Measured, unbothered steps delicately echoed through the flames of chaos, debris and blood.

The dayōkai roamed through the discord he had just watched go down, his honey eyes glinted so cold some would believe could freeze that fire.

---

The man scoffed, gazing uppon the pitful humans, begging to their lasts breaths to be spared by those low category yōkai.

"Please! I have three kids!"

"Spare me, I'll pay good!"

"Clemence! I don't want to die!"

[...]

None of that mattered to them. _

They didn't want goods, they didn't care about the children. The desire of misery was merely an impulse, a basic need of survival.

Instincts.

It's how it is, just how it works. It's as natural as rotation of the world, or the fall of a leave.

It's inevitable.

---

Through the smell of blood, he could pick a soft scent deeper in the forest just to the hillside of the village.

Life? After this genocide?

No human could be dumb enough not to run away if not spotted.

... right?

[...] His curiosity darkened further once he stopped by the edge of the waterfall.

The soft shine of the stars reflected softly to the glinting water, all to end by the shinny, long strands of straight, black hair.

Was she deaf? Was she suicidal? Was she not afraid?

All he knew was that, whatever was her purpose, she was meditating under the cascading waters of the beautiful, glittery waterfall.