The gurgles and screeching sounds approached at a fast pace. The raven on my shoulders flapped its wings and flew away, leaving me all by my lonesome. Not really alone though—I would've prefered to be alone actually.

  "Running away eh?! You bird bastard..." I said looking to the black blur rapidly moving away.

  The creature turned its head a little and made a sound that almost mimicked a 'harumph'. As if trying to say it's my own fault for being stupid, and not listening to it.

  Introspecting a little an odd realization dawns on me— I'm not actually that scared. Something inside seems to be against the idea of running away, rather it seems it just fueled my own stubbornness in pushing towards this particular direction. It seeks for conflict, it seeks—death... I clench my fists and feel my knuckles crackling, the sound comforting, and almost hypnotic. My eyesight focuses onward, piercing the veil of mist, my will growing ever so steady.

  A little further away I see 'something' zip from behind one withered tree to another at surprising speeds.

  My right foot slithered a bit backwards, my left one planting itself firmly in the ground. My arms raise, covering my face and neck, yet leaving a gap for my sight. These sets of actions flowed effortlessly, as if I had done that many times over—though this was clearly new for me.

  Finally the first of the creatures stalking me made itself visible to me. Though I knew there were probably a lot more waiting.

  It appeared humanoid, had long limbs, a hunched back, claws so sharp my own cutlass would feel jealous, and glassy empty eyes. Its 'hide' was slimy like a salamander, a paler skin tone than the mud surrounding me, serving as a nice way for it to camouflage. Though that purpose is beat when these things screech all the fucking time. But that may be because it thinks I'm not really a threat, and that I am harmless enough.

  Will I be so fucking glad to disapoint you creature

  It sprang forward in my direction, like a charging bull. Its movements were jerky, as if the creature had poor control of its own body, seeing it move reminded me of the first cow that Roy's father had him butcher. He messed up the placing of the knife, as well as the strength to use, the poor thing was bleeding all over—yet it was still moving and tumbling all over. The impression i got was the very same, the thing in front of me seemed to have difficulty in moving itself.

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  Nevertheless, despite its poor coordination, it reached me in the blink of an eye. Rancid claws aimed straight at my stomach, cutting through the fog with an ominous hiss. I moved just a bit too slowly, and the punishment for that was the sensation of my flesh tearing, were the claws to reach a bit deeper my guts would have spilled out. Following the pain was a feeling that came crashing down with enormous weight.

  I felt angry...

  That anger was overwhelming, it crashed down as if the world itself was thrown at me. The anger I felt ever since I fainted bore its weight—I had refused to feel it before, and as such, it only grew as everything happened. I felt angry at my own weakness, fainting just from looking at the moon. Anger for how I treated Lissana, and the things I never trully understood.

  My hand flashed forward at lightning speed, punching towards the creature's chest. Once my fist connected, I felt and heard its ribcage shattering, his flesh squelching and tearing apart—much like my own now, that I think of it.

  It flew a few meters and laid in the mud almost lifeless. It was still making gurgles, though this time it was just the sound of the blood stuck on its throat. I saw it spasm a few more times, clinging to life desperately, I felt a sense of satisfaction from seeing that.

  Once it finnaly stopped moving, that sweet smell assaulted my nose again, only this time much stronger, I also felt a strange sensation on my chest. It was as if something warm floated into it.

  I put those thoughts aside, focusing on what was happening in front of me.

  The rest of the creatures came out of hiding, I saw I was completely surrounded by them. My future looked pretty bleak at the moment not gonna to lie. But strangely I felt excited, afterall I just found myself the perfect outlet for all that anger surginf outwards of me.

  Amongst the creatures rose a bigger one, its skin was a muddy grey tone—much darker than its brethren. It hunched forward, relying on its upper limbs to keep itself standing, its muscles were bulging beneath the sickly skin. The vitreous eyes of the creature blazed with a much fiercer light than the others. Its chest heaved and released a loud angry roar. It pounded on the ground, throwing mud everywhere, showing its dissatisfaction towards the death of its kin.

  I smiled wickedly at that, reveling on the prospect of destroying everything this creature held dear in front of its very eyes.

  Time came to a standstill. The air shivered with heavyness, the swamp itself was completely silent as I stared at the thing in front of me.

  The others were moving restlessly all around, waiting for the command of their leader.

  To be completely honest, I don't really know if I can take on these beings, but damn if I won't die trying taking all of them down with me. I don't really care much for dying anyway, the only thing I absolutely deny is just rotting away doing fuck all.

  Now dying surrounded by dead beings, now that's a whole new conversation.

  All of us were just waiting for something to signal the kickstart of the carnage, and such a thing came from the beak of a utterly black bird. A loud croak resounded in the swamps.

  Mud flew around violently at the sudden move of the many creatures.

  Just one thought crossed my mind at that instant...

  This will be fun!