Chapter 3: Deamon Booth and Ming Xi

On August 13th, Brandon and Claire Booth were welcoming their new son into the world. It was a long painful night but to Claire, it was worth every hour.

The couple began to wait to see the newborn's eyes, but he never opened them. t

The doctors couldn't explain why, or even examine him to find out. For the sake of new parents, they said it was normal, and sent them home with their son, Deamon.

Deamon was the last one born with basilisk eyes. One look into his eyes and the person will turn to stone.

When his mother finally saw his yellow eyes, her heart soared, but her life soon ended.

When Brandon, came home all he heard was Deamon's wails. Running to the baby room, his eyes widened to see a statue holding the baby boy. Brandon snatched the child from the stone grip.

Looking at the face he gasped seeing Claire's face. Holding Deamon, Brandon began to weep.

For the next couple of years, Brandon had found out why his beloved wife had died. Loathing his son, he abandoned Deamon on one of the most dangerous streets in the city.

A few days passed, and Deamon was crying by the trash behind an old Chinese restraunt. While coming out the back door the older man in dark glasses found him crying by a dumpster.

"Hello?" he asked as the crying stopped. He watched with wide eyes Deamon peek out but quickly looked down. He picked up Deamon and took off the glasses to reveal the same eyes Deamon had. Deamon only tilted his head.

"I can't believe I found you," he says as Deamon tilted his head at the man's words "you'll come with me ok? I'll keep you safe," He said and walked back inside to get Deamon a meal.

The man that swore to protect him was Lao Xi, who also was born with the Basilisk curse.

Deamon was only 4 when he met this man he would call both Master and Father. Deamon also met Lao's daughter Ming. She was born a month after Deamon.

She's a half-demon and her father had wed a demoness many years ago but was sadly killed a month after Ming was born. Her family had arranged a marriage long ago, to Guan Yu, and after finding out about her marriage and child he killed her in rage. Saddened at the loss of his love, he helped hide Ming away in fear of him coming to kill his last piece of his wife.

When Deamons training began, Lao explained what his curse was through the poem from centuries ago.

Born without sight, seeing no light. The parents' fright, 2 months time. Sees the light, followed blue eyes. First Mother, vengeful Father, Left to seek the other sight, only 2 remain in time.

The poem tells how the curse affects the life of one born to the curse. The cursed one will not open their eyes for 2 months, and when their eyes open to see the mother's eyes she is the first victim. The father raged at the loss will leave the child to die, only for the cursed child to grow up looking for the other eye or the other eye will find them.

Lao told him this story as Deamon realized why his father abandoned him.

Within a week, Lao began training and conditioning him. Every day Lao blindfolded him and trained him to use his other senses. Ming trained alongside Deamon. Challenging each other every step of the way.

The pair grew to be siblings and faced anything Lao threw out at them, but nothing prepared them for the death of Lao, he was killed by Guan Yu after he tried to find where Ming was.

The pair found him in his bedroom with a dark red-handled katana in his back.

Deamon quickly grabbed Ming and pulled her into his chest as she wept. A note was stained with blood on the wall. 'I'll find you...' it read.

They had only one choice, to run and hide from Guan Yu.

They packed all the belongings they would need. Deamon and Ming moved Lao into a better position, prayed, and gave their respects to Lao. Putting a picture of Lao with Mings mother in his hands, they covered him with a blanket and began to find a new city to hide in.

Ming took the Katana and swore she would kill Guan Yu for his crimes.

Walking away from their only home with heads held high but their hearts heavy.