Demon Executioner

As the sun peeked through the tall trees lining the wide path, a serene beauty enveloped the scene.

Lush bushes flanked either side, while small ponds and rivers glimmered in the distance.

The air was alive with the cheerful chirping of birds and buzzing of insects, creating a peaceful symphony that echoed through the landscape.

Along this wide path, Azrael and his friends frolicked, their laughter ringing out in the surroundings.

At the front were Azrael and Lykon. With his hands casually tucked behind his head, Azrael gazed ahead, his youthful face radiating joy as his crimson hair danced in the gentle breeze.

Beside him stood Lykon, taller and lankier, his long arms giving him an agile appearance.

"Ugh! I almost made it!" Azrael muttered through gritted teeth, frustration evident in his voice.

"Stop complaining! You can always try again tomorrow," Lykon replied with a sidelong glance. "Besides, you've already climbed everything around our village. Can't you just let this one go?"

"You don't understand," Azrael shook his head vehemently. "If I don't conquer that cliff, I'll never feel at peace."

"You're really weird," Lykon chuckled softly.

Suddenly curious, he asked, "But why do you do this? What drives your passion for climbing hills and cliffs?"

Azrael paused for a moment, looking up at the vast blue sky as he pondered Lykon's question.

After a few minutes of silence, he turned to his friend with a thoughtful expression. "What makes you feel truly accomplished? Like when you do something that excites you?"

Lykon blinked in surprise at the sudden depth of Azrael's inquiry. "You mean what gets me excited?" he hesitated before continuing.

"Exactly!" Azrael nodded eagerly.

After a brief silence filled with contemplation, Lykon finally spoke up. "Well... I feel excited when my parents praise me or compliment something I've done, especially my mom." He hesitated again before adding quietly, "That always makes me happy."

Azrael looked at him incredulously before muttering under his breath, "Mama's boy."

"Hey! What did you say?" Lykon shot back defensively. "I shared what excites me; don't make fun of me! Besides, you still haven't answered my question!"

"Okay! Okay! Chill out!" Azrael raised his hands in mock surrender with an indifferent grin.

"So why do you climb all those things?" Lykon pressed again after taking a deep breath.

"You know, if you don't want to say it, you don't have to. Everyone has their own secrets." Lykon finally broke the silence, his expression indifferent.

Azrael sighed, gazing ahead as he spoke. "As far back as I can remember, whenever I see those towering mountains, dense forests, steep hills, and perilous cliffs, those colossal creations of Mother Nature that others shy away from, I feel an unsettling discomfort in my heart. It's like when I look up at these unimaginable wonders; they seem to mock me for being so small and weak. In those moments, I can't help but wish to stand shoulder to shoulder with them."

Lykon listened intently, surprise flickering across his face.

"You think I'm weird, don't you? That I'm not normal?" Azrael glanced at Lykon and chuckled lightly.

"No! Not at all!" Lykon quickly shook his head.

After a brief pause, he added thoughtfully, "So that's why you love climbing those tall mountains and trees and seeking out danger, it gives you a sense of accomplishment and excitement."

Azrael scratched his head in agreement. "Exactly!"

"That's pretty unusual for someone your age," Lykon remarked with a smirk.

"Hey! Stop acting like you're older than me!" Azrael shot back playfully.

"Well, I am a year older," Lykon replied with a chuckle.

"Whatever," Azrael rolled his eyes. He fell silent for a moment before continuing. "Whenever I reach the peak of a mountain and gaze down at the vast landscape below me, my blood races with adrenaline; my heart pounds with excitement! Facing danger feels exhilarating, like I've conquered nature itself! But if I fail... well, that feeling is just unbearable."

He turned to Lykon and said earnestly, "For example, you mentioned how excited you feel when your parents praise you. But don't you also feel uncomfortable when they scold or disappoint you? It's like you've let them down."

Lykon pondered this for a moment before nodding slowly. "You're right; it really is uncomfortable."

"But yours is truly strange, it's like you're challenging nature itself! You hate losing," Lykon observed.

"Yeah! Losing feels unbearable," Azrael laughed.

"Then that cliff must have defeated you many times! You've probably had countless sleepless nights over it!" Lykon teased.

Azrael gritted his teeth in mock anger but couldn't help smiling bitterly.

He knew Lykon was right, the cliff was the only obstacle he hadn't conquered yet.

It gnawed at him like a thousand ants crawling on his heart, a sensation he found truly unbearable.

Suddenly, Lykon stopped walking abruptly, prompting Azrael to halt as well.

"Hey, why did you stop?" Azrael asked, his curiosity piqued as he glanced at Lykon, who was staring intently at the ground.

Following Lykon's gaze, Azrael noticed a small army of marching ants just in front of them.

He realized that if he lifted his foot even slightly, he could easily crush them, yet somehow, his foot hovered just above their tiny world.

"Seriously? Why are you so fixated on a bunch of ants? Just crush them already," Azrael said dismissively as he watched Lykon crouch down to observe the ants with such seriousness.

Curiosity got the better of him, and Azrael knelt beside Lykon. "Hey, what's going on with you?"

"Don't you see? These ants are kind of like us," Lykon replied, pointing to the tiny creatures bustling about.

Azrael scoffed. "Are you out of your mind? Comparing me to ants? I didn't think you'd look down on me like that!" His voice was laced with indignation.

Lykon shook his head. "Think about it: to these ants, we're giants capable of squashing them with a single stomp. They can do nothing to stop us."

"So what?" Azrael shot back. "What does that have to do with comparing me to them?"

With a thoughtful smile, Lykon continued, "Now picture this: in the grand scheme of things, against Mother Nature, we're all just ants. Nature can unleash a powerful storm or send a bolt of lightning that could end our lives in an instant. It can cause crops to fail and bring famine or spread diseases that wipe out thousands in minutes. So really, what's the difference between humans being ants before nature and ants before us? In front of nature, we're all just tiny beings."

Azrael's expression shifted as he absorbed Lykon's words; deep down, he felt an unwilling acceptance of this truth, that against nature's might, all living beings are vulnerable.

Suddenly inspired by a new thought, Azrael declared with determination etched across his youthful face, "Then I've set myself a new goal!"

"Oh? What is it?" Lykon asked curiously.

"When I conquer that cliff over there," Azrael said dramatically while pointing into the distance, "my next challenge will be taking on nature itself!" His eyes sparkled with ambition.

Lykon chuckled and shook his head playfully. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Fly up into the sky?"

"I... I... I..." Azrael stammered for words and fell silent for a moment. "Damn," he finally muttered under his breath.

"But when the time comes," he added defiantly, "I'll figure it out!"

"Then I look forward to it " Lykon rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile at his friend's enthusiasm.

"Hey, Monkey! By the way, how did you come up with such a profound way to compare humans to nature? I mean, you're not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed," Azrael asked with a curious grin.

"Damn it! What do you mean I'm not intelligent? And how many times have I told you to stop calling me 'Monkey'?" Lykon shot back, glaring at Azrael.

"Hahaha!" Azrael laughed carelessly at Lykon's furious expression.

But his laughter was short-lived. Suddenly, he frowned and glanced behind him. "Hey, where are the other ?"

"What do you mean? Aren't they right behind us?" Lykon turned around too, only to find that their friends had vanished into thin air.

Just then, a whistling sound sliced through the air.

Azrael's ears twitched as he rolled to the side just in time to avoid a small round object hurtling toward him.

Unfortunately for Lykon, luck wasn't on his side; he was hit squarely by the muddy projectile that splattered all over him.

Laughter erupted from behind the bushes and trees lining the path as their friends emerged with mischievous grins plastered across their faces, each armed with handfuls of mud.

"Damn it! You guys are playing dirty! Well then, let's play dirty!" Azrael shouted as he dove into the bushes.

Not one to be outdone, Lykon followed suit.

For several exhilarating minutes, Azrael, Lykon, and their friends engaged in an epic mud fight, dodging behind trees and hurling clumps of mud at one another while racing toward their village.

Soon enough, they all disappeared from sight amidst peals of laughter and shouts of joy.

Meanwhile, on the wide path where they had just been playing, a group of ants scurried about.

A few unfortunate ones lay squashed underfoot while others gathered around them as if mourning their fallen companions.

It remained unclear whether it was Azrael or Lykon who had unintentionally caused this tiny tragedy, or if some other force had intervened, but none of it mattered much to those lost in their carefree play.