Chapter 4:

  Shogai was frozen. A fire like that didn't just happen. The last time a major fire had broken out was because Baker Thomas had left embers in his oven overnight. But fires like that would never encompass the whole village before people could react.

  This was something else.

  Why were people running instead of fighting the fire?

  Shogai tentatively approached the burning village, covering his mouth against the smoke. He had to stop the fire. The heat grew more intense as he got closer, waves of it pressing against his skin. The air tasted like ash.

  He walked toward the bakery - the fire was always worse there when Thomas made mistakes. Sure enough, as Shogai turned the corner, he was faced with an inferno pouring from the building.

  "Damn it, Thomas, what have you done?" he muttered.

  Shogai jumped through a window into the bakery, the flames licking at his arms. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the oven.

  It had been ripped open, allowing the fire to spread everywhere.

  This wasn't an accident.

  Shogai grabbed a rug from the floor and threw it over the oven, smothering the flames at their source. Too little, too late. He focused on what he could do - making sure everybody was out and safe.

  He climbed the stairs to his old attic room to see if Thomas was still in the house. It was empty, thankfully, but burnt to a crisp. Shogai picked up a sign on the floor that Thomas had made for his family. A welcome sign, handmade. The room had been renovated, decorated with care.

  It was all gone now. That must have broken his heart.

  Shogai left the burning building before his lungs could fill with smoke. He inspected the surrounding area-

  And saw something that made him retch.

  After a few seconds of emptying what little food he'd eaten, Shogai brought his head back up.

  Propped against the wall of the opposite building, as flames crawled closer, was the body of Baker Thomas.

  Shogai lost his voice. Thomas was clutching a straw figure - a homemade teddy bear. A gift for his daughter.

  “No…” He couldn’t bear to look, but he had to. Poor Thomas… How had this happened?

  Thomas wasn't burnt at all. He'd gotten away from the fire. Taking a deep breath, Shogai examined the corpse more closely. Chunks of his arms and legs were missing in unmistakable patterns.

  Bite marks.

  Something humanoid had eaten him. Shogai almost threw up again. This was… horrifying.

  Almost on cue, a feminine cackle came from beyond a set of flames. Shogai recognised it all too well.

  She was back.

  Shogai's mind raced with a hundred thoughts and emotions, but he forced himself to think logically. The Aberrant had broken into Nomun and started a fire. Shogai stood no chance against her. Fighting her would be suicide.

  If he couldn't fight her, he needed to run. But why hadn't she left yet? She must still think there were survivors. Her mission was to wipe out the village, wasn’t it? There must have been people left alive.

  And if there were, Shogai needed to help them.

  The plan was simple: sneak around the village and find anyone still alive. And avoid her at all costs. Rescue and retreat.

  Shogai sank to his hands and knees and crawled, partially to hide himself, partially to avoid the rising smoke. He needed to pinpoint her location immediately, then he could work around her.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The Aberrant was in a clearing ahead. Her face was monstrous - her jaw coated in blood, her eyes wild. Shogai held his breath. He did not want to be seen.

  The monster wandered around the clearing, seeming almost giddy with happiness, mumbling to any survivors to reveal themselves.

  She suddenly snarled.

  A yelp came from behind a burnt shack.

  The Aberrant smiled, having successfully startled her prey. She now knew their location. Shogai recognised that voice.

  It was one of the children.

  The Aberrant grabbed the burning pile of wood with her bare hands and tore it out of the way. She shook her hand, recoiling at the heat, but the sparks didn’t linger. She was mostly unbothered.

  She'd revealed four children hiding from her. Shogai recognised the three who had hidden behind the tree during hide and seek. The fourth was Garen.

  They were shivering in fear.

  The Aberrant gleefully stood over them with a deranged smile.

  With no hesitation, Shogai revealed himself.

  "Back off, you animal!"

  The Aberrant turned toward the sound. Garen stood and, with immense courage for a child his age, pushed her. She didn't budge, but her eyes widened. Such a small creature had stood up to her.

  "Take that, monster! Shogai beat you and your army before, and now you're all alone!"

  The Aberrant paused, head turning between Shogai and the children. She burst into laughter.

  "You? Beat me? I did not think you were that shallow, Shogai! Someone like you could never bring down someone like me. I am a force you can protect no one from. Allow me to demonstrate."

  Her arm shifted into a blade.

  Shogai reacted quickly, jumping toward her, but her other arm transformed, and she threw it at him like a projectile. It impaled Shogai through the torso and pinned him to the wall behind. His vision went red, but he couldn't focus on the pain.

  The sword was embedded in the wall, keeping him stuck in place. Forced to sit there.

  Forced to watch.

  “No… no stop! It’s me you want, isn’t it? I’m the fighter who’s been killing your companions! Let them go!”

  The Aberrant turned back to the children, her blade gleaming in the firelight.

  "You can't save anyone."

  It was over in seconds. Three small bodies fell to the ground, motionless. The screaming stopped. Shogai’s mouth dried, and the clearing fell into a deadly silence, despite the raging flames. One of the children had a permanent expression of terror on their face. Another had her hands curled into fists, as if she’d been trying to fight back. The third was crying. Shogai’s chest felt tight. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to protect them. His body felt heavy, broken… wrong. “You-you…” He tried to put rage into his voice, but nothing escaped but a squeak. He was snapped back to his senses when the silence broke.

  Garen was still alive, scrambling backwards in terror.

  Shogai's heart was beating faster and faster. Three children were dead. Garen was about to die. He was about to die. No, no, he can’t allow that to happen. He had to do something. He had to save him. His eyes began burning up.

  With a surge of energy, Shogai ripped the sword out of his stomach and, completely ignoring the bleeding, swung it at his opponent. She caught the blade easily and countered with a stab. Time slowed down. Breathe. Endure. Protect him. The blade struck Shogai and cut into his shoulder, but it didn’t go as deep as he expected. Shogai felt different, but it didn’t take long for things to return to normal. Things felt familiar again. The recklessness returned. Fight. Shogai leapt over her, grabbing her shoulders. With immense strength he didn't know he had, he managed to throw her across the clearing.

  The Aberrant crashed into a building, which collapsed on top of her, trapping her under burning debris. She gasped in pain as flames caught on her armour, and she tried desperately to get out.

  Shogai used the time to grab Garen. He could save him, at least. He didn't know where he'd found that strength, but he needed it now.

  Shogai ran, but he felt slower than before. That energy surge had worn off, and carrying a child didn’t help. She caught up to him in moments, her armour charred but her expression a mix of anger and surprise.

  "That was quite impressive. I was not expecting that. Do it again."

  Garen was grabbed from Shogai's arms with almost no resistance, held up by the leg. He started whimpering. Shogai had no energy left, and his stomach wound was making him feel lightheaded. Rescue him. He had to rescue him.

  "Punch me," The monster said.

  Seeing no other way to save Garen, Shogai took advantage of the opportunity. With all his remaining strength, he gathered energy into his fist - his most powerful attack. His fist became enveloped in visible red energy.

  Shogai launched his punch at that infuriating, smiling face. She fell backwards and dropped Garen, who crawled away.

  "You have potential, but I want more."

  The Aberrant… stood back up. She was somewhat injured, but still okay. No… no, no, no. Not like this. She walked up to Shogai, wiping blood from her nose.

  "When you’re stronger, I’m coming back for a fight. Remember my name: Sekara. I will be seeing you later. Don’t let me down."

  Sekara retracted her blade and hit Shogai in the head. With his current state, that was more than enough to knock him unconscious.

  He'd lost.