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Aiko, the Demon Slayer
The traces of her dark boots on the snow produced a creaking sound as her dark brown eyes stared into the distance, searching for a new monster. Aiko was a professional who had honed her skills since childhood. Thousands of sword swings had carved a mechanical memory of battle into her, like a river gouging a shape into stone. She was ready to use it to rid the world of yet another evil. Evil...
…
...appeared behind her…
A hand fell onto her shoulder, and she let out a sharp gasp, then twisted her shoulder away from his touch. Before her stood a figure dressed in black rags that concealed the body beneath. One could tell it was a man by the hand that had touched her.
She instantly drew her sword from its scabbard and struck. Whoever this stranger was, no one could simply sneak up behind her. No one except a demon.
The blade pierced the tatters of his mantle, tangling in its fabric. Making a motion with his hands, he pulled his clothing toward himself, but Aiko easily tore her weapon free from his grip. She raised the sword above her head and prepared to cleave the uninvited guest in two, but then a sharp kick from him forced the air from her lungs.
She fell to the ground. Her vision blurred, and blood began to drip through her clenched teeth.
"Damn demon…" she grumbled, leaning on the sword's scabbard and assuming a standing position. To her displeasure, she realized she couldn't hold a firm stance, so she made an attempt to swing her sword upward from a low position.
The stranger's hand moved and stopped her palm gripping the sword, and his other hand seized her head. Their eyes met, and she could make out his scarlet eye sockets, blazing with fire, boring into her.
"Become my slave, mortal. A place beside me is destined for you…"
"Shut your mouth, freak… Let me go…"
Her words still sounded weak due to the internal injury. She began to feel the taste of blood spreading through her mouth. Her eyes lost focus, and her knees began to tremble. She felt herself losing consciousness.
Darkness enveloped her with its blanket.
But she threw it off herself.
Before her eyes appeared a wooden ceiling. For a couple of minutes after waking, she felt disorientation, but soon her senses returned to her. She made an effort to survey the room with her gaze and saw before her — him.
A man covered in scars sat on a chair, examining her lying body. She was ready to say something, but upon inhaling, she felt a burning pressure on her neck.
Her hands, darting upward, felt the cold metal wrapped around her neck. A leash — that was the only word that came to mind.
Slavery had not yet been outlawed in the country, though many had already spoken out against it. Unfortunately, the wealthy nobles had no concern for human rights when money from burdensome labor flowed into their pockets.
Such a picture appeared in her mind. One could observe a mix of horror and then anger reflected on her face. She did not dare move her hands while she felt his gaze upon her. Aiko did not dare turn her head, so as not to meet his eyes.
"Awake? I know you have many questions, but I will answer only part of them. Firstly, you cannot remove this leash without my permission. Secondly, you are forbidden to attack me, and lastly, you are obligated to obey my orders. Is that clear?"
Aiko was ready to throw herself at him and tear his irritating face apart with her bare hands. To her horror, what escaped her mouth was not a cry of rage, but only an obedient phrase: "I understand."
Her hands darted to cover her mouth, but it was already too late. She threw him a look full of indignation and fear. "What… What did you do to me?"
His response was only silence. He rose from the chair, then crouched down before her, touching her leash with his index finger.
"This thing will not allow you to do foolish things. As long as it's on you, you'll be a good girl."
She swallowed at his words. Unable to do or say anything, she could only silently stare into his eyes, realizing her situation.
Quiet days filled with despair continued to occupy the time of her life. Dividing her entire history into before and after, the man began treating her like a small child, feeding her and tending to her needs. Under his watchful eyes, she had to suppress the urge to bite off her own tongue, though she no longer believed even that was possible. The collar pressing on her neck prevented any escape plan from being carried out.
There was a day when, under the cover of night, she moved toward the door to the outside and began unlocking it. She was no longer driven by fear of this man's possible fury. She wanted to escape — or die escaping.
As her pale hand turned the key in the lock, she heard a voice. It was like a monotonous hum emitted by an echo in the forest. It seemed to be warning her. It continued to fill her mind until she collapsed to the floor from helplessness.
She woke back in her bed. There were no more such attempts. Perhaps the fire within her had begun to die out, or constant idleness had dulled her instincts, but she chose the only option available to her.
Conversation.
At first, she tried not to ask him direct questions, only mumbling something at the wall. Seeing that his reaction was total ignorance, she increased her pressure until at last she stood face to face with him.
"Why?"
That was her main question. The unknown tormented her. She didn't know what this crazy man intended to do. Whoever he was, she could not be safe.
His philosophy turned out to be monstrously immoral. Aiko learned that his idea was the total subjugation of humanity by means of a coup d'état. In her eyes, it was pure foolishness that only a madman could have dreamed up—