Inner Demon World

I gulped in anxiousness, seeing my classmates for the last time walking to the exit with our teacher.

"Hey, I heard that you and your friends will head to the Land of Pride." I looked at the hand on my shoulder as well as it's owner.

"You? What do you want?" This is my seatmate, the suspicious one.

"I'm just hitching in the ride. You know how dangerous the road can be."

"No thank you. I already have two people in my hands, I don't want more."

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna add in your headaches."

"I said no. Just look for other people." He sighed loudly.

"Fine. I'll go on my own."

"Then go." He really walked away.

"Hey, what was that?" Shanon and this other guy stuck to me.

"That was my seatmate. He said he wants to hitch in the ride, so I said no."

"I heard that guy was powerful, you should have invited him instead!" He pushed my arms back and forth, while I remain still and stoic.

"Forget it. He's the leader, so he makes the best decisions." Shanon pondered for a while, before beaming up. "Wait a minute, when I think about it, I'm the only one who introduced myself. I don't even know your names!" We all looked at each other awkwardly before he spoke up.

"Oh right! We've been talking to each other without really knowing one another! By the way, I'm Oleixe, a 29 year-old psychiatrist on an asylum." An asylum? That's a bit creepy.

"How did you end up here? For me, I killed a game shop owner because I wanted the new video game." She sounds so proud reciting that. No wonder kids are also called demons.

"Well, I'm not proud of what I've done, so I want to keep it a secret."

"Awhh, that's unfair!"

"I'm not like you who sounds so proud of killing someone. Anyways, how about you? You're the leader, the most important person that we should know about." I pondered for a while. I shouldn't really disclose my name just like that. Oh right, I have an English name. I should use that instead.

"My name is Calyx, 16 years old. I'm still a student as you can see."

"Calyx, really? Fitting for a quiet bastard like you." I glared at Oleixe.

"Did you just call me a bastard?"

"I take that back."

"Good." The two bickered as we approach the exit of the nursery.

"Anyways, are you two nervous as well? The more we approach the exit, the more I remember the time when that teacher kept telling us that his harshness is nothing compared to the Inner World." Shanon hid behind me and observed the people behind us, waiting for their cue to go. "Oh no, they look quite nervous as well."

"I mean, I already experienced that, I don't know what can be worse than that." Oleixe prepared himself by gripping his pockets tight.

"Brace yourselves and prepare for a fight. We don't know what will come after this." I remember those demons that immediately went after me right after I entered this world.

"Prepare for a fight? Why?" Shanon complained.

"Yeah, why would we? We are just about to exit this place, it's not like-!"

"He's right." Oleixe was cut off by the guard at the gate. "See those big trees outside? There are demons hiding behind it."

"And why exactly would you tell us this?" I crossed my arms and glared at the guard.

"Kid, you're overly suspicious of demons. Barely trusting anyone will result in your downfall. In worlds like this, you especially need someone you can trust."

"And why are you lecturing me? I never even met you before!" He just randomly inserted himself in our conversation!

"I apologize, but this will be the only time that we will ever meet. Anyways, he has a message for you." What?

"A message? From who?" Shanon crossed her arms as well.

"It's from you know, him. He said that the answers you seek lies at the top. He also said that he will be rooting for you." He opened the gate and let us out.

"Already? But who is it? It can't be Kaneki!" Shanon summoned a dagger, while Oleixe created some kind of magic gun.

"If it's a secret, it can't be helped. Let's just get this over with." We walked through the gate with high alert. Although it was quiet, everyone can feel the dangers that lie ahead.

We slowly walked through the forest with utmost caution. I can feel their anxiousness as I observe them grip to their weapons tightly.

"Uh Calyx? Where are we going exactly? We're not just running around like a headless chicken, right?"

"From what I know, we're about to head to the Land of Pride. Calyx, is it just me or do you somehow know the way?"

"Yeah, I do know the way. Did your teacher not show you a map?"

"She did, but only for a brief moment. It must be the same for you as well."

"Yeah, Kaneki showed us a map as well. Calyx, you must have a really good memory then."

"I guess so." Of course I would know the way. It was the time when I entered this world after all.

"Why are you so talented? Not only did you manage to slay that big beast, you also managed to recreate your own gaming setup and now navigating the forest? Calyx, you have a bright future ahead of you!" Oleixe whined non-stop.

"Are you sure you're a 29 year-old man? You keep whining like a teenager!" Shanon complained.

"Enough of that." Both of them stopped and looked at me. "You see that rope tied on the tree? This is a trap." I whispered, making them nervous.

"So, what do we do? Slowly back away?"

"Let's just beat them up! We have Calyx on our side!" I hushed her.

"You think that works? I barely have fighting experience as well as the both of you."

"Is it bad to be optimistic for once?" I sighed and concocted a plan. I looked at my surroundings and saw the ropes connected to something below us. Such an outdated tactic. "Alright, I know what to do." I sighed as I remember the time when I first flew in the air with that guy.

I turned around and walked back for at least 10 meters away from the trap. "Hey, what are you planning? Just tell us already!"

"Shanon, you're disturbing him. Remember, if someone is making a plan, don't disturb the plan or everything will be ruined."

"But why?"

"It's because the plan is not ready yet." I closed my eyes and imagined the creation that I'm about to make, then, I opened my eyes with the car in my head right in front of me slowly taking form.

"Wha- how? There was no magic circle!" Wait what? I forgot to make one, so how did that take form?

"Whatever, there are enemies ahead of us. Best to take caution. Shanon, you'll be in charge of the fire. Oleixe, you're in charge of the wind. I will take control of this flying car." We all hopped in, with both of them at the back.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!" I moved the car forwards, causing it to speed up and eventually fly in the air.

"Woah! We're flying!"

"Watch out! Rocks are hitting us!" I maneuvered the car left and right to avoid the hits, but some of them went through the dead center, piercing through the car. I returned the holes back to normal, causing me to lose energy bit by bit.

"Can you speed up more, at least until we lose them?" I looked back and saw the enemies right behind us, copying my idea.

"I can. In another count to three, this vehicle will speed up faster that our eyes can see."

"You sound so smug saying that."

"Not the time, Shanon. Alright, 3, 2, 1!" The flight was as fast as my first time flying.

"WOOHOO! I bet they can't catch up now!" The car maintained it's speed and everyone was focused on doing their own thing to lose the enemy, with Shanon attacking them back with her flying daggers.

I gasped for air, continuing to drive the car forward.

"The car is slowly descending, Calyx!" I tried to maintain my energy by removing my control from unnecessary areas, but this vehicle is too big for me. I might have overdid myself.

"Calyx, are you okay? Are you low on energy?"

"He is. Go help him, I can do things by myself here."

"Alright." She rushed to me and gave me snacks from the nursery cafeteria.

"Huh? How did you get these?" I ate most of them, regaining some energy.

"I snuck a lot of them in my bag." Classic Shanon.

The car continued moving forward until we all ran out of energy, passing out before we crashed back down the ground.

Next up: Treacherous Lands