~𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳~ // 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘻𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

- 𝕚𝕚: Prologue -

It was cold.

So, so cold.

It was hard to differentiate the physical cold that coiled around your body like a deadly serpent and the cold that froze over your heart. The cold tears down your cheek were that of a different caliber, being frozen in the frigid mountain air. The wind howled and snow drifted down gracefully, too gracefully. It completely opposed the bloody scene behind you.

Your feet stumbled through the snow, naked and numb. You fell several times, but got back to your feet almost immediately. Your fingers and toes were red, blood stained your hands crimson. It wasn't your own blood, however, it was your sisters.

"We have to go! Come on!" You tugged on your younger sister's arm, but she was too dazed to continue running. Blood trickled down her side; her left arm was gone, and nothing but a bloody stump was left.

"Y/n... our family..." tears brimmed her eyes.

"That bastard- I know! But we don't have time now! We can still escape! Please, don't give up! Not yet! We still have a chance! Let's go!" You heaved her onto your back and continued running into the woods.

She let you carry her, her body taut and rigid with fear. She grasped your shoulders tightly and sobbed into your neck. Her nails dug into your skin until it bled, but that wasn't a concern right now. She was only fourteen. She didn't deserve this... nobody does.

Your grandmother would always tell you about stories of her killing demons in some strange organization, but you had never thought them to be true. She was a senile old coot, and didn't know what she was talking about, and yet... A demon had slaughtered your loved ones that night.

You fell to the ground, your knees giving out under your tired body. Why did you decide to work today? Out of all the days you could've chosen to go into town, why now? Tears stung at your eyes, drying from the force of the bitter wind.

A figure loomed over your body, and you felt the weight of your younger sister vanish. You immediately got to your knees, looking around frantically for where she went.

Under the safety of a tree, the demon, whose eyes were marked "lower one", bit down on your sisters neck. You screamed, reaching out to the demon pathetically, as you watched in horror as your last surviving family member's blood turned the snow a beautifully gruesome shade of red.

The demon payed you no mind, as you sat frozen in place, watching your sisters eyes roll back into her head, her mouth agape in a soundless scream. He threw her limp body to the side, not even bothering to eat it.

You got to your feet and tripped over yourself, regaining your balance and running again. It was easier to run without carrying her, but your heart ached to hold her again; the toll of her death was already taking place.

You fell to the concrete of the town, just west of your home, and halfway down the mountain. One of the citizens rushed to your aid, helping you up and taking you to their house to treat you.

Your family was dead. Really, truly, gone. You would never see them again, never laugh with them again, never hug them again, never do favours for them. You'd never see the face of your little brother cackling when he made you wrestle with him, or the smile of your youngest sister when you ran to get water from the well with her.

Anything you had lived for before had been stripped from your life. You had nothing to love. No one to love. And it was all that monster's fault.

The overwhelming guilt, sorrow, anger, and hopelessness of that night weighed heavy on your chest, as if someone had placed an anvil on you and left you to die.