We reached just outside the village's main gates by taking the sidewalks alongside the river, while avoiding the sight of the hollowed ones.

Additionally, the slingshot made it much easier to pass between them, firing rocks as a distraction to allow us to slip past. However, I noticed a distinctive feature as we sneaked alongside the bushes and trees.

The moment we stepped near their territory, they took notice of our presence lurking around. Therefore, they started scouring the area a little faster than before, although they remained at a slow pace, for they were merely undead.

In short, they know someone is here, but they are unaware of our current position. We had to make sure to sneak very carefully and slowly, avoiding the risk of getting caught, or else the whole hive would take notice of our presence and chase us.

Mom was following beside me, even though I implored her to stay behind and watch my back. She was just unconsciously rejecting my request. I can't blame her motherly instinct to protect her child from such horror.

We stood next to one of the wooden towers that held the gate at two ends. Thankfully, the gate was open; we just had to enter the town unnoticed.

Easier said than done. I observed the village from my current position, just barely in sight but enough for me to scan.

The village was empty, reeking of death like any abandoned household. Only a few hollow, soulless carcasses wandered around like lost lamps, searching for something to eat. The stench of the village was a familiar smell, the same one I noticed when we were attacked in my original village.

I assumed the stench was coming from none other than the black ooze produced by the hollowed ones as they vomited, spat, and bled from their wounds.

I noticed one of the houses to my right was a merchant's den, hinted at by the wooden leaflet that read "Good Ol’ Days." It hung from the ceiling by two iron chains, swinging slowly back and forth, barely producing audible sounds of rusting.

"Mom, ready yourself," I said, looking back at her, not as her son but as a fellow survivor determined to make it through this alive. "Once I say go, we will both head to the house just ahead on the left."

She simply nodded in return. She remained calm yet showed signs of distress. Still better than a panicking one, I dare say...

I pulled out my slingshot and prepared to take a shot at the shop sign, creating a heavy, aggravating sound that alerted the surrounding hollowed ones as they quickly raced to the noise.

"Mom! Now let's go!" I whispered urgently after a few seconds had passed, making sure the area was clear for us to move forward. I held her hand, and we began to crouch our way to the house opposite the shop's position.

Thankfully, the door was already open, saving us time and ensuring our safety. There was one potential risk that a hollow could be inside the house, waiting to trap his next victims. But since no hollowed ones emerged from the house when I struck the shop logo, it seemed safe to proceed.

We entered the house; it was a fairly small family household with two floors. Downstairs was the living room, upstairs I assumed to be the bedroom. I noted how empty and lifeless it was. The stench hadn't changed since I entered the village, still that eerie atmosphere of rotting silence that sent shivers down our spines.

You really couldn't tell whether it was afternoon or early morning. The dust that covered the den made it look like a century-old house. Not even years had passed, and already this place felt ancient, with rats and spider webs strewn about in different corners and ends.

Even with the windows to illuminate the environment, the shadows that enveloped the room barely subsided. Without a lantern or getting closer, it was impossible to see anything.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were demons waiting for us in this dismal place. Therefore, we had to proceed carefully as we walked around this village.

The most logical approach would be to leave this place immediately. However, given that the hollowed ones were still roaming around outside, it would be ill-advised to make a move. We had to wait for a little while until the commotion died down.

I suggested we look around the living room for anything that would aid us on our journey, whether food, materials, or clothes. We stuck close to each other as we started to look around very quietly.

I decided to take the lead and open the wooden cabinets and drawers first, taking my time to open them so I wouldn't be startled by bugs or spiders if they crawled out.

After a few minutes had passed, we managed to grab a few trinkets and odds and ends from the living room, like a cobalt stone used to start a fire, and we agreed to leave the house as soon as possible.

I also wanted to check out the bedroom upstairs, but I could tell my mom was already trembling in fear due to our current situation. Any risky actions would only increase her agitation, and given how much we were trying to remain silent, it was best to avoid that.

I looked outside only to notice the horde hadn't left the shop yet. They were still gathered around the now slowly swaying sign.

(Dammit, we are trapped here.)

Hope is not completely lost, as we still have the option of escaping through the window.

We proceeded slowly to the opening. I looked outside only to notice that the river was just ahead of us, not more than a step away. Jumping out the window would lead us into the river's current.

Between the village and the forest to the west, there was a small river current that spilled from a nearby mountain, connected via a curved timber bridge that we noticed was completely broken.

However, just below the window outside and beside the river current, a narrow border ground could be seen, wide enough for me to move along the sidewalk with my chest or back against the house walls.

For myself, slipping through was easy, but for my mom, who was an adult, this presented a bit of a challenge.

I explained the plan to her, and she agreed without hesitation, saying that she would manage somehow.

I took the luxury of carrying our bags since I was smaller and would barely fit through the narrow edge with the additional equipment.

I opened the windows and let Mom take the lead.

"Ah!"

"Mom! Are you okay? Do you need-"

"I am fine, Makas... I am fine... It's just... It's been a long time since I did something like adventuring, you know... Heheh."

I sighed in relief as she retracted back on her feet and started sliding through the slim cliff.

It's strange; everything we have done so far has been dangerous and risky maneuvers not meant for the faint of heart. But my mother faced them like any other obstacle. In fact, she gave her complete focus, barely holding back except on certain occasions when I was at risk. Perhaps that's why she is indeed a retired adventurer, already exposed to such menacing situations and events. But as the mother she is now, the fear must have abated over time.

I then followed my mom, landing on the narrow shore while carrying the bags with both hands. The weight was a bit bulky, but I managed to move along with it.

Mom was waiting a few steps ahead. We proceeded to slip across the limited space.

As I walked by, I observed the same forest just ahead of my current position, the very same forest we unanimously decided to stay away from.

However, the scenery was very vague here; you could barely see the compact leaves of the trees. This was due to the thick fog that obscured every possible sight.

I was hoping I could see what lay beyond the forest, what kind of beast or creature was situated down there, whether it was Hollowed or not. At least I could have been informed.

"Honey... You okay there? Do you need help?"

I quickly snapped back to reality as my mom called to check on me.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry..."

As soon as I reassured her, I noticed a newfound obstacle.

The same broken arch bridge that connected the forest ground and the village was blocked off by rubble and giant rocks, which seemed to have come from a broken house on the other side of the bridge.

It's not like we intended to go to the forest in the first place, but unfortunately, this meant we had to abandon our strategy of sneaking through and returning to the original plan, crawling our way out through the village.

Just before the starting point of the bridge, we stopped at the last house and slipped through a narrow alleyway between the two houses that brought us back to the town.

I paused for a moment to assess the situation. We had stopped at the town's bifurcation path. Thankfully, the area was almost clear of hollowed ones, as they roamed around the main gates aimlessly.

The road to exit the village was still a few steps ahead. We could repeat the same strategy we had used earlier, distract and sneak away. But there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be hollow ones inside the tavern and outside the gathering earlier. However, an idea crossed my mind. It was an idea that could get us out of the village safely, without the risk of being detected.

Just ahead of our position, a tavern occupied the center of the village at the first bifurcation point. Beyond that point, separated by houses and the main road, was another thick forest that would lead us to the Ferbriand shore.

If we entered the tavern and escaped through a window at the very back of the inn, we would be not far from the forest. Entering one of the houses on the side and breaking out of it would lead us to the forest without encountering the hollowed ones.

This seemed like our best bet to avoid being caught. Additionally, we could restock on any remaining food and drinks in the tavern, if they hadn't decayed yet.

The only problem was the chance of facing another hollowed one during our escape. In the worst case, we'd have to face one.

I told my mom, and she agreed with the plan, finding it more practical than going into multiple houses.

Therefore, we decided on our following approach: the tavern it would be.

".....?"

"Makas? What's wrong?"

I paused for a moment, after hearing a faint coughing noise in the background somewhere, it startled me.

"Did you hear a cough nearby?"

"Yeah... it's those monsters, right?" she answered, confused.

"Yeah... sorry, I got paranoid for a moment."

"It's alright, take it easy, Makas..." she said quietly as she rubbed my head in comfort.

(I swear I heard that cough just a moment ago...)

----------------------------------------

We slipped into the tavern under the cover of darkness, taking advantage of the diversion that had been created earlier. The tavern's layout was straightforward, with a long hallway, a central fireplace, and a counter at the far end. Even from my vantage point, I could see rotting food strewn across the counter.

Tables and benches lined the walls, their surfaces covered in decaying meals as if the patrons had abandoned their meals in haste and fear. The pervasive stench that had haunted us since the old house still lingered, and the inn was enveloped in an eerie darkness. The windows were small and barely allowed any light to penetrate, casting the tavern into shadow.

Similar to the house we'd explored earlier, we had to approach objects closely to see anything.

Beyond the counter, there was a distinctive bedroom, presumably belonging to the innkeeper. A faint light spilled from the room, likely emanating from a window that could serve as our escape route.

Before we left, we took the time to secure the inn, ensuring there were no lurking hollowed ones lying in wait for us. Since this might be our final stop before leaving the village, we decided to stock up on supplies as much as we could.

With the coast clear, we began to collect whatever we could find—food, clothing, and other provisions. It felt like we were looting, akin to bandits stealing stolen goods. It was an act I never thought I'd find myself involved in again, and my ethical concerns weighed heavily on me. Whether the owners were alive or not seemed of little consequence in this desperate time and to me. Survival often required you to take what wasn't rightfully yours.

I understood the moral dilemma all too well, given that everything we had done so far had involved depriving others of their normal lives, childhoods, and motherhood. But I never cared about such principles, to be honest.

In these dire circumstances, it was a matter of survival. You either hunted or were hunted, and sometimes, protecting what you treasured meant taking drastic actions, even if it involved killing.

Mom and I decided to divide our efforts to speed up the looting process. I kept a watchful eye on her for reassurance.

While I was rummaging around the tavern's counter, I opened one of the drawers and discovered abandoned gold coins, towels, and other items that were currently of little use. However, my keen eyes spotted an unopened matchbox, something I had been desperately searching for in the past two weeks. It rekindled a glimmer of hope within me.

Beside the matchbox, there was a note written on a piece of paper. I picked it up and began to read.

“Dear Joffrion Marlan. I was about to send this letter regarding the new discovery your mining team has achieved in the last month. Since we found that gaping hole in the forest. The last thing we noted were those thick black vines that blocked the tunnels below. Preventing us from further exploring. After some time, we found it they were extremely weak to fire, but it took a heavy margin of explosive material and oil to break them loose. The priest from the church suggested using holy magic but to no avail. These things terrify me. Anyway, we went deeper down the tunnels and found nothing of note except how long these tunnels were. I should also mention what happened a few days back, we lost two of our men down there and managed to bring them back again. But to be honest, they seemed a lot different from the last time we saw them. I know these two well and the way they are acting is really weird. They seemed like for a moment possessed and harbored some violent behavior. We assumed being stuck in darkness in the tunnels made them paranoid. One of the two went to church and the other said he wanted to go back to the republic to see his family. Kind of an odd request but he seemed better than the other. I made sure not to go alone. His name is Almon Maklen. Please do check up on him. Anyways, we are stopping the mining process until we can confirm nothing out of the ordinary with these two fellas. especially the violent one, Josh. I am afraid some sort of infection down there rotted and mutated. I promise I will pay in advance Thanks, again."

Confusion washed over me as I finished reading the note, and then I sensed a strong flicker of light emanating from my pocket—the crystal.

Suddenly, the sound of coughing reached my ears again, much closer this time, as if...

Slowly, I lifted my head from the counter, only to be met with the sight of a tall humanoid figure—a hollowed one! The monster roared, its voice stuttering as if it were suffering from hoarseness.

“MOM! RUN!” Without a second delay, I shouted alarming Mom of the monster's presence.

As soon as I turned back, I was held back by what looked like a lengthy extremely kink-protracted Tongue that wrapped around me like a robe.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

I started to choke, The Tongue managed to wrap around my neck, cutting any chance for air to pass through my lung, same time being pulled back to the monster position.

I tried my best to reach out for my knife, hoping to cut down the tongue. But it was no use, I was being strangled to death while restricted from making any movements.

What delayed me from lunging toward the hollow one, was the counter acting as an obstacle. In addition, it made the choking process worse as the monster kept on trailing ever stronger. In less than a few seconds, I am going to lose the air stream completely killing me off permanently.

"Get the hell off my son you Smoker!"

My mom came running out of the lodge room angrily holding the same imbued golden Warhammer with her two hands ready to strike against the hollow one.

She hit him hard, Staggering the demon and making him fall on his back, but barely wounding him.

At that moment, the tongue's strength was weakening. I sought this opportunity to quickly pull the dagger from my pocket and immediately started to cut down the tongue at different ends.

Meanwhile, I witnessed my mom's body tossed against the wall as if she was weightless. The monster must have pushed her back.

“MOM! SHIT!” I cursed as I released myself from the monster's sluggish tongue and turned around towards the hollowed position.

It was a tall hollowed undead of features very similar to the ones I encountered in the village. However, what distinguishes him from others is his multinodular lumps on his left neck all the way just above the sternal area, to his shoulder then all the way down his left hand. He bent his head towards the tumor body as if it was pulling his head while The rest portion of his body looked similar to a human.

One additional eerie feature he had was behind his, a large black/purple tentacle tail spurned out from what I assume were the lumps and moved haphazardly.

Now that I see it clearly, the tongue looked very similar to the tentacle, albeit more cardinal in color.

Suddenly, what remains of the lingua retracted back to the hollowed mouth. I took this moment to strategize my next plan of action.

I took out the matchbox, lighting up the stick then besmear (Brought closer) the dagger on my other hand. Augmenting my blade into an enchanted one.

“Die...!” I mumbled furiously.

The monster roared again then proceeded to lunge his tongue again.

I managed to evade to my right, avoiding his dialect attack. Followed by a cut to his retracted tongue.

The beast roared in pain. I quickly jumped over the counter and proceeded to pull him by his remained tongue towards me.

Surprisingly, the smoker’s weight wasn’t as bulky as I imagined. In the end, there were humans. Now mutated and cancerous.

As the Smoker leaned, tumbling closer. I did a quick pirouette behind him and followed with a powerful kick to his back. Slamming his head to the counter.

Now the beast was in a weakened state. I had my chance to finish him off.

I grinned in anger and started to stab the Smoker in the occipital region multiple times. Followed by slashes to the back of his neck and carotid region.

I hastily evaded back, only to see the smoker struggling to breathe as he lifted his both hands trying to cover up the hemorrhaging wound which was already spilling like a fountain. In addition, coated with fire which just worsened the injury.

I didn’t stop there, I followed with multiple powerful kicks to his head and back to the point I punted the hollowed to the counter, breaking it alongside him.

Black blood spilled from his bullous tumor like a cyst with each kick and stab I trailed. Boling my blood in fury and flames I continued to torture this creature.

The Smoker finally fell on his knees after a few seconds of struggling, succumbing to his death as he lay down on the floor dead. Supported by the tentacle breaking down silent.

The ignited blade finally extinguished.

This was my first murder........

I acted completely unconsciously like I was possessed by a bloodthirsty demon.

Was I always like this? Was I this gruesome intelligent killer? Or was it simply the turn of events that transformed me into this kind of monster?

I never once raised my hand against someone, let alone Injure them physically in my whole lifes experience.

No.... that’s not true. Just the other day in my previous village, I burned the pursing hollowed ones the same way I burned this smoker.

This isn't my first murder attempt...... and neither is the last.

(How far have I changed?????)

The fire that kept me alive all this time, was the very fire that made me burn my soul away...

"Eh!" Mom coughed in the back.

"Mom!" I was quickly brought back to my senses by my mother's grunts of pain. "Mom! Are you alright? Did he hurt you somewhere? Did he slash you anywhere?"

"I am... " She continued to cough. "I am alright, Makas, it's just a minor injury."

Apparently, the smoker must have thrown her against her back, as she found it difficult to stand up. I helped her settle down on a bench to rest for a bit.

"The monster... Ah... is it-"

"Yeah... I killed it."

"Oh my god! Oh, my boy!" Mom teared up as she quickly pulled me into a hug. "I am so sorry, my sweet boy! I am so sorry to leave you!"

From her reaction, I could tell that she didn't like the idea of a child committing his first murder. It's just not something you'd want your kid to do at such a young age. This act would undoubtedly have a negative impact on their mentality over time.

Little did she know that I wasn't a mere child and that I was already in a deteriorating state long before this.

This sudden murderous act added even more weight to her shoulders.

Even with her tired eyes, she continued to worry about her son, brushing off her injuries as nothing more than a scratch to ease my concerns.

"Never mind that!" I shook off her concern. "Can you walk? I think I can carry you out-"

"That won't be necessary, Makas."

I looked at her in confusion, unsure how to react to that statement. She then clasped her hands together in a praying gesture while closing her eyes.

A golden ray of light emitted from her body, nearly brightening the entire room with its golden glow.

The light then faded away, and her face cleared of pain and tenderness. She looked back at me with a reassuring smile.

"A healer..."

I was interrupted by the loud screeches and screams of countless hollowed undeads outside the tavern.

"Shit! They know we're here!" I cursed in rage as I hurried to the main inn entrance, closing the door to buy us a few seconds to make our escape.

My mom watched in horror, silent in her hesitation, both of us disturbed by the howling of the demons.

"Mom! Get our stuff ready! We need to esca- wait!"

I stopped and fell silent as my mom did the same. We were both startled by the sudden silence, not even the moaning and growling of the dead.

We were both shocked and remained silent, not wanting to raise any further alarm. Something must have happened outside.

Suddenly, we felt a sudden earthquake, strong enough to make us hold onto each other and avoid being hit from above.

Then I heard wood splintering from above the tavern roof like it was about to crack open and fall. I noticed the window glass had shattered as a garish fog invaded the building.

Then, like the lid of a hat being lifted, the tavern roof was completely removed, revealing a hollowed Leshin.

[https://yourimageshare.com/ib/zHWq8bp21O.webp]

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There, Mom and I stood face to face with the once-infamous mythical beast that had sent shivers down the spines of adventurers and others. This time, it was far more terrifying than we could have ever imagined.

The creature was a giant by all definitions, hulking on the tavern roof as it let out a frenzied howl. Its echoes reverberated across the sky, dispersing the thick, hollowed fog and sending its screams and influence to all other hollowed ones.

While it bore some similar features and characteristics to a Leshin, except for the black ooze and vines running around its form, its right arm was far from typical. It was grotesquely swollen and cancerous, pulsating as if it had a heartbeat, or more accurately like it was about to explode. This limb was abnormally large compared to the other, and it held the potential to obliterate anything in its path with a single strike.

At this point, I couldn't help but wonder if the soldiers on the High Walls would stand a chance against such a formidable creature, and there were likely many more like it.

Turning my gaze back to the Leshin, I was once again astonished by the myriad of creations and magics of the hollowed ones. The sheer diversity and power they possessed over the creatures of humanity and beyond exceeded my wildest imagination. Not only humans but beasts and demons, all suffering deformities and mutations beyond the realm of understanding, harnessing incomprehensible powers.

It's often said that hollowed ones are part of a collective hive mind, predators that consume anything in their path without a second thought. But looking at them now, they seemed strangely familiar to Eldritch horrors, yet also entirely unique.

I couldn't explain it, but I felt a dark, melancholic, and peaceful aura emanating from the hollowed ones, as if they desired this, all of it. My fear was replaced by bewilderment and contemplation.

As I recalled the memories of that fateful day and compared them to the present, a question weighed heavily on my mind: What lies beyond the realm of the mundane? What is life anymore? What is existence? What is real, and what is not? What are the lies, and what are the truths?

In that very moment, the Leshin retracted its mutated hands and prepared to strike both of us.

My mother swiftly rose to her feet, pulling me behind her as she assumed a focused stance and shouted as loudly as she could:

“Sacred oath! Foam of light! Hurl us away from darkness!”

As she spoke those words, a large bubble of yellow light materialized around us, shielding us from harm.

The Leshin launched a broad sweeping attack with its colossal, mutated arm. It shattered the tavern's boundaries as the wooden rubble crumbled to pieces. Finally, it landed on our protective bubble and, with minimal effort, shattered it like a mirror breaking, fading into something resembling firefly lights. Our defense crumbled, and my mother fell, weakened and defeated.

I managed to catch her before she hit the ground, holding her up as best I could. Simultaneously, I noticed more hollow ones appearing and leaping over the tavern walls, wielding all manner of weapons, and appearing as hollowed as ever.

"Fuck!" I cursed in anger as I scanned for any means of escape, but we were surrounded with no apparent route to safety.

"Makas... run," my mother spoke out, exhausted and in pain. "Run... this is... your only-"

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!? I WON'T LEAVE YOU, MOM!" I shouted back in anger, my own insolence and desperation clouding my judgment.

(It can't end like this! It can't!)

This feeling is all too familiar. I've witnessed it before—the weakness, the worthlessness, the hopelessness. It's been a constant companion, unchanged and unyielding.

Here I stand, as inconsequential and defeated as ever, burdened by a sense of powerlessness and incompetence. I'm nothing more than a lifeless clone of the weak-minded fool I've always been.

I always charged forward without a second thought, fully aware of my lack of real strength, risking the lives of the innocent, such as my mother. The danger was clear, but I willingly embraced it in pursuit of my eternal peace, everlasting release from the grips of reality, all the while forgetting Freia's, and others' desire for the opposite, and neglecting their voices and wishes. Casting them as far as I can. cutting all ties of emotions and connections for their own sake, and mine.

I never felt needed for attachment. for I didn't have any. i can't recall any except this world. it felt too forced rather than deserved. That's why I condemned myself and avoided spending leisurely time with others. To them, I am nothing but bad luck, a curse.

The only time I ever felt any worth was when I saved that little girl back in the old world. Even though the reality of the situation was far from ideal, the message remained the same.

I've always yearned to feel strong, to be more than a frail figure with chronically ill legs. So much hatred has consumed my soul since that fateful day, and I've harbored a burning desire to exact vengeance, to fill my enemies with the torment of a thousand crying souls.

But faced with the harsh reality of my weakness and futility, I chose silence, unable to convince even myself of what had transpired.

Yet again, I lied to myself and prioritized my weakness above all else.

(I wish... I wish I were stronger so that I could kill them all!)

I was abruptly jolted back to reality as I noticed a horde of hollowed ones advancing toward us, and the Leshin was preparing to strike us again.

However, at that darkest and most forlorn moment, an explosion erupted from the back of the Leshin. It knocked the creature down, shattering the walls of the tavern entrance and crushing the charging hollowed ones beneath the unpredictable weight of the Leshin's vast arm and body.

The beast roared in anger as it tried to rise, only to be staggered once more by the explosion, knocking it further down.

For a moment, a memory from the past flooded my mind— the time I was nearly killed by that spider. The explosion was the same as the last time, a desperate surge of flames that ignited the darkness and the engulfing fog.

The explosion continued to batter the beast to its knees, accompanied by a deafening, ear-piercing scream. I endured the pain, unable to cover my ears as I held onto my mother.

Suddenly, Leshin turned around and launched a swift attack toward the source of the unnamed assaulter.

This was our moment, our only chance to escape. I reached for a fire lodge near one of the wooden tables close to the main entrance, with the intention of setting the tavern ablaze. The challenge was attempting this while carrying my mother.

Just then, a slasher burst through the main entrance, leading a horde of hollowed ones behind him.

Moments before they could advance further, my mother cast another forceful spell, pushing the slasher and the marching hollowed ones away.

This gave me the opportunity to light my match and throw it at the fire lodge. The hollowed ones retreated, clearly agitated and fearful of the flames. I seized this moment to guide my mother toward the innkeeper's room.

We opened a window and without hesitation, jumped out, swiftly making our way to safety, hoping to elude the massive horde.

----------------------------------------

We continued sprinting away from the tavern and onto the main road. Glancing back for a moment, I witnessed the entire village nearly consumed by flames.

The Leshin seemed distracted, locked in a fierce battle with something or someone else, its agonized screams echoing through the air as it swung its massive arm with relentless force.

More hollowed ones emerged ahead of us, advancing menacingly. Their hollowed eyes dripped with ooze, their torn and wretched clothes hung in tatters. Cysts and tumors disfigured significant parts of their bodies. They clutched axes and machetes, moving with difficulty.

But then, they were struck by some kind of silver bullet arrows, penetrating their chests like spears, followed by explosions that reduced their insides to nothing but flesh and bone.

Though still partially deafened from the screams, I turned to see a humanoid figure approaching us, wielding a curved blade. It swiftly moved past us and confronted the approaching hollowed ones.

Cloaked in a dirty and tattered white coat, with a piece of cloth or a half cape draped around the left arm and fur trimming the neckline, this enigmatic figure hid its face beneath a hood and bandages. It exuded an aura of mystery and menace.

The figure fought with grace, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next, like a skilled dancer. Evading every attack from the hollowed ones with ease, it methodically sliced through their limbs, rendering them powerless. And it did all this with incredible speed as if this was second nature.

What intrigued me most was the curved blade, which, apart from its unique shape, could transform into a bow mid-motion, as if it were a mechanical device. With each shot, fiery arrows pierced the opponents, ignited by the figure's snap of a finger, and launched one after another.

Without a doubt, this had to be the same person who had saved me before, both from the spider back then and Leshin now. The white coat matched the rumors of the Lady in the white coat circulating in the village.

But as I tried to connect the dots, I couldn't say for certain if it was the same individual or an entirely different figure. However, the flames were unmistakable; they were the same as before.

Regardless, this figure was utterly intriguing. For a moment, I considered it might be a Pyromancer, but the use of silver arrows and the glove with intricate symbols, including two entwined triangles and a fire symbol with a mercury sign above it, suggested a unique and potent form of magic or perhaps alchemy.

As we continued to hear the chilling screams, I looked back and was startled by the Leshin charging toward us, engulfed in flames and fury. it was limping on its colossal arm to move around and run since it could no longer balance out its body weight.

Once more, we were saved by the mysterious figure, who fired multiple silver bullets at the monster's head and snapped its fingers repeatedly.

The Leshy staggered and crashed into the village houses on its sides but quickly rose to its feet, now larger and more menacing than ever. Tentacles sprouted from its back, supporting an additional limb.

This transformation only emphasized the immense power the hollowed ones possessed.

"Run, Makas!" the figure stood beside me, shouting in a muffled voice.

"Huh!? Wait! How-"

"No time to speak! Run! Head to the alleyway and into the woods! I'll handle them!"

"Come on, Makas!" My mother finally spoke up, though still appearing weary.

Hearing the Leshy drawing closer, I didn't hesitate. I ran the other way, driven by an instinct to survive without questioning further.

----------------------------------------

We just ran passed the alleyway and into the farm grounds outside the village borders. Mom finally regained her consciousness as she stood back on her and was able to run. yet I continued to hold her hand out of fear.

More hollowed ones began to chase us again, it was only for a short period we had a chance of an escape and with luck on our side to distract the Leshin.

The farm was heavily packed with grown Hayland and wheat. with a broken windmill beside an empty stables.

Utilizing the farm's features to our advantage, I swiftly lit another matchbox and hurled the stick into the cornfield, creating another blazing inferno in this wretched, sorrowful village.

The fire turned out to be much larger than I had anticipated, engulfing a significant portion of the farm due to the extensive size of the cornfield.

Amidst the roar of the flames, it was difficult to discern whether the pursuers had been caught in the fire, their screams echoing with a blend of anger and pain.

With our sight seemingly free from the horde for the moment, our only option was to sprint as fast as we could toward the outskirts of the village, where the next forest provided a temporary refuge.

I couldn't bring myself to look back at the village or the hollowed ones. The sole thought occupying my mind was the urge to escape.

It was a feeling I had never associated with in the old world, born not out of fear for my own life but rather out of a profound desire to protect my mother—a sentiment I unconsciously resented.

As the screams of the hollowed ones gradually subsided, I stole a backward glance at the village, witnessing the chaotic aftermath I had unleashed upon this land. with the Leshin still occupied and shouting.

The raging fire amidst the winter season was a sight that would send viewers into unimaginable horror—a fire that had kept me alive but consumed all the tools needed for a proper life.

It was the fire I had often wished would engulf me, cleansing me of the curse with which I felt damned.