Felix's expression remained unchanged even as the fangs sunk into his forearm. Blood drained from the wound into the girl's mouth. Sofia watched the scene play out, dread creeping over her. This was the first time she had seen a humanoid demon.

Emil drew his weapon, intending to slay the beast. He swiftly thrust the bladed tip towards the girl’s throat, deftly avoiding the arm that rested within the creature’s mouth. The strike was expertly done, leaving the girl no room to evade. Felix, however, had other plans.

His free hand moved with an uncanny speed and caught the blade mid-flight. The spearhead stood motionless within his grasp, inches away from its target. The girl, still relishing in her delight, seemed unaware of the fate she averted.

“Why are you protecting her?” Emil inquired, clearly upset. Despite his calm tone, the blade didn’t move as both men stared at each other.

Even as the blood drained from him, Felix stood unflinching. His face was a mask of serenity, as if pain was but a notion foreign to him. As time passed, Emil grew unnerved at the display before him. Rarely had he seen something so preposterous. Would a man sane of mind willingly submit himself to become a meal?

Once the girl had her fill, her jaw finally released her prey. She looked around, still dazed, confusion evident in her eyes. Uneasiness crept onto her as she slowly grasped her situation. Once she noticed the blade hovering next to her, she buried herself in Felix's chest and started weeping.

Taking aback, Emil loosened the grip on his weapon ever so slightly. Felix took the opportunity to disarm him with a quick wrist motion. The spearhead flung to the side, encasing its sharp edge into the thick bark of a nearby tree.

Ignoring the sobbing mess in Felix’s embrace, Sofia reached for his mangled arm only to find it almost completely healed. She gasped in astonishment at the sight. Even individuals possessing the purest blood of the immortal bird, the Phoenix, couldn't recover so quickly.

“I’m fine,” Felix said, comforting her. “The girl means no harm.”

“How so?” Emil sneered. “Didn’t it just make a meal out of you?”

“Despite being a hunter, it seems you know nothing." Felix countered. "Humans are so quick to judge others based on their preconceptions and prejudices."

“Are you any different?” Sofia interrupted.

“Not at all, but I try to. You should observe a little more before making a judgment lest you make a wrong one, like in this case. She meant no harm. She was simply hungry."

“Hungry for blood! She is an evil creature that feasts on humans for sustenance,” Emil cut in.

“You sound like some of the fanatics I’ve encountered. Are we not also eating cattle? How is that any different?”

“We are not cattle for them to devour!”

“The strong prosper, the weak perish,” Felix stated bluntly.

“In that case, as the weak, shouldn’t she perish,” Sofia pointed out as she stared at the little girl.

“Indeed, I’m just being selfish.”

Both of them stared at Felix, stunned. His answer had been unexpected. Sofia had rarely seen someone so brazen, even among her clan. Nobles view their reputations and their clan’s prestige as paramount. It would be unthinkable for one of them to be so blatant in their motivation.

It was this unfettered attitude that attracted her. She had always felt like a caged bird. The clan had stifled her, fearing she would besmirch their blood with her impure one. Even her brother kept her in a cage of his own design, trying to spare her the pain.

When she finally had to rely on herself, she found herself lost in the countless possibilities before her. Therefore, she clung to whatever she could, whether it be the gang or even Felix. As she spent more time with him, she could only envy his way of life. He possessed the freedom she aspired to.

“Besides," Felix continued. "I'm interested in what she has to say. From what I know, her tribe shouldn't be this close to the forest's edge. There's no need to venture so far as they have all the sustenance they need further in."

The girl was still in his chest, trembling continuously. Her condition was clearly abnormal. Felix surmised that she encountered something that forced her to flee. He delicately freed himself from her grasp, ensuring he did not startle her.

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The girl seemed no older than ten but looks could be deceiving. Demons usually mature slower than humans and, in turn, have longer lifespans. The girl's skin was black, a clear sign of her blood tribe heritage. White hair cascaded down, reaching her back. Although peculiar, the contrast gave her an exotic feeling. Although young, Felix had no doubt that she would be absolutely stunning in a decade or so.

Felix used his fingers to wipe the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes and softly asked for her name. "Mina," she answered.

Although both races were far removed from each other, they retained some similarities, mainly language. Although the blood tribe possessed their own tongue, most of them knew the standard language to a diverse level of proficiency. From what he had uncovered, the common tongue was so old that it could be found in all corners of the continent. Felix was thankful, as it made travelling much more manageable.

The girl spoke slowly, ruminating over her choice of words. Her use of the language was fragmented at best, either due to her young age or current state of mind. Felix did his best to supplement the girl’s story with the information he acquired in his travels. From what he could decipher, she came from a small village not far from here.

"Village" might be too strong a description, as no buildings were erected. The location was but a place for them to gather. They would use the earth as their bed and the sky as their blanket. The forest's essence was their sustenance; they would only drain the little blood they required from the animals they would catch. They led simple but fulfilling lives.

The group was taken aback by the revelation. Emil frowned as he mused the implications. One might consider them barbarians, but judging them based on human standards would be foolish.

“You said she’s part of the blood tribe?” Sofia asked.

Felix explained that the demon tribes could be divided into five great tribes, with the beast tribe being the most common. As wild animals remain in areas abundant with the world's essence, they slowly absorb that energy. Their flesh slowly shifts to accommodate this foreign entity, creating what is commonly known as "monsters." Those are just a single part of the whole.

The blood tribe, on the other hand, is closer to spirits. They have no definite form, as their blood is their vessel. Their flesh is a barrier that shields their essences. As such, they have no need for shelter. Wind and rain have no effect unless their core is exposed to the elements. Even among the blood tribe, Mina's group is particular. Rarely do you see a faction so unrestrained, as most try to emulate humans.

Mina explained that they had been estranged from the others for so long that they had reverted back to what they were initially. Their lives were peaceful, living daily without care until strangers stumbled upon their settlement one day. They were wary initially because they had no contact with other races. They hid among the trees and spied on the intruders as they built something that resembled an altar.

The blood tribe was especially sensitive to essence and, as such, chose to stay near a small spring through which the world's essence sprang forth. Utilizing the spring, the group could sate most of their hunger for blood, as they could take the essence needed from the spring. This was also why they were so reclusive, as they didn't need any other sustenance. They would live and thrive by the spring.

Mina didn't know how the outsiders discovered the spring, as it had been so long since newcomers last came. The altar they constructed felt ominous to her, and the essence flow felt distorted next to it.

The one who seemed to be their leader approached the altar and placed a small chalice on it. As the others crowded around him in a circle, the man started chanting something cryptic. The only words Mina could decypher were "offering," "flesh," and "dead deity."

“Dead deity... what is it? Drawings were found around the slums with those words on them. There were rumours in town but no concrete information," Sofia asked.

"The Cult of the Dead Deity is a group of fanatics mainly active in the Northern Federation," Felix explained. " They pray to an ancient god, its name long forgotten. They believe that all essences originated from it. As it died, its essence flooded the world, changing all life forms. It is basically the progenitor of all demons and spirits.”

Felix urged Mina to continue her tale while the others digested the new information.

As the man finished chanting, a dark fog emanated from the chalice. The mist was black as night, as if no light could escape from its depths. The mist slowly descended from the altar, enveloping all the acolytes surrounding the man. When no more than a minute had passed, the fog receded, but no one except for the one man could be seen.

The dark mist condensed above the vessel before slowly materializing into a black liquid. The liquid dripped into the chalice, staining it black. When the fog had dissipated, the man lifted the chalice and delivered it to his lips. Without a second thought, the man drank the vessel's contents.

Mina’s group grew restless as the atmosphere shifted. Sensing danger, a multitude of animals rose from their hideouts and scurried away, terrified. The forest grew silent as all its inhabitants had left, except for the man who growled in pain.

Mina felt terrified to her core. She couldn't identify the source of her fears. Something primal inside her urged her to flee, some sort of preservation instinct buried deep within the fabric of her very being. That thing was perilous.

As the pain intensified, the man couldn’t stay on his feet and collapsed on the altar. His body shifted, becoming grotesque. Masses of flesh grew to seemingly random parts of his body. His body soon lost all shape, as all that remained was a mass of pulsating flesh. Blood and puss seeped out of his pores, and an abominable stench permeated the air.

The man's painful scream subsided as his face was buried by the invading flesh. The pain didn't end as a faint groan could still be heard within the mass. Despite the violent change, the man was still alive.

The tribesman watched in horror as the mass split, spilling something akin to black blood onto the ground. The blood dug into the earth, staining it black. Moments later, black tendrils sprung from the forest's soil, spilling even more black blood. The corruption spread like a disease upon the land.

Within the dried mass of flesh emerged a being bathed in darkness. Although his form was humanoid, a dark blue horn protruded from his forehead. As the blood dripped, it congealed onto its body, forming something akin to armour.

The creature looked at his new form, glee shown on his face. “HaHaHa! I’ve succeeded!” the being exclaimed.

The sheer pressure of his voice incapacitated Mina. She stood motionless within her hiding place and could only watch as the corruption spread. Fortunately, the elders of her tribe had lived for many years within this forest and had cultivated many secrets.

As if of one mind, all the adults sprung toward the creature, using weapons of their own blood to fight the corruption. Despite their valiant efforts, the black soil continued to spread. The beast sneered at their attempt; all the elders spread around the altar and let their blood drip onto the ground. A wave of red liquid sprung from the soil, mixing with the essence spring, washing away the corruption clean. The blood tribe had lived with the spring too long not to put countermeasures in place.

The creature frowned. Using his long nails, he cut both of his wrists and let his dark blood flow. The foul liquid soon transformed into black creatures. The repulsive stream seemed to flow without end. Soon, not even the blood spring could wash away the corruption.

Fortunately, the elders were decisive. One of them stood before the blood-red spring and plunged his hand into his chest, ripping out his heart. Despite being exposed to the outside air, the heart still beat vigorously. While the heart's blood dripped, the spring started churning. The man dropped the still-beating heart into the vortex before his body dissipated.

Soon enough, a massive amount of blood washed over the land. The blood hardened, imprisoning the corruption within. The elders and the creatures weren't exempt; they, too, were held within this prison of blood. Unfortunately, not even the blood spring could contain all this corruption, and soon, some of the black creatures started to claw their way out.

Terrified, the remaining blood tribe children could only turn and run.