[Hunt or be Hunted: Episode 0.1 - The Day I Died]

[10:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> [Hunt or be Hunted: Episode 0.1 - The Day I Died]
[10:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Brother.~" Annie sings as she clings off your arm.
[10:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> You're carrying a bag of feed over each shoulder as you walk back to your home from the market.
[10:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> your little sister playfully clings to your bicep trying to get you to pay attention to her.
[10:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> You spin around swinging her.
[10:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> It draws the attention of passerbys but you don't really care.
[10:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> Her giggling makes you happy, she's so cute.
[10:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> You make it back home pour up the feed for the horses.
[10:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> Annie waits patiently for you to pick her up on your shoulders when you're finished.
[10:10] <!Emilybroshoujo> Even though she's 10 you and her are extremely close.
[10:10] <!Emilybroshoujo> She ducks down as you enter the house. Your mother turns and greets you with a smile.
[10:11] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Welcome back, sweetie." She says as she stirs the stew for dinner.
[10:11] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Where's dad?" You ask as Annie climbs off you and runs over to "help" your mother cook.
[10:12] <!Emilybroshoujo> "He's in the backyard." She says as she swats Annie's hand trying to sneak a biscuit.
[10:12] <!Emilybroshoujo> You laugh at your pouting sister and head outside.
[10:13] <!Emilybroshoujo> You just turned 13 yesterday, so your father has been talking about taking you on a hunt but he's worried you're not mentally prepared.
[10:13] <!Emilybroshoujo> When you step outside he's practicing his sword forms, fighting with some invisible enemy.
[10:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> You take up a wooden sword from the rack and engage him without hesitation.
[10:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> He smiles as you pressure him, but then he easily disarms you.
[10:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Not bad, a few more years and I might be able to retire." He jokes as he pats your head.
[10:15] <!Emilybroshoujo> "So, am I good enough to go with you yet?" You ask excitedly.
[10:15] <!Emilybroshoujo> He frowns like he was hoping to avoid the subject.
[10:16] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's not a matter of how strong you are, Ben. You know what monsters do to kids your age."
[10:16] <!Emilybroshoujo> You sigh.
[10:16] <!Emilybroshoujo> "What's even so bad about it?" You ask.
[10:16] <!Emilybroshoujo> Your father glares at you.
[10:17] <!Emilybroshoujo> "That's exactly the problem. You're just a teenage boy, you can't understand why we have to hunt them."
[10:17] <!Emilybroshoujo> "They just use us to mate with right?"
[10:17] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's not that simple. You'll understand when you have a family."
[10:18] <!Emilybroshoujo> You complain but the complaints fall on deaf ears as you follow your father in for dinner.
[10:19] <!Emilybroshoujo> As you enter the house he kisses your mother and you fake gag to prompt a giggle out of Annie.
[10:19] <!Emilybroshoujo> Your parents love each other a lot. You kid, but you've seen the way some of the other couples around town act towards one another and you wouldn't trade it for anything.
[10:21] <!Emilybroshoujo> As the four of you sit down to dinner you hear a frantic pounding at the door.
[10:22] <!Emilybroshoujo> Your father gets up and rushes to the door, there's a flash and everything goes dark.
[10:22] <!Emilybroshoujo> You hear screaming, and you feel a pain in your legs.
[10:22] <!Emilybroshoujo> And you smell burning...
[10:22] <!Emilybroshoujo> You come to.
[10:23] <!Emilybroshoujo> You're outside and your entire body aches... your mother lays on top of you.
[10:23] <!Emilybroshoujo> It takes a moment for you to realize she's dead.
[10:23] <!Emilybroshoujo> He throat has been cut.
[10:24] <!Emilybroshoujo> Her eyes are slightly discolored and her dress is torn from her breasts enlarging.... your father has told you about this.
[10:24] <!Emilybroshoujo> She was in the process of turning into a succubus.
[10:24] <!Emilybroshoujo> The way her throat was cut... your father must have....
[10:24] <!Emilybroshoujo> You choke back your anger and force yourself to your feet.
[10:25] <!Emilybroshoujo> You can barely walk but you need to find Annie.
[10:25] <!Emilybroshoujo> You run through the town... people are dead all over.
[10:25] <!Emilybroshoujo> Men and women both, some of them in lewd positions... some just trying to flee in terror.
[10:25] <!Emilybroshoujo> What on earth happened.
[10:26] <!Emilybroshoujo> You call out to Annie but you don't get a response.
[10:26] <!Emilybroshoujo> You head towards the church, that's where she'd have run if she was able.
[10:27] <!Emilybroshoujo> The church is burning as you sprint up the hill.
[10:27] <!Emilybroshoujo> Standing in front of the burning building is a woman who looks up at the flames.
[10:27] <!Emilybroshoujo> You feel a chill coming from her... like she doesn't belong.
[10:28] <!Emilybroshoujo> She turns and looks back at you, her short red bangs hanging in front of her eyes.
[10:28] <!Emilybroshoujo> She looks... really sad.
[10:28] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Who are you?!" You shout.
[10:28] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Where is my sister, and my father?!"
[10:28] <!Emilybroshoujo> She tilts her head as if to motion that they're inside the church.
[10:29] <!Emilybroshoujo> You run past her and kick open the burning doors.
[10:29] <!Emilybroshoujo> Your father lays face down on the ground, a crossbow bolt through his head.
[10:29] <!Emilybroshoujo> In front of him is Annie... she's nude with tiny horns growing out of her head.
[10:29] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Ah! Brother.~" She says as she moves towards you.
[10:30] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Ahahaha~ I'm so glad you're here, I was getting lonely."
[10:30] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I asked papa to play but he shot himself. Hehe.~"
[10:31] <!Emilybroshoujo> You remember all the lectures your father gave you about monsters... about how they were something inhuman, how women stopped being themselves if they turned.
[10:31] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Do you want to play big brother?" Annie asks as she draws closer to you.
[10:31] <!Emilybroshoujo> You grip the knife you found on the roadside tightly.
[10:32] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Annie..." you start to say.
[10:32] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You're wasting your breath." You hear from behind in a melancholy raspy voice.
[10:32] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Lillith's curse has enveloped this town, that girl isn't the person you knew anymore."
[10:33] <!Emilybroshoujo> You turn and see the red headed woman.
[10:33] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Who are you?" You ask, with much more anger in your voice than you intended.
[10:33] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Death." She says nonchalantly with no change in expression. "A servant of Lillith."
[10:34] <!Emilybroshoujo> "She told me to come to this town and make sure no one escaped alive."
[10:34] <!Emilybroshoujo> "then why haven't you killed me and my sister yet?"
[10:35] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Because you haven't attempted to flee, and she's already dead." She responds without hesitation.
[10:35] <!Emilybroshoujo> "All those people... the ones who were having sex in the street... did you kill them?"
[10:35] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Yes." She says.
[10:36] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Were they trying to flee?" You ask as you turn to her angrily.
[10:36] <!Emilybroshoujo> "No, I killed them because I wasn't ordered to let anyone live." She says coldly.
[10:36] <!Emilybroshoujo> "And you just wanted to kill them?"
[10:36] <!Emilybroshoujo> She pauses.
[10:36] <!Emilybroshoujo> "yes."
[10:37] <!Emilybroshoujo> "And my father?"
[10:37] <!Emilybroshoujo> "he killed himself... I suppose seeing his daughter turn he chose to take his own life rather than put her out of her misery."
[10:37] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Humans are like that I suppose." She says as she steps forward.
[10:38] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Would you like me to end your suffering too?" She asks as she steps towards you.
[10:38] <!Emilybroshoujo> Her long black scythe that seemed to materialize from the smoke of the burning church drags of the ground.
[10:39] <!Emilybroshoujo> You ignore her and turn towards Annie.
[10:39] <!Emilybroshoujo> She looks up at you.
[10:39] <!Emilybroshoujo> "So do you want to play? we can have lots of fun big brother. <3"
[10:39] <!Emilybroshoujo> You embrace her.
[10:40] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Pathetic." Death says as she raises her scythe.
[10:40] <!Emilybroshoujo> You stab Annie in the back and pierce her heart.
[10:40] <!Emilybroshoujo> She spits blood on your shoulder.
[10:41] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's okay.... you can rest baby sister. I'll carry this burden for dad." You whisper as she clings to you.
[10:41] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'm sorry." You say as tears stream down your face.
[10:41] <!Emilybroshoujo> You pull the dagger from her back and turn towards Death.
[10:41] <!Emilybroshoujo> You point the blade at her.
[10:41] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You did this." You say as you face her.
[10:42] <!Emilybroshoujo> She stares at you, scythe still raised with a look you would describe as shocked.... as shocked as she can be given her apparent lack of emotions.
[10:43] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I didn't. Lillith released her Succubi here, I killed everyone who tried to flee."
[10:43] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Why?"
[10:44] <!Emilybroshoujo> "She probably feared your father... but he was weak enough that he took his own life, so I suppose all of this was meaningless. It usually is."
[10:44] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You killed everyone... even the succubi... did Lillith tell you to do that too?"
[10:45] <!Emilybroshoujo> She doesn't respond, she just stares into your eyes.
[10:45] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I... will kill Lillith if it's the last thing I do." You say as you point your knife at her.
[10:46] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You can't fight me." She states as though it's obvious.
[10:46] <!Emilybroshoujo> You lunge at her.
[10:47] <!Emilybroshoujo> With speed you can't possibly even comprehend she strikes you across the face and drives you into the ground, the blunt of her blade placed at the back of your neck.
[10:47] <!Emilybroshoujo> Blood drips from your face, and from the tip of her scythe.
[10:47] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You're dead." She says.
[10:48] <!Emilybroshoujo> "The wounds created by my scythe are always fatal, I can end your life at any time. If I will it you'll die."
[10:48] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Do you still think you can reach Lillith?"
[10:48] <!Emilybroshoujo> You grit your teeth and try to stand despite her foot on your back.
[10:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I will... or I'll die trying, it's the same either way." You say.
[10:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> You slash at the woman and your blade sparks off her armor.
[10:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> Then you stand and lunge at her again.
[10:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> She doesn't dodge.
[10:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> You stab her between the cracks in her plate mail.
[10:50] <!Emilybroshoujo> Silver blood flows down the blade and she wraps her arms around you.
[10:50] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I have no love for Lillith." She whispers.
[10:51] <!Emilybroshoujo> An infinite number of complex emotions flow through you as her silvery flame like wings seem to form from nothingness and wrap around you.
[10:52] <!Emilybroshoujo> "For centuries I've waited to meet someone else who would carry a burden like this."
[10:52] <!Emilybroshoujo> "What... burden?" You ask.
[10:53] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Wounds... and death... those are inevitable and fleeting. The responsibility of ending the life of another to put them at peace... it's heavy isn't it."
[10:53] <!Emilybroshoujo> The flames of the church turn blue.
[10:54] <!Emilybroshoujo> You close your eyes... the image of your sisters dying face flashes in your mind... then the smile she had just this morning as she walked with you to the market.
[10:55] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Lillith is the most vile demon to ever live.. I serve her only to bring a measure of peace to as many of her victims as I can. My sisters, my home, she's taken everything from me."
[10:56] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I will allow you to live... you can leave this place and carry with you the burden of your sisters life. Forge yourself into a blade and end Lillith's life... fight on pointlessly in the face of inevitable defeat."
[10:59] <!Emilybroshoujo> "If a thousand miracles occur and you ever find yourself face to face with Lillith, nothing standing between you and her but me.... I will step aside. Only then can I know my betrayal of my sisters will be worth the risk. Until that day I am her slave. I can do nothing but destroy those I'm avowed to protect in hopes of ending their suffering."
[10:59] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Who are you? Really?" You ask as the warmth of the woman's light closes your wounds.
[11:01] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'm just a sinner.... but my name was Azreal. I used to look down at men like you and your father in awe at your infinite capacity for both good and evil."
[11:02] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Even now after centuries of bitter servitude when I thought I had no hope left within me I find myself believing the words of a dying child. 'I will kill Lillith' you say... then I'll wait. Too many times have I seen vows like that come true to doubt you."
[11:02] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You're an angel...."
[11:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I was." She says as she releases you.
[11:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> You pull away.
[11:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> When you look up at her face you see an expression of pain you can't even imagine.
[11:04] <!Emilybroshoujo> An angel born to watch over and protect mankind, who's spent centuries killing those blighted by Lillith to grant them a measure of dignity and peace.
[11:05] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'm just one person...." You say suddenly overwhelmed with the faith she's placed in you.
[11:05] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I know." she says with a soft smile.
[11:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I can see your future... I can see a thousand unsightly deaths. Failure after failure, and in not one possible future do I see you ending Lillith's life."
[11:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You can see the future? Then why trust me if you know I''ll fail?" You ask.
[11:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> :I was once the Archangel of Fate.... I can see only potential outcomes, nothing is set in stone until it happens."
[11:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Everyone... everyone I've ever killed, I saw their life. The life they could have had, the life stolen form them by Lillith... and by me."
[11:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> "None of those futures came to pass... they all just died."
[11:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It works both ways. I can see you die and fall to corruption an infinite number of times... until one of them comes to pass it means nothing."
[11:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> "That's what it means to have faith... something I haven't had in a very long time."
[11:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Even if you die, even if you fail... letting you leave this dead village will provide me with a bit of comfort. For a short time I'll have something to believe in."
[11:10] <!Emilybroshoujo> "How selfish of you." You say as you bow your head to her.
[11:10] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Thank you... I won't falter, not even for a moment."
[11:11] <!Emilybroshoujo> She reaches out and runs her thumb across your cheek.
[11:11] <!Emilybroshoujo> "A scar... I can't fully heal wounds I inflicted myself."
[11:11] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's fine.... when I see my reflection it will remind me that I have a purpose." You say as you turn away from her.
[11:12] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Azreal... Death... I swear I will destroy Lillith. I won't let her continue to destroy the lives of innocent people forever."
[11:13] <!Emilybroshoujo> "We'' see." She says.
[11:13] <!Emilybroshoujo> In an instant she's gone. Like she was carried away by the wind.
[11:13] <!Emilybroshoujo> You return to the ruins of your home.
[11:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> From the lockbox under the floorboard you retrieve your fathers swords.
[11:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> You hold them to your chest and you cry.
[11:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> this is the last time... when you leave this place there will be no place for tears in your life.
[11:14] <!Emilybroshoujo> No.
[11:15] <!Emilybroshoujo> This is the day you died... when you wake up tomorrow, you will have to become a new person entirely.
[11:15] <!Emilybroshoujo> [Episode 0.1 - End]