Kaiser settled in a dark corner and turned off the flashlight on his phone. The moment the light faded, he instinctively flinched, sensing movement. His eyes darted back to Zara's position—only to realize she was gone. Then, a man's tortured scream split the air.
His gaze shot to the bandits, their expressions now twisted with horror. One of them lay sprawled on the ground, a pool of crimson spreading beneath him, his body a bloody mess. Kaiser's breath caught in his throat.
'She's too fast...'
He had only taken his eyes off her for a second, yet in that moment, Zara had already claimed a life. The remaining bandits barely had time to react before another man fell, blood gushing from his torn throat.
"R-retreat!" one of the hooligans stammered, his voice trembling with fear as he took a step back. "Call for—"
His words were cut short as his throat slashed in mid-sentence. His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. But that's just the beginning. Zara had already slipped behind the group, silently blocking their escape route like a predator stalking her prey.
She stood in the faint lantern light, her silhouette outlined with lethal grace. The slender curve of her waist and her lithe, deadly form seemed both beautiful and terrifying. Her hands, stained with fresh blood, dripped slowly onto the dirt, creating crimson pools at her feet. Her eyes—glowing an eerie crimson—bore into the bandits with an intense, almost playful malice. Her furry, pointy ears of a beast only added to her demonic aura, looking like dark horns. Casting her as a beautiful yet deadly maiden.
A cold smirk curled her lips. Her voice dripped with venomous amusement.
"I remember you. You're the one who often refuses to feed me… And you—bad-mouthing a helpless lady? How rude. Did your parents forget to teach you any manners?" Her gaze flicked to the others, her tone mockingly sweet. "Cowards... Where's your courage now?"
The men stood frozen, trembling in fear. Their eyes darted between the blood-soaked bodies of their comrades and the lethal figure blocking their escape. But Zara had no intention of letting them speak or beg for mercy. They wouldn't get the chance.
The world around Kaiser seemed to slow, his vision sharpening as the Sacred Bond heightened his senses. The enhanced clarity allowed him to witness her every movement, every strike with terrifying precision.
Zara's body blurred into motion, her limbs moving with a lethal grace that was mesmerizing and terrifying at once. To Kaiser's enhanced vision, her movements were now visible, but that didn't lessen the shock of her ferocity. She moved like a wild animal, her lithe frame darting between the bandits with an otherworldly speed. The desperate screams of the men pierced the night, the scent of blood growing thicker with every kill.
Zara's fighting style was an art in itself—a feral yet fluid dance of death. She used no weapon but her own body. Her stiffened fingers cut through the bandits' armor as though it were paper. With a single, precise motion, she slashed across a man's throat, blood spraying into the air as he collapsed. Another bandit swung his sword in a wide, clumsy arc, hoping to catch her off guard. But Zara ducked under the blade with ease, her body twisting gracefully before her hand shot upward, the edge of her palm cutting through his neck like a dagger.
Blood splattered across her face, but she didn't flinch. Her eyes gleamed, filled with dark amusement as she spun around, bringing down another man with a sharp kick to his chest. The force of the blow shattered his ribs, his scream turning into a sickening gurgle as blood filled his lungs.
Another bandit charged at her, his sword raised high, his face contorted in desperate rage. But Zara was already behind him before his sword could descend. Her hands, now slick with blood, gripped his head, twisting it violently. There was a sharp crack, and the man's lifeless body collapsed to the ground like a ragdoll.
The remaining men, realizing the futility of fighting her, attempted to run. But Zara was quicker. She dashed toward them, her form nothing but a blur in the dim light. Her fingers, rigid as blades, sliced through one man's back, cutting into his spine. He fell with a scream, writhing in pain. She finished him off swiftly with a clean strike to the throat.
Another tried to flee in the opposite direction, but Zara's hand lashed out, gripping his arm with an iron grip. With a savage twist, she snapped his elbow, the bone jutting out grotesquely. He howled in agony, but Zara silenced him with a vicious kick to his head, the force of which sent his body crashing to the ground, his neck bent at an unnatural angle.
Kaiser watched in horrified awe, every movement burned into his mind. The bandits were outmatched—mere children before a seasoned predator. Their weapons, their armor, their numbers—none of it mattered. Zara's hands were enough to reduce them to nothing more than lifeless corpses.
The last man standing dropped his sword, his hands trembling as he raised them in surrender. "P-please... I didn't—"
Zara was on him before he could finish. Her hand shot forward, gripping his throat tightly, her nails digging into his skin. She pulled him close, her crimson eyes boring into his with a terrifying intensity.
"You should have thought of that before you joined these cowards," she whispered, her voice cold as death. With a swift motion, she ripped his throat out, blood gushing from the wound as his body convulsed in her grip. She let him fall to the ground, his life draining away in seconds.
Silence fell.
Zara stood amidst the carnage, her breath steady, her crimson eyes glowing faintly in the aftermath with dark satisfaction. The ground around her was littered with bodies, blood soaking the earth beneath her feet. She glanced at her bloodied hands and wiped them casually on the cloak of one of the fallen men, her expression one of quiet satisfaction.
Kaiser's heart pounded in his chest, the vivid sight of her carnage burned into his mind. He had known she was dangerous, but witnessing her like this—moving with such ruthless efficiency—it was as if he had watched a nightmare come to life.
Her red eyes flicked toward him, locking onto his. The bloodlust was still there, simmering just beneath the surface. But then she smiled—a small, almost gentle smile—and in that moment, she seemed like the same Zara who had teased him only hours before.
'She's a monster' Kai thought, his eyes still wide from witnessing the slaughter.
Zara smiled at him, a sharp, knowing smile that sent another shiver down his spine.
"What? Can't stand?" she teased, her tone light despite the bloodshed around them.
Kai steadied himself, fighting to maintain his composure.
"By the way, shouldn't you grace me with the honor of knowing your name? Or do you prefer I address you as Master?"
He hesitated for a bit, before replying, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Kaiser, but you can call me Kai for short"
She chuckled softly. "Kaiser... A big name, fit for an emperor. You don't strike me as one, though."
Kaiser also implies the title of emperor, hinting at the big expectations his parents must have for him. Sadly, they passed too soon for him to prosper as one. Not like an average kid like him would actually achieve great heights.
'I didn't even that's what it meant.'
Kai shrugged, unwilling to engage in banter after what he had just witnessed. Part of him was still afraid to say anything that might offend her. He had believed her claim to be strong before, but after seeing her dark side firsthand, the fear was real. Even now, he could feel the tremors running through his body, a visceral reaction to the carnage around him.
Deciding to ignore her, Kai attempted to move forward. He had to focus—Ariella was still waiting for him, after all. But as he stepped closer to the bodies littering the ground, the sight and the stench overwhelmed him. His stomach churned violently, and before he could stop himself, he doubled over and vomited, the bile burning his throat.
'I thought I could handle this...' He had imagined situations like this during his school days and his tolerance against disgusting stuff's is above average. But reality was far more horrifying than anything he could have prepared for. The repulsiveness before him was too real, too overwhelming.
Zara chuckled behind him, and then, much to his surprise, she patted his back gently in a mocking attempt to comfort him. "First time, huh? Don't worry. Judging by your character, you'll get used to it soon enough."
"Yeah... I guess," Kai muttered, though deep down, he didn't want to. The thought of becoming desensitized to this level of violence was terrifying in its own way and viewing dead bodies as if they're average things was unacceptable for his morals.
But life was unpredictable, and if this was what it demanded of him, he would have to adapt—whether he liked it or not.
Eventually, Kai managed to pull himself together. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and forced himself to walk out of the cage, leaving the scene of carnage behind him. The weight of what he had just witnessed pressed heavily on his chest, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it now.
There was still much to be done.