A Scenario of Destiny

Hidden away in the depths of a forest, beneath the gnarled roots of a massive, ancient tree, lived a little demon. But this little demon was different. It couldn't speak the human language. That morning, it woke up with a feeling of unease. The night before, it had found a book with a picture of a creature that looked just like itself. A burning curiosity welled up inside, compelling it to return to that spot. It hoped to see the little girl who had left the book again, the girl who seemed to understand it.

Dawn had not yet fully broken, but the demon was already moving like a flash. It arrived at the spot, staring at the book and the remaining berries left behind. Its sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any traps or hidden dangers. However, its worries faded, replaced by a singular focus on the book, a mirror that might explain its very existence. It sat quietly, patiently, waiting for the arrival of the little girl who had unsettled its heart.

Meanwhile, in a house on the edge of the forest, Claire woke up with a fiery determination. She got ready and went to see her mother, who was still consumed with worry.

"Mother, I'm going back to that spot," Claire said. "I hope your book is still in one piece."

Her mother looked at her with concern. "Child, stop this. I'm afraid something will happen to you. Should I call your father?"

"Mother, don't worry," Claire reassured her. "I'll hide. I'm sure he won't hurt me." She continued, her voice filled with conviction, "I don't know why, but something tells me he's different. There's a kindness in him that I haven't seen in others' stories."

Her mother didn't give up, trying to persuade her to change her mind. "What if you have a guard with you? That way, you won't be alone."

Claire, who was strong-willed, finally agreed. "Alright, I agree," she replied, "but I want the guard to obey my every word."

A sigh of resignation escaped her mother's lips. "Stubborn child," she mumbled. "At least don't do anything dangerous."

"Hooray!" Claire cheered, quickly grabbing her bag. Her steps were light, followed by a guard who looked at her with a questioning gaze.

The guard, named Sir Gareth, was a war veteran who had fought many demons. He wore worn leather armor and carried a long sword. However, beneath his rugged exterior, his heart was filled with doubt and anxiety. His duty was to protect Claire, but he felt uneasy about this mission.

During the journey, Gareth tried to scare Claire with stories of demonic cruelty. "Are you sure, Princess? They are vile, heartless creatures." His voice was hoarse and serious, as if he were recounting a nightmare. "I've seen with my own eyes how demons destroy villages, burn fields, and kill farmers without mercy. Their horns are like knives, and their fangs can tear flesh. They are the embodiment of darkness."

However, Claire was unfazed. She was confident she could face the demon. "Even though I look like this, I can cast high-level spells. If he tries anything, I won't hesitate! Besides, I want to know the truth behind all those stories. Maybe not all demons are as evil as they say."

Gareth was stunned. He had never met someone so brave, or perhaps so foolish. "Whoa! You're amazing, Lady Claire!" he said, clapping his hands proudly, though his heart was still filled with great anxiety.

Finally, they arrived at the forest. From behind the bushes, they saw the demon. Gareth's heart pounded. He watched the demon carefully, seeing its curved blue horns and its big, round eyes.

At that moment, the little demon, who was engrossed in the book, suddenly looked up. Its sensitive nose caught a foreign scent—a human scent mixed with the smell of iron and sweat. It felt a subtle vibration in the ground, a tremor that could only be felt by a forest creature that had lived in the wild.

Its big, blue eyes narrowed, alert. It immediately stood up, pulling the book to its chest, and looked around. It didn't see anything, but its instincts screamed that there was danger nearby. It hid behind the tree roots, ready to flee if a threat came.

"Hey, Claire, is that the demon you were talking about?" Gareth whispered, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword.

Claire was silent, her mouth agape. A faint memory flashed, connecting her to the blue-horned demon in the book.

The guard continued to mumble, "But it's a blue-horned demon... could it be..."

Unconsciously, Claire stepped forward, as if hypnotized. She approached the demon, and finally, they stood face to face by the river, under the sudden, chilling silence of the forest.

"You..." Claire whispered, her voice trembling.

The demon looked at her, its big, blue eyes radiating an unexpected warmth. Claire held out her hand, offering a basket filled with berries. "Thank you for that time," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I want to give you this as a thank you for taking care of my mother's book."

The demon was surprised, unable to believe that a human would give it food. It waved its hand, politely refusing. However, Claire remained bowed, not moving. "Please, take it," she whispered. "I'm serious! It's for you!" Claire said, shouting with an embarrassed blush.

Forced, the demon accepted Claire's gift. Afterward, it took Claire's book, opened the page with its race's picture, then pointed to the picture and to itself.

"Demon?" Claire was confused.

The demon nodded, then pointed to itself again.

"Oh... yes, that's a demon, your race!" Claire said, smiling. "So, you want to say that you're a demon from this book? I get it now! I thought you were just a regular demon, but it turns out you're one of them!"

The demon's eyes lit up. It nodded excitedly, like a happy little dog.

"Could it be you can't talk?" Claire asked. "I just realized... you can only make sounds. If so, I'll teach you how to communicate!"

Claire finally realized, the demon in front of her couldn't utter a single word. She promised to bring a sign language book tomorrow. Without words, they understood each other through body language, a bond formed that transcended their racial differences.

Claire opened the picture book and read the page about demons.

"Demons are ancient creatures," Claire began reading aloud. "They have existed since the beginning of creation. Their forms are not always fixed. In the early stages of their existence, they were abstract beings, without a clear physical form. They were a manifestation of pure energy, like shadows or mists that could change shape at will."

Claire turned the page, looking at an illustration that showed various demon forms.

"However," she continued, "as time passed, when their interaction with the physical world became more intense, demons began to take on physical forms. This is a process called 'Incarnation.' This Incarnation can be very diverse. Some take on the form of terrifying animals, like dragons or giant wolves. There are also those who take on a more humanoid form, like the one you see in this mirror."

Claire pointed to the picture of the demon that looked like it in the book.

"And the rarest," Claire whispered, bringing the book closer to the demon's face, "is Human Incarnation. This type of demon has the ability to take on a human form. They can walk among us, speak our language, and even feel our emotions. They are very difficult to distinguish and often become a myth among humans."

Claire closed the book and looked at the little demon with sparkling eyes. "So, you are one of those who have incarnated. And you still can't talk, maybe because you're still very young or for another reason we don't know. But I'm sure you will understand."

Gareth, who had witnessed all of this from behind the bushes, felt his entire belief system crumble. He saw the demon he had always considered a monster, now interacting with his Princess so gently. The sword in his hand felt heavy, and the horror stories he had always heard seemed to turn to dust. His eyes welled up, realizing how narrow his view had been all this time. He felt ashamed of himself, of the hatred he had harbored for so long. His cold and vengeful heart began to melt.

Dusk arrived. Claire and her guard said their goodbyes. "See you... we'll meet again tomorrow! I'll bring a book that can help us understand each other!"

Their waves were warmly reciprocated by the little demon. Claire and her guard finally went home, leaving the demon with a heart full of happiness, looking forward to their meeting the next day. Gareth walked behind Claire, no longer with the steps of a wary guard, but with the steps of someone who had just found enlightenment.

To be continued.

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