A gentle gust of wind sweeps over us, rustling the withered snags that surround us. Standing side by side, the three of us fix our gaze on the forlorn ruins of Ezlea Village.

...

"It's so quiet..." I remark softly.

It's been a mere couple of weeks since we left the village, but it feels as though the calamity unfolded just yesterday. The village, once brimming with life, now lies in ruins. Ezlea, my hometown, our hometown, reduced to nothing but broken wooden remnants. The once-thriving crops have withered away, the well is half-destroyed, and the vibrant green grass has turned into a desolate wasteland.

Even the inn, a place I used to return to, is now nothing more than a raided, broken building.

"I am back..." I mumble to myself while looking at the direction of the inn.

"Let's proceed," Alpha breaks the silence, taking a step forward, and we follow closely behind him.

...

The atmosphere hangs heavy with a melancholic stillness as we continue to survey the village. There's an eerie absence of any signs of life. No bodies lie scattered about; someone or something must have removed them. My gaze drifts towards the spot where Amy met her end, but her lifeless form is nowhere to be found. A deep sense of sadness and disappointment washes over me.

"Amy..."

We split up, each of us on a mission to search for any sign of the individuals Horroundeous mentioned. We meticulously comb through the wreckage of the houses, hoping to find a clue.

Unfortunately, our efforts yield no results. The village has been transformed into a desolate ghost town, a shadow of its former self.

We reconvene near the village gate, exchanging disheartened glances. The weight of disappointment hangs heavy in the air.

"How nostalgic," Alpha remarks, his gaze lingering on the spot where the orphanage once stood. "It stirs memories."

"Yeah," Josh chimes in, his voice heavy with sorrow, "to think that the village has become like this..."

...

Rustle

...

"Alpha, Josh, did you hear that?" I ask urgently.

Both Alpha and Josh pivot towards me, their attention fixed on the shop. Just moments ago, I caught a glimpse of a figure entering the building.

Silence falls upon us as we exchange bewildered glances.

"Hmm, that's strange," Josh muses, furrowing his brows. "I'm certain I checked that shop before."

Alpha and I share puzzled looks.

"Are you sure there was no one inside?"

"Absolutely!" Josh responds with frustration, throwing up his hands. "I took a quick look, but there was nobody there!"

"Calm down," Alpha interjects, his voice steady. "Let's investigate together."

In agreement, we cautiously approach the familiar building that once served as a shop. Josh carefully pushes the door open, and the three of us step inside.

…

To our astonishment, a figure stands before us, facing the wall. By the tattered remnants of her clothing, I recognize her as the village shopkeeper—Sally.

"Thank you, come again next time!" A vague voice echoes in my head, a memory of the last conversation I had with her just days ago, before I went to Amy's inn. What a stark contrast to that moment.

"S... Sally?" I call out to her, cautiously approaching the figure who seems to be looking down in the darkness. But Alpha restrains me, his hand raised as a cautionary gesture.

"Wait. Something's not right."

From Sally's side, the sound of heavy, labored breathing fills the air.

"It'll be okay," I assure, taking slow steps toward her. "She must be frightened after being left alone for so long..."

As I draw nearer, her rasping breath gradually subsides.

"Sally, I... I thought we had lost you... Let us leave this place. We've come here on a..."

Suddenly, Sally emits a low growl and slowly turns around. Her disheveled face transforms into a terrifying visage, and long, sharp claws extend from her broken hands, taking on the form of vicious talons.

In one swift and horrifying motion, she lunges toward me, her deadly claws aimed at me with malicious intent. However, Alpha intervenes with lightning speed, wielding his sword to sever her hands from her body.

"What has happened to you!? This isn't like you, Sally!" I exclaim, my voice filled with confusion and sorrow.

"Don't waste your breath, Rai! She's no longer the person you knew!" Josh warns, readying his bow and taking aim at her.

Sally emits a piercing scream as her severed hands fall to the ground. She rushes towards the front door, kicking it open.

"FUCK, OUTSIDE, NOW!!"

Without hesitation, we rush toward the door, escaping the confines of the shop, the unsettling encounter with Sally driving us to seek safety.

!!!

"What in the world is happening!?" I exclaim, bewildered by the nightmarish turn of events.

The once-quiet village is now filled with eerie groans and growls that send shivers down our spines. Stepping outside, we find ourselves surrounded by villagers—or what were once villagers, now reanimated corpses. Their bodies are grotesquely mangled and contorted, their hands transformed into lethal claws, and their eyes glazed over in a ghastly white hue.

As we survey the scene, we notice holes in the ground around them, as if they are emerging from below.

"Ghouls... in a place like this!? No wonder they weren't feasting on the fallen during the village's assault... They're turning them!!" Josh exclaims in realization.

Josh acts swiftly, dispatching two ghouls with his flaming arrows, creating a path for us to escape. We dash forward, Alpha expertly beheading any ghouls that come too close. I struggle to keep up, my body trembling with shock.

These creatures possess an eerie ability to regenerate, making them formidable foes. As we run, my balance falters, and I slip, falling to the ground.

"Rai!"

Alpha abruptly stops his advance, leaping towards me with his sword slashing through the ghouls in his path.

"Are you alright!?" he urgently inquires.

"I-I..." I stammer, my legs refusing to obey my commands.

"Pull yourself together!" Josh rushes over to my side, providing much-needed support. He helps me to my feet, and we continue our desperate retreat.

The relentless creatures cease their pursuit, seemingly deterred by something, and they scatter in various directions.

Alpha and Josh struggle to counter the familiar figures, torn between their humanity and the grim reality of having to fight the remnant of villagers we all once recognized.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

We are on the brink of making it back to where we came from when a figure suddenly emerges right in front of us.

My eyes widen as I behold the figure, a shocking sight that leaves me speechless.

!!!

No.

No, this can't be...

My legs tremble, my eyes uncontrollably quivering as I behold her.

It's her...

It's truly her!!

…

IT'S AMY!!

She stands there, her grey naked form cloaked in a blank expression. Between her bare breasts lies a round, purple and black stone, nestled within the dried wound in her chest.

"It's her... Amy..."

…

"Amy... I'm so glad... that you're still alive..." I whisper, my heart filled with a mixture of relief and sorrow.

Blinded by my own intuition, I attempt to move towards her, but Alpha places a restraining hand on my shoulder.

"Something's not right!" Alpha cautions, his voice tinged with caution.

I hear her heavy, labored breaths, tinged with agony.

"It's alright... Alpha... she's not... As the same as Sally... See?" I murmur, edging closer to her, hoping to comfort her in her distress.

As I draw nearer, her breath grows still, and she utters my name.

“R… Rai…?” she mumbles, her voice weak and filled with anguish.

My body fills with shock and disbelief.

"A-Amy, it's me… It’s me!! I thought I had lost you… I thought…" I begin, my voice cracking with emotion. "Let's leave this place. We've come to..."

"Rai, please..."

Suddenly, she emits a guttural growl, her body convulsing as she lowers her face and body.

"Amy...?" I gasp, my voice trembling with fear and confusion.

She whirls around, her face contorted into a grotesque visage. Saliva drips from her twisted lips, and her hands transform into long, razor-sharp claws.

"STAY... AWAY... FROM... ME!!!" she snarls, her voice filled with terrifying anger.

!!!

An ominous aura engulfs Amy as her body undergoes a horrifying transformation right before my eyes. Her once-familiar form darkens, and sinister tendrils and muscles contort beneath her skin. Lethal claws emerge further from her fingertips, and her eyes, in the blink of an eye, turn a piercing shade of red. Two menacing horns sprout from behind her head.

I stand there, rendered motionless and paralyzed by the horrifying sight unfolding before me.

"What in the Universe..." I manage to utter, my voice filled with disbelief and dread.

Josh's bow slips from his grasp, his expression mirroring my own shock.

"Tsk..." Alpha reacts swiftly, rushing toward me and forcefully pushing me aside with the hilt of his sword, acting to protect me from this monstrous transformation.

The rogue Amy unleashes a devastating strike, her claw aimed with immense force at Alpha. With lightning-fast reflexes, Alpha positions his sword to intercept her attack, managing to parry some of her strikes. However, Amy's incredible strength is evident as she launches a powerful blow with her mighty claw, sending Alpha hurtling through the air. He crashes into a nearby wooden house, shattering it upon impact.

Josh snaps back to his senses, summoning flaming arrows and releasing them from his bow, aiming at Amy. To our astonishment, her resilient body effortlessly reflects the fiery projectiles, leaving them harmlessly scattered.

Amy lets out a thunderous roar, her voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. Her attention fixates on Josh, and she begins charging toward him with incredible speed.

Reacting swiftly, I drop to my knees and rush behind her, moving to secure her with a firm grip around her waist. She struggles relentlessly, thrashing her hands in every direction.

"Stop it, Amy! These are my friends, the childhood friends I've been telling you about, Alpha and Josh!! Please, I don't want you to fight them!" I plead, desperation evident in my voice. "Snap out of it! I know you can hear me!"

"LET... GO! I DON'T WANT TO... HURT YOU!" she cries out with unwavering struggle.

...

"Now you've done it..."

Alpha spits blood from his mouth, his expression resolute as he assumes an offensive stance, closing his eyes.

"Taste the divine retribution, [Holy Cross Slash]!!" Alpha shouts loudly. He then hurtles toward Amy, his sword emitting a radiant white glow. Amy, in a desperate move, grabs my hands, forcibly separating them and throwing me aside. She raises her right hand horizontally in a protective gesture as I am being thrown behind her, as Alpha swings his sword with both hands, slashing horizontally and vertically. In a flash, her right hand is severed.

"Are you out of your mind!? Do you want to kill Raiken alongside her!?" Josh cries out in despair as Alpha takes a few steps back.

"Well, well," Alpha mutters, blood seeping from his lips. "I'm starting to feel like I am the bad guy here."

The glow surrounding Alpha's sword gradually fades. Amy, locked in a struggle between her humanity and the monstrous entity within her, emits growls of pain. She clutches her head at me, showing conflicting emotions for a brief moment. Her eyes reflect sadness for a brief while as she charges toward me with her remaining claw, shrieking in agony.

...

No.

I can't bear this.

I understand what she's trying to do.

Alpha surges forward, his sword emanating a radiant glow once again. Amy, on the other hand, is releasing all her might, reaching out towards me. Even though from my side of view, she clearly does not seem to be aiming at me at all!

Josh rushes towards me, deflecting Amy's claw with a powerful blow. His bow shatters upon impact, but he swiftly draws a knife from his pouch, plunging it into her chest while keeping a firm grip on her right arm.

"Alpha, now!!"

...

No...

Please, stop...

She's trying to sacrificing herself for me once again.

She's relinquishing control of her body, hoping Alpha will end her life.

...

Please, don't...

Please...

Please...

...

My eyes widen as I witness her glowing chest impaled by a radiant sword.

!!!

It's happening once more.

...

Time seems to halt.

I fixate my gaze on her, held in Josh's grasp, as Alpha pierces her from behind with his sword. The round stone that resides inbetween her chest drops to the ground, making it a silent sound.

"Rai... please... stop looking at me like this..." Amy, looking at me with her pitiful blank eyes.

My body trembles, desperate to reach her.

"[Holy... Cross Slash.]"

Alpha swings his sword, tearing her apart.

!!!

"NOOO!!! STOP!!! NO, NO, NOOOO!!!"

I scream my lungs out, my voice echoing through the air as I stretch my hand towards her. Amidst her crumbling form, I catch a glimpse of her smiling face and squinting red eyes.

...

"Stay alive... Rai..."

...

Her body dissolves into ash, carried away by the wind. Only a circular purple stone resembles crystal remains, lying on the ground.

Tears stream down my face as I whimper like a lost child. Crawling towards the crystal, I clasp it tightly in my palm and press it against my chest, embracing it with all my being.

I struggle to rise from the ground, my heartrending sobs echoing through the air. I crawl towards the remnants of the crystal, clutching it tightly, hugging it against my chest.

"Brilliant."

A calm, deep voice reverberates in the distance. Two figures cloaked in purple robes emerge, advancing leisurely towards us. One of them has a pointy and long nose extending out from the robes.

"By defeating the demon, you have proven to be an exceptional being," one of the figures comments.

Alpha raises his sword, pointing it at the newcomers. Josh crouches beside me, gripping my shoulders tightly as he studies them intently.

"Josh, do me a favor," Alpha says, his gaze fixed on Josh. "Take Rai and get as far away from here as possible. I will buy you some time."

Josh nods, supporting me on his shoulder. My gaze remains fixated on the ground, consumed by grief. Josh leads me away, but he stops after a few steps.

"Promise me you'll return, Alpha."

"I will. See you in the capital!"

I'm guided away by Josh, stepping into Sylph Forest.

At that moment, I feel empty, as if a deep abyss is consuming me. Blindly dragged by Josh, I can only stare in Alpha's direction as I'm pulled into Sylph Forest...

#

End of Chapter 20…