Unwanted Return – Part 04
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Translator: Kell
As I prepared myself for the jaws of death, my body moved on its own. I stretched my arm out in front of me and lightly flicked my finger, popping the snake’s head off. One of my fingers fell.
“That fucking hurts, you bastard!” I roared.
It was clearly the work of the demon inside me. I thought it had disappeared because it was so quiet, but apparently it was still inside.
Fingers are a cook’s life! Just because I have a few doesn’t mean you can just throw them away like they’re nothing!
But the demon did save us. I couldn’t say for sure whether the demon was a friend or foe, but it was certainly helpful in this situation. And mercenaries used whatever they could, enemy or friend.
“Hey, demon. I know you can hear me. Lend me a hand!”
One by one, Beastfallen screamed as they were helplessly killed. It was only a matter of time before they were all wiped out.
Complete annihilation would still be better. These Beastfallen were as strong as the monsters. Some of them would be lucky enough to escape, which could lead into something more horrific. Those that escaped would no doubt go on a looting spree at Knox Cathedral.
Someone had to take command. But I was too weak at the moment.
“What do you want?” the demon asked in a low voice.
I glanced at my hands. Using the demon’s power cost me a finger. At this rate, a part of me would be sacrificed every time it used its power. I didn’t want to die here—not after making it out alive.
Healing myself with Magic was probably possible, but there had to be a reason why the demon wasn’t doing it.
“A human body can’t wield a demon’s power properly. If I can’t use your power, we’re dead. There’s only one thing to do.” I picked up the small bottle that Zero wore around her neck. “Turn me back into a Beastfallen. If you can copy the abilities of other demons, it should be easy.”
There was a momentary silence.
What’s wrong? Don’t tell me he can’t do it.
Will you regret your choice?
Wait, so he can do it? What was that pause for, then?
“I suggested it myself. Why would I regret it?! Just get on with it!”
Never again will you regain this form. Will you still do it?
For a moment, I was silent. I’ll never be human again? Does that mean I’m going to live my whole life as a Beastfallen?
I studied my hands once more. My human hands, with its smooth skin. I recalled the rich taste of Lily’s cooking, and that curious feeling of meeting someone’s gaze.
All my life I hated my Beastfallen body. When I learned that I could become human, it was as if my future, which had been painted black, suddenly took on color.
Would I regret my decision? For sure. I might even occasionally imagine a life as a normal human being.
“But if I say no now, we’re gonna die. If I cared more about becoming human, I wouldn’t have come to the Altar in the first place. I don’t fucking care. Just do it!”
I crushed the bottle in my hand. Intense pain shot through my entire body, as though my heart was being crushed. My breathing stopped momentarily. Once I managed to take a deep breath, a scream that came from the pit of my stomach pushed it back out.
The pain was much worse than when I became human. My bones creaked, ripping through my flesh and skin as they grew bigger. My vision turned crimson.
Unable to stand, I fell to the ground and clawed on the dirt. My human nails fell, and sharp claws grew through my fingertips. My human skin peeled off, replaced by thick fur. My head felt like it was being split in half. Or maybe it was actually splitting. I scratched my face, and both of my ears fell off. My teeth followed, my lips parted, and another scream erupted from within me.
It was the roar of a beast. At this very moment, a certain man came to my mind. Serving the Chief Mage of the kingdom of Wenias, he cast aside his human body to become a wolf Beastfallen. He endured through the maddening pain.
Mad respect for you, man. If I’d known it would hurt this much, I might not have asked to be turned human like it was nothing. I had to stay awake. I had to stand up. Stand up and fight.
I roared, the same roar of a beast that I had grown accustomed to over the years. My own voice.
There was one thing I learned after experiencing being human. Actually, not just one. Countless things.
Honestly, I thought it was a great body. It was easy to use, my fingers were dexterous, and I had a keen sense of taste. I would have lived a nice, peaceful life with that body.
But catching a ridiculously huge monster bird and ripping its head off, beating to death a fish with scales as hard as armor, and organizing the confused Beastfallen by giving a good pep talk really made me feel like this was my own body.
It felt so right, and made me feel incredibly safer.
Anyway, once we got through the frozen sea and into the woods, things should settle down a bit.
I carried Zero on my back and led a pack of tense, fearful, and confused Beastfallen across the icy landscape. There was nothing to obstruct my vision, so I could see the edge of the forest far in the distance.
Suddenly the edge of the forest seemed to move.
“The Knights Templar?”
Their uniforms painted them as Noble Guards from Knox Cathedral. I wondered what they were doing in such a place, but apparently they were being attacked by monsters.
After giving instructions to some of the relatively calm Beastfallen, we surrounded the monsters from all sides and killed them all.
Beastfallen fundamentally didn’t band together. Under unavoidable circumstances, however, they would help each other out to some extent, exhibiting tremendous might.
The knights turned pale as they were saved and surrounded by a group of Beastfallen from out of nowhere.
“What the hell is going on?! Why are there so many Beastfallen here?!” A knight pointed at me. “And you were supposed to be human!”
“Things happened,” I said. “What are you guys doing here? Doesn’t look like the priest sent you. As you can see, there are monsters everywhere. It’s dangerous outside the warding.”
“We—” He shut his mouth.
Understandably so. Seeing all the Beastfallen shuffling behind me would shut anyone up. After all, the word “Beastfallen” was currently synonymous with demonic possession. Telling them I defeated the witch and the demons were gone would not make them any less jittery.
They seemed to be acting weird, though.
“Oh.” I finally realized it. Someone other than the priest sent the Noble Guards. I could easily guess who.
Orlux.
I was banished through a trial by ordeal. Orlux must have thought about making sure I didn’t return. These men were laying in ambush to keep me from coming back at all costs. He didn’t expect me to defeat the witch and return with a bunch of freed Beastfallen. To be fair, I didn’t expect it either.
“What’s the matter? Should we kill them?” An impatient Beastfallen asked.
There were about a dozen or so knights. We could kill them in an instant if we wanted to. But that would be disappointing.
“So you got lost and ran into some trouble, huh?” I said.
The knight’s eyes grew wide.
“You thought you could get more food by hunting down monsters? You guys must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up going the opposite direction of the town. Am I right?”
Choose. Betray Orlux and treat us as heroes, or fight a pack of Beastfallen with only a dozen men to complete a secret mission.
They glanced at the bodies of their dead comrades and the monsters we killed.
“Hey,” one knight whispered. “Maybe he actually killed the witch.”
“Ssh! Quiet!” another rebuked.
“We, the Knights Templar, will not allow any threat to the town to pass through here! If you wish to pass, you will have to fight us first!”
He actually stood up to us. Commendable loyalty.
But it was clearly a stupid choice to make. The Beastfallen, who were on edge from all the confusion and fighting, responded to the provocation. The one standing next to me drew his sword and pounced on a knight, but I caught him by the neck just in time and slammed him to the ground.
Oh, boy. Now what? We could slaughter them and pretend we didn’t see them.
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