Inhuman – Part 01
It was starving.
It had been days since it escaped the humans’ clutches. Hunger gnawed at it. The heavy metal contraption on its back scraped with every movement, the grating noise echoing through the emptiness in its stomach.
A large bit clamped its mouth shut, and the reshaped limbs it was left with made it impossible to remove it. Eating was out of the question. It could shove its head into a river to quench its thirst, or raise a bird carcass it’d torn apart and let its blood drip down its nose, sipping between the gaps of the bit. That would provide it with the nutrients it needed, but it wouldn’t be enough to fill its belly. Hunger clawed at it relentlessly, bringing on a constant headache.
Yet it kept moving, crossing rivers, cutting through forests, racing across the wasteland. It carved its way through the vegetation blocking its path to shake off the humans chasing it.
It had caught a faint scent of something, so it wasn’t going to stop.
To it, that scent was majestic and divine. Once it found its source, it knew it would have no choice but to kneel before it. That moment would bring it ultimate bliss and pleasure, the only summit worth reaching.
It had long since picked up on that scent—likely the smell of its body—and had been captivated by it. Even from a great distance, it could sense its presence. Now, freed at last, it sprinted relentlessly toward the source of that scent.
“To the summit’s feet.”
It wasn’t an order. A fourth desire, like hunger, lust, or the need for sleep. A craving stronger than hunger propelled it forward.
“I must meet them.”
As the nearest snowmelt approached, the scent intensified, as if the “summit” was stirring. They were about to move. It exuded such an overwhelming scent of joy that it seemed ready to tear its chains apart.
No matter how starved or strained its muscles were, it kept running.
Toward the volcano’s depths.
Housman Forest was perpetually shrouded in volcanic ash. Combined with the summer’s humidity, it felt like being lost in a thick fog. Visually speaking, at least.
The forest was dense and dark. Towering trees with thick foliage blocked out the sunlight. Not that there was much light to begin with. The volcanic ash that covered the land from ground to sky formed a veil, allowing only the faintest light during the day. Ash blanketed the vegetation, hiding any sign of green, leaving visibility at its worst.
At first glance, the forest seemed lifeless, but it thrived in its own way. Aetheria infused in the ash sustained life where natural vitality should have existed. In that sense, it was a miraculous forest.
Lisa hummed to herself as she waded through the underbrush. She wore work clothes to not worry about the dirt, gloves to protect her hands from branches and leaves, and carried a basket on her back for the wild herbs she gathered, fully equipped for the task. Her trusty hammer hung at her waist.
As she sifted through the bushes, Lisa kept humming, clearly in high spirits.
“This is such a drag. I don’t see the fun in it,” Luke muttered boredly behind her, yanking at the wild plants with little care.
“It’s tons of fun!” Lisa turned to him, grinning. “I’m not sure if it’s the Aetheria or the ash, but the ecosystem here is a bit strange. What grows changes all the time, so every visit brings new discoveries. It’s always exciting! Oh, and don’t forget to brush off the dirt. That one’s poisonous, so please get rid of it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Luke discarded the herbs and rummaged through a different patch. Using his gloved hands, he pushed aside the vegetation, stomping on anything unnecessary with his boots to clear a path as he searched for the next gathering spot.
It is tedious, Lisa thought, sneaking a glance over her shoulder. Luke looked weary. Earlier, she had suggested he use the sword at his waist, but he’d only scolded her, saying, “A katana isn’t a farming tool.” His gear was a bit more cumbersome than hers.
As a demon, Lisa had no problem breathing the ash, but Luke, being human, had to be more careful. He had wrapped cloth around his mouth and neck and wore large goggles to protect his eyes from the ash. A black jewel steel tied around his waist helped reduce the ash’s concentration, shielding him from Aetherial sickness. But even with these precautions, breathing was difficult due to the thickness of the ash. The heat from the nearby volcano, combined with the oppressive summer weather, made it all the more unbearable.
Luke looked utterly fed up, but despite his grumbling, he showed no signs of turning back. He kept helping, even if reluctantly.
Lisa peeked at him again, a grin spreading across her face.
You’ve really changed, Luke.
Foraging for wild plants had nothing to do with blacksmithing. It was just a hobby of Lisa’s. She had started three years ago, hoping to add some variety to their monotonous meals. Until now, Luke had never joined her on these outings, but moments ago, he had unexpectedly offered to help when she was preparing to leave, a surprising turn for someone who had been a homebody for as long as Lisa had known him.
Luke was changing. Ever since they met, he had always avoided looking at the demon who resembled his childhood friend, keeping his distance despite being so close. That sad relationship had gone on for years, but now, he was beginning to close the distance, little by little.
“It feels strange,” Lisa said.
“Hmm?” Luke glanced over his shoulder. “What’s strange?”
“I’ve helped you with your work often, but you’ve never returned the favor.”
“Is that a dig at me?”
“N-Not at all!”
“Well, you’re right.” He yanked at some herb. “I’ve always averted my gaze.”
In her final moments, Liza Oakwood left a demon behind so she could continue protecting Luke even after death. Despite knowing this, Luke had remained blind, consumed by hatred toward Valbanill and obsessed with revenge.
“I never faced you,” he said.
Lisa stared at him in shock, unable to believe her ears. “Wh-What’s gotten into you? This is weird. It’s not like you. Have you gone mad? Ah, is it Aetherial sickness? That has to be it!”
“It’s not Aetherial sickness. You really don’t trust me at all, do you? Well, I guess that’s understandable,” he muttered almost to himself before fixing his right eye on her. “Since we’re at it, why don’t you vent all your frustrations while you can? You’ve got to have something you’ve been holding back from me.”
“I have nothing like that.”
Not when she felt so blessed. Expressing any dissatisfaction would surely bring misfortune.
“Where is this coming from?” Lisa asked.
“I’ve been thinking lately that I’ve neglected you too much.” He scratched the back of his head. He looked conflicted and uncertain, and a hint of remorse flickered across his face. “I probably realized that because…”
He suddenly trailed off. Because?
Because of Cecily.
Lisa guessed that something Cecily had said, or perhaps her behavior had sparked this change in Luke’s mindset. Cecily’s earnestness had started to thaw Luke’s closed heart, though he likely wouldn’t admit it.
Meeting her had changed Luke. Lisa felt a twinge of bitterness, perhaps because she had hoped to be the one to effect that change.
Her lungs trembled as she let out a long, deep sigh. Did she have any complaints? For a brief moment, pain shot through her chest at that thought, but before the lid on those memories could open, Lisa smiled and placed a hand on her chest.
“I have no complaints.”
“That can’t be true.”
“Really, I don’t. Sure, back in the day, you picked on me every single day.”
“I’ve got no excuse for that,” Luke murmured softly.
Lisa chuckled. “But you never abandoned me, did you?”
“…”
“That’s not all. You taught me how to cook, provided me with clothes and a place to sleep. You showed me the steps of blacksmithing and how to use a hammer. You taught me how to speak. I knew nothing. I only barely resembled Liza. But you never abandoned me, and—”
His right eye flickered with shame.
“And you gave me this name.”
Luke furrowed his brow. “That’s Liza’s…”
Luke had given her Liza’s nickname during his time of grief. Now, it was a name laced with regret.
“No,” Lisa said proudly, shaking her head. “This name is mine now. It’s too late for regrets.”
Because it’s the name you gave to me.
“I’m not giving it back.”
She hadn’t even realized she was tearing up. She wiped the corners of her eyes. Yes, she wouldn’t give anything back. It was all hers. When she smiled warmly, Luke looked away.
“You’re a strange one.”
“That I am.”
“I’ll be more mindful. You don’t have to put yourself down. You can speak your mind more if you want.”
“Okay.”
Their exchange felt a little awkward to Lisa. Even though Luke was trying to apologize, his words still came off as a little arrogant. But she didn’t mind. She was content. This was just the kind of relationship they had built over three years.
She was sure of it now. She wouldn’t be abandoned again.
Her heart raced with a happiness so intense it scared her. Was it really okay to feel this happy? A part of her feared that things might take a turn for the worse.
After all, she was never supposed to exist. She was born at the cost of a human life, a cursed, ill-omened demon. So she had always believed it was only a matter of time before she was abandoned. Every night before bed, she braced herself for that possibility. Wanting to stay by his side for as long as possible, she had survived by carefully gauging Luke’s mood. She never asserted herself and always stayed in the background, watching over him.
But now, Luke had told her she could speak her mind. Not to put herself down. More than that, he was trying to change, so they could stay together.
The thought that he cared for her seeped through her entire being. It was almost too much for her small frame to handle.
She felt so happy, she wouldn’t even mind dying tomorrow.
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