The moss shimmered just ahead; A flat piece of ground, a thick coat of frothy green moss. It glowed intensely in David’s mana sight. Must be a big one. Easy money.

  He stepped forward, daggers drawn.

  “Just to stab it…” he began.

  The moss twitched.

  David lunged, not wanting it to get away.

  The entire clump lurched up, but instead of the fluffy underside, it unraveled into carapaced limbs.

  What had looked like a mosser's cover was merely camouflage for the half-a-meter-tall monster. Mandibles opened, revealing a glistening maw.

  “Down!” he shouted, stumbling backward as the thing pounced.

  He barely managed to twist to the side before the monster carved across his arm.

  David gritted his teeth and kicked. His mana-infused kick crashed into the creature’s torso.

  It bounced away, crashing through a brush.

  Sophie was at his side in seconds. “What—what is that!?”

  “I don’t know!” David hissed, clutching his bleeding arm. “Run!”

  The creature already recovered, its body low to the ground, and it was dashing straight at them.

  They turned and bolted as fast as their legs could carry them.

  Branches whipped past, roots threatened to trip them, but they ran; deeper and deeper, trying to shake the thing behind them.

  It was nimble, bouncing along the ground, propelling itself against the trees… But they had a lot of practice at running away.

  They were gaining ground.

  David’s eyes flicked forward and his stomach lurched.

  A cluster of mana signatures. Multiple small monsters, straight ahead. Shit.

  He skidded to a stop, then yanked Sophie left, veering off course and vaulting over a fallen log.

  The insectile monster caught up and lunged, aiming at his neck.

  David ducked, but his foot caught a root.

  He crashed to the ground, air knocked out of his lungs. Dirt filled his mouth.

  He pushed himself up just in time to see the monster leaping again.

  Sophie intercepted the creature, knife drawn. Claws tore into her shoulder as she cried out.

  David punched, catching the monster mid-air. It raked his arm as he sent it tumbling again.

  Blood gushed from David’s wounds. He was growing hazy from blood loss.

  Use the claws? But she will see me.

  Sophie fell next to him, blood staining her sleeve; She was struggling to get up.

  David looked at her, terrified and wounded. The monster was already charging again.

  I won’t watch it happen again, consequence be damned.

  He gritted his teeth, extended his fingers, and let the mana flow.

  The claws erupted from his hands until they reached about fifteen centimeters; half their maximum size.

  The creature hissed and skidded to a stop, growing wary.

  More. Give me more. I’ll tear the nuisance to shreds.

  The voice filled his head.

  No. David fought against the dark influence. Not with Sophie watching.

  He steadied himself, his breath ragged as he stared down the monster.

  Sophie’s shoulder was torn apart. The world wobbled around her as pain shocked her mind.

  She blinked hard, the blurry mess of trees and blood-streaked dirt coming into focus.

  Marco.

  He was trading blows with the monster. They were both slashing and ducking in return.

  His movements were off. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  What is he holding?

  She squinted hard, her eyes fighting for focus.

  She froze as she saw them… The claws.

  Extending from his fingers like curved razors, sleek and dripping blood.

  What…?

  Her breath caught.

  It didn’t matter. He was in danger.

  She pushed herself up.

  The creature lunged and slashed at his leg; Marco stumbled, failing to dodge.

  Sophie moved on instinct, trying to get closer.

  The monster’s head snapped toward her. It circled around Marco.

  Too fast. Too close.

  It jumped and Sophie steadied her knife.

  It was all happening too fast.

  Marco let out a piercing screech as he rushed after the monster.

  His claws fused together, forming massive blades along his arms, and he suddenly grew faster.

  He dashed along the ground at insane speed, catching up to the monster. His curved blade went straight through the monster’s body.

  He lifted it, then flicked it to the ground.

  The creature twitched once, before dying.

  We… won?

  “Marco…?” Sophie’s voice trembled.

  He just stood there. She moved toward him, anxious.

  Then he turned, and for a moment—just a moment—relief flooded her chest.

  Blood clung to every inch of him, the nightmarish scythes were still there. His chest rose and fell in sharp breaths.

  “Marco!” she called again, staring into his wild eyes.

  He coiled and ran.

  Straight at her.

  She screamed, then fell, stumbling on a root.

  Why?

  She shut her eyes in terror.

  The world froze.

  …

  Did it? She waited a few breaths, but death didn’t reach her.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  She opened her eyes to a gurgling sound.

  The blade hovered a hair’s width from her throat.

  Marco stood above her. Frothing. Shaking.

  His eyes locked on hers, but they were still empty.

  Then, all at once, the blades retracted, sucked back into his hands with a sickening squelch.

  His fingers split and tore, blood flowing freely.

  Sophie watched him collapse, too stunned to breathe.

  David jolted upright with a gasp. His voice cracked as it tore from his throat.

  “Sophie!”

  The forest answered only with wind and rustling leaves. His heart thundered in his ears.

  “Sophie—!”

  “Keep it down.” Her voice came from nearby, flat and tired.

  David’s head snapped toward her.

  She was sitting cross-legged a few paces away, arms wrapped around her knees, eyes watching him carefully. She looked exhausted. There was blood on her sleeve, dried now. Her dagger sat loosely in one hand.

  “You’re—” He scrambled to his feet, but stopped when she rose halfway and lifted the blade toward him.

  “Don’t.” Her voice wavered slightly, but not her hand. “Just… don’t come closer.”

  David froze. His chest tightened and tears welled in his eyes.

  Now I’ve gone and done it.

  His legs folded beneath him as he dropped to the ground. The pain caught up all at once. Sharp, pulsing aches permeated his limbs.

  He glanced down.

  His fingers were wrapped in tight, careful bandages. Pain throbbed beneath them like something alive.

  All his wounds were dressed and covered in healing draught.

  “You did this…?” he asked, voice hoarse.

  Sophie didn’t answer.

  David looked up, his voice coarse, shaky. “You… waited?”

  “What else was I supposed to do?” she muttered.

  The silence stretched. David stared at the forest floor, wishing for it to swallow him.

  “I lied to you.”

  “That’s news.” She said, staring straight at him.

  He took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice.

  “I’ll start from the beginning.”

  She raised her brows, daring him to continue.

  There was no excuse and no clean way out.

  “I saw what happened to you, back then” he said. “With Calland. I was there. I saw it all, but I was too scared to move. I followed them and… I killed him.”

  Anger flared in Sophie’s eyes, but she said nothing.

  “I don’t know how to explain it right, but… when he died, I saw something leave his body. It looked like a thread, like light. I touched it.”

  Calland’s memories passed through his mind. They came pouring in as he looked at Sophie. He had to shake his head to push them away. “Ever since then, I can… see mana. As if I took away that part of him. I don’t know what it means.”

  “How does that have anything to do with now?”

  “Then the predator,” he continued, ignoring her question “The predator left something too, something worse. And I took it. I know I shouldn’t have, but I was curious. I wanted to know where monsters came from… I-I think a part of it lives in me n-now.”

  Sophie’s grip on the knife tightened, but she didn’t move.

  “I didn’t want to use it. I really didn’t.” His voice cracked. “But I thought you were going to die. I—I panicked. I gave in… And then it all went dark. I lost control.”

  She stood up.

  David flinched, but she only walked up to him.

  And slapped him, hard.

  His head recoiled, but he took it.

  “You scared me to death!” she hissed, tears suddenly gathering in her eyes. “What were you thinking?! How long were you going to keep this from me?”

  “I didn’t know how to explain it,” he muttered. “I thought I could keep it under control.”

  “Do Aura and Bert know?”

  “No one knows” He shook his head. “But you.”

  Her eyes were still full of pain and anger, but tempered by something different.

  “I’m sorry, I messed up.” he whispered. “But I did save you.”

  She folded her arms tightly, looking away.

  “If you want to leave after this, I won’t stop you. We’ll finish the job. Get you your citizenship. And you can never speak to me again.” He paused, his lips trembling. “But I swear I would never hurt you.”

  She was one of the only three people who ever felt familiar to him in this world. He didn’t even know how it happened, but he cared deeply about her opinion of him.

  “I’ll earn your trust back,” he said. “Just give me a chance.”

  Sophie didn’t answer right away. Then she exhaled sharply and walked forward.

  David braced his neck for another slap.

  She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him.

  David stiffened.

  “I’m so happy you’re alright.” she whispered. “ You’re reckless. Dangerous. Weird…” Her voice shook. “But you are also my little brother. How could I leave now?”

  David felt her his shoulder grow wet from her sobs. He couldn’t bring himself to speak as his chest filled to bursting with conflicting feelings.

  Shame. Guilt… Gratitude.

  Sophie’s embrace felt like a permission to be vulnerable, even if only briefly. A rare feeling ever since he lost Marie.

  He closed his eyes as tears gathered in them.

  It had been years spent in this hellhole of a world. Years carrying too many secrets to count.

  Maybe I should tell her the full story?

  A single droplet crossed his cheek before he managed to calm himself back down.

  I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

  Sophie stood with a grunt, patting the dirt off her pants. Her movements were still stiff.

  She glanced to the side, at the monster’s skewered body, then at him. Shame colored David’s ears, but Sophie’s gaze wasn’t accusatory.

  “So… what do we do with it?” She asked.

  The twisted limbs, the black blood soaking into the ground, the beetle-like mandibles.

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “The city kills monsters all the time, so bringing it through the gates might not be worth the attention.”

  He crouched, tapping one of the clawed limbs with a knuckle. He could attest to their sharpness with his wounds.

  Sophie nodded slowly. “We can’t drag the whole thing back. That’d be asking for trouble.”

  Her eyes lingered on the claws. “But…”

  David tilted his head. “But?”

  Sophie hesitated. “Since you have your… claws… maybe I should get something too. A weapon. I mean, one that actually works.”

  David blinked. Then grinned. “That’s brilliant.”

  A picture formed in his mind almost instantly; The long claw could be settled in a split shaft.

  Just have to butcher it. He stepped toward the corpse, raising a hand.

  And stopped.

  He stared at his fingers, still bandaged. Would he do that again in front of her?

  He tensed, hearing the soft steps behind. Suddenly, a hand gently touched his shoulder.

  “Do it,” she said softly. “I’ll just stand back.”

  He breathed out as the tension left him. Something warm lasted in its place.

  She gave him a small, encouraging nod, then walked back a few steps.

  He extended his right hand. Claws grew out just a bit.

  He glanced back at Sophie.

  She flinched, but she didn’t look away.

  And after a moment… she gave him a shaky smile.

  The forest gently rustled in the wind, birds chirped as David crouched beside the corpse and began hacking at the joint connecting the claw to the small body.

  He pried free one of the limbs and black goo pooled out of it.

  He’d never cared much for insects, but upscaled like this… they were something else. Grotesque, but interesting.

  David pried the second clawed limb from the monster's body with a wet crack. Black fluid oozed from the stump, but he was already used to the smell. He stood and wiped his hands on a nearby tree.

  "We’ll need a shaft," he muttered.

  Sophie nodded, already scanning the nearby trees. "You see that one? It’s a foli tree, should be durable."

  David followed her gaze and squinted. "Yeah… that could work."

  The trunk lacked any low-placed branches. David infused mana into his legs. He winced as his muscles screamed.

  I might be overdoing it here.

  He jumped up to the branch and pulled himself onto it.

  Then, carefully, testing each foothold, he climbed up. He stopped just beneath a proper-looking branch, around six meters off the ground.

  His claws extended just a tiny bit, careful not to destroy the bandages Sophie had applied. He used them to saw at the branch.

  A few strokes later, it snapped free. He tossed it down and carefully descended.

  Sophie sat down, next to the branch, and pulled out her knife.She stripped away the leaves and began carving a slit into one end.

  Meanwhile, David worked on the claw’s base, splitting the stump in half.

  After a few minutes of silent work, David slid the split claw into the shaft. It locked neatly with the slit Sophie had made.

  It looked… functional.

  Sophie pulled a cord from her pouch; gatherers' twine, usually used to bundle herbs. She wrapped it tightly around the joined section and tied it off with surprising finesse.

  David gave the weapon a light shake and a soft hit against a tree.

  Shoddy, but good enough.

  Sophie took the weapon with an amused smile. She gave the weapon a testing twirl, shifting her grip.

  "I have never used an actual spear." she said, her voice quiet. "Seems simple enough."

  David was still focused on the quality of their work. "It’s a war scythe." He replied, absentmindedly.

  Sophie looked at him, blinking. He stared at her. They paused like that for a moment.

  She burst out laughing.

  “Sure, Marco.” Sophie couldn’t stop. “Whatever you say.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it. It did come out a little silly.

  He looked up at her as she walked up to him. Deep inside, some part of him fully expected her to turn on him. To curse him.

  “I’ve got the weirdest brother ever.” She rustled his hair. “But we’re in it together now.”

  David’s cheeks grew hot. He looked to the ground, trying to find something to latch his attention onto.

  The remaining claw could be a fake weapon for him… Just in case somebody saw him fight. It felt… oddly comforting. That feeling might have stemmed from Sophie’s acceptance, though.

  She was still standing over him, toying with her new weapon, twirling it around.

  He should have been more open with her. At least it wasn’t too late.

  He turned back to the monster corpse.

  If anything, the head would be useful. The eyes, the brain; maybe worth something.

  He used his claws again to sever the neck, then crammed the parts into his satchel.

  The rest of the small body they left to rot.

  On the way back, they found a rocky outcrop tucked behind a curtain of brush.

  David ducked under and carefully placed the spear and the extra claw inside, to keep them dry and hidden.

  Sophie marked the location with a soft charcoal X on her herb map.

  Neither said much as they walked toward the city. They were too tired for that.

  But the silence was comfortable.