Dark Rising : Blood Of The Eaters

The next morning's sky stretched out, bright and peaceful. It was an ironic, beautiful canvas, as if trying to paint over the stains of blood and terror from the night before with a serene wash of blue. This illusion of peace, however, was shattered by an uproar from the small square outside the village chief's house. Rio, whose sleep had been less of a rest and more of a brief collapse into exhaustion, was jolted awake. His head still felt heavy, and every joint throbbed with a dull ache, reminding him of the limits he had violated. With stiff movements, he pulled on his wolf mask, hiding a face that was still pale, and eyes that held a weariness far deeper than a single sleepless night. Reluctantly, he stepped outside, drawn by the disturbing commotion.

The scene was both shocking and… strange. Dozens of villagers had gathered, their faces—once masks of terror—now a complex mixture of newfound anger, the deep-rooted remnants of fear, and an uncontainable curiosity. They were throwing stones, clumps of dry earth, and even rotten fruit they'd scavenged from somewhere, all in one direction. Some were screaming with rage; others hurled their projectiles in silence, their faces blank, as if releasing years of pent-up frustration.

Rio approached slowly, his body still feeling alien to him. He gently pushed through the jostling crowd, trying to see the target of their fury. In the distance, he saw Lisa standing apart from the chaos, leaning against the wall of a half-destroyed house, her bandaged arm crossed over her chest. Her face was pale, and she took no part in the frenzied throwing, only watching Rio from afar with an unreadable expression—a mix of relief, concern, and something else, something that made Rio feel strangely… observed.

Finally, Rio saw him. There, bound by a thick iron chain that snaked around his body and tethered him to a massive, sturdy tree, was the Domifirt. His bones were clearly still shattered; he could only slump helplessly against the trunk, but his cold, hate-filled eyes still burned with a defiant fire. A few stones struck his already bruised and bloodied face, leaving fresh scrapes.

"How dare you lowly worms throw things at me!" the Domifirt roared, his voice hoarse but thick with a threat that now sounded more like a desperate growl. "Just you wait! I will be free! And I will devour you all, one by one, starting with your disgusting children! I will make you feel a true hell!"

A few villagers flinched at his confident threats, taking a hesitant step back. Murmurs of doubt began to ripple through the crowd. "What if… what if he really gets free?" / "He… he was a God… even if he was a false one…"

But then, the same old woman who had spoken to Rio the day before stepped forward. Her legs trembled, but her grip on a fist-sized rock was firm. "He is not a God! He is a liar! He is the one who took our children!" she shrieked, her voice breaking but filled with a new, fierce conviction. She hurled the rock with all her might, and it struck the Domifirt squarely in the chest.

The old woman's courage reignited the crowd's fury. They roared and began throwing again, though a flicker of doubt remained in some of their eyes.

Suddenly, Dany, also wearing his white wolf mask, leaped onto a pile of old timber, instantly drawing everyone's attention. His face was tired, with dark circles under his eyes, but his voice was loud and commanding, a world away from his usual lighthearted banter. "Listen, everyone!" he shouted. The crowd immediately fell silent, their eyes fixed on him.

"This creature," Dany continued, pointing a trembling finger at the bound Domifirt, "has deceived you for centuries! He is not a god! He is a monster who fed on your fear and your despair!" He paused, letting his words sink in. "From this day forward, you no longer have to fear him! You no longer have to offer sacrifices for the fertility of your land! His deception is over! Your village… is free!"

A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd. This time, the lingering doubt was washed away by Dany's words. This wasn't the blind cheer of worship, but a raw, cathartic celebration of relief and joy, mingled with the aftershocks of trauma. People wept openly, embracing one another. Finally, after generations of living in the shadow of a lie, they were truly free.

As he watched the villagers celebrate, Dany's eyes met Rio's. Rio was standing quietly at the edge of the crowd, still processing everything. He walked over to Dany, his steps steadier now.

"Rio? Hey, you… you're walking normally?" Dany asked, his tone laced with clear astonishment as his eyes scanned Rio from top to bottom. He clapped Rio on the shoulder, feeling the solid muscle beneath the worn jacket. "Last night you were like pulverized jelly, I thought we'd have to carry you. Now you're fresh as a daisy. Don't tell me you've secretly got lizard blood, or maybe… you're descended from something else?" Dany tried to joke, but there was a serious, probing undertone to his question, a faint foreshadowing that hung in the air.

Rio just shrugged, a faint blush appearing on his usually pale cheeks beneath the mask. "I don't know, Dany. I have no idea. After I woke up, most of the pain was gone. My body felt… lighter. Much better than I expected." He himself felt the strangeness. Something was different, a remnant of some bizarre energy flowing through his veins, leaving a warm sensation he couldn't explain. Maybe this is just another side effect of Stage Two Shunpo? he wondered. Or… is it something deeper, something about myself I don't yet know? The thought flickered, leaving an intriguing trail of curiosity.

"Well, thank goodness for that!" Dany grinned, this time with genuine relief. "At least I won't have to lug you around like a giant baby all the way home. My back would've given out!"

Rio glanced at the Domifirt, who was still growling and cursing under the tree, now being spat on more than stoned. "Back there," Rio said quietly, his voice still a bit hoarse, "I really didn't know how to kill it. Every time I cut it, its body grew back like a weed. So, I decided to just break all its bones. At least that stopped it from moving and paused its perfect regeneration for a while."

Dany nodded, his expression turning serious again, the exhaustion clear in his eyes. "A clever and brutal decision, Rio. Considering we didn't know its exact weakness, and frankly, I was out of ideas when I saw its head grow back." He sighed. "We should take him to Grandpa Henry. Maybe Grandpa has more information on this type of creature, or at least a way to make sure he never gets back up to bother anyone again." He glanced towards a simple wooden cart he'd prepared nearby, which was now filled with straw. "More importantly, we need to find out why this thing, a supposed Domifirt, was so weak compared to the horror stories Grandpa used to slip into his training. There's something not right here."

Rio nodded in agreement. "We need answers. And only Grandpa might have them." There was an urgency in his voice. They couldn't kill the creature here and risk it returning or drawing the attention of a stronger Domifirt. Taking it to Grandpa Henry was the only logical, albeit risky, option.

Dany walked over to the Domifirt. "Time for a little trip, Mr. 'False God'," he said with cold sarcasm. With some effort, and the help of a few village youths who were now looking braver but still wary, they managed to lift the limp, moaning body of the Domifirt onto the cart, tying it down securely with the remaining chains and whatever ropes they could find.

"We're taking this creature away!" Dany yelled to the crowd. "Take care of your village! Rebuild what he has destroyed! And farewell!" He waved his hand with a theatrical flair, trying to hide his own bone-deep exhaustion.

Instantly, the villagers cheered again, this time for their three masked heroes.

"Thank you, Sir Wolves!"

"We will remember your service forever!"

"May the true gods bless you!"

Rio, Dany, and Lisa (who had rejoined them, her shoulder still a bit stiff but her gaze now calmer) walked away from the village, leaving the sincere praise and thanks behind them. Dany pushed the cart, which contained a Domifirt who had resumed cursing and threatening them in a hoarse voice.

"Shut up, or I'll throw you into a ravine!" Dany threatened irritably after a while, smacking the Domifirt's head with the pommel of his sword, just hard enough to silence him for a moment.

And so, they finally left the village behind…