"I've lost track of time. Days? Weeks? Months? All I know is that the forest is relentless. Half of my men are gone, swallowed by this cursed place. The deeper we go, the more vicious the creatures. It's as though the evil of the forest seeps into our very souls, and with each step forward, we lose a bit more of ourselves."
The Hare Prince, lost in thought, turned as his remaining soldiers approached.
"General, we're back," one of the soldiers announced, standing at attention.
The prince's eyes remained fixed ahead, cold and calculating. "How many this time?"
"We lost two, sir."
The general clenched his fists but kept his voice steady. "Report."
"Yes, General. No sign of your brother. However, we encountered three... boys." The soldier paused, the memory of the strange trio lingering in his mind.
The general's voice sharpened. "And?"
"They were... unusual. One was thin, bald, and had white eyes with small black irises. He had a lightning mark on his feet and wore nothing but animal skin shorts. Another had wild curly hair, one eye red, with scars all over his body. He looked perpetually angry. The third one was always smiling, with sharp teeth, long nails, and braided hair. His clothing... it wasn't from this world."
The general leaned forward, intrigued. "Anything else?"
"No, sir."
The Hare Prince's lips twisted into a faint smile. "So, the forest holds more than just monsters. Commoners who dared to enter this cursed land..." He paused, his mind racing with possibilities. "Rest up. Tomorrow, we push deeper."
As the soldiers began to settle, the prince's attention was drawn to the device on his wrist. It blinked and beeped—his brother's tracker. He was nearby, closer than ever.
"Get ready," he snapped, the cold command cutting through the air like a blade. "The prey is near."
The soldiers scrambled to their positions, eyes scanning the dark, twisted trees surrounding their camp. Shadows moved, but none could tell if it was the wind or something more sinister.
"Come out, brother," the prince called, his voice carrying into the darkness. "Why hide in the shadows? Step into the light."
Suddenly, soldiers began vanishing one by one, screams echoing through the night. His brother was faster than anyone could react, a blur darting through the trees.
"Stay alert!" the general barked. "This isn't a greeting, brother. It's an assassination."
The prince's eyes flashed as he ordered, "Release the trap."
Two soldiers threw a device into the ground. With a crackling hum, an electromagnetic field erupted, slowing his brother's movements to a crawl. The prince stepped forward, his face grim with resolve. Now, his brother—the hare with the eerie, hollow eyes—moved in slow motion, helpless.
Without hesitation, the general unleashed his fury, fists raining down in a relentless assault. Each punch landed with a sickening crunch, his brother's face quickly turning into a bloody mess.
"Does Father know what you did?" the general spat between punches, his knuckles stained with blood. "No. He still thinks you're his *favorite* son." Another punch. "But I know the truth."
His brother's swollen eyes glared up at him, barely open but defiant.
"Do you regret it, brother?" the general hissed, striking again. "Do you feel any guilt for what you've done? Say you're sorry!"
"I said *say it!*" The prince's fist came down again and again, his rage unchecked. "I was ordered to bring you back alive. But I'll kill you right here."
"Bring me the laser gun," he commanded, his voice cold and final.
A soldier handed over the weapon, the prince aiming it at his brother's head. "I hope you burn in hell."
But just as he squeezed the trigger, a blade whistled through the air, striking the EMF trap. The field collapsed, and in an instant, his brother was free.
With a wicked grin, the fallen prince stood. Blood dripped from his face, but his expression was triumphant.
Before the general could react, his brother was gone, darting through the trees once more. Soldiers screamed as their throats were slit, their blood painting the forest floor. One by one, they fell, their laser shots going wild, missing the mark as their killer moved faster than they could see.
Then, the general felt it—a sharp, agonizing pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see his brother's hand buried deep in his gut, pulling out his intestines in a slow, grotesque motion.
The prince staggered, his vision blurring as he collapsed to the ground. His brother knelt beside him, calmly chewing on the flesh he had ripped from his sibling's body.
"*Munch... munch*," the sound of his brother's chewing filled the prince's ears. He turned his head slightly, his breath labored, and saw the twisted smile on his brother's bloodied face.
"So, this is what you did to Mother," the general rasped, his voice weak. "I can't imagine the terror she felt."
His brother paused, swallowing another piece of flesh. "She said she loved me," he replied with a sick grin.
The general's vision darkened, but he forced himself to speak. "Even after everything... she loved you more."
His brother lay back on the forest floor, content, staring up at the night sky.
"*Cough, cough*...
"Aren't we closer now?" his brother asked, smiling. "I enjoy deep conversations with my meals. Makes them taste better."
The prince managed a bitter laugh. "Karma will come for you, brother. You'll feel it tenfold for all the evil you've done." His final words left his lips as his eyes stared blankly into the dark, twisted sky above.
His brother glanced over at him. "Hey, are you dead already? Shame. I was enjoying our talk." He stood, wiping the blood from his hands. "Guess I'll be going then."
He disappeared into the forest without a sound, leaving the mutilated corpse of his brother behind.
Not long after, figures emerged from the shadows—witches' minions, drawn to the carnage. One of them grabbed the general's corpse by the ears and dragged it away. "I wonder if the three witches would like this," he muttered, disappearing into the night.