no head to the repercussions of his actions. If it was a trap, they’d get what they wanted, but they’d have to kill him first. Emil gracefully dodged the low hanging vines and branches as he ran through the forest, determined to find his answer. As he drew closer to where his village once stood, the fog became thicker, forcing him to slow to a crawl. His feet skidded across the terrain as he came to a sudden stop. His breaths came slow, but not forced. The air was denser inside the fog than anywhere else in the forest. Slowly, Emil walked in the direction of his home town; fully aware that what he was witnessing wasn’t nature’s doing.
Emil walked through the forest, unnerved, sword in hand, mentally prepared for the ambush that was sure to come. As he ventured deeper into the forest, the king’s men never came. Instead, on the outskirts of his home , a charred body hung loosely by the neck from a withered rope.
“Beth?”
There was no mistaking it. Her limp body was clothed the same as it was when he last saw her. Her frayed maroon dress eerily complemented the reddened flesh hanging from the exposed parts of her lifeless body. She damned the whole town, her people, and ultimately herself all for a few coins. The assorted pieces of gold were scattered beneath the leaves directly under the tree where her body silently swayed.
Damn…
Emil tried his best to leave her body where it hung, but it didn’t sit right with him. He drew his sword and cut through the rope that suspended her, allowing him to gently lay her against the base of the tree. His fingers ran lightly over her eyelids, finally putting her soul to rest.
Not too far from his position, the sound of a cracked branch echoed behind him. Immediately, Emil turned his head over his shoulder and saw a familiar silhouette running deep into the woods. A numbing chill gripped his body as he felt the blood in his body ice over.
“R...Ren?” He said softly to himself as he gazed deeper into the disorienting fog. “Ren!” Emil sprang to his feet and called once more before rushing in after her. “Ren! Ren! It’s me!” he yelled as he desperately tried to track her trail. “It’s not safe here! Where are you?! Ren!”
He stopped and searched the surrounding area for a sign, waiting for her response. “Taeo! Mom! We have to get out of here!”
“Emil, I’m scared!” he heard her voice faintly in the distance.
“Ren! I’m coming. I can’t see you. Stay put! I’ll come your way!” Emil paced himself in the direction of her voice until he found her waiting for him on a patch of charred earth. She stood alone, surrounded by the aftermath of the initial attack.
“Ren… are you ok? Where are the others?” he said as he slowly approached her. Before he could touch her, her body faded into a silver stream of dust that dissipated into the fog.
Legion.
Emil quickly twisted his body and grimaced at the sight of a figure solidifying behind him. Without hesitation, Emil lunged towards the silver specter, piercing through its heart with his crackling hand.
Ren?
The head of the being bore a spitting resemblance to Ren as it morphed into a more solid form. Taking advantage of Emil’s shock, the specter retaliated, seemingly un-phased by the crumbling crystal-like material that fell from the hole in its shattered chest. From its mouth, a sickle emerged and fired at Emil from point blank range, cutting him on the cheek.
“Gah!”
Emil winced in pain as the crystal spire drew blood as it traveled alongside his face. Using his free hand, Emil swiped clean through the neck of the crystallized figure, causing it to crumble immediately. The head of the figure rolled beside him, its mouth still gaped open, bearing the face of the one he trusted most.
Illusions. Emil thought as he watched the head disintegrate into the ground.
His train of thought was halted by a swarm of footsteps encroaching on him from amidst the thickening fog. Emil
Emil walked through the forest, unnerved, sword in hand, mentally prepared for the ambush that was sure to come. As he ventured deeper into the forest, the king’s men never came. Instead, on the outskirts of his home , a charred body hung loosely by the neck from a withered rope.
“Beth?”
There was no mistaking it. Her limp body was clothed the same as it was when he last saw her. Her frayed maroon dress eerily complemented the reddened flesh hanging from the exposed parts of her lifeless body. She damned the whole town, her people, and ultimately herself all for a few coins. The assorted pieces of gold were scattered beneath the leaves directly under the tree where her body silently swayed.
Damn…
Emil tried his best to leave her body where it hung, but it didn’t sit right with him. He drew his sword and cut through the rope that suspended her, allowing him to gently lay her against the base of the tree. His fingers ran lightly over her eyelids, finally putting her soul to rest.
Not too far from his position, the sound of a cracked branch echoed behind him. Immediately, Emil turned his head over his shoulder and saw a familiar silhouette running deep into the woods. A numbing chill gripped his body as he felt the blood in his body ice over.
“R...Ren?” He said softly to himself as he gazed deeper into the disorienting fog. “Ren!” Emil sprang to his feet and called once more before rushing in after her. “Ren! Ren! It’s me!” he yelled as he desperately tried to track her trail. “It’s not safe here! Where are you?! Ren!”
He stopped and searched the surrounding area for a sign, waiting for her response. “Taeo! Mom! We have to get out of here!”
“Emil, I’m scared!” he heard her voice faintly in the distance.
“Ren! I’m coming. I can’t see you. Stay put! I’ll come your way!” Emil paced himself in the direction of her voice until he found her waiting for him on a patch of charred earth. She stood alone, surrounded by the aftermath of the initial attack.
“Ren… are you ok? Where are the others?” he said as he slowly approached her. Before he could touch her, her body faded into a silver stream of dust that dissipated into the fog.
Legion.
Emil quickly twisted his body and grimaced at the sight of a figure solidifying behind him. Without hesitation, Emil lunged towards the silver specter, piercing through its heart with his crackling hand.
Ren?
The head of the being bore a spitting resemblance to Ren as it morphed into a more solid form. Taking advantage of Emil’s shock, the specter retaliated, seemingly un-phased by the crumbling crystal-like material that fell from the hole in its shattered chest. From its mouth, a sickle emerged and fired at Emil from point blank range, cutting him on the cheek.
“Gah!”
Emil winced in pain as the crystal spire drew blood as it traveled alongside his face. Using his free hand, Emil swiped clean through the neck of the crystallized figure, causing it to crumble immediately. The head of the figure rolled beside him, its mouth still gaped open, bearing the face of the one he trusted most.
Illusions. Emil thought as he watched the head disintegrate into the ground.
His train of thought was halted by a swarm of footsteps encroaching on him from amidst the thickening fog. Emil
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