"Wait, you knew about the curse?!" Lio shouted.
Yuuki sighed. "Forget it. That's not what I—"
"Hey! No! If you knew, why didn't you—"
Lio's yelling was cut off by the sudden sound of a bucket being kicked outside. Light footsteps dug into the ground, sending both of them into silence. Yuuki and Lio quickly left the table and crouched near the window, peering out to identify the source. A shadow passed by, revealing a creature whose mandibles clicked together with a low, guttural hiss.
Yuuki could only catch the monster out of the corner of his eye, but his body responded faster than his mind. His heart raced, sweat beading on his brow. It wasn't fear of the monster itself that gripped him—it was something else. He glanced at Lio, who remained still, composed, watching with focused patience.
"Yuuki..." A sudden shift pulled Yuuki back into his thoughts. His reflection appeared once more, grinning wide, its eyes locked on his. It pointed to his side.
Yuuki followed the gesture. His sword was there, and this time he'd put it to use.
The reflection waved, and with a blink, Yuuki returned to reality.
"Yuuki," Lio whispered, pointing to the door before gesturing with a mock punch.
Nodding, Yuuki followed as they crept toward the exit. Slowly, they eased the door open, mindful of every creak. Once outside, Yuuki motioned for Lio to distract the creature while he snuck around. Lio flashed a thumbs up and grinned.
Lio jumped out into the open. "Hey! Big and ugly!" he yelled.
The monster turned, its beady eyes locking onto Lio. "Looking for a snack!" Lio grinned, unfazed as the creature loomed closer, acidic saliva dripping near his feet. His eyes gleamed with defiance, his stance unyielding.
"That's more like it," Lio muttered, fists clenching, as he stood his ground.
Yuuki seized the moment, leaping from behind and swinging his sword at the creature's head. Lio backed away as the monster roared, flailing its massive claws and sending Yuuki flying back.
Yuuki landed on his feet, scanning the damage. His strike had only left a shallow cut on the creature's skull. "It's killable," Yuuki thought, recalling the hooded man who had fought a similar beast. "I just need to take out its arms first."
He darted toward the creature again, this time targeting its claws. But again, his sword barely left a mark. The monster retaliated, slashing at him, and Yuuki was sent crashing into a tree, his back slamming against the trunk. He fell to his knees, struggling to rise.
"How are we supposed to kill this thing?" Yuuki muttered, his vision blurring as the creature advanced.
Suddenly, Lio appeared, hurling a punch at the monster's head. The impact landed with a dull thud, but the creature didn't flinch. Lio stepped back, eyes narrowing, and swung again, this time aiming directly for the beast's gaping maw. His fist shot forward, but the monster was faster—it snapped its mandibles shut around his arm.
The sharp, agonizing pain hit immediately. Lio's scream tore through the air as the creature's jagged teeth clamped down, its acidic saliva burning into his skin like molten fire. He staggered, wrenching back instinctively, but the grip tightened. The creature's jagged maw worked slowly, its mandibles clicking as they dug deeper into his flesh.
"Let go of me!" Lio roared, planting his feet and yanking against the relentless force. His muscles strained, but the monster only clamped down harder. His vision swam as he punched the creature's torso with his free hand, each strike growing more desperate. But the beast barely reacted. The burning was unbearable now, acidic drips melting through his sleeve, sending waves of pain up his arm.
YOU ARE READING
With Chaos Comes Grief: The First Stage of Grief
Fantasía"When I entered this life, my only desire was to protect my family. That desire had been tampered with and broken down to nothing but mere strings." Yuuki is a farmboy, living his teenage years isolated from the rest of the world while trying to kee...
