Chapter 1: Travelers of the Lost Path
It was almost a week, and the snow still falls along the road. A figure was quietly walking amidst the cold; he is Cross Night Fire, a demon feared and discriminated by humans yet managed to survive together with a female child that was hidden at his coat to protect her from cold. Unbeknownst to all, Cross has been taking care of the child in memory of his two human friends who are the parents of the child. Although he was different, the child lovingly accepted him and even calls him brother, because of that he swore to protect her at all cost. Suddenly he felt her shivering.
"Brother, are we there yet? I'm hungry…" The child softly moaned.
"We'll be there soon Sheena, just hang in there. Brother will buy you a good meal and rest, so be patient…" Cross smiled as he assured the child. After some time, they arrived at the Tinsel town. From the looks of it, it was a prosperous town. It was still surrounded by snow, but much warmer. The child then jumped down from Cross' coat and straighten herself.
"Brother! Let us go there! I'm really hungry!" the child insisted.
"Alright, let's go then!" he replied and they walked among the crowd.
After a while, the two was seen inside a restaurant, as Sheena eats her lunch of rice and meat, Cross settled himself besides her eating a plateful of chocolate bars he purchased from a nearby shop while downing it with a bottleful of red wine. The people around them seem not to notice his strange appearance, except for a group of male travelers, eyeing them with contempt.
"Lucky! The most feared demon has finally appeared! We'll sure to have big bucks ahead of us boys!" the bearded one huskily said, toying with his dagger.
"So what's the plan boss? Are we going to jump on them outside or what?" the spike haired one said.
"We'll plan that later, but for now let's just observe them…they are worth millions you know…" the boss hissed.
Sensing danger, Cross looked at his back and saw the group. "Humans… they only knew to take advantage of weaker people…" he mumbled. "Sheena, finish your meal. After that, we'll have to rest and continue our travels before dark…" he told the girl.
"Alright Brother!" the girl answered. After finishing their meals, the two went out of the restaurant to find an inn, while the said group followed them. Although Cross senses them, he was planning something in his mind.
Sheena was tightly sleeping at a room in the nearby inn, as Cross was taking a walk outside. He still felt the group was following him, so he went on.
Entering a hallway, the group cornered him, and said "Demon! We have caught you now! Surrender or else…" the bearded one gruffly said, pulling out his dagger and throwing it to Cross.
In a snap, he caught it and said "Filthy humans, don't make me laugh…" and changed his eyes from normal ones to slit-eyes like ones, and his claws suddenly extended out of his fingers. At that sight, the group was too afraid to speak, and he unleashed a fierce slash of wind current to the enemy, slicing their bodies in pieces.
"Ah, that's more I like it! Now back to the inn, I have to catch up with my rest…" he muttered and as he walks over the corpses, he found a bag of gold. He took it and thanked them as he walked night, the two resumed their travels, but now with some food stock and medicine, a new coat for Sheena and a bagful of chocolates.
"Brother, you seem to have a lot of gold…where did you get all of that?" the girl asked, popping her head out of Cross' coat.
"Oh, some kind hearted human willingly lent me this, when I get a decent job, I'll pay him up!" he answered and smiled.
"That's very sweet Brother…Thank you!" and she kissed at his cheeks.
"Hey, that tickles!" he answered as they continued their travels along the snow linen road.