The room was eerily silent. Kana stood amidst the carnage, her tiny frame bathed in the dim light seeping through the cracks of the underground sanctuary. The smell of blood hung thick in the air, metallic and nauseating. Her mutated kakugan glowed faintly, the three rings around her irises spinning like ghostly fire. Her horns, now barely visible and mostly hidden beneath her light-pinkish red hair, throbbed faintly.
She blinked, her breath shallow as she looked at the lifeless forms of the investigators scattered across the room. The bodies of her parents lay not far away. Reika's hand was still outstretched toward Kana, frozen in a final gesture of protection. Shiro's kagune had retracted in death, leaving him looking almost peaceful. But there was no peace here. Only death.
Kana's stomach growled. It was a sharp, insistent sound that broke the stillness, pulling her from her trance. For the past few days, she hadn't eaten, though it wasn't for lack of hunger. The gnawing, insatiable craving for flesh had taken root deep inside her, a monstrous need that refused to be silenced. Her crimson eyes darted to the nearest body, and her instincts overrode everything else.
She crawled to the nearest investigator, her trembling fingers brushing against his bloodstained uniform. The scent of blood was intoxicating, filling her senses and drowning out her fear. She leaned in, her teeth sinking into the cold flesh of his arm. The taste was overwhelming, rich and satisfying in a way that human food had never been. Her hunger surged, and she devoured him with a ferocity that belied her small frame.
By the time she moved to the next body, her mind was blank, consumed by the primal need to feed. Each bite brought strength, and with it, clarity. She ate until there was nothing left but bones, her small body trembling from the effort. Her horns throbbed again, growing slightly longer and sharper, responding to the gruesome feast.
When she finally stopped, the room was unrecognizable. The investigators were gone, their remains scattered in gruesome piles. Kana wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Her gaze turned to her parents' bodies, and she froze.
Her stomach growled again, more insistent this time. The hunger was an unrelenting force, clawing at her insides. She stepped closer, her hands trembling as she reached out toward Reika's body. Tears blurred her vision, but the hunger didn't care. It demanded to be fed. Her small teeth bit into her mother's arm, and the taste was no different from the others. Kana wept as she consumed her parents, her sobs muffled by the act. When she was done, she crumpled to the floor, her body shaking with exhaustion and grief.
The underground sanctuary that had once been her home now felt suffocating, its walls closing in around her. Kana stumbled toward the door, her small feet slipping on the blood-slicked floor. She climbed the narrow stairs, each step a monumental effort, until she emerged onto the streets of the 4th Ward.
The night air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of human life. Kana's breath formed small clouds in the cold, her light-pinkish red hair catching the faint glow of a nearby streetlamp. Her horns were completely concealed beneath her thick hair, hidden from view by the cascading locks that framed her small face. She wandered aimlessly, her bare feet leaving faint red prints on the pavement.
The alleyways of the 4th Ward were a labyrinth of shadows and secrets. Kana's small figure moved through them like a ghost, her crimson eyes scanning the darkness. The hunger had subsided, replaced by a hollow ache in her chest. She didn't understand what had happened, not fully. All she knew was that she was alone.
She turned a corner and froze. Two figures stood at the far end of the alley, their silhouettes illuminated by the faint glow of a distant neon sign. One was tall and lean, with long black hair tied in a loose ponytail. His face was pale, and his sharp features were accentuated by a series of piercings—small silver rings and studs adorning his lips, nose, and eyebrows.
The other was taller and stockier, with a muscular build and a quiet intensity that radiated from his every movement. He had silver hair, and grey eyes.
The shorter one noticed her first. His crimson kakugan flickered faintly as he tilted his head, studying her with an expression of mild curiosity. "Well, what do we have here?" he murmured, his voice smooth and melodic.
The other man stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in Kana's appearance. "She's covered in blood," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "And those horns..."
Kana shrank back, her instincts screaming at her to run. But her legs wouldn't move. She was frozen, caught between fear and exhaustion.
The taller man crouched down, his movements slow and deliberate. He offered her a faint smile, though there was something unsettling about it. "It's okay," he said softly. "We're not here to hurt you. My name is Uta. And this is Yomo."
Kana didn't respond. Her crimson eyes darted between them, her small fists clenched at her sides.
"You're a ghoul, aren't you?" Uta continued, his tone calm and measured. "But... there's something different about you; you have an interesting smell."
Yomo stepped closer, his sharp gaze fixed on her. "What happened to you?"
Kana's lips parted, but no sound came out. Her throat felt dry, her words trapped by the weight of everything she had seen and done. She took a step back, her thick hair shifting slightly but still concealing her horns.
Uta's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. "Interesting," he said, standing upright.
Yomo frowned. "She's just a child. We can't leave her here."
Uta tilted his head, his smile returning. "I wasn't planning to."
Before Kana could react, Uta reached out, his hand stopping just short of touching her. "Come with us," he said gently. "We'll keep you safe."
Kana hesitated, her crimson eyes searching his face for any sign of deception. She didn't trust him—not yet. But she was tired, so very tired. And she had nowhere else to go.
Slowly, she nodded.
Uta's smile widened, and he straightened, gesturing for her to follow. Yomo watched her carefully as they turned and began walking down the alley. Kana trailed behind them, her small figure swallowed by the shadows. The night was quiet, save for the soft sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls.