Aris looked at the small group of fennecs that had formed. They were all about the same size, and their eyes burned with the same intent — they wanted to tear him apart.
Aris wondered how these creatures could still be moving around like that when he had literally killed four of their kind. Didn't they have any sense of reason?
But in truth, he didn't care. He had to survive this fight. And yet, strangely, it didn't really feel like survival anymore. Something inside him felt... off.
Just the day before, facing two fennecs had been one of the hardest fights of his life. Not because of their strength, but because of how weak he was. Aris had been critically frail for four days now, and it wasn't improving. He had had two strange fennec orbs, but his body craved more to properly recover.
He should've been in the same state as the day before. Yet he didn't feel like it. The former king was gaunt, and his body looked like it might collapse at any moment—but Aris didn't feel that way. Was it the madness of hunger? Was it the body's final spark before death, pushing him toward carnage to take down as many as possible?
Aris didn't know. But there was one thing he was sure of: he felt oddly good. His head shook slightly, his arms were a bit slower to respond, but his stomach had gone silent. For a little while, at least. It wasn't screaming anymore.
"Might as well enjoy it a little."
Aris stepped forward, madness gleaming in his eyes. The fennecs didn't back down. Unlike the day before, they truly wanted his blood.
He had only two sharpened stones turned into makeshift knives and a bag tied with a string that functioned like a crude whip. It was far from enough. But he didn't care.
Soon, the battle between the four beasts broke loose.
Aris charged forward with a scream of rage while the three fennecs spread out around him. Only one stayed directly ahead to face him and leapt straight for his head.
Aris saw it coming. The reflection of the creature in Aris's eyes grew larger and larger. But he had no time to focus on just one. All three were aiming for his throat.
He dropped down violently, and the beasts collided just above him. Thankfully, they weren't very smart.
He rolled to the side and put distance between himself and the group, securing his prey by putting them behind him. He knew more would come, and his bag wasn't big enough. He had to leave quickly to secure the loot.
One of the fennecs snapped out of the confusion and rushed him. Then a second. Then a third. Aris didn't fear facing them all—what he feared was time. He had to escape. But he didn't mind killing one or two on his way out.
He grabbed one of his knives and threw it once again. The weapon cut through the air. The first fennec dodged it, but the second, right behind it, couldn't see it coming. The blade landed squarely in its mouth. Aris grinned.
The other two didn't stop. Aris scanned his surroundings for a longer or sturdier weapon, but there was nothing. So he had another idea. Another risky gamble.
The first fennec lunged again toward his face. Apparently, these little beasts didn't know any other moves. Aris exploited that weakness. He had no trouble dodging fennecs in midair, which gave him the time he needed to act.
As the first missed him, Aris grabbed his bag and began wrapping its string around it with precise movements. Soon, the string tightened around the fennec, trapping it.
The second charged in with fangs bared—those rows of razor-sharp teeth aimed right at the fallen king's face.
But Aris was faster. Again, a knife pierced the creature's lower jaw. Blood sprayed across his face, but he had no time to care. He dodged just in time, the beast's claws grazing his cheek.
Aris then pulled the string tight and yanked with force. The first fennec, now bound, was yanked off the ground, surprised, and launched into the air in an awkward arc.
The third fennec, who had spent the last ten seconds trying to remove the knife from its mouth, finally succeeded. But just as the bloodied weapon hit the ground, it saw another fennec flying at it like a missile.
It cursed internally—then was crushed like a ragdoll.
Aris pulled again. This time, the fennec didn't resist at all. As it flew back toward the former king, he met it with a brutal punch to the side of the head, slamming it into the ground. Aris smiled, proud of his cleverness. Then came a flurry of blows to the poor creature, who could only whimper.
But Aris didn't stop. Soon, he yanked the string again and sent the beast flying in the opposite direction. The second fennec saw the incoming body and dodged, the second knife still stuck in its mouth.
Aris was impressed by the creature's resolve—but it wouldn't save it.
Aris charged as the fennec moved forward slowly. It was injured, but not without resolve.
Gradually, it lunged as well, and soon the two met in a brutal clash. Aris had expected the beast to leap like a fool again. He grabbed the fennec caught in his cord and held it up to the oncoming attacker.
The fennec bit savagely into its blood brother despite its torn jaw. Black blood spilled from its wound.
Aris glanced quickly at the two dead fennecs — thankfully, still where he had left them — then focused back on the fight. He pulled the knife from the jaw of the beast that was biting like a demon into the other. Soon, he stabbed the small fennec in the skull, ending its life.
The one being bitten didn't last long either. Aris pulled out the knife and tossed the body to the ground, removing the cord so it wouldn't snap from the next blow. Then, using the same stone he had thrown earlier, he stepped on the creature's head. The rock sank in easily as the fennec's eyes dimmed.
Aris turned to the last one, who was trying to stand again. Its face was terrified and wounded — but the king was not. He burned with murderous madness. After a long stare between them, Aris turned abruptly and began tying the four dead fennecs together with his cord.
The remaining fennec hesitated, uncertain. How could it possibly defeat this monster?
Soon, Aris secured the four corpses to his body, tightening them with the same cord that now served as a crude bandolier. Blood poured over the fallen king's body, who now resembled more a beast than the frightened little fennec watching him.
Still, Aris moved toward him. Four corpses strapped to his body like trophies. A black stone knife in hand. His face and body covered in black blood. His armor half torn and stained dark from the fighting. His tunic, visible beneath, was ripped and soaked in gore.
The fennec wondered whether it was looking at a vengeful knight spirit instead of a fallen king. The gaze of madness weighed heavily on it.
Aris reached out calmly and slowly as the fennec closed its eyes. But nothing happened — at first.
Because Aris simply picked up the knife and crouched near the little fennec. He looked at it with a trace of sadness and said,
"You shouldn't have attacked me."
The fennec felt all strength leave its body, and just before collapsing, a black stone swiftly slashed its neck. The beast's head dropped silently to the ground.
Aris picked up the now dismembered body and left. He was still in a hurry. It needed to rain soon so more fennecs wouldn't come — but the sky showed no signs of rain. Worse, he could already feel other creatures closing in nearby.