Demon Executioner

"Come on, Azrael! You can do it!"

"You're almost there!"

"Just a little bit more, and you'll beat your previous record!"

"Yeah, come on! Don't fall this time!"

At the foot of a towering cliff stood a group of boys, their tattered clothes telling tales of adventure and hardship.

They ranged in age from about nine to fifteen, all sharing expressions that danced between excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and a flicker of hope in their innocent eyes.

Their gaze was fixed upward at the cliff, a formidable wall of jagged rocks that seemed to scrape the sky.

Clinging to the cliff was Azrael, a boy of about fifteen years old.

Unlike his friends below, he had a striking head of crimson red hair as it was soaked in blood which was also quite long long against the dull backdrop of stone.

His face was smudged with dirt,a testament to his relentless spirit. This climb was special; it marked his first attempt at conquering this daunting height.

"This time I'm going to conquer this cliff" Azrael thought resolutely as determination etched itself across his youthful features.

He climbed with agility akin to a gecko, maintaining perfect balance despite the perilous heights.

Suddenly, one boy shouted excitedly, "Look! Azrael has reached the 'Demon Passage'!"

Another chimed in nervously,"Do you think he'll make it this time?"

"It's tough," another replied solemnly. "This is the most critical part, the worst 'enemy' he hasn't conquered yet."

The admiration in their voices was palpable as one declared proudly, "Azrael is something else! He's climbed everything in Wind Moon Valley, trees, hills, mountains… if it can be climbed, he's done it!"

"But this is different," another boy reminded them. "He's been trying for over a year and always falls short."

A tall boy named Lykon observed quietly from the side; being the oldest among them at fifteen gave him perspective.

"His dedication is incredible,"he mused."I can't even focus on one thing for more ten minutes much less more than a year."

Curiosity sparked among them when one asked Lykon directly:"Hey Lykon, do you know why Azrael is so obsessed with climbing?"

Lykon shrugged with a chuckle."I don't even know myself; he hasn't shared his reasons."

Suddenly someone shouted again:"Guys! Look! Azrael is about to pass through the Demon Passage!"

Azrael dangled at the edge of the cliff, his heart racing as he surveyed the daunting drop below.

The rocky terrain around him was unforgiving, with only a small protrusion offering any semblance of leverage.

To his left, a lone tree clung to the cliffside, its branch just within reach, but between him and that branch lay a deep gully, split open by some mysterious force.

"Can I really make this jump?" he thought, feeling the weight of uncertainty settle in his stomach.

But determination surged through him like fire; he took a deep breath and declared to himself, "This time, I will succeed!"

With newfound resolve, Azrael gathered all his strength into his legs and leaped to the side.

His left hand stretched out toward the tree branch as adrenaline coursed through his veins.

He could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest while the other children at the foot of the mountain gasped in awe.

"Look at him go!" one child exclaimed.

With a resounding crash, Azrael grasped the tree branch tightly just as his body slammed against the cliff face.

Pain shot through him, but joy lit up his eyes.

"Hahahahaha! I did it! I finally did it!" he laughed triumphantly while dangling from the branch.

"Yeahhhhhhh!" cheered the children below, their voices echoing with excitement.

"Lykon, look! He made it this time!"

"Yeah! He really did this time!" Lykon clenched his fists in exhilaration as he gazed up at Azrael.

But then

CRACK!

A loud snapping sound shattered their celebration.

Azrael's joyful expression faltered as he glanced at the tree branch beneath him; cracks were spreading ominously across its surface.

"Oh no… not again!"

Panic surged within him as reality sank in: "Shit! I'm dead!"

In an instant, the branch snapped cleanly in two.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Azrael screamed as he plummeted downward, colliding painfully with jagged rocks on his way down.

"Oh no! Not again!" cried out one of the children at the base of the cliff as their excitement turned to dread.

"He almost made it this time," Lykon muttered sadly.

With a thunderous CRASH!, Azrael hit the water below,a small lake formed by a waterfall cascading down from above.

Though falling from such a height would be painful, landing in water meant he wouldn't be seriously hurt… just bruised ego and all!

As he slowly sank beneath the surface, thoughts raced through his mind: "I almost made it this time."

With determination still flickering inside him like a flame, he kicked hard and swam upward until finally breaking free from beneath the water's surface.

Azrael took a deep breath and slowly turned, propelling himself upwards through the water.

Moments later, he broke the surface, his expression a mix of determination and frustration as he gazed at the towering cliff before him.

"One day, my enemy, I will conquer you," he vowed silently as he swam toward the shore.

As soon as he reached land, a hand extended toward him.

He looked up to see Lykon grinning down at him. "You almost made it this time, Azrael!"

"Yeah, almost," Azrael replied with a hint of disappointment but also a spark of hope.

He grasped Lykon's hand as his friend helped pull him from the lake's embrace.

The other children quickly gathered around Azrael, their chatter bubbling over like excited waves.

"Too bad, Azrael! You were so close!" one exclaimed.

"This cliff is the only thing that has defeated our brave Azrael so many times!" another teased.

"Hehehehe!" The laughter rang out like music in the air as they all turned to look at him.

"What are you guys laughing about?" Azrael snorted playfully. "I promise you, one day I will defeat it! If I don't, then I won't deserve to be called Azrael!"

Their laughter continued as they began to walk away from the cliff's edge.

A few moments later, silence enveloped the area; the tall cliff stood alone and imposing against the backdrop of nature, a silent witness to their playful challenges and dreams yet to be fulfilled.