Ch. 3 – Maiden Voyage: Inaugural Steps into the Unknown P.2

...

(Outskirt of the forest - The glooming lake)

I ran to the lake and washed my face. I can see my reflection on the water.

Just looking at it makes me hate it more. I just hate it to look at myself that resembles both my parents. I got long white hair like a parent that I couldn't ever cut. A couple of green eyes. My eyes have the same ability as my father. I can see very clearly at night.

At least Elijah got a manly hair with purple hair. The tribe of angels that are blessed with powerful magic and large mana. His adorable blue eyes make him scary to me. He is strong and has nothing to worry about. How can a kid be this handsome?

"Unfair right?"

Suddenly, a voice came from nowhere. It's playing in my mind.

"I can't control my body anymore." I was talking to myself. 

Me: "Hahaha. This is magnificent! At last… I can control his body, even if it is not for long." 

"What's happening? My body… someone took over it".

I laugh as evil. "But this is not me!" I denied this is not my action. 

"I really can't control it?" I felt trapped in my own body. 

The demon power dwells inside me. "How do I put it… it feels like… someone is taking control over me!"

"Don't worry, kid. You should be honored because… I am the Demon King! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA," I cackle maniacally.

Elijah's eyes widened in terror as I fought for control. I passed out that night and cannot remember anything the next day. Only Elijah knew the truth, but he insisted he was fast asleep and wouldn't tell me what really happened. The weight of the unknown hung over us, a silent reminder of the darkness within.

…

The next day, I woke up in the morning to find Elijah sleeping under my arm. Relief washed over me as I checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive.

"Oh, thank goodness," I whispered, the weight of my actions from the previous night pressing heavily on my mind. I was really worried that I might have hurt him.

Gently, I woke him up and took him to wash up in the river with me. Everything I did, I made sure he was beside me. We hunted for food together, and I taught him what I knew. Despite my efforts to bond with him, I noticed that Elijah seemed scared of me sometimes, like he was looking at a monster.

"Am I too harsh with him?" I wondered to myself. "I only asked him to do something easy. It's not like I made him do everything."

That's what a normal brotherhood is like, I told myself. He might be too young for this, but we don't know what will happen in the future. I'm afraid that if I were to get eaten by a monster, I hope he could survive alone without me.

"No! That's not right," I thought fiercely. "I'm the one who decides this. I should keep my promise to take care of him!"

Determined to be a better brother, I tried to make our daily routines more enjoyable for Elijah. I showed him how to track animals, find edible plants, and build a shelter. Each day, I reminded myself to be patient and gentle, no matter how frustrated I felt inside.

One evening, as we sat by the fire, roasting the rabbit we had caught earlier, I glanced at Elijah. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames.

"Elijah, are you okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He hesitated before answering, "Brother, sometimes you scare me. You act strange, and I don't understand why."

His words cut deep, but I forced a smile. "I'm sorry, Elijah. I'm trying my best to protect you and teach you. I know it's hard, but I need you to trust me."

He nodded slowly, and I hoped that one day he would understand.

As the days turned into weeks, I continued to fight the darkness within me, determined to keep my promise to Elijah. The bond between us grew stronger, despite the lingering fear in his eyes. I vowed to protect him, no matter the cost, and to ensure that he would never face the horrors of the world alone.

"Together, we'll survive," I whispered to myself each night, hoping that the demon inside me would never take control again.

…

Usually, I would take an hour's rest before continuing my journey. From the top of the mountain, I could barely see our house in the distance.

"Look how far we've come," I said to Elijah, pointing towards the distant speck of our home.

Passing through this area, I encountered a weak monster. With a surge of confidence, I used the new magic I had recently learned to defeat it. Two days ago, my efforts had finally paid off. Even though I couldn't cast spells in the traditional sense, I had learned to control magic, bending it to my will.

After filling our stomachs with wild chicken, I trained in the woods, focusing on the magic flowing through my body. It was incredibly challenging to focus, as I had no proper instruction. I could only imagine how it should work. My father's words echoed in my mind:

"Magic is an invisible substance that cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, it exists just like a god; it exists, but you cannot see it. Yet we still believe in its existence."

I vaguely remembered my father's teachings, and I used them as a guide. Each day, I concentrated harder, trying to feel the ebb and flow of magic within me. It was like trying to grasp smoke, but gradually, I began to sense it.

"Elijah, watch this," I said one evening as we rested. I focused intently, feeling the magic swirl inside me, and then released it in a small burst of light.

Elijah's eyes widened with amazement. "Wow, brother! That's incredible!"

His excitement fueled my determination. "It's just the beginning. I'll keep getting better."

As we continued our journey, I practiced controlling my magic whenever I could. The mountain path was steep and challenging, but each step brought us closer to our goal. Elijah watched me intently, trying to learn as much as he could.

"Remember, Elijah," I said during one of our breaks, "magic is like a part of you. You have to feel it, understand it, and trust it."

He nodded, his face serious. "I will, brother."

We pressed on, the bond between us strengthening with each passing day. The journey was long and arduous, but I knew that as long as we had each other, we could face any challenge that came our way.

In the quiet moments, as we rested and gazed at the stars, I found solace in the progress we had made. The demon inside me was a constant threat, but I was determined to protect Elijah and master the magic that flowed within me. For now, that was enough.

… 

(In the past)

I was together with my dad for a night hunting.

"Dad, how can I use magic?" I asked him while I was busy playing with the group of ants using the wooden stick in my hand.

"You cannot use magic like an object, but you need to combine it with the magic to control it. This is what I learned from a mysterious man that I've met." My father taught me a bit of life's lesson before he patted my head with love.

I get what his intentions are and train hard to control the magic inside me. He told me to not force it with my strength but make it follow our will like how a potter bent the clay and a blacksmith bent the iron. That's how I should do it. I imagine a warm and soothing light that is filling my body and pushing it out like exhaling the air. A strong wind moving a tree in front of me, showing like I have an improvement. Each day, I took my rest time to train myself and successfully cast wind magic. At first, it is just a soft blow that only tickles the enemy. I try to focus on making it more efficient by pointing at a single target. I make a pistol hand sign and shoot the tree with maximum focus. Yet, I keep missing and my stamina is not enough for me to train much. However, I got an idea when I was looking at a fish in the river, spitting water to catch a fly. I try to apply my training by using a small amount of mana but increasing its speed will give it a powerful output. I am feeling grateful for completing my homework that came in handy. I put a hole in the tree and train till late night. The result is I got to penetrate the big trunk with one shot. 

*Please don't overthink, it is only a small hole. I'm not putting down the tree*

It is kind of exciting for me to have this life. I have never felt much life. This is my first time living independently while taking care of my brother. Sometimes, I could not stop him from crying because he might miss our mother. I touch myself with a butterfly hug, the method that psychologically treats our heart that longs for something and teaches that to him. I wonder how father and mother are doing.

A sincere thought crossed my mind, "I hope you are doing well."

As a son, I still worry about their situation and keep my mind positive. I know something bad could happen and it must be related to that sigil on their body. 

"Are they hunted by humans?" a thought crossed my mind again questioning the reason they got arrested.

They have many secrets they keep from us and that makes it hard for me.

"Never mind. Thinking too much is not going to do anything" I move on with the question and leave it unanswered.

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