The Tale of how I Fought the Executioner.

Crann stood in an arrogant stance, his sword hadn't been moved from being lazily sat on his shoulder secured only by one of his hands whilst the other one was in his pocket, his footwork was non-existent as he simply stood in place practically begging to be hit, fortunately me and Cut both knew of his telepathy and didn't dare to strike

Thoughts poured into my head as I attempted to plot a way to beat him.

"Whoa your all illusions and vanishing in there, poor spatial manipulation, never used anymore."

Cut charged at Crann with both hands engulfed in flames. For a split second Crann looked concerned but that quickly changed as he pivoted his feet then swiftly kneed Cut in the stomach knocking him prone before placing a kick in his ribs sending him flying into the wall.

"Charging without thinking? Good idea, however I'm a good enough fighter that you'll never get close enough to do any damage. But your more than welcome to try." Crann said as he opened his arms taunting us.

Cut however immediately charged and landed a full forced hit in Crann's chest with his first emblazoned with black flames. Crann however remained unmoved or fazed.

"Come on Cut, you should've known your flames won't work on me we've known each other long enough." Crann said before lifting Cut into the air by his throat.

I saw an opportunity to strike at Crann's exposed side and did so shifting my weight for a strong thrust.

However Crann effortlessly blocked it with the flat of his blade without even batting an eye.

"Oh Cut how you've changed, you'd never dare attack me before or did you forget where you came from?" Crann said eerily.

It didn't take many attacks before I realized my attacks would never hit their mark if he knew where I was going to strike before I did.

Instead I decided to use the same technique I used against the psychologist in hopes of disorienting his visions and landing a blow. However Crann caught on, I saw him turn to me with a look of fury in his eyes.

Suddenly in the blink of an eye I appeared somewhere completely different. My first thought was that I was too late and Makono had been killed sending me back home.

But that was quickly dismissed as I could feel the magic in the air.

Before me was a dark towering building littered with broken windows and rotting wood, it was encircled with tall iron fences long past their expiration date . In the building's yard within the broken fence was a single boy with crimson hair and silver eyes drawing in the dry dirt using a stick.

He perked up and tears began to flood from his eyes, soon three other kids walked from the shoddy building.

"Aww, Poor little demon boy. Crying already, your dirty little demon nose must've picked up our scent and your mind knows what that means." One of the boy's said as he knocked the demon to the ground.

"With such a repelling odor it's a miracle nobody else smelt you." The demon said as he stood back up. "But that's not how I knew you were here, I already told you I can-"

"Read our minds? Good that just means you have to suffer twice." The three kids said as they beat the demon boy to the ground landing several kicks and punches. "Take that Crann! You don't belong here! Flee demon scum!"

Latter that night Crann was receiving stitches down his arm by a beautiful young woman dressed in a nurse uniform with long flowing black hair and sky blue eyes which always brought him a sense of serenity.

"Did they beat you again?" She asked in a gentle voice.

"No, I told you I fell down." Crann replied solemnly flinching every time the nurse's needle pierced his skin.

"So you fell..." The nurse took a break as she used her hand and counted Crann's wounds. "Eighteen times?"

"Exactly."

"Crann you can't let them hurt you. Everyone at the orphanage has lost somebody, and not everybody deals with loss the same that's true, but those kids are being just plain cruel, nothing I or the rest of the staff do will stop them. You have to stand you ground but be careful to remain merciful. Remember they've lost somebody too."

"I didn't just lose them though, my parents abandoned me, it's all because of my blasted crimson hair, even if my eyes aren't red it's obvious I'm not human. That's why my parents abandoned me." Crann said as he voice cracked.

"That's not it Crann. Your parents loved you I'm sure!" The nurse argued.

Crann just shook his head not daring to keep arguing with the nurse.

The next day it was pouring rain, the rest of the kids were inside so Crann was actually able to enjoy time outside.

But he wasn't after that.

He had realized that he had a unique ability not only could he read minds but he could also create temporary clones of people. His plan now however was to make a permanent clone, a friend.

To his surprise he succeeded a perfect clone of himself was created, even his clothes was cloned and another highly confused Crann appeared right in front of him.

"What now? Oh I know we should give you a name. Can't exactly call you Crann can we? Oh I know your basically a part of me I cut out so your name should be-"

Before he could finish the nurse called him back.

Several years had past, though Crann had been there the longest nobody ever even made an offer for him or his clone.

Crann was okay with that though, even as a teenager he was still close to the nurse and likewise so was his Clone.

However his bullies were also there still.

"Looky here, a pair of filthy demons. Come on Crann, Cut you know what time it is." The bullies taunted.

The orphanage had improved greatly the broken windows and molded wood were replaced the lawn was maintained even the fences were fixed thanks to Crann and Cut.

"Pay up. You've done a lot for this place the headmaster has even been paying you. Which means your gonna be paying us."

Crann reached into his pocket and felt the three coins he had left. "I need this, for nurse Sari she deserves a gift for what she's done for us."

"Your not getting anything today. Scram." Cut said.

"So scary, little demon scum." A bully said.

"Screw that old crone! Give me the Guld! Now! Or I'll pay that hag a visit myself!" Another replied.

Crann clenched his hand into a fist.

"Pay up or we're gonna kill the nurse."

A black flame twisted around Crann's body and pillared into the sky. The bullies stumbled back in fear.

"Crann calm down." Cut warned.

Crann tried to slow his breathing, he tried to think of happier times. But nothing seemed to work.

His flames began to burn the yard before expanding over the entire orphanage.

Crann collapsed to the ground before eventually passing out due to the amount of power he exhausted.

When he woke up Cut was sitting beside him, the orphanage was no longer on fire but it was far beyond repair.

Crann stood up to immediately check the remains but Cut placed his hand on his shoulder to stop him. "There's nothing left. I looked when I was putting out the fires." He said with a whimper before sobbing profusely.

For years the two wandered aimlessly scrounging for food. Eventually Lothrin found them and took them in.

Eventually Crann climbed the chain of command while Cut preferred to remain in espionage.

I could even see Crann teaching a young Lux how to summon his weapons from thin air.

"Enough! Get out of my head!" Crann yelled.

I was immediately forced out of Crann's head but I couldn't dwell as Crann was quick to attack.

Fortunately I was able to narrowly dodge.

"Now it's you who's at a disadvantage Crann." I said smugly. "Don't expect any pity from me just because you had a rough childhood. You've taken somebody dear to me. And I'm gonna make damn sure you pay!"

Cut laid on the ground catching his breath as he witnessed my white flames expanding.

"You know I've killed a demon lord before." Crann flaunted as he held his sword over his shoulder. "You don't stand a chance."

"You may have killed a demon lord... " I said before I vanished and appeared behind Crann. "But I've killed a hero."

Crann twisted his body and sliced my decoy right in half.

'How? I couldn't read his thoughts.' Crann thought.

"Didn't I tell you? Your the one at a disadvantage now."

In Crann's confusion I appeared behind him and pierced his back with my dirk and erupted it in flames.

Crann fell to the turning to ash before he even hit the ground. His sword disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

"Even though I went through his head I couldn't find Makono which tells me two things. That was a clone." I turned to Cut with my blade at his throat. "And you lied."

"Not completely, Crann has her. But I'll only show you where she is if you promise one thing." Cut said unfazed.

"I'm listening." I said, looking at Cut I could tell he wasn't lying this time... mind magician helped too.

"Spare Crann. The real one, don't kill him no matter what."

Even if every bit of me wanted to disagree I knew this was my only choice. "Deal."

********

"It's completely empty! There's no foxy demon lord in here!" Torrikkusatu howled as he stood over the unconscious bodies of numerous guards. "I knew he was lying, he just wants all the fun! Like hell I'm gonna let that happen! I will fight against Lothrin's generals, then I'll fight him!"

********

"Damn you Tokuma." Crann growled as he smashed a nearby wooden table splintering it in the progress.

"Looks like your little plan failed. What are you going to do now?" Makono taunted.

"Shut up brat! I'll just kill you in front of him! He deserves it , and what's better is I won't even need to kill him. The laws of reincarnation with do that for me."