Arat's breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to regain control. The throbbing pain in his chest pulsed in time with his racing heart, each beat sending a fresh wave of agony through his body. He could feel the warmth of his blood seeping through, the wound barely mended from his last encounter now threatening to tear open again.
The boy and girl suddenly darted their heads toward the bush, sensing they were not alone. Their eyes searched the darkness, but the scarce light of the moon allowed them to see only each other, their faces barely discernible in the dim glow.
The boy, almost as tall as a man now, rose to his feet. His movements were cautious, as if aware of the unseen presence that had interrupted their solitude. The girl followed his lead, her body tense as she quickly reached for her clothes, her hands trembling slightly as she dressed. The boy did the same, his eyes never leaving the shadowed bush from where the disturbance had come.
The moonlight, pale and cold, cast long shadows across the forest floor, but Arat's vision was clouded with a crimson haze. He fought against the rising tide of his instincts, the primal urge that roared within him to attack. But he knew he had to resist. He couldn't let himself become the monster he feared.
The surge in his blood flow made the pain in his wound flare up, sharp and unforgiving. Arat gasped, his legs buckling as he fell to one knee, unable to withstand the sudden agony. His hand instinctively pressed against his chest, trying to stanch the ache radiating from the wound that refused to heal. In his other hand, the fish he'd caught slipped from his grasp, forgotten, as he clung desperately to his sword, the cold metal reassuring in his grip even as his vision swam.
I have to get away from them as fast as I can.
Arat stood up, shaky but determined, and began to take a few hesitant steps back toward the cave. The pain in his chest was still there, a dull throb, but he pushed it aside, focusing on retreating to safety. As he moved, something made him pause, and he turned his head, his eyes widening in surprise.
The young couple was standing right next to him, closer than he had realized. They towered over him, their height intimidating. Arat barely reached their chests, his small frame dwarfed by their presence. The moonlight, once a mere sliver in the dark, now fully illuminated them, casting Arat's shadow starkly against the ground. The darkness, which had once been his ally, now betrayed him, offering no cover from the humans' gaze. He could see the surprise in their eyes as they finally noticed him, standing there exposed in the pale light.
The naked young boy stood frozen in place, his breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him. The small figure, barely reaching his chest in height, was draped in tattered cloth and wore an iron mask that obscured most of its face. In one hand, the figure held a sword, its blade glinting ominously in the moonlight, stained with fresh blood. There was something deeply unsettling about the way the masked figure looked at him, as if he were prey.
The boy's eyes drifted downward, unable to tear themselves away from the figure's upper body. The figure had no shirt, revealing skin that was disturbingly unnatural. Beneath the surface, the boy could see strange, protruding shapes, like something was writhing just under the flesh. But what drew his attention most was the blackish-yellow substance oozing from a jagged wound in the figure's chest. It seeped from a hole that looked as though it had been torn open. The sight of it filled the boy with a mixture of fear and revulsion.
The girl hastily put on the bare minimum of clothing, her hands trembling as she struggled to cover herself. The metallic taste of flesh and blood lingered in Arat's mouth, a primal urge clawing at him to sink his teeth into the young girl's soft body. But she moved quickly, taking cover behind the boy, who stood between her and the masked figure.
Arat fought against the dark impulses rising within him, forcing himself to focus. He opened his mouth, his voice low and commanding, reverberating with an unnatural authority from beneath the iron mask. he ordered, the words coming out more like a growl than a request. The sound was filled with a menacing edge that left little room for defiance, a tone that made it clear he was not to be trifled with. His gaze, though hidden by the mask, bore into them with an intensity that both the boy and girl could feel, heightening the fear that already gripped their hearts.
"Don't come close."
He brought his sword upward. Pointing it toward the two strangers. With the droplets of blood dripping from the blade.
The girl felt an undeniable sense of danger from the small figure. The hoarse voice emerging from the rusty iron mask, the unnatural skin, and the blood-soaked sword all terrified her, causing her to take a few steps back, poised to flee at a moment's notice.
The young boy spoke in a trembling voice, lowering his body and extending both hands in front of Arat in a clear gesture of peace. His palms were open, facing outward, as if trying to show that he was unarmed and meant no harm. His posture was a mix of fear and desperation, clearly aimed at signaling Arat to stand down and not to attack. The boy's eyes, wide with apprehension, darted between Arat and the girl, who clung to him for reassurance, their shared fear palpable in the tense silence.
"Hey, easy there, little guy. We mean you no harm, me and my friend were just wandering in the woods."
Arat regarded them with stern, unyielding eyes, clearly unconvinced by the boy's gesture. His desire, fueled by an escalating hunger, grew stronger with each passing moment. His mouth was dry, yet saliva pooled in his mouth, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. Malicious intent flickered in his eyes as he cast glances toward the girl every few seconds, his gaze sharp and predatory. Slowly, he took a few cautious steps back, never breaking eye contact with the young couple, ensuring they had no opportunity to make any sudden moves.
Staying here will only make things worse.
Arat kept walking backward as he still held the sword to threaten the boy keeping him where he had stayed. The young boy then spoke.
"Say, your father is still alive, those knights have captured him, he is now in the village's prison cells"
Arat, being his first time talking to someone other than his grandfather was hesitant to even speak and answer. His instincts warned him against the stranger he had just met.
He is lying there is no way Grandpa is still alive after those wounds, he wants to distract me and buys time to do something, I have to find a way to stall him and run back at the cave behind me.
As Arat continued to back away, the boy, still crouched, reached down and picked up a piece of wood from the ground. He gripped it tightly, using it as a makeshift weapon, his eyes never leaving Arat.
Arat shouted as he pointed his sword toward the boy
"Don't move."
He wants to capture me for real, he thinks he can handle it since I'm only a child, damn it.
The girl whispered into the boy's ear as she got closer to him
"let's get out of here. He is creepy."
She took another step back making enough distance to run away.
Arat replied after some time with a cold voice.
"What have they told you about me?"
The boy spoke, with voice filled with courage.
"They told us you are a wounded half-demon child."
Arat said
"Why are you trying so hard to capture me?"
Once Arat had established a safe distance, he stopped and fixed his green eyes on the boy. The boy, still gripping the piece of wood, had halted his advance the moment Arat ceased moving, though no words were exchanged. It was clear to Arat that the boy was wary and ready to defend himself.
In an instant, Arat turned on his heel and bolted through the trees. He clutched his wounded chest with one hand, his urgency causing him to drop the fish onto the ground. As he vanished into the forest, the sound of his footsteps faded, leaving the boy and girl alone in the moonlit clearing.
Arat sprinted through the forest, the branches and bushes clawing at his clothes and occasionally striking his metal mask. The air grew cooler as he neared the lake, and the soothing sound of the waterfall signaled that he had arrived at his hideout. Despite the comfort of the familiar location, an intense, unsettling sensation spread beneath his skin. The new scent he had encountered stirred an uncontrollable craving, his blood feeling as if it were crawling with desire. His breath, heavy and labored, made the inside of his mask damp and warm, creating a stifling heat that clung to his face with each exhale.
The two youngsters remained there, silently for a second. The girl broke the silence
"That was him, wasn't it?"
The girl said
"Those knights said they will give thirty gold coins to anyone who finds him."
"For real? That is enough to make a new life, no more farm work or listening to my annoying dad."
As the boy said that the two looked at each other, then at the dead fish that Arat had left on the ground.
The boy moved quickly toward the piece of cloth that served as their mattress and grabbed a stone and a small iron slab lying near a torch. With urgency, he prepared to ignite the torch, originally he had planed to use it to return to the village. Without wasting another moment, he dashed off in the direction Arat had fled.
A shout followed behind him, coming from the girl.
"Hey don't leave me here all by myself."
She too started running, tailing the boy who had the torch.
Arat continued to sprint, the lake now within sight. He glanced behind him and, relieved to see no sign of the boy or the girl pursuing him, pressed on. His nimbleness and speed allowed him to cover the short distance quickly, and he reached the cave in mere seconds. As he climbed the stones with all the haste he could muster, he noticed a distant source of light. Driven by urgency, he increased his pace and scrambled up the higher rocks, eager to reach the safety of the cave and its sanctuary.
The boy arrived at the lake, scanning the area desperately to spot any trace of Arat's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Arat, unable to enter the cave, took refuge behind one of the larger stones near its entrance. The stone was only slightly bigger than him, forcing him to squeeze his body into the small space to avoid detection. As he crouched there, the stream of water from the lake soaked his shoes and pants, leaving him cold and uncomfortable but hidden from view.
"Damn it, he escaped"
Said the young boy his voice full of regret.
The girl arrived behind him catching her breath.
"Where did he go?"
"That little rascal got away so fast, no wonder the whole village couldn't find him."
Thou Arat was near the waterfall he could hear their conversation despite the sound of the of water.
The whole village? this is messed up. These guys are really dedicated to get me.
The boy continued his search around the lake, the flickering light of his torch illuminating the area. He stopped in front of the stepping stones that led to the hidden cave behind the waterfall. Climbing a few of the stones, he gained a higher vantage point, allowing him to survey the area more clearly from his elevated position.
The girl spoke
"let's go, my dad will notice that I haven't come back at any moment."
The boy said
"Hang on, he is our golden opportunity to get the hell out of this dump."
"I'm scared there is only you with a stick he has sword, and he may be a child but he is still a devil he is dangerous, let's go back."
The boy scanned the entire area with a frustrated expression. After finding no trace of Arat, he descended from the stepping stones and, with the girl in tow, left the lake behind.
After about half an hour, Arat cautiously took a peek from his hiding spot. The area was dark and quiet, with no sign of light or movement.
They either left, or are hiding with their torch turned off, there is no way they can see me.
He then came out from behind the stone and took the last remaining steps to get inside the cave
Feeling overheated, Arat couldn't resist the urge to cool down. He reached for the water near the cave's entrance, splashing it onto his exposed upper body. The cool liquid provided some relief, dampening his skin and helping to ease his discomfort. He drank deeply, trying to wash away the lingering, unsettling taste of blood and meat from his mouth. The refreshing water momentarily eased his senses, offering a brief respite from the intense cravings that plagued him.
That was close, I almost wanted to rip a piece of that girl. I need to get out of here soon, with the villagers searching for me I can't hide here for more than a few days. Tomorrow I should gather some food and rest, then I can climb the mountain and go to the other side, those villagers won't come after me that far in the mountains.
Arat slipped into the cave and leaned against the stone walls, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself.
He tried to sleep, closing his eyes with all his might, but the energy stirring within him kept his eyelids from staying closed for more than a few minutes. Each attempt to rest was thwarted by the relentless drive coursing through him, a constant reminder of the pressure his demonic nature exerted on him. The unyielding force made it impossible to find any peace, underscoring the constant struggle he faced against his own darker impulses.