The roaring inferno that engulfed the manor painted a mesmerizing dance of flames against the pitch-black canvas of the night. Daisuke’s back was aglow with the fiery hues, his frenzied sprint bringing him in the direction of the housebarn.

He somehow had a feeling the distraction was no longer for the butler, but for the fiend that Reginald had let loose upon humankind.

It was only after exiting through the eastern gate of the courtyard did Daisuke come to a startling realization. While he was busy setting fire to the kitchen, the beast had already located its next prey and abandoned the manor.

His eyes widened in horror as he caught sight of Sheba up ahead, facing off against the fiend. Its claws and snout were stained with the fresh blood of its victims. Sheba stood with her arms extended protectively, April cowering in fear behind her.

Before Daisuke could utter a single word or even form a coherent thought, a sudden eruption of blood filled the air. In that heart-stopping moment, time itself seemed to slow to a crawl. Amidst the crimson torrent, Sheba’s presence dimmed, her life force slipping away.

In those fleeting seconds before her light extinguished, her gaze found Daisuke’s. Her fragile smile held a bittersweet mix of emotions—a hint of relief, perhaps a subtle declaration that she could finally be free from a stain she had been unable to cleanse. It was a moment suspended in the swirling maelstrom of chaos, etching itself into Daisuke’s memory as a poignant farewell.

But the bloodbath wasn’t over.

April cried out in anguish, desperately trying to gather the bloody remains of her friend. It was a futile endeavor, and the beast now fixated its gaze on the despairing child.

Before her life could be swiftly snuffed out, light footsteps and a pair of fluffy white ears emerged on the scene. April’s eyes widened in shock as a familiar female enveloped her in a protective embrace, using her own body as a shield.

“B-Big Sister Mia!”

M-Mia? Daisuke’s eyes widened in surprise. When did she…? Did she follow us here by trailing the Slave Traders?

Driven by his unwavering sense of righteousness and chivalry, Aldric mirrored Sheba and Mia’s act of self-sacrifice, positioning himself in front of the cowering girls. With both hands unfurled in a steadfast defense, he stood resolute against the encroaching threat.

CLANG!

The creature’s monstrous claw collided with a sword, the resounding clash of metal against keratin echoing through the chaos.

Feng had pried the weapon from the lifeless grip of the slave master’s corpse, and in doing so, was able protect to the children from being cleaved in twain. Yet, as sparks ignited from the blade’s contact, he realized the sword’s limits were fast approaching.

“Go now!” his voice was strained with urgency, his gaze fierce as he held the creature at bay. “I can’t keep this up for much longer!”

“R-Right!” Aldric stammered, but managed to steady his grip on April and Mia’s trembling forms despite his quivering legs and the chaos surrounding them.

Keeping a firm hold on his bladder, he scanned the surrounding area. In the distance, he spotted Daisuke sprinting toward them, with Sylvia in swift pursuit.

“Haxks!” she called out from behind him.

“Sylvia?” Daisuke didn’t look back but recognized her voice immediately. “I need a favor!”

“Yes, anything!”

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“Do you know a safe place away from here?”

Sylvia got an ominous feeling, but there was no time to ask questions. “I only got caught and sold into slavery because I ran away from that safe place.”

Without hesitation, Daisuke retrieved the hairpin he had taken from April, gripping it tightly as he launched himself at the monster with reckless abandon. The accessory met its target with lethal precision, plunging into the fiend’s eye.

The creature emitted a piercing howl, its massive frame convulsing in agony, but Daisuke clung on tenaciously, driving the hairpin deeper. “Take the kids and go!” he bellowed without looking back. “Feng, you know what to do! Protect them!”

The Wolfkin clicked his tongue ruefully, casting one last glance at Sheba’s motionless form before resigning himself to the task at hand. Don’t worry, he muttered inwardly, determination burning in his eyes. I’ll keep my promise to find them, even if it’s the last thing I do.

Throwing April over his shoulder like a barbarian, he began running toward the edge of the forest while Sylvia and Mia herded the rest of the kids behind him.

“Please don’t die!” implored Mia tearfully, her voice trembling with emotion. “Come and find us, no matter what!”

“Big Brother!” April cried out, her small fists pounding on Feng’s shoulder blades in a frantic plea. “No! Stop! Put me down! Haxks! We have to help Big Brother Haxks!”

Aldric’s jaw clenched, his shoulders hunched in frustration and guilt. Yet, it was Sylvia, eyes brimming with sorrow as they met Daisuke’s, who broke the grip of indecision. Her hand found its place on the small of the boy’s back, gently guiding him into the sheltering shadows of the forest.

Daisuke allowed a twisted smile. He may have allowed everyone to escape, but he had absolutely no intention of surrendering his life to the miserable beast.

His gaze swept over the fading figures of April, Mia, and the unmoving Sheba. Even as he allowed himself a fleeting sidelong glance, he kept clinging onto the thrashing monster, a vengeful rage burning inside him.

Suddenly, his grip tightened around the hairpin, and with a resounding roar, he summoned every ounce of his strength to wrench the bloodied weapon free and thrust it into the creature’s remaining eye.

Kicking his feet off the monster’s chest, Daisuke dropped and rolled on the ground before launching into a full-on sprint into the dense forest.

Without eyesight, you’ll have to depend on your sense of smell to track me down. And I’ve got a plan for that.

Wasting no time, Daisuke grabbed a fistful of his shirt, intending to rip and scatter its fragments along the forest floor. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t tear it. Instead, his face turned blue and then purple. “What the hell is this fabric made of—Kevlar?”

RAWRRR!

Daisuke’s heart thundered. From the concealing shadows of the undergrowth, the monster lunged, a grotesque form hurtling toward him. In a split-second decision, he dropped and slid beneath it, barely escaping the ravenous jaws that snapped inches from his face.

The creature reeled its body around the moment its limbs touched the ground. Driven by its heightened sense of smell, its head snapped around, already locking onto its retreating target.

Each ragged breath that tore from Daisuke’s lungs felt like bile. Foliage and twigs crunched underfoot, a jutting branch sliced his cheek. Every swaying tree branch and shadow looked menacing.

He navigated the frightening expanse of the ominous woods, using slivers of moonlight that filtered through the tangled canopy to guide his desperate retreat.

But the predator was persistent; running on all fours to quickly narrow the distance between it and a hearty meal. The beast poised for a lethal lunge, its instincts honing in on the bundle of scent that marked its prey. Yet, in that critical moment, it detected a swift flicker of movement—a disruption that crashed into it like a battering ram.

Daisuke snapped his head back. He felt a presence and heard the chaotic commotion—snapping teeth, ferocious tussles, and the whimpers and hollering of a canine.

Just a second too late, he failed to watch his step. His body lurched over the edge of a precipice, hurtling down a steep incline. Helpless, he collided with plants and shrubs, desperately searching for something to grasp onto, but nothing could impede his momentum.

Suddenly, his head collided with a rock, his eyelids growing heavy as darkness enveloped his senses, and he slipped swiftly into unconsciousness.

***

Under the cover of night, in the aftermath of the flames that had consumed the manor, a shadowy figure moved through the smoldering wreckage. The hooded figure, a relative of Reginald’s, followed an unseen trail that led to the concealed entrance of a hidden chamber.

Amid the chaotic backdrop of soldiers investigating the fire’s devastation and the grim discovery of lifeless bodies, the figure ventured into the dark unknown with undisguised confidence.

With gloved hands, the man deftly brushed aside debris, revealing the remnants of a grimoire, its empty pages scorched and tattered by the flames.

Suddenly, a chilling smile etched itself upon his concealed visage, a sinister curl of lips that foretold of a malevolent agenda.

Fear of monsters & the unknown: 16%