The air was thick with death. Blood soaked the dirt, and the bodies of knights, demons, ogres, and wolves were strewn across the battlefield like discarded trash, yet Lilith sat on the ground, arms folded, scowling like a spoiled child.
Wrath, perched on a broken log, barely spared her a glance. In the background, more ogres dug graves, shoveling blood-stained earth without hesitation.
She grumbled. "Ugh, why does he have to be so rude? I helped him, and now he's just sitting there, pouting."
Wrath heard her. He just didn't care.
An ogre emerged from the trees, dragging a knight by his collar. The knight was shaking, his armor dented, his face drained of color.
"P-please… let me go… I'll tell you anything… please don't kill me…"
Wrath barely looked at him. "Human."
The knight's breath hitched. His knees buckled as his wide, terror-stricken eyes darted around. "N-no… no, no… it can't be… The Sin of Wrath…"
Wrath's gaze finally settled on Lilith.
Lilith groaned. "Oh, no. Don't you look at me. You handle it."
Wrath exhaled sharply. "Lilith." His voice was deep, layered with something dangerous.
"Nope. Not listening." She turned her head away.
Wrath's fingers twitched. "I don't have time for weaklings."
Lilith scoffed. "You never have time for anything."
Wrath's tone darkened. "I make time for what matters."
Lilith rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, and what matters? Sitting there brooding like a wounded beast?"
Wrath didn't answer.
Lilith's gaze flicked to the knight captain's sword still lodged in Wrath's side. A slow smirk spread across her lips.
"Well, since you don't care…"
She reached out and yanked the sword from his side. Blood trickled down, but Wrath didn't even blink.
Lilith twirled the weapon between her fingers. "Hmm… doesn't hurt, huh? You really are boring."
With a flick of her wrist, the sword crumbled into dust.
Wrath exhaled sharply. "Lilith."
Lilith grinned. "You love saying my name."
Wrath's patience was razor-thin. "The knight."
Lilith huffed. "Fine. But not for you."
She turned to the trembling knight, floating toward him. His chest heaved as he tried to back away, but the ogre held him in place.
"Now, honey… this won't hurt a bit."
The knight sobbed. "P-please… I'll tell you anything!"
Lilith's smile widened. "I know."
She placed both hands on his head.
Then—
A sickening crack echoed as his skull began to crush inward, the bones caving as if gripped by an invisible vice. Blood seeped from his ears, his mouth, his eyes—
His screams turned into choked gurgles, his throat struggling to push out sound as his skull collapsed. The pressure intensified—his skin stretched to its limit—veins bulged—
And then—
SPLORCH.
His head burst apart like a rotting fruit, splattering everything nearby. Bone shards embedded into the ogre's thick skin. Blood sprayed across Lilith's face, speckled Wrath's arm, and dripped from the ogre's fingers like a crushed berry.
Lilith wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, glancing down at the ruined corpse. "Tch. Nothing useful. Just some pathetic message for their king. What a waste."
Wrath stood up. "We're done here."
The ogre let the knight's corpse slump to the ground like a sack of meat. Wrath started walking, his heavy steps indifferent to the carnage behind him.
Lilith floated beside him, stretching lazily. "Well, that was fun."
Wrath didn't look at her. "Weren't you just angry with me?"
Lilith smirked. "Oh, I still am. And you still owe me one."
Wrath exhaled sharply. "I regret following you."
Lilith chuckled. "You always say that."
They walked in silence for a moment before Lilith's voice cut through the quiet. "You know… we wouldn't have known about these knights if it wasn't for Greed."
Wrath's eyes darkened. "That doesn't mean I trust him."
Lilith tilted her head. "Oh? What's the matter? Afraid he might actually be right about something?"
Wrath scoffed. "He's never right. He just makes sure he's profitable."
Lilith laughed. "Fair point. But this whole thing does feel like a setup."
Wrath's expression hardened. "Greed's hands must be in this."
Lilith grinned. "Oooh, suspicious, are we? You think he's playing games again?"
Wrath's voice was cold. "He always is."
Lilith hummed, clearly enjoying this. "Well, I did hear he was sniffing around some nobles. And where there's nobles, there's secrets."
Wrath clenched his fists. "If I find out he had a hand in this…"
Lilith smirked. "Oh, now that would be fun to watch."
Wrath remained silent.
Lilith floated closer, her voice teasing. "Bet you ten gold he shows up before we get our answers."
Wrath didn't respond.
Lilith grinned. "Coward."
Wrath exhaled sharply.
Lilith smiled wider. "Oh, I love getting on your nerves."
They walked deeper into the forest, leaving behind a battlefield of broken bodies.
The morning sun barely peeked through the dense trees, the sound of rushing water filling the air. Near the river, a lone deer bent down to drink, ears twitching at every sound. It was peaceful—until an arrow came whistling through the air.
THWACK!
The deer collapsed instantly, legs twitching before going still.
From the underbrush, a man stepped out, bow in hand, a smirk on his face. He wasn't much to look at—brown hair a mess, clothes rough and worn—but he knew how to hunt. He crouched, pulling the arrow from the deer's neck with ease. "Not bad," he muttered, tossing the arrow into the river.
That's when he saw them.
Bodies. Bloodied, broken, drifting downstream like discarded trash. His smirk faded. "What the hell…"
Then—
SPLASH!
A body shot up from the water, gasping, coughing, clawing at the riverbank. The man tensed, reaching for his knife—until he saw the kid's face. Soaked, barely conscious, and those fox-like ears twitched slightly.
"Damn," he muttered, kneeling beside him. The kid was alive, but barely. He sighed, scratching his head. "Guess breakfast can wait."
Lifting Raphael onto his shoulder alongside the deer, he trudged back toward the settlement.
The camp was alive with noise—though not the useful kind.
In one corner, two men were pounding the hell out of each other. One had a missing tooth, the other had a face that looked like it had lost too many fights. Around them, a crowd of idiots hollered like it was some grand event.
"Hit him harder, you bastard! My grandmother punches better than that!"
"Break his nose! I got five coins on it!"
"Kick him in the gut! No, wait—kick him in the face! No, wait—just kick him somewhere!"
"I bet all my rations for the week! Don't let me starve, you idiot!"
The boss, carrying Raphael, barely glanced their way. "Brainless fools," he muttered.
Then—
"BOSS!"
A woman hurried toward him, auburn hair swaying. Elara. She wasn't exactly dressed fancy—just a simple dress—but that didn't stop the men from sneaking glances.
She grinned. "Didn't see you in bed this morning."
He shifted slightly, revealing the half-drowned fox boy. "Had to get breakfast. Found this kid, too." He dropped the deer with a dull thud.
Elara's smile dropped as she took Raphael, frowning at his cold skin. "Another one?" She sighed. "We barely have enough to feed ourselves."
"Yeah, well," the boss said, rolling his shoulders, "he's breathing. Not leaving him out there."
Elara shook her head but held Raphael a little closer. "You're soft, you know that?"
He scoffed. "Tell that to those dumbasses over there." He jerked a thumb at the ongoing fight.
One of the fighters—Bald Man—took a nasty hit to the jaw and stumbled. His opponent, Missing Tooth, laughed and cracked his knuckles.
"Come on, is that all you got?" Missing Tooth taunted.
Bald Man spat blood. "You think you're tough? You just got lucky!"
"Oh yeah? Then dodge this!"
CRACK!
Bald Man didn't dodge. He ate the punch full force, spinning before landing flat on his back.
The crowd went wild.
"OH, HE'S OUT!"
"That's what I'm talking about!"
"Pay up, losers! I told you Missing Tooth was a beast!"
But Bald Man wasn't done yet. Groaning, he rolled over and shoved himself to his feet. His lip was busted, his eyes unfocused, but he still raised his fists. "I… ain't losing…"
The crowd loved it.
"Look at this guy! He's still standing!"
"Now that's a real man!"
"I don't care who wins anymore, I just wanna see more punching!"
The boss watched all this with growing irritation. "Alright, I've had enough of this."
Elara smirked as she walked away with Raphael. "Oh, this is the part where you get involved?"
He cracked his neck. "Nah. This is the part where I remind these idiots who runs this place."
And with that, he marched straight toward the chaos, ready to beat some sense into them himself.
The two battered men knelt before the boss, their faces swollen, their dignity shattered. The rest of the men stood in an uneasy circle, shifting on their feet, trying not to draw attention to themselves.
The boss glared at them all, arms crossed. "So." His voice was calm—too calm. "I come back from hauling food and saving a half-drowned kid, and what do I find?"
Silence.
"Oh, don't be shy now." His eyes swept across the group. "Someone explain why these two idiots were trying to kill each other instead of doing actual work."
The men exchanged nervous glances. A skinny man with a twitch—one of the many who had been betting—cleared his throat. "Uh, boss… we're very sorry for the disturbance…"
The others quickly joined in, voices overlapping.
"Yeah, we didn't mean it!"
"It got out of hand!"
"Totally avoidable!"
The boss raised a hand, and the chorus of apologies died instantly. He turned back to the two kneeling men. "Alright. What exactly started this?"
Toothless Gregory—the bald one—huffed. "This buffoon just shoved me and didn't apologize!"
The burly man with the missing tooth scoffed. "I barely touched you, you whiny bastard!"
"Barely? I nearly fell into the damn fire!"
"You tripped over your own feet, you clumsy rat!"
The boss's eye twitched. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "So let me get this straight… you two nearly killed each other over a shove?"
More silence.
One of the men coughed. "Uh, when you say it like that, boss, it does sound a bit… stupid."
"A bit?" The boss looked ready to burst. "While I was out hunting and dragging some half-dead kid out of the river, you two were busy slapping each other over a shove?"
The fighters, now clinging to each other like scared puppies, nodded hesitantly.
The boss cracked his knuckles.
"Oh no—"
"Oh gods, please—"
Too late.
The first punch landed, sending Gregory sprawling. The next hit sent Missing Tooth tumbling. What followed was less of a fight and more of a lesson in regret.
"YOU MORONS—" WHAM
"I BREAK MY BACK FOR THIS CAMP—" THUD
"AND YOU'RE OUT HERE WASTING TIME—" CRACK
The men standing by winced at every impact. One leaned over to his friend. "Thank the gods we're not them…"
"Yeah…" The other gulped as Gregory let out a pained wheeze. "…I want my mummy."
The boss delivered one last, especially painful punch—straight to Gregory's groin.
A collective wince rippled through the onlookers.
"Ooooh, that's gonna sting."
"I felt that one in my soul."
As Gregory curled into himself, whimpering like a dying squirrel, the boss dusted off his hands. "Anyone else feel like wasting time today?"
A sharp chorus of "No, boss!" rang through the air.
Satisfied, he turned away. "Good. Now get back to work before I start swinging again."
The men scattered like frightened rats, and the camp returned to normal—minus two bruised idiots nursing their wounds.
Raphael's eyes snapped open, his chest rising and falling in sharp, panicked breaths. The room around him was unfamiliar, the scent of wood and herbs filling the air. He sat up suddenly, his body tense, his claws extending on instinct.
Elara, who had been sweeping in the corner, turned at the sound. She blinked as she saw him awake, her expression quickly shifting to relief. "Oh, finally up, huh?"
Raphael's sharp eyes darted around the room, confusion and wariness evident on his face. His tail bristled as he quickly scrambled to his feet, only for his knees to buckle under him. He caught himself before falling, breathing heavily.
Elara, unfazed, slowly approached. "Relax, you're safe. No one's going to hurt you." She crouched slightly to meet his eye level. "Well, unless you start something. Then I make no promises."
Raphael flinched, stepping back. His body was tense, every muscle on edge. He didn't speak, but his golden eyes burned with suspicion.
Elara sighed, shaking her head. "Great, another one with trust issues. Just my luck."
Before Raphael could react, she lunged and pinned him down in one smooth motion. He let out a muffled grunt, struggling under her grip, his claws scratching against the wooden floor. His ears flattened in sheer frustration.
"Is that how you treat someone who saved your life?" Elara teased, pressing down just enough to keep him from wriggling free. Raphael's face twisted in pure disbelief—how was she this strong?
She tilted her head, studying his frustrated expression before smirking. "What, you thought I'd be some delicate little flower? Hate to break it to you, kid, but I wrestle drunk idiots for fun."
Raphael's tail flicked wildly in protest. He gave one last futile struggle before finally going still, realizing she wasn't letting go.
At that moment, the door creaked open.
"Elara?"
She immediately hopped off him, straightening up as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Raphael lay there, dazed, his pride in shambles. His tail flicked in irritation, but he didn't move.
"I'll be right back," Elara said cheerfully, giving him a little pat on the head before stepping outside. "Stay put, fox boy."
Raphael sat up, rubbing his arms where she had held him down. Stay put? Not a chance.
Just as he shifted to his feet, the door swung open again.
This time, a man walked in—a presence far heavier than Elara's. He wasn't huge, but something about him screamed authority. His gaze fell on Raphael immediately, his expression unreadable.
The boss crossed his arms, looking him over. "Hmph. You're finally awake, huh?"
Raphael's ears twitched. His body tensed. His claws flexed.
Then he lunged.
The boss easily dodged, catching Raphael's tail mid-air.
A second later, Raphael found himself yanked back and slammed flat onto the floor.
He groaned, his tail twitching like it had just been betrayed.
The boss chuckled. "Fast, but not fast enough."
The door burst open.
Elara stepped inside, holding a plate of food, only to stop in her tracks. Her gaze flicked from Raphael sprawled on the floor to the boss standing over him.
A long silence.
Then she inhaled sharply. "What. The hell. Did you do?"
The boss immediately raised his hands in defense. "I didn't do anything!"
Elara stomped over and smacked him upside the head.
"OW! Elara, what—!"
"That's not how you treat a child, you idiot!"
"I barely touched him!"
Raphael, still facedown, weakly lifted a hand in protest. Liar.
Elara shot the boss a withering glare before kneeling beside Raphael. Her expression softened as she gently touched his shoulder, checking him over. He flinched but didn't pull away.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
Raphael didn't respond. He simply stared at her, his golden eyes unreadable.
Elara sighed, but there was warmth in it. "You shouldn't just attack anyone you see, you know."
Raphael averted his gaze, his tail flicking in quiet defiance.
Elara huffed a laugh and stood up, holding out the plate of meat. "Here, eat."
Raphael eyed the food but didn't move.
Elara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you think I poisoned it?" She sighed dramatically. "Fine. Look." She picked up a piece and popped it into her mouth, chewing obnoxiously loud. "Mmm~ Totally safe."
Raphael hesitated before finally taking a piece, nibbling on it cautiously.
Elara grinned. "See? Told you."
He didn't react, simply chewing in silence.
The boss, who had been silently watching this exchange, let out a quiet chuckle to himself. There was something amusing about the way Elara handled the boy—stern, but patient.
He turned toward the door, shaking his head with a smirk.
"I'll leave you to it," he muttered, his voice laced with amusement as he stepped outside.
Elara barely acknowledged him, too focused on Raphael, who was still nibbling at his food like a cautious little animal.
"You eat too slow," she teased, watching as he continued to chew with the same wary expression.
Raphael didn't look at her, but his tail swayed slightly.
Elara smirked, reaching out to ruffle his hair again.
Raphael flinched at first but didn't pull away.
"You're a strange one, fox boy," she murmured.