WILD

The moment they set their foot outside, the entire tunnel collapsed, spewing clouds of dust and sand throughout the maple-breech forest. A giant arm burst out of the ground before they could even take a breather, sending the golden-brown maple leaves flying.

“Whoa, that is one way to make an entrance!” Rupert cried out exuberantly. His sister, however, did not share his enthusiasm.

“Oh, the locals are not gonna be happy – not one bit,” Lucy grumbled.

“We’ll cross that bridge later. For now, prepare for battle,” said Sam after removing his mask. The trio drew their weapons simultaneously, but another problem soon arose as a horde of Lacerators dug themselves out of the ground.

“The First Raid. It’s about to begin,” Lucy stated with a scowl on her face. “Damn, if only the Overseer of this Sector didn’t drink himself to death…”

“It looks like our large friend has finally decided to show its face,” said Rupert as the Mangler’s entire torso finally saw the morning sun for the very first time. “You know, I’ve always wanted to go against a Giant Class Distorted.”

“One thing at a time, Rupe,” Sam responded while gesturing at the approaching horde of Lacerators. He held his sword over his head; already, he could feel the heat emitted by the blade. “Red Crest,” as soon as he uttered those words, his katana burst into flame. Sam brought his sword down, launching a giant fireball at the monsters.

The Lacerators, after seeing the incoming projectile, attempted to dodge it. But, to their surprise, the fireball suddenly split into three and landed on the Distorted before they could even process what had just happened. The intense flame melted most of the horde; the remaining force froze as if terrified by the blaze.

“Careful now, Sammy. Don’t want you to get Burnout,” said Rupert as he patted Sam on the shoulder.

“You’re one to talk,” Lucy scoffed at her brother’s remark. As the flame died out, Lucy rushed onward; her eyes set on the surviving Lacerators. The monsters quickly took notice of her, but the latter had already started swinging. One by one, the Lacerators collapsed as their arms and legs were cleaved by Lucy’s dirk. From afar, her movement was a rapid blur, and the creatures only realized the extent of their injuries after seeing their limbs rolling on the ground.

Unable to contain his excitement, Rupert soon joined the onslaught by decapitating every Lacerator with her twin kamas. He skilfully jumped from one enemy to another; his feet barely touched the earth.

“Those two are definitely siblings,” Sam commented before shifting his focus to the Mangler, which managed to pull its left leg out of the hole. Sensing the imminent danger, he placed his fingers inside his mouth and let out a loud whistle.

The Nightingales promptly pulled back after bringing down the last of the Lacerators, returning to Sam’s position. “A change of plan. Our current objective is to take down that thing. Lucy, does the Mangler have any weak points we can exploit?”

Lucy shut her eyes for a moment to think. Then, she nodded her head and replied, “There is. If I remember correctly, its heart is hidden behind those faces on its chest. Unfortunately, the skin is much thicker; it will be like cutting through a boulder.”

“Or we can just go for the head?” Rupert suggested.

“Then, another one will grow in its stead. Unless we destroy the heart, the Mangler is practically immortal,” Lucy countered. “That aside, we still have to climb 200 feet to reach its chest, and I don’t think big boy here will make it easy.”

“Maybe we don’t need to climb it,” said Sam, his eyes lit up.

The siblings looked at Sam, wondering what the latter was scheming.

“We’ll have to topple it over and restrain it long enough for me to get on top of it,” Sam proposed. “The skin of its chest might be thick, but it is still made of flesh.”

“Hold on, you’re going to use the Fiery Edge, aren’t you? But, will that even be enough?” asked Lucy concerningly.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Sam retorted confidently. “Now, listen closely - this is what we are going to do.”

**********************************************

[5 minutes later…]

“So, that’s it, then? That’s the whole plan?” No contingency or anything?” said Lucy with a grimace. “I must say, Sam, the plans you devised in the past were quite risky, but this is on a whole other level.”

“I like it. It’s simple and doable,” Rupert answered, much to his sister’s chagrin.

“We’ve only got one shot at this. If the plan deviates, then…we’ll just have to improvise,” said Sam.

“Then, what are we waiting for?” Rupert exclaimed after clapping his hands together. He scurried away with an elated smile and a pair of unsheathed weapons.

“And there he goes,” Lucy sighed before leaving Sam behind to take her position.

Sam stood still, observing the elder Nightingale closing in on the Mangle. He repeatedly adjusted his grip, hoping that his sword would not slip out of his hands. “Steady, Sam. Steady,” he whispered to himself.

As soon as Rupert came to an abrupt stop in front of the Mangler, he waved his hands around to attract the goliath’s attention. It did not take long for the giant to cast its gaze on the eldest Nightingale and subsequently, lifting its right hand over its head. “Ooh, someone’s grumpy. One serving of Reaper’s Breath will change that,” said Rupert before swinging one of his kamas upward, creating a powerful gust that hit the Mangler’s squarely in the face.

Staggered by the sudden attack, the creature let out a deafening, muffled shriek that echoed throughout the forest. It tried to seize Rupert as a response, but thanks to the latter’s quick reflexes, the Mangler missed him. Instead, the eldest Nightingale hopped on the creature’s arm and plunged his kamas into its wrist. He was expecting the monster to scream as before, but he found out he was being hoisted up to the sky. He held on to his kamas, which acted as pitons – and before he knew it, he was dangling over the Mangler’s head.

“Oh crap, this is high! Really high!” Rupert spouted, feeling slightly nauseous at the overwhelming view. His problem only worsened when he saw a long, horizontal slit begin to form below the Mangler’s eyes. It eventually parted, revealing a pitch-black abyss where the sunlight could not even reach. “So, this is what your victims saw before you gobbled them up, huh?” Rupert commented casually. After taking a deep breath, he raised his legs and pressed his soles against the Mangler’s wrist. “One shot,” he recalled Sam’s words before wrenching his kamas out.

“That son-of-a-gun,” Sam huffed as he saw Rupert free-falling toward the Mangler’s mouth. Moments later, the eldest Nightingale waved his kamas around, creating a flurry of wind strong enough to knock the giant off its feet. Then, before the Mangler fell on its back, water gushed out of the golden soil, acting as a makeshift cushion.

“Oh, shit!” Rupert cried out as he plummeted to the ground. All of a sudden, a geyser sprang from below, slowing down the eldest Nightingale’s steep descent. The minute he touched the ground, Rupert let out a sigh of relief followed by a tired laugh. “That was one hell of a ride,” he exhaled.

“Be grateful your sister was around to save your skin,” said Sam. As he looked over to the toppled Mangler, blue tendrils sprouted from the cushion of water and wrapped themselves around the giant’s body. “Navy Shackles,” Sam muttered before noticing Lucy running up to him.

“That’ll hold it off, but not for long. So, whatever it is you’re planning to do, you'd better do it now.”

“Rupe,” Sam called out before sheathing his blade. “Mind giving me a little boost?”

“Not at all,” Rupert replied. Crossing his kamas together, the eldest Nightingale lowered to his knees, allowing Sam to step on the twin sickles. “Up you go!”

Sam held his breath as Rupert launched him upward. For a few seconds, he was flying in the air where he could see the entirety of the Wailing Forest. Thanks to the sunlight, the trees gave out a breathtaking, bright golden hue. It was a shame, he thought, for a beautiful place like this to be associated with a morbid name. After landing safely on top of the Mangler’s stomach, Sam drew his weapon and dashed along the giant’s body until he reached the upper torso. Dozens of faces – ranging from the elderly to toddlers – were spread across the Mangler’s chest. Each one of them was twisted in agony and horror; their last facial expression before they fell into the bottomless abyss.

'Do you pity them? ' The face of an elderly man began to speak. 'You pity those who will shun you in a heartbeat?'

“That voice…the talking crystal,” said Sam.

'Ever since the beginning, people like you have been despised and ostracized. Why would you go to great lengths to protect them?'

“It’s because I have made an oath to someone.”

'But that’s not the only reason, is it? Your memory – fractured and in pieces. The past you desperately tried to remember because you wanted to prove to anyone that you are not a monster.'

Sam instinctively stabbed the talking face, but his act was in vain as the face next to it – a little girl – started laughing.

'I know what you are, and what you are capable of. The infamous Flame Accursed, destined to destroy this world, is feared by civilians and peers alike. It must have been difficult for you to carry such a burden for a very long time. All those pains they inflicted on you, marking you as an abomination.'

“The only abomination here is you,” Sam retorted sternly. “You create those creatures to prey on the living, spreading chaos and death across the globe. The people might fear me – fear the Faceless Order; however, what people think of us is the least of our concern. I have no idea what you’re trying to insinuate, but my memory is my business alone.”

'That is where you are mistaken.'

“What?”

'Your lost memory is not an accident. It was deliberate – a way to safeguard a secret beyond your limited understanding. But do not fret, for you are also a part of that secret.'

“As much as it intrigues me, I do not speak in riddles. So, speak plainly – what is this secret that you spoke of, and why am I a part of it?”

'If I tell you, it will cease to be a secret, wouldn’t it? As soon as the face finished talking, it popped out of the Mangler chest; its serpentine body swiftly coiled around Sam’s limbs and torso.'

“Argh!” Sam gasped as his throat began to tighten.

'Perhaps I should dispose of you now to save you from your future suffering – an act of mercy by He of the Devouring Rock.'

Sam’s katana suddenly burst into flame, burning the snake-like appendage off him. Now freed from his bonds, the vermillion-eyed man drove his blade into the Mangler’s broad chest. In less than a second, all the faces spouted black bubbling sludge from their mouths, and Sam took it as a sign for him to jump off. As soon as he reached the solid ground, he was met with Lucy’s troubled expression. But, before she could open her mouth, the Mangler began to scream as its pale skin was quickly covered with boils.

“We'd better go,” Sam simply said, prompting Lucy to drag her older brother to hide behind the trees.

The giant exploded, dispersing dark liquid all over the place and dyeing the forest black.

Sam peeked from behind a tree trunk, looking directly at the Mangler’s charred remains. The stench was so unbearable that it made his eyes water.

“What in the world was that?” said Lucy as she popped out from her hiding spot, coughing her lungs out.

“That was awesome!” Rupert exclaimed before pinching his nose. “The smell, however…urgh.”

Sam slid his blade back into its case; his eyes were still affixed on the giant’s corpse. Then, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.

“What happened? You were up there for a while,” Lucy asked, both hands on her hips.

“I’m not quite sure. At least, not yet,” Sam answered vaguely. “One thing for sure, though, it will be very tough to explain everything to Markus.”

“Tough is an understatement,” said an orotund voice, causing the trio to straighten their back in unison. They slowly turned around and saw a well-built, middle-aged man in a grey uniform; his onyx eyes were seething with rage.

“Markus, um,” Sam stammered. “When did you get here?”

“That hardly matters right now, doesn’t it?” Markus replied while stroking his neatly trimmed beard. “If we’re going to do this by the book, the three of you will be thrown in the dungeon indefinitely, but I’m feeling a bit generous today. So, I’m going to give you a chance to explain yourself, and please, for your own sake, do not leave out any details.”