Chapter 2 — The First Scream

Violet Ashford was the daughter of a ruthless devil king Lucifer. On her birth the Royal priest told him the prophecy that his newborn daughter would be the reason for his demise of ruling the kingdom of hell. In order to keep ruling his throne he gave orders to kill his newborn daughter to a trusted maid. But she ran away with the little newborn disappearing like she never existed, leaving a threat to Lucifer that his demise is still alive.

———

“You killed my mother,” I said, holding onto my mother's dead body. I knew that she wasn't my biological mother but she taught me everything I needed to know. She told me every truth about my father’s cruel plan to kill me and my mother's tears for not seeing her daughter.

“She is not your mother, she's just a royal servant to the King Lucifer who betrayed him,” the man standing in front of me said as if nothing mattered to him.

“She is not just a servant, she is my mother who brought me up and keep me safe from your bloody son of a bitch King” I said, spatting at him.

“Mind your language Violet, he's your father” he said, raising a finger towards me.

“Princess Violet Ashford, I'm not a servant whom you can call by name, I'm the fucking Heiress of your filthy King” I said and swung my sword through his neck leaving his dead body.

“Let's begin this war father, you've gone too far now, I'll take control of everything and you were scared of the only one thing and I'll be that one thing. Your demise is coming to your doorstep Devil king Lucifer”

The sound of pounding footsteps echoed through the flooded streets.

Ren ran faster than he ever had in his life.

Cold rain slashed against his face while the monstrous roar behind them shook the entire village.

“DON’T LOOK BACK!” Haruto shouted.

Mika was crying as she struggled to keep up, her glasses fogged with rain. Yuna grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled her forward.

Behind them—

CRASH!

Wood shattered.

The Hollow Beast smashed through the abandoned tea shop they had been hiding beneath as if it were paper.

Ren glanced back for half a second.

Big mistake.

The creature’s glowing eyes locked onto him instantly.

Its grin widened.

“Oh God…” Ren whispered.

The Beast lunged forward unnaturally fast.

The ground cracked beneath its claws.

“MOVE!” Haruto yelled.

He shoved Ren aside just as the monster’s claws tore through the street where Ren had been standing moments earlier.

Stone exploded everywhere.

Mika screamed.

The four teenagers sprinted through Lantern Street, one of the oldest roads in Kuroyami Village. The paper lanterns hanging outside the homes swung violently in the storm despite having no flames inside them.

It felt like the village itself was alive.

Watching.

Waiting.

Another scream echoed through the darkness.

Closer this time.

Then suddenly—

Silence.

Ren’s chest tightened.

“That scream…” Mika whispered shakily. “It stopped…”

Nobody answered.

Deep down, all of them understood what that meant.

Something terrible had happened.

The Hollow Beast slowed behind them.

Not because it was tired.

Because it was enjoying the chase.

Rainwater dripped from its massive claws as it walked slowly through the street, its glowing eyes never leaving Ren.

Yuna suddenly froze.

“Wait.”

Haruto grabbed her arm. “Are you crazy?! Keep moving!”

But Yuna stared toward a narrow alley beside an old ramen shop.

“There’s someone there.”

A small figure crouched near the wall.

A child.

A little boy no older than seven covered his mouth to stop himself from crying.

Ren’s eyes widened.

“What is he doing outside?!”

The boy looked up fearfully.

“P-please help me…”

The Hollow Beast growled.

Low.

Hungry.

The sound alone made the air vibrate.

Haruto clenched his fists. “We don’t have time—”

Ren ignored him and ran toward the child.

“Ren!” Mika screamed.

The Beast instantly reacted.

Its massive body slammed into the rooftops above them, leaping across the buildings like a giant predator.

Wood cracked under its weight.

Ren grabbed the terrified child and pulled him close.

“It’s okay,” he said breathlessly. “Just run when I say run.”

The monster landed directly in front of the alley.

BOOM.

The impact shook the entire street.

The child burst into tears.

Up close, the Hollow Beast was even worse.

Its gray skin looked stitched together like rotten flesh. Black veins pulsed across its arms. Its jaw opened too wide for any human creature, revealing rows of broken needle-like teeth.

And its eyes—

Empty.

Like there was no soul left inside it.

Rain poured harder.

The Beast tilted its head strangely while staring at Ren.

Almost curious.

Then it spoke.

One horrifying whisper escaped its mouth.

“…found…you…”

Everyone froze.

Mika’s face turned pale with terror.

“It can talk…”