had ever seen. Its blade was gleaming gold, intricate engravings running along its surface, and it radiated an overwhelming sense of power.

Gripping the axe tightly, I felt a surge of strength flow through me, my fear dissipating entirely. The dark figure hesitated, as if sensing the change in me, but it was too late.

I lunged forward, slashing at the creature with all the strength I could muster. The axe cut through the shadow like a hot knife through butter, and the creature let out a final, agonized scream before dissolving into nothingness.

"Die! You ugly, freaking, demon!!!!" I shout.

I shout.

I guess it's the first time in my life I ever shout that loud.

The room fell silent. The only sound was my ragged breathing and the pounding of my heart. I stood there for a moment, the golden axe still in my hand, as the reality of what had just happened began to sink in.

I had defeated it. I had used the power of Gilgamesh, the Gate of Babylonia, to protect myself… but I had been too late to save my parents.

The axe slipped from my grasp, clattering to the floor as I turned back to where Dad lay. I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands trembling as I reached out to him. His breathing was shallow, his eyes barely open, but he was still alive.

"Dad…" I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "I'm so sorry… I should have… I should have been faster…"

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and pride. "Darius…" he rasped, his voice weak. "You… you did well…"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I shook my head. "No… no, I didn't. I wasn't strong enough… I wasn't…"

His hand reached up, resting on mine, and he gave me a faint, reassuring smile. "You are… stronger than you know…" His voice grew fainter with each word, and I could see the life fading from his eyes. "Protect… Iris… protect… the world…"

"But... Now..." Dad's eyes shift to the side, to the window. I could see lights from outside, screams start to appear. I stared at it in horror.

Impossible.

The village got attacked.

"Run.... Son... We will... Always be... With you..."

And then, with a final, shuddering breath, his hand went limp, and his eyes closed for the last time.

"Dad…?" I whispered, but there was no response. The tears I had been holding back finally spilled over, streaming down my face as I clutched his hand, the crushing weight of loss settling over me.

For what felt like an eternity, I stayed there, kneeling beside him, my mind numb with grief. The world around me seemed to blur, my thoughts lost in a haze of pain and regret.

But amidst the sorrow, one thing remained clear—the last words he had spoken to me.

I had to protect Iris. I had to protect the world.

With a deep, shuddering breath, I slowly rose to my feet, wiping the tears from my eyes. There was no time to mourn, not when so much was at stake. I couldn't let my parents' deaths be in vain. I couldn't let the demons win.

I glanced down at the golden axe, still lying on the floor where I had dropped it. Bending down, I picked it up, feeling its weight in my hand. This axe, this power—it was my responsibility now. The legacy I had been given.

With newfound resolve, I turned and walked out of the house, leaving behind the home I had known all my life. The journey ahead would be long and fraught with danger, but I would face it head-on.

For Iris. For the village. For the world.

And for my parents, whose sacrifices would not be forgotten.

___

!!!

With a jolt, I shot up in bed, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. My room was dimly lit by the morning light, everything as it should be. I clutched my chest, my heart racing, the images of the corpses still vivid in my mind.

"Shit... That dream again..."