The wind carried a deceptive serenity, its gentle caress whispering across the forest air like a lullaby. Yet, as it reached the Demurge, its true nature was revealed—an unrelenting force that licked at its flesh with the precision of countless unseen blades. The soothing breeze turned into a treacherous gale, unraveling the Demurge’s essence piece by piece, as though the air itself had conspired against it, calm and destruction intertwined in perfect harmony.
The Demurge was a grotesque amalgamation of writhing shadows and sinew, its form constantly shifting as though reality itself rejected its presence. It stood over ten feet tall, with spindly, elongated limbs that tapered into jagged claws. Its torso was a mass of warped, pulsating flesh, riddled with glowing cracks that leaked an eerie, otherworldly light. A single, lidless eye dominated its face—or what passed for one—a black abyss with pinpricks of crimson light swirling in its depths. The creature’s movements were unnatural, as if its body was held together by the will of something far beyond comprehension.
It screamed, an unholy wail that pierced the air, as the force of the wind slammed it into a nearby tree. Its monstrous form withered and cracked under the pressure, parts of its body evaporating like mist.
Walking calmly toward the writhing beast was a high school girl, the sharp contrast between her nonchalant demeanor and the chaos around her impossible to ignore. She sucked on a lollipop, the candy stick bobbing slightly as she moved, her emerald green eyes half-lidded with disinterest.
Savannah was dressed casually, in a black hoodie that hung loosely over her frame and joggers that made her look like she’d just come from the gym. Her fiery red hair was tied up lazily, a few strands falling over her face as she came to a stop.
“Oi, oi, oi,” she muttered, her voice carrying the weight of irritation and authority. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze locking onto the Demurge. “You shitheads couldn’t take a day off?”
The Demurge sneered at her, its grotesque maw twisting into something resembling a grin before it bellowed, its unearthly roar reverberating through the air. Before the sound could spread, the wind surged again, slamming into the creature with renewed force, silencing it instantly. Hi
She tilted her head, her expression still bored, though there was now a flicker of annoyance in her sharp green eyes. “Keep it down,” she said flatly. “I don’t need the school finding out about this.”
With a sigh, she placed a hand on her head, leaning back as though the entire situation was an inconvenience too great to bear. “I was hoping this would be a vacation,” she muttered, her voice tinged with exaggerated exasperation.
She straightened, pointing a finger at the creature, her lollipop bobbing as she spoke. “But you just had to show up, didn’t you? Ugh, how many are you?” Her tone was sharp now, cutting through the tense air as she waited for the answer knowing one wasn’t coming.
The Demurge twisted its grotesque features into something that might have been a smile—at least, that’s what she assumed it was. The sight of its mockery annoyed her instantly, her green eyes narrowing in irritation.
“Wind dry ya tongue?” she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm as she tapped the stick of her lollipop against her teeth. The creature sneered in response, its single, lidless eye pulsing with defiance.
“Fine, don’t answer.” She rolled her eyes, as though the effort of engaging it further wasn’t worth her time.
Then her expression shifted. Her emerald eyes flared with an otherworldly brilliance, and the air around her seemed to still, as though the world itself held its breath. In an instant, the wind she’d summoned roared to life again, but this time it was not a weapon of pressure or force—it was pure annihilation.
The Demurge had no time to react. Its form shattered, torn apart by the overwhelming surge of energy. The shadows and sinew that composed its body disintegrated, leaving only a faint echo of its existence lingering in the air.
She let out a long sigh, tossing the lollipop stick to the ground and muttering under her breath, “Guess that’s one way to start a vacation.”
“What a waste of time,” she muttered, kicking at the dissipating remnants of the Demurge as though its destruction wasn’t worth the effort. She crossed her arms, her green eyes narrowing in thought. “Maybe I should’ve tortured it a bit more…”
She turned to leave but froze mid-step, her gaze sharpening as she sensed something—an aura nearby, it was tryna hide but was unmistakably present.
“Shit,” she muttered under her breath, her annoyance flaring. She had been sure she’d taken the fight far enough from everyone to avoid prying eyes. Such a pain, she thought, dragging a hand through her fiery red hair as she started walking toward the aura with purposeful strides.
“Hey!” she called out, her voice cutting through the silence. “Come out! I know you’re there.”
When no response came, her irritation grew. She stopped, tapping her foot impatiently, her green eyes glinting with barely concealed annoyance.
“Oi!” she snapped, her voice rising. “I know you’re there! Damn it, just come out already! I don’t feel like walking all the way over there…”
Her words hung in the air. The aura began to move, slowly at first, then with increasing urgency. She sighed, exasperation flickering across her face. Really? she thought. As it picked up pace, her patience wore thin. The air around her shimmered and twisted, bending reality itself. A spiral of wind coiled around her, warping her figure until she disappeared in a blur of motion, only to reappear in an instant directly in front of the source of the aura.
The boy yelped, stumbling back in surprise. He was a high schooler, like her—a brown-haired kid wearing a plain jacket and blue jeans. His glasses slid down his nose as he shook like a leaf, clearly out of his depth.
“I—I um… I ummm…” he stammered, his words barely coherent.
She crossed her arms and tilted her head, glaring at him. “Why the hell were ya following me?”
“I wasn’t! I saw the—the—the—” he sputtered, his hands flailing as he struggled to explain.
“Calm down,” she said, her tone firm but less irritated. “Breathe, little boy.”
“I’m not a little boy!” he snapped, his voice rising in defiance. “Take that back!”
She smirked, unbothered by his outburst. “Then stop acting like one, idiot.”
“Why are you so mean?!” he blurted out, his face turning red.
Her smirk vanished as she leaned closer, her green eyes narrowing dangerously. “Why were ya following me? You know how much more work this is gonna cause me!”
His confidence crumbled in an instant. “I’m sorry…” he muttered, his voice barely audible as he looked down, avoiding her piercing gaze.
She sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. “Well, I guess I’ll just wipe his memory,” she muttered to herself, reaching into her pocket for her pendant—a sleek, silver vial designed to erase memories of regulars who stumbled into things they shouldn’t.
Her hand met nothing but air. She glanced down and noticed the torn seam of her pocket, her shoulders slumping in irritation.
“Goddamn meat shit!” she hissed, her glare snapping to the remains of the Demurge. It hadn’t laid a claw on her, but she hadn’t thought about the collateral damage to her clothes. Clenching her fist, she took a moment to simmer before sighing heavily, the tension easing slightly.
The boy stood there, frozen, clearly too terrified to say anything. They stared at each other in awkward silence.
“Well, this is awkward,” she muttered, breaking the tension.
“What were you about to do to me?!” he yelped, his voice cracking with panic.
She waved a hand dismissively. “Nothing bad, but now it’s pointless… ugh.” She groaned, dragging her hand over her face.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out suddenly.
She raised an eyebrow. “What you blabbing about now?”
“I’m sorry for causing trouble…” he said, looking down at his shoes. “I saw you fighting that… demon—”
“Demurge,” she corrected flatly.
“What?”
“It was a Demurge,” she repeated, rolling her eyes. “A demon is way stronger.”
“Holy crap!” he exclaimed, his glasses slipping down his nose as his jaw dropped. “So demons and angels exist.”
“No.” She sighed again, deeper this time, as though the conversation itself was draining her soul.
“Then just demons?” He blinked, his mind clearly racing. “That sounds… um… scary considering they rape and pillage…
“It’s just a name. Nothing more. You got a sick mind.” She cut him off with a tired wave.
“No! No! It’s just this campaign I’m in right now has these awful demons Kyle made and their biblical accur-.” He stopped as she just stared at him.
“Anyway, get up. We’re heading back.”
“What? Why? he asked, confused.
“I can handle myself,” she said, rubbing her temples, “but having you gone too long is just gonna cause… issues.”
He hesitated for a moment before nodding, shuffling nervously behind her as she turned and started walking, muttering under her breath about how much of a pain the whole situation was.
“I said I was so—”
“If you apologize again,” she interrupted, her tone sharp as a blade, “you’ll end up like that Demurge.”
That shut him up. He walked in silence, trailing a few steps behind her as they made their way through the forest. The dense canopy above filtered the sunlight into scattered patches, casting dappled patterns across the dirt trail. The air was crisp and carried the faint smell of pine and earth, mingled with the distant sound of a bubbling stream.
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They were in a wilderness park nestled in the hills of California, a spot chosen for their school trip to give everyone a “break from technology” and a “chance to connect with nature.” The path they followed was overgrown in places, with vines creeping along the edges and roots jutting out like forgotten scars in the earth. Birds chirped overhead, a stark contrast to the heavy silence that hung between them.
“I’m Howard by the way,” he offered, breaking the quiet.
“I know your name, dumbass,” she shot back without even glancing at him.
“You don’t have to be so mean!” he huffed, his voice full of indignation.
She sighed, yet again, the weight of her irritation evident.
“So, are you not gonna talk about the, um…”
“Demurge?” she cut him off, finally looking over her shoulder. “No.”
He frowned. “I have a lot of questions.”
“I bet you do,” she said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.
Howard stopped walking, folding his arms as if to anchor himself. His sudden halt made her stop too, turning to face him with an arched brow and an exasperated look.
“Growing a pair?” she asked, her voice laced with amusement as she crossed her arms and tilted her head.
“Shut up!” Howard snapped, his cheeks reddening.
She smirked. “What, you want a rundown of how the world as you know it is a lie? Think this is the origin story for your big anime protagonist arc?”
“No! Well… no!” he said, stumbling over his words. “But you can’t expect me not to be curious about this! Like, a demon—”
Her glare cut him off mid-sentence, sharp and unrelenting.
“—I mean, uh, a demi-rouge?” he corrected awkwardly.
“Demurge,” she said flatly, her expression unimpressed.
“Right, Demurge,” he muttered, scratching the back of his head. “And you were controlling wind?”
“Manifesting it,” she corrected, her tone clipped.
“See!” he exclaimed, throwing up his hands in frustration. “You can’t just drop half-answers after something like that! What the heck even was that?!”
She rolled her eyes and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as though trying to summon the patience to deal with his barrage of questions.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” she said dismissively, brushing his questions aside with a flick of her hand. “You’re gonna forget all of this once we get back to camp.” She pointed a finger at him, her green eyes narrowing. “And you better not blab about this until then. Understood?”
Howard crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Or what?”
Her expression shifted to one of incredulous disbelief. “Huh!?”
“Or what? You gonna kill me with your manifest wind?” he challenged, his smirk growing as he leaned forward slightly.
She blinked, caught off guard by his boldness. “Are you trying to strong-arm me?!”
“Only if it’s working…”
She stared at him for a moment, then let out a begrudging laugh. “You got a pair, I’ll give you that, kid.”
“We’re the same age, probably,” he shot back, rolling his eyes. “And we’re in the same grade, genius.”
“Genius!” she repeated with mock offense, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s rich coming from the nerd who thought it’d be okay to chase after a Demurge.”
“Only because I saw you fighting it!” he countered, his voice rising in frustration.
“That doesn’t make it better!” she retorted, throwing her hands up in exasperation. The two stared each other down, the tension between them laced annoyance and reluctant respect.
“Okay, let’s make a deal,” Howard said, trying to sound confident.
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You still think you’re in charge here?”
“Just listen to me, okay?” he said, exasperated.
“And why should I?” she shot back, her tone sharp. “I honestly should crush—”
“If I’m going to be killed or whatever when we get back to camp—”
“Oi! Dumbass!” she interrupted, glaring at him. “Why would I kill you at camp? And not, you know, here?”
He blinked, realizing she had a point. “That’s… a good point,” he admitted with a sigh, straightening up. “Well, since I won’t remember. And you’ll do that how?”
“Doesn’t matter. You won’t remember.”
His voice was tinged with slight annoyance now. “Anyway, why don’t you explain what’s going on? I’m dying to know… honestly.”
She stared at him, her green eyes narrowing slightly, but he didn’t back down. Instead, he fixed his glasses and stared right back.
“You got any gum?” she asked suddenly.
“Huh?” he said, caught off guard.
“You stop speaking English?” she teased, smirking.
“Screw you…” he muttered, reaching into his pocket. “Yeah, I got some.”
“Give it to me,” she said, holding out her hand. “As payment.”
“Why?” he asked, clearly confused.
“I guess you don’t want to know, then,” she said with a shrug, turning away.
“Okay, okay, fine,” he groaned, tossing her the pack of gum.
She caught it easily, tearing it open with practiced nonchalance. “It’s because that damn shit blob cut my pocket, and my lollipops are gone,” she muttered, popping three pieces of gum into her mouth at once.
Howard blinked. “I do see you sucking on those a lot…”
She turned to him, her green eyes narrowing playfully. “So, you’ve been watching me.”
“No!” he said quickly, his voice rising an octave. “Don’t make this weird.”
She ignored him, chewing the gum for a moment before wrinkling her nose in disgust. “This gum is shit.”
“You asked for it,” Howard snapped. “And I paid, so start talking!”
“Watch ya mouth, kid,” she said with a smirk.
“I’m not a kid!” he huffed, crossing his arms, but he couldn’t help the slight smirk tugging at his lips.
She started walking, her quick, deliberate pace forcing Howard to jog to catch up. He stumbled a bit over a tree root but managed to keep up, his curiosity outweighing his frustration.
“So…” he began, trying to break the silence.
“So?” she echoed without looking at him, her tone indifferent, though she knew exactly what he was fishing for.
He hesitated before asking, “What’s a Demurge, anyway? And, like, where do they come from?”
She sighed, adjusting her hoodie as she walked. “You’re really not gonna let this go, are ya?”
“Nope.” He fixed his glasses and kept his gaze on her, waiting.
“Fine,” she muttered, chewing the gum as if it were fuel for her patience. “Demurges aren’t from here. They’re these nasty creatures that pop into our world from… somewhere else. Nobody really knows where they come from—another dimension, maybe, or some void beyond existence. Doesn’t matter. They’re trouble.”
Howard furrowed his brow, intrigued. “What do they want?”
She gave a humorless laugh. “To mess things up, mostly. They’re not exactly ‘thinking’ creatures the way we are. They’re like predators—they see this world, and it’s like a feast to them. They devour energy, life, anything they can get their claws on.”
“So they’re like parasites?”
“Yeah, but way worse,” she said, finally glancing at him. “Parasites just take what they need to survive. Demurges? They’re like black holes—hungry, endless, and destructive. If one sticks around too long, it can tear apart reality itself.”
Howard shuddered. “And they just… show up? Like, randomly?”
“Pretty much,” she said, her pace not slowing. “There are cracks between worlds—weak points where they can slip through. Sometimes it’s because of people messing with things they shouldn’t, and sometimes it’s just bad luck. Either way, someone’s gotta deal with them.”
“Like you,” he said, his tone more serious now.
“Like me,” she confirmed, glancing up at the trees as if she were checking for something. “It’s not a job I wanted, but someone’s gotta keep this crap from ruining everything.”
Howard jogged a few steps ahead to look at her face. “You’ve been doing this for a while, huh?”
She didn’t answer right away, her green eyes focused ahead. “Long enough to know you don’t get breaks from it,” she said quietly, then flicked her gaze back to him.
He smirked despite himself, falling back in step beside her.
“So what’s a demon then?” Howard asked, trying to keep up with her quick pace. “A stronger Demurge or something?”
She sighed, clearly not thrilled to be his personal encyclopedia. “Sort of,” she said after a moment. “Demons are what happen when a Demurge survives long enough and feeds on enough energy. It evolves, gets smarter, stronger, and way harder to kill. They’re rare, but they’re a whole other level of nasty compared to your average Demurge.”
Howard blinked. “And then what? Are demons the top of the food chain?”
She let out a dry laugh. “Not even close. Beyond demons, you’ve got Apostles and Lords. They’re the rulers of their kind—entities so powerful they can wipe out entire cities, sometimes even continents, without breaking a sweat. They don’t just destroy; they command. Whole armies of lesser Demurges and demons will follow their orders. They’re strategic and cruel, like generals in a never-ending war.”
Howard swallowed hard, a chill running down his spine. “And they’re still not the top?”
“Nope.” She glanced at him, her emerald eyes glinting with something unreadable. “Above Apostles and Lords, there’s something else. Something almost no one survives meeting. Theoretically.”
“What are they called and why theoretically?” he asked, curiosity laced with dread.
She stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him fully. Her voice dropped, her tone carrying a weight that made the forest seem quieter. “They’re called Endbringers.”
“Endbringers?” he echoed, the word sending a shiver through him.
“Yeah,” she said, her voice steady but grim. “They’re not just powerful—they’re apocalyptic. An Endbringer doesn’t just kill; it annihilates. No one knows how many there are or where they come from, but if one ever shows up here? Game over. Nothing we have could stop it.”
“Then how do we know about it?”
“They closed the rift before the energy coming from it came out.”
Howard stared at her, his mind reeling. “And you deal with this kind of stuff?”
She shrugged. “Not Endbringers, thank God. Yet. But demons, Apostles, Lords? Yeah. I handle them when they show up.
He let out a nervous laugh, unsure if she was joking or serious, and as they started walking again, the air feeling heavier with every step.
“Wait,” Howard said, his brow furrowed in disbelief. “You can defeat them?”
She slowed her pace slightly, the gum shifting in her mouth as she chewed in thought. “Not alone,” she admitted, her tone even. “I’m not that strong. That’s a whole team effort—and even then, most of the time, it’s about containment, not outright victory. You don’t ‘beat’ something like that; you survive it.”
Howard blinked. “So… what about demons? Can you take those down?”
She glanced at him, her green eyes sharp. “Yeah,” she said after a pause. “I can kill a demon. But it’s not easy. It’d take a lot of work and… a lot of luck.”
“Still, that’s impressive,” he said, genuinely awed. “You’re like a one-woman army.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get carried away. I’m good, but I’m not invincible. Demons are tough, and every fight’s a gamble. You screw up, even a little, and it’s bye-bye.”
Howard nodded, his admiration tempered by the reality of her words. “Guess I’ll stay out of your way next time.”
“Smartest thing you’ve said all day,” she replied with a smirk, quickening her pace again.
“So what are you?!” Howard blurted out, jogging to keep up with her quick strides. “Are you even human?”
She stopped for a moment, turning her head just enough to glance at him over her shoulder, her green eyes gleaming. “I’m a Veythari,” she said, her voice steady and confident.
“A what?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
“A Veythari,” she repeated. “We draw on the power of Manifestation.”
“Manifestation,” he echoed, tasting the unfamiliar word. “So… what does that mean? What do you mean Manifestation? How does it work? Are there more of you? Were you born like this or—”
“That’s as much as your shit gum is gonna get you, kid,” she cut him off with a smirk, turning back to the trail and resuming her pace.
“Hey, come on!” he protested, jogging to keep up again. “You can’t just drop a cool word like that and not explain it!”
She didn’t even glance back at him. “I just did. Deal with it.”
Howard groaned in frustration but couldn’t hide the flicker of excitement in his eyes. Whatever a Veythari was, he was sure it was just the tip of the iceberg.
As they got closer to the camp, she suddenly turned to him, stopping him in his tracks with a sharp look. “You better not—”
“I won’t, I won’t!” he interrupted quickly, raising his hands defensively. “This is a lot to unpack for an afternoon.”
She stared at him, her piercing green eyes scrutinizing his face.
“Seriously,” he added, trying to defuse the tension. “I won’t miss Demon Slayer, okay?”
She rolled her eyes before flicking his forehead hard enough to make him wince. “Meet me at my cabin in a little while. Its cabin Everbright.”
“Oh…” he said, rubbing his forehead. “You meant wiping my mind quickly.”
“No, genius, I meant over the course of a week while I watch Grey’s Anatomy,” she said sarcastically. “Yes, I meant quickly.”
“Wow, I thought you’d at least be a little sentimental,” he quipped, a lopsided grin on his face.
She gave him a smirk but leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a low, warning tone. “Don’t bail on me, Howard, or you’ll end up like that Demurge.”
His grin faltered, and he quickly nodded. “Got it. Loud and clear. Savannah.”
Without another word, she turned on her heel and started walking toward her cabin, her hoodie shifting slightly in the evening breeze. Howard stood there for a moment, watching her go, still processing everything that had happened.
“Veythari, Manifestation, Demurges, and wiping memories…” he muttered to himself. “Yeah, totally normal afternoon…”
He shook his head, adjusted his glasses, and let out a deep sigh, still in shock as her figure disappeared into the campground.
As Howard closed his eyes and began to walk toward his cabin, the air around him suddenly grew cold and heavy, the once-familiar sounds of the campground fading into an eerie silence. He froze, his instincts screaming at him to turn around. Slowly, he did, his breath catching in his throat.
A Demurge stood behind him, its grotesque form more unsettling than the one he’d seen earlier. Its body writhed with jagged shadows, its single, lidless eye staring directly into his soul. Faint cracks of glowing crimson light ran across its twisted, sinewy frame, pulsating like a heartbeat. The air seemed to hum with its presence, an oppressive weight pressing down on him.
Howard tried to back away, his legs trembling, but before he could react, the Demurge lunged.
