The hunter lying on the ground groans as he starts to get up, his body twitching unnaturally. He turns to the group, his face twisted in pain—he's slowly becoming a wendigo. But something is wrong with him. Then, with a trembling voice, he looks at them.
"K-Kill me..."
Before anyone can react, he plunges a glowing red and black syringe into his chest. His body contorts and twists as he transforms into a horrifying wendigo-wraith hybrid. The man screams in agony as his flesh sloughs off, leaving only bone. His organs hit the ground with wet splats. His skull elongates and reshapes into that of a deer, while his bones stretch unnaturally, growing longer and more monstrous.
Sunny watches the transformation with a sad smile before coating her blade in flames. With a swift, decisive strike, she cuts down the wraith. The creature falls, shocked at how quickly it was defeated.
Sunny lets out a slight chuckle. "Wow… A wraith and wendigo fusion would be terrifying, but both are weak to fire and silver. My short sword is a silver blade I've maintained for years now."
She steps toward the writhing monster, which is now engulfed in flames, its shrieks of agony echoing through the hallway. Crouching beside it, her hand glows purple, and the creature suddenly stops screaming.
"I will grant you a painless death, former hunter. The rest of you, move on ahead—I'll catch up."
The group hesitates for a moment before nodding and pressing forward. Once they are out of sight, the monster is enveloped in a soft purple light that spreads across its decaying body.
"Farewell, former child of man," Sunny murmurs. "I hope you achieved all your goals and lived your life to the fullest. My ability tells me your name was Derick Freeman. Goodbye, Derick… May you be born into a better life, one more fortunate."
The man fades away as Sunny watches, refusing to leave until he is completely gone. Only then does she turn around and walk away, heading to catch up with the group.
Once she rejoins them, she sees them inspecting some of the hallway rooms.
"What're y'all doing?" Sunny calls out.
Luna pokes her head out of one of the rooms. "Some of these rooms have people in them, and this one looks like a surgical room!"
Curious, Sunny steps into the room Luna is in and glances around. "Seems pretty standard for a surgical room… But how the hell did they create a serum that can turn someone into a monster?"
Luna looks at Sunny. "Umm… that monster—or man—that you, um, killed… what happened to him?"
Sunny sighs. "I gave him a merciful death, that's all."
Luna grabs a flask and peers into it. "So all these monsters were once human, right?"
Sunny nods. "If they became wendigos in the traditional sense, then yes."
Luna leans over the table. "So, why do I feel bad for the guy back there—the one you just killed—but I felt nothing when I beheaded the wendigo earlier? What if he didn't ask to be that way?"
Sunny shrugs. "The guy back there was clearly forced into it. The wendigo we fought didn't seem like he was. Plus, adrenaline and combat tend to numb things. But it's good that you feel bad—it just means you're human."
Luna smiles. "Thanks, that actually makes me feel better. I was starting to think I might be a heartless monster!"
A loud sound suddenly echoes through the halls, cutting Luna and Sunny's conversation short. They quickly run out to investigate.
As they rush over, they spot JJ carrying a woman in his arms, a sheet wrapped around her. She has tan skin and dark green hair, and she appears to be nearly the same height as Luna.
Sunny tilts her head. "She looks Spanish… maybe Portuguese? But she could also be Latina, so who knows?"
Leaning in for a closer look, Sunny gently lifts one of the woman's eyelids just enough to see her eyes. "Strange… she doesn't have wendigo eyes, but her eye color is whitish. That's weird."
She sighs, checking the woman's pulse. When she realizes she's alive, she straightens up. "Alright, well… this is awkward. What do we do with her? We could try to take her back, but who knows what's—"
Sunny is cut off as the entire building suddenly begins shaking violently.
"What's happening in this place? Alright, we need to make a decision—!"
Before anyone can react, the woman in JJ's arms suddenly stirs. Then, without warning, she leaps out of his grasp and lands near the corner of the hallway.
Sunny's eyes widen as she notices something unusual—cat ears!?
The woman hisses, "Who are you? Where am I? And… and—"
She suddenly sniffs the air as Jamal opens a bag of chips.
"You! Human! Give me that!" she demands, pointing at the nacho cheese chips in his hands.
Jamal raises an eyebrow but walks over to give her the bag. She snatches it and devours the chips, her face quickly covered in orange dust.
"You humans seem alright!" she declares between bites. Then, she points at JJ. "You, human! I demand clothing!" She turns to Sunny. "You, human with the white hair! Present me with jewelry—I want shinies, now!"
Luna tilts her head. "I don't have any jewelry on me, but I could maybe get you some?"
The woman hisses. "Now! I said I demand it now!"
Sunny raises an eyebrow. "What's your name?"
The woman quickly shifts her attention to Sunny, her tone suddenly much calmer.
"Tera."
Sunny nods. "Tera… Do you have a last name?"
Tera shakes her head. "Why would I need two names? One is enough."
The group stands in confusion until two guards rush in, rifles pointed at them.
Before anyone can react, Tera leaps at the guards, knocking both of them down. She slams their heads into the ground, rendering them unconscious, and quickly begins stripping one of them of their armor and clothing.
As she starts changing, JJ and Jamal immediately turn around. Before things can get any more awkward, Sunny quickly shoves Tera into a nearby room so she can change in private.
When Tera steps out, the clothes are torn and adjusted to fit her. She places her hands on her hips, looking very proud of her handiwork.
"Great news, humans! I have decided to stick with you all, for I do not wish to re-enter the glass room with the weird water."
Sunny gives Tera a long blink. "Alright… I guess you can stick with us."
She sighs, realizing she now has an unexpected new member on her team.