In an instant, my enemy disappeared from my sight causing an instantaneous sense of dread to spread through my body. Not knowing where the attack would come from I pumped mana through my body heightening my senses and reaction time. The first thing that I noticed was that I wasn't hit the instant they disappeared, therefore it's not a type of instantaneous movement like teleportation.

My thoughts were cut short as I felt pain on my waist. I had enhanced my senses and speed as much as I considered prudent, which was a lot. Thanks to this I was able to move out of the attack before the wound could become anything else but a small superficial cut. In the same movement, I swung my Naru to the place where the attacker was supposed to be, unfortunately, it did not connect.

I knew my enemy was somewhere near me, the question was where? The next second I heard the sound of the air being cut. In an instant, I decided to dodge out of the way of this wind cutting sound, as I noticed the dusty ground in front of me being disturbed. This person most likely is using some kind of invisibility spell or it's their soul ability. However, I can still hear and see the disturbances caused by their movements.

Knowing what I had to do I heightened my senses once again. The enemy's attacks were relentless and swift. It took all of my concentration to dodge the attacks while trying to figure out a way to strike back. Suddenly I felt a bad omen as once again I ducked to evade a horizontal swing. Who could have guessed that the next second a defining sound would reach me alongside a shock wave and scorching heat. I was blasted away by what I can only guess was an explosion.

As I rolled on the ground I could feel a mouthful of blood rushed up to my throat and out of my mouth. I wasn't ready for a sudden explosion and as such, I didn't reinforce my body in time. My internal organs were a mess due to the shockwave and my skin was slightly charred thanks to the heat. The ringing in my ears was horrible and my balance had been thrown out of wack. However, even in this state, I kept focused on the battle. As soon as I could I glanced at the dirt road where I could see small dust clouds forming due to my assailant's dash towards me.

What I know as of now is that whoever is attacking me can turn invisible and cause explosions. In other words, dodging attacks has become far more difficult than before. I decided to go all out, after all, this person knows my name and I can assume they also know about my abilities. Pumping every bit of mana I had in my body and core I pushed both to their limits. It took less than a second for my wounds to fully heal as I dashed towards my enemy.

Now that my body is at its limits I can see everything, even the motes of dust that suddenly disappear when entering in contact with my enemy. I now have a perfect picture of my enemy's position as it is a clean space with nothing in it. Not wanting to take any chances I swung Pyrka downwards in a diagonal motion before swinging Naru sideways. I had to jump backwards after my attack as I didn't know if my enemy would try anything funny. I can't take any risks now since I burned a lot of mana in that single attack. I don't have any left for apart from the minimum necessary for my core's integrity.

As my heightened state disappeared I could see the mask fall of my opponent. It seems my diagonal strick had cut the strap of the mask. However, didn't feel elated or happy for my victory. Instead, horror filled my heart as I saw who my assailant was. How could I ever forget the face of the girl who had become my first friend in this world! Not thinking about anything else I dashed towards her as strings of blood flew out of her wounds.

"Lizz! no, no, no, this can't be! why did you attack me!? what is going on!? please don't die on me!"

I began to cry as I held her bleeding body. A warm smile was painted on her face as blood used from the corner of her mouth. I couldn't understand the reason behind any of this. She looked slightly different, with purple her and eyes along said a small pair of horns on her forehead but it was her, no doubt about it.

"Thank, you. I didn't, want, to do this, any longer. Please, don't tell Dan"

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Her voice was coarse and her words would be interrupted by her coughing and heavy breathing. Despite all this, she looked at me with endearing eyes as they slowly lost their lustre. The stench of blood was unbearable. I had been covered in blood many times before and its smell didn't bother me any longer nut now. Now it had become the most unbearable smell of them all, one that brought with it despair to my heart.

"Lia, have this. I, am sorry for everything, and, and, I am glad, I, got to, be, your, frie-"

She didn't finish her sentence as her body went limp. My mind raced to search for an answer as my body pumped mana to my head in an attempt to buy time. Then a crazy idea popped into my mind. In an uncontrollable frenzy, I began tearing the bandages off my left arm as blood began to flow freely out of my skin less arm. I wrapped them around Lizz's wounds and even shoved some in them and began pumping mana while activating my soul ability. I know that this wouldn't work. Blood transfusions were delicate procedure in my previous life but I didn't care, I had to try.

I spent around ten minutes pumping my own blood into Lizz's body as I saw her wounds being closed forcefully by my bandages. Five minutes later the wounds were gone but there were no signs of life. Her heart had stopped and no matter how hard I tried it refused to beat again. At that point I gave up, she was dead. I didn't want to admit it but she had died when her body went limp. If I had been faster if I had contained myself in the fight, it's my fault, I am the one that killed her.

I took the letter that had fallen from Lizz's hand and shoved it into my pocket. Right now wasn't the time to read it. My state of mind was in turmoil, and I could feel my sanity slipping from my grasp. The anger I felt was consuming me and the more I thought about it the angrier I got. Lizz looked different but it was her, she resembled a demon and if my guess is correct she is one. She was forced to attack me by her superiors, that was obvious I refuse to believe she did this on her own accord.

My anger grew into hate. I hated the demons that forced her to do this. I hated the humans that would have hunted her down if she revealed herself and asked for help. I hated myself for what I had just done. I found more and more things that I hated in this world as I kept looking at the corps of my friend. Soon enough the hate grew into rage. This rage grew and grew, feeding off my emotions and something else. I couldn't tell what it was but I knew it was there.

In a moment of clarity, I understood the danger. I was losing myself to this rage. Nothing around me would be spared once I lost control. A fear grew within the remains of my sanity. If I didn't get farther away from the village and Ingracia then there was a chance I would end up getting there on my rampage. So I began to run. I ran into the forest at full speed as waves of this red sea of anger, rage and wrath crashed against my weakened mind.

I ran for gods know how long. At some point, I forgot why I was running. The only thing I knew was that I had to run. Then I forgot anything else but the anger. Almost as if my heart had been ripped out from my chest pain coursed through me. This horrible pain didn't come from any physical ailment. It came from my very soul as I felt like I was being torn apart.

From there the only thing I remember is red. I submerged myself in a sea of destruction as I killed and destroyed anything in my path. Monsters were slaughtered in brutal ways, as trees were split apart in my maddened state. Like a cataclysmic event, I kept going for who knows how long. The pained roars of unknown beasts filled my ears alongside the stench of their blood. My vision had long been tinted in a red hue due to all the blood that had gone into my eyes. Worst of all was the enjoyable metallic taste that filled my mouth as I mindlessly devoured the beasts on my path.

A monster, that was what I had become. Nothing more nothing less. A mindless killing machine which only desire was to calm the turmoil that had brewed in its heart. I was still conscious but never in control. I didn't want to be in control. I felt alone, I felt miserable. Perhaps Diana was right. I should have let her kill me before.

I don't know how long it took for me to calm down. However, when I finally did, I was pretty much naked as most of my clothes had been utterly torn to shreds. Thankfully, the pocket in which I had saved Lizz's letter was still there. It seems that even in my maddened state I still made sure to keep it safe. I looked at it for a long while. I didn't know what its contents were but I had a hunch that her story, the truth about her would be in it.

I ever so carefully unsealed it. My hands were shaking and I hate to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down before unfolding it. My eyes became watery and my sight was blurred because of this. I took my time, wiped away the tears, took a few more breaths and began reading.