The battlefield was a grim sight—deep within the dense, dark forest, where towering trees and thick branches obscured any trace of sunlight. The heavy rain had turned the ground into a muddy wasteland, soaking the bodies and washing away the blood, yet leaving the stench of death hanging thick in the air.
With the beast finally slain, the remaining ape-like creatures shrieked in terror and scattered into the depths of the forest, their cries of fear echoing through the trees.
The surviving soldiers erupted in triumphant cheers, their voices ringing out amidst the carnage. Severed limbs and bodies littered every corner of the battlefield.
In the midst of it all, Tich lay motionless, his wounds severe, acid burns covering his torso and legs, his body wracked with pain.
"Shit… shit, shit, shit! AHHH! IT HURTS SO MUCH!"
Jonah ran toward the injured Tich.
"Tich, hold on! I'll get you to the city, they'll treat you there. Just stay with me!" his voice was desperate, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable.
Tich let out a weak chuckle. "Jonan, are you blind? Half of me is melted, and I can't even feel my legs… This is it. I'm done for." He coughed, blood trickling from his lips. "At least… I got my revenge for Tim…"
He grabbed Jonan's shoulder, his grip weak.
"Listen… you have to live for me, okay? Show those bastards who threw you away who the real Jonan is…" His voice faded, but the fire in his eyes remained until the very end.
"What the hell are you talking about?! You're not dying here! Get a grip, dammit!"
Jonan, always unreadable, always composed, now had sheer terror on his face. His hands trembled as he hoisted Tich onto his back.
"I'm not losing you, Tich! You hear me?!"
Tich let out a groan of pain as Jonan carried him, staggering forward despite his own injuries.
From a distance, Nevera approached, her steps slow and her expression drained. She had witnessed everything, Jonan's determination, Tich's agony, the battlefield they had created.
And as she moved closer, she saw it clearer.
"Did I… do this?" she muttered under her breath.
Her gaze landed on Tich's ruined body—his legs were gone, his chest scorched beyond recognition. Her eyes darted around the battlefield, taking in the scattered corpses, the blood pooling in the rain. A quiet chuckle escaped her lips.
Then another.
And another.
"I did this… I did this! Ha… Ha-ha-ha! I DID THIS! I! I! I!"
Jonan, still carrying Tich, shot her a sharp glare. "Move, Nevera. I don't have time for this."
She fell to her knees, her lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.
She was frozen in place, consumed by the weight of what she had done.
"Useless noblewoman…!" Jonan growled, gritting his teeth as he pushed forward.
His body was reaching its limit, wounds reopened, exhaustion creeping in.
But he refused to stop. "Faster! Faster! I have to get him out of here!"
Then,
A scream.
"YOU VERMIN! WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! DIE ALREADY! DIE! DIE!"
Nevera's voice rang out, unhinged. She raised her hand, summoning the familiar purple flames—but the moment they flickered to life, they faded. She was too drained to summon any real power.
Jonan turned back,
And then, he saw it.
From Krizface's fallen corpse, something emerged.
It clawed its way free, tearing open the beast's stomach, spilling its insides onto the ground as it stepped forward.
It wasn't entirely monstrous. Not entirely human, either.
Its form was humanoid—its face and eyes deceptively normal. But its body was covered in deep green fur, its arms unnaturally long, its fingers sharp and talon-like. From its back, crow-like wings extended, slick and black against the rain. Despite its monstrous features, it stood at only 1.7 meters tall.
The creature advanced toward Nevera, who was still frozen in place, mumbling "Die… die… die… DIE! DIE! DIE ALREADY!" as she struggled to summon her flames.
Jonan's stomach dropped. "The real Krizface… we only killed its shell…"
"It's over."
The soldiers? They weren't strong enough.
Nevera? She was helpless.
Tich? Too wounded to fight.
Jonan? His body was failing him.
They had no chance.
The creature stopped just before Nevera, its lips curling into an amused grin.
"Ah… humans. You never fail to entertain me."
Its voice was eerily smooth, almost playful. "But this time, you went a little too far, don't you think?"
Then its expression changed. A killing aura burst forth, suffocating and dense.
"Jonan… run."
Tich's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm not making it out of here anyway… Don't waste this. Just… don't follow me too soon, alright?"
With the last of his strength, he pushed himself off Jonan's back and collapsed onto the wet ground.
"No… no, no, no! Not again! I'm not losing anyone! NOT AGAIN!"
That feeling, that strange, heavy feeling in Jonan's chest—it was back. But this time, it wasn't his own.
It was Tich's.
The creature chuckled. "Oh? A familiar face…"
It turned its gaze to Nevera, its grin widening. "Let me guess… the little noble girl who got lost in the woods a few years ago?"
Nevera's breath hitched.
"Oh, I remember your mother so well. What a delicious meal… Haven't had something that good in years." It licked its lips hungrily.
"YOU FILTHY VERMIN!" Nevera shrieked, unsheathing a dagger from beneath her dress and driving it toward the creature's chest.
But before she could even react—
Pain.
A sharp, unbearable agony ripped through her stomach.
The creature laughed as it drove its own hand straight into her gut, before casually tossing her through four trees.
She crashed to the ground, blood spilling from her wounds. She could barely breathe. She couldn't even speak.
Her thoughts drifted… to her mother.
Mom...
But that's a story for another time.
The monster didn't stop there.
It turned toward Tich, stepping forward Jonan, realizing what was happening, rushed to lift Titch again.
But it was too late.
The creature wasn't after Tich.
It was after him.
"Well, well… a fledgling trying to save its kin…"
Jonan's body seized up as the creature appeared in front of him instantly.
Before he could react, a powerful hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him into the air.
As he choked, his thoughts raced,
Is this it? Is this how it ends?
No… I haven't seen Luna yet… I haven't gotten my revenge… DAMN IT!
Then, Something grabbed the monster from behind.
It threw Jonan aside, slamming him into a tree.
He gasped for breath, his vision blurred. But as he looked up—
He saw Tich.
No… was it really Tich?
His wounds were gone. His skin was unscathed. And his eyes— his once brown eyes—
Were glowing yellow.