"What? Human bones… and animal bones as well?" Sky's voice was barely a whisper, laced with dawning dread. It wasn't a mountain of bones, just a single, undeniable human femur among the debris. A normal person might not have recognized it, but Sky knew.
He surveyed his grim discovery, then ventured deeper. A sudden, oppressive shift in the atmosphere made his blood run cold. He remembered the barren, desolate landscape from before.
It's the same dark feeling I felt in that barren land. No life around the road, human bones around. Don't tell me that mysterious creature has come all the way here…? Wait, that creature isn't following me, right? His mind raced, calculating possibilities, ultimately reaching a chilling conclusion.
Nah, that doesn't seem right. Wait a second, the lonely, illusive, and dark atmosphere here seems weaker than the one there. Does that mean there are more than one creature in this world? Creatures that can consume the vitality of the soil and trees, plus kill animals and humans and eat them. This world is going to descend into chaos soon. His body flinched at the soft crunch of leaves. He looked towards the sound, crouching in the tallest tree, rendering himself invisible to anyone below. His eyes widened.
"Water… I need… Agggg… it hurts…" A girl, her clothes half-torn, her right hand bleeding profusely, her arm visibly wounded by a sharp blade, stumbled desperately, clutching her injury. She was clearly running from something. Sky watched her, considering whether to intervene, but he waited a few more seconds, analyzing.
It's nearly impossible for someone like her to reach such a deep area of the forest. Don't tell me she came here all by herself. As he pondered, he assessed her condition. She was wounded, blood steadily flowing, exhausted from running, utterly depleted.
To Sky, her injuries seemed minor, but for a normal person like her, they were devastating. She could easily die from blood loss, infection, dehydration, or sheer exhaustion. Sky's mind rapidly processed the dire possibilities. He decided to help. Just as he coiled to spring down.
An unexpected, guttural voice tore through the silent forest, making Sky freeze. The girl, her movements suddenly frenzied, started to run as fast as her failing body would allow, but she was too slow to vanish from his sight.
"Where are you, my dear…" A human voice, young and chilling, echoed through the mountains. Sky spotted a boy, roughly his own age, striding forward with a manic grace. He was only a few steps behind the girl, yet he wasn't rushing, merely calling out, a hunter to his prey.
"It's so fun when these pathetic humans try to escape from death. Even though they can't… Hahaha…" Kuin's laughter boomed through the forest, a sound of pure malevolence. His eyes were fixed on the young girl, who appeared to be around nineteen, desperately fighting for her life.
"Fuck…" Isha cursed, her speed faltering. She hadn't screamed, terrified of revealing her exact location, but no matter how hard she tried to escape this nightmare forest, her body was betraying her.
Ahhhh… this pain… fumm… my eyes are getting blurred, my legs want rest. I… I can't run further… Isha's thoughts fragmented as her movements became agonizingly slow, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs. She was utterly, irrevocably exhausted.
"I can't run… ahhh…" A painful gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled over a branch, crashing to the ground. The impact sent fresh agony through her injured arm and her bruised knees. Combined with her profound exhaustion, she was unable to stand, unable to run. Her entire body screamed in pain, shivering uncontrollably.
Seems like my end has come… but… but I don't want to die. I haven't done anything in my life. I have many things to do. Mom… Dad… I haven't hurt anyone, not even an animal in my life. Please God, help… me… Isha's thoughts spiraled into a chaotic jumble as her eyes fluttered shut. She lay motionless on the ground, strength utterly depleted, the adrenaline that had propelled her this far finally abandoning her.
"Hah… what a disappointment? This bitch can't even run like the previous one." Kuin's voice dripped with disdain as he slowly closed the distance between them.
Sky, who had been shadowing them, flying silently through the canopy to avoid detection, observed the boy. He seemed human, yet exuded a dark, negative aura. Sky wasn't certain if this was the entity draining the forest's vitality, but one thing was crystal clear: he would save this girl, then demand answers.
As Kuin reached within a meter of the fallen girl, Sky descended. He landed directly between them, an almost angelic apparition. Kuin flinched, startled by Sky's sudden appearance.
What? Another human? Did you just jump from the trees? Not bad… Kuin thought, his expression briefly confused before his features settled back into their unnerving calm. Sky, meanwhile, spoke.
"Don't come closer to her," Sky stated, his voice even, his face impassive. Kuin found it impossible to gauge his feelings, but one thing was undeniable: the person blocking his path felt no fear.
I'm not surprised. It was a human all along. I was getting worried for nothing, not a mysterious creature, just humans killing their own kind. Sky thought, though a flicker of doubt remained. Still, he was glad to have stumbled upon this event. Now, he could uncover the truth behind this young man's horrific actions.
"A boy, hmm… not bad, but I don't like eating male. Females taste good. Guess I can only expand my appetite today. Fufu…" Kuin's words, a chilling whisper laced with a mocking laugh, were directed at Sky, a taunt for his courage in stepping forward.
Cannibal? The thought slammed into Sky as he heard Kuin's casual mention of eating humans. So, he was the one. Sky stared directly into Kuin's eyes, a handsome face, a physically fit form, yet capable of such depravity. Sky couldn't comprehend his motive for such heinous acts.
A silent standoff ensued, each expecting the other to make the first move. Kuin broke the stillness, a cruel smile gracing his lips.
"How did you come to this area, boy?" Kuin asked, his voice calm, yet the manic glint in his eyes remained. Sky, about to answer, suddenly heard a faint moan from the injured girl behind him.