I charged between the retreating soldiers and the suddenly agile Proto-Corpse Eater. Gripping my own longblade—yanked from the creature’s knee—I faced the Corpse Eater head-on.
Holding my battered bone blade, I slashed into its elbow joint. The dull edge failed to sever the arm completely. A flicker of irritation crossed my mind.
No matter. I dropped the blade. With both claws, I tore the massive limb free from the wound I’d made, cradling it happily as I began to eat.
Not bad at all.
The Corpse Eater swung its club at me again with its remaining arm. This time, I dodged effortlessly.
Where’d that arrogance go, you dumb Corpse Eater?
I dropped the arm and leaped onto the clumsy giant’s shoulder. One claw gouged out its eyeball. I popped the slippery orb into my mouth like a snack and crunched it.
Tasted oddly like marshmallow.
The Corpse Eater thrashed wildly, twisting its head to snap at me with its gaping maw.
*Hmm… what about a giant Proto-Corpse Eater’s tongue?* I wondered, pinning its jaw with my claws to yank the tongue out.
The creature let out comical squeals as I tugged, flailing like a circus clown.
"Don’t be scared," I cooed. "I’ll be gentle. Just share a little of your tongue, okay?"
*"Enough, my sister."*
Arrows whistled toward me mid-play. A white-haired youth materialized under the moonlight.
White hair. White eyes. White skin. White haori. White juban. White kimono. White hakama. White geta. White tanto. White nails. White brows. White arrows. White voice. White magic. White moonlight… He *was* whiteness incarnate.
*White chocolate?* I thought. *Must be creamy, soft, smooth… way better than Corpse Eater tongue.*
I released the tongue and pounced toward the white youth.
*"No reasoning left?"*
As he spoke, silvery threads bloomed under the crimson moon, binding me mid-air. He approached leisurely, lifting my chin as if to say something.
*"Burn."*
I’d waited for this moment—his careless closeness. The instant his hand touched me, Dark Magic: Fire incinerated the threads. My jaws sank into the tender white flesh of his arm.
Just as sweet as white chocolate.
I savored his flesh, swallowing eagerly, drooling over his pale body.
*"Still casting magic… so some sanity remains? Yet you reek of bloodlust and hunger like a true Corpse Eater. Fascinating, my sister."*
He murmured to himself, teasing me to take another bite.
I lunged for my dessert—but the half-dead Corpse Eater grabbed me from behind with its last hand.
*Fine. Dessert after the main course.*
I twisted around, ripped off its fingers, and began eating them calmly.
The Corpse Eater refused to yield. It released me with a pained grunt and swung its fist.
*Annoying. Become barbecue.*
*"Inferno."*
Crimson flames engulfed it. The creature writhed absurdly.
*"Spare it for now. After Mother Black Goat’s blessing completes, it’s yours to devour, sister."*
The white youth waved his hand. White runes extinguished my flames.
*Ugh. This white-chocolate nuisance…* I snarled and charged, claws slashing.
His tanto blocked my strike. I lunged forward, sinking my teeth into his shoulder. Deep red blood flooded my mouth—rich as wine.
Sweet nectar. So your white body bleeds red too, huh?
*"I wish to talk. Calm down, sister."*
Even as I bit his shoulder, he opened his own mouth, baring perfect white teeth to sink them into mine.
*{logic: White Spider larva infection} forcibly activated.*
A strange voice echoed in my skull. He shoved me away. *"Back from the frenzy, sister?"*
*Who the hell’s your sister, weird white guy?*
I leaped back, snatched my bone blade, and hacked at him. He parried frantically with his white tanto.
By now, soldiers had regrouped, surrounding us and the half-dead Corpse Eater. Their eyes—fixed on me mid-fight—held only monster-fear.
*"You’ve been lucid all along, haven’t you?"*
White threads bound me again as he spoke. *"You’re just pretending madness to avoid facing what you did in your frenzy."*
*Am I that transparent to this white bastard? Fake madness, real madness—doesn’t matter. I’ll eat you first.*
Silent, I burned the threads away and roared a challenge.
He ignored me, turning to the dying Corpse Eater instead.
*"Mother Black Goat’s blessing has finally taken hold. Shub-Niggurath’s Feast can conclude properly now."*
He leaped beside the creature. His white tanto flashed—its head tumbled off effortlessly. The ruined Corpse Eater collapsed: a headless banquet.
I landed on the corpse, claws splitting its belly open to feast.
*"Shub-Niggurath’s Feast: 69th iteration complete. Critical error detected. Duration record lost."*
A mechanical voice chimed in my head. Arrows flew from distant soldiers. I burned mine to ash. Nearby troops raised spears, advancing.
*After such butchery… no human would take me back.* Their gazes held pure hatred.
*Next target: me.*
Soldiers crept closer, gripping weapons like hunters cornering a hated beast.
*"Come with me?"*
The white youth—who’d just fought me to the death—spread his arms, as if reading my thoughts.
Cold wind swept through the ruined Hunter Settlement. Moonlight bathed his flawless white form. Armor clanked as soldiers closed in. Behind him stretched the black forest—vast, all-encompassing.
Sheep bleated softly. The cold full moon reflected the sun’s light. Sylia Forest beckoned. Every tree whispered gently in my ear. That dark wood called to its lost kid like a warm breeze over green pastures.
*"Return, my lamb."*
The youth sheathed his tanto. White threads halted the soldiers’ advance. He smiled purely white.
*"Come home with me, my sister with nowhere to belong."*
*"Fine…"*
I hopped off the corpse, glancing at the soldiers encircling us like hunters. My whisper was drowned out by a high, bell-like voice amplified by magic.
*"I forbid it!"*
A pale girl in a bloodstained dress floated down from a warhorse—Yulia. She landed between me and the white youth, stumbling but shouting:
*"Alice is my First Knight! I won’t let her go with a freak like you!"*
She whirled on the spear-wielding soldiers. *"You clueless mongrels! How dare you disrespect the First Knight of Her Highness Yulia-Flanrensa-Aes-Gulenna?! Point those spears *there*! Your enemy is that white thing!"*
Then she turned to me. Moonlight and dawn’s first rays gilded her wheat-gold hair. Only Yulia’s smile remained unchanged. Her slightly flushed lips stood out against her bloodless face. Sapphire eyes radiated warmth as she declared, matter-of-factly:
*"From today, Alice, you are my Knight. I look forward to your service."*
I hesitated… then nodded slowly.
Yulia staggered toward me, arms open. She embraced my blood-soaked, demon body, whispering gently:
*"You did well, Alice. Let’s go home."*
*"Yeah. Let’s go home, Yulia."*
I held her fragile frame tightly.
Even beyond that endless forest, I had a tiny place to belong. The thought filled me with boundless comfort—and joy.
