Arc 3: Flowers Wither Too Soon

  Chapter 15: Odd Figures

  (Three weeks ago)

  Somewhere deep in the woods, after dusk had settled in and the wildlife chased away, the Samurai rushed into action, towards the only sound emanating from within the forest—heavy and slow footsteps, each one causing a slight rumble. However, she could also hear one additional noise…

  A second pair of footsteps. Much quieter and…human? Someone could be in danger.

  She placed a hand on the hilt of her black katana sheathed by her waist and sprinted faster. Almost like a bullet, she brushed past the trees and jumped over bushes on the way. The place was very dark and frigid, but the Samurai didn’t waver and kept a colder glare. The footsteps became clearer and clearer until—

  There’s…no one?

  The sounds disappeared the moment she stepped into a little clearing within the forest. Walking up to the middle, she looked around and took note of her surroundings, focusing on every possible noise, and keeping her hand on the hilt the entire time. But the only thing she heard was the rustling of leaves blown by the wind and her own footsteps. The tall grass gently tickled her fingertips, and the scent of flowers and rotten flesh filled the air. She then closed her eyes.

  “Blade Style: Kaze.”

  A large creeper, about ten feet tall with a bulkier mass that looked similar to the one that attacked Viola’s house a long while back, jumped at her from behind and closed the distance in a split second.

  “Refined Art—Whispers of the Wind.”

  The Samurai unsheathed her blade, but only a little, before pushing it right back in. Strong gusts of wind blew at the creeper like invisible blades, slicing it into several chunks, half of which fell right away, while the other half kept their momentum and flew past her. Hazel eyes reopened to witness whatever pieces were left of the monster, and the circle of trimmed forest floor around her.

  They’re not…dusting away…

  She jumped out of the way to avoid a hand tentacle sprouting out of one of the pieces behind her. Each chunk began to twitch violently before growing several more hands. The girl finally unsheathed her blade fully, swiftly slicing off every hand that approached her like bullets. However, they continued to regenerate and grow even more in numbers. She had to retreat to the tree line.

  Another abnormal variant? No, it can’t be. Every abnormal has the same crimson blood. This thing has black blood, like any other creeper. An enchanted? But I’ve already slashed its heart.

  Instead of attacking her, the pieces attached to form an amalgamation of hands and mouths, half of which fell apart. It seemed like it was trying to shape into a flower, but ended up with something far more grotesque.

  No…this is magic. Only Void Magic is capable of such demonic creations. There must be someone or something nearby manipulating it.

  Lifting her katana high up and pointing it at the heavens, she summoned strong gusts of wind that flew in circles around the blade and further above, almost like a tornado. The monster threw more tentacles at her, some of which had mouths, while the Samurai brought her blade down in an instant, splitting the tornado into several invisible blades that flew at her opponent.

  “Refined Art—Heaven Splitter!”

  The wind blades pierced through and chopped up every chunk of flesh off of the amalgamation at the centre, reducing it to near atoms, just in time for the Samurai to sheath her weapon, leaving several cut-like marks on the ground below and removing nearly half of its vegetation. She walked forward a few steps, examining the area around as the pieces dusted away. There was no sound, no dark aura, and no source explaining the second pair of footsteps or whose magic created the monster.

  Did it escape—

  Another hand shot at her from behind and almost grabbed her face. But before she could react, an invisible force sliced off the tentacle, turning it to dust immediately. She turned around to find a girl with long, straight brown hair and sky-blue eyes standing before her, sheathing a white katana by the waist.

  “It’s been a while,” she spoke up, smiling wide, “Sensei!”

  “Eliana.” Yukari sighed. “I’ve told you not to call me that.” She lowered her head before continuing, “I do not deserve such a title.”

  “There’s so much we don’t deserve,” Eliana said, gazing at the trees, “and yet, Fate throws them at us. Maybe it’s not about what we deserve, but what we’re meant to carry.”

  Silence settled in as the wind blew faintly at them. Yukari didn’t answer right away—her hand brushed against the hilt at her side, fingers trembling before curling back into a fist. Eliana turned and smiled softly at her.

  “So,” Yukari eased up and broke the silence, “what brings you here? I would’ve been informed if someone else had the same mission as me.”

  “I’ve been chasing—“

  "Are you...Hunters...?"

  The two turned around immediately upon hearing a distorted and slightly muffled voice. A figure’s head poked out from behind a tree. It looked like a girl covered in shadow, wearing a black dress with a hood over her head. Her face was blood-red while her eyes…empty.

  “That.” Eliana completes her sentence, gripping the hilt of her sword. The shadow began to twitch like a glitch in a computer.

  "Hunters...should be brave..."

  “I was under the assumption that it was an enchanted creeper,” Eliana continued. “Until now…when it talked.” She gulped, fingers shivering slightly. “Do you think it's a—“

  “Supper…”

  “Watch out!”

  “Give…me…”

  A barrage of void tentacles lashed out from behind the tree, and the two Hunters leapt backwards to avoid it. The hands came together to form another grotesque amalgamation, representing a flower, which spawned several more tentacles that almost covered the battlefield.

  “Another one?” Eliana grimaced. “Not the most creative, is it?” One glance at her mentor, and she immediately took the same stance.

  “Blade Style: Kaminari.”

  They spoke in unison as the hands approached them.

  “Refined Art—Lightning’s Shadow.”

  Like two lightning bolts, they charged straight ahead, brushing past the tentacles and stopping slightly ahead of the amalgamation. They left behind a trail of afterimages, each one in a unique pose, each one performing a unique action. Some remained on the trail, some were on the sides, and some were midair. As the two Hunters sheathed their blades, the images moved one after another, starting from the first two, imitating each unseen move. They hacked away at the demonic flower with lightning-fast moves that generated bright sparks. By the second’s end, only pieces that were too small to regrow and reattach were left of it.

  “Hunters…strong—“

  Another bolt charged towards the mysterious figure, slicing off the tree. Yukari clicked her tongue when she noticed that the figure was no longer there, and nowhere else to be found. “I’m afraid it has escaped,” she said.

  “Looks like I won’t be returning today either.” Eliana sighed deeply, walking up to her Sensei. “Any idea what that thing could be?”

  “I don’t know.” Yukari shook her head, crossing her arms. “Too many abnormal variants recently. Someone on His side must be experimenting on creepers. Cervena’s already on the case.”

  “Oh. I’d love to lend a hand…if she wasn’t so distant.” Eliana smiled nervously, rubbing the back of her head. “Could this also be another abnormal creeper?”

  “I’ll go as far as to say…this is the perfected variant.” Her gaze ran deep inside the woods, following the dark aura left behind by the figure. “It appears to be far stronger than any creeper I’ve ever encountered.” She then turned to her student. “If you’re running after it, be careful. Do not take this one lightly.”

  “Don’t worry, I got this.” Eliana flashed a determined grin. “Though I wouldn’t mind it if you accompany me!”

  “I have my own to give chase.” Yukari clenched her fists, and her tone almost dropped to a growl. “The Witch made an appearance recently, in the forests of Greenpine. Though they didn’t cause much chaos, I followed their trail and looked everywhere I could, but they’re gone. I’ve explored every forest nearby in a fruitless attempt, and this one will be my last.” Eliana’s breath hitched at the mention of a certain word. Yukari continued in a calm tone, “There’s also a recruit waiting for her final test tomorrow. From me.”

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  “I’ve missed quite a lot, haven’t I?” The brown-haired chuckled. “Do you get new members frequently?”

  “In my five years of being a Hunter, you were the first new member in two years. And now, we've got another in just a few months.” She turned away and took two steps forward. “You should come see her once, maybe cheer her up if she fails. Or even teach her a thing or two.”

  “I will. As soon as I’m done with this!”

  Yukari disappeared from view in the flash of a second, and Eliana faced the woods, picking up void traces left behind by the mysterious figure.

  “Greenpine, huh?” Eliana mumbled to herself, following the dark trail.

  “I wonder how she’s doing…”

  (Present)

  December 4th, 2002.

  Viola entered the city of Deepshade, beginning her very first mission as a Void Hunter. The place was fairly large and filled with tall buildings. Cars passed by every few seconds, the lampposts were distributed evenly, little trees grew on the dividers, and the pavements were crowded with people.

  “It’s been a bit.”

  Gazing at the cloudy sky, Viola drew a short breath, and a thin veil of frost drifted from her lips. She smiled at a certain thought.

  “I wonder if you still live here.”

  Viola continued on the pavement, passing by familiar sights. Shops on nearly every spot her eyes fell on, be it for books, snacks, groceries, or even a cafe. Pausing near a bookstore, she scanned through a shelf set outside the shop. She gently brushed her fingertips over the books—some smooth and glossy, others rough with age, and their covers still warm despite the cold. It ached her heart. She missed the times when books were fun stories and not doors she wanted to escape to.

  I didn’t read much…and now I miss it—

  Her fingers bump into someone else’s. Flinching slightly, she pulled back and laid her eyes on another girl beside her.

  “Ah…pardon me,” the girl said, “I didn’t mean to intrude.” She was soft-spoken, wore a plain dress and a black blindfold concealing her eyes, had long and curly dark-brown hair, and stood about as tall as Viola. Fingers still hovering over the shelf, she hadn’t yet turned to the other.

  “No, it’s fine!” Viola stared at her in awe. “I was too engrossed…I didn’t see you.”

  Was I really that focused? Or is it just this noisy city?

  “That happens often,” the girl said, feeling around the shelf. “People rarely notice what they can’t explain.” Viola blinked, unsure if she heard that right. Before she could ask, the girl continued, suddenly facing her. “Strange. I was following a scent. Thought there was a flower shop here.”

  “A flower shop?” Viola glanced around, then continued, “There’s none nearby.”

  “Is that so?” She slightly tilted her head and stepped closer. “Then it was you. You smell of lilies.”

  “That’s…a little too specific.” Viola chuckled lightly. “You can tell flowers apart just by scent?”

  “When it’s the only thing you can see with.” A small smile appeared on her lips. “And lilies are my favourite. Though…would that make you my favourite too?”

  A faint blush coloured Viola’s face, unable to respond. The girl’s tone was wise, sweet, and slightly odd. She was poetic yet blunt, warm yet cold. And before Viola could think of something, the girl stepped back and bowed.

  “Forgive me for interrupting. I didn’t mean to keep you. A certain lily simply caught my attention.”

  She smiled once more before turning around to leave. Viola watched her slip into the crowd, manoeuvring through swiftly and gracefully, till she turned a corner and vanished.

  Well, that was…something…

  Pressing on, passing by several missing posters stuck to the concrete walls and lamp posts. Some looked clean and new, while some were torn and several weeks old. There were similar sights in Greenpine, though to a much lesser extent. Even so, her heart ached for them.

  It’s much worse here…is this what the Hunters usually have to witness?

  “Liam…Ethan…Ava…Mr Henderson…” she read out a few names. “Lilith…”

  It might be too late for them…but I must put an end to this!

  However, the place was almost too loud for her. She couldn’t focus her hearing on detecting singular sounds, nor was she an expert at sensing minute void auras.

  She asked around about the posters, but some ignored her while others didn't add any meaningful information. Since she had lived in this city before for a long time, she knew her way around. Finding several dark and empty alleyways, she explored and investigated each one, hoping to find clues or even a creeper.

  Entering another one, she discovered a second path leading to the left. She walked straight ahead to the dead end first. The place reeked of age and neglect more than filth. The air was thick with a dull metallic smell from the dumpsters, mixed with the staleness of spoiled fruit. It wasn’t unbearable, but enough to tell her that no one visited these parts, not often, at least.

  By the time she reached the wall at the end, she sighed deeply, not discovering the one scent she was looking for. When she turned around, she was greeted by a weak and small screech. Viola shrieked and flinched in her spot upon seeing a tiny snake on the floor, hissing at her.

  “The heck is this?!” The snake had the same skin as a creeper’s, and its head was just a mouth with jagged teeth. “What kind of creeper—“

  It jumped at her, and she, in a panic, slapped it away with her fist. The thing crashed into the wall and was reduced to a splat of black blood coating the concrete. But only temporarily, as it began dusting away.

  “It’s…too small to be a creeper,” she muttered to herself with a disgusted look, “and too weak to be an enchanted variant!”

  Wait…why did it look familiar…?

  Viola searched around thoroughly, but did not find any more strange creatures. “Well, at least I found something…” She waited for a minute or so for anything else to surprise her. But when nothing showed up, she decided to leave.

  That was very unhelpful, though. Guess I’ll have better luck at night—

  A person rammed into her the moment she reached the narrow side path. She was pushed barely an inch while this stranger, who was taller and dressed in black with a hood over their head, appeared unfazed.

  “Are you okay?” the boy asked kindly,

  “I-I’m good!” Viola looked up at him but only saw half his face, as the shadow from the hood and the dark background covered his eyes. “I apologise! I should’ve looked—“

  “Don’t be.” He smiled widely. “It was me who wasn’t looking.” The boy bowed slightly before walking out of the alleyway. “Have a good day~”

  Viola simply watched him walk away till he disappeared into the crowd.

  What’s with me running into odd figures today—

  A dense aura hit her body from the side path where the stranger appeared from. Immediately recognising what it was, she sprinted towards it.

  This feels familiar…it must be a creeper!

  Turning a corner, she gasped in horror at the sight before her. At the spot where the void aura was the strongest, there were two figures. One was a little boy curled up into a ball on the left side wall. The other was an older male lying motionless on the floor in the middle.

  “Am I-I too late?”

  Gingerly, she stepped closer to the scene. Blood was flowing out of the older male’s neck, creating a pond underneath. Her foot felt tingly upon stepping on the red pool, and her heart felt sick. She wanted to throw up, but forced herself to remain calm. Slowly crouching, she checked for the person’s pulse.

  I figured…he’s dead.

  But the thing that shocked her the most was the gaping wound on the corpse’s neck. She was caught off guard by how precise and clean it was. The cut had aged barely a few minutes and appeared to be the work of a sharp tool, perhaps a knife.

  But the creeper is a mindless killing machine. It cannot do such cold and calculated moves. And it certainly…

  She turned to the little boy.

  …would not leave someone alive.

  “Are you…hurt?”

  She closed the distance and knelt in front of him, asking in a kind and gentle, yet shaken tone. The boy remained shivering in his spot and slowly lifted his head to gaze at her with tearful eyes. With a slight and barely noticeable motion, he nodded.

  Strange…he seems to be completely unhurt.

  “Can you tell me what happened here?”

  “T-That person did it!” his voice quivered. “T-They ran that way!” He stretched his arm to point in the same direction Viola came from.

  I knew it. It’s the person I crashed into. Something was off about him!

  “Thank you for being honest.” She smiled warmly at him, patting his head. “Now, don’t stay here for too long. Head back home, okay?” She got up to pursue the black-hooded stranger.

  He mustn’t have gone too far. I can catch up—

  “W-Wait!” The boy raised his voice to get her attention. She paused and glanced back at him. “T-This man was going t-to kidnap me…b-but that person stopped him…that person rescued me!”

  Well, that explains why he’s kept alive.

  “S-So please don’t hurt him!”

  “Listen, kid,” she spoke in a stern tone. “He may have saved you, and I’m happy that he did. But the act was wrong, and could’ve been handled in a better way. He must be held accountable for this.”

  “B-But—“

  “I will not hurt him necessarily.” She turned away and looked ahead. “But I will make sure I correct his ways, at least.” She began walking forward with a determined look on her face.

  This is no longer a simple creeper hunt. I am now investigating a murder—

  But stopped when a realisation hit her.

  I got so caught up with the murder that I forgot what I came here for! Wait…

  When she turned around again, the lifeless body began to twitch violently in its spot.

  …why is the dense aura…coming from the corpse…?

  Blackness began surrounding the body as she let out a gasp and covered her mouth in horror, and the man who was dead had risen to his feet. But what her eyes saw was no longer a human. And as the void fully engulfed the man, he began to resemble a monster.

  This can’t be…!

  The human...had turned into a creeper.

  “Run—“

  In a split second, the creeper launched a fist at the little boy’s face. He was too slow to evade, and Viola was too frozen to make a move on time, and his head was crushed. Blood splattered all over the wall behind as his lifeless body stumbled to the floor. The beast then glared at her.

  I…I hesitated! I let someone die before my eyes again…all because I saw a human become a creeper…

  However, the creeper turned around and walked away instead of attacking her next. But she didn’t pay any attention to its behaviour, for she had her own head filled with a cold truth.

  Does that mean…all creepers were once…people?

  Her arms felt heavy and refused to obey her. Or rather, she was unable to command them due to the knowledge that within the void monster hid a human.

  And does that make me…a murderer?

  Lifting her head, she gazed at the sky that looked duller than before, and pondered the question.

  But he was already dead before he turned…so it should be fine…right?

  In the silence, she let out a deep breath and finally took a step forward. Her heel dug into the floor, cracking loud enough to grab the creeper’s attention as it abruptly stopped.

  But what if some of the ones I killed previously…were alive before they turned…?

  It slowly turned around and saw the pity in her eyes.

  It’s just like Aurelia said. I must make a choice.

  The wind coiled around Viola like a whip and, in a fraction of a second, she disappeared from its sight and closed the distance. Focusing all her might on a single punch, she drove it into the creeper’s chest.

  Forgive me, poor soul.

  Before the being could react, her punch landed clean, and the impact shook their surroundings. Her fist glowed violet and sent a burst of energy through its heart and out the back in a tiny explosion, leaving behind a large, gaping hole.

  This is not just a mere creeper hunt, nor just a simple murder case. That boy…may have been a Slave of the Void.

  She stepped back as the creeper fell forward to the floor. It weakly stretched out its hand towards her while its body slowly dusted away into nothingness. For the first time, she saw no hostility in those blood thirsty eyes.

  I can’t report this to the authorities. They won’t believe me. And I know I must return to the mansion…but I can’t simply let this slide!

  Ignoring its pleas, she wiped a tear from her eye and walked off to where she came from, and where the hooded boy went.

  I don’t know what your true motive is. Were you trying to protect that innocent boy? Or was it in your plan all along to turn that man into a monster? Only to end up killing the innocent?

  Clenching her fists, she bore a determined frown.

  "I will find you. And no matter your intention, I won’t forgive you!"

  Upon exiting the scene, a large, creeper-like snake slithered its way towards the boy. Towering over his corpse, its mouth opened wide before engulfing the boy full in a single bite. It left the scene immediately after.