Morsh, upon hearing the word "brother" from the little girl, was suddenly flooded with memories of his own younger sister.
With her dark hair, brown eyes, and sweet face, he recalled the first time he found her in a dumpster, the moment she first called him "brother," and tragically, the last time he saw her with her face swollen, her clothes torn and bloodied. He couldn't forget the strength she had gathered in her small, fragile body she said, "Brother " one last time before her eyes, once vibrant, dulled and lost their vitality.
"Aaaa... " Morsh shouted with all of his might as dark mist released from his body.
Morsh glared at the bandit leader, whose appearance shifted before him. The bandit leader transformed into a fat man bearing a scar that stretched from his forehead to his left cheek.
It was Morsh's imagination, but the ferocity in his eyes surged dramatically, causing the bandit leader's hands and legs to tremble with fear.
"What are y... " . before he could finish his words, Morsh appeared in from of him like a blur.
Morsh grabbed his sword with bare hands, the sword cuts into his flesh, but Morsh didn't seem to care. The leader's grip loosened and Morsh tossed the sword aside.
The little girl also was released, Morsh then interlocked his fingers with the leader's.
"Aaaa...." Morsh shouted as he squeezed the leader's fingers tightly. The leader screamed in agony and thrashed his body, attempting to free himself from Morsh's grasp, but he couldn't escape.
Morsh, still half lost in his memories, saw the fat bald man running his finger across his sister's face.
Morsh's finger dug into the flesh of the leader, causing the bones to crack, Morsh's grip tightened even more causing the leader's fingers to be torn from his wrist little by little,
"Ahhh.... " The leader screamed in pain as he headbutted Morsh and kicked him, but it felt like he was hitting a solid wall.
Morsh then grabbed the leader by the neck and slammed him onto the ground. Placing his foot firmly on the leader's chest, grabbed both his arms tightly and ripped them apart from the leader's shoulder.
The leader screamed in pain and fear, then suddenly stopped felt nothing as his mind went blank, his eyes still on Morsh, who stabbed his hand on his chest and dig out his heart, crushing it in front of him. He saw the ferocity of an animal in Morsh before dying.
"Arrgh... " With a shout, Morsh fell back on ground, breathing heavily as blood seeped from his nose, mouth, wound on his abdomen and even his eyes.
His soul was then forcefully pulled back into his soul space with a massive cloud of dark mist.
The body lay there for a few moments before Pete took control.
"Ahhh... " Pete screamed in agony, the pain engulfing his entire body.
Struggling, he managed to sit up, but the scene around him made him almost vomit. His hand instinctively rose to his mouth to stifle the urge, but his eyes widened in horror as he realized he was clutching the contents of a human heart in his hand.
Overwhelmed by shock and horror, his mind went blank, and he lost consciousness.
The little girl helped the captives escaping while she herself stayed behind.
She fetched a bucket of water from the camp and brought it to Pete, where she carefully cleaned his hand and wound. Despite her evident distress from the headless corpses and blood surrounding her, her eyes showed determination as she tended to Pete's injuries.
Tearing strips of cloth from the bandits' clothing in nearby tents, she used them to bandage Pete's deep abdominal wound and the various cuts and bruises covering his body.
She then found another bucket of water and gently but steadily poured it over Pete's face.
The cold water splashed over Pete's face, causing him to gasp and sputter as he slowly regained consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, initially disoriented but quickly focusing on the little girl's face.
But as his gaze fell upon the headless corpses and blood, he lost consciousness again.
The little girl, gritting her teeth, covered Pete's eyes with a cloth and poured more water over him, bringing him back to consciousness.
Pete's first instinct was to remove the cloth from his eyes, but he was stopped by the little girl.
Little girl: "Don't... follow me. I will escort you out of here first."
Pete nodded silently, and the little girl took his hand, leading him out of the camp.
Little girl: "You can remove the blindfold now."
But he didn't receive a reply from Morsh, no matter how many times he asked.
In Morsh's soul space,
Morsh's soul lay in a sleeping state amidst the swirling dark mist.
His eyelids twitched and his fists clenched, indicating inner turmoil and struggle.
Outside,
Pete looked up at the girl with a snort and tears in his eyes.
Pete: "Those people were killed by these hands... so I am a murderer... I will go to prison for it."
The little girl responded reassuringly.
Girl: "You won't go to prison. In fact, they might even reward you for killing those bandits."
Pete, still trembling with guilt, was then embraced by the little girl,
"It's okay," she whispered softly,
As Pete cried his heart out, the girl's expression shifted from concern to something more complex.
None of them spoke for a long time as they walked in silence.
However, their progress was abruptly halted when Emily suddenly stopped in her tracks. Pete, lost in his thoughts and walking behind her, bumped into her.
They both turned their attention to a bear devouring a small animal that resembled a rabbit.
The bear, drawn by the scent of blood on Pete's clothes, turned towards them. It let out a menacing growl and charged at them with terrifying speed.
Emily reacted swiftly, leaping to the side with wide eyes filled with fear and shock as she scrambled to evade the bear.
Pete, however, remained rooted to the spot, his mind consumed by guilt over the lives of the bandits.
In a matter of seconds, the bear reached Pete. With a powerful swipe of its paw, it knocked him to the ground, sending him sprawling several feet away. The impact left Pete dazed and in pain, his vision blurring as the bear loomed over him.
The bear rears up on its hind legs and then pounces on Pete, aiming to finish him off. Pete, still dazed, can barely register the imminent danger.
Just as the bear is about to deliver a potentially fatal blow, an old man bursts through the trees. He is tall and lean, with a weathered face marked by deep lines and a long, flowing white beard. His eyes are sharp and alert. He wears simple, rugged clothing suitable for the forest, and carries a sword.
The old man's movements are swift and precise despite his age. With a powerful kick, he strikes the bear, diverting its attention from Pete. The bear stumbles back, growling in confusion and pain.
The old man, with a calm and focused demeanor, stands between the bear and Pete, wielding a sword. The bear pounced on him but with a swing of his sword, the old man easily sliced its neck.
After dealing with the bear, the old man turns his attention to Pete. He kneels beside him, checking his injuries, "Are you alright, young man?" he asks, his voice gentle but firm.
Pete, still reeling from the attack, manages a weak nod. "I think so," he replies, wincing as he tries to sit up. "Thank you for saving me."
The old man helps Pete to his feet, supporting him with surprising strength. "My name is Thorian, I live in a village nearby. It's fortunate I was nearby."
Emily asked excitedly: "Is the Alderlace family still staying in the village? "
Thorian turned toward her with a sad sigh: "Unfortunately, they, along with their escort of knights, were killed by bandits while they were out searching for their daughter."
Emily stiffened, tears flowing from her eyes as she lost consciousness. Thorian acted swiftly, catching her before she could collapse to the ground.
Thorian then turned to Pete with concern in his eyes. "Are you okay, young man? You seem troubled."
Pete replied solemnly, his voice filled with remorse. "These hands took someone's life... They were bandits, but still, they didn't deserve to die."
Thorian, sensing Pete's inner turmoil. "It's natural to feel guilt after killing someone for first time," he says. "But remember, you acted to protect yourself and others. Let this experience guide you towards making better choices, not paralyze you with regret."
Thorian sighed, memories flooding back. "I remember my first kill too," he said softly. "It was hard for me then as well. But in time, you'll learn to let go and live your life without regrets."
Thorian then turned, holding Emily: "Follow me to my house, rest for a while, it will help you feel better"