“Don’t slow us down snake!” a lion barks back

Ignoring it Shiryu trudges forward

(These stupid monsters don’t even have names for themselves, but always look down on me)

Whunp!

Leaping up off an isle Shiryu along with a group of beast land atop a cliff, instantly the sky goes from night to day indicating their arrival to Gaia’s mainland

Ahead the smoky outline of an aircraft nose dives out of the sky

“There!

We’ll avenge the lion emperor!”

(Good riddance to that monster) Shiryu thinks to himself

Aside from the ‘new breeds’ of beasts the lion emperor was seen as the strongest of the old breed of creatures, it’s reputation was gained as the emperor due to it’s undefeated status among the common beasts

In reality it wasn’t anything to special ultimately dying to the shockwave of an explosion set up by Shiryu

(With my magic I could probably kill the ‘new breed’ as well without being caught)

On the topic of magic, all beasts are a by-product of selective breeding by the now extinct demons, most dangerous animals on Gaia have all gone extinct due to this, the demons would breed themselves with the animals, kidnap humans and force them to breed with the offspring of those in a disgusting process that saw the the creation of dragons their extinction and now the emergence of a new breed…

All beasts posses a fraction of Yin mana, called dark energy, they use this to transform between their forms boost their physical attributes and in some cases develop unique abilities,

Shiryu posses dark energy as well as mana but..

(If I use dark energy, I’ll use my humanity….)

It was the first thing I did seventeen years ago when I first became this monster, 

I was in pain and traumatized, but I felt the dragonic power in me, the moment I used it my skin became hard and purple I felt my lungs swell up and heart rate accelerate 

It…

I don’t want to be a monster, so I won’t use that power ever…

….

Shiryu also posses mana(yang) from Raguel, but it is that very mana that keeps his hybrid body together, it flows through his body like blood and cannot be used 

(The only thing I rely is my power as a human, my magic)

Light magic he uses, his derivative of Raguel’s mana, although he can’t move within light like the aforementioned angel, Shiryu can diffract, refract and reflect the light around making him seem invisible at times among other uses

(It’s how I was able to meet with Sir Savage and do everything in secret)

……

……

Chhtt! chhhtt! chtttt!

Our feet push past the rocky terrain and into an awkwardly placed desert, the jet is–

“–GET COVER!” a beast yells as the craft takes a violent nose dive

Bowwwwwwwww–zzzzzzztttttttt–KABBBOOOMMM!

“The God will be set free!” a loud voice echoes out at the same time–

–The jet impacts the sand with devastating force, blowing open a crater,

“Aieeerrkk!” a huge chunk of stone flies up like a meteor

Shiryu darts back shoving one of the beasts into the others, they stumble up each other instead of moving, inevitably 

Brruunnnnnckkk!!

Getting crushed…

(Sir Savage even told me to look out for falling debris, he really saw everything)

……...

……..

*******

The sun beams down upon an empty dessert, no speck of life to be found, a desert of death. 

The sand burns, scorching hot, hotter than usual, the normally still sand in a state of motion, 

Each grain slowly slipping down into a crater of purple flames, the flames and sand battle relentlessly for supremacy as three figures lay still in heap of rumble,  

“What was that explosion?” One says struggling its feet  

“Could it be the phantom flame in the throne room!?” 

“Sir the rest of our men got crushed by the rubble,” the second beast states 

“The only survivors are you, I and… him,” he scowls at a quiet Shiryu 

(Is he onto me?) 

“It must be those thieves we couldn’t catch earlier” the first figure says as he wipes the dust off his face, his lion-like features begin to show  

(Nah, they’re too simple minded for that)

“We should not have followed them sir” the second one, a lizard like fellow, laments  

“We lost good men, for what?  

Revenge!?” 

Shiryu still remains silent his empty violet eyes in sullen agreement. 

(Hopefully my acting is top notch, If they noticed I’m the one who pushed the others them I’m done for)

….

…..

The three make their way through the burnt ruins,  

“Is that a body!?” The Lizard beast-man exclaims as they enter the destroyed throne room- 

“-Or is it a corpse?” He continues, “this must be what’s left of the thieves, serves them right.” 

“Seems like there was a fight here,” the lion beast-man adds,  

“There’re stab wounds over this body and its severely burned!” 

“What the hell could’ve happened here?” 

“A fight among thieves,” the lizard man laughs  

“At least we can leave knowing they got what they deserved” the lion beast-man scoffs 

“Let’s get back home we must report this to the general, what we heard earlier”

Shiryu stand quietly watching and waiting for the ignorant creatures leave past him

(Everything is according to plan)

He looks at corpse, its black colored eyes still open, as it stares blankly, emotionless 

“Huhhhhhh!” Shiryu lets out a huge sigh

(This must be the god)

“You need this more than I do” he says taking out an azure crystal. 

Pressing it on, the corpse begins to absorb it’s magic slowly regenerating a little,

(Ahhh, it’s going to get up soon,

Should I go now and avoid being seen?)

……

……

“Urrrgghhhhhh,” the body groans as it opens it’s eyes for the first time,

They stare around room in a confused daze of thought

……

“Who are you!” they call, noticing Shiryu trying to sneak away 

“…….” 

(Shit, he noticed me, I was even using my magic too,

I suppose I should off and act mysterious)

…..

“What are you called?” the beastman calls out to the corpse,

They stare at him for while then answers…

“Kage.”

(Ooh, I’m soo honored right now…)

“Your wounds are not healed, if you can fight through the pain, you have enough energy to leave and get treated.” The beastman says out loud,

Kage doesn’t reply and just stares as the beast creeps away 

(Kage,

So that is your name,

I will make sure to remember it,

And hopefully,

We will meet again.)

<Eternal Requiem Ch15>