Boy in the sand

*11 years ago*

In a desolate canyon rampaged by an intense sandstorm, a figure trudged through the thick sand blowing against him.

He covered his eyes from the sand and noticed a boy collapsed on the sand ahead of him, he didn’t look any older than 7 years old. His clothes were torn and beyond repair, barely holding onto his skin as the wind crashed against them with a fury.

“Poor child…” The figure said while walking closer.

The wind blew intensely and pushed back the hood of the figures robes, which revealed a younger Demen.

He placed his finger against the boy’s neck and felt a faint pulse beat against his fingertips, sparking relief into his eyes.

“I won’t let you suffer anymore, I promise you.” He said after pulling a flask from under his robes.

The boy struggled to take it but after some help he managed to drink from it and open his eyes. Demen placed him on his shoulder and started trudging through the sand back from the direction that he came from.

“W-where…?” He muttered.

“Don’t speak boy, you need to rest still. You have been severely dehydrated and starved for too long, don’t worry anymore; I’ll make sure that you survive.”

“L-let me…go…”

The boy started to struggle for a bit before going limp again from the lack of energy.

“I told you to rest didn’t I, huff~ I don’t plan on letting a child like you die in this place after what you’ve seen.”

He carried the boy through a great distance until he stumbled towards a large cave in the middle of the storm.

They sat inside safely and watched as sand shot across their view like tiny bullets. Over the course of multiple hours the boy drifted in and out of sleeps until he gained the strength to be able to speak again.

“Why did you help me geezer, I don’t have money for you!”

“I know; you’re a peasant from the boonies correct? I can see it from your clothes…well rags. When we get to the village north of here I can get you something you can actually call clothes, you can pick out anything you’d like-”

“No! I won’t go with you to anywhere; I want to go back to my home! I’ll go back to Kurekan village, I never asked you to take me, and I don’t want your help! You can die for all I care, so just leave me be.” The boy barked as he moved towards the opposite side of the cave.

There wasn’t much of a space to move from but he seemed determined in trying to get as far away as possible from the man while making sure he noticed.

“Don’t get the wrong idea; I don’t plan to use you like others probably have. I saved you because I’m sorry for what you had to go through.”

The boy snapped a furious expression towards him and stood up in a huff.

“Don’t talk to me like you know anything! How could you know, you’re just a dumb man who thinks he knows better than a kid don’t you!!”

Spit flew out from his mouth and without realising it he had slammed his fist against the wall of the cave to the point that his hand was bleeding.

“!”

“I am probably the only person alive that knows best what you have been through Kyosuke.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “How d-did you know…my name?”

“Listen to me carefully; you won’t ever be going back to your home. This dessert that we are in right now…this is Kurekan. A demon appeared here a few days ago and completely buried the area inside a massive sandstorm. The only survivor was a man I found stumbling through the forest north of here, he begged at my feet to save you and the rest of them. But you were the only one I have found since coming here.”

“Dad…he survived- and that crazy bug I saw was r-r- was real….? Then why wouldn’t he have come, why did he ask someone else? I don’t believe you, you’re a liar! You’re a crazy old shit and I won’t believe a word you say!”

Demen stood up and walked over to Kyosuke with an intense pressure, he pulled him close without saying anything. Kyosuke stared into his eyes and saw an utterly blank expression that warranted fear.

“Everyone you knew and loved was killed by that demon, just like mine. My daughter and wife were gutted and died a slow painful death before I was able to believe what I had seen.”

A heavy rumble shook the earth beneath them as sand lifted from the ground outside the cave. A large orange surface emerged from under the sand and let out a monstrous roar.

It was a 5 story high centipede with countless eyes and two large pincers that towered over them with its gleaming eyes looking down at the cave.

Demen walked out of the cave and pulled out a short spear from under his robes, it was wrapped in various materials and had the crest of The Order painted over the blade.

“A child like you would only be a burden, head home like you said you would.” He said as he charged the demon.

Kyosuke sat still with a bewildered face unable to utter a single sound, his eyes focused to the spot where Demen raced off to and watched him charge at the demon.

It crashed down against the ground where he stood in an attempt to crush him but he dodged right before it was able to make impact and sliced against its face. A large cut ripped into its pincer, tearing off a section of its flesh.

The demon writhed in pain and let out a bellowing screech that rendered him unable to move, every muscle in his body was frozen by some unnatural power.

The demon rushed in and slapped him into the side of the cave with the end of its tail. His spear was sent flying into the air and landed into the sand, a few meters from the man.

“R-run Kyosuke! Run while it’s still getting me- run and never turn back!”

**Author Note**

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