𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫

Chapter Six: Final Selection

     A rancid odor passed your nose, and you stiffened.

     There's a demon nearby.

     Pivoting on one foot, you drew your sword. Your eyes darted around the area, looking for any movement.

     Your ears picked up a slight rustle, and your head snapped towards the noise.

     A demon emerged from the brush.

     "Hu hu hu..."  it smirked, showing pointed teeth and a lolling tongue. "Here's another little girl for me to feast upon tonight... Are you ready to die?"

     Looking at the demon, you almost pitied it. Reduced to nothing but a shell with an insatiable hunger for human flesh.

     "No last words then?" The demon's eyes glittered.

     "Only this." You produced the wisteria flower from your pocket. Upon smelling it, the demon gagged and stumbled backwards.

     "Get it away from me you fool! Don't you know that wisterias are poisonous to us?!"

     The demon backed away, while you advanced step by step. "Oh I am well aware of it." You held the flower in front of you as a shield.

     "You see, I can't kill you just yet." The demon was cornered against a tree. "I have something I need to test out."

     "If I do this, will you put that damn flower away?" It sputtered.

     "Maybe." Your lips curled up into a smirk. "Or maybe I'll just kill you."

     Holding the wisteria flower in one hand, you reached for the stone in your other pocket, not taking your gaze off the demon.

     "Touch this for me, will you?" You held the rock out.

     The demon reached a hand out, and you dropped the stone into its hand. Upon contact, it glowed a blood red.

     "Interesting..." you muttered.

     Noticing you dropped your guard, the demon leapt at you.

     Startled, the two of you tumbled across the clearing. Pinning your arms down, the demon smiled devilishly at you.

     "No escape now is there?"

     You winced, the claws of the demon digging into your skin.

     The wisteria—!

     One of your hands still held the flower. Twisting your wrist, you moved it closer. The demon went on about how it was going to disect you, piece by piece.

     When the petals touched skin, the demon shrieked. You guessed it didn't know you still had the wisteria.

     Immediately, it leapt off and backed away from you. Getting up, you assessed yourself.

     No cuts or wounds, thank goodness. Maybe minor bruising later, but that's about it.

     Keeping your senses alert, you moved across the clearing to grab your sword. The demon watched from the edge, its gaze infuriated and impatient.

     You stepped closer, your sword drawn, pointing right at the demon's chest. "And I thought we had a deal..."

     "What deal, idiot?! You should know not to trust us!" The demon hissed. "People like you are the ones we feast on, because of—!"

     Leaping forward, you severed its head from its body using the first form of Water Breathing.

     "I'm sorry." You looked down. "But a deal is a deal, and when it is broken, somebody has to pay."