178 Demon (1/2)
The sound of a wall collapsing came from afar. In the darkness, the dome trembled. Dim candlelight flickered from the faint shaking causing dust to fall. It stung slightly when it fell on one’s face.
The terrified crowd inside the sealed sanctuary let out restrained cries of shock. A sharp wail sounded faintly. Through the thick dirt, one could sense them approaching and pacing in the ruins of the village. They had come.
In the silence, even the sounds of breathing became harsh and terrifying. The refugees tried to hold their breath as thuds sounded continuously overhead. The entire village was shrouded in the sudden disaster.
”Oh god…” In the claustrophobic atmosphere, the priest prayed hopelessly. The survivors curled up in the darkness and closed their eyes.
-
This was the frontier of humanity, the place with the dimmest light. Tonight was destined to be the darkest moment of this small village. Death, disaster and chaos had come. Waves of demons and beasts had arrived without any warning, and the traps outside the village could not stop them. The high walls and garrison were weak as thin paper.
The alarm rung. That was the one fortunate event of all the misfortunes. The alarm rang seventeen times, shocking the sleeping villagers awake. They opened their eyes and saw the burning village and the demons on the streets. In the end, only a few dozen people had the chance to hide in the church’s sanctuary. The others, the remaining ones…had all become the demon’s food.
”They’re finished…” someone murmured.
The survivors sat on the ground in exhaustion. They stared at the fear in each other’s eyes and tried to restrain their breathing. Through the heavy gates, there was the sound of something approaching.
It was the sound of the demons’ rampage in the village. They followed the scent of blood to find their prey. The roars of beasts and painful cries of men sounded continuously.
”Mommy, I’m scared.” A child’s restrained crying sounded in the darkness but his mouth was quickly covered by his mother. Teardrops fell on his cheeks.
”Don’t be scared, don’t be scared…the demons are all gone. Don’t be scared?”
Had they really gone?
Everyone’s eyes were filled with deep terror because the sounds were still above their heads. The demons were still pacing on the ground above the thick dirt and layers of stone tiles. They had feasted on fresh blood but were still not satiated. There were still remaining breaths lingering above the ruins, leading them to patrol lazily for the existence of any living person, even if it meant digging six feet deep.
Boom! The looming clock tower suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground, raising a thud and a cloud of dust. Deep underground, restrained cries sounded among the people in the sanctuary. They shook. Someone was pushed to the ground and let out a muffled cry. She curled up in pain and could not stand up.
”You—are you okay?” The panicked man was at a loss. The woman froze before squeezing out a ghost of a smile. There was something magical about the smile, mesmerizing the man.
”What are you looking at? B*tch!” A bloated woman sneered and dragged her man back. When she looked at the other woman, her expression was full of disgust, as if she were looking at something dirty.
The woman on the ground was taken aback. Sensing that she was not welcomed, she curled up in the corner and hung her head. Fiery red hair tumbled down her shoulders. Like dim flames, they revealed a strange beauty under the candlelight.
The men could not help but look over. Even in such a dangerous time, they were still seduced, and their eyes were lustful.
”Shouldn’t have let her in.” The bloated woman glared at the pitiful woman, her eyes full of jealousy. That b*tch was still flirting…
The red-haired woman heard her words and carefully curled up in the corner. She worked hard to squeeze a favorable smile onto her face. Unclear sounds came from her mouth. ”Uh…uh…” She was mute.
The bloated woman froze. But when she saw the raised stomach, the disgusted expression intensified. She spat, ”Wh*re…”
The red-haired woman was taken aback. Her pale face darkened and she breathed quietly in pain.
”Don’t be scared, my child.” The priest wrapped his rosary beads around her hand, his expression sympathetic. ”God will protect you.”
Her body trembled, but she lowered her head and grasped the beads as if God really would protect her.
-
This woman had come last winter. She had not come with a merchant group or from the road. She had come from the direction of the Dark World.
That afternoon, a hunter saw her in the swamp. She was wearing ragged white clothing and walking barefoot in the swamp. She was on her last breath. Everyone thought that the red hair was like dying flames and was beautiful, as if it were a gift from the demons.
”She must be cursed,” was what everyone thought when they saw her.
No one knew how she came out of the unknown darkness. She was mute and could not talk. She could not write either, but no one here knew how to write. It was obvious that she had wandered for a long time. In the end, she stayed in the village.
The village ”selflessly” accepted her. As long as she was willing to sell her body, she could receive precious food. Was this not common sense? She had no money or any skills. If she wanted to survive, she had to pay something.
In the beginning, she protested, but then she stopped. Maybe she had accepted her fate.
”She does it willingly,” was what everyone said.
Later, her stomach grew bigger day by day. No one knew whose child it was. Every man had fallen for her beauty and loved this wh*re, forgetting their crude and bloated wives…She was so beautiful.
The young priest snuck a glance at her side profile and gulped. Even restrained by his vow, he could not help but thirst and lust.
”Don’t be scared. God will protect you…” He reached out to caress her cheeks. But a rumbling forced that thought away.
-
The earth began to shake. Another wall had fallen with a crash. The roars of beasts echoed in the darkness, as well as faint cries. In the sanctuary, everyone’s face was deathly white.
This was all in their mind, right? No sound should be able to get past the heavy gate. But the sound was there, resounding in their hearts. Their fear caused them to hold their breaths.
Had a demon’s voice gotten closer? They were attracted by something. Was it the smell of fear? Or was it the pained whimpers? Because of the wails of grief?
Everyone was stunned. They looked behind them at the woman curled up on the ground, whimpering in pain. Her face was white and she covered her mouth, trying to suppress her pain, but she could not stop moaning. Redness spread over her lower body and dyed the ragged dress…It was blood.
”She’s giving birth?” Everyone finally realized it. F*ck, her water had broken from the fall and now she was going to give birth soon! That d*mned baby just had to come out at this time!
Pain ripped through her body and she shook, using all her might to stop herself from crying out. Tears rolled down her pale face.
The cries of demons neared.
”That’s her voice…” someone murmured in horror.
”Shut up!” The bloated woman’s expression changed abruptly. ”Shut up, do you want to kill us all?”
”Stop crying!”
”Are we going to let her give birth here?”
”Strangle her…” someone yelled quietly, ”Don’t let this b*tch endanger us all.”
Instantly, all sound vanished. Everyone froze. In the long silence, the crowd stared at her, but the fear in their eyes had been ignited and turned into a beastly glint. That was all they could do…right?
Someone stepped forward subconsciously.
The red-haired woman froze. She watched as the people crowded around her. Their expressions became fierce and vicious as if they were going to do something.
”I’m sorry.” A woman holding a child looked at her. Her eyes were blank but filled with cruelty. ”My son is only two years old…I’m sorry, but he can’t die yet.”
”Uh, uh…” She finally realized what would happen next. She screamed and shook her head with force, edging back until her back was to the heavy gate. There was nowhere to run.