Zed trudged through the dense forest, branches cracking beneath his boots. His cloak clung to his sweat-soaked back, but his mind was elsewhere.
Zed:[Monsters... I hate them…Evil incarnate.]
His grip tightened on his sword as he shoved through a curtain of leaves. The rustling bushes ahead revealed a shape.Zed didn't hesitate. In one motion, his blade plunged into the beast's chest. Its dying hiss pleased him.
Then—
???: [HELP ME!!]
Zed: [A human voice?]
His eyes widened.
Zed:[A human? Out here?]
Zed dashed toward the sound, heart pounding, and stopped at a grim sight a lifeless body sprawled in the grass.
???: [Too slow]
a lazy voice mocked.
Zed's gaze shot up.
A boy perched on a low branch, swinging his legs. He looked human almost too human.
Zed: [Wait... you're human? Are you hurt?]
He stepped back, eyes narrowing.
Zed:[No way... but you look…]
Felt: [Name's Felt. Nice to meet you.]
Zed: [don't need your name.]
Zed glanced at the corpse, stomach twisting. Zed: [Did you kill her?]
Felt grinned.
Felt: [A monster did.]
Zed lunged. His blade flashed at Felt's neck but Felt vanished. Zed's swing cut empty air.
A crushing fist slammed into Zed's back. His vision blurred as he crashed through a tree trunk, splinters flying.
Zed pushed up, spitting blood, laughter bubbling through the pain.
Zed: [Like hell!]
He lunged, dragging his sword through the dirt until sparks danced along its edge. With a roar, he swung at Felt's face.
—!
Dust burst in Felt's eyes. He cursed, stumbling back.
Zed didn't waste it. His blade carved a shallow cut across Felt's chest.
Felt hissed, touched the wound, then chuckled as lightning flickered in his palm. Felt: [Stronger than I thought. Guess I'll stop holding back]
Zed: [What... are you?]
Zed rasped.
Felt raised his palm. Sparks crackled, then exploded in a beam of lightning. Zed barely blocked it with his sword. The blast hurled him back
Agh—!
Before he recovered, Felt dropped from above, smashing Zed's head into the ground.
Eerk—!
Felt peered down, faintly smiling.
Felt: [You don't know when to quit]
Zed's shoulders shook, then he laughed
Zed: [Quit... to a monster? Never.]
Felt's grin widened as clouds darkened overhead, thunder growling deep within them.
Felt: [Good. Don't disappoint]
—?!
Bolts rained from the sky, splitting trees and earth alike. Zed dashed through the chaos, weaving desperately.
Felt folded his arms, watching calmly.
Felt: [What's your goal?]
Zed gritted his teeth, sidestepping a bolt
Zed: [To wipe out every monster in this world]
Felt's brow twitched.
Felt: [All monsters?]
A bolt struck near Zed's feet, tripping him.
Felt stood above him,
Felt: [All monsters, huh?]
Zed glared up, voice dripping with disgust.
Zed: [You look human, but you stink of rot. A monster]
Felt's smile faded.
Zed vanished into the trees, leaping from trunk to trunk in a blur.
Felt: [What now?]
Felt muttered, tracking him lazily.
Zed: [All you monsters are the same! You killed her for nothing! Heartless!]
Felt: [SHUT UP! She attacked me just like you!]
Memory flickered behind Felt's eyes
A woman found him by the riverbank. Her eyes widened.
Woman: [A monster...!]
Felt: [Don't fight… go home.]
Felt warned.
She lunged anyway. A blur. A scream. Silence.
—
Zed: [She died fighting a monster now I'll finish her job!]
A storm of slashes ripped through the forest, cleaving trees and battering Felt with countless strikes.
ARGHHH—!
Slow, mocking claps echoed through the clearing. The dust cleared
Felt stood, blood falling from his head, grin unchanged.
––
Felt: [When will you fight me for real?]
Zed's sword slipped from numb fingers as the forest spun.
Zed: [No way...]
he hit the ground.