Sereneth — The World That Awaited

It was calm, there was no noise – just birds chirping. The air was fresh. The ground wasn't concrete, it was grass.

Opening his eyes, the first thing Touma saw was a canopy of trees – right above him. He was in a forest.

"So this is the world he was talking about? It seems peaceful.” Touma looked around. “I don't get the fact that people need help here.” He thought.

"I love this environment, it's more calming here than any place I've ever been to." He mumbled as he sat in the same spot he had woken up in. 

"Help me!!" A voice echoed in the calm forest. A woman? In the forest? Why?

The scream pierced his ears like a rusty, dull nail. He got up and started to run towards that voice. "Who's there?" He shouted as he ran.

There was no reply. Just the same words over and over – “Help me!" 

But each time the expression in her voice got grim. Touma could hear the voice getting closer. He was going on the right path.

As he ran through the forest, Touma saw a break in the canopy, the forest was opening. 

Touma stepped out into the opening – finding himself facing an open field, shining under the bright sun that was warm. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. But something felt odd there. 

A woman, quite young, stood there – holding onto a baby tightly.

She looked scared. It seemed as if she was trying to protect the baby from something.

Trying to analyse the situation, Touma looked around for a while as he stood at the forest’s edge. Everything looked normal to him. There was nothing around, the field was empty. The woman was standing alone.

“What is she scared of?” Touma wondered.

She was running. She was shouting, “Help me! Someone please save my child… save my child from them.” 

She turned her head frantically. As if… she was looking for someone. Suddenly her gaze fell on Touma. Their eyes met.

“Please help me, save my child from them!” She begged him.

Touma came out into the field as he approached the woman. Her face was lit with a light of hope. As he was approaching her, something felt wrong. 

The air shifted – dull and heavy.

“Why does this field stench like rotten flesh?” He asked.

“It's them. They are here. They want to kill me and my baby. First it was my husband, now they're after me. Please save me.” 

“Who's them? There is nobody in this field.” Touma replied.

“You can't see them? What do you mean?!” The woman panicked. 

“Can't you see them. They're… glaring at us. Right there!” as she pointed in a specific direction, about hundred metres to the left of Touma. 

“What is there? I can't see anything.” Touma replied.

“Please believe me, I beg you to save me from them. I don't know why you can't see them, but they're really there.” She repeated – same thing over and over again.

“Who's there?” The grass rustled in the distance. 

There was nothing there. 

“It's them! They are walking towards us. Hurry and do something— please!” The woman started to freak out. She hid behind Touma, holding on to his back.

“What's that?!” Touma shouted. 

The sky turned cloudy, the once beautiful field that seemed so calming was not there anymore. 

No, the field was still there. But nowhere like it was before. 

And then there were them. Standing at a distance of about 50 metres in this black field, glaring at Touma. Their bodies were rotten. Flesh was barely clinging to their bones. It must have been them. The ones responsible for the smell of rotten flesh.

“Wh… what.. are th–those wolf like creatures?” 

“They're t-them. The… the ones I was saying. They… they are here to.. kill me. Please save me from them!” 

The woman staggered – barely able to stay on her feet.

There was no time to think. No time to run. Clenched fists ready, Touma made the decision to fight.

The beasts sensed it and charged forward. There was no turning back now. It was now or never.

The tension was rising each second as the beasts approached him. 

“What?! Some of them… some of them are disintegrating! But why?” 

The question hung in the air. Touma looked behind to see the woman. Only to witness the most horrific sight he had ever seen.

She was vomiting blood. Her baby was blue. It was already dead.

“Wh-what the hell?!” Touma jumped back. The woman looked up – a grin on her face. Her eyes bled. Her skin was pale. 

She shrieked — a voice so raw it didn't feel human anymore. 

“You should have run from the start. It's your turn now!” a shrieking laugh came from her throat.

The beasts jumped at her – gnawing off at her flesh. The smell of that rotten flesh was strong enough to make any person vomit their guts out. 

It all felt unreal. “What's up with this world?! All of this is so messed up.” 

Touma saw an opportunity, he ran in the opposite direction. The grass rustled as he ran. He was not alone, a beast was running after him. 

The beast leapt over him. Digging its claws in his back. 

Touma could guess his life was going to end in a moment. He wanted to shout for help. But there was nobody around. Except for this vulture-like creature in the distance.

Touma saw it – the beast’s open jaw, stinking of blood and rot. Ready to rip his head apart. Its claws went deep in his back – tearing through flesh.

There were gusts of wind. Touma felt the beast’s grip loosening on his back. If he put in enough strength – he could break free.

Touma felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. He tried to lift his body. But the beast didn't budge. He felt energy draining out of his body.

He saw a shadow. A shadow of death – crept closer. 

Suddenly, something fell on Touma’s back. It was a head. The beast's head. How? 

This beast disintegrated too. Just like some of the ones from before. The weight on his back was gone, so was death. But the pain wasn't.

“My back hurts. But this isn't the time to worry about that. I must run. Yes – I need to get out of this place as soon as possible.” 

Touma looked back one last time. 

Strange – the woman and the beasts were all gone. The sky began to clear. Sunlight lit up the field again. Everything became normal. The field was green again. The clouds were gone. But the smell wasn't.

Touma didn't care about any of it. He just walked away. In hopes to find people – actual people. 

Touma kept walking. This time he didn't stop anywhere. After some time, he saw some buildings. They looked like houses – small, but real ones. 

“A village? There must be people there! I need to hurry.” Touma thought.

Touma entered the village. It was quiet. Nobody was outside. Was it abandoned? Doesn't seem so. 

“Please save her.”

Another voice? What is it this time? Touma felt a chill down his spine. 

“I'm sorry old man. But we can't help you.” Another voice came. Are there two people?

Suddenly the surrounding was full of muttering. There were more people. Touma went ahead and peeked from behind a building. 

There they were – humans. After such a long time. But what are they talking about? Touma stepped out in the open.

“What do you mean you can't help me? Why are you soldiers then?” An old man spoke. It was the same voice as before. He must've been the one back then too.

“Like I said. Leave it. Who cares anymore? If she dies then that is a good thing, isn't it? That's what we all are waiting for after all!” The soldiers replied.

“No, please don't say that. I beg you to save her. Please save my granddaughter. She is the only one I have left. I promised her that we will stay together till the end.” The old man looked desperate.

“What is going on here?” Touma asked a villager. 

As expected, the villager popped up another question, “Who are you?”

“I'm… a traveller. I came here looking for people.” 

“What's with the pause?” Another question came.

“I’m tired.” Touma muttered. “ Look, I need rest. I don't have enough energy for an interrogation.” 

“I just need a place to rest.” He said with a pause.

“I can give you shelter for one night.” An old woman spoke up. She looked kind. 

“Thanks for the offer grandma. But what is going on here?” 

“Well you see, the old man there lived with his granddaughter. But she disappeared this morning. Or rather, the bandits took her.” A villager whispered in his ear. “That's why he's asking the soldiers for help.” He added.

Touma got the idea of the situation. He started to walk towards the old man. 

“What business do you have here kid?” A soldier asked.

“None with you. I came to talk to the old man here. Not with you.” 

“Why you–”

“What do you want to talk with me about?” The old man cut in between the soldier.

“I can look for your granddaughter.”

Touma told the old man.