Тахлын Үеийн Найр

Neither Nephis nor Sunny wanted to climb down from the wall, because that would leave them with no path of retreat should something terrible happen. Without the need to discuss it, they had decided to explore the nearest tower and see if there was a suitable way to descend from the wall inside of it.

They followed the slightly bending wall north, keeping an eye on the ruins below. From time to time, Sunny was able to notice the shapes of creatures moving through the desolate streets of the ancient city. However, nothing seemed to be interested in scaling its tall granite bulwark.

For the time being, they were safe.

However, he didn't feel safe. Instead, he kept glancing at the distant axis of the Crimson Spire and shivering.

That thing was seriously way too ominous.

'Good thing we will be out of here soon…'

That was the only thought that kept him from falling into an irrational panic. Their journey through the Forgotten Shore was about to end. They had endured a lot and survived through a lot. At times, he had not even been sure that they were going to make it out of here alive. But now, all their suffering was about to be rewarded.

The path to freedom was already in their sight… they just had to overcome this one last hurdle to return home in glory.

...Soon, they were closing in on one of the mighty towers built into the wall. The structure was round in shape, rising above the main embankment by a good dozen meters. There was a wide wooden gate leading inside the tower, which was broken a long time ago, with only a few splinters remaining on the ancient iron hinges.

Behind the doorway, there was nothing but darkness.

Sunny felt that the sight of this entrance was a bit creepy. Of course, darkness was nothing to him. And yet…

Suddenly, Cassie tugged on his shoulder, forcing Sunny to stop. Both him and Nephis turned to her, their hands outstretched and ready to summon their swords.

"What is it, Cassie?" Sunny asked, alarmed.

In some situations, the blind girl was able to recognize danger before they could. Her keen hearing and sense of smell allowed her to sometimes perceive things that normal humans would not be able to.

Now, there was a scowl on Cassie's face. Turning her head slightly, she whispered:

"Listen."

Sunny held his breath and followed her words, straining his hearing to the limit. Soon, he was able to discern a strange sound coming from inside the tower.

Chomp. Chomp. Crunch. Chomp…

It sounded like… like something was being devoured there, flesh and bones being ground by sharp teeth. The nauseating sound of meat being torn and chewed made him grimace.

Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, then summoned their swords. Like usual, before the two of them moved forward, Sunny sent his shadow to investigate the potential enemy.

The shadow glided on the stones, quickly approaching the tower. Then, it dove into the darkness and concealed itself in the vast shade that permeated the structure.

Sunny was able to see inside…

The first thing he saw was several dead monsters lying on the stone in puddles of blood. The bloody trails left on the stone floor suggested that their massive bodies were dragged here by something very powerful. They were cut apart and eviscerated, as though dressed down by an enthusiastic butcher.

Then, he saw a large pile of gnawed bones lying on the stones. Some of them still had pieces of meat stuck to them, while others were split apart and emptied of even the marrow.

The next thing he saw was… a fire burning in a circle of stone shards, with several skewers of monster meat roasting above it.

Next to the fire, the source of the chomping and crunching sounds was sitting on the stones, munching on a well-roasted rib.

…It was a human.

In fact, it was a young woman. She seemed to be only slightly older than the three of them.

Sunny blinked.

The young woman was tall and attractive. She had hazel eyes and beautiful brown hair, currently tied in a simple braid. Her build was extremely athletic, with perfectly defined lean muscles rolling under the dewy olive skin with each movement.

And there was… uh… a lot of skin on display, since she only wore a provocatively short white tunic, augmented with bronze greaves, vambraces, and a cuirass with leather pteruges.

While Nephis was slender and lithe, this stranger radiated a sense of vitality and vigor. Everything about her was lavish and generous, screaming of strength, potency and power.

The strangest part, however, was that there was an absolutely relaxed, comfortable, and happy expression on her face. In the months spent on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had never, even for a second, allowed himself to lower his guard completely. Neither had Nephis or Cassie.

Even in the rare moments of rest, sheltered in reliable safety, they were always slightly tense, expecting all kinds of horrors to fall on them in an onslaught of teeth, poison, and claws. Even while under the hex of the Soul Devourer, there was always an invisible shadow in their hearts.

However, the young woman seemed to be completely content with being in this cursed place. In fact, she looked happier than Sunny had ever been, even in the real world.

As Sunny watched, the young woman messily devoured the meat of the unfortunate monster. The juices were flowing down her face and fingers. Done with the meat, she bit on the bone itself.

His eyes widened.

The adamantine bone of the Nightmare Creature was easily crushed between her teeth, and, closing her eyes in pleasure, the girl proceeded to suck out the marrow, then chew and swallow most of the bone itself.

Crunch. Crunch. Chomp. Crunch…

Finished with the rib, she threw its remains into the disturbingly sizable pile of bones at her feet, loudly burped with no decorum whatsoever, then immediately stretched her hand out to pick up another piece of monster meat from the fire, and sunk her teeth into it.

Sunny blinked a couple of times more, then shifted his perspective back and looked at Nephis.

"What did you see?"

He lingered for a bit, and then said in a hesitant tone:

"Well... it's either a very hungry human girl. Or a very gluttonous demon."