Ryuuji

Born in the marshes that lead to a crystal pool, Ryuuji grew up surrounded by stories of monsters. Demons that looked like dragons, spoke like dragons, smelled like dragons... but weren't.
Ryuuji has long since been a hunter, but always yearning to take revenge on the monsters who hurt so many of those he knew. He searched for years, not sure how to even look.

Then one day he met one. An old dragon, wings crumpled by age, face contorted by years of hardship.
"Inside me is a monster" he said. "I am one of those you seek, and I have hurt many in my time. I am the first of 12 and I regret being created, however I know the others do not think this way"
Ryuuji stood silent, staring.
"I know you can do it. I can teach you how to kill ones like us if you would take on this hard task. For years now I have trained this creature on my scent, so it can detect a demon like me, as there is no other way to distinguish between them and dragons, besides looking at our insides" Ryuuji accepted the small strange creature, but could not bare studying under a creature so vile for long. 2 days later the demon was dead and Ryuuji set off in search of others.

For many years he searched, found and killed the demons spread across the land. Rumors spread of him, although no one knew his identity. His life became a war, until all but one was left.
He searched and searched for this final demon, but could not find it.

Years passed and Ryuuji felt to retire his obsession, assuming the final demon was already dead as he had not heard of anyone been killed by a demon since the last one he killed. He decided to put his skills to use of the country, and let his old creature friend finally rest some.

---

Ryuuji sighed. Another boring day waiting in the den on standby. He sat back and watched the other dragon guards in training laughing as puplip (the strange creature gifted many years ago) chase his own tail, if you could call it that.
"Attention!" rang out across the den. Ryuuji sat up, momentarily excited that maybe something was happening. But as he saw a dragon sauntering in bearing the badge of a general, he remembered that the recent 'hero' of the battle against a tide clan had been promoted and wanted to go round and meet all the soldiers in his battalion.
Ryuuji had no interest in such things as ranks - it would take half your life to be in a position of any real power. He watched as the other dragons gave a warm welcome. Puplip, suddenly realizing he had lost all the attention, trotted on over to the new arrival, excitedly sniffing. Then when he reached the new general he did something he hadn't done for years. He sat down.

Eyes widening in shock, Ryuuji's breath stopped. No way. Not here. Not now.
And not as a general? The demons he had found until now had all been low life scum, never integrating into society. There must be a mistake. Puplip was old after all. Then he remembered Puplip had never once been wrong about a target.
Ryuuji leaned back and ordered his thoughts. Puplip bounded over to him, making sure he had seen his signal. Ryuuji patted his head lightly. "Good boy".
Eyes narrowing, he stared at the demon in front of him, parading around as a dragon. Not knowing how he had survived this far without being caught, Ryuuji knew he was in for a challenge. He had to suppress to urge to kill him right then and there - Ryuuji didn't want to be executed. But soon. He would eradicate the last demon from the planet. Then he could finally rest.


The next day, Ryuuji requested a meeting with the higher ups in the army.
"I'm the rumored demon hunter who found and eradicated the demons from this land" he declared, watching them carefully. They agreed it was surprising, and Ryuuji found no reason to suspect any of them knew that one of their own was a demon. If they did, and were using them, it would be a problem.
Satisfied with this result, he explained that he was only revealing it now in case those skills could be of use to the army.

Now all he had to do was wait. The general would surely hear of this news soon, and panic.

The attack came when he received some weird directions, down twisting tunnels in a cave he had never been in before. The rest of his squad was meant to be there, but when he realized they weren't, and turned around to leave, there he was. Eyes narrowed, a slight smirk on his face, the demon asked
"How can you tell us apart"
Ryuuji chuckled. "Once I see you, I know"
"That's a shame... I would have kept you alive seeing as how skilled you are, but if that's the case I can't have my children be exposed by you"

Ryuuji's eyes widened in realization. Children? There were more demons out there?
"Your children? I didn't know you could reproduce"
"Well children is a loose term. But one day they will mature. None of your concern though, you die here"
"I already told the higher ups about you. If you kill me here that's all but proof of my claims."
"I wouldn't worry about that... I'm very good at convincing people"
The demon sprang forward, aiming for Ryuuji's head. But having fought many demons before he knew how they attacked. Evading it with ease, they sparred for a minute before he finally got into position around the demon and stabbed in the abdomen, right where the true heart of a demon is.
"Oh... that's a shame" the demon said, un phased.
Ryuuji drew back, sensing something was wrong.
"You see.. I've had a lot of time, see. To rearrange my organs and such. Your knowledge is of no use here"
Ryuuji flew back to attack, wings flapping, claws scratching in such a tight cramped space. But this demon fought like both demon and dragon. Soon Ryuuji was on the floor, covered in wounds.

I don't want to die. I can't, not while there are still demons in the world. His head ran with a million thoughts a second as the general raised his arm up for the finishing blow.
"I LIED!" Ryuuji blurted out.
The general hesitated, before "...About what might that be"
"How I know you're a demon."
The general stared at him, before leaning in with bated breath. Ryuuji helpless on the floor stared up at him.
"So what is the truth. Lie this time and I will know it"
"It's... the Puplip. The creature I own."
Ryuuji was fixed in that gaze for what felt like years, before the general finally broke it off, laughing.
"THAT THING? Hahaha."
Ryuuji nodded.
"I believe you. But how did you train it, and are there anymore"
Fixed once again in that glare, he explained about the elder demon and how Puplip was the only one.
Turning his head to the side, he heard the general mutter "Damn traitor"

"Alright. If that is your only way of finding us then I still have use of you. I will let you live"
Ryuuji breathed a sigh of relief, although it felt unpleasant to be at the mercy of a creature as vile as that.
As the demon was leaving, he turned around and said "Oh... and you better get out of this cave. I've heard it's not very stable" and kicked the wall.
With the roof caving down on him, Ryuuji dashed toward the entrance. He yelped in pain as rock crushed his back legs.
Coughing in the dust and curing his fate, he fell into unconsciousness.

---

Waking up in the sick bay, Ryuuji groaned. He hurt all over.
"Ryuuji! You're awake. You got caught in the cave in, but we think you'll be ok" one of his squad members said.
"What were you even doing down there"
Ryuuji sighed. "I got lost" he muttered.
"Well, we're all glad you're safe" replied his friend. Then the room fell into an uneasy silence. He knew what was coming next.

"So, when you were unconcious..." One of the dragons began.
Ryuuji closed his eyes. He didn't want to hear it, but he knew he must.
"Well we don't know how it happened, and he was very old see... but somehow - and none of us know - he got hold of one of those snakes and tried to eat it but... he chocked and, well no one was around....
I'm sorry, Ryuuji. Puplip's dead"

Ryuuji kept his eyes closed as he let the words wash over him. Goodbye Puplip, he thought. For some reason he didn't feel sad, just empty.
"Are... you ok?" they asked.
He nodded slowly. "I just need some time alone"
The other dragons left, leaving Ryuuji alone with his thoughts. But they weren't on his wounds, or Puplip. From now on he knew what his life would be.

And the first step was killing that demon.