I do not own Danmachi or the story made by the original author.
Thank you for your time and enjoy!
The Tale of The White Rabbit & The Malevolent Orc
There are many races that exist alongside each other.
The pallums for instance were very social and have had a great impact on civilization through trade and other dealings, eventually leading to friendly alliances.
But there are some who would not have these ties with others and would separate themselves from civilization if need be. The elves were a great example of this as they on the majority had an ideology that deemed them above all of the other races; their reason being that they were gifted with magic, a power that was able to turn the tides of victory for any who wielded it.
Magic was said to be the relation between mortals and the gods, a gift descended from the heavens so that those without power could grow through its blessing. At least that is what old legends say.
However, there was one particular race that stood out from the rest...
Fairies.
Their stories had been spread throughout the ages.
They were a race enshrouded in mystery and were granted magic like no other. What was even more puzzling was how scarce they were; their origins, their lifespans, their knowledge… All of it was an enigma lost in time.
Known by many names, they would impart their knowledge, magic or even weapons of great power to those who would turn to them in times of need.
In short, they were able to perform miracles, and it was because of these miracles that they were referred to as…
"Children of the gods"
Though, as great as they may be, they decided to live separately from everyone else. Even though the gods had descended, many of them still decided to remain hidden throughout the world within the edges of nature; their reasons for this were also uncertain.
And yet, whatever their reasons were, it did not stop a few from being mesmerised by the other races, even though they still concealed themselves from them.
Such was the nature of one young fairy.
She lived in a certain valley where none had ever settled before. It was a land free of almost any danger except for the few goblins, boars and kobolds that roamed the region. Dangerous for a human but not for a fairy like herself.
But the fairy was weak when compared to her kin, she was not capable of enduring any sort of injury; which is why she would have to defend herself by staying a distance away.
Still, the fairy had found a place for herself to rest in.
Years would go by and the fairy would remain by herself, peacefully exploring the mountains and sometimes stumbling across some beautiful scenery that she would be able to enjoy and delight at.
It remained like this until one day she had spotted a few humans from a distance that were wandering the valley, as though they were in search of something. The fairy had immediately hid from the unknown visitors and decided to watch them until they had left from the place she called home.
And that was what happened, the humans had left after spending the night in the valley.
Although, the fairy could not help but be fascinated by their demeanor. She saw them laugh in the shining sun and have a meal together during the late luminescent evening, and it was then that she came to realise something...
She was alone.
Despite the fact that she was safe and hidden from prying eyes, there was no one by her side. It was only after witnessing the joys of having true company again did she finally begin to feel how lonely she truly was.
Maybe she could leave this place behind and travel to where the humans lived?
No, the arrival of the gods had granted any mortal the ability to overcome their own physical limits, whether they be good or evil, they had allowed anyone of the lower world to harness the power of falna.
It was just too dangerous.
So if the fairy could not leave, she only hoped that the humans who had arrived would come again, they seemed friendly to her.
Seasons would pass as leaves would fall from their roots and blankets of powdered snow would cover them into a long slumber; they never came. She waited one day and then for the next, days would go by which then led to weeks, eventually leading all the way to months.
And at some point, the fairy began to believe that it was a hopeless dream of hers for them to ever return. However, that was not the case at all.
After so much time spent waiting, the fairy was one day watching the clouds above her from a cave near the mountainside when she had suddenly heard the sound of laughter and neighing horses echoing from the valley below.
The fairy, being as curious as she was, hastily flew off to see who was approaching and she was ecstatic to see that the same humans who had once visited these mountains had returned. But this time, there were many more that had accompanied them and they were of all ages, from being toddlers to all the way of living to their last years of their life.
Spirit filled her heart and the fairy danced animatedly towards the wish granted to her. It was a joyous occasion for her and she continued to watch them with excitement.
There were carriages being pulled by horses and bulls alike, a few shepherds who herded their own animals and children who were carelessly playing around the company of people, slowly but surely moving on ahead.
They eventually came to a stop, resting at a point that was above one of the mountain valleys, and it was easy enough for the fairy to see that the humans were mesmerised by what they saw.
Continuous lands of green stretched out beyond the valley. With the endless echoes of life reverberating to where the wind gracefully drifted, it was a land of clear prosperity and one which would not run out of resources for centuries to come, at least with the little people that had actually found this place.
And seeing the lands they had found, the humans had decided to expeditiously move on ahead to reach the plainer grounds.
On the other hand, from what the fairy could comprehend, she wholly believed that the humans would stay for a long time if their carts had anything to say about it, because they were filled to the brim with supplies and what seemed like "tents"; if she was right, that was what travellers used to sleep in during their distant travels, so the possibility of them leaving were also high...
The thought saddened her, however it did not let her lose hope of the situation. It was a far fetched idea but the fairy thought that perhaps she could convince the travellers to stay in this beautiful land if she was able to reassure the humans of their safety.
Now, the most common fear of anyone would have to be the monsters, there were a few of them compared to the outside world in these lands, but for a human to even encounter one of them would be a terrible fate since they were so weak...
Yes, that was it!
If she could guarantee their safety and make them believe that there was nothing to worry about... then they wouldn't leave.
And so she went to work.
When night would fall, the fairy would be vigilant and remain on guard for any signs of danger, and when day approached she would rest until she awoke again and decided to make life easier for the humans, all while observing them from time to time, wondering what they would do next.
Time would drift by and the humans would begin to use the natural world around them to build a village for themselves. They cut down trees and used them as foundations for their buildings, they built paths of clay and stone so it would be easier for them to walk on the muddied grounds of the mountain and they used the tools of metal that they had brought with them to sow the seeds for farming.
And sure enough, the fairy watched all of this happen. She was a bit mournful over the fact that quite a few trees had to be cut down, fairies were known for their love of nature after all and she was no exception, but she was relieved after appreciating the care the humans were evidently putting in. They made sure not to cut down everything so that the trees they had used would one day be replaced with other new growth; so she had no fear of one day abandoning these lands because of human intervention.
They were not like the many who would destroy entire forests to build their own cities, they were a simple people that cheerily lived with whatever they had and it pleased the fairy that they were like this.
However, more time would come to pass and it eventually came to the point where the fairy would begin to contemplate the life of the humans. They began to age drastically and her intervention had made them weaker and unable to support themselves against the monsters that did roam these lands. In her heart she began to suffocate, their lives were being taken away from them and that grieved her deeply.
The fairy no longer wanted to witness the ones she loved fall into such misery.
She had seen it before. Death had taken over many of the other races, even those of her own kin, but those deaths had never hurt her the way it did when it came to these humans. And the reason was because of the bond she had made with them, even though she never had the courage to truly face them.
The fairy did her best, and in return the humans had decided to stay and beautifully enjoy themselves because of her efforts. They could have left at any moment and the fairy would have not lifted a hand against it, but her hidden acts of kindness had rewarded her with their happiness and she was content with that.
But their passing was not something she wanted to witness…
The fairy had no reason to even feel indebted towards them, and yet, there was this idea of responsibility that plagued her, as though she had to make amends for the changes she had caused in them. So as much as she cared, the fairy distanced herself from them for their own sakes.
And for a long while, the fairy avoided the humans as much as she could. She no longer intervened by helping them with what they needed free of labour, instead the fairy only watched as they struggled and worked hard for themselves.
They grew stronger whilst losing their dear ones to disasters because of their own weakness, while they became wiser to improve upon their own failures. When they despaired, they lost family and friends who were all innocent of any crime to the harsh world that sought to overwhelm them, but when they marched forward, they persevered with what they had and protected the familial bonds that they possessed.
Humans were weak and that much was certain. However, it was because of that weakness that they understood the value of strength and wanted it more than anything, and by realising this truth, the fairy would only come to the aid of the humans when they truly needed it and not recklessly interfere whenever she wanted.
Although, there was one thing that even surprised her… Despite the fact that all of these troubles had befallen them, they never left regardless of the pain they went through and it made her wonder why.
But the fairy never found her answer.
Decades would go by and the newer generations would take over the old, their knowledge was passed down along their lineage and interestingly enough, a few others had found the hidden village and decided to stay to build a new life for themselves, but some would only stumble across the village as visitors and moved on to wherever life led them next.
Graves of mud and stone were erected for those who had passed onto the next life, and whether their deaths were of natural means or through circumstance, each grave had given a different impression to the onlooker. There were fully grown men, young children and even infants that all laid beside each other with their names engraved on a slate of stone or a wooden plank, eventually eroding and crumbling as time wore them down.
Even so, they were never forgotten by the people who loved them, especially by the one fairy who would leave fresh flowers on top of each grave for them.
Granted that, there was a young boy who would go out of his way to clean the headstones and the entirety of the small graveyard quite commonly.
It was a strange occurrence that the fairy noticed as the boy often remained by himself when he came to visit, and the opportunity to be so close to a human forcingly made her stay and pay attention to him.
It was easy to tell that the boy had snuck out of the village since no parent in their right mind would allow a child to wander this carelessly out in the open. There were brushes of dirt that were spread along his clothes and his hair had scuffled with a couple of twigs and leaves that he probably didn't even notice.
Though the fairy was more taken aback by how much the human resembled a rabbit, being both cute and huggable at the same time.
Likely enough, the small human was not used to the more untreated mountain roads and the dangers that lurked in the forests, it was obvious that he tried to avoid the proper directions based on his appearance alone.
The fairy felt amused by seeing the child but was also intrigued by him. The fairy did not know if the boy had intended to find this place the first time he had entered this area of the valley - the mess he had made of himself was plenty to prove that he didn't - but after finding the graveyard, he had made regular visits to the deceased and prayed for them.
Yes, that's right...
He prayed to the gods for their welfare and the fairy would stare at the boy in disbelief. The gods were not like how the mortals had expected them to be, they were cruel, deceitful or sometimes just plain childish. It was rare to come across a god or a goddess that truly cared for the lower world and that was why the fairy was so dumbfounded by the gesture of the young boy, he was far too kind for someone at the age where they would be smiling carelessly at the world.
Instead, here she was witnessing this boy who gave his time to respect those who had gone from this world with great maturity.
It took a while, but the fairy had warmed up to the young child and remained at his side whenever he travelled within the valley, and by effect, it also gave the fairy the courage to slowly close the gap between the humans more than she had ever been capable of before, but still not enough to ever interact with them.
The fairy recognised the will of the boy who wanted adventure and saw his efforts and struggles when he forced his way through training. She cheered for him her own way and believed that he would surpass himself, just like how everyone else did.
She had seen the times where the boy had fallen into a complete state of depression, losing and deluding himself into forgetting his own wishes just because he believed himself to be at fault for the death of his own family; the fairy tried to help him in any way she could, even by searching for his grandfather.
But to no avail, there was no sign of him.
She watched as the boy progressed and became special in the hearts of the villagers. He was loved by everyone and those bonds allowed him to become stronger and lessen the burdens of his past, all so that he could leave for his own adventure.
The years that she had spent watching him, embracing his growth into what he was now proved to the fairy once more how humans were able to do things that not even the other races could do. It was an amazing sight to behold.
And when the time came for him to leave, the fairy wished for him a safe journey. However that was all done from a distance and away from the child's knowledge.
It was not her journey and nor would she accompany him, that much was obvious. But just like the villagers, she could provide the child with something that would ease the beginning of his journey, a blessing of protection that would last until he safely left the mountains. So when the child left, all she did was wave as he dashed ahead without ever looking back.
It was her first time witnessing the steps of a young man's journey.
When it was born, it was no different from them, it was no different from the siblings that were born right beside it.
All the monster knew was that when it had been brought into this world, it had an insatiable hunger which it wanted to relieve itself of. It looked around itself to see what it barely recognised as its own mother, and yet a part of it had rejected this notion because of what its instincts had told him…
My true mother is out there…
However, that did not matter as its hunger was overwhelming any rational thought that it should have had, and because of it, it cried in pain so that it could be given anything that could satisfy it.
All it wanted was for the hunger to stop.
And in the distance the monster spotted a flicker of what was known as light; it was an opening which was enough for it to see what was in front of it. The monster rubbed its eyes and adjusted itself to the small light that was reaching it and began to only just understand what was around it.
It could hear the sounds of squirming and dirt shifting against the floor, and it realised what was there…
More of its own kin.
The monster was not scared of them, not even in the slightest. However, there was something that ran wild inside of it; its blood rushed at the sight of them and the hunger that had malnourished it was now tormenting the monster to feed on whatever was in front of it.
It wanted more.
The hunger that quickly spiralled into madness had finally taken over. There was no stopping the monster because it began to attack what was inferior to it and it welcomed its raging desire to consume.
It began to devour its own kin by biting into them and using all of its strength to tear them apart limb by limb; all of it was for its own entertainment. The monster learned that it was stronger than the ones it had been devouring, why else would it be so easy and so fun to have power over the weak?
It was an experience that was indescribable to the monster because a jolt of pleasure slithered around its entire body when it ingested its own kind, an act which crossed the forbidden limits of the world.
Yet, the monster felt something far more exhilarating when it was eating, it felt itself becoming stronger with each swallow. Blood pulsed throughout its body and the monster's eyes were bloodshot when it realised its strength was increasing with every piece of flesh that it partook of.
But that wasn't the only thing the monster found so incredible, because when it did eat the flesh of others, it relished the screams of agony that came from cannibalising the living. The siblings fought back with a deafening cry for their mother to come and save them, but no one had protected them from the nightmare that was in front of them.
The monster had found their situation to be pleasurable and for the first time a wicked grin began to form on its bloodied teeth. It was enjoying itself. It savoured its victims blood by drinking every last drop and wallowed in their every terrified expression.
The monster kept eating and eating, never satiated from its own endless hunger.
But… when it reached the core of its kin, the monster shivered.
Yes, it was true that this monster had already grown stronger by devouring the flesh of its own kind, and yet… there was a different kind of power that it felt coursing inside of it. The monster felt its own core burn with a power that was obscurely able to satisfy its own hunger. It felt its every nerve gushin with an intense rage that expanded its inner self to barely transform.
The monster wasn't just growing stronger, it was developing and evolving into something more than its own current form...
From the first time it felt its existence to the few moments it had lived in this world, the monster had already grown larger and more powerful, and it recognised this growth, it realised that it was different from the others.
And all that remained were the stained walls along with the ashes of each monster soaked in their own blood. It had killed and devoured everything; the monster was the last one standing.
And when it was finished with them... it escaped into the light.
"KEEEEEEEHHE!-
EHEH!-
AH-"
Silenced screams pierced the air and blood blackened the forest as one young man was forced to watch the horror in front of him. The orc destroyed everything in its path as it left trails of splintered trees, blood and ash while ripping through the defeated and terrified goblins.
As though the orc had chosen who it would consume, it charged through the forest at speeds that Bell could barely comprehend and tore the goblins piece by piece, killing them and devouring all it could before they turned to ash.
And after seeing all of this, Bell could no longer hold himself together and fell sick to the floor, throwing up with tears in his eyes after seeing the scene of so many brutal massacres all happening at once.
"Stop…..."
Dismembered heads and mutilated limbs were mindlessly thrown across the forest.
But the malicious orc did not care about the pleas of a human, it was lost in its own madness as it frenzied upon its victims with complete euphoria. Blood rained in all directions and there was nothing left of the once green beautiful scenery; what remained was a sight that led to oblivion.
The goblins that had survived were no different, they were covered in their brethrens blood and were being unusually wary of what the orc would do next. The ones that Bell had defeated were all either eaten alive or dead, and the ones that were offered as a sacrifice were also dead.
Bell was uncontrollably shivering, his hands wouldn't stop shaking. The fear, the evil, all of it was reminding him of the intentions that plagued his mind before this had happened...
"You will be last."
Those were the words he sensed when the orc had stared at him with those damned soulless eyes; all the young man could think of was whether those words were meant for now...
The orc breathed heavily while standing over the ashen red forest, its back facing both the goblins and Bell. However, the orc did not move from its spot; it was eerie and menacing all at once.
He had to move… If Bell wanted to survive this ordeal he had to move. And despite this fact, the future of his own death flashed in his mind when he treadingly fixed his eyes on the orc.
"Move."
Fear had petrified him.
"Just move."
He needed anything to stop the quaking in his body. His ideas were limited, but he had to find a way so that he could hide.
"I need to move!"
He reached for the knife sheathed in his scabbard. He could barely breathe, only managing to move his hand inch by inch closer to his weapon.
"MOVE!"
Inwardly screaming at himself, Bell forced his way to his knife and drove himself to sit up on his knees. Using all the strength he could, he gripped his knife while positioning it on his thigh and slit it.
"Ah-!"
Pain seared through his leg and he wanted to scream, but he held himself back. The wound was deeper than he intended, however his body had stopped shaking and he could finally breathe.
No one was watching him. All eyes were on the silent orc and Bell decided to hurriedly hide away from it; he needed a chance to recover. His leg was hurting and blood was drenching his clothes, still he limply ran towards the lining where the orc had not crushed the trees and was able to find cover for himself.
Bell took deep silent breaths and tried to regain his composure, but the only thing he had in his mind was to warn the villagers so that they could escape the orc.
He walked further into the forest, trying to create some distance between the monsters. Even so, his injuries had made it difficult to do. He removed his bag and hid behind another tree, carefully breathing in silence.
Reaching for his leg holster, Bell found his second vial of healing potion and examined it, though he did not use it before hastily peeking outside of his hiding spot. He needed to know if the orc or the goblins had noticed his disappearance.
That was a mistake.
Because when Bell glimpsed at the area he had left behind… The orc was not there.
"What..?"
All of a sudden, it was then he noticed that the goblins were staring right in his direction. The air over him chilled and his breathing once again became ragged; within an earshot he could hear a despicable heavy grunt right beside him.
The orc had never been deceived, it always had its eyes on him and now Bell knew that he never had a chance of escape to begin with.
One could tell how frightened he was because his skin had turned deathly pale and he without comprehending crushed the vial in his hand, his teeth were clenched shut and his expression was conspicuously horrified. He could not even turn his head.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOUUU!"
The monster screamed with a raging howl and swung its enormous arm.
It was over.
Everything was so fast that it took Bell a moment to actually know what had happened. His front had caved in, the tree he hid behind had been crushed in half and shards of wood pierced his back as he went flying towards the other side of the bloodied battlefield; crashing into another tree that wasn't able to withstand the projectile thrown at it.
He fell to the ground before laying motionless.
His heart stopped beating and he choked in desperation for air to enter his lungs, but he could not move so his entire body started to strenuously convulse. His throat was filled to the brim, causing a reaction for him to viciously cough entire gullets of blood.
His consciousness was fading but his broken body would not allow him rest, he couldn't even scream anymore, that was just how intense the pain was.
"HaaA...aA..aaa..Aa…"
His lungs croaked, he lay there writhing in blood and lost of any hope.
"I wonder how he is doing."
The fairy was laying next to a tree and staring at the sky when she wondered about the young man she had grown so close to.
These lands were not filled with many monsters and it would be rare for the child to encounter one since he was moving considerably quicker than most people. Maybe he was in a rush? It wouldn't be all that surprising ever since she saw the child's passion for the world beyond.
The blessing she had given to the child not only protected him from physical afflictions, but also granted her the gift to sense his presence as long as he remained within her boundaries. It was a weak charm, and yet it was more than enough for someone who wanted to experience their own tribulations instead of someone interfering for them.
Her concerned feelings would force her to do more, but she respected the young man's resolve and decidedly brushed her anxiety away. It was his journey, so the best she could do was wait for his return.
And being far above the valley, the fairy was resting near one of the peaks of the mountains that surrounded the village, making it easy for her to see the villagers and the forests that spread around them. It was a peaceful and majestic sight that the fairy had seen many times while basking in the high altitude winds.
She could see the people roaming the village as they sometimes ran from here to there working their day's work or see them plowing and tending to their livestock or farms. For anyone else, it was an impressive feat how she could see that far but for her or her kind, it was nothing.
She continued to rest and remain in her position, that was until she sensed a disruption that caused her to take notice. When trying to find the origin of it all, she glanced up at the sky to see a myriad number of birds that rushed her way.
For a second, it seemed as though the birds probably arrived after travelling for a number of days, continuing on to some other region of the land, and yet... something seemed off to her. Even the villagers stopped what they were doing to see what was wrong.
But that was when she heard it.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
A howl so powerful… No, it felt so evil that she lost her sense of reason for a split second. Her face went pale and a cold sweat fell from her gentle face, it felt so unreal to see a race known for their power to be this terrified.
"What was that…!?"
It was no doubt a monster, but the fairy couldn't believe that there was something so sinister in the valley and it was a difficult truth to swallow. The fact that the howl was this close meant that the birds had been scared away by the noise instead. That monster was extremely close.
Thankfully, the villagers were not able to hear the sound from so far away and they resumed back to what they were doing.
However, the fairy immediately began to descend the peak and planned to see what was out there; she needed to keep her distance and observe whether she was even capable of handling the situation.
First off, she needed to know where exactly the noise had originated from, and by following the path the birds had arrived from, she could deduce the direction of the monster. But despite that, there was this uneasiness building up inside of her, like some premonition was warning her of the danger she was approaching.
Though, that wasn't the only thing bothering her... She was worried about the young man.
Because even though she had given him her blessings, she was scared of him being hurt; she cursed herself for not knowing the path he was choosing to take. Although, the blessing was still intact, meaning it was unlikely that the child had run into the unknown monster.
But when she focused on sensing his whereabouts, it was looming from the same direction that she was heading towards.
"Please don't be there..."
Using her magic and natural ability to fly, the fairy hastened herself and headed for the distant forest; it would take at least half a day or even less if she kept up the pace.
"I can make it, I can make it…."
As if she were praying a mantra, she continued to assure herself that everything was fine, that the young man was safe and that her blessing was proof of th-
*CRACK*
The fairy immediately stopped.
*CRACK*
"No…"
She straight away knew what had just occurred, a fraction of herself was lost. The bond she held with the young man was beginning to crumble.
*CRACK- CRACK*
"No, no, no, no, no….."
A fragile bond held by fate was brittling, and her connection with him was dispersing.
*CRACK*
It was the final breach needed before everything collapsed.
"Bell…"
The blessing had been shattered.
There was a silence that surrounded her. The fairy's eyes trembled and tears began to stream down her cheeks, her expression had changed from one of worry to absolute dread.
Without restraint, an insurmountable amount of magic was released from the fairy. The air rushed untamed and all that surrounded her were the trees that danced wildly to her great melody.
She blazed forward, leaving only a trail of refracted light behind her.
Devastation followed wherever it scoured and a path that was laid to waste by the countless it consumed. No settlement was left standing and none of its kind were able to overcome it.
No one was able to defeat the monster.
It grew immensely and more powerful, it gained strength like no other and was evolving into the manifestation of what the world feared most…
A true disaster.
A monster that was the embodiment of evil and one that did not know of defeat. It was a malevolence that stained the world.
It did not realise, but by creating all of this destruction, more would come to know of it and threaten its existence; the monster did not care. It frenzied on the feast because its hunger was boundless; the people would never forget. They gathered, chasing the monster only for them to fail and see more of their loved ones perish.
In the beginning, it was overwhelmed by their power. Even so, it still fought back with every ounce of its will, it was neither scared or intimidated by the people. Its hunger wouldn't allow it.
Their songs of magic tore and scorched its skin many times and weapons of metal pierced it over and over, but it still devoured what was in front of it.
When it came to the people, consuming them did not satisfy it in the least. Their screams were pleasant and they tasted far better, sweeter even, however its submissive greed of hunger willed it to eat what fulfilled its desire, and that were the other monsters. Especially their precious stones.
The more it slaughtered, the stronger its opponents became….
The monster pursued what it wanted and moved to other lands in search of more food, but there was no kin of its left that could truly satisfy it. The monster had become far too powerful for the surface. It was only the people who were even a challenge for it at this point, but even they did not provide anything… They only served it for its own enjoyment.
That was until it encountered something frightening.
The monster stumbled into a place that none had entered. There was not a single soul that resided in there; only the echoes of an empty silence remained.
It wouldn't have even approached if it wasn't for its imposing curse, the madness of being starved had enslaved the monster's mind to lose its sense of sanity, unaware of what could be in front of it.
And despite that, the monster was beginning to feel a surge of emotion that it had never felt before; it was an emotion that demanded to flee from what was ahead. The air felt heavy and the monster found it hard to breathe...
That emotion was fear.
And yet, the frenzy in its mind made the monster seek more of what it wanted, so it continued forward.
That was when it found it… Neither was it a living creature or a carcass that was left to rot, it was an object. A colour reminiscent of the darkest black was engraved into its deepest crevice and it reflected an unearthly white. It was huge, not greater than the monster but still considerable for a human, and the aura it displayed was beyond its comprehension; it was dark, twisted and abundantly oppressing.
I WANT TO EAT IT!
RUN AWAY!
DEVOUR!
ESCAPE!
Fear had made the monster cautious and rely on its instincts for its own survival. It stared at the object with a petrified stance, its fear did not allow it to step forward and its raviging hunger forced it to not move back. Bewildered on what it should do, it remained standing for days constrained to one spot.
Even that did not last...
After so much time spent in self-conflict, the monster finally went insane with starvation. Its mouth drooled with excitement and it's eyes were blinded by its own delusion, always wandering for its desire.
The monster took one step forward.
The aura exuding from the object thickened the air. As if the monster had been chained to the heaviest boulder, each step would make it suffer the closer it came.
Whatever it was, it threatened the monster to fall victim to its power.
So when the monster finally reached the black object, it opened its mouth and tried to break through. It wanted to eat it but was not able to, the object was far too durable.
The monster raged when it wasn't given what it wanted and a deep seething anger made the monster's bite increase in strength as each second passed.
The dark object was no longer able to hold its structure and cracks dispersed throughout its body. A fragment was devoured and the monster swallowed…
It was a disaster.
The monster went into a hysteria. The aura of the object began to grow and expand from inside its body, overwhelming it to the point where it caused the creature to go on a rampage.
Trees were smashed while the ground was torn apart and crushed. The smell of burning flesh heavily filled the air as its insides were starting to burn in a scorching temper.
It was in great pain… and despite that, it wanted more.
Fear consumed the monster but the power the object wielded was far too desirable, just one bite was able to increase its strength like no other monster had.
This wasn't just a simple hunger, it was a glutinous demand for power.
Again, it tried to take a bite and it suffered tremendously, it was desperate to remove the pain of being burnt alive but the power was far too tempting.
Formed from insanity, only a wicked smile could be seen in the devastation on the berserk monster.
"HaaA...aA..aaa..Aa…"
It was difficult to breathe and when I coughed, an unbearable pain spread throughout my body.
It was difficult to stay conscious, but the stabbing pain wouldn't let me collapse either. It was a horrifying fate for someone who was about to- I realised...
Am I... going to die…?
Anyone would be afraid or scared if they were to find out that their end was near, it was no different for me.
I wasn't able to speak and I was in agony, but I was able to lift my arm towards my chest to see how my condition was. It felt like I was moving a mountain, so when I reached for my injuries I thought everything would at least be fine. It wasn't.
When I placed my hand, I shifted it only to feel bumps and ridges where there were not supposed to be any and when I lifted my hand it was drenched in blood.
I wanted to scream. I couldn't. I felt numb.
It was a miracle that I even survived.
My mind was overwhelmed with emotion and I lost myself to my agony. I was suddenly feeling cold… and desperate.
My ears were ringing, but even that faded as I started to hear the growls of the goblins who were somewhere around me. A part of me wanted to get up and try to warn the villagers of what was coming for them, but I wasn't able to.
My inner-self was telling me to give up and let go. I didn't want to, not when the people I cared about were in danger. Despite my resolve, I was barely clinging to life. If anything, all of my bones were broken from that one attack.
*THUD… THUD*
The ground shook, the orc was slowly heading in my direction and I wasn't able to see it approach me.
I tried to move but the pain was relentless in knocking me back down. I felt so cold and weak, like the warmth was being drained out of me; my consciousness was fleeting and I had understood what this would mean for me.
"Haaa…. ha…"
My breath was becoming shallower and I was too weak to show any reaction to my breathing.
I really am…
I was barely able to hear something being dragged right in my direction. I had no strength left to lift my head and was only capable of guessing what was waiting for me.
And when it stood over me, I realised my vision was becoming weaker with every moment passing. If it wasn't for the orc's bloodlust and towering figure, it would be impossible for me to even tell who was there to begin with.
Everything had become a blur. I was no longer even capable of being horrified by the orc because I couldn't sense anything.
The orc just stood there and I couldn't tell what sort of face it was making- No, I knew what it was doing, it was sneering at my miserable state, it was mocking me. If there was anything I wanted to do right now, it was to stand up and fight, to wipe that smirk off its face and prove it was wrong…
My expression never changed but if anything, I felt tears fall out my eyes. I was so useless.
I couldn't stop the orc.
I wasn't able to protect my home.
My grandpa… he died because I wasn't there for him…
And now, when I was the only one who stood between the villagers and this monster, I wasn't strong enough.
The orc grunted whilst standing over me and then turned to walk away. The ground began to thud once more and I was barely able to make sense of anything. I didn't understand why it had let me go.
It's footsteps became lighter as it went further away, then I heard something else. The goblins were sounding like they were snickering, their growls were heavy and the fact that they were not moving anywhere made me feel sick. Something was not right with the way they were behaving.
"OOOOOOOOOUUU!"
It was after that howl that my heart sunk. That howl did not come out of instinct or a sense of victory, it was a command.
"KEEEEEH!"
The goblins answered with their own screeches and began to move.
The ground beneath me trembled from their footsteps and they were becoming stronger, they were getting closer.
These monsters were about to kill me because the orc ordered them to.
A wave of pain washed over me and I was starting to lose consciousness. Everything was turning dark and I could tell that my other senses were fading away. I could no longer hear the sounds of monsters heading in my direction or taste the blood that I vomited earlier.
I didn't want it to end like this… I wanted to see so much more and tell everyone about my adventures.
It would hurt to say any words right now. My throat burned and in response my body screamed at me for even thinking of doing something so reckless.
I thought that If there was anyone who could hear me, they would at least know that I tried my best. It was a selfish hallucination that I made up because no one was there to listen to me. I was alone, I would die alone.
"I'm sorry..."
I managed to say something despite my delusions...
Dark moving shadows emerged over me and were gradually blocking the sight of the sky.
….It's over.
There was no hope for me.
The twisted orc watched as the human was about to be devoured.
There was just something about the screams of people that seemed to satisfy it to its core. It was a mindless instinct that all of its kind had so it was obvious where it had originated from. However, the orc was different, it understood what was happening, it wasn't merely a mindless creature that killed without reason, it was intelligent.
And that's why it found new ways of entertaining itself, since no other creatures besides its kin were able to stop its hunger. Although, the orc had noticed that this human had not shown any reaction, it would soon since being eaten alive would make any who lived scream with a deafening cry.
The goblins trampled on the human, wanting to be the first to eat him since they had been kept hungry for so long. They drooled viciously all over themselves, cackled at their prey's bloodied shape and glared at him with their crazed glowing eyes.
They relentlessly pushed and pulled each other away until they piled over him.
The air changed and the wind blew.
Their first bite was in sight.
The wind grew stronger.
The orc noticed the sudden change and raised its head to see what was the cause.
The sky grew darker and what was once a strong wind transformed into a powerful gust. The trees rattled in danger and that alerted the orc, something was there.
However, before the orc could even react a great torrent of wind sliced the air around the goblins. Some were killed while others were left incapacited, but the body of the young man was now set free from their clutches.
A streak of light ran through the forest, the invisible wind was forged into countless blades and launched at the orc.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The orc screamed not in pain, but in rage. It's skin was too thick to penetrate and so it savagely searched around itself to see what was there.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUU!"
It gave another shattering cry that pierced anything it reached.
The forest trembled in front of such sheer power but the light that trapped the monster only flickered from the subjugation. The orc searched relentlessly only for it to notice the light unravel into the sky, and like the stars, became the way of an unveiling guide in the darkest times.
The forest shuddered from the existence of the light, for it was in the presence of those who wielded a part of the power of the world and who were under the favour of the gods...
The light shone brighter, building in power to the point it was blinding. The orc stood unaffected and had no choice but to wait for what came next.
...Then the light descended.
"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"
That light was a fairy.
I wanted to protect my home.
That was the first thought that came to my mind when I saw these monsters. I knew that they were different from anything that I had ever read about, and that if I ran away… I would regret my decision for the remainder of my life.
And it wasn't because I thought I could defeat them, it was because… I could see it. I could see thoughts that would drive anyone's mind towards the brink of insanity, and they were chipping away at me every time my fear took over.
Those thoughts almost felt like visions to me.
I could see homes being destroyed and laid to waste while fires raged on above them, parents who held their children while they fought off monsters who would kill the people in front of them, and the screams… It was endless and horrifying.
All I could do was watch from a distance. I wasn't able to move. I wanted it to stop.
Was I awake?
Maybe I was still alive?
It was painful. If I could feel pain, then that proved that I was still alive… But I could only see darkness.
Was I dreaming?
Then something began to change, I felt lighter and I could see the darkness beginning to fade. I didn't know if I was truly awake, but still, I began to smile at the outcome. A beautiful light began to form in front of me and it was breathtaking; I could almost touch it.
I heard a faint melody. I couldn't tell if there was someone there but the fading words eased me, as if someone was sitting right beside me. The words were indescribable and yet it felt like I knew what their purpose was…
However, then I remembered… This light… it was familiar. I had seen it before.
I couldn't remember how many times I saw it, even so, I was sure that it was that light… The one that I had seen all those years ago.
But even now I didn't know what this light was; it became more intense. It was taking shape?
A small silhouette of white appeared right before my eyes and it almost looked human, though it couldn't be human. It was small, slightly bigger than my hand and the most remarkable characteristic about it was its wings, they were almost translucent.
I had seen their pointed shape before, but where?.
That's right... They were in the fairytales that I read when I was a child. The illustrations that grandpa had drawn showed some fairies with wings similar to the ones in front of me.
"Are you o-"
Unexpectedly, I hear a faint voice. It was a girl, she sounded concerned and shy; her voice was soothing. I felt warm and comfortable around her, like I was sleeping.
"Bell..."
She... knew my name?
"Come back..."
It was only two words, but those words stirred my emotions.
"Please, wake up!"
She was desperate, I wanted to reassure her that I was fine, but I wasn't able to speak. I was trapped in the abyss which was my mind.
"Don't go!"
I struggled. A spark was lit by her voice, a voice that came from the endless white that enveloped the world around me. I wanted to help her and more strength filled me with that resolve.
And yet despite that, I was afraid. Afraid of the orc that almost killed me. That orc toyed with me, made me lose my resolve; I… wanted to beat it, but that grin filled with evil frightened me. I knew I would never win, because the orc had never lost.
It was too strong.
I heard her, I wanted to apologise, I wanted to tell her that I was sorry for making her go through this, for my weakne-
"SAVE US!"
"..."
She cried, she begged with all her being and my heart right then and there was burning with a flame. It was like my subconscious pulled my hand to stand up to my enemy.
I wanted to help her, to be a hero... Like the ones who faced the same despair I was facing, like the ones who saved others. I would give everything I had for that chance,
Even if... I failed.
Reach it Bell Cranel... Reach for my chance.
I wanted to pave the way for a miracle.
As if I had reached out and taken a step further, the silhouette of light shined brighter and I was blinded by such a dazzling sensation, my thoughts became clearer.
I opened my eyes.
"Bell…"
My body was in more pain than I had ever felt, and yet I had the will to stand and fight. I no longer felt overwhelmed while laying on my back.
The sky was dark, the clouds covered the entire sky and they were all dispersing from one point, above me.
I was tired, my muscles burned from fatigue and I almost felt like passing out again. However, the voice that called out to me… I raised myself up to sit in place.
My eyes widened. The trees had been perfectly slashed from their trunks, piles of ash were slowly being swept away by the gentle wind and a great cloud of dust surrounded the area.
What happened while I was unconscious…?!
Unconscious... No wait, I was- !
I reached out for my chest, the same place where my bones were left broken and was seriously bleeding from. It's gone, the blood that had soaked into my coat was there but that unrecognisable feeling was gone.
What was happening?
"I-I'm glad you are feeling b-better..."
What…? There was that gentle voice again... Where was it coming from?
Out of the corner of my eye I could see a glow that wasn't supposed to be there, near my left shoulder. I turned to see what it was and was speechless with what I saw, a small creature with that same light surrounding her, like it was protecting her.
She was almost like a…! No, that shouldn't be possible, and yet there was no other answer I could think of to describe her appearance.
"..."
My eyes widened at the self-realisation and I couldn't help but breathe in a slither of air to then release it, trying to keep myself calm by understanding the truth.
Was she really...
"A fairy...?"
I didn't know what to say, but the pain in my body made me return to my senses. I became silent.
I watched in awe as I laid my eyes on her and she was the same. I could tell she had been crying, there were still tears in her eyes. Was it… because of me? Why? I wanted to do something so I reached out my hand to her, hoping to at least comfort her in some way, but she noticed and jumped back; my hand flinched away in response to her panic.
"I-I-It's okay, I won't hurt you." I stumbled on my words.
I think we were both nervous and confused...
I raised my hand towards her once again but this time carefully so that I didn't scare her. I glanced at her and realised that she was hesitating; her eyes turned towards mine and for a brief moment they were locked before I shyly turned my gaze away from her.
She was pretty to say the least. Her short dark brown hair flowed down to her shoulders and her similar coloured eyes were resonantly alluring, but beyond any of that was her presence, it drew my attention towards her and yet was charming and delicate all at once.
I felt the need to especially respect her even without knowing who she was, that was just how strong her presence was.
I decided to place my hand back down since she was not moving and as I did I felt something on it, it was her taking a seat on my hand; that's when I knew that she had decided to trust me. There was a kind warmth that radiated from her and it's gentleness permeated through my torn gloves.
She felt so fragile.
"Are you hurt anywhere…?"
Her white dress was covered in dirt, her delicate white skin had been stained with bruises and her hands were red with scratches that she had tried to hide behind herself. I was worried.
Now that she was in front of me, it was easy to tell how much strain she had put herself through, she was drained to the point where she needed rest.
"I… um... I am alright."
"That's good!"
We were tense and there was no arguing with that. I really was relieved that she was speaking to me but it made me forget that I was supposed to calmly approach the conversation, and as a result of me being hasty, she sort of jumped on the spot.
"Wait! I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-'' I tried to apologise but my body became tense, I felt a great heaviness in the air and the pain that I had from my injuries was returning.
*SNAP- CRACK*
In the distance behind the dust clouds, there were definitely trees being tossed and turned, and even though it was difficult to see what was there, I knew it could only be the orc. I quickly turned to the fairy only to find her with an expression which was difficult to describe. Was she frightened? fearful? Or willing to fight despite the odds? I didn't know.
All I could see was her barely being able to stand while she used the same hand she rested on as a crutch. I clenched my teeth seeing her in such a state, I was furious at the truth. That monster had hurt her because she saw it come after me, she had decided to protect me instead.
She used her power to save me…
Pain spread throughout my body and I was exhausted beyond reason, yet a fire burned within me.
My weapon, where is it?
I searched relentlessly to find my shortsword. It slipped out of my hands before the attack so it should be... There...
Laying in the dirt, it had lost the lustre it had being covered with dirt soaked in blood. I picked it up, and using the sleeve of my arm wiped away most of it. My body felt heavier with it, but besides the knife it was all I had.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!"
From behind me, the orc released a cry that blasted the forest winds away and my eyes clenched shut from the pain inflicting sound. When I opened my eyes, I was left speechless when everything was revealed from the dust.
The orc… it was… it had somehow been blasted across the other end of the forest, at least more than half a kilometer away. Only a trail of fallen trees had led to the path in its direction.
"What really happened when I passed out…?" My mind raced a mile a minute.
The entire devastation of this area… It was beyond anything I had ever seen, a level of battle that I could only picture when daydreaming about the pages of an epic.
Even though the orc had been hidden by the forest darkness, I was able to hear its footsteps impending closer. The fairy was in seriously bad shape and I could tell she had reached her limits, I was the only one left who could stand.
"..." There were no other options left that I could think of.
"Please… run away."
What I said came naturally to me. I had made my choice.
"Huh…?"
I would fight alone.
Bell found it hard to breathe, he gripped the hilt of his weapon even firmer in response to that difficulty.
"I will fight the monster."
The fairy was horrified by the young man's idea and with obvious reason, he would not survive.
"What are you-!" She tried to stop him.
However she wasn't able to because when she looked up and saw him, the expression he made... her words became lodged in her throat. Bell was smiling, and it wasn't out of confidence. It was more to say that he had found his resolve. He was reassuring her that everything was going to be fine.
But the fairy knew better, especially about the child in front of her… It was a fake smile.
"It's going to be okay."
"..."
Bell walked over towards the lining of thick forestation with the fairy who still could not leave his hand. She was silent as she knew she was unable to do anything herself. She gave everything she had and the orc was still standing after all of that.
It was true that she had power, but she was not a fighter and her confrontation with the orc had proven how lacking she was at using the full potential of her abilities.
Even the fairies faced many adversities during the era when monsters roamed freely from the Dungeon because of that weakness.
Each step Bell took made the fairy sway in the hand that protected her, that was until he crouched near the lining and placed her on a safe spot on the ground.
He still smiled at her until he turned around and waited for the enemy to face him.
His back would come across as strong and steadfast, one that could be relied on when a shred of hope was wished for. But beneath all of that strength was the truth that only she could see…
He was alone and frightened.
Right now, he would rather give his own life to save her instead, to save the only people he ever knew. And despite this, the fairy saw the child's weapon rattle, his body quiver as the haunting footsteps approached in the background...
Bell never turned his head, but there was a feeling that gripped the fairy's attention to his figure and she could only guess what it was to grasp the meaning of that feeling.
"What sort of expression is he making...?"
Bell's display was beginning to show cracks and yet he would not waver from his spot, he needed to be brave to encourage the person he promised to save, and so he bit his lip to relieve himself of the fear. It did not work.
"Grandpa…" Bell tried to reassure himself by calling out to the man who he loved the most. "I know you told me that it was okay to run when I couldn't win…"
The fairy was in deep thought when listening to the young man, she watched in sorrow because she could not help him by herself. That orc was by no means ordinary, it shouldn't have existed. Where did it even come from? These were the thoughts that plagued her but had no answer for.
"But…" His voice wavered and his eyes shimmered with tears in them. "I can't bring myself to run if I knew everyone else would be hurt because I ran away."
Although she could not see his face, the fairy could hear the slight shiver in his breath.
"Bell…" The fairy was saddened to hear his words. She knew she could no longer fight, and she bit her lip in frustration because of it.
However... there was a chance. It was a way in which she could truly help...
To spare her powers, even if it was temporarily.
But...
Despite the fact that this could be their one chance to win... she was unusually hesitant, and there was a reason for that hesitance.
It was known throughout many stories that fairies would grant their aid to the people who would eventually become heroes of their own tales, this was especially true in the era of the Old Age.
And as much as that seemed exciting to the readers of those stories, the reality was that many of those future heroes had to suffer through a great deal of tasks before they were able to request the fairy for their wishes to be accepted. These tasks were sometimes so great that there were examples of where the challengers were sent to find items scattered across the world which was filled with countless dangers, all so that they could prove their worth.
In spite of that, this wasn't what unsettled her.
The fairies rarely gave these tasks out of spite, each had their own way of evaluating which proved to them that the beings who wished for their power were worthy of using it. If magic was used without the proper mentality, the result would always be catastrophic.
In the past there were tales such as when a fairy gave all of her power in the form of a weapon in favour of the hero who wanted to rescue his princess; only for them to lose it to an evil witch's deception. In the end, the hero, the princess and the fairy who sacrificed her power, all died in vain.
There were heroes who became reckless out of emotion and used the great magic of their contracted fairy; that recklessness resulted in their deaths when they lost control of their magic.
There was even a bloodline that misused the power of their kind ancestor and decimated the very lands of the fairies who gave their own blood as a gift for saving them from the monsters. The ancestor's descendants were arrogant and they were cursed for their tyranny.
There may have been tales with happy endings, but there were also tales that were filled with tragedy. It was for these reasons that the fairies were mostly considerate of the future rather than the passing present, as their powers were capable of shaping the world after the gods themselves. They could not foresee the future, but they could take the necessary steps to avoid a tragic fate.
Those who chased for power and accepted it paid the price by shouldering the responsibility of wielding it, the good and the bad; this situation was no different.
No... for Bell it was different. If she revealed to him of this chance, then she would be forcing him to discover a fate that he had never wished to follow; that fate would lead him down a path of trial and tribulation, of pain and suffering.
She would be taking away his efforts, the choices he made throughout his life and his only wish… To go on his own adventure.
Maybe he would be able to survive without her help and- No, that was only believing in something that wasn't there. She could not even defeat the orc despite using a great deal of her own magic.
She clenched her fist in resentment, remembering the times when powerful monsters roamed the world. The despair she lived through and seeing her kin and the people die one by one, all of those memories were resurfacing.
"This isn't fair! Why? Why is this happening to him of all people…" she muttered to herself.
Even so, those feelings did not matter because the orc was approaching.
"HHHHHHEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHH"
It's heavy and croaked breath resonated within the ears of both Bell and the fairy, but it was still a distance away from them. Each step it took was slow and burdensome, resonating even deeper to the people who were waiting for its arrival, as if each step was a sign of the final moment, the eventual battle.
All they could see was its shadow that moved within the dark forestation.
...It was then that Bell took his first step forward.
"No-"
Amidst the silence, the fairy reached out to him only for her voice to fail and her eyes to sink into the floor, all by her own will.
But Bell kept walking forward, he was unable to hear her unsaid pleas and he furthered himself away from her gaze. The fairy panicked, she had never been so conflicted as she was now.
Was it right of her to intervene? To let her fondness or her own worry be the judge of this child's future?
However, as if to envision her conflict into reality, the world acknowledged her heart. The clouds that were formed from the fairy's magic little by little began to scatter, and beams of enchanting light fell to the earth.
So when she longingly graced her eyes on him, it was like the darkness that sealed her view slowly vanished away, revealing a blaze that emerged from a gradual brilliance.
"Oh, so that's what it was..."
The image of him glowing in the sunlight reflected off her eyes and memories of the child flooded her. The life he lived had unknowingly built itself towards being her beacon in the loneliness that she lived through.
"...I didn't want him to be like me."
Bell had no doubt become her light. Looking at him in this situation, she was reminded of how much he never changed; his desire to save others was something special.
It was selfish of her to think that he could be spared from a cruel fate by a choice she made with the belief that he would be happy at the end of it all. Life was cruel and it had broken and left many others, and the fairy knew this well; all she wanted was for Bell to not have any regrets and face the same pain that she had to live through in her past.
"I pray that I am not making the wrong choice."
The fairy breathed in her found resolution
She calmed her heart and assumed an aura that displayed her true persona as a fairy. She may not be a fitting example to the expectations that came from the legends of ancient heroes, however, she did wish to be the reason why the child in front of her was saved.
"I'm sorry, Bell... I want to help you. I won't listen to your request."
And if by chance he fell into despair on the path he took, then…
"I will remain by your side until you will be able to forgive me."
It was an unspoken oath that would never be heard.
Hi everyone, it's definitely been a while since I released a new chapter, but to be honest I was busy with a lot of work and studies.
Sorry in advance if I ruined the pace of the story for you readers out there!
And also, the next chapter will be the final chapter of this arc and after that it's exploration time for Bell!
Right, now on to my thoughts and notes.
So, I don't know if anyone realised but this chapter is important for the story I have planned ahead and the reason for that is because of the number of references I have placed in this chapter. Though, I'll leave it up to you readers out there to find them.
Also, there are a number of themes in this chapter everyone should be considering, which again, I will leave it up to you to find them.
It makes it more interesting when people have their own theories.
But in basic terms, these references and themes are almost like premonitions for the story ahead if that makes sense. They will be explored more deeply in the future arcs I have planned.
As for characters, in this chapter I have sort of made a divided and non-chronological storyline. For example, The fairy's storyline explores the village's history and hence expanding the (self-made) lore of the world I am building. Now as for the fairy herself, she does have her own past that is one of the things I wish to expand on, since my plan is to show the history of the world. But I don't know when I will actually write the thing (I have a draft of it though so who knows).
I do think some of you might be wondering "Where did this fairy suddenly pop out from?" and to that I say please be patient, I placed her here on purpose as I do believe it will make sense in the future.
The orc is a bit different though. I have specifically focused on its origins (to introduce something I won't reveal yet) rather than how it actually relates to the story. But as far as this chapter goes, I have revealed how much of a potential threat this orc really is. HOWEVER, I still won't tell anyone how powerful it currently is at the moment, that is something I might do in the next chapter.
And well Bell's story is more focused on the present. His story in a way is acting as the anchor for the present timeline, essentially connecting the dots of the other two characters.
That's it for now at least!
I really hope a lot of you readers comment and discuss some of the things you found in this chapter, and if it's not a spoiler then I would be willing to reveal more details of the story depending on the questions you ask.
Please let me know if there are any criticisms as I do improve these chapters for a worthwhile second read.
Anyway, thank you for your time and I hope to see everyone in the next chapter!
-Odyssey7