42 Meeting The Little Demon (2/2)
”...What are you.”
”Like I said, I am the Demon Infan...”
”No games!”
He had already seen beast in abnormal sizes, and a woman who can walk on air, seeing such a bipedal beast sounded like something in dreams.
”... Oh alright, geez, you really are no fun when you are serious...”
Like on Que, the stage started to light up, and shadow figure started emerging from the ground constantly changing shape as the Demon spoke, the figure started performing the story that could put to shame any award winning actor or actresses.
”Now then, let me explain who I am to you. But first let me tell you this, you sir, are quite a difficult person to grasp, you are for one thing, quite a capable person. But don't me wrong I believe every human has potential, but you are for one with many talents yet refuses to train them.”
Grabbing a wineglass the faceless figure started pouring soda and the demon gulped it down in one go, as the attendant continued to refill his glass the story continued.
”Humans you see are capable of adapting to all sorts of problems and crisis, which lead them to developing their lifestyle like making a society to support one another. Yet you are the type of person who can survive on his own just by trying.”
...
”Hehehe, that right, you sir are quite a capable person with some shortcomings, every human has potential in polishing their skills. But you sir, are the most talented I can ever compare, after all the only problem with you, is the fear of failure.”
...
”You see dear sir, you are a man with many talents but your constant fear of failing got the best of you and had continued to built up over the years, then there was the death of your parent, followed with being a working student, along with managing your constant expenses, etc, etc. You see over the years you fear, your desperation, your anxiety, your depression, deprivation, anger, rage, frustration, and many more had been bottled up inside you and then, I was born.”
'What...'
”Oh, caught your attention, well listen closely because this is important. Although I called it being 'born' it was more like I was aware what was going on, but I had no conscience at the time. To make it sound realistic, I am a state of mind like an 'ego' if you will, I was the reason why most of your anxieties or fears disappeared when they kept on building up over the years...”
”As time passed, I was slowly learning around me from your perspective, and I have learned a lot of things from you. In fact, everyone in your world has one, but they get rid of beings like me easily.”
”...Then you were born in my world.”
”Yes and no, I was technically born inside you and had gained my sense of self or conscience after you finally crossed your limit in this world. After having your first time killing someone with your own hands, followed with killing unintentionally an 'innocent' wolf have left you questioning yourself, if living the same idea from your world should be better or should you accept killing as a daily occurrence, so here I ask you. Why did you suddenly change?”
...
”Heheehe, couldn't answer. Alright the fun was over already so I will make the reveal, it was because of me.”
Like insulting Stigma, he gave his widest grin and stared at Stigma with his eyes bloodshot as stabbed his knife on a piece of steak on the table causing all the plates staked up to shake from the tremor.
”You see dear sir, I am your Alter Ego a split personality if you will, born from the bottled up emotion you have pushed down and after absorbing the Grudge energy I had gained the right to have a form and conscience.”
”When you go to combat, I take over your state of mind halfway, shutting down anything related to fear and replacing it with a state of nihilism, where you feel no empathy or apathy after committing such atrocities like brutally torturing someone, I am technically taking over you, you get...”
....
”Just so you know, I can't lie to you, understand.”
”Then what about everything here.”
Stigma gestured around him because he was confused about the explanation, if he was born from his constant stress, then what about this world.
”Heheheehe, this world is the manifestation of your hopes, dreams, talents, and fortune, namely your inner world.”
He thought back for a moment and piece together on his findings.
Like before, he had tried opening all the doors by the hallways, but only found three to be accessible. When he entered, there were some light heading upward, making it easier for him to see inside.
Each had a wide room that could fit about twenty people with a staircase leading upward like an antic. When he looked up the staircase, he found a second level and saw that each one had another stair case leading upward but a human sized chess piece positioned on the steps.
Each chess piece was normal from the bottom half, yet on top had a stone tablet with carved figures: one had a man throwing a spear, another had a man wielding knives, and last one had a man following a beast.
He had his suspicion but he ignored them for a while, and went back to follow the music. He then noticed that each one had different levels when he entered, like the one with the man throwing had about two floors, the knife one had two as well, and the last had the same thing but the stairs leading upwards were missing a few steps when he counted.
If his guess was right the rooms were his representations of his talent, then what about the empty frames.
”Those are your former dreams you see, by the way since I am in your world I can read your mind as well.”
'Then everything else has a meaning...'
”That's right, everything...”
Stigma thought for a moment and realized something was odd, if those represented his dreams why were they empty, the rooms must have been the talents he had but why were they looked, the more he looked into it the more he realized how complicated his world was.
'But that's not important...'
He lifted his head and turned to the demon smiling at him.
”You...are lying about something aren't you.”
The demon started smiling deeper from having his trick exposed.