Kiyoshi chased after them, but for an elderly couple, they were remarkably fast. Kiyoshi arrived at the bridge, but they were gone. They must've gone into the forest, Kiyoshi remarked to himself. With that revelation, Kiyoshi quickly dashed into the forest. As Kiyoshi ran through the forest, he could voice faintly but clearly enough to lead him in the direction of where it was coming from.
Kiyoshi arrived at the open in the forest in the center where Ma and Pa and the young couple were. Kiyoshi hide behind a tree and observed what was going on. Kiyoshi looked on as Ma and Pa were talking among themselves with the young couple, just standing there as if they were in a trance.
The time has come right Ma, remarked Pa as they slowly approached the young couple who were frozen in place. Kiyoshi becomes shocked when both Ma and Pa began transforming in front of him. Grotesque limbs begin bursting out of the elderly couple as both Ma and Pa roared into the night sky like cruel beasts. The disturbing sounds of multiple limbs and other parts emerging from their bodies filled the air with fear and disgust.
Before long, the loving elderly couple Kiyoshi grew to know over the last couple of days were gone. Even though their faces remained, they were no longer attached to those of human beings. With Ma's body being that of a gigantic black widow spider with the face of an elderly lady. Long fangs peek out from her otherwise human face and six other eyes emerge from her forehead, giving her four pairs of eyes like a spider.
Next to her, Pa transformed into a praying mantis whose face was misshaped due to the shape of a praying mantis head. The two creatures looked at each with adoring eyes of love as they prepare to consume the young couple.
That is why their presence was so familiar to me. I have been sleeping with the entities that were behind it all the time. Kiyoshi thought to himself as he looked on. With a burst of speed, Kiyoshi pulled the young couple catch in the trance away from the entities known as Ma and Pa and hide them in the bushes before reappearing in front of the two monsters.
Ah, Kiyoshi, you found us out. It is so sad you would have made a lovely husband for our daughter. But now you have to die, remarked Ma as she and Pa slowly closed in on Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi asked them why they were doing this as they seemed so nice in the inn. To which Pa replied if we couldn't enjoy love, no one else could. Confused, Kiyoshi asked what he meant by that and Ma replied they will at least explain themselves before killing and devouring Kiyoshi.
She stops her advancement on Kiyoshi and explains that Ma and Pa are not their real names, but her name was Minka Tobaro, a princess of a kingdom long now forgotten, and that Pa's name was Tereba Manlaba, a man born of common descent.
She remarks that their story took place over eight hundred years ago. In the little kingdom of Samino. With the demonic conversation event ended, mankind had gone back to fight with their original enemy themselves. Wars raged on as kingdoms and their rulers did their best to defeat their enemies and rule over all humanity. I was the firstborn to a king and queen of a small kingdom that could barely defend itself. Becoming home raids from multiple stronger kingdoms for our vast resources.
All seemed lost for my parents and my kingdom. Until one day when I was seventeen, the current prince of Xeng was in the region and took a liking to me. He promised my parents the might and protection of Xeng if he could have my hand in marriage. The support and help from one of the five major kingdoms for us, the hand of their eldest daughter. My parents quickly agreed and made the preparations to have me married immediately. With thoughts on the matter didn't matter. What mattered is that the kingdom could be saved.
There was only one problem. My heart already belonged to someone else. Not a follow noble like me but a common stable boy name Tereba Manlaba, who I had loved since we were children. But my parents would never approve of this love since Tereba was not of noble blood or a knight but a stable boy who cleaned horse shit out of the stables. And with me being engaged to the prince of Xeng to save the kingdom, our love was nothing more than annoying puppy love. Nothing important to the grand scheme of things.
So knowing my parents will never allow me to marry my true love. Me and Tereba decided to run away the day before my wedding. The day we ran away, my parents got wind of it and sent the royal guard after us. As they chased us, we didn't realize that my parents had a kill-on-sight order on both of us as they already married my younger sister off to the prince, informing him that I had died in an accident.
Before too long, we were both struck with multiple poison arrows and fell into the stream below. Several hours later, I awoke at the river bank. I pulled Tereba's body out of the water, but it was too late. He was already dead. I held on to the lifeless body of my lover with sorrowful and angry tears running down my face. I cursed my parent, my kingdom, and even the gods for taking my one true love from me.
For hours and cried, begging Tereba to come back to life. I was overwhelmed with hate and anger that I didn't even notice when a strange shadowy figure came out of the river and stood in front of me. I looked up to see the figure just standing in front of me with no facial features or any features of any kind, to be honest. I held on to Tereba's body, determined to protect it from the unknown creature, no matter the cost.
The creature assured me that it didn't come to harm me or Tereba, but offered me a way to bring Tereba back to life and give us eternal life with each other. But there was a catch. We will have to give up on our humanity and every couple of years we must feast on loving couples like ourselves, which in return will power the entity more. Without hesitation, I agree upon the terms of the contract as I couldn't live another moment without my true love. And so Tereba was brought back to life and the forms you see in front of us were the payment for bringing him back to life. But I regret nothing, as being with Tereba is all that matters to me.
And even after eight hundred years, there is nothing I would change, since I could spend all this time with him. Ma remarked as both she and Pa looked at each other, loving and admiration for each other.
I wouldn't change anything either, my princess, remarked Pa as they shared a weird but beautiful kiss. Kiyoshi was stunned by the words Ma, or more so Minka, told him. Kiyoshi was left confused as he was heartbroken by their sad story but knew if he didn't kill them here and then they will kill plenty more people and ruin this town.
Thou I understand your pain, I can't let you roam free causing other people the same can of suffering you experienced. So now I must stop you. Remarked Kiyoshi as he drew his sword to prepare for battle. But with a quick swing of his mantis arms, Tereba sent Kiyoshi flying to the other side of the field as both he and Minka declare they are going to kill Kiyoshi now.