OneShot book

Vale of Crimson

Shu has never been particularly fond of his mundane, humdrum existence. None of us ever really wanted a wearisome mediocre life, yet many of us are living one.

Nevertheless, all he perceived was the absurdity. The abnormal phenomenon of unnerving creatures haunting the people around him, in fact they are as if invincible to the naked eyes of humans. Except Shu. His life could be anything but normal. Feeling, though, it's a mix of facts and fantasy that overlooked his temporarily incapacitated vitality to face the horrifying man eating monsters arises from within their hearts. Shu believed he was either cursed or born as a curse and let his fate and destiny dangling over the bloodcurdling voices of many lives forcefully being taken away, while he watch helplessly. These moments in his life were still an enigma to him.

Things should not have been turned out the way it has unfortunately became as if the universe must be in sudden fascination to send him a lot of bad luck. Those bed time fairytales his mother used to tell him back in his childhood, feels strangely connected. If it's not the case, Shu didn't think one day he would be in a situation where those simple tales unfolds it's beguiling grief stricken nature before his very eyes. The flip side of the same coin, the darkness left behind by the light's shadows.

"Those horrifying monsters were alive, haunting people."

At first Shu brushed it off and believed he was just paranoid about things and later when it still continues like an endless night lurking in the corners to reveal it's demons, however after witnessing the frightening scene that still feels fresh from the memory. The evil spirit ruthlessly slaughtered a man alive, ripping off his limbs and tore the head off it body. "It's a living nightmare." Shu shook the thought off when he noticed a woman standing beside him, too busy on her phone. Oblivious to the spine chilling creature swirling around her lustfully.

"It's only a matter of time, she won't make it another day."

Judging by the intensity of the spirit's mana, it has already suppressed the limits far beyond the bounds. Shu was uncomfortable about this truth, unnoticed by the rest of the mankind. These hideous monsters were the reflection of people's deep rooted fears. Born in begrudging grief and vengeance but helpless to defy the vicious emotions grows within a person. These atrocious monsters were raised in hate, fed on a person's overwhelming emotions, inconspicuously seizing their attention towards the mortal beings to savour the taste of fears instilled in everyone's mind.

Those people who have committed a sinful act or fallen victim to their own beguiling despair were prone to be attacked by these malicious spirits. Depending on their mana intensity marks their death count.

"If only they could see it as well."

If there really is a genie that grants someone a wish, Shu would rather fancy power to nullify the curse's effect on him. As a result of the curse, he has the unfortunate ability to see those atrocious spirits and hideous creatures haunting them.

Shu waited for a moment staring at the boisterous street bustling with people and their evil spirits lurking around them hungrily, it is impossible to exorcise the evil spirits off everyone solely. Even if Shu decided to go all around the whole country to help people to cast out the evil spirits off, it requires a great amount of mana. Because of the cursed power to sense the presence of evil spirits, Shu has a weak constitution and he doesn't have a mana. A taxi pulled over, Shu hesitantly stepped in before glancing at the woman.

"They won't believe me even if I try to warn them, they would think I've gone mad."

He couldn't help but pity her. Shu has went out of his way to warn people before, quite literally many times. But they were not ready to believe a child's mischievous pranks.