Act 1: Demons Within (1)

Beyond the tall peaks of the Balros mountains stood a lonely war-ravaged land. A place filled with none else than the bodies of friend, foe, ally, enemy, broken hopes, and promises forgotten beneath the bloodied soil. Fresh bodies, clad in armor broken beyond recognition, lie on the ground, ready to join generations of soldiers before them. The cries of agony and the smell of burning flesh permeate the air as a small army saunters westward, victorious after a hard fought battle.

It was among the charred, blackened bodies. A small body, broken, cleaved, and burnt to the point of what would be considered inhumane. Dried blood covered the ground around this shape, pooling around fragments of chains and weapons. The dirt had been riled, a recent struggle occurring at the very location just before.

Everything was silent. Quiet. Not a single sound could be heard even when one whispered to the man next door. The stillness brought with it beauty. A crimson red flower bloomed amidst the carnage, its petals entwining with one another, a mythical sight to behold. The flower had soaked in the blood of many throughout the countless years, absorbing the strength of ancients and maturing to its final state.

This particular flower had sprouted over the broken body, its petals unraveling in a spiral-like fashion to reveal the hidden gem underneath. The scarlet blossom held a small red orb, one that held within it the Crest of Blood. The black inner reverse cross was bordered by red, its colors shimmering in the brilliant scarlet glow.

It was then that a dark sinister light had appeared, a mix of shadow and beast began to fight against the scarlet flower. The two forces clashed for days on end, their ethereal auras dimming until there was no more. The beast fell, its corpse dissolving into smoke and the flower withered, the gem left behind liquefied in a puddle on the ground. The two forces raced towards the body, their haste opposing one another to the bitter end.

They collided, both seeping into the body in order to take hold of it. It was only then that a bright red light began to shine from where the liquid had entered the body, spreading across the body before the tendrils of darkness could take complete control. Trapped within the body, the shadow tried to escape but only ended up being bound.

Moments afterward the red light faded, flickering without life. Everything had become still once again, but the body had changed. A pulse, not one from within the body but one from outside, began to throb in a rhythmic pattern. It was slow at first, nothing more than a slight throb every now and again, but it gradually quickened as time went by. The cycle repeated itself, the air visibly parting as tendrils of crimson light began escaping from the body.

The grass around the body began to change. Each blade of grass thickened, veins filled with blood had sprouted out of the leaves, the roots drawing blood from deep within the earth itself. The blackened body within the epicenter of these strange events began to glow, the red glow masking even the most gruesome sights away from the world.

Blackened flesh and scorched skin peeled off of the body with every rhythmic beat. Only when the twin moons hung high in the starless sky would the shell fade. From above, the sight of a barren ground surrounding a small island of blood red grass could be seen. A glowing white skeleton floated above the patch of blood grass with a crimson red gem suspended within it. The gem was dim, devoid of any of the previous luster it once had, the Crest of Blood had disappeared entirely, replaced with a small swirling mass of darkness.

The volatile mass of darkness seemed to try to escape, burrowing its spires in the red shell encircling it. Thin white cracks began appearing on the sphere but that was only for a moment. The blood grass had finished collecting blood from thousands of leagues away into that one area. The bodies that once littered the battlefield were now nothing more than empty husks.

The blood grass exploded, unable to handle the burden of the sudden force. Blood trails streamed towards the orb within the skeleton. The orb hungrily devoured the blood, drowning itself in the ocean of blood as more and more light radiated from the skeleton. The darkness held within was stifled by the rush of power, all resistance now held futile. But it hadn’t given up yet. It still had a chance…

The orb had eaten its fill, nearly half of the reservoir of blood had been eaten but the other half remained, submerging the white skeleton in its crimson glory. From blood came flesh, organs and muscles began to form around the skeleton. The heart formed first, it pulsated with every new subsequent addition, entrails had moved into place, lungs moved in and out, and scarlet eyes formed in the hollow eye sockets, swiveling around until they faced forward. The muscles and sinew flowed across the skeleton, covering the white bone and raw organs. Unmarred white skin spread across the flesh, delicate fingers and a slim form appeared.

Black hair sprouted from the head, its length reaching no more than the base of the body’s neck. The naked body of a young girl, untouched by the hands of time and tragedy had appeared within the floating mass of blood. Reconstructing the body had consumed half of the remaining blood, however, the remaining blood surrounding the girl’s body had a thickness equal to that of an ancient thousand-year tree.

The nearly black blood seeped into the body, refined by the various organs into a brilliant scarlet color that flowed throughout her body. Once the blood refinement ended, the crimson light finally dispersed, flowing back into her body from whence it came.

Without the support of the mysterious force, the girl alongside the leftover blood fell to the blood encrusted soil beneath.

Only when the twin moons set and the sun rose in the east did the girl open her newly formed eyelids. Revealing her dim lifeless eyes beneath. Her mouth moved but no sound escaped from it. She lied there, unable to speak but able to think.

‘Who am I?’

She asked herself. She had forgotten who she was. Lost in thought, she moved her head to face the east, towards the sun rising between the distant peaks of the Balros Mountains, covering the sky in a vibrant blaze of orange and yellow.

‘Pretty.’

She stared at the early daybreak, merely admiring the scene as her mind couldn’t comprehend it. A small smile spread across her face, natural and genuine as it was.

She didn’t care about the dead grass nor the pungent smell of death surrounding her. She could only gaze at the rising sun as it flew higher and higher above her.

‘A nice day to die.’

She stopped. Why had she thought that? Shouldn’t she already be dead? But she is alive now, she was sure of it.

She felt her body, the smooth skin she never believed she would have again felt refreshing beneath her dainty fingers. She raised her hands, no longer the malformed mess they were before. Her hands were still clawed, yes, but retractable, appearing as only sharp nails when fully withdrawn. Was she given another chance somehow?

She couldn’t tell. The human gods never gave any thought to someone like her. Could it be another race’s god? The questions spread throughout her mind. She couldn’t find the answer. She lacked the ability to.

Suddenly, she felt a warmth emanate from deep within her chest. Her pulse accelerated, her body slipped from her control, convulsing around as her mind was pierced by pain.

She could remember it. The searing pain of her past. A sharp line of blood followed by the lack of sensation from her bottom half and the weightlessness that came with it. The thousands of knives piercing her body from within and the constant contortions she had gone through.

She could remember them. The faces of the ones who did this to her. She remembered it all. Her face contorted at the feelings of betrayal and rage once forgotten rushing back to her. The faces of those she knew twisted by the madness of the world. The screams of her mother as she was burned alive.

It was then that the warmth in her chest exploded. The face of a man appearing at the forefront of her thoughts. The golden hair and cold blue eyes stared down at her. She didn’t know who he was but the warmth inside of her told her what he was. The mad howls from the girl shook the very world around her. The blood vaporized in her presence, the scarlet red light danced within her eyes.

‘Who am I?’

The girl scoffs at her own stupid question. She moved her mouth to speak once more, a cold voice replied to the madness within her.

“Who am I? I am the victim.”

‘So what?’

“They will pay… All of them.”

‘You know you cannot win.’

“Then I will wait. They will not know. They will never know.”

‘Then what?’

“I strike. Nothing can stop me. Not even Him.”

‘Very well.’

The once human girl let out an ear piercing laugh, if anyone were to hear it, they would be able to feel their flesh and bone freeze over because of it. A primordial fear within all beings embodied by the voice of a small girl with Scarlet Eyes.

Skill [Blood Oath] has been received from ???

Skill [Twisted Fate] has been received from ???

A small blue box appeared within the peripheral of her vision but she ignored it only to laugh more. Her laughter went on for an indeterminable amount of time, echoing throughout the empty field, her madness evident with each and every peal.

It was only when the sun had crossed halfway across the sky did her laughter stop. She was hungry. Her thirst grew ever since she woke up but she had ignored it. The pain was obtrusive to her thoughts and her natural instinct was to hunt.

She remembered something appearing in the corner of her vision but she cared not for it. She looked around her surroundings scanning every possible inch within range but what she saw left her looking disappointed. The soil had already soaked up the blood changing to a muddy red hue. Not even the vilest of creatures would attempt to consume the muddy mess beneath her and even her own body was caked in the blackish-red blood.

The putrid smell of rotten blood filled the air around her. It bothered her so much so that she had to hold her nose shut to think clearly. Just where was she? Her scarlet eyes moved westward to where she could sense the energy of living beings, to be precise, a large encampment of soldiers. They were several days away from her if she were to run at them straight on and most of them were mere fodder for her to devour or so she thought. She tensed her legs and readied herself for a fast hunt, however, just as she was just about to begin her pursuit her body froze. Every hair on her body seemed to stand up as she felt a gaze somewhere around her.

Danger. That’s what she felt. Her memories told her that they were related to her target, but her body and told her to flee. To run until she can face them. And run she did.

She turned on her heels and ran to the east following the trail littered with broken armor and weaponry littering the ground, yet with no bodies or remains left behind. She didn’t know what happen to them, but she knew it wasn’t good. She increased her pace.

She ran through the empty field, fleeing away from the danger, her stomach dangerously grumbling in the meanwhile. She desperately needed to eat but survival came first. She spotted a forest after spending ten minutes on the trail and saw it as shelter from those prying eyes. Just as she made it to the edge of the forest, a strong force knocked her forwards from behind. Her right shoulder collided with a tree before she collapsed onto the ground meekly.

A cloud of dust and soil exploded out from where she was an hour ago. The field wiped of any traces of battle, buried underneath the soil for good or pulverized to nothing.

She hid behind a small alcove in a tree occasionally peering out to see if anyone was there. She felt life all around her and even life from the tree itself, but there were three large masses on the other side of her tree,

—…reporting in.

—Did you find it?

—No, they must have already been destroyed by the volcanic crag.

—Tsk. No confirmation. Check the perimeters for spies. No one must know the result of this battle. Ivecil and Helios must think that they each won the fight.

The three cloaked figures were talking just close enough for her to hear their hushed voices, granted, she had to strain her ears to hear a single bit of their conversation. Ivecil? Helios? The names of human kingdoms escaped from their mouths and entered her ears. She tucked herself closer into the little hole in response, desperately lowering her own breathing to prevent them from hearing her.

—The king won’t like it if some rat managed to escape. Search harder!

The three cloaked figures spread out in three directions, luckily none of them were headed her way. She released her breath with a small sigh but one of the cloaked figures peered into the alcove just as she did so.

“Wa-!”

“Shh…”

The cloaked figure clamped their hand over her mouth and looked around for a moment.

“Stay quiet. Stay still. Their master wants you dead but mine wants you to live.”

She struggled to escape the stranger’s grasp but to no avail. Their grip held firm over her mouth.

“Flee from Ivecil and the Devis. My master awaits.”

The stranger let her go then and disappeared into the depths of the forest. The girl gasped to breathe once again but immediately shut her mouth once she felt something to her left.

—Hmm? What was that?

Another cloaked figure stood north of her current location. They had heard her gasp. They raised their hand into their cloak and brought out a cylindrical handle of some sort. They aimed it downwards and pulled the trigger, a small round penetrated the ground releasing a strange energy throughout the surroundings.

—Tiger! Report!

The stranger that spoke to her before appeared in front of the cloaked figure, drawn in by the mana pulse.

—Tiger reporting in.

—Did you find anything?

—None at all sir.

The cloaked figure and the stranger stood in silence for several minutes before the cloaked figure spoke again.

—Search this area closely. Something’s off. And call Jackal as well. He needs some proper punishment now that he ignored the signal.

—Yes, sir.

Something being off was right. She held her breath as the two departed again, vehemently searching the area. The stranger, Tiger they were called, searched around the area where she was hiding. Tiger kept moving around, even checking the tree she was in before moving further away as if ignoring that she was there.

She hid for an hour or so before she saw them leave. She left the tree and her stomach grumbled even more than it had before.

She looked around at the forest around her, at the plentiful specks of life surround her. She licked her pink lips as fangs protruded from behind her upper and bottom lip. It was time for a feast.

She used her ability to sense where her prey was alongside her acute sense of smell and started harvesting them. She killed one and quickly devoured it before moving onto the next. Tracking and killing anything she found with her sharp, retractable claws, repeating the process as she deprived countless small animals of their lives.

The amount of satiation she received from eating them was meagre and unsatisfying but it had cleared her thoughts somewhat. She occasionally found a few beasts that she couldn’t handle but fled the moment she felt their strong life energy.

She continued like this until the sun set and night came. All the animals and creatures had fallen asleep, their life energy slowing to a halt preventing her from finding them anymore. It was at this time that the nocturnal creatures arose but she would be fine against them. She could easily escape them before they saw her.

The brief pause in her hunting spree and partially filled stomach gave her time to think. She had seen something in the corner of her vision earlier but she hadn’t thought anything was strange about it at the time.

Now that she looked closer, the blue speck seemed to call to her, enlarging in front of her the moment she focused back onto it.

Skill [Hunter’s Eye] has been obtained

Skill [Hunter’s Eye] has increased in level (1)

Name

Unnamed

Age

1 Day

Race

Lesser Devil (Scarlet) [0/3]

Vitality

14/29 (+.007/s)

Mana

82/82 (+.02/s)

Mentality

27/29 (+.01/s)

STR

5

INT

16

MND

8

CON

6

DEX

9

LUK

1

Ailment: Satisfied, Weakened Status: Normal

Skills

Level

Proficiency

Description

[Demonic Vitality]

1/10

2.4%

(P) Physical Enhancement I - Increases Vitality by .06%

(P) Physical Regeneration I - Increases Vitality Regen by .06%

(A) Demon Sense I - Consume Mentality to sense Life Energy

[Keen Sight]

2/10

49.4%

(P) Instinct I - Grants minor proficiency in Tracking and Analysis

(?) -Locked-

(?) -Locked-

[Blood Oath]

N/A

N/A

(S) Blood Crest - 0% Awakening

[Twisted Fate]

N/A

N/A

(P) ???

The screen filled her sight with its blue glow and white symbols. She didn’t understand what they meant but could interpret them just fine.

‘This is me?’

She thought to herself. She contemplated at what those words meant as she never thought she would ever try to define herself. She had always been judged by others but never thought of it herself. Contemplating this new thought, she walked through the dense vegetation until a howl interrupted her thoughts. Rather than a singular howl, there was a series of howls tearing through the gloomy atmosphere of the forest.

She looked around and realized where she was. She had accidentally walked into the den of wolves. She had identified this location earlier in the day while the pack was active and sternly avoided it. But now that it was night, the beasts were sleeping, their life energy dim to the point where she couldn’t see them. To be fair, she wasn’t focusing on looking for life energy in the first place due to her being absently minded at the time but she didn’t know that.

All she knew was that she woke the sleeping beasts.

Within seconds, the pack surrounded her. Growling at the intruder that invaded their territory.

A loud howl, more distinct than the one of the others came from her left. She turned in that direction just in time to see the ring of wolves part, revealing a wolf that stood at double the height of the others. It was a Noble Wolf, an evolved version of the normal wolves surrounding it. The Noble Wolf’s fur was clean and shiny in the dim moonlight, incomparable to the dirty matted fur of its followers. Its silver eyes glared at her and hers stared back.

The wolves began to move, their ring expanding allowing her to have some breathing room, but immediately after the Noble Wolf let out a low regal snarl before lowering its body toward the ground.

Only after a moment did she realize what this meant, she jumped back just as the Noble Wolf dashed forward. Its powerful hind legs kicking up dust as it swung at where she was before. The dangerously sharp claws just barely grazing her midriff, pain flaring up from where the claws had cut her delicate skin.

The Noble Wolf was an enemy. She released her claws and ran towards the wolf’s blind spot, striking at what she perceived to be a weak spot thanks to [Hunter’s Eyes] but her claws only glanced off the wolf’s metallic silver fur. She tumbled forwards due to the unexpected momentum and tripped onto the ground. The wolf simply stood there watching her, egging her to get up.

It was at this moment that she knew it was out of her league. That it was merely playing with her. She was just a toy in the eyes of the Noble Wolf. Enraged, she got up and lunged at the wolf again. The wolf reacted in kind, pouncing at the girl with its claws ready to strike. Just as the two were about to connect, the voice of a woman rang out from above.

“STOP!”

A whirl of azure fire struck the Noble Wolf on the chest from above, knocking it away from the sheer force to the other side of the encirclement. The Noble Wolf’s pack looked above to spot the intruder, all of them agitated by the woman who harmed their alpha.

The woman was fairly young with blonde hair and shimmering emerald eyes. Her long ears seemed out of place as she floated above the clearing out of the pack’s reach. A glowing book was floating just above her right shoulder and a ring of light surrounded her feet. She lifted her left palm towards the wounded Noble Wolf while the floating book emitted a stronger glow as her mouth moved rapidly, forming the verses required to activate the spell within the grimoire.

Another stream of azure fire blasted out towards the Noble Wolf. However, the wolf was ready and dodged the incoming attack moments before it landed. It flew past the wolf and hit the ground just a few steps from where she was standing, scorching the earth and burning the plants in the highly concentrated flames.

The pack was distracted by the woman so she decided to make a break for it. But the pack wolves weren’t letting her go either. A group of three barred her path while the others growled at the woman currently engaged with their alpha. They moved in on her but before they could attack her, the Noble Wolf let out a small cry. Its wounds were grievous and it had signaled their retreat. The swift Noble Wolf ran with its pack away from their home and away from the intruders.

The woman threw a few more balls of azure fire at them but every time a fireball would have struck the Noble Wolf, another wolf would throw themselves in the way to protect it. The wolves had escaped the woman’s range and there was nothing the woman could do. The woman turned around to face her and floated down to take a closer look at her wounds.

She had a few injuries here and there. Her right shoulder was bruised from the earlier impact while a deep gash was on her left thigh. The shallow cut on her midriff wasn’t as severe as the others but it warranted attention from the woman as well.

“Calm down girl, everything’s going to be alright.”

The woman spoke to her, the soothing tone lessened the pain slightly but it was suspicious. What was she doing here anyways?

She backed up a few steps and readied her hands once again, her nails extending into claws at a moment’s notice. She was ready for a fight if the woman attacked.

The woman closed the book that was hovering over her left shoulder and held it between her left arm and chest, raising both arms to signify her peaceful intent.

“I’m not here to fight. Come with me, a girl like you shouldn’t be out here.”

The woman reached her arm out towards the girl but she didn’t accept it. She knew better than to trust a stranger. She lowered her body and slightly extended her claws. She will run.

However, the woman did not know this. She merely saw the girl in front of her entering a low stance and bring out sharp weapons from her fingertips.

“An assassin?!”

The woman immediately brought out her grimoire but the very act was seen as hostile by the girl.

She planned on running but the woman’s fire would easily catch her. She remembered the scene where the wolves sacrificed themselves to save their leader, she didn’t have such luxuries. One hit and she’d practically be ashes.

Instead, she took the initiative. She lunged at the woman the moment the book’s pages started turning. The woman was currently chanting in a low muttered voice and backpedaling as fast as possible with the book in hand. Because of this, the girl caught up to the woman extremely quickly and brought her claw to strike at her vital position. Her heart.

Before her claw could hit its mark, the woman leaned her body back slightly to avoid it. The result was that her first clawed strike met nothing but air, but she still had her other hand. She brought down the claw with all her might just as the woman finished her incantation.

“Azure Flar-!”

The woman never finished the invocation. The girl’s clawed hand pierced the thin membrane of her left eye causing the woman to scream in pain, her body shook and fell as she clutched at her left eye. A golden trefoil amulet fell from her robes, its power unspent and still glittering with power.

The girl retreated after she disabled the woman. She didn’t know if the woman had something that would activate if she died, the only thing she knew was that the fire wouldn’t follow her after she ran. She ran in the direction of where the Noble Wolf was. After all, a hunter never misses its mark twice and she knew the Noble Wolf would be after her once it healed.

She raised her clawed hands as she ran, both were unmistakably covered in blood. They were still. Had she always been like this or is it the effect of her rebirth? Nothing was clear other than her own weakness.

Weak. It was what described her for the past nine years. The word had followed her since she could first remember it. The hushed tones of those around her and the merciless acts they committed. What she needed was a solution and only one solution could fix it.

Strength. That was what she needed. Not only was it what she needed to survive, but it was also what she needed to kill the man in her memories. The one who caused all of her pain. The warmth in her chest grew with each passing step, her clawed hands rapidly piercing the hides and shells of anything she found as she followed the tracks of the wolf pack.

Her goal wasn’t to escape all pursuit.

It wasn’t to lay waste to the world either.

It was to survive and kill. To devour.

Skill [Demonic Vitality] has activated

Mental State is being corroded by an unknown force

Skill [Blood Oath] has activated

Mental Corrosion has been weakened to Mental Encroachment

Warning! It is advised to stabilize Mental State as soon as possible

Words rang in her ear for the next few seconds but she didn’t care. Her eyes darkened for a moment as a merciless atmosphere engulfed her. The darkness within her heart was amplified by her undying hatred. She would kill Him. Just as he killed her. Her purpose was revenge and her goal was happiness. She laughed again, her voice shrieking in the darkness of the forest.

Her steps steeped in madness, she followed the complex trail the wolves left. The strong smell of singed fur and fresh blood helped her in tracking them as her own [Hunter’s Eye] was still too inept.

Not too long after she began running, she found the mortally wounded Noble Wolf lying on the ground. It saw her as she saw it. The wolves in its pack stood on the outskirts of the clearing, watching the final breaths of their king.

She smiled at the old friend, a clawed finger moving towards its chest where blood still poured onto the ground. Its own vitality was suitable for a Noble Wolf and especially a requisite for being the alpha of a pack. Although its vitality was high enough to be considered a third tier beast, its primary ability extended only to territory control. Now that its chest was exposed and its body weakened drastically, a person like her could easily pierce its heart.

The wolf resigned to its death. It could not fight anymore and it already accepted its defeat. The wolf lied still, its chest pierced by the clawed hands of the girl it had played with not so long ago. The deep silver eyes revealing signs of its own intelligence.

*Shik*

Her claw passed through the burned fur, its hide softened by the damage. Her hand cut through the soft flesh and pierced the heart. The slow beating of the heart finally ceasing after decades of life.

The head of the Noble Wolf slowly slunk to the ground, its eyes closed as it accepted its eternal rest at last.

*Thump*

The wolves howled towards the sky at the loss of their leader. They howled until day became night and night became day before leaving the forest for good as the Balros forest without its king meant danger for all.

The girl didn’t know this, however. Killing the wolf didn’t mean much to her. She recognized the danger within the forest but she will confront it. If her strength wasn’t enough then she couldn’t possibly accomplish her goal.

She ran. She ran through the forest killing everything in her path. Whether it be a defenseless animal or a second tier beast, she slaughtered them all. Stronger. Faster. She became one with the carnage that brought her back to life. The darkness within her heart growing with each life she took, every kill resulting in the manifestation of madness in her mind.

Only after a few days does her crazed killing spree end. She had taken the lives of many creatures within the forest, her claws had been stained red by the blood but her pale skin remained flawless still. She had reached the eastern boundary of the forest that she loved and hated dearly. During the first few days, various beasts approached her and ended up as nothing more than sustenance for her. But after the first few days, nothing approached her. She would run at them but they would run away faster. It was frustrating to say the least of it.

The dreadful aura around her was heavy. She didn’t know it but it was that very aura that caused every creature to flee from her. Of course, she learned to hide her presence and managed to snag a few kills here and there but most of the animals managed to evade her either way. She had traversed over a distance that seemed far in her mind but after seeing the distant mountains before her she realized her own naivety. She wasn’t safe yet. She made sure to hide her tracks within the forest but before her was an open plain filled with rocks and gravel. She didn’t have many places to hide other than the occasional boulder and the sharp stones on the rocky surface glistened in the bright sunlight.

She had to find a way around but there wasn’t much she could do. The rocky expanse wrapped all around her blocking her attempts at making any distance from the forest behind her. She lifted her bloody hands into the air gauging the distance from her current position to where she thought the rocky expanse ended, though her vision was simply too low to make any accurate measure. She headed back into the forest and climbed up one of the tallest trees she could find using her claws as tools to latch onto the bark but she just ended up falling to the ground instead.

Her claws shredded through the bark when fully extended and her fingers futilely grasped at the rough edges when her claws were retracted. It seemed like her claws weren’t meant for climbing but for cutting through anything they met.

“…”

She needed a way up. In fact, she didn’t really need to but she wanted it. Her instincts told her to climb a tree when she couldn’t. She glanced at the field of rocks through the foliage ahead but all she saw was an insurmountable obstacle she would have to face. She was about to leave the forest but stopped the moment she heard a foreign sound. Her footsteps were silenced by the soft dirt below but she could hear a heavy drumming sound towards her left.

She hid in a nearby bush by the outskirts of the forest, hidden from plain view by a combination of leaves and branches. In a matter of a minute, she saw the bare chest of a horse leisurely leading a wagon with a cloth draped on its back preventing others from seeing what was inside. There were two men sitting in the front section of the wagon, a weak looking man holding the reigns to the horse and a stocky man holding onto a long stick with metal on one of its sides. A spear according to what the girl knew but it was distinctly different from the typical weapons she saw before. The metal forming the blade had a dark luster and the blade was warped ever so slightly. The unknown weapon could have properties that would be potentially dangerous aside from the usual sharpness that came along with it. She scanned the carriage for other targets but she found none due to the cloth draped over the back.

The stocky looking man spoke first, his gruff voice could be heard over the sound of the wagon wheels.

“So, how much we getting from this load?”

“A few silvers at best. Their appearance isn’t pretty but not too shabby either. We’d get more if we could go to a more secluded region like Vareth’s town but Barren will do. It’s more trouble than it’s worth to carry them past Virandi’s land.”

“But how much though? Three silvers? Didn’t we buy them for two silvers? We’d each get one silver then if we sell at three.”

“We’d both get fifty coppers dimwit. The only reason why I decided to bring you along was because of our past relations and your own strength. I smell another war in the future and I’m not sticking around for it. We’ll either cross into Helios or into Yveron later on. For now, just keep your mouth shut and follow me. I’ll make sure we get the best end of the bargains.”

The man, identified as Dimwit to the girl, followed the thin man’s order and shut his mouth from then on. The carriage passed but a light gust of wind just so happened to cause the cloth covering the carriage’s back compartment to lift up just enough for her to see inside. Two females. Beaten and bruised but recognizably alive. They both wore torn rags and had metal chains shackled around their limbs preventing them from moving without making even the slightest bit of noise.

The girl saw the chains and an indescribable feeling welled inside of her. They were held in captivity just as she had before. The feeling seeped into her very core, she felt her blood burning from within as this emotion evoked her entire course of action. Wrath. It was the emotion she felt now and before. One that permeated from the unknown heart beating alongside her own. Rich red energy escaped through her pores and her eyes brightened from crimson to scarlet in a matter of moments. She leapt towards the wagon from behind with her claws outstretched and lashing towards the two men on it.

The driver’s throat was slit open by five separate lines, blood spewing from the open wounds as the driver grabbed his own throat and coughed for the last moments of his life. The other man, however, managed to react just in time, jumping out of the way just before her claws could reach his neck. He jumped forwards off the cart and raised his right arm back towards the cart only to realize that he only had a singular bloody stump left to raise. At his feet was his fauchard and the rest of his right hand still held onto the very weapon itself. He felt no pain from the wound, only coming onto the realization that it was cut off after a fair portion of his blood had poured onto the ground below. The horse, feeling the complete slack in the reigns, charged forwards unevenly towards the man and trampled him to the ground. The wagon veered out of control as the horse barreled forwards trying to free itself from its restraints. The wagon slammed into a nearby rock allowing the horse to escape its restraints and flee into the open world. The man was lying on the ground after the events clutching what was left of his arm as his entire body began to freeze over due to the lack of blood. His last seconds spent watching a red flash on the horizon.

The wagon was tipped over to its side but it didn’t collapse due to the sturdy frame it was built on. The two women freed themselves from the inside of it to see their captor’s bloody throat and his assistant on the ground with his head turned northbound. The two stood up from inside the wagon, the clinking of chains following suit and looked around to find their savior but saw none waiting for them. They looked farther only to see a streak of red light quickly moving away in the distance. They didn’t know what to do and they couldn’t leave either. The chains impaired their movement and leaving would result in them being slain or taken captive again. With the supplies in the wagon, they’d be able to survive for at most a week but their only hope was to have a friendly group find them. The two women continued to stare at the red light, already nothing more than a speck amongst the endless expanse ahead. They prayed towards this light unbeknownst of the girl herself who was fleeing from the scene as fast as possible.

The girl fled from the scene. The red energy around her body had thickened into a mist that enveloped her like a veil. She could see through it just fine but the red smog sapped at her strength with each passing moment. Was this the cost of that burst of power from before? Maybe, but she couldn’t stay and find out lest somebody found the wreck. Her reckless decision might have cost her dearly but the appearance of the two women clouded her judgment.

The pain she felt wasn’t just physical. She felt mental torment as well. She wanted to eat them but she didn’t want to. Her body screamed at her to eat but she didn’t. The women looked delicious but her instinct yelled at her not to. What should she do? She would only run from them. They did no harm to her so she didn’t harm them. They might end up dying later on but at least they wouldn’t end up like her. Her first priority at the moment was to escape.

There was one minor issue preventing her from doing this, however, it was the fact that the red smog surrounding her had changed into an unfathomable darkness. Incomparable pain to what she felt before spread throughout her body as thousands of tiny spears passed through her skin and into her bone. The red core within her center vibrating with every passing day and night. She could only run, her mind and body alike screaming with every step she took. She didn’t want to eat but her desire consumed her.

Skill [Demonic Vitality] has unlocked a hidden ability

Status [Demonic Interference] has been applied

Skill [Blood Oath] has @($!^&#^$*)!%(@#%

Ski*) {@+ic *)(!en#*$ (*@# ^)*!&@()*#

Warning! Error detected by System#901-T1804962

Repairing…

Repair Unsuccessful, forwarding report to Master

Her mind was devoured by her own skill. She couldn’t think or move. A dark pressure escaped from her core and into her mind, controlling her body to its pleasure. There was nothing she could do as her body and was held hostage.

‘Quiet my dear. This will only hurt for a moment.’

The entity within her mind spoke to her. Her body ran faster than ever but at great cost. The entity did not care for her wellbeing, it only desired the body. The muscles obviously exceeding their limits and started rupturing under the extreme strain while regenerating at the same time. Her body came upon an area filled with hundreds of lives, a local town located far in the countryside. Its inhabitants at rest with few guards as no one in their right mind would ever decide their remote location and subpar fields were worthy of attacking. But whatever controlled her body didn’t care. The pain that came with the tearing of muscles and the bloodshed of those she found innocent to her cause pressed down on her mind. But what was worse was how she felt nothing towards it. She was a captive in her own body bearing witness to horrible crimes but felt nothing. She was an empty vessel that only desired strength. She had to be different from Him. No. She was different from him. She feared what she was. But the dark presence within her mind taught her otherwise. The sleeping faces of children and adults slept forever and the blood of thousands lie on her hands.

Her body moved stealthily between villages, weaving in and out with no traces other than bloody sheets and red mud left behind. An invisible path of bloodshed and death followed in her wake. The night grew cold, still. Not a single voice or hint of life came from the many villages in the surrounding region.

‘See now? This is your path.’

She denied it. She didn’t want to harm the innocent. Only Him.

‘But can’t you see? This is your doing.’

The demon within her mind laughed. The girl looked down at her body and could see the blood dying every inch of it. But something was strange. She realized that she could look down. She had control over her body.

‘The blood is on your hands. Let’s see what we can make of you.’

Skill [%)@%&@)%$&] has activated

Status [Demonic Interference] has been removed

‘…’

The demon was gone but its influence wasn’t. Her body was torn to shreds by what had happened and her mind broken even further. She lurched down the road where her body eventually collapsed in a bloody heap. The shriek of a woman was the last thing she heard before her consciousness faded.

--Transition--

A small-time merchant arrived at one of the villages a day later, only to his surprise to find nobody working in the fields. He checked the insides of the houses but could only see red sheets in each of the houses, as if everyone had just vanished. It was only to his delight when he discovered that all the belongings were now considered ‘ownerless’ and he confiscated anything valuable from the houses and quickly left before others stumbled on this strange happenstance.

The village was then found by a group of countryside adventures questing for fame and fortune. The four members of the group only managed to report this piece of news to the nearby Hamon City several days later, which was then quickly relayed to the Imperial capital of Balros. A prosecution force was sent out to the village, but any tracks or clue that might have been left behind had already faded by that time, the only evidence left was the blackish-red sheets and rotten floorboards. They could only speculate the motives of the culprit, but with a lack of knowledge, they were unable to conclude so. But none knew of the true culprit, who was currently collapsed down in a pool of blood hundreds of leagues away to the east on the outskirts of the independent city-state of Viscor.

Later investigations revealed that the same disappearance of people happened to nearly fourteen villages within the vicinity of the first case causing an uproar among the upper echelons of Balros. Though none of them cared about the loss of a few villages, many cared about the possibility of it happening to their territories. The ones who did suffer losses to this began to shift blame onto others until a decision was made. The Balros Kingdom will close its borders for times of investigation and raise itsmilitary might for purposes of ‘defense.’ This decision spearheaded by the soon-to-be Countess Virandi and several of her followers. Many of the other nobles knew of her purpose and secretly agreed with it but withheld from actively supporting it as they themselves didn’t want to incur any harm if the woman’s plan failed. The Balros Kingdom’s hierarchy was mainly a patriarchy and it wasn’t the first time the nobles saw an upstart female noble fail in their endeavors. As of now, both of higher nobles and lesser nobles could only watch from the sidelines as Virandi’s plot fell into place.