As I walked back home, my mind was racing.
I remembered that just before I passed out, I saw my father, but if he had truly been there, the logical thing would have been for him to take me home, right?
Without dwelling on it too much, I focused on myself. I felt different. It wasn't a feeling of discomfort, but rather as if something was missing, leaving behind an infinite void.
During the time I spent analyzing this peculiar emotion, I had already reached the central village.
The village was completely empty as it was late at night, and obviously, there wouldn't be anyone with good intentions walking around at this hour.
The only light illuminating this ghost town came from the luxurious Lotus headquarters, always lit with a couple of yellow lights, which, along with the entrance's glass, created a contrasting feel with the humble surrounding houses. If only they invested more money in the population and not in frivolous things like these, maybe Lotus wouldn't have ended up so badly as in the novel.
As I advanced, the light emitted by the magnificent building gradually faded as I ventured deeper into Millwood's darkness.
Due to the poor geographical location of this town, not many resources arrived, so it was normal not to have streetlights illuminating the way.
I was about 15 minutes away from home, so I could walk in peace.
But for some reason, I was anything but calm.
I don't know if it was the bitter feeling of being a young child walking alone at night, or if it was the flashbacks reminding me of when I was surrounded by profound darkness, but I felt an overwhelming sense of danger.
Suddenly, my chest began to ache, and I was sweating profusely. My heart was beating irregularly, and my senses were sharpened.
As I advanced, I felt the street getting longer.
Soon, my steps quickened, and I found myself running from an invisible threat without realizing it. I ended up in a dead-end alley.
I was trapped, and my panic continued to rise. Finally, I mustered the courage to turn back, and when I did, there was nothing there.
"Phew, it must have been my imagination; I must be delirious," I sighed in relief.
Just as I was about to leave the alley with sweat still running down my face, I felt a chill run down my neck.
I made a sudden turn, and there it was.
It was a tall figure, about 3 meters in height, wearing a long black robe that covered its entire body. The only thing clearly visible on this creature emerging from the shadows were its deep crimson eyes, with a reptilian-like shape.
The being didn't seem to react and proceeded to reveal a long, emaciated black hand with sharp claws instead of nails.
Without giving me time to process what was happening, the terrible creature grabbed me by the neck with its emaciated hands.
Suddenly, my mind cleared, and I could see my situation clearly from a third-person perspective.
I saw myself being strangled while the monster revealed its other hand. But the difference was that its other limb was hairier and reminded me of the palm of one of the dark monkeys my father had faced the previous night.
The creature's hand began to condense the same black mass that seemed to have a corrosive effect. I knew that if it touched me with that, my death would likely be inevitable.
An urgent sense of survival overtook my entire body, quickly bringing me back to my senses.
The palm of the monster was just inches away from my skin, and I could feel a kind of burning sensation emanating from my scar.
"Oh no, no matter what happens, I won't die here!" I shouted to myself.
At that moment, as if my body responded to my will to live, the strange triangle engraved on my chest began to glow in a purple hue, and several purple veins began to emerge on my body.
The monster seemed to realize that something was wrong, but it was already too late.
I felt a surge of energy invading me, and the black mass that had terrified me moments before was calling to me.
I touched the creature's palm with my index finger, and it simply happened.
The previously black mass began to take on violet shades, and soon it seemed to engulf the hand of the ominous being.
The monster quickly released me, and as if it were in great pain, it began clutching the hand that was being corroded by the violet mass.
The mass seemed to expand along the creature's arm, so it tore off the arm and with it the coat that had covered it before.
When the gruesome creature was exposed, I felt like vomiting.
It had a head similar to that of a human, but the difference was that it had black scales surrounding its body.
Its body had multiple scars as if it had been operated on in various places.
Without warning, I felt an unbearable pain coming from my chest, causing me to fall to the ground.
I could barely stay conscious, but I would have preferred to pass out.
Because in front of me, I saw a new arm beginning to grow on the monstrous creature.
"Shit, Im fucked" I thought.
I was already praying for my death to be quick and painless. I couldn't move due to the pain, and I had honestly lost faith in this situation.
When the abomination finished regenerating its arm, it fixed its piercing reptilian red eyes on me.
It opened its mouth, revealing a row of sharp fangs and a large tongue that seemed straight out of a horror movie.
The monster seemed to lose all traces of what made it appear humanoid because once its monkey-like arm fully regenerated, it got down on all fours, making it even more grotesque.
It approached me and licked my face as if it were already savoring its next victim.
I closed my eyes, wishing for a miracle I knew wouldn't come.
But unexpectedly, the miracle did come.
"Well, it seems we have another disgusting homunculus lurking around here," I heard from behind me.
I turned back with the little strength I had left and found a cloaked figure of a woman.
I tried to warn the woman, but only a couple of words came out of my mouth: "Please, save me."
The woman smiled at me and unsheathed a pair of curved swords, saying, "Don't worry, child, that's my job."