Zen slept on the cold ground just outside the village. Suddenly, voices carried through the early morning air, pulling him from sleep.
"That boy has cursed mana, right?" a woman whispered nearby.
Zen's eye twitched. "Ever since I was ten, they've treated me like some demon" he thought as he pushed himself up, brushing the dust from his clothes. "But why now? Why now, when I lost them at eight, when I need someone.."
A chill ran through him, and black mana began to seep from his body. Pebbles trembled and lifted from the earth, floating briefly before he forced the power back down.
"It's a good thing he's outside," an old man muttered to his wife taking a sip from his tra but instantly spat it out seeing Zen lying on the floor.
"HEY, YOU!" the man shouted, rising from his seat, his eyes widening in disgust. Zen turns around, itching his eyes, yawning. The old man grabs 2 blade throwing one at Zen. Zen dodges, still half a sleep. The man yells shouting
"Get out, you bastard! No demons allowed!"
Zen opened his eyes fully. "What?" he muttered.
"YOU HEARD ME!" the man barked, charging toward the door.
Roaring, the old man stormed onto the muddy ground and drew his blade.
Zen stood and turned, glaring coldly at the man.
He held his ground, posing. "Kill me then," Zen said.
"WHY YOU-" the old man shouted, swinging the sword wildly.
The man gasped as Zen caught the blade effortlessly and snapped it in two.
"Arghh!" the old man yelled, stumbling backward and falling into the mud.
Zen smirked, eyes flicking to the man's dirty clothes. The old man gets up grinding his teeth as he glares at Zen. "I swear I'll not let this stand" the old man says pointing a finger at Zen. "I'll even kill you. Devi-
The old man's mouth fell open in shock, pointing a trembling finger at Zen. He stuttered as he watched black mana swirl around the boy's body.
"You... you..." the man gasped, eyes wide with fear.
In the blink of an eye, Zen vanished and grabbed the old man's shoulder.
"Say it," Zen whispered.
The old man's body froze slowly turning around meeting Zen's cold, unblinking stare.
"Please let me liv-" he tried, but Zen silenced him with a finger pressed to his lips.
Zen chuckled softly, releasing him. "You were going to call me a devil, weren't you?" Zen says rolling his eyes.
Sighing, Zen walked over to the broken sword.
The old man raised an eyebrow, stunned as Zen repaired the blade.
"Devil" the old man thought.
Zen stepped closer, raising an eyebrow as the old man cowered, trying to back away.
But before he could move far, Zen was suddenly in front of him again, jump-scaring the man. His head nearly fell into the mud, but Zen catched his beard effortlessly.
"Here you go" Zen says with a smile, holding out the sword as it glows.
The old man's eyes twitched.
"DEMON!" he shouted, bolting toward his house and slamming the door behind him.
Zen raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Rude."
He glanced down at the blade, watching black mana pulse from it.
"What the..." he muttered, placing the sword on the ground.
Turning around, Zen locked eyes with the village chief, who stood smirking.
Zen looked up and muttered, "He's so tall."
The chief chuckled.