The Last Step

Celia's Perspective:

Levi slowly walked toward the bed, his steps sluggish, his face carved with something I couldn't bring myself to care about. My world was shaking, crumbling into pieces, and the only thing that mattered—Kaiser—was gone.

"Celia, please calm down." Levi's voice reached me, but it barely registered.

Tears poured from my eyes, my chest heaving as every second passed in agonizing silence. My fingers curled into the blanket, gripping it like it could hold me together.

"Just listen to me," Levi said.

I tried. I really did. But everything was blurry. My vision. My thoughts. My entire world.

Levi hesitated before speaking again. "We're... almost certain Kaiser was killed by a Grotesque. Those creatures are B-ranked based on their physical strength alone... Kaiser—" He stopped for a moment, as if weighing his words. "He might be Kaiser, but—"

A sharp sob tore from my throat. The air felt too heavy to breathe.

Levi exhaled. "Kaiser was an E-rank, Celia. The chance of him surviving a Grotesque attack is near zero."

I snapped.

"That's what you came here to tell me?!" My voice broke into a scream. "Just shut up and leave me alone!" My hands swung wildly, shoving them away, my nails digging into my palms.

Emma and Levi both stilled. Their expressions flickered between surprise and something softer—pity, understanding. But they didn't understand. They couldn't understand.

Emma knelt beside me, her voice quieter than usual, no teasing in her tone. "Celia, listen—"

"NO!" My scream came out hoarse, my throat raw. "Don't tell me to listen! Don't tell me you understand! You—!" My breath hitched, my chest rising and falling unevenly. "You don't get it! None of you do!"

Emma sat beside me, her usual carefree energy nowhere to be found. She didn't joke, didn't tease—she just looked at me with this unfamiliar expression, like she didn't know what to do.

"Celia…" She hesitated, her voice softer than I'd ever heard it. "I know this hurts, I do, but—"

"No, you don't!" I snapped, my voice breaking mid-scream. "You don't know! You don't understand! So stop—stop saying you do!"

Emma flinched. A flicker of pain crossed her face, but I didn't care. The ache in my chest was too much, too overwhelming. I gasped between sobs, gripping my arms like they were the only things holding me together.

Levi leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. But his usual cocky smirk was gone. Instead, he looked… tired.

"Celia," he exhaled, his voice steadier than Emma's. "No one's telling you to stop grieving, but you're breaking yourself apart."

"Th-that's not your problem!" My words stumbled over themselves, my breath hitching painfully. "Y-you… you're acting like this is s-something I can just—just fix!"

Levi's eyes darkened. "I never said that."

Emma's hands clenched into fists on her lap, her voice wavering. "Kaiser wouldn't want this, Celia."

I froze.

Then, slowly, I turned toward her.

The look I gave her must've been terrifying, because she swallowed hard. My voice shook, but it was sharp, filled with something raw, something broken.

"D-Don't… Don't you dare say his name like that." My nails dug into my palms, my body trembling. "Like he's… g-gone."

Levi rubbed a hand down his face, exhaling slowly. "Celia—"

I cut him off with a choked, desperate cry. "He promised me, Levi! He p-promised we'd always be together! That w-we'd travel together, fight together, live together!"

My voice cracked, turning into a sob so deep, so painful, I felt like I might fall apart completely.

Emma's eyes glistened, but she held them back. "I... I miss him too, Celia."

A hollow, bitter laugh tumbled out of me. "No, you don't!" My voice rose again, cracking under the weight of my grief. "Not like I do! Not the way I do!"

Emma sucked in a breath, and Levi finally pushed off the wall, his voice lower, calmer. "Celia, you're not alone in this."

"Y-yes, I am!" My hands curled into my chest, my body shaking. "He's gone! And—and I'm still here! And I don't know how to—how to even—"

My words collapsed into sobs, my entire body trembling so badly it hurt. Emma reached for my hand, her fingers brushing against mine—

And I ripped my hand away.

"Don't t-touch me," I whispered, breathless and afraid.

Emma's face fell. "Celia…"

But I just shook my head violently, burying my face in my hands, my voice small, fragile. "J-just leave me alone…"

It wasn't just a pull away—it was pure instinct, my body recoiling in fear, in denial. My hand shot back so fast it was like her touch would burn me.

A long silence stretched between us. My shoulders trembled. I couldn't stop crying, couldn't stop the way my body shook, the way my heart clenched with unbearable pain.

Levi exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable as he glanced at Emma. He didn't say anything—just gave her a look. A silent message.

Emma hesitated before standing up.

I didn't look at them. I couldn't.

They left.

The moment the door clicked shut, everything inside me collapsed.

A choked scream ripped from my throat as I buried my face into the blankets, my fingers clutching at the fabric desperately.

"Kaiser... You promised..."

My voice broke. My sobs came faster, my breaths hitching so violently it hurt.

"You promised you'd stay... you promised you'd be by my side... You lied!"

Tears blurred everything. My body curled inward, shaking, breaking.

"Kaiser..." I whispered his name like a prayer, my voice so fragile, so helpless.

"Why… Why did you leave me, Kaiser?! Why?!" My fingers trembled as I grasped at the empty space beside me. "You said… you said I wasn't alone… but now you're—you're just—"

My throat closed up. My words died in a choked, pitiful cry.

I pressed my forehead against the mattress, my tears soaking into the fabric. My entire body trembled, as if trying to reject the reality sinking into me.

I wanted to scream again, to yell at him, to tell him to come back—

But no matter how loud I cried, no matter how desperately I begged—

Kaiser wasn't here.

Day 1 – The World Without Him

Everything felt wrong.

The room was the same, the air was the same, the people were the same—but he wasn't here.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring blankly at the wall. The candlelight flickered, casting shadows across the wooden floor. I could hear Emma shuffling around in the background, probably trying to make herself look busy.

I didn't move.

I didn't eat.

I didn't sleep.

I just sat there, waiting—for what, I didn't know. Maybe for this to be a nightmare I'd finally wake up from. Maybe for Kaiser to walk through that door and call me an idiot for looking so miserable.

But the door never opened.

The chair beside the bed remained empty.

And the silence in my heart grew heavier.

Emma tried, she really did. She talked to me, sat next to me, even made some dumb joke about how she'd start looking better than me if I kept sulking like this. Normally, I'd throw a pillow at her or at least roll my eyes, but now... I just couldn't.

I didn't have the strength to laugh.

Or to care.

When night came, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of my own body pressing into the mattress. The blankets were warm, but I was cold. I pulled them up, curled into a ball, squeezed my eyes shut.

I still remember Kaiser would come check if I was sad, or even unable to sleep in night. And then tease me until I would smile and promise him I would fall asleep.

I used to find comfort in that.

Now?

Now, the silence of the night only reminded me that his breathing wasn't there.

And it never would be again.

Day 2 – The World Keeps Moving, But I Don't

I woke up to Emma shaking me.

"Celia, you have to eat."

I didn't respond.

"Come on, just a little? If you starve to death, Kaiser's gonna be really pissed at you when you meet him in the afterlife."

I flinched.

Emma's smile disappeared instantly. "I—I didn't mean it like that. I was just—"

But I was already sitting up, forcing myself to take a bite of whatever food she had placed in front of me. It tasted like nothing. Just something to chew and swallow.

Emma looked relieved, but she didn't say anything. I think she knew words wouldn't do much.

The rest of the day passed in a haze.

I walked around the guild, hoping—hoping—that someone would tell me this was a mistake. That they had seen Kaiser, that he was alive, that he was out there waiting for me.

But all I got were pitying looks.

The kind that made my stomach twist, the kind that screamed "Poor girl, she still believes he's coming back."

By evening, I was sitting on the roof of the inn, staring at the sunset. Kaiser and I used to sit like this sometimes, just watching the sky burn with colors before night fell.

"Celia?"

Emma climbed up next to me, kicking her legs off the edge. "...You've been quiet."

I didn't answer.

She sighed, leaning back on her hands. "You know, Kaiser wouldn't want you to—"

"Don't." My voice cracked, sharp and brittle.

Emma shut her mouth.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "Don't say what he would want. He's not here, Emma. He's not going to tell me anything ever again."

Emma looked down, her playful mask slipping for a moment.

Then she nodded. "Okay. I won't say it."

Silence stretched between us.

I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing shakily.

I missed him.

I missed him so much it hurt.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to grab him and never let go.

But the world wasn't listening to what I wanted.

After a while, Emma left. But I stayed on the roof...

The night sky stretched endlessly above me, stars flickering like distant, unreachable dreams. I hugged my knees, my body curled into itself as if that would make the ache in my chest go away.

But no matter how tightly I held myself, the pain wouldn't fade.

I closed my eyes. And as the world around me blurred, the past came rushing in.

The memory of the past that made me feel... like I was living that time. It was a two weeks back when Kaiser just had woke up and I was with him.

I sat beside his bed, my hands resting on my lap, watching him. His face was peaceful—relaxed in a way I had rarely seen. The bandages around his arm and chest were a reminder of what he had been through, but even in his wounded state, he looked strong.

I didn't know why I was smiling. Maybe it was because, for the first time in so long, I wasn't alone.

The warmth of the morning light slipped through the cracks of the curtains, casting a soft glow over him. His black hair caught the light, strands falling over his closed eyes. I resisted the urge to brush them aside.

I should let him rest…

But still, I stayed. Watching. Waiting. As if afraid that if I looked away, he would disappear.

And then—

The memories came back.

I didn't want them to, but they did.

People never wanted me.

I learned that early.

I was eleven when I first truly understood what hate felt like.

It wasn't just the whispers anymore. It wasn't just the way people looked at me like I was something dirty, something that shouldn't exist.

It was the moment when the first stone was thrown.

It had hit my shoulder—small, sharp, but enough to make me flinch. I turned, wide-eyed, only to see a group of boys standing there. Grinning.

"Oops," one of them had said, laughing. "Guess the cursed kid isn't just bad luck, she's bad at dodging too."

I didn't understand.

I had done nothing.

Nothing to them. Nothing to anyone.

So why—?

Another rock. This one hit my leg. Then another. And another.

I ran. I ran until my legs ached, until my lungs burned, until I could barely breathe.

But even when I escaped, the bruises remained.

And so did their words.

"She shouldn't be here."

"Her existence is a mistake."

"Don't touch her, don't go near her, or you'll be cursed too."

It didn't stop.

No matter where I went, no matter what I did, it never stopped.

When I was twelve, I heard a man tell his daughter, "You're lucky you weren't born like her."

When I was thirteen, I walked into town, hoping—begging—that today, they would look at me like I was just another person.

But they never did.

"Don't let her near the well. She'll curse the water."

"She's disgusting. Just looking at her makes my stomach turn."

"People like her should just disappear."

Disappear.

Like I wasn't supposed to exist in the first place.

Like I was just wrong for being alive.

When I was fourteen, I tripped and scraped my knee on the cobblestone road. I remember looking up, hoping—pleading—for a hand, for someone to help me up.

No one did.

They walked past me like I wasn't even there.

No—worse than that.

They stepped over me like I was dirt beneath their shoes.

"Filthy."

"Pathetic."

"She should've never been born."

When I was fifteen, the whispers turned into shouts.

"Why is she still here?"

"Her kind always bring ruin! She'll bring misfortune to us all!"

"Someone should've drowned her as a baby!"

When I was sixteen, someone actually tried.

When I was sixteen, they tried to kill me.

It was raining that night, a cold, sharp drizzle that cut through the fabric of my clothes and bit into my skin. I had been walking back from the forest, the weight of the day pressing down on me.

My body was soaked, chilled to the bone, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't belong anywhere. I pulled the collar of my cloak tighter, but the cold didn't care. The mud beneath my feet squelched with every step as I trudged through the darkness.

Then—hands.

Rough, strong hands seized me from behind, dragging me backward, pulling me into the mud with a sickening force. I gasped, the air knocked out of my lungs, and I tried to push myself up, but the weight of their grip was too much. My knees buckled, and I crashed back down.

"Get off me!" I screamed, but it barely came out as more than a strangled cry.

The mud was thick, heavy, like the world itself was pressing down on me, suffocating me. Before I could react, another kick sent me flying back into the dirt. My face slammed into the wet ground, the sharp sting of pain hitting me like a jolt of electricity. I tasted the grit of the earth as it scraped against my cheek.

I tried to claw at the ground, my hands desperately reaching for something—anything—to pull myself up, but they were too strong. Too many. Too relentless. Their laughter echoed through the night, cold and cruel, cutting through me more than the rain ever could.

"What's wrong, freak? Can't fight back?" one of them jeered.

My wrists were pinned, and their weight pressed down on me, forcing me deeper into the muck. I kicked, thrashing helplessly, but every move was met with more laughter, more taunts, and more pain. My heart pounded in my chest, a drumbeat of terror and hopelessness.

Then, they shoved my face into a puddle.

The filthy water flooded my mouth, choking me. My nose burned as rainwater rushed into my lungs, filling them with a cold that felt like death itself. I gasped, but it only made it worse. It burned. It stung. It tasted of earth and rot. The water slipped down my throat, strangling the life from me, drowning me in a world that had never wanted me to begin with.

I struggled, my hands flailing, but it was useless. My body felt heavy, like the world itself was sitting on my chest, suffocating me. My mind screamed for air, for anything to break free, but all I heard was the sound of their laughter.

"Just die already," one of them spat.

It was the easiest thing in the world for them to say. Like it was just a simple request. Like my entire life—everything I was—was nothing more than an inconvenience. A mistake. An accident that could be erased with the flick of a wrist.

I fought to breathe, to hold on, but the darkness was creeping in. My lungs burned, my chest ached, and every movement felt like I was dragging myself deeper into the abyss. My fingers clawed at the mud, searching for something, anything, to hold onto. But there was nothing. Only darkness. Only cold.

And the laughter. The laughter that would haunt me forever.

I was slipping. Slipping further away, and it was becoming so easy to let go. To just let the darkness take me.

I couldn't remember how I got away. I didn't remember if they'd gotten bored or if they just assumed I was dead.

Maybe they thought I had died there, in that puddle of mud and rain. Maybe that's why they left.

Maybe I should've been dead.

Because even after surviving that night—nothing changed.

The stares didn't change. The whispers didn't change.

The hatred didn't change.

And eventually…

I started to believe them.

Started to believe that maybe, just maybe, I really shouldn't have been born.

And when I was sixteen… I stopped trying to change their minds.

I stopped fighting.

Because what was the point?

No matter how much I wished for it to be different, the world had already decided—

I was nothing.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Even now, even after all this time, the memories still hurt. They still made my chest feel hollow, made my hands tremble, made me want to disappear.

But then—

Something warm brushed against my skin.

My breath caught.

My eyes fluttered open, and I gasped softly.

Kaiser.

His arm, wrapped in bandages, was stretched toward me. His fingers, rough but gentle, traced my cheek, wiping away the tear before it could fall any further.

His eyes were barely open, still heavy with exhaustion, but he was awake.

Looking at me.

Not with disgust. Not with pity.

Just… looking.

Like I was someone worth seeing.

"Ka… Kaiser?" I called, my voice barely above a whisper, the words escaping my lips like a fragile breath. It felt so hard to speak, so heavy with all the weight I carried inside me.

His gaze softened as he looked at me, his eyes warm. "Crying doesn't suit you, Celia. It really doesn't."

I could barely hold it together. The tears kept falling, but they weren't just from the pain of what had happened, the loss of everything I had held dear. They were tears from the very core of me, from all those years of feeling unwanted, unloved, hated.

I wiped at my face, but it didn't stop. "This is who I am, Kaiser," I choked out, my voice shaking. "I'm just… disgusting. People hate me. I'm just this thing that should have never existed."

The words slipped out, painful and true, and I couldn't stop them. Every time I tried, I felt like I was suffocating on my own thoughts. They were always there, taunting me, reminding me of all the times I had been called a freak, an outcast, a thing to be ridiculed. I could still hear their voices, the whispers in the back of my mind.

Kaiser's hand reached out, gently cupping my cheek, lifting my face toward him. His smile was soft, tender. "You're not disgusting, Celia. You're beautiful."

The words felt like a dream. A part of me couldn't believe them, couldn't understand them. I stared at him, almost not knowing how to respond. "R… really? Kaiser?" I asked, my voice trembling, unsure, as if hearing the words out loud might break the spell.

He shifted his gaze away for a moment, looking around the room like he was thinking of something. He reached for the vase by his bedside, picking up a single flower with a delicate touch. His eyes returned to me, a quiet smile spreading across his face as he extended the flower toward me.

"Come closer," he said, his voice warm, inviting.

I leaned down, my breath caught in my throat. He carefully tucked the flower into my hair, his fingers brushing against my skin, sending a gentle warmth through my body. I could hardly breathe, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Celia," he whispered my name, his voice so gentle, so caring.

I blushed, my face flushing bright red. "K… Kaiser..." I stammered, the words barely leaving me as I struggled to understand the overwhelming tenderness in his touch.

He smiled at me again, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite describe—something that made me feel like I was worth something, something that made me feel seen, loved. "You're beautiful, Celia," he said softly. "Please always smile like that. Do it for me okay?"

And in that moment, something inside me cracked open, something I didn't even realize was broken. A soft sob escaped my throat, but this time, it wasn't out of sadness. It was out of happiness, of feeling cared for, of realizing that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't all those horrible things I had been told. I wasn't disgusting.

I wasn't something that should be killed.

I repeated the word to myself over and over, like a mantra, trying to let it sink into my soul. Beautiful. Not disgusting. Not something that should be erased from the world.

I wanted to believe it. I wanted to let it sink in. But the doubt... it lingered, clinging to me like a shadow. Could it really be true? Could I really be more than just the broken girl everyone hated?

But Kaiser... Kaiser made me want to believe in myself. He made me feel like I could stand taller, like maybe the world didn't have to see me as ugly. Maybe, just maybe, I could be something more.

Beautiful. I whispered it again, to make it real. To make it mine.

Not disgusting. Not something to be killed. Not someone to be ignored or thrown away.

I was beautiful. And maybe—just maybe—I could start believing that.

Soon, my focus shifts back to the present. Alone on the roof, my knees hugged to my chest, I felt a deep, aching sadness wash over me. It was like the weight of everything crashing down again, all the pain and loss piling up. My heart felt empty, and I couldn't escape it.

Those moments, I thought, my chest tensing, they made me so happy... The way Kaiser would say my name so softly, like it was something precious, the way he spoke to me, making me smile, even when I didn't think I had anything to smile about.

He was the only one who could do that. The only one who made me... smile.

But now... now that he's gone, I don't know if I could ever smile again. It felt like something was missing, like a part of me had just disappeared. The joy he brought me, the warmth in his words—it was gone. And in its place, there was only this emptiness, this cold silence.

A quiet sob escaped my lips before I could stop it. I buried my face into my knees, letting the tears fall freely once again. I miss him so much...

But then, through my blurred vision, I saw it.

A shooting star.

It streaked across the night sky, bright and fleeting, leaving a trail of light that almost seemed like it was meant just for me. For a moment, the world felt still, and I could almost believe in magic, in something greater than all the pain I was feeling.

I reached out, my fingers trembling, as if I could somehow touch the star, or at least hold onto the hope that it carried with it.

"Please...," my voice cracked, barely a whisper through the sobs. "Please bring my Kaiser back to me..."

I couldn't stop the tears. They kept coming, but through the pain, I made my wish. A wish that maybe, just maybe, the world would listen.

Levi's Perspective:

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the map of Levinton laid out in front of me, the town I swore to protect. Swarm. That damn swarm. Every thought kept circling back to it, like a storm cloud on the horizon. The endless horde of grotesques, tearing apart everything in their path. If they came here, Levinton wouldn't stand a chance. We're strong, sure, but are we strong enough?

My guild's numbers weren't bad, but they weren't great either. D ranks all over the place, a handful of B ranks, and maybe… just maybe a few A ranks to back us up. Nothing that would make a serious dent in a swarm. I'm not that cocky. I know how overwhelming those grotesques can be. We've faced them before, but they're a different kind of beast when they travel in packs.

I was thinking about calling in reinforcements. Some other Sword Saints maybe. I could call in Xander—nah, I'd rather not. The guy's a lazy genius who wouldn't even show up unless the threat was on his doorstep. Then there's Scar. No. I can't. Not after what happened. That guy's not an option. Not now, not ever.

But I need help. I need something. My guild's fine for the large stuff, but they're not equipped for this. Hell, we're all still recovering from that last damn raid, where I barely held the line against those grotesques. Calling in Scar would be tempting—he's strong, no doubt. But it'd make things worse. I need to handle this on my terms, without dragging that mess into it.

I don't want to drag anyone into this mess.

My mind drifts to Emma. I feel a twinge of guilt. She's tough, no doubt. But even she has her limits. If the swarm comes for us, it'll hit her hard. I have to keep her safe. I can't afford to lose another person who matters.

Not after everything that's happened. Zain will keep her safe, at least. I trust him. We're friends, partners, hell, even brothers in arms. He's a damn good leader, and if anyone can keep Emma out of harm's way, it's him.

Then my thoughts shift. A deeper, darker feeling creeping up.

Celia.

Ever since Kaiser disappeared, she's been… broken. She hasn't eaten, hasn't spoken much. She's distant, lost in her grief. I can't stand it. It's like there's nothing left in her. She looks at me sometimes like I'm supposed to have all the answers, but I don't. I can't fix this. No one can. She lost the one person who gave her something to believe in. Kaiser. And now… now she doesn't even know how to pick herself up again.

I can't help her. Not like this. Not when the world around me is falling apart, and there's no way to keep her from getting hurt. If I'm being honest with myself, there's a part of me that wants to just run. Get away from it all. But then I remember—there's no escaping.

Not now.

The swarm's coming, and I'll be damned if I let it destroy everything I've worked for. Everything we've built. They've taken too much already—my parents, my village. I can still hear their screams, feel the guilt eating at me every day for running away. I wasn't strong enough back then, not when it mattered. I should have fought. I should have stayed. But I ran. I left them behind, and I've carried that weight with me ever since.

But now? No more running. I'm facing this head-on, no matter what. I won't let the swarm take anything else from me. Not this time.

And sure, I might not have the numbers to back me up, but let's be real—I've got this. No one's taking Levinton without going through me first. Nah, I'd win.

But right now, all I can do is wait. Wait for Zain to show up and for the next move to unfold.

The door creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. Zain stepped in, his usual calm presence filling the room. He gave me a nod, taking a seat across from me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he assessed my mood.

"You look like you've been running circles inside your head," Zain said, his voice steady and calming, like it always was when I needed to hear it.

I didn't respond at first. I just kept staring at the map, tracing the lines of Levinton with my finger. The town... my town... soon to be overrun by the swarm, and I could already feel the weight of the responsibility. My hands clenched into fists, and for a moment, the guilt washed over me like a flood.

"You know, it's not like you to brood like this," Zain continued, his tone softening. "What's eating at you?"

I finally glanced up at him, a smirk forming despite myself. I leaned back in my chair, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm just thinking, you know? I'm the best there is at what I do. I've got this. No biggie."

Zain raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, sure. 'The best.' Is that why you're sitting here, acting like a brooding mess?"

I snorted, the tension in my chest easing slightly at his words. "You just wait. I'm gonna handle this. But first, tell me what you know about the swarm, Zain. Don't leave me hanging."

Zain leaned forward, folding his arms. He glanced at me for a moment, as if measuring whether or not I was really ready to hear the full scope of the nightmare we were facing. "Alright, but you better sit tight. This is a lot."

He took a breath before continuing, his voice steady but laced with concern. "We've been researching the bodies of the fallen—those that got captured and killed in previous skirmishes with the swarm. From what we gathered, these things... they're not just mindless insects. There's a hierarchy, and the higher you go, the scarier it gets."

I could feel my curiosity piquing, the smug cockiness slipping away just a little. "Hierarchy? Like what?"

Zain's gaze darkened, and he leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the room as if weighing the gravity of his next words. "The Swarm Tyrant. Their leader. The one controlling everything. From what we've pieced together, it's a grotesque, towering insectoid overlord. A king among monsters."

My lips parted slightly. I leaned forward, genuinely interested now. "A king? Tell me more."

Zain took a deep breath, and his tone became more serious. "The Swarm Tyrant's presence enhances the intelligence, strength, and coordination of every insect in its army. It's not just a swarm anymore, Levi. It's an army—one mind, one purpose, working as a single, calculated force. Their every move is planned, executed flawlessly."

I leaned back in my chair, absorbing the information. It was worse than I'd imagined. A single mind controlling all of them... that meant the swarm could adapt, respond, and plan.

Zain continued, his words heavier now. "The Tyrant has the ability to evolve its swarm. Every time one of them dies, the survivors devour it, taking its abilities and adapting their biology. They evolve, getting stronger with each kill, learning how to counter enemies."

I frowned, my fingers tapping the table. "So they're not just a mindless horde. They're getting stronger the more we fight them?"

"Exactly," Zain replied, his voice firm. "And it doesn't end there. The Tyrant uses bones—bones from fallen humans, beasts, and even their own kind. They shape them into weapons, shields, and even war machines. The swarm doesn't waste anything. The bones are repurposed into deadly, chitinous gear. They're building an army of boneforged monsters."

I let out a low whistle. "They really don't mess around, do they?"

Zain shook his head, his face grave. "No. And if that wasn't bad enough, their claws and mandibles secrete a corrosive acid. It melts through flesh, metal, armor... everything. They don't just kill. They dissolve. Over time, no matter how strong you are, your armor will be useless."

I stared at him, feeling a knot in my stomach. This wasn't just about fighting an enemy; this was a battle against an ever-evolving, adaptive, and nearly unstoppable force.

I gritted my teeth, my eyes narrowing. "So, how do we stop them? If they can just keep getting stronger... how do we fight that?"

Zain looked at me, his expression as serious as I'd ever seen it. "We research. We look for weaknesses, any flaws we can exploit. And we fight smarter, not harder."

I cracked a grin, my usual cockiness returning despite the grim situation. "Smart, huh? Sounds like something I can do. And hey, if things go south, I'll just beat them into submission. No big deal."

Zain let out a chuckle, the brief levity helping to ease the tension in the air. "You always have that kind of confidence. But don't get too cocky. This won't be easy."

I waved him off, still grinning. "Easy? Who said anything about easy? It's going to be fun."

Zain gave me a knowing look, but there was a glint of respect in his eyes. "Don't let that cockiness get you killed, Levi."

I stood up, stretching, my smile never faltering. "Don't worry, Zain. I'm the best there is. And I'm not going anywhere."

I then weighted my options, for a while I was quiet knowing my situation well.

"You're deep in thought," Zain said, his tone casual, but there was an edge to it. "You're not usually this quiet."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "Oh, I'm just enjoying the silence. The calm before the storm, you know?" I leaned forward, dropping the sarcasm. "What's on your mind, Zain?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to talk about something serious. The missing persons cases."

I froze, instantly alert. "Missing persons?" I asked, my tone shifting. Why was he bringing that up now? We'd been too busy with the swarm to focus on anyone else.

Zain met my gaze, his eyes steady. "I don't think they're just missing, Levi. I think it's the swarm. The Swarm Tyrant's forces, most likely."

My brow furrowed. "You've gotta be kidding me." My voice dropped, seriousness settling in. "How do you know that?"

He leaned back in his chair, a strange glint in his eyes. "We have a witness. A survivor. Someone who managed to get out of one of the towns before the swarm took it over. They saw the entire thing unfold—how they're abducting people. How they're being… collected."

I crossed my arms, thinking it over. "Collected? Like cattle?" I asked, my mind already racing with possibilities.

Zain nodded. "Exactly. They're being gathered somewhere. But we don't know where yet. The witness couldn't give us much more, but… there's a chance we still have survivors out there."

I didn't speak for a second, just letting the weight of his words hang in the air. A chance? Survivors? It felt like a sliver of hope in the midst of a nightmare.

"Survivors?" I finally spoke, my voice flat. "You think there are people still out there, hidden away from the swarm?"

Zain's gaze softened, just a little. "Yeah, I do. And we need to figure out how to get to them before the swarm does. If they're still alive, they could help us."

I let out a breath, pushing my chair back as I stood up. My hands went to my hips, and I looked out the window, the weight of the responsibility crashing down on me. "Alright. I see. I'll need the reports later, though. For now, let's focus on something else."

Zain didn't skip a beat. "You're right. We need to form alliances. With the other guilds, we need all the help we can get. You can't win this war alone, Levi."

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "I know. I hate admitting it, but we'll need them. The guilds are going to have to step up, whether they like it or not."

Zain shot me a sideways glance. "And that includes Valhalla, right?"

I shook my head, cutting him off. "Nah. Forget Valhalla. They'll just drag their feet like they always do. Let's focus on the others. They'll be more reliable, and we won't have to waste time babysitting."

Zain raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips twitching upward. "You've got a point. Valhalla's never been quick to move. Their pride is as big as their ego."

I laughed. "Exactly. So, who's on our side, then? Who do we start with?"

I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair as the weight of the situation started to settle in. Zain had a point—this wasn't going to be a one-man job. It wasn't just about fighting anymore. It was about survival. Damn it. The swarm wasn't just a threat to us, it was a threat to everything. If we didn't act soon, nothing would be left.

As I sat there, my mind started to churn, working out the details of what we needed to do. The guilds...

I mentally ranked them, thinking through the possibilities. From strongest to weakest.

First, Valhalla. Scar, the Sword Saint of Power. The guy was strong, no doubt about it. But I knew Scar. He wasn't the kind of guy to help without a cost. He'd ask for money, power, benefits, you name it. The guy had pride, and I wasn't about to spend my time trying to convince him to join the fight, especially when his guild was already packed with S-ranked mages and A-ranks. Yeah, no thanks. Not worth the effort.

Then there was Crimson Eclipse, led by Navina, the Sword Saint of Reflex. Her guild had the wealth, the numbers, the resources—but I wasn't fool enough to think she'd help us without something in return. Navina didn't do charity. She'd want a price, and I wasn't about to get caught up in her games just to get some help. No way.

Celestial Apex—my guild, my people. It had its perks, but even I wasn't naive enough to think we could handle this alone. My position as the Sword Saint of Godspeed wasn't going to magically make the swarm go away. I'd have to rally support from the other guilds. And that wasn't going to be easy.

Next, Requiem. Alina, the Sword Saint of Technique. Stoic. Emotionless. A killer, through and through. She was cold, calculating. She might help, but she wouldn't do it for free. No doubt about that. And then there was Sylvia. Alina's other leader. I didn't know much about her, but I wasn't sure she'd be willing to lend a hand either. Still, asking them? Better than dealing with Scar and Navina.

Finally, Eternal Overseer. Xander, the Sword Saint of Mastery. I hated dealing with him. The guy was lazy, annoying, but he had his uses. Unlike the others, Xander had some ties to my guild. He wasn't the most reliable guy, but when it mattered, he'd at least try. And honestly, at this point, I needed someone who would at least try. No guarantees, but it's better than the rest.

So I started weighing my options. Requiem and Eternal Overseer. They're my best bet. If I can get Alina and Xander on our side, we might just have a shot.

I let out a sigh, rubbing the back of my neck as the plan started to take shape. I couldn't waste time wondering if they'd actually help. I had to ask.

I stood up from my chair and turned to Zain. "Alright, I'm heading out. I'll go see if Requiem and Eternal Overseer will actually help us fight the swarm."

Zain raised an eyebrow, the seriousness of the situation starting to settle into his features. "You sure about this? They're not exactly known for playing nice with others."

I gave him a smirk, cracking my knuckles. "Nice? Nah. We don't need nice. We need fighters. I'll get them to fight, not hold my hand."

Zain chuckled under his breath, but his eyes stayed serious. "Don't underestimate them, Levi. They're not easy to deal with."

"I never do," I said, my voice low as I turned toward the door. "But I've got no time to waste. The swarm's not waiting."

I walked out, a sense of urgency pulsing through me. If I was going to survive this, if we were going to survive this, I needed the strongest allies I could get. Even if they weren't the easiest to work with. No one else was going to step up. So it was up to me to make sure they did. And if they didn't, well... I'd make them.

The swarm was coming, and I wasn't about to sit back and let it tear everything apart. Time to go hunting for some help.

Celia's Perspective:

A day had passed since I made my wish. Nothing had changed. I hated myself still for losing Kaiser. He was my everything now, the only one who made me feel... real, like I mattered. And losing him? It broke me.

Even after being alone for four years, hated by everyone and crying myself to sleep every single night, it felt worse now. The ache in my chest was deeper, like there was this endless hole I couldn't fill, no matter how much I tried.

Every morning I woke up to a wet pillow, soaked in my own tears. I didn't even know I was crying most nights until I woke up and found my cheeks stained with salt. I missed him. God, how I missed him. The way he would comfort me when everything else felt wrong. The only person who—maybe—loved me for who I truly was.

I didn't even know how to handle this anymore. It wasn't even about being alone. It was that I lost him. The one person who could make the world feel okay. Without him, everything just... felt wrong.

The house felt suffocating, its walls closing in on me with every passing second. I needed to get away, to breathe. So, I left. No destination, just walking to clear my head. The weather was bad. I could feel it before I even stepped outside—the air was thick, heavy with the promise of rain.

It wasn't even that cold, but it didn't matter. The storm was coming, and I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore. I just kept walking. I had to walk. I needed something, anything to distract me. Anything to stop me from thinking. From feeling.

As I walked along the path, the rain began slowly at first. Then it came down harder, the droplets hitting my skin like tiny stabs of cold. But I didn't run for shelter. I didn't even try to find a place to hide from the storm. I felt too broken to even do that.

The truth was, it was easier to stand there in the rain, letting it soak me to the bone, than to face the reality that Kaiser was gone. That I couldn't fix this. That I couldn't fix myself without him.

Because I lost the one thing that kept me going. The only person who made me feel like there was a reason to get up in the morning.

I was nothing without him.

My feet dragged as I walked deeper into the forest, the rain pounding harder with each step, the wind howling through the trees like it knew the emptiness I felt. I hugged myself tighter, as if I could hold my broken heart in place, but it only made the ache worse.

The storm had been raging for a while now, but I barely noticed it anymore. My clothes were soaked, my hair clung to my face, and my fingers were cold, but none of it mattered. The ache in my chest drowned out everything else.

Then, I heard footsteps behind me.

Maybe it's monsters. Maybe it's hunters.

I didn't care.

I didn't even turn around.

If this was how it ended for me, then fine. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was better than having to keep walking forward in a world that didn't have him in it.

Kaiser.

The name alone made my breath hitch. My eyes burned, but I had no more tears left to cry.

The footsteps grew closer. I squeezed my eyes shut. Just let it be quick...

But instead of an attack, something shifted above me. A shadow. The rain stopped falling on my head.

Confused, I blinked and looked up.

An umbrella.

I turned my head, and there he was—Zain.

His face was unreadable, his black eyes calm even in the middle of this storm. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there, holding the umbrella over me like I wasn't a complete mess.

Then, in a quiet voice, he spoke.

"Emma asked me to find you. It was her request."

Emma… Of course, it was Emma.

I didn't answer. I didn't care. I just moved away from the umbrella, refusing to take whatever kindness he was offering. I didn't need any of it. I didn't want it.

But Zain moved with me. He kept the umbrella over my head.

I clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms. "Leave me alone!"

He didn't flinch.

"Don't you hate me?! Don't you also want to get rid of me?!"

The frustration, the anger, the helplessness—I threw it all at him. I screamed at him like I could push him away with words.

But he just stood there, silent.

He didn't fight back. He didn't argue. He just… looked at me.

And that made it worse. That made everything worse.

My voice wavered. "If you just hadn't stopped me that day... maybe I could have saved Kaiser..."

The words came out broken. A sob cut through my chest, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from falling apart even more.

Zain stayed quiet, then...

He dropped the umbrella.

The storm swallowed him, drenching him completely. The cold rain poured down his face, his black hair darkening under the water, but he didn't move to pick it back up.

"I know," he finally said, voice softer than before. "Maybe it's my fault. And you can blame me forever, Celia."

I stayed quiet. What was the point? Kaiser was still gone. My Kaiser was still gone.

Zain let out a slow breath. "But hurting yourself over that now won't do anything, Celia."

I snapped my head up.

"What do you know?!" I screamed. "What do you know about me or him that you can say that?!"

He didn't back down. His expression didn't change.

"I may not have known you or Kaiser," he said, his voice steady, "but it's obvious. You're drowning in grief instead of pushing forward. Instead of trying to bring him back."

My breath caught.

I looked at him, eyes burning with fresh tears. My voice broke into a whisper.

"It's always easier to say that… to give false hope…"

Tears slipped down my face, mixing with the rain, but I didn't wipe them away. What was the point?

Then Zain's voice cut through the downpour.

"You just have to move on and remember him in your memories, Celia. Kaiser is no more—"

I snapped.

"I CAN'T!"

The words ripped out of me before I could stop them.

"I've died every single day since he's been gone! Every moment, every second, I think—maybe today. Maybe today, he'll come back. Maybe today, I'll wake up and it'll all be a nightmare.

"I would do anything—anything at any cost to have him again!

"I would rip apart this world if it meant I could hold his hand one more time! If I could just see him—if I could just tell him I—"

My voice broke. I covered my mouth. I didn't want to cry anymore. I was so, so tired of crying.

Zain remained quiet for a few moments.

Then…

He smiled.

I froze. My body tensed. My hands curled into fists again.

A small, bitter laugh slipped from my throat. "Go ahead." My voice was hollow. "Laugh. Do it. I don't care anymore." I wiped at my face, even though it didn't matter, not with the rain.

But Zain didn't laugh.

Instead, he took a step closer. His gaze softened, and for the first time, his cold resolve cracked.

"No," he said. "I'm smiling because I can give you hope."

I stared at him.

"...Hope?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

He nodded.

"To bring him back."

My heart stopped.

I looked up at him, desperate, pleading.

"Please…" My voice shook, my body trembled. "Don't give me false hope..."

Zain took another step forward.

The storm still raged on, but suddenly, it felt like the only thing that mattered was the next words that would come out of his mouth.

"That's right, Celia," Zain said, his voice steady even as the rain poured between us. "There's a chance. Kaiser could still be alive… captured by the grotesques."

I felt my breath hitch.

For a moment, just a moment, my world cracked open—just enough for something to slip through.

Hope.

But could I even believe it? Could I trust it? Or was it just another cruel joke fate was playing on me?

Zain continued, his tone unwavering. "It's just a theory for now… but we have witnesses. A survivor. Someone who's lived through it."

I stared at him. My fingers trembled at my sides.

Please. Please don't lie to me.

I wanted to say it, but my lips wouldn't move. My throat felt tight, strangled by the weight of my emotions.

Zain didn't wait for my reply. He stepped forward slightly, his expression still unreadable.

"The grotesques' recent attacks… they're not mindless rampages. They're coordinated hunts. Evidence suggests that the Swarm Tyrant—the monstrous king of the devouring nest—has been taking humans before major raids. Not for food…" He paused, his silver hair dripping with rain. "But for interrogation. Experimentation."

I inhaled sharply.

The grotesques—those mindless, flesh-eating monsters—interrogating people? Experimenting on them?

My hands curled into fists. I was shaking, but not from the cold anymore.

Zain pressed on. "This means grotesques aren't just evolving randomly. They're learning. They're systematically gathering intelligence on human settlements before attacking."

A chill ran down my spine.

"...W-What…?" My voice came out weak, uncertain.

If what he was saying was true, then grotesques weren't just monsters. They were calculating. They were thinking.

They were planning.

I swallowed hard. A lump had formed in my throat.

The rain kept pouring, soaking me completely, but I took a hesitant step forward. I didn't care how pathetic I looked, how desperate I sounded.

"Please… tell me you're not lying, Zain," I whispered, my voice barely holding together.

Zain shook his head. No hesitation.

"Before every major grotesque attack, people disappear," he said. "Townsfolk vanish—no signs of a struggle. Their remains are never found among the dead." He met my eyes, serious and firm. "In Levi's Town alone, a dozen hunters and travelers vanished two weeks before the first grotesque raid."

I felt my heart pound against my chest.

Kai…

I took another step toward him, desperation bleeding into my voice.

"Please… please don't give me false hope."

I couldn't take it. Not again. If I believed him and it turned out to be a lie…

I wasn't sure I could survive that.

Zain stepped closer too. He shook his head again, his soaked clothes clinging to him from the rain. "I'm not."

The storm around us was relentless. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance. The cold bit into my skin, but…

Somehow, I felt warm.

Just maybe… just maybe… my Kai was still alive…

Zain's voice softened, but there was something steady—hopeful—in it.

"We haven't found his body."

My breath hitched.

Zain continued, "Even if he was attacked first, there were no remains. No limbs. No blood. Nothing that confirmed he was dead."

I felt something deep inside me—something that had been shattered for so long—start to mend.

My heart was pounding, fast and loud in my ears. The weight on my chest, the unbearable grief I had been drowning in, shifted—just slightly.

Zain's next words nearly made my legs give out.

"Maybe he was taken. Maybe the grotesques captured him… for experimentation. For research."

I sucked in a breath, my hands clasping over my chest.

"There's a chance," Zain said, looking straight into my eyes. "Kaiser might still be alive."

And just like that—

The storm around me went silent.

The world, my grief, my pain—everything faded into nothingness.

All that remained was those words.

Kai…

Zain extended his hand toward me. His expression was calm—too calm for the weight his words carried.

"So, Celia… there's still a chance." His voice was steady, firm, unwavering. "You can bring him back. Only you."

I stared at his hand, fingers slightly curled, waiting for mine.

Hope.

It dangled in front of me like a fragile thread. I wanted to grasp it, to hold it tightly and never let go. But what if I reached out… and it snapped? What if this was just another cruel illusion, another dream that would shatter the moment I woke up?

Still… my fingers twitched.

Zain's voice pulled me back. "Help us, Celia. Help us defeat the Swarm." He exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "I've seen your capabilities firsthand. When you fought me and the guild members, you proved it—you're strong. You can help us win."

I hesitated. My hand barely lifted from my side, trembling.

"Do it for Kaiser," Zain said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Get stronger for him. Fight for him. Let the world know that he has you, and that you'll be there for him."

Something inside me snapped.

Not in a way that broke me. Not in a way that shattered my heart into more pieces than it already was.

No. This time… it was different.

Like fire catching onto dry wood, spreading, burning, consuming everything in its path.

Kai…

I could almost hear his voice. His soft, gentle tone from all those times he looked at me—looked only at me.

"You're beautiful, Celia. You should smile more. At least for me."

I squeezed my eyes shut. My breath came in sharp, shaky.

For him.

For the one who called me beautiful.

For the one who told me to smile.

For the one I refused to lose.

My eyes fluttered open, and without another second of hesitation, I grabbed Zain's hand in a firm shake.

"Okay," I whispered. Then, louder, stronger, "I will help. I will defeat the Swarm and—"

I paused, my mind spiraling back to the last time I saw Kaiser. His face, his warmth, the way his voice carried through the wind when he spoke my name.

The world blurred for a moment. Then, my lips curled.

It wasn't a soft smile.

It wasn't a happy one either.

It was a promise.

A cursed, murderous promise.

A dark aura crackled around me like a storm ready to burst. I let it rise, let it fill the air, let it speak the words I didn't need to say.

And then, I did say them.

"I'll let the world burn… for ever touching him."

Zain's lips twitched up in a small, approving smile.

"Welcome to the team." His tone was lighter, but his eyes knew better than to treat this as anything other than what it was. War. "A month from now, the Swarm is expected to attack the town. Can we count on you?"

I tilted my head slightly, my voice turning cold as ice.

"You don't need to ask me twice." My grip on his hand tightened briefly before I pulled away. "I will burn each of those bugs alive. Those pests won't have a nest to crawl back to once I'm done."

My eyes darkened, a violent glint reflecting in them as the rain around us seemed to slow, as if the very air had sensed the shift in me.

Let them come.

Let them try to take what was mine.

Because the next time they did—

I would make sure they suffered for it.

I will get stronger.

I don't care what it takes.

If I have to embrace this cursed blood running through my veins, I will. If I have to become the monster they whisper about, the one they fear, then so be it.

The Queen of Curses.

They compare me to her. They say I resemble her. Then I'll make sure to live up to the name.

If it means having Kaiser in my arms again—if it means feeling his warmth, hearing his voice, knowing he's still here—I will do it. Over and over again.

I will learn to fight. To kill. To destroy.

And I will not hesitate.

Not until I have him back.

Not until these grotesque are nothing but ash beneath my feet.

Watch me.

Watch as I ascend to my throne—

And make you kneel.

Mysterious Perspective:

The storm raged outside, drowning the forest in a suffocating darkness. Rain pounded against the trees, the distant rumble of thunder rolling through the sky like a beast awakening from its slumber.

Yet, within the depths of this blackened night, there was a flicker of warmth. A small cave, barely noticeable amidst the overgrown wilderness, where the light of a campfire danced against the jagged stone walls. The flames crackled softly, their orange glow illuminating a lone figure sitting near them.

A man.

His body was wrapped in bandages, covering deep wounds that had yet to heal. A fresh strip of cloth was being tied around his right eye, stained faintly with blood. His hands, rough and scarred, moved with an eerie calmness as he bit the end of the bandage, tearing it off with his teeth.

A smirk played on his lips.

His voice was deep, laced with amusement.

"They say a man can never truly value his life until he experiences death up close—" he mused, pulling the bandage tighter. "Until he stands on the edge of the abyss and sees what waits on the other side. Then, suddenly, life becomes so precious. They beg. They weep. They regret drowning in eternity."

The fire crackled louder. His smile widened.

"Not me, though. I've died far too many times to have regrets now."

His fingers traced the handle of a knife beside him—its edge sharp, reflecting the flickering firelight. Slowly, he lifted it, turning it towards his mouth, as if lost in thought.

Then, without shifting his gaze, he spoke again.

"Don't you agree?"

The cave fell into a heavy silence.

A soft, wet noise echoed in response. A sound of desperation.

From the other side of the cave, nestled in the darkness, something twitched. Or at least, it tried to.

A grotesque.

Or rather, what used to be one.

Its wings had been torn off. Its limbs had been severed, leaving nothing but a pitiful, squirming husk. Jagged cuts marred its exoskeleton, evidence of torment beyond imagination. It wasn't dead.

No, that would have been mercy.

This thing—this once-mindless beast—knew fear now.

It understood the meaning of pain.

And as the bandaged man's eyes met its hollow, trembling form, it let out a chittering, pathetic sound. A plea. A desperate, mindless begging for life.

But the man only watched.

His smirk stretched into something more twisted. His fingers tightened around the knife.

And then—

"Heh..."

A low chuckle.

"Hahaha..."

The fire flickered violently as his laughter deepened, growing, twisting into something unhinged.

"Ahahah... AHAHAHAHAH... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!"

His voice filled the cave, drowning out even the storm outside.

The grotesque trembled, unable to escape, unable to fight back.

It was helpless.

And its captor?

He was enjoying it.

The sound of rain pounding outside barely reached the depths of the cave, drowned out by something far more sinister.

The slow, rhythmic tap of a blade against calloused fingers.

"Now..." The bandaged man's voice was smooth, almost amused. "Let's see how we're going to have our fun today."

His single dark eye gleamed in the firelight as he tilted his head toward the grotesque.

It flinched.

Tried to move.

Tried to run.

But the ropes held firm, binding what little remained of its broken body. Its wings were gone. Its limbs were severed. It had no means to escape.

Still, it struggled. Still, it begged.

A wet, sickly noise came from its twisted throat—a pathetic sound, a plea for mercy.

The bandaged man chuckled.

"Oh? Not in the mood to choose, huh?" He smirked, spinning the knife in his hand. "How rude."

With slow, deliberate motion, he brought the blade to his lips. His tongue slithered out, running along the edge of the metal in a slow, deliberate lick.

The sharp sting of pain followed.

A thin line of his own blood trailed down the knife's edge.

He inhaled sharply, letting the sensation sink in before he pulled the knife away, licking his lips as if savoring the taste.

The grotesque twitched violently. The sound it made now was different—choked, rattling, its body trying to recoil as much as it could despite being bound.

The bandaged man barely spared it a glance as he set his knife down. Instead, he reached for a small wooden box nearby. With a quiet click, the lid opened, revealing an array of carefully arranged tools inside.

Five instruments of agony.

Iron Spikes – Long, rusted, perfect for driving through exoskeleton and flesh alike.

Bone Saw – Serrated, jagged, ideal for slow, agonizing cuts.

Tear Hooks – Designed to latch onto flesh and rip it apart with a single pull.

Fire Tongs – Heated over the flames until they glowed red, searing through nerves upon contact.

The Widow's Needle – A thin, barbed instrument that slides beneath the skin, tearing from within.

He picked each one up, turning them over in his hands, admiring their craftsmanship.

Then, he laid them all out neatly beside him.

"If you're not going to decide..." He sighed, running a finger along the sharp edge of the tear hooks. "I'll do it for you. As always."

His dark eyes locked onto the grotesque, his smirk widening into something monstrous.

A smile so wicked it could make even the devil himself avert his gaze.

The air felt heavier. The fire seemed dimmer.

His fingers danced between the weapons, hovering over each one as he whispered to himself, a playful tune leaving his lips.

"Eeny..." His hand swayed to the left.

"Meeny..." Then to the right.

"Miny..." His fingers tapped against the widow's needle.

"Mo—"

Then, he froze.

And without warning—

Laughter.

Twisted, maniacal, echoing off the cave walls.

"AHAHAHAHAH!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

The grotesque convulsed in sheer terror, the sound shaking through its hollow body.

The cave drowned in screams, its agony swallowed by the howling storm outside.

Who was this man?

And what horrors would he unleash next?