Luna opened her eyes to find herself in complete darkness. If not for the intense ravenous hunger she was feeling, she would have thought that she was still in the same space from before. 

The difference between the hunger she felt in this world and the next is that this hunger did not seem to affect her energy. On the contrary, it felt like it was driving her crazy and it was taking up all the self control she had to prevent herself from going berserk and going on a rampage. What made matters worse was that she smelt something delicious nearby.

She had to know what she was dealing with first before she did anything though. She gritted her teeth hard together. BaoBao!

BaoBao immediately knew that she was ready to receive the information so stimulated the memories of this body.

 

The original soul of this body was a human named Vanora. An only child born to a poor but happy couple. Her parents did all they could to provide her the best but that did not mean they spoilt her. She had to earn it by helping out with the household and work. Her father was also tough on her when he taught her how to fight with her fists, a sword, a bow and arrow, an axe and more. She was not bad at it but could never meet the standard he wished for her to attain. Her mother may not win her father in strength but she always has him beat in wits, and that was what her mother tried to impart to her. 

Vanora initially struggled with their high expectations and became emotionally unstable at one point, however she knew that they were being hard on her for her own good. They were living among the poor where crimes and unrest was everywhere. If she could not protect herself, she would end up being taken advantaged of. Some people depended on the arrival of an angel but her parents taught her to never rely on one. After all, it depended on serendipity and luck if one would grace a village with their presence. You may not even live to the day when the angel would come to the village. 

Moreover, despite the fact that she kept failing to meet their high expectations, they never blamed or faulted her, and never stopped loving and encouraging her. 

When the war started, Vanora started feeling the pressure to be even better. Her lack of ability eventually led to an emotional breakdown. 

Her parents immediately knew that something was wrong and took a day off their training and work to attend to her emotions. Her parents hugged her, one on each side, with their heads gently resting on the top of her head.

Her mom started talking. "Vanora dear, you just do what you can. Don't worry if you fail. There's nothing wrong with it. Whenever you fail, we'll be here to support you. Whenever you mess up, we'll be here to clean it up." 

"And we love doing these for you because you're our darling child."

"Besides, we only survived till today because we have each other. So there's nothing to worry about not being able to stand by yourself, we're here for each other."

"All we wish for you is to survive and live freely and happily."

Vanora felt overwhelmed with their love and tears flowed uncontrollably while she nodded her head. She felt a renewed drive to become better but now she felt lighter as if a burden was lifted off her shoulders. She improved even more and not long later news of an angel at their village traveled to their house near the outskirts of the village.

The people around them started rushing to the centre of the village to meet the said angel. The family had been focusing on their work in the fields - planting, fertilising, harvesting, and maintaining. 

Vanora's excited gaze met her father's excited gaze and they were ready to go with the rest to meet the angel. However, when they looked at her mother's worried expression, their excitement cooled. 

"Mom?"

"Love?"

Father and daughter spoke at the same time. 

"I'm afraid it may not be good news. Why would an angel be here now? All of them are involved in the war. Vanora, hide."

"No! I'm staying with the both of you!"

"Things around here may get dangerous." Her mother tried to persuade her.

"Then hide with me!" 

"If all of us hide, we'd be mistaken as camouflaged demons or corrupted souls."

"Then I'm going with  you! Remember how you told me that we'd survive together by looking out for each other? I won't be a burden!"

Her parents looked at each other with an expression that revealed their conflict inside.

"It's your call." Her father trusted her mother's judgement.

Her mother stared at Vanora for awhile before breaking into a proud smile. "You've really grown up to be strong and confident." She held Vanora's face tenderly while instructing, "Always stay behind us."

On their way to the centre of the village, they ran into the angel and the rest of the villagers walking towards their direction. 

Her mother immediately let out a surprised cry. "Oh my gosh! It's really an angel! I told you that we should have followed everyone earlier!"

Her father winced a little and looked apologetic. "Sorry love, I was just too engrossed in the field."

Vanora had been stumped but quickly caught on. She acted as an innocent young girl gaping at the pretty angel with olive brown hair and striking clear blue eyes that seemed to look into her soul.

"You can drop the act. I know that you do not truly revere me." Her voice was light and clear. 

Vanora's smile faltered a little but her mother carried on. "Forgive us, our hearts must have been corrupted. We can only be saved by your teachings now."

"Yes, we've been feeling lost and aimless. It's truly great to have this chance to meet you in our lifetime before we die."

"Will you help us?" Vanora finally added in with hopeful eyes.

"I've received word that a demon is hiding in this village. I'm only here to catch it. Do you know where it is?"

The family of three were shocked and shook their heads in unison. 

"Now you're truthful." The angel slowly brandished her sword with emotionless eyes then swung it at the three of them. A gigantic slash of light flew towards them and her parents turned around to cover her. Her father took the full brunt of the slash followed by her mother. Vanora also heard the sound of somebody else's flesh tearing.

Vanora looked behind and saw an escaping demon. The angel flew to chase after the injured demon but Vanora quickly grabbed onto the ends of her robe to beg her to save her parents. However, she was met with a look of disdain and annoyance that was burned into her memory. 

"I told you I'm only here to catch a demon. That attack wouldn't have hurt true believers. Since your family believes in surviving by your own strength so much, survive till I come back on a mission to save instead. If they die, consider it their luck to have died by my sword. It was their only other method of salvation."

Vanora's grip slackened with the shock she received from getting such a heartless reply and the angel flew off. She did not remain stunned for long though, because she knew that her parents were in dire straits. She looked around to see if anyone would help but they were already walking away. The "good" people shunned them for they were shunned by the angel, the "bad" people left without a care as it meant less competition.

"Dad! Mum! Please hold on for awhile, I'll go get the medicine! Our house isn't far from here!" She yelled while she desperately tried to stop the blood that was flowing freely out of the large gash on her father's back and the small but unfortunate and deep wound on her mother's neck. 

She ran off and came back with medicine then tried her best to nurse the both of them by herself. However, her father was quickly losing consciousness while her mother was becoming paler. Vanora cursed herself for not having enough skills and knowledge. She only knew how to sew wounds close and the medicine that would stop the bleeding. However, the wound on her father's back was too large and her mother could not seem to breathe properly. 

"No no no no, I'll get a doctor! I will!" Just as she stood up, her mother touched her foot and her father whispered out her name. 

"I'm sorry Vanora. We can't make it." Her father said in a weak voice. 

Vanora shook her head ferociously in denial.

"Sur- Vive." Her mother told her in between gasping for air. "Live. For. Us."

Vanora's tears began flowing uncontrollably and she felt choked.

"We love you." Her father said with a kind tender smile and tears in his eyes. 

Her mother inched her hand closer to her father's hand and Vanora quickly moved to help her then held onto their hands tightly. She managed to squeeze out the words among her sobs. "I- I- promise. I lo- I love- love you! Tha- Thank you! For- For every- everything!" Her parents smiled warmly and the light in their eyes went out.

Vanora spent the remainder of the day staying by their dead bodies crying non-stop. When it was night, she finally calmed herself down enough to give her parents a proper burial. Hating the village for abandoning her parents, she trapped every single villager in their house and set the entire village ablaze. Everyone woke up from their deep slumber and tried to escape, only to find every single escape route sealed up. 

Vanora watched the village burn in satisfaction then left to start life anew in another village. She went by fine and survived well among the humans with everything that her parents have taught her. 

Until one day when an upheaval was caused by a fight between an angel and a large strong demon that was much taller than all the trees in the vicinity. The fight had originated from elsewhere but somehow ended up in the village she was in. She had been escaping with many others but the demon was suddenly sent flying their way from receiving a strong blow. The demon fell onto the humans and squashed them. Vanora was not entirely caught under the demon but her lower body was pinned down by his arm and stuck. The angel finished off the demon without a care for the people who were still living but trapped under him. A few more slashes of light rained down on the demon then a short prayer was heard before a pillar of light shot down and caused the demon to explode into pieces. 

Vanora was sent flying and tumbling a short distance away while the demon's flesh and blood rained down everywhere. She knew that she was goner now. She could not feel anything in her body. She looked at the angel with blame. Now that she took a good look at the angel, she realised that it was the same angel that had also forsaken her parents. Her pupils constricted and her hate shot to new levels. The memory from that day flashed clearly in her mind. The angel looked straight at Vanora as if sensing her death glare, but the look in her eyes were still as nonchalant and derisive as the day her parents died. 

"How sinful." She commented with disdain before flying away. 

Vanora dug her fingers into the soil.

No. I can't die. Not yet! There's still one living person who abandoned my parents to die! She must pay!

A malicious laughter was suddenly heard in her head. The voice then spoke. I smell a strong hate and an intense thirst for vengeance... Do you want to live?

Vanora was initially shocked but the question caught her attention. Of course! 

Then you shall, on the condition that you will kill that angel from before. 

This was when she realised it was probably the dead demon talking. At least it was supposed to be dead. She looked at the half of the head that had landed near her. Its eye was glowing bright yellow and its sharp pupils staring straight at her. However, she did not get any chills. She replied to him with hatred clear in her voice. She's my target.

How splendidly wonderful. The voice said with utter glee. Drink my blood and eat my flesh. You shall be reborn with my will!

However, try as she might, Vanora could not move her broken body so she resorted to biting down into the dirt at her mouth that has his blood and bits of his flesh and swallowed it. 

Right after she did that, she felt her body burn with an unbearable intense heat, a thousand needles pricking her skin all over, and had a splitting headache. After a long time later, she blacked out.