A little grammatical errors here and there but hopefully you enjoy~ Any comments or opinions are greatly appreciated:)

Trippy theme ahead. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Chapter 6: Chase Her!

The light shone through fickle cloud shadows over the lake. When Keisuke came to his senses, it was already high noon. Despite the warm sun, he had begun to shiver. Something felt funny on his chest, so his hand reached for it, and found a bowl of food with a piece of paper, written a note; a language he could not read.

To you there,

Well, if you really wanted to know. You could trek the mountain top to the south, and from there you could travel west to reach town. But I don't recommend, a human's sense of direction would go crazy in that labyrinth.

Those are the contents of the letter that Erin left him behind. Information about the route that he asked for last night. However for Keisuke, there is no way for him to know the contents of this note.

Keisuke looked around, his consciousness straining through the sunlight, grasping for details. Erin's missing, her campfire clean, and her luggage gone. Somehow, he gripped his hand into a sudden fright, crumbling the piece of paper in his hand.

"Judging by the placing of the sun, it would be past high noon. If I leave now, will I be able to chase her? No, I will reach her. There is no time to mule."

Keisuke sprang to his feet, indulge himself into the lake water and ate the bowl of food that Erin left him behind. He deduced that he was poisoned, yet he still ate the food that she provided for him. The dosage of the poison was low, that's why it took time to kick in. The type of poison that slowly knocked his consciousness away.

She had done nothing wrong, Keisuke understood that his actions brought upon those results.

"And I promised that I will change her fate this time. But without me as a distraction gone, maybe she could run away by herself? She's clearly capable of doing that. No, there's gotta be more than just that monster. And with the monster's agility, it would be hard for her to flee."

As if finding his resolve, Keisuke clench his fist and look upward to the skies. If he sprint now, there might be a chance for him to reach her first, yet there's no way for him to know on what direction she took.

West... But where is to the west?

In this place surrounded by trees, the view hardly changes.

Keisuke searched the vicinity for footsteps. Footsteps of a horse. Running here and there, fear clouding his thoughts, but he persist. However, it was only when the sun was falling towards the evening that he's traced some. The vision was faint, but he remembered the scenery he passed through before his death. Keisuke started running on that direction, hoping to stopped her in her track.

"Haa... Haa..."

For he had been running all day, he was weary and dread is beginning to cover his leg muscle. He felt cramps forming and a surge of horror. Nonetheless, he continued tracing the steps on where she could be.

Slowing from a fast run, gradually catching his breath, he sought a place to rest, where he was not likely to be disturbed. Finally, Keisuke came across the area covered in Afule. As if fate was forcing him to pick one, he followed his intuition and plucked a single white flower that resembles a lily. Admiring it's beauty for a few minutes, Keisuke once again, darted forward in chase of Erin. He slid the flower in his pocket, crumbling some of it's petals on the ground.

The day dragged on; the sun moved slowly away, and at last, it began to grow dark. The same misty fog that he came across to last time, hindered his view.

All of a sudden, he heard a noise; the twangy sound of a bowstring after it fires an arrow. Keisuke lowered his head and vaulted away from his position, but something caught his feet, resulting on a fall.

"Damn!"

Keisuke let a whimpering cry as his body groans in pain. That fall just now hurt him more than he had expected. Largely guided by his instincts and his luck, Keisuke avoided death. The light arrow that was aimed at his head dissipates in the darkness.

In an instant, without a word of warning, a slim shadow swiftly emerges from within the mist and swung a knife down to Keisuke!

"Haaa!!"

Alarmed, Keisuke desperately rolled to the side, barely avoiding the blade by a hair's breadth. While crawling away facing the entity clad in dark robes, he felt a trinket of blood and a sharp pain, grazing his left cheek.

Drip.. Drip..

As soon as his blood stained the dirt, the figure rushes towards him. Her beautiful golden hair flutter in the air as she swung her knife down mercilessly.

"Die!"

A girl?

Hearing a familiar voice, Keisuke was even more perplexed, but he braced himself and fought the mysterious figure. Using his position, Keisuke kicked upward, hitting the figure's wrist, and using his other feet to sweep the figure down. Unbalance, the figure fell towards Keisuke. Clenching his fist, he swung hard towards the figure's face!

Pwack!!-- the figure smashed backwards and bounced on the dirt, face first. The knife she was holding flew and landed stuck on a root near his position.

"Holy... What in the world is going on here?"

Keisuke murmured, cold sweat blotted on his forehead. The figure clad in dark robes lay on the ground still. Keisuke grabbed a hold of the knife and jerked himself up, still confused at what's going on.

Only one thing is clear in his mind, This person tried to kill me.

He tottered towards the figure and lowered to his knee, revealing her face concealed by her giant hood.

"Erin? No...."

Keisuke didn't know her. Her skin was white and her hair was blonde, similar to Erin's. She could been anywhere near sixteen and twenty years old. She boast the same pointed ears like Erin, although her eyes are a mesmerizing shade of dusk. Though not as vibrantly beautiful as Erin, she's still a beauty of her own. Her face twisting in pain, but Keisuke isn't so nice. He stabbed the girl's thigh, causing her to involuntary squirm.

"Haaa...!!"

She screamed in pain, her eyes widened in horror. Keisuke's sudden attack made her grimace.

"Why did you try to kill me?"

"......"

There was a brief silence, and the girl did nothing but tighten her lips. She meant it. An ounce of information would not leave her lips. Her response annoyed Keisuke, forcing his hand to whipped her across the face.

"Ughaa..!!"

Her eyebrow ripped, and her face further twisted in agony.

"I'm in a hurry... If you don't talk, I won't have any more use for you."

Keisuke smiled coolly, but his words meant real. To the girl who witnessed such a scary smile, she knew that if she kept her mouth shut, it would mean death. However, there is a reason as to why she couldn't move her lips.

"Kill me!!"

She cried dismayed, hoping that an innocent cry of a girl would at least touch his heart. Distracting him with pity as her fingers slowly move towards the dagger she concealed in her clothes. But Keisuke's response was not what she expected.

"Oh I will."

That very instant, Keisuke pulled the knife impaled on her thigh and thrust her with it on the chest. She clung to Keisuke, as the knife slowly sink into her flesh. Tears rained from her eyes as she spent her last remaining strength fighting her powerlessness.

"Nghh!!"

Pushing the knife deeper and twisting the blade inside, the girl could do nothing but wriggle about. Her own blood that gurgled out of her mouth covered her face, and sticky white mucus had gummed to it. Looking on the girl who has wet herself and a knife plunged on her chest, Keisuke felt no remorse at her death.

You may go as far as to call me a heartless son of a bitch, but taking risk is not my thing.

Is what Keisuke wanted to say, but something about her cry made him look away and fear found him. He felt a helpless sinking of the heart for reasons that eluded his humanity. He wondered who had turned her innocent mind from the light into the dark, where and how and when. He wanted to find him, her, every one of them--and kill them all.

I was ruthless I know.

But the fate of that foolish girl is at stake, and whatever must be done, I must do it without hesitation. A slight delay of movements caused by naivety could end my life here. Whatever reasons I might have, there's no justified way of killing, but this twisted world opened my eyes. Elves, humans, monsters, there is no difference.

Shock and hopelessness filled the girl's vacant eyes. Keisuke abruptly closed her eyes and dashed forward once more, away from that bloody excrement.

"Shit!!"

Whoever turned her into a killer are the worst, but he's a much more lower piece of scum. He killed her after all. But Keisuke already resolved himself to be a demon.

Soaring through the passage of trees, Keisuke's blood-stained hands left a trail of blood. Thanks to the full moon illuminating the dark forest, its unexpectedly bright.

*Ta-tatap tatap tatap!!*

"Huh?"

Keisuke abruptly turned to the sound of running feet on his right side. What appeared on that misty fog was a horse. Erin's horse in particular. Accompanying it are drops of liquid that stained the ground crimson. Immediately, he worriedly checked the horse for wounds, yet there is none.

"This can only mean..."

Even though he's bewildered and confused, that reaction was replaced by a growing anxiety that is forming in his chest. For a moment, he could not control his voice to speak, filled with grief and terror, for clearly there is but an ounce of hope left. Pain wretched his heart. However, Keisuke steeled himself and resumed his jog to where the horse came to be.

Except for the lazy wallowing of the fog, nothing moved and as far as he could tell, no watcher waited in either the scud or shadows. That silence hit Keisuke even further as the acrid stench of danger grew fouler with every step.

Keisuke stepped ahead, staying in the shadows, until two figures came into view, hovering in the thick mist. As he drew closer, he saw the very same monster that killed them, choking Erin, lifting her legs off the ground. There was helplessness in her eyes, her mouth gasping for air, her feet clumping together. No words needed to be said and Keisuke immediately rushed to help her.

"Hraaaaa!!!"

Tackling the monster with his running momentum, it's grip towards Erin was released, but such a puny attack did no damage. It's as if his shoulders rammed onto a brick wall.

"Cough..."

Erin landed on her butt and her lungs hurriedly searched for air. The side of her face was bruised, a line of dried blood where the skin on her cheek had been split.

"Erin! Run away!!"

"Ehhh---"

"Hurry, I'll follow!"

Keisuke clenched his fist and swung hard, while he shout directions at Erin. His fist slammed against the monster's thick muscle and hair, but no reaction showed on it's face.

"Look at me! I'm delicious!!"

With each punch, fresh blood splashed on the dirt. Keisuke's blood to be exact. He swung his fist multiple times to grab the monster's attention, not paying any heed to his broken fists.

Erin regained her composure, and leap backwards away in a distance, where not even Keisuke's eyes could see a glimpse of her shadow. He felt relieved right away.

Even if I die a gruesome death, as long as she's safe...

The monster's mouth turned into an upward grin, as it slowly turned it's head and looked sideways at Keisuke. As if it was done playing around, the monster catches his right fist that he forcefully slug about.

"Ngaaa....."

With a simple mushed from it's muscular grip, Keisuke's fist was completely shattered. Even with the intense pain, Keisuke prevented despair from leaving his mouth by crunching on his own lips. He bit so hard that he's basically chewing on his own skin.

However, that was just the beginning for Keisuke.

In a split second, the monster twisted his arm and pulled it away, completely shaving his right arm from his shoulder. Keisuke's eyes widened, his lower lip swollen and teeth marks carved underneath. The only choice left for Keisuke was to cry inside his thoughts.

---AAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!

The monster threw his arm back and snickered, while watching his face crumble in unbashed horror. The blood spraying from his lost arm splattered to his face, into his eyes, and down to his chest.

The churning, frigid pain of his lost arm is driving his thoughts to insanity! Keisuke sank to his knees, while trying to prevent any more blood from pouring. The monster's eyes glinted in mischief, raising it's claws upward to the air, warning him of his inevitable death. Keisuke pulled himself to his feet, doubled over, heaving, soaked in his own blood.

".......Shit..."

Keisuke pushed his legs and fought his fear, jumping sideways away from the monster. Air left his lungs and a groan escaped his mouth, as he crashed horribly on the rooted ground. His lungs are screaming, gasping for air between retches of blood. The foul taste of iron filled his dry mouth.

The monster approached Keisuke in slow steps, waiting for him to cry in anguish.

I really am gonna die..

But with this, I fulfilled my promise, right? I can only hope that my sacrifice was enough for her to gain some distance away from this monster.

In the midst of despair, Keisuke wished for Erin's safety. Hurting from head to foot with shock and fright, winded, his heart banging against his ribs.

"Oh lord who reigned the skies, show your retribution and strike thy enemies, Thunder!!"

All of a sudden, multiple thunderbolts rained from the sky, continuously attacking the unsuspecting enemy. To Keisuke's vision, it was a majestic sight.

"Kaugh..."

With each gasp for air comes blood. Blood that was shot from his innards, and pump out by his mouth. Keisuke's mind is tripping into the dark abyss of death. Slipping in and out of consciousness. His head ache as if it was split asunder.

And then, Keisuke heard a voice. The voice of an angel. Her voice was trembling.

".....What did you come here for?"

"....Fool..r.un..."

She held his head up and gave him a lap pillow, and presses both of her arms on his chest, transferring her warmth to his body.

Is this healing magic?

Slowly, the wound on his right shoulder rapidly closes, spilling its last trickle of blood.

"Erin....you..have..to..run.."

Keisuke lifted his hand to her cheek, gently brushing the riddle of moisture at the corner of her eye. However with his bloody hand, he only painted his own gore on her face, sullying her lovely image.

"I just can't leave you here..."

Erin tightly held Keisuke's hand with hers, while gentle cries of sorrow graced her cheek, rinsing her face painted with his gore.

"I...promised didn't I?...That this..time..I'll...sa.ve..you.."

"I don't understand... Even when I poisoned you.."

"Ahaha.... It was..good."

Keisuke chuckled, but his laughter came with blood. Pain had already eroded his mind from clearly thinking right. With each cough, fresh blood comes gushing forth.

"Erin... I apologize... for last night... I didn't mean to.."

The adrenaline speeds up his pulse and his internal injury made him gasp. Gasping, he only saw his life rapidly draining away. Even though his wound was healed and his body somehow relieved of pain, it's not enough to fully ease him from his suffering. For Keisuke, his death is only a matter of time.

"Hmm."

A snort, a sound of dismissal, came through the area where those huge thunderbolts landed. When the smoke thinned, the monster reveals itself, missing a horn.

Although I have expected this outcome, its too much!

Trying to push back the feeling of death, Keisuke moved his legs. He was hurt. Badly hurt. But he knew he had to get up. Erin remained still, facing the sound, while her face slowly distorts to that of despair. To the monster, they're but amusements.

"Erin.. we have to run!"

"......"

Keisuke gripped her hand tightly, but her trembling won't stop.

Shit! If this continues, we'll suffer the same fate from before!

The monster swiftly dashes towards them, lifting it's claws in the air as it runs. Its as if time slowed down for Keisuke as he secured Erin in his arm and sprang his legs with all his might, desperately avoiding it's sharp claws.

Please!! Make it!! Shiiitt!!

However, he's not fast enough...

When they fell and rolled on the ungiving ground, both of her legs, around her knees, are missing. The involuntary reaction was instant.

"Agghhh---!!"

Erin is squirming inside his embrace, yet he do not have any strength left to make her feel at ease. Both of her lost limbs continues to spray the land with their gore. The huge emotional swell could not be contained. Keisuke stroke her back almost absentmindedly, as she sobbed out the relief from all of her discomfort.

God... Why am I so useless...Even though... I was given a second chance... Why?!

Dead leaves crackled like heavy bones beneath the monster's heavy footsteps. Playfully, the monster kicks him away from her. His vision was blurring, but he saw it clearly. The meaning of absolute despair. Something that made him wish that his death could have come first. Keisuke saw the monster impale Erin with it's claws and lift her lifeless body off the ground.

The monster glance at his direction, mocking his incompetence. Never once in his life that he felt so powerless. No matter how many times he grind his teeth or clench his fist, all he could do is stare.

And with a swift cut, half of Erin's body, around her waist, was dismembered entirely. In that space confined by despair, he heard a loud thud, followed by a thick splashing of blood, and comes on his side was her upper body, stained in gore.

Ahhh... Erin...

Cursing his weakness, pulling out energy from hell, he moved his fingers. Slowly, he reached to her face that was drowned in misery. Anger swirled in his brain and his eyes exploded in tears, but before he could even have the chance to shut her eyes, his outstretched arm was butchered.

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Keisuke was once again plunged into oblivion...

Falling endlessly in that hollow shaft where his cries echoed, and his pleas ignored. Nineteen years of his life flashed in that dark pit and something... something important shattered.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-------------What?"

A voice wailing in terror brought him back to his senses. As he settled down, what filled his view was a girl's dead body, and his hands, stained with the girl's blood.