Axer ran across the field. His feet barely touched the grass, like a cheetah in the savannah. In no time, he made it back to the mountain range's entrance–the one Indu used.

Faint bits of moonlight broke through the cacophony of leaves. The grass swayed to the gentle tone of the wind. The smell of mild spice with earthly undertones and a tinge of sweetness pleasured his nose.

With a calm, serene composer, Axer leaned against the thick tree trunk. He only held on for mere seconds before his breathing became ragged, and his body started trembling. Something blocked his throat, and his lip began quivering. Unknowingly, tears formed at the edge of his eyes.

It’s her. It’s really her. Axer covered his mouth, his body having already slid to the ground. Bits of bark broke off the tree, but there was no pain along his naked back.

No, I can’t be sure. Just because she has an eye scar doesn’t mean it’s her. NO! The scar is exactly the same! It must be her! It must be! Axer clutched his head with both hands, his mind in shambles. Something burned in his chest like a raging star. He wanted her. He needed her.

Axer had no explanation for this feeling. When he laid eyes on her six years ago, it hurt so much that he believed death had come to claim him. But simultaneously, an indescribable emotion told him to protect and cherish her with all his being. He was to be her knight. An entire future flashed before his eyes – the two living together, a radiating smile across her face as she gazed upon him. It filled him with such excruciating euphoria he didn’t know what to do. Someone like him, who took no interest in women normally, was reduced to such a state by her. But when he wanted to comprehend this emotion and understand who she was, she vanished.

To think, to think I’d see her again. Axer was so happy tears rolled down his face. He could never show this side to her – it had taken nearly every drop of willpower to keep up the playful and mysterious façade he showed her. And on top of that, he had to stop himself from asking her to marry him on the spot.

God, I’m such a creep. Who wouldn’t be creeped out if they saw this side of me? Axer knew exactly what would happen should this side of him be discovered. Social execution would be the least of his worries – no, what truly frightened him to the bones was Indu looking at him with disgust. Never would he let that happen. Never. Never. If it did –

I don’t think I could live anymore.

He remembered nearly every detail about their encounter. Although it was surely a passing memory for Indu, who seemed like a girl who went on many adventures, how could he forget something so precious?

If anyone found me doing this, my fate would be sealed. He pulled a torn scrap of white cloth from his pant's pocket – his kindly donated robe. Axer carefully scanned the area, his every sense picking up any sign of life in the area. Bugs crawled, small animals sauntered around, owls hunted, and the occasional big animal slumbered in a one-kilometer radius. And luckily for him, there were no humans.

Creepy bastard. Axer cursed himself as he put the cloth to his nose and took a deep sniff, letting its scent travel deep into his nose. It smelled sweet and succulent with a hint of sourness and an even slighter scent of spice – captivatingly delicious.

Disgusting bastard. He sniffed the cloth. Sickening bastard. He sniffed harder. This isn’t the conduct of a knight. Axer continued to sniff despite the curses he threw upon himself. He was so obsessed that he couldn’t help being a degenerate.

With a herculean effort, he stuffed the cloth back into his pocket. His face was hot, the cool air seldom doing anything for it. However, the desire burning deep within cooled after smelling the cloth. It still raged on, but more like a forest fire instead of a star – still bad, but manageable.

She’s beautiful, now that I think about it. Axer stood up and began his walk back to the cave hideout. He suddenly remembered her appearance. Indu’s skin was like soft honey spread on bread. He wanted to feel her completely, but that was morally reprehensible – he detested such actions. Her black hair shone in the moonlight like a dark jewel. Her namesake radiated her beauty like an ethereal diamond in the night.

[Ɨ’ŁŁ ҜƗŁŁ Ħ€Ř ŴƗŦĦ ŦĦƗŞ V€Ř¥ βØĐ¥] 

A corrupted voice erupted in his mind – a voice from beyond the grave. Deep and depraved, it paved a path of violence and terror with its vocals. The mouth its voice had once been united with devoured humans with everlasting frenzy, its claws a jagged ending to all but him.

“No! Don’t! DON’T! DOŇ'Ŧ!”

His arms which had barely contained their trembling shook once more. Red, veiny tendrils traveled under his skin like worms. An ever-growing green aura enveloped his arms. Terrifying black claws grew as an extension of his fingers from the aura. They grew from his feet, digging into the ground like a material existence.

“ǤŘŘŘŘŘ….” A growl escaped Axer’s lips. The green aura closed in, fusing with his skin. Rough, reptilian scales began appearing across his body like maggots emerging from a corpse.

[ĐŘØŴŇ ỮŇĐ€Ř ŦĦ€ βŁØØĐ Ø₣ ŦĦØŞ€ ŴĦØ ŞỮĆĆỮΜβ€Đ ŦØ ¥ØỮŘ βŁΔĐ€]

No…I…can’t…lose myself…for Indu…I must…fight for her!

Crimson flames enveloped Axer’s nearly reptilian-turned-arms. They crackled like a raging inferno, licking the air as if threatening to set the world ablaze. It devoured the surrounding oxygen like a starved dog, growing brighter and brighter like a beacon in the night!

“ŞŦΔ¥ Đ€ΔĐ ¥ØỮ DAMN CROCODILE!” The flames burst outward in a wave that obliterated everything within a 10-meter radius. Trees, grass, shrubs, bugs, and animals could only return to their primordial state under the onslaught straight from hell. There was only the charred ground, broken bits of rocks, and the skeletal ashes of life in the radius of the explosion.

“Haaaa….” Axer exhaled a ragged breath as he fell to a single knee. Sweat poured down his face, his muscles quivering. His arms ached and burned ever-so-slightly, but it was worth it. The corruption had stopped spreading. The green aura vanished, the scales disappeared, and Axer was confident he had returned to being a regular human being.

“It’s getting worse.” He coughed out blood as he blocked his mouth.

How much longer could he withstand it? 3 months? 1 month? Only time could tell, but time was his worst enemy. Day by day, it grew within, threatening to take his body over and render immemorial pain worldwide. But now, more than ever, could he not allow it to rein. He had to fight. He had to beat it back with every inch of his being. He had to wage eternal war to not let the world feel eternal war.

I must never let it hurt her. I must never let her see it. Even if I die…she must live.

Axer stumbled back to his cave with a dizzy head. He leaned against the cave walls, the dreary walls even drearier without her presence. He wanted her to stay with him all night – not in the wrong way, of course – but thanks to the damned crocodile’s remnant will slumbering within him, he was the biggest liability in her life. He, who cherished her like no other (as he so liked to believe), had the likeliest chance to kill her. Not him, but his body. Regardless, it was an outcome he didn’t want at all. But he still longed for her – the human mind was cruel like that.

And with conflicting thoughts as his only companion among the desolate mountain range, Axer fell asleep slumped against the cave walls.

…

“Sire! Sire, oh good sire, wake up!” A voice cried out in sorrow.

“Sobek’s will is tormenting him again!” A different, gruffer voice ground its teeth in anger.

“It’s all our fault; we should have stopped him from drinking its blood back then!” Yet another voice lamented in self-blame.

“Who dares…!” When Axer felt a soft palm touch his cheek, his eyes shot open as he growled.

“The captain’s awake!” A boy, no more than 15 years old, stood with his face inches away from Axer’s. A bright smile radiated across his peachy face that hadn’t faced the harsh summer heat. Longer than average ears poked out from his long, blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

“Grey- hah, forget it. Is this what they mean by young minds always having fresh ideas?” Leaning against the wall next to the cave’s entrance was a man clutching his head with his gauntlet-covered hand. He had a bushy beard and short, brown hair. Thick, bulging muscles made up his arms, perfect for wielding the war hammer slung across his back. Beefy, milky white armor covered everything but his neck and face.

“Sir Lyntone, isn’t it normal to touch people’s faces to wake them?” The boy’s eyes widened like an innocent puppy’s.

“…how the hell were you waken up as a child?” Dunstan Lyntone muttered under his breath. Axer easily heard it, but the boy, Elfsige Grey, couldn’t – he wasn’t strong enough yet.

“Elfsige.” Axer eyed the hand still cupping his cheek. “How long do you plan to hold my face?”

“Ah!” Elfsige’s hand yanked back as he muttered an apology. Axer merely smiled. Elfsige was always like that – a strange, unconventional child. But it was a refreshing strangeness. He possessed a boundless thirst for knowledge, so his methods were quite unique. Despite his young age, Axer trusted Elfsige’s knowledge bank – even the method used to wake him up could have been a technique from a far-off place.

“Sire, it happened again, right?” A man with dark bags beneath his eyes that only looked worse with his haggard face sauntered over. A sleeker, milky-white armor covered him, a rapier to his side. The center of the chest plate showed a sword crossed with a crescent moon – the logo of the Lunar Knights.

“Unfortunately.” Axer shook his head as he stood up, a slight dizziness in his head. “When did you guys arrive?”

“Only a few minutes prior, sire.” The man scanned Axer up and down. “We should head back to the mansion post haste. Although a precursory glance says otherwise, I fear Sobek’s will may have done more damage than the surface reveals. Heavens, if you were to be injured right now-” The man nervously bit his teeth.

“Nycholas.” Axer grabbed the man’s shoulder. “There’s no need to fret. I’m fine. I understand your concern, but really, there’s no need to worry. A mere animal with a human form poses no threat to me.”

“But-”

“Cod, the captain says he’s fine, so he likely is. You need to curb that cynicism of yours.” Dunstan turned to look at Axer. “But Cod is also right, captain. Not only do we need to ensure your health, you still have many administrative duties to take care of. You can’t stay in these mountains forever and neglect your land, can you?”

“…You’re right.” Axer let out a deep sigh. “Although, I did attain a little progress in suppressing Sobek.”

“Whatever the case may be, my lord,” Another man entered the cave and gave Dunstan a withering glance. “If we don’t find a solution….” The man’s blue eyes glowed with a harsh light.

“…you’ll die a miserable death. Worse, the damage you could inflict upon this land might require multiple armies to stop.”

“I understand the stakes better than you do, Royce.” Axer sighed again as he rubbed his head. What the hell am I supposed to do? God damn it, if only I wasn’t so hasty back then! Now, I might never actually get the chance to be with her. I can’t let that happen. I absolutely mustn’t let that happen!

Axer clenched his fist as his face hardened.

“Do you have any progress towards a solution?”

“We’re still looking, my lord.” Royce Ainsleys said with a twinge of regret in his voice. “However, there’s another, more pressing matter at hand.” Everyone but Axer, including the giddy Elfsige, released horrifying levels of bloodlust as rage overtook their expressions. Even Axer couldn’t help but leak it out as well. Their combined killing intent suffocated the small cave, making the moss and small plants growing along its cracks retreat away.

“The Disciples. We’ve found them.”