Archdemons: Burning Memories

The Golden Sin member took Tetsuno through a deep forest of winding trees. Droplets of water that made their way through the branches would then fall through the canopy and to the dirt where they sank deep into the soil.

Tetsuno kept his blade drawn as he closely followed the Golden Sin member. His eyes never left the cowering man as he led the way through the ever twisting maze of trees.

"You best not be playing games." Tetsuno spoke. "I don't suggest it."

"Y-yes sir.." the man answered fearfully.

"Detsun." Came a voice from a ways off in the forest at that moment. "It really is too bad, I had high expectations for you. But you are little more than a cowardice traitor."

Tetsuno grew tense as he felt and insane feeling of dread. He instinctively raised his katana to block as he also positioned himself behind the Golden Sin member, Detsun, using him as a meat shield. Then a sudden gust of energy, like a shockwave, blasted through the trees in a thin wave. The blast completely severed Detsun's top half from the waist, as well as all f the trees as far as the eye could see. Tetsuno was sent flying back, the shockwave knocking him off his feet and back where he slammed into a tree stump. Then one of the hundreds and hundreds of trees that fell all at once crashed down on his leg, pinning him.

With a groan of pain, Tetsuno grit his teeth and pushed at the tree with all his might, but it refused to budge. Then he realized two more trees had fallen and stacked themselves over the one that now crushed his leg. And then he heard the sound of crackling flames.

Tetsuno went pale and lightheaded as he turned his eyes upwards, looking ahead of him. A couple yards away stood a dark figure, scarlet flames burning around its body. The figure had strange purple energy swirling around it while it's eyes flared directly at Tetsuno. Massive black wings spread from its back as well, and as it drew closer, Tetsuno became overwhelmed with emotions, confused and jumbled.

Now, as the demon drew closer, Tetsuno could make out the details clearly. It was the same one that had killed his wife, his village. It had a flat face with hollow holes for eyes that gave off an ominous purple light while two coiled horns curled from the sides of his head. His body was long and lanky, his arms hanging low, chains wrapped about his body. Black spikes and blades stuck out of the sides of his lower arms like serrated swords. The demon had a large underbite, sharp, jagged teeth jutting out of his lower jaw.

"Now.." the demon hissed. "Let's see who our invader is, shall we?" The being knelt down, a long talon reaching for Tetsuno's mask. In desperation, he reached for his katana, his fingers grasping for it, digging into the dirt as he willed his arm to reach, but the hilt was just out of reach. Then the demon noticed what he was reaching for.

"Oh?" It stood and reached a long arm out for the weapon, picking it up off the ground. "What an expertly crafted blade.. is this Bloodstone crafted into the side of the blade? So you can set it aflame? How intriguing."

The demon stared silently at Tetsuno for a long moment. Then it spoke, it's voice cold and sinister.

"Too bad its been wielded by a weak mortal. It has been tainted."

*CRACK*

The demon grabbed the weapon in both hands and then bent, snapping the blade in two. As Tetsuno watched, helpless, as the demon snapped his blade, it was like watching his soul, his heart, being shattered. In that moment, his drive was eliminated and he lost all sense of determination. He'd lost. It was that simple. He was a mortal, as Azazel had said. He was nothing.

The demon tossed the two halves of the katana aside, casting them into the flames that slowly encroached on them, closer and closer. This was it. He was going to die. No god would save him. No hero would come running to save the day. He was dead. This cruel cruel world, there was no such thing as miracles. No such thing as heroes. No such thing as hope.

Power was the only thing that mattered. And the weak would be crushed beneath the strong.

"It would seem you don't know who you were challenging, boy." The demon hissed. "I am the great Demon Lord of Hellfire, Aamon. Did you honestly believe you could... what's this..?"

The demon, Aamon, moved his talons towards Tetsuno, the claws grasping his mask before lifting it up and tossing it into the dancing fire, revealing Tetsuno's face.

As Aamon placed a talon against Tetsuno's forehead and brushed his hair aside, Tetsuno noticed that the demon's talons were scorching hot. Then he realized that Aamon' as entire body was rough, black and scorched. Aamon was literally made of volcanic rock.

"Ha.." Aamon laughed. "HAHAHA!! I know you.. you are that royal bitch from Keska, a village I destroyed myself long ago! Come for revenge have you? HAHAHA!! Why the hell would Azazel choose a weakling like you to become an Archdemon? Oh well. It doesn't matter. I'll do him a favor and speed the process."

Aamon placed the tip of his talon against Tetsuno's skull. Even though Aamon had spoken of strange things that would interest him usually, Tetsuno just didn't care anymore. He was weak, and he had lost. He accepted it and lost his will.

"Now, I suggest biting your tongue. This will hurt, these are my primordial flames, and they will incinerate your soul." Aamon said. "Now die."

The talon then began to sink into Tetsuno's skull, piercing a hole into his head as purple flames scorched his body, but that wasn't the worst pain. The worst thing was the dreadful feeling of being torn apart at a molecular level, everything about yourself shattering and breaking and your mind feeling like it was being torn asunder. The pain of having one's souls shattered.

And then it all went black.

Abeza Tetsuno, the Aberrant, was dead.