A Heart of Nightmares

Under the canopy of the endless forest, mixing the scents of flowers, sweet perfumes, and wild beasts... 

The immense gorilla swung its arm at Shin, so fast that the air whooshed. The young man dodged to the side, avoiding a blow that crashed into the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. He gripped his weapon tightly and aimed to cut the flesh of the abomination.

However, it was too tough, and his blade only left a scratch. The gorilla turned and countered with a swift kick, trying to crush its opponent. Shin quickly retreated, putting a few meters between them.

He glanced to the side to check on the rest of the fighters. 

Ryan was battling an enormous worm that had emerged from the ground, drawn by the noise. The creature was grotesque and nauseating, writhing with a slimy noise to dodge every blow aimed at it. But Ryan was no amateur; his technique, though rudimentary, was ruthless and deadly. He seemed unfazed by the disgusting sight, his strikes carrying the force of years of woodcutting. 

Further away, the guards fought against lions, having already taken down several. Nevertheless, more kept coming from the forest. The few mages cast the weak spells they knew. Arrows flew through the air, and metal spikes formed magically, while vines sprang from the ground to ensnare the beasts, immobilizing them. It was the most powerful spell available here. 

Returning to his fight with the gorilla, Shin balanced on one leg and channeled all his power into a single thrust, using magic to propel himself forward. 

If he was allowed to fight this monster unaided, it was because he was a seasoned hunter. Hunters were adventurers who hunted the forest beasts, selling them for a high price. Monsters were the only readily available source of meat, as breeding livestock didn't yield enough food for the space it took. Large, walled spaces were needed for breeding—otherwise, the beasts would be attacked by wild monsters from the forest—and this space also had to house people. The past decade had seen significant population growth, coupled with a recent increase in monster attacks, making hunters more prolific. But most of them did it out of necessity, not choice, as it was a very dangerous profession.

Shin positioned himself behind the monster, turned, and infused his sword with magic. The veins on it glowed with a sinister purple light, reflecting the terrible abomination as it sliced into the monster's side, which desperately tried to turn around. 

Blood sprayed, and the gorilla let out a bloodcurdling scream. The wound wasn't fatal since it wasn't deep, but…

Shin smiled and wiped his blade to remove the crimson traces of his carnage. His attention still partly on the beast, he was already scouting for his next target.

Shin had made a living hunting monsters, earning a small reputation. The carriage manager and guards knew this, which is why they left the strongest monsters to him. 

Turning, Shin lunged at a beast resembling a snake that spat deadly venom. It was the strongest creature in the area after the gorilla. Behind him, the gorilla let out a mournful cry, scratching at its body as if trying to tear it apart, its eyes unfocused…

Finally, after a few moments, the poison took full effect, and the ferocious beast collapsed to the ground, out of breath, like a fish out of water.

***

After what felt like an hour, everything grew quiet as dusk approached. 

The air was tinged with the smell of blood, and thin rays of sunlight pierced the canopy, illuminating the lifeless bodies of the beasts along the path… as well as those of the humans who had perished in battle. 

By the end of the fight, Shin's hands were injured, blisters forming. He had used a lot of magic and felt a bit tired. He also felt a little sick at heart. 

Usually, there would be more monsters arriving to fight them, but the transport routes were relatively safe, with a low number of beasts. Moreover, throughout the battle, they had kept moving. Checkpoints were set up roughly every two hours along the route. 

They had managed to reach the next checkpoint without too much trouble, using its fighting strength and walls to deter their pursuers. 

Shin looked at Ryan, who was beside him, and asked in a tired tone:

"When are we going to sleep?" 

"Already?" Ryan exclaimed, "but you just woke up from your nap!"

"Yeah, I know... but I don't sleep well when I have nightmares." 

"Ahh... if you say so," Ryan sighed before explaining, "We need to shower first to get rid of our scents—it'll make it harder for the monsters to find and chase us. Then we need to eat, and finally, we have to hold funerals for those who—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Shin interrupted, pausing, "Let's go then." 

With that, he walked towards the area marked as the communal showers, Ryan following. Their steps went unnoticed amid the deafening noise of the checkpoint's activity. 

The sound of running water greeted them as they entered the showers, towels wrapped around their bodies. 

It was stiflingly hot, and steam clouded their vision. Shin chose a shower at random, and Ryan did the same. The showers were separated by water-resistant wooden boards. 

Before stepping inside, Ryan called out to Shin and asked, 

"Where does the water come from and what feeds it? Facilities like these were rare where I lived."

"It's the route to a big city, precautions are necessary, and they have the budget for it," Shin replied with a smirk, closing his eyes for a moment. "There's a gigantic plant below us that pumps water from the ground and stores it in pockets for later use. Here, most of it is collected by devices that send it upwards. The plant is left with just enough to survive, and it's fed artificially if it's in bad shape."

"Wow, that's crazy!" Ryan remarked before asking, "And what about the heat?" 

Shin didn't respond for a few seconds, then reopened his eyes, walked toward the shower, and said with a stony expression: 

"They use fire fairies." 

Before closing the shower door, he saw Ryan's expression freeze as he entered his own. 

Reflecting the world, the hot water continued to flow onto the floor in a soft, unfeeling symphony.