[Wave 112,666 Completed]
[Time Until Next Wave 47:59 Hours]
The memory of that time was blurry, but I remember the feeling. It was cold, lonely, empty...
The smell of blood was my company and the taste of iron lingered with every breath I take.
"....."
There's a demon in front of me.... He said his name was Lucifer? Doesn't matter now...he's dead. Everything ends when you're dead... Well, except for me.
The battlefield is more disgusting than the last but the NPC's in the human city act like it's nothing. That's right. There's no one here but me... I'm all alone. I want to end it but all I do is repeat a day.
I chuckle bitterly.
I can't even commit suicide properly.
I sit here. In the dust of the plains. I probably stink but who cares? After two days, I'll get dirty anyway. Plus...what kinda water can wash away this blood on my hands?
"What a pitiful man you are," a voice calls out to me.
It's a woman's voice... I turn and see her. She's a demon. Blue tinted skin that blends well with her lavender hanfu. She has two white horns that proudly sit on her silver head like a crown and her cerulean eyes scowl at me in disgust.
She's a demon...
I don't know how she's alive when the wave has ended but I know what to do.
[Sun Ray]
...
Huh...?
Why is she upside-down? No, wait, I'm the one who's flipped.
[Energy Distortion Technique: First Breath]
With insane speed, she uses her fingers to precisely hit multiple parts of my body.
"Ack!"
[You are currently suffering under the 'Sealed' condition]
[You Cannot Use Spells]
[Duration: 10 seconds]
Heh... I'm dead again. She just appeared out of nowhere but she makes that Lucifer feel like a chump.
"My brother told me that there was a warrior in the planes who he'd gladly die to," she says coldly. "I thought I'd find him here but all I see is a husk of a man."
I'm tired... I can't get up anymore... She can deal the final blow but she's talking instead. Did she say brother? Her description sounds like it's someone I know... but I've forgotten.
"At this rate, you'll just die over and over again and return to the past without end," she continues.
Brother... that's right. He's the only one I could talk to about my situation.
"Ca..ras?" I whisper in the dirt.
*Thwack*
My teeth fly off as she kicks my face.
"Don't you dare say his name!" she yells with disdain.
*Ptoo*
"Nice kick..." I chuckle.
As I lay there in pain, she crouches in front of me and grabs my hair to lift my head up to face her.
"Listen up," she growls. "You're no longer a person... You're just trash."
She has such a disappointed face. Totally unexpected...
"Finish it," I groan weakly.
"And meet you again for the first time? No," she scoffs and lets go of my head.
*Thud*
"Hehehe... I thought you wanted revenge?" I try to taunt her.
I thought that'd do it. Instead, she gives me an icy glare.
"To think that my brother would invoke the [Ogre Last Rites] on trash like you," she practically spits those words in disgust.
My heart throbs. When an ogre feels that their their life is ending, they would invoke the [Ogre Last Rites] to have the ogre tribe do something on their behalf when they pass. It's binding to the point that if the ogre tribe fails to do it, they would all collectively commit suicide for disappointing the deceased.
"Bullshit..." I reply with one last resolute rebellion.
"I don't expect trash like you to understand," she says as she digs her heel on my back. "But what's done is done and I am bound by oath to fulfill my brother's request."
She then lets me go and walks away.
"Get up, trash" she commands heartlessly. "If you want to at least evolve into a flea, follow me."
Trash and flea... Heh... I want to disagree but I know what I've become. Whatever... dying here would be a waste of time since she can beat me so easily anyway. With all my strength, I sluggishly stand up and limp behind her.
[Back to the present]
*Crackle*
The fire's been set and I've gathered all the ingredients. Now it's time to cook it. I'm thinking of making some sort of stew since she'll take a while.
*Rustle*
I turn and see that Grace has come back. She's deactivated her costume so her wings and green hair are out.
"You're back fast," I chuckle.
"I flew here," she replies. "Want some help with that?"
"Of course. Just grab a knife and chop up the vegetables for me."
I was surprised when we got to the forest for the first time. For someone who practically had a silver spoon in her mouth, this girl knew how to cook.
*Chop* *Chop*
Look how fast she cuts those onions! When I was her age, all I knew how to cook was microwave-ready meals. What's with the Von Frederick genes? Why are they so goddamn competent?
"Uncle..." she says while her hands are still busy with chopping.
"Yes?"
"Who's the person in the cave?"
The question catches me off guard for a bit but I sort of expected it from her. After all, like her grandpa, she's a curious child.
"Wouldn't it be better to ask her once she comes out?" I reply.
She thinks for a bit and smiles, "You're right."
That's good for now. If I start talking about the past, I don't know if I'll be able to stop.
*Tsssss*
Oh! The pot's ready. Time to start!
[Back in time]
"We're here, trash," the ogre lady says as we arrive in a camp of some sort.
Fire burns hot in the open, it's tendrils licking the bottom of a pot. Two tents are set up on opposite sides of the area. One, is a big, leather tent that's fully lined with insulation. The other, is a small tent that's dug out of the dirt and leaves act as the roof. At least, this tent prevents body heat from escaping and wards off any rain.
"Trash like you don't deserve to sleep in a tent as cozy as that," she says as she points at the tiny "tent". "Be grateful I even made you one."
I'm too tired to argue... I just want to sleep... But I can't so I'll just lie in there. I wonder if it's warm... Before I know it, my feet are shuffling towards it.
"Hey! It's not time to sleep yet!" she raises her voice as she flicks a pebble at my direction.
It hit my head and it stings... but I stay silent.
"Look at you," she scoffs. "You don't even have the instinct to defend yourself anymore. Pathetic..."
There it is again. The look of disappointment. What did she think of me? What did her brother tell her about me? Whatever it was, it must have been a version of myself that's beyond my reach anymore...
While I'm in my head, a bowl appears in front of my face.
"Eat," she scowls.
I gingerly take the bowl from her hands and inspect what's inside. It's stew.
"You need energy so you don't die" she says. "So eat. Maybe some food can remind you how to live like a human again."
I take the spoon and scoop up what I think is meat and slurp it. It's rancid... The stew is dirty from the scum and the gaminess of the meat is invading my throat. It's awful... So why am I shoveling it in my mouth so greedily? And why can't my tears stop flowing?
"If you want seconds, feel free to get some for yourself," she says while scooping the nasty stew into her bowl. "Other than that, you can starve for all I care."