Raven

The forest loomed around me, dark and heavy with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. The rain
continued, a steady downpour soaking everything in its path. Towering trees stretched high above, their
gnarled branches intertwining to blot out the moonlight. The air was thick, cold, and oppressive. Every
step I took felt lighter than it should have. My body no longer ached; the healing had done its work, but
my mind was still in turmoil.
Kuro strode ahead, his gait relaxed yet sure, as if he’d walked this path a thousand times. The rain
soaked through our clothes, and I shivered, feeling the harsh cold weigh down my muscles, making
each movement sluggish. My clothes clung to me, heavy and uncomfortable, and the cold made every
movement feel miserable. Kuro glanced around before motioning for us to take shelter under a cluster
of thick trees. We settled down under the branches, finding it dry and relatively sheltered from the rain.
The cover provided a small respite, and I could finally take a breath without the cold sting of the
downpour.
I looked at him, my voice steady. "Won't they come looking for us?"
Kuro glanced at me, then shrugged, a confident smirk crossing his face. "They won't want a round two
with me, kid. We're fine." He took a long drink from his flask, eyes closing briefly as he exhaled in
satisfaction.
Once we were under the shelter, Kuro reached into his pocket and pulled out a small amulet, handing it
to me. “Here, kid. This’ll help.”
I took the amulet hesitantly, and as soon as I held it, I felt myself instantly dry, the moisture vanishing
from my clothes and skin. I looked down at myself, surprised at how quickly the discomfort had
disappeared, my clothes light and warm again. I looked at Kuro in surprise, but he just shrugged, a faint
grin on his face.
“Thanks,” I said, offering the amulet back to him.
He shook his head. “It’s a one-time thing.” As if to prove his point, the amulet crumbled in my hand, the
pieces falling to the ground.
Kuro took another swig from his flask before kneeling down to gather some branches. He began to
arrange them into a small pile, his hands moving with surprising steadiness despite the alcohol. He
touched the wood, and it caught fire instantly, flames springing to life.
Kuro pulled off his soaked shirt, tossing it aside to dry. I couldn’t help but stare—his body was covered
in scars and cuts, some of them fresh. He was slim, his frame wiry but resilient. Each scar was a
testament to battles fought and sacrifices made. I felt a strange mix of awe and sadness—wondering
how much he had endured, and what kind of pain still lingered beneath those marks.
I swallowed, my gaze lingering on the cuts. “Do you want me to… try and heal those?”
Kuro glanced at me, then at the cuts, before shaking his head. “Won’t do any good, kid.”
“Why not?” I asked, frowning.
“The dagger used… prevents healing,” he said, his voice flat. He took another swig from his flask, his
eyes hardening. “It’s why I keep drinkin’. Numbs the pain, at least a little.”
I felt a pang of concern, my chest tightening. “That… that sounds miserable,” I said softly.
Kuro let out a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, well, life ain’t always a bed of roses.” He leaned back against
a tree, staring into the fire.
I hesitated for a moment, glancing at Kuro as he stared into the fire. Finally, I spoke, trying to keep my
voice casual. "You know, I never thought I'd end up like this—running through a forest with someone
like you."
Kuro smirked without looking at me. "Someone like me? Can't say I'm offended, kid. Life's got a way of
throwin' surprises at ya."
I nodded, feeling the warmth of the fire on my face. "Yeah, I guess it does." I paused, then asked, more
quietly, "Where are we headed, anyway?"
Kuro took another sip from his flask, his gaze never leaving the fire. "Animal Kingdom. Got some furry
friends there. They'll help us out."
I blinked. "Animal Kingdom? Like... animals?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "More like animal people. Think of them as folks with a bit more fur and
sharper teeth. They’re good people, though. You'll see."
I wasn't sure how to respond, so I simply nodded. A silence settled over us, and I found myself studying
Kuro’s scars again. The questions I wanted to ask felt heavy on my tongue, but I swallowed them down.
Instead, I said, "Thanks for helping me. I mean, you didn’t have to, but—"
Kuro groaned, cutting me off. "Enough with the mushy stuff. I ain't the hero type, and you ain't the
damsel, got it?" He gave me a lopsided grin, his eyes glinting in the firelight.
I managed a small smile, nodding. "Got it."
The fire crackled between us, and I let his words sink in, feeling a strange sense of hope mixed with the
fear of the unknown.
The sound of distant cawing pulled me from my thoughts... I glanced up, noticing that the rain had
begun to die down, the storm giving way to clearer skies. The black shapes of ravens circled high
above the trees, their sharp calls echoing through the forest. Kuro stopped in his tracks, his grin
vanishing.
“Hold up,” he muttered, his eyes narrowing.
I frowned. “What is it?”
Kuro’s hand moved, and in an instant, a greatsword materialized, the blade shimmering with a dark,
almost ethereal energy. It looked as though it was forged from shadows, its edges shifting slightly, as if
the weapon itself was never fully solid. “Trouble.”
Before I could ask further, Kuro's demeanor changed. His drunken sway steadied, and his eyes
narrowed with sharp focus. As if sensing my unease, Kuro spoke in a low voice, "Seems we’ve got
company, kid. Stay close." His grip on the greatsword tightened.
A figure emerged from the shadows, and my heart leaped into my throat. It was a man—or at least,
something that resembled one. Greasy fur clung to his hunched frame, his beady eyes gleaming with
malice as they flicked between Kuro and me. His twisted grin revealed sharp, rodent-like teeth, and a
scar ran down the length of his face, a testament to battles hard-fought.
“Kuro,” the rat hissed, his voice dripping with amusement. “We meet again.”
Kuro’s grip on his greatsword tightened. “Still doin’ the Reapers’ dirty work, huh?” he drawled, his voice
thick with drunkenness but sharp as a blade.
Raven’s grin widened. “Gotta keep things interesting in this line of work.”
Kuro’s eyes darkened. “Now, why don’t you crawl back to your hole before I turn you into rat stew?”
Raven’s eyes flicked over to me, his grin twisting into something far darker. I instinctively took a step
back, dread prickling along my spine. "The Queen will be pleased to see you gone," he sneered, his
voice dripping with venom. "Let's see just how much trouble you really are."
Before I could respond, Raven whistled sharply. The sound pierced the stillness of the forest, and
suddenly, the sky above filled with the beating of wings. A flock of black birds descended upon us, their
eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Their sharp beaks aimed straight for Kuro and me.
Kuro raised his greatsword with surprising speed for a man so drunk, slashing it through the air. The
wave of dark energy burst from the blade, disintegrating the birds instantly. Kuro stumbled slightly,
regaining his balance quickly. “Damn birds…” he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow.
I barely had time to react before the ground beneath me began to tremble. From the outskirts of the
forest, a swarm of rats came rushing toward us. Their eyes glowed a sickly purple, and foam dripped
from their mouths, sizzling as it hit the ground.
Kuro's eyes narrowed as he extended both arms. Dark spikes erupted from the earth, tearing through
the advancing rats like paper. The creatures screeched, their bodies impaled by the blackened spears.
But some of them made it through the barrage, darting toward me with rabid hunger.
I screamed, stumbling backward, my heart pounding in my chest. Panic surged through me, and
without thinking, I thrust my hands forward. Crimson light erupted from my palms, disintegrating the rats
before they could reach me. The power was overwhelming, and my whole body shook as the energy
drained away, leaving me breathless and terrified.
Panting, I crawled to a nearby tree, trying to steady my breathing. I closed my eyes and focused on the
healing magic within me, using it to calm down.
Kuro looked at me with a smile, but before he could say anything, Raven vanished into a cloud of green
smoke. The sound of scurrying filled the air, and Kuro’s eyes snapped toward the treetops. Suddenly,
Raven leaped down from the branches, his daggers gleaming in the dim light. He collided with Kuro,
their weapons clashing in a burst of sparks.
Kuro’s greatsword glowed as he held off Raven with one hand. He flicked his other hand, dark spikes
shooting from the ground to intercept the rats swarming toward me. Without missing a beat, the
advancing horde was obliterated before getting close.
I watched in shock as he protected me, despite his fight.
Raven, however, was relentless, darting and weaving with the agility of a predator.
The two moved like blurs, steel clashing in a deadly dance. Kuro’s greatsword met Raven’s daggers,
sparks flying with each impact.
Kuro grinned, his wild eyes never leaving Raven’s. “You’re quicker than last time, rat,” he slurred,
despite the sharpness of his movements.
Raven hissed, lunging forward with a flurry of dagger strikes. Then, with a sudden burst of strength,
Kuro lashed out with a wild kick, his boot connecting with Raven’s chest. The force sent Raven
crashing into a nearby tree, the impact splintering the wood. The rat groaned as he hit the ground, but
before he could recover, Kuro disappeared from sight, reappearing in front of him in an instant.
Kuro made the greatsword vanish with a swift motion, the dark energy dissipating into nothingness,
stepping up to Raven with fists clenched. “Let’s see how you handle this,” he growled.
He lunged at Raven, slamming his fists into the rat’s body with brutal force. Each punch landed with a
sickening thud, Raven’s head snapping back with the impact. Blood splattered from Raven’s mouth as
his body jerked with each blow. Raven tried to raise a hand, but Kuro was faster.
With a flick of his wrist, dark energy pulsed from Kuro’s fingers, slicing cleanly through Raven’s hand.
The severed limb hit the ground with a dull thud, and the trees behind Raven were sliced apart by the
lingering force of the attack.
“Nice try, rat,” Kuro sneered. Dark energy gathered in his hands, crackling and forming swirling tendrils
that pulsed in the dim light.
Kuro stood over Raven, dark energy crackling in his hands, the tendrils flickering dangerously close to
Raven's throat. "You remember those daggers of yours?" Kuro's voice was low, filled with restrained
rage. "You left me with these scars while I was protecting that kid—you weren't even aiming for me." He
paused, his gaze hardening as he leaned closer. "So tell me, Raven, if I kill you, does that lift the
curse?"
Raven let out a hissing sound, his body trembling. Suddenly, his form began to melt, green goo oozing
from his body as he disintegrated before our eyes. The goo splattered against the tree, sizzling as it
melted the bark. Kuro jumped back, eyeing the spot where Raven had vanished.
I stood frozen, my breath shallow, still reeling from the intensity of the battle. I stared at the spot where
Raven had been, my mind racing. “What… what just happened?”
Kuro wiped the remaining sweat from his brow. “Bastard always finds a way to run.” He took another
swig from his flask, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Nice job back there. You handled
yourself pretty well, considering everything."
I blinked, still processing everything. “I… I didn’t even know what I was doing.”
Kuro chuckled, his laugh deep and raspy. "You'll learn to trust your instincts," he said with a grin.
The forest fell silent, save for the occasional rustling of leaves. My mind buzzed with questions, but the
exhaustion was setting in, my body heavy with the weight of the fight. I glanced up at Kuro, who was
already looking ahead, his flask swaying slightly in his hand.
“Come on, kid. We’ve still got a long way to go,” Kuro said, his voice lighter but still edged with caution.
“Let's try not to blow up anymore castles."
I couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at my lips, despite the whirlwind of confusion inside me. I nodded
and followed, my thoughts drifting back to the red magic that had erupted from me.
As we moved deeper into the dark woods, one thing was certain—this was only the beginning of a path
I never expected to walk. And Kuro, drunk and dangerous as he was, seemed to be the only one who
knew how to guide me through it. With the storm behind us and night ahead, I knew that whatever lay
on this path, I would have to face it—whether I was ready or not.