Chapter 67

In nature, one could observe changes in animals through regular precuders, or artificial settings. Observing, taking their history, or going deeper by understanding their instincts, blood, and anatomy, was part of science and nature. Darks were similar, as they also observed, ate, and did what nature cherished. They just were, living, and brutality of that matter was secondary.

It was in their instincts to act for the betterment of their kin and themselves, or it was in their blood that dictated nothing, because there were no clear observations there, let alone a sense of unjustifiable Corruption.

However, what were Darks, if not abominations of natural instincts? They went against all that was alive, taking power and organic life for themselves. It was what the Dawn had started, and what people and Walkers believed was everywhere.

Law of a jungle had its validating prose. It was a law of this place. Law of this Coban Region. Just how could Darks survive, hunt, or view a place like a zoo, let alone a big open land that was Australia? How did their instincts adapt or change over time, or from the inside out?

By eating each other, living with each other, and mixing it all up in savage ways of Madness, one of the many Ideals.

It was savage but not rare among Darks to do the most insane shit possible. They were living for themselves, increasing their Ranks, and bodies. Hunting themselves was no good. Instead, they fought for territory or basic food, creating infighting that was impossible to predict or take advantage of.

Was it a cycle that nature envisioned? There was a saying that survival of the fittest was the main role in the jungle, so perhaps Australia became that long ago before other places could adapt.

In most other places, things were different. Well, perhaps Africa had something like that as well, but that land was bigger and much more populated than Australia. It didn't matter if some places were devoid of life, for they were inconsequential, or curious in many ways for some Darks.

Some of those in Australia lost the sights of humanity ages ago, and their blissful meat, or brains, evolved through natural order that eventually led to even more changes. It was a lawless place, a plane where strength mattered, and where instincts and battles raged every night.

But the girl was stubborn in her steps, unwilling to take those monsters for her end. Even when she was nobody, or even when she had yet to become a proper Walker, she wanted to live to see them burn.

Frankly, she had no idea what a Walker was. She was alone, surviving in a place where no people remained. Parents were dead, faces dead, anything was dead. How long was it since she saw someone, or remembered a typical voice that might be good or not?

She forgot what faces even meant, what eyes looked like, or what voices of order meant. For her, there was a prey ahead, while voices were dangerous. They should be dead. Those monsters should all be dead!

They wanted her. Hurt her. They often did, so she fought back, bled, or fled to her home instead because that was what clever girls should do. As she was barely breathing, taking the notes of the sun for heat, she saw a rare movement.

A rabbit crawled through a small hole, hopping behind a rock, waiting for some grass to sway, or dangers to cease. It was the first fresh meat she had seen in almost a month, while the rabbit itself was an anomaly in this place that survived for who knows how long. It was impressive how could such a little life find its way, yet rabbits in Australia were still everywhere.

Unfortunately, this one was a naive rabbit. Its instincts were genuine and seeing Darks was like looking at normal wolfs. It didn't care either way. It would flee no matter what, eat grass, and run into its hole. The girl was the same and saw that rabbit as a delightful monster that was the same as herself.

There were species that Darks would barely Corrupt due to their immense fragility and weakness that were hard to change. Thus, some little creatures lived in some ecosystems around the Darks for ages, still uncorrupted, even though it wasn't that great. There was no harmony. It was more out of necessity since Darks could just wipe life away if they wanted. It wasn't in their nature. They ate for a reason of their Corruption and did things for the Madness. They sought strength for more strength.

And some laughable insects weren't worth the efforts at this point, for this place was a zoo and a ground of merciless evening contests.

This girl might not be one of them, but she was still part of this large ecosystem as a hunter. She eyed the rabbit and had yet to move a finger. She knew she shouldn't waste this gift, even if it was an enduring life that lived in this hell with herself.

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It was fortunate in its naivety, whereas she wanted nothing but a meal. Was this so simple? Was she regretful? Not at all.

Darks were similar, yet different.

She wasn't greedy. She was starving. Grabbing a rock stuck to a wall, she breathed in and moved. Low and slow, she forgot about the lowering sun or the dark shadows in the sky, or many plains before these hills and large mountains peaking above them.

She was close to some valleys as well since the Coban Region was vast. Deep crevices in the earth were hiding many things, and one couldn't see them from the ground. There were also residuals of some rivers, many notable bones, or piles of them, and many signs of Dark Nests hid savage places one shouldn't visit. Well, some of their remains littered this whole region, and they might be barren and good security.

There were no Rifts. There was no need for them here.

Nature wasn't all Corrupt and lifeless. Flat lands had some remaining cacti, growing weeds, and enduring trees dried or corrupted in some smaller capacity made nature move. That was right. Even flowers, let alone trees could become Corrupted, yet could they eat a person?

Some people didn't believe in such nonsense, but the world was large, and some places had unique Darks, knowledge to see, and monsters to catch or notice. Darks had their evolutions, and as with many things in nature, such things were gradual.

What if a person became a Dark? What then? A monstrosity was born, or would the human become more... odd? The girl aiming for a rabbit knew how truthful this was. Such monsters were not human, because what was a human? Perhaps there were Darks either. They were just lives fleeting for themselves. What was even a difference? She didn't ask that question for years.

Beside these valleys and hills, there were large flat lands made of rocks scattered in somewhat fertile soil. Walking on two, giant beasts were wreaking or eternally tracking across the savannas. They looked like large legs with laughably small torsos, but they weren't Corruptors. The fact they were almost a hundred feet tall made them no less gigantic than them, and with tails, fur, or tendrils all over them, it made them distinct from them.

They moved slowly, stomping with harsh weight as if every step was a brutal undertaking. Those were calmer Darks, the girl knew. Their fingers ended in maws and their knees were spiked and filled with eyes. She shouldn't approach them, for they could wake, look, and bite.

Besides them, there were countless wandering and battling Darks in all manners or images. Most eyed one another, looking for a fight and ways to get stronger, and not going too close to those hills and mountains, or close to her. They played around this sensitive territory, fighting for their bosses and leaders, or out of spite for their weaknesses, hoping for something larger.

Their Holy Land was close. One had to mind that if one wanted to live.

It was like a savage motherland that was enough for a lifetime. And this girl lived in it. It was a wonder how she did it, let alone manage it for however long was humanly possible. Her rock was not a great assurance, but it was her rock. She had other weapons or means to hunt this rabbit, but a rock seemed the best right now.

It was a handful, so she grasped it enough and pursued her hunt slowly. The rabbit that eyed the howling Darks all over the horizon in its dull eyes was oblivious to an approaching danger. How had it survived for so long with this sort of vision? It was about ten inches tall and fifteen inches long. Its fluff was notable, looking pale and similar to rocks, so was its camouflage the reason for its life?

Was it stupid to stand and take those howls for a joke? That wasn't that bad. Rabbits were surviving, for they were like pests.

The girl took them for a treasure, appreciated it, and swung her arm, releasing the rock the moment she charged from the wall, hitting its head in a single motion. It rocketed, hit the rabbit that shook, and screeched in a terrifying tone, revealing the mouth of no rabbit. Then, it dropped dead in a heartbeat, a rock slammed into the other wall where it stayed, surrounded by countless cracks.

She hit the head right. She stormed towards the rabbit, breathing rapidly as if she feared the dead was a key to a storm. She was too late or expected something wrong. Right when she was close, a bunch of shadows moved and darkness seemed to reek in this increasingly darkening day.

She wasn't sure how many hours she observed that rabbit, or how far she could breathe for. She thought she had time. There was no wounded moon in sight. No stars. It was still a day in the middle of this Holy Land. She grunted, huffing a breath out when she noticed those shadows. This was not her bait. The rabbit might've been the bait.

A living bait? Darks weren't like that, or perhaps this was a coincidence. This was Australia, after all. It was a hell on earth and many things could become possible.

Shadows were creatures looking like veils of people or their shadows, resembling ghosts or some parts of insane Darks. Disfigured, tall like a person, and resembling Dark Creatures, they were known as Fissures. They were beings walking between realms of what was physical and untouchable. Some parts of their body were made of Dark Fog, a strange matter of conscience, instincts, and flesh. What was physical was hard to say, for they were flying as if they were ghosts.

They were not just shadows. They had seized flesh, leaving fingers, eyes, and mouths in this realm. Killing them was only possible if one could see them from inside out, or obliterated everything that made them physically up.

They weren't ghosts, nor were they very close to being living things. They were like phantoms, flying soundlessly, and pouncing at someone with their maws or hands, leaving dread and a curse called Haunting behind. The girl immediately felt stupid and wished to cuss. But she couldn't. That rabbit was dead and so close. She won't stop today.

Fissures watched her, mouths turning into hideous grins, and their eyes gleamed in red light over their dark rest. If they wanted, their arms could shift, coming like a stab, or a flickering wind that could grasp or create the Haunting.

They attacked the girl, ignored the rabbit, and pursued a thrill known to their natural instincts. The first was a strike, followed by a thrilling push of fear into their target. It would create sound, hit the instincts, and link the gap between this and other realms. Then, the Haunting shall begin. One looooooong Haunting, preying on fear, preying on weakness.