Chapter 4: Blood and Ash

Suddenly—Something broke inside the darkness.The figure was no longer hiding.

It ran.

It had no eyes, yet it moved with perfect direction...Straight toward Ayane....Ayane did not get a chance to react...She fell backward.....In the very next moment, the thing was on top of her...Its mouth opened...The teeth were not human—sharp and hard.

Ayane raised both her hands.

“No—!”

She tried to protect herself.

But—

Crunch.

The teeth sank into her hand...A sharp pain spread through her entire body...Blood began to flow 🩸..Ayane’s scream echoed through the forest.

“Ayane!!”

Haruki forgot everything...He ran...With all his strength—He kicked the creature.

Thud.

The figure was thrown backward...Ayane sat on the ground, trembling, holding her injured hand...But the danger was not over...The thing stood up again...This time—It jumped straight at Haruki....Its full weight crashed onto him...Both of them hit the ground.

Haruki’s back slammed hard against dirt and stones...His breath was knocked out of him...The figure bent over him...Its teeth flashed again...At that moment—Ayane stood up.

Her hands were shaking.
Blood was still flowing.

But there was no longer only fear in her eyes...She picked up the axe from the ground....And without thinking—She swung with all her strength.

Slash.

The axe cut through the creature’s neck...The head separated from the body....The next moment—The head hit the ground...With a heavy sound...The body remained standing for a few seconds...Then—It began to fall apart...Not flesh.

Ash.

Black ash scattered into the air 🌫️Within moments, nothing was left...Only silence...Haruki sat up, breathing heavily.He looked at Ayane....“Are you okay…?”Ayane did not answer.

She was staring at her hand..Where the teeth had pierced—The veins were turning black.The bleeding had stopped.But the skin felt strangely warm....Ayane slowly lifted her head.

“Brother…”

Her voice was not the same as before.
“I don’t… feel right…”

Haruki’s heart sank.

The forest was quiet again.

But now—

Everything had changed.

Chapter 5: The One Standing Behind

Ayane’s hands were growing cold....Her legs were slowly going numb...But the strange thing was that her body was soaked in sweat.Cold and heat—both at the same time.Haruki’s heart started beating faster.

“Just a little longer…”
he whispered to himself.

He lifted Ayane into his arms.She felt very light, as if her weight was slowly disappearing.Haruki laid her down in the small wooden cart used for carrying logsand without stopping,he started running toward the city.The night felt endless.The forest did not seem to end at all.The wheels got stuck in the mud,..hit against stones,..but Haruki did not stop...His breathing was breaking...His legs were shaking.

Slowly, the darkness began to fade...Morning had arrived...But the forest was still only half crossed--->Haruki stopped...He looked toward the cart.

“Ayane…?”
he called softly.

There was no answer....Suddenly—..From behind,,,,,the sound of wood creaking was heard.

Haruki froze.He turned around.Ayane was standing behind the cart.On her own feet.....Her eyes were red.Her gaze was empty.Her body was stiff in a strange way,as if she had forgotten how to stand properly.

“Ayane…?”
Haruki’s voice trembled.

The very next moment—She screamed....The sound was not human

Deep.Broken.Like a growl 😖

She ran....Straight toward Haruki....Haruki fell backward....{---.Ayane jumped onto him.Strange sounds came from her mouth,as if she was not breathing,,,as if she was moving only by some unknown hunger.

“Ayane! It’s me!”
Haruki shouted.
“Look at me!”

But he could not understandwhat had happened to her.He only knew one thing—the thing in front of himwas no longer the same..as it had been a few hours ago....Ayane’s hands moved forward.Her fingers felt hard.

Haruki grabbed her wrist.

It was cold.And far too strong.In the middle of the forest,under the soft light of the rising sun—Haruki could not understand...what he was fighting against.

Only one thing was clear—
if he did nothing,
someone was going to fall.

Chapter 6: A Voice Between Hunger

Ayane lunged at him.Her teeth were coming closer.Her breathing was heavy.The sound tearing out of her throat was rough and broken.Haruki’s back scraped against the ground.He tried to hold her back,but her strength was no longer normal.

Ayane… stop…”

His voice trembled.He did not know what to do.He could not hit her.He could not run awayAnd then—without thinking—his lips began to move......The same melody.The same words.The song he had heard since childhood....The song their mother used to sing every night

to put Ayane to sleepwhen she cried, afraid of the dark.Haruki began to sing.in a slow, shaking voice—

Sleep now, my little bird,
the fear of the night is gone…
In mother’s lap, in brother’s arms,
you are safe here…

Ayane’s hands froze.Her neck jerked upward.Haruki kept singing.If dreams try to scare you,open your eyes and see…Your home, your name,we are right here, don’t be afraid…”Ayane’s breathing began to change.Her body started to tremble.Her lips parted.And with great effort—in a broken, heavy voice—she tried to hum along.

Sleep… now…

Just two words.Nothing more came out.Her voice was not the same.As if the throat belonged to someone else.But in her eyes—for the first time—there was something different.Recognition.She stepped back.Slowly, she sat down on the ground.

Her hands were shaking.Saliva dripped from her mouth.Her breathing was fast.“Brother…”she said,with great difficulty....Haruki moved closer.

Carefully.

“Ayane…?”

She nodded slightly.I… I am here…her voice cracked....But… I am very hungry…=She stared at her fingers,as if they did not belong to her.I… I don’t want to bite anyone…”she cried.“But… something inside… is screaming…”Haruki said nothing.

He only
wrapped his arms around Ayane.She was shaking.She was crying.Like a human.But in her breathing—there was stillsomething else.Hunger.A hungerthat was not human.And Haruki understood—He had not lost her.Butshe was no longer the same.Now there was only one path—To keep her alive.And to find the truth.Even if it meant standing against the entire world.

—

Just then—

From the other side of the forest,a faint sound was heard.Haruki lifted his head.Between the trees,a man was standing.His clothes were not ordinary—deep blue and white,with royal embroidery,as if waves of water were frozen into the fabric.In his hand was a strange gun.Not a sword.

Not a bow.
But from it
came the smell of cold moisture ❄️

The man’s eyes
were fixed directly on Ayane.

Calm.
Precise.