For some reason, at that moment, something inside me disappeared. Something that had always been there, but I had never truly known what it was. Like a star extinguishing upon its death, all that remained was a black hole, empty, consuming every other emotion around it.
As strange as it was, my mind was fixated on something else: the scream I had heard. If it was a human, may the Gods forgive me for what I was about to do, because what I had planned went far beyond mere torture — it was something even my imagination couldn't fully describe.
Quickly, I ensured the dragon eggs were safe and, without hesitation, set off toward the forest from where the scream had come.
...Footsteps amidst the vegetation...
- "Haha... could it really be a human?" I thought, gripping my dagger and feeling an uncontrollable urge to laugh.
- "If it is... what I'm about do... I'm gonna enjoy it... very, very much..." My mind churned as I walked swiftly, searching for the origin of the sound.
- "But I need to return soon. I can't leave the eggs alone, not even for a moment. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to them — not even a scratch on their shells." I thought, showing that the only thing capable of rivaling my bloodlust was my care for the unborn dragons.
As I moved through the forest, as silently as possible, I searched for signs of where the scream had come from. After a few minutes of tracking, I began to hear strange noises coming from a nearby area, where I had set one of my many traps some time ago.
...Rustling in the underbrush...
- "Those sounds... they seem to be coming from that direction. It's near where I left a trap." I thought, crouching amidst the vegetation, alert to any signs of other presences.
- "Haha... hahaha... looks like those fools fell into my trap, huh? This is going to be so much fun..." A nearly insane smile formed on my face as I slowly advanced toward the trap.
The closer I got, the clearer the sounds became. Then, as I approached even closer, I could distinctly hear desperate voices. That confirmed my suspicions and brought an almost euphoric satisfaction. And it didn't seem to be just one person... there were several of them.
- "This will only make things more interesting..." I reflected, slowly getting closer to hear what they were saying.
- ""M-Miss Vayrënna, what now? What do we do?" asked a young, trembling, childlike female voice.
- "D-damn it, Kaelith... just a little longer... we've already been through the worst. I won't let you leave us now, YOU HEAR ME?" responded another feminine voice, equally youthful and full of apprehension.
- "As your leader, I forbid you to die! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" she added, her tone desperate.
- "Tsk... where are Rydian and Kaelan? Why are they taking so long?" the same voice muttered.
Before making any move, I decided to assess the situation and count how many were there, to avoid taking any risks. It didn't matter if they were adults, children, or women. ALL HUMANS WOULD DIE BY MY HANDS.
Moving carefully through the vegetation, I got closer, until I finally managed to get a clear view of the area. However, as I laid my eyes on those present, my bloodlust vanished like dust in the wind, and the burning rage within me subsided, giving way to my true self once again.
The reason was simple: the ones there were not human. Or, at least, not entirely. They were all Zol'Karnes children — or, more specifically, Zol'Karnes hybrids with Howliths.
Unlike humans, I held a completely different view of Zol'Karnes. To me, they were a people who had suffered as much as I had, victims of human cruelty. Furthermore, I had always found them magnificent, fascinating, and harbored an uncontrollable curiosity about their physical traits and customs. I would never harm them unless I had a very strong reason to do so.
So, as I looked at those children, I realized that, for the first time in a long while, there were beings like me there. Beings I did not hate. At last, after so much time, I was no longer alone in this forest, and that sense of not being alone left me speechless.
- "Damn, I need to get closer. I want to see how they're doing and how many there are... so I can be sure there's no danger when I attack." I muttered, still uncertain.
Then, when I finally reached a spot with a good view of the people there, I saw who they really were.
- "W-wait a second... they're not humans... they're... Zol'Karnes?" I said, surprised, as the rage slowly dissipated.
- "I... wow... they really are Zol'Karnes..." My eyes fixed on them, incredulous.
- "And they seem to be hybrids with Howliths..." I thought, astonished.
- "Finally... I'M NOT ALONE ANYMORE…" I thought, extremely happy.
But the happiness was brief.
- "AAAAGGHHH!" screamed what seemed to be a girl I couldn't yet see.
That scream echoed through the air, cutting through my joy like a sharp blade.
- "That sound… it was the scream I heard earlier. What… happened?" I asked myself, this time turning my full attention to the situation.
However, at that moment, something caused my mind to light up with a terrible realization.
- "Wait… this is where I set the camouflaged trap with Thalbûren spikes!" I thought, alarmed.
- "Damn it… don't tell me someone fell in there… Argh… This is bad, really bad, it's TERRIBLE!" My mind raced with thoughts as horrifying images formed, imagining what might have happened to the injured person trapped inside the pit.
- "KAELITH!" Vayrënna screamed, with panic lacing her voice.
- "Stop moving! We'll get you out of there, and you'll be okay, do you hear me? Just hold on a little longer!" She pleaded, her voice trembling with fear as the other girl cried inconsolably.
At that moment, I felt an almost paralyzing fear and anxiety. Even without seeing the scene, I could imagine the excruciating pain of the person trapped there. My mind wavered between taking action and succumbing to dread.
- "Damn… damn, damn, DAMN!" I muttered to myself, panting as I tried to organize my thoughts.
- "If I don't do something… she's going to die," I thought, struggling against the apathy rooting me in place.
- "No… I can't just stand here! Even if she doesn't make it, I have to at least try to do something… anything."
But my legs were stuck as if invisible roots were holding them down.
- "Tsk… I… I can't move. Argh… Damn it, Dravyn… move already, you coward!" I berated myself through clenched teeth.
- "Shit… come on, come on… COME ON, DAMN IT!" I yelled internally, but still, my muscles refused to obey.
At that moment, images of the day I lost my mother, my inability to do anything to help her, my father, and Elyndra, who died while protecting me, flooded my mind. If I was still this incapable, unable to move in a situation like this, how could I ever hope to become someone feared by all races — especially humans? Scenes like the one I was about to witness would become common in the future, perhaps even thousands of times worse. So, what would happen then? Would I freeze again when I had to kill anyone standing in my way to protect those I loved, while they suffered because of my damned incapacity? No. That could not happen. THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN.
Using my anger and my desire for vengeance as fuel, I slowly broke free from the pathetic state I was in, until, at last, I managed to move again like before.
- "Damn it, Dravyn… are you going to do this when you have to protect those you love? Are you just going to let them die? How many more times will you be this useless, you damn coward… HOW MANY MORE TIMES WILL YOU LOSE THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT?" I thought, finally forcing my body to move, albeit slowly.
- "…N-never again… n-never again… never again… NEVER AGAIN!" I shouted, drenched in sweat from the effort, as I finally managed to run toward those people to help them.