《Parasite Within: The Beginning (Novel)》 The Sky Split Open Tbilisi, 2007 summer evening. On the balcony of a small apartment, the fairy lights were glowing, casting their glow on the table laden with dishes. The scent of kebabs, fresh vegetables, and wine filled the air. Deiv, or as he was known in his regular life¡ªDavid¡ªsat at the head of the table, laughing with his friends and enjoying the celebration. ¡ª "Deiv, do you even feel like you''re growing up?" teased his friend Levan, clinking his glass of juice. ¡ª "I was born an adult, just kept it hidden!" David laughed, sparking another round of joy. Parents, neighbors, and friends raised toasts one after another. The evening seemed perfect. But no one knew that this calm would soon be shattered. Closer to midnight, when the streets of Tbilisi began to empty, something strange appeared in the sky. A massive, dark, living silhouette froze on the horizon. It was so enormous it seemed to cover half the city. Silence fell over the street. Everyone froze, staring upward. ¡ª "What is that?" David''s mother whispered, gripping his hand. Before anyone could respond, several capsules detached from the flying object, cutting through the clouds and racing toward the earth at terrifying speed. One of them crashed at the end of the street with a deafening roar, raising a cloud of dust and debris. Deiv and his friends stood frozen. People closer to the crash site cautiously approached the capsule, some pulling out their phones to film the event. ¡ª "Maybe it''s military drills?" someone suggested. ¡ª "What drills? We''re in Tbilisi!" another replied. The capsule began to slowly open. Thick steam poured out, and suddenly, something emerged... The creature vaguely resembled a human, but it was taller, thinner, and covered in strange, dark skin with veins running through it. Its eyes glowed faintly. It slowly straightened, looking around, and then... screamed. It lunged forward with inhuman speed, grabbing the nearest man and tearing him in half in an instant. Screams of terror filled the street. People scattered in all directions, but the monster was already attacking others.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ª "Run!" someone screamed, and that cry ignited the panic. David, with his parents and friends, stood at the other end of the street, horrified by what was happening. But this was only the beginning. More massive living objects appeared in the sky, and new capsules began to detach from them. The capsules opened, releasing even more creatures into the streets. The night, which was supposed to end with a warm celebration, had turned into a nightmare ¡ª "Deiv, grab your mother and run to the basement! Now!" his father''s voice cut through the chaos. David hesitated for a moment, but quickly grabbed his mother by the hand and rushed to catch up with the others. The screams of people, the roars of monsters, explosions¡ªit all melded into a wild nightmare. They ran down the dark street, weaving between cars and scattered bodies. His father, Levan, and the others were ahead, while Deiv and his mother began to fall behind. BOOM! A blinding flash lit up the street, and a deafening explosion threw David to the side. His body slammed into a wall, breath knocked out of him, stars dancing before his eyes. A ringing filled his ears, his head spun. ¡ª "Shit..." he struggled to lift his head. His mother lay motionless nearby. ¡ª "Mom!" he crawled to her, tapping her cheek. She didn''t respond, but she was still breathing. Clenching his teeth, Deiv lifted her into his arms and staggered forward. ¡ª "What the hell is going on?! What the fuck?!" Every step sent sharp waves of pain through his body, but he kept going. Suddenly, something heavy knocked him off his feet. CRASH! Sharp pain pierced his side. David fell, nearly dropping his mother. He looked up and saw the creature slowly approaching her. ¡ª "No..." The monster leaned down, its long fingers reaching for her. ¡ª "Don''t touch my mother, you bastard!" Deiv roared, grabbing a sharp metal rod from the ground. He lunged forward and drove the weapon into the creature''s arm. The monster howled, jerked back, but immediately retaliated. SWOOSH! Black claws sank into David''s stomach. His body was pierced by burning, sharp pain, and blood poured out. ¡ª "Ghh..." He staggered, but gritted his teeth. ¡ª "Get your jaws off my mother, BASTARD!" But the monster ignored him. Slowly, almost predatorily, it leaned over the helpless woman and... CRUNCH! Its jaws snapped shut around her throat. ¡ª "NO!!!" Rage overwhelmed David, but his body no longer obeyed him. The creature raised its head, blood dripping from its jaws. Then it simply turned and walked away, leaving only fear and death behind. Deiv crawled to his mother. His body weakened, breathing heavy. ¡ª "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!" ¡ª "Mom... I''m sorry... Sorry, sorry, sorry..." ¡ª "I''m sorry... I... couldn''t... protect... you..." Darkness closed in around him. The last thing he heard was the echo of his own voice. Then, there was nothing. The Awakening Darkness. Silence. Emptiness. Deiv was sure he had died. But suddenly, his eyes snapped open. Before him stretched the street, lit by the faint glow of the moon. He felt the cold, the dampness of the night air... the pain in his stomach was gone. ¡ª "Am I alive?" He frantically looked at himself... and froze. His skin. It was not his. Black, dense, with thin veins, exactly like the creatures''. ¡ª "W-what...?" Panic surged through him. He looked around, and his gaze fell on the lifeless body of his mother. ¡ª "No... no... Mom..." He dropped to his knees beside her, tears streaming down his face. ¡ª "I''m sorry... Sorry, sorry, sorry... Sorry... I... couldn''t..." He wanted to scream, but suddenly, a sharp, pulsating pain pierced his head. A voice. Dull, cold, foreign. ¡ª "...Kill them all..." ¡ª "What?" The voice came again in his head, this time clearer. ¡ª "Kill them all..." Deiv clutched his head.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡ª "Shut up!" But then he felt something terrifying ¡ª he no longer controlled his body. His hands moved on their own. His legs slowly took steps forward. ¡ª "What... is happening?!" He tried to stop, but his body wouldn''t listen. It moved, like a puppet on invisible strings. The city was empty, only smoke rising from the ruins. But ahead, he noticed movement. People. Living people. His heart skipped a beat. He wanted to scream, to call for help, but... His body bolted into a run. ¡ª "STOP! STOP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" His hands grabbed the first person they found ¡ª a man who didn''t even have time to scream. Strong fingers wrapped around his neck. CRACK. With one swift motion, the man''s head was torn from his body. Deiv froze. ¡ª "I... I..." He dropped the bloody head to the ground, and his body tossed the corpse aside. The other people screamed and ran. But his body chased after them. ¡ª "NO! NO! STOP! STOOOOOOOOP!!!" He couldn''t stop. His hands, his legs ¡ª everything moved on its own. Screams filled the air, then were replaced by roars, tearing flesh, cracking bones... And then ¡ª silence. Deiv stood among the torn bodies. He breathed heavily. ¡ª "This... this was me..." He couldn''t move, couldn''t speak. He just stared at the carnage he had caused. ¡ª "What... have I become?"
Deiv stood in the middle of the street, surrounded by bodies. He couldn''t tear his eyes away from those he had just killed. With his own hands... or were they his? What have I done... His body moved again on its own. ¡ª "Stop..." he tried to say, but couldn''t. He couldn''t even think clearly ¡ª everything in his head felt like a fog. One question pulsed through his mind: how and why? And then he remembered. That monster. It had wounded his arm... and with that same arm, it had pierced his side. ¡ª "Damn..." The blood of that creature had gotten into him. The infection. Just the thought of it filled him with panic. So, he was infected? Becoming one of them? ¡ª "No..." he gritted his teeth. He didn''t want to become that. He had to break free. Find his father, Levan... anyone. If they were still alive. But suddenly, his body jerked forward. He ran at inhuman speed. ¡ª "Where?!" He didn''t understand what was happening. He couldn''t even see anyone ahead, but his body kept rushing through the ruined streets. Two hours... no, maybe three. The city was behind him now, and all that surrounded him was darkness and silence. Then, he saw it. A massive dark structure, rising amidst the ruins. Monsters were coming in and out of it. ¡ª "This..." He understood immediately. This was their base. The lair of these bastards. His body didn''t stop. It moved forward, into the heart of the monster''s den. Creations of the Almighty Deiv walked deeper into the dark labyrinth. The colossal corridors stretched endlessly before him, bathed in a strange flickering light that seemed to pulse from the walls. The air was thick with a foreign, unsettling odor ¡ª a mix of metal, blood, and something alive. Hundreds... no, thousands of them. He saw them everywhere. They walked, spoke, did things ¡ª they were organized. But the strangest thing of all? He could understand them. The voices of the parasites echoed in his head, as if transmitted on an unknown frequency. ¡ª "I killed fifteen last night. How about you?" ¡ª "Forty-two." ¡ª "Pfft, you were just closer to the crowd." Deiv froze. ?I... can hear them?? So, the infection had tuned his brain into their frequency? ¡ª "Who are you?" A group of parasites noticed him. They approached, their eyes burning with strange curiosity. They were nearly his height. But they knew he was different. The largest among them stepped forward.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡ª "Why are you silent?" Deiv didn''t answer. He couldn''t. His body wouldn''t obey him. The other parasites began hissing, irritated by his silence. ¡ª "Is he mute?" ¡ª "Or deaf?" The leader narrowed his eyes and then understood. ¡ª "You can''t speak because you don''t control your body right?." Deiv''s insides trembled. ?He understood?!? The leader grabbed him by the shoulder. ¡ª "Come on." He led Deiv down the corridor. ¡ª "The newbie, huh? Let me explain everything." Deiv couldn''t resist. He walked into the unknown. ¡ª"We are parasites." The voice of the main parasite sounded calm, as if he were explaining something obvious. ¡ª"We are creations of the Almighty. He created us... but why, no one knows. We simply carry out His will." Deiv wanted to scream. ¡ªThe Almighty?! What Almighty?! Why did He decide to destroy humanity?! But his body still wouldn''t obey. The main parasite continued calmly, as if this were an ordinary thing: ¡ª"Today we worked well. Almost the entire globe is already under our control." Inside, Deiv froze. ¡ª?Wha... what?!? ¡ª?They''re... not just here? They''re... everywhere?!? ¡ª?So, the world is already...? He couldn''t even tremble in fear¡ªhis body was completely alien. ¡ª"Hm... and who is this?" Deiv heard a new voice. A parasite woman approached. Her body was just as black and smooth as the others, but more flexible, and her movements¡ªquick and confident. Her dark red eyes studied him intently. ¡ª"Newcomer," replied the main parasite. "But strange. Doesn''t speak. And moves... not how he''s supposed to." She tilted her head, never taking her eyes off him. ¡ª"Since you''re new, you should introduce yourself." ¡ª?"I don''t care. I don''t want to know your names. I want to kill you all.? ¡ª"My name is Alagana. I''m the head of this base." She gave him a careful look and then suddenly smirked. ¡ª"Impressive. On your first day, you killed 15... no, 19 people." ¡ª?...What?!? ¡ª"Great result." ¡ª?Are you... kidding me?!? Everything inside him boiled with hatred. The main parasite nodded. ¡ª"Yeah, not many can kill that many so quickly. He clearly isn''t afraid of blood." ¡ª?I didn''t want this! It''s not me!? Alagana seemed pleased. ¡ª"I hope you''ll continue to impress me with your success in raids." She turned and left. Deiv felt his rage and despair tearing him apart. ¡ª?What the hell...? ¡ª?I need to get out.? ¡ª?I need to stop them.? ¡ª?But how?? Ghost in the Hive After speaking with the base commander, the squad leader resumed the tour. The parasite base was enormous, like a giant hive teeming with creatures. They discussed their kills, exchanged strange phrases in their own language, and prepared for new attacks. But suddenly, a massive parasite appeared in front of them, towering at nearly three meters. Its body was covered in grotesque growths, and its enormous arms looked like slabs of raw meat. It gave the protagonist a disdainful look and smirked. ¡ª What the hell is that thing next to you? ¡ª its voice was rough and resonant. The squad leader immediately straightened up and bowed with a smile. ¡ª Elgor! Good to see you! This is a rookie. First day on the job, but he did well¡ªkilled 19 people. Elgor burst into laughter, his massive chest shaking. ¡ª 19?! Pathetic. On my first day, I tore apart over thirty! And now I¡¯m well past three hundred! That¡¯s how you get the job done! The squad leader tried to smooth things over. ¡ª Well, it¡¯s his first hunt. You¡¯ve been doing this for a long time, your experience is completely different¡­ Elgor suddenly scowled, towering over him. ¡ª Why the fuck are you such a bore, huh? ¡ª Do you know your place, pup? Or should I remind you? ¡ª he growled, clenching his fists. The squad leader remained silent, but Deiv felt uneasy. Even though he despised the parasites, the squad leader was the only one who had treated him kindly. Suddenly, his body moved on its own¡ªa swift lunge, a strike¡­ A sickening crunch. Elgor staggered back, clutching his broken jaw. The entire hive went silent. ¡ª YOU! ¡ª the brute roared and raised his massive arm, ready to crush him. But Deiv¡¯s body didn¡¯t listen to him again. It dodged, tackled the brute to the ground, and pinned him with crushing force. Elgor thrashed, struggling to break free, but after a few seconds, he choked and surrendered. The crowd of parasites erupted into murmurs. Some whispered, some watched with newfound respect, others seethed with rage. And then she stepped forward from the crowd. The leader of this base. Alagana. Her dark crimson eyes locked onto Deiv. ¡ª Want to join my squad? ¡ª she asked calmly. In his mind, Deiv snarled: Go to hell!Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. But his body nodded in agreement. A cold chill ran through him. He¡­ didn''t want this. But his body had already made its choice.
Huan sat atop a pile of bones, idly tapping his claws against the stone floor. His eyes followed as the newcomer disappeared with Alagana. ¡ª Who the hell is that rookie?! ¡ª he huffed, turning to his companions, Opan and Valren. Opan, a thin parasite with long arms, shrugged lazily. ¡ª No idea. Showed up out of nowhere, and now he''s in Alagana''s squad. ¡ª And you know, ¡ª Valren added, scratching his horned head, ¡ª he doesn¡¯t even move like us. His body language is¡­ off. Like he¡¯s not entirely one of us. Huan clicked his jaws in irritation. ¡ª Makes me jealous. We''ve been here for years, and this guy? One day in, kicks Elgor¡¯s ass, and gets into the elite. Opan chuckled. ¡ª Some rookies just get all the luck¡­ Especially when they have power. For a moment, all three of them fell silent, watching as the darkness swallowed Deiv¡¯s retreating figure.
Deiv was led into a spacious room, dimly lit by reddish lamps that resembled eerie eyes staring from the darkness. Inside, three parasites stood waiting. Unlike the others in the corridors, their presence was suffocating, as if they could tear anyone apart in an instant. Alagana waved a hand lazily. ¡ª This is Karib, Malenia, and Graeme. You¡¯re in their squad now. Karib¡ªa massive brute whose arms were thicker than a human¡¯s head¡ªwatched Deiv with his arms crossed over his chest. Malenia¡ªtall and skeletal, her limbs unnaturally long, her gaze piercing. Graeme¡ªan absolute mountain of muscle, his skin shifting over the power beneath. A smug grin was plastered on his face. ¡ª Who¡¯s this? ¡ª Karib asked with disinterest. ¡ª A rookie, ¡ª Alagana shrugged. ¡ª Took down Elgor in the corridor, so he¡¯s with us now. Karib smirked, while Graeme scoffed. ¡ª Impressive. Shame Elgor¡¯s an idiot, ¡ª Graeme muttered with a sneer. ¡ª Interesting¡­ And what¡¯s his name? ¡ª Malenia asked, not taking her eyes off Deiv. Alagana shrugged again. ¡ª No idea. He doesn¡¯t talk. He has thoughts, but no voice. Malenia suddenly stepped closer. Her pale, clawed fingers almost touched Deiv¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t move¡ªonly groan in his thoughts: Why the hell is she staring at me like that? Why do we even need introductions? But Malenia only chuckled. ¡ª There are two minds inside him. The room fell silent. ¡ª One controls the body. The other¡­ controls the mind. Deiv froze, even in his thoughts. That means¡­ there¡¯s something else inside me. A creature. Tension filled the air. Malenia studied him for a moment longer before smirking. ¡ª He¡¯s different. Karib frowned. ¡ª What do you mean? ¡ª He¡¯s human. Or at least, he was¡­ ¡ª Malenia leaned in closer, studying him like a specimen. ¡ª He¡¯s infected. He became a parasite. ¡ª Hmm¡­ ¡ª Karib folded his arms. ¡ª So our blood can merge with humans? ¡ª Seems that way, ¡ª Malenia mused. ¡ª They¡¯re both infected, but which one is the real parasite, and which one is the human¡­ is hard to say. Alagana observed Deiv carefully. What is he now? Who really controls the body? An interesting specimen¡­ And then, she suddenly suggested: ¡ª Since he¡¯s one of us now, and he doesn¡¯t have a name¡­ maybe we should give him one? Deiv internally groaned. No, thanks! But the parasites ignored him. ¡ª It has to be something fitting¡­ ¡ª Malenia mused. ¡ª How about Blade? ¡ª Karib suggested. ¡ª Too flashy, ¡ª Graeme scoffed. ¡ª What about Shadow? ¡ª Too generic, ¡ª Malenia muttered. Silence fell again until Graeme¡¯s eyes landed on a half-torn banner hanging on the wall. It showed a soldier in military gear, and next to him, a word stood out: "GHOST" Graeme smirked. ¡ª How about Ghost? Karib glanced at the banner, then back at Deiv, and nodded. ¡ª Yeah, sounds strong. ¡ª I like it, ¡ª Malenia agreed. Alagana looked at the others. ¡ª Any objections? ¡ª None, ¡ª Karib, Malenia, and Graeme said in unison. What about asking me?! Deiv protested in his mind. But no one cared what he thought. From now on, he was Ghost. Ghost鈥檚 Rebirth It has been a long time. Two¡­ maybe three years¡­ The world has fallen into chaos. The parasites killed everyone. I heard nuclear warheads explode, but even that couldn¡¯t stop them. These creatures evolved. They grew stronger, adapted to high temperatures and radiation. It feels like they are simply impossible to kill. But one detail still gave a sliver of hope. Fire. If the parasites aren¡¯t of the elite level, they burn like matches. But the elite ones¡­ they don¡¯t care. They don¡¯t even feel pain. And me¡­ All this time, I have been killing. Killing the innocent. Their blood is on my hands¡­ Even if these weren¡¯t my actions¡­ They died by my hand. Today, as always, they send me on a raid. First, they made me destroy my own country. Then the neighboring ones. Now we are entering Russia. But among thousands of corpses, among the ruined cities, I have not found the bodies of my father and friends. That means there¡¯s a chance. That means they might still be alive¡­
We are walking on foot. It¡¯s strange. Why aren¡¯t we being transported by the mothership? Maybe they¡¯re afraid Russia still has warheads? Though, why am I even surprised¡­ This is Russia. They always have warheads. ¡ª Hey, Ghost, ¡ª one of the parasites from the group called out to me. He had been trying to talk to me since the beginning of the march. The body remained silent. The other parasites chuckled. ¡ª Seriously, dude? It¡¯s been almost three years, and he hasn¡¯t even whimpered in pain. I don¡¯t care. After so many killings, I feel nothing. Screams. Crying. Corpses. I just want it all to end. I just want to die. Let this creature take my body¡­ But let me cease to exist. I don¡¯t want to feel this again¡­ How my hands kill a human¡­
We approach the Russian border.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. And then¡ªan explosion. Loud. Deafening. The front row of weak parasites is blown to pieces. ¡ª We¡¯re under attack! ¡ª someone shouts. Gunfire. RPG rockets. The parasites scurry around, trying to locate the enemy. ¡ª Ghost! ¡ª Alagana commands. ¡ª Run! Now! Kill everyone with a weapon! I wasn¡¯t going to do it. But my body decided for me. I lunged forward. Bullets flew toward me, but my body weaved between them as if it already knew their trajectory. Boom! Another explosion, but I was already on the tower. I saw them. Humans. They were afraid. But my body did not hesitate. I heard screams. Felt warm blood on my hands. And nothing. Just emptiness. I¡­ I feel nothing anymore. I lost my humanity.
When it was over, the parasites praised me. ¡ª Excellent work, Ghost. I always thought they were just puppets. But now¡­ I realized they could feel emotions. They could love. They could get angry. They could cry. Some twisted joke. As if the Earth created them not for anything else but one thing: To destroy humanity.
We moved deeper into Russia. ¡ª Stay alert, ¡ª said Alagana. ¡ª They might have called reinforcements. We continued forward, but everything was empty. Too empty. ¡ª We split up. She assigned everyone to groups. They took me with them¡ªin Alagana¡¯s team, along with Malenia, Graham, and Karib. We walked for a long time. Day turned to night. And then¡­ ¡ª A village. Small houses, a fence, dim firelight. ¡ª Ghost, scout the area, ¡ª ordered Alagana. I didn¡¯t care. But my body obeyed. I slid through the darkness. Climbed over the fence. Scaled the rooftop. From above, I saw them. Children playing. Adults talking. Caring for each other. They were alive. And I¡­ I counted. 129 people. The body returned to the group. My body reported everything with gestures. ¡ª Perfect, ¡ª Alagana said. ¡ª Now¡¯s the ideal moment. Their skin is too pale; they won¡¯t see us. She smiled. ¡ª Begin.
They moved into the village silently, each taking position. Deiv didn¡¯t care. He just closed his eyes, surrendering control to the body. Let that bastard do whatever he wanted. Alagana gave the signal. Karib was the first to rush in, his claws tearing through an old man¡¯s throat. People screamed. Some grabbed their children and ran. Others burst out of houses with weapons. The parasites charged. The slaughter began. Deiv¡¯s body walked through the chaos, ignoring the screams, the blood, and the gunpowder smoke. It stopped near a child crying over his dead father. Deiv needed only one look. A memory hit him, flooding his mind¡ªhe once stood the same way, crying over his dead mother. A GUNSHOT. His body jerked but didn¡¯t fall. And then¡­ Voices. ¡°These¡­ voices¡­ No¡­ No¡­ NO! WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?!¡± The child used the moment to get up and run. Deiv¡¯s body slowly turned. Two men stood behind him. His father. Levan. They froze. Deiv stopped moving. ¡ª D¡­ Deiv¡­ SON?! ¡ª his father¡¯s voice trembled. Levan stared at him, eyes wide. Panic. A panic he hadn¡¯t felt in years. ¡°NO¡­ NO¡­ RUN¡­ RUN!!!¡± But they didn¡¯t move. Their bodies were paralyzed by fear. His father couldn¡¯t shoot. Levan couldn¡¯t shoot. Deiv¡¯s body took a step toward them. ¡°STOP!!! DON¡¯T DO THIS!!! PLEASE!!!¡± But the parasite didn¡¯t listen. The body grabbed Levan by the throat. ¡ª Deiv¡­ ¡ª his friend croaked but couldn¡¯t say more. Claws pierced his throat. ¡°NO!!! STOP!!! I¡¯M BEGGING YOU!!!¡± Levan choked, drowning in his own blood. The body threw him aside like a broken doll. His father watched, unable to believe what he saw. His eyes filled with tears. ¡ª Son¡­ if you¡­ can hear me¡­ know¡­ I lo¡­ Claws slashed his throat. Blood gushed out. His father fell. The world stopped. ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­ Friends¡­ They¡¯re gone¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°GHRAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!¡± Deiv screamed. A fury he had never felt before. A rage that burned his mind. He felt it¡ªwhere the creature was hiding. It lurked inside his head. Deiv seized control of his arm and yanked it back. RIP IT OUT!!! Claws plunged into the back of his skull. The parasite twitched. It tried to escape. ¡°You WON¡¯T get away!!!¡± Deiv gripped it, clenched his fingers, and through the unbearable pain¡ªRIPPED IT OUT. The creature writhed, screeched like a worm thrown into the sun. Deiv stared into its soul. And for the first time in years, he spoke aloud: ¡ª Die. CRACK. The parasite¡¯s head burst in his fist. Silence. He¡­ was free. Deiv stood, looking at the corpses. He wanted to cry. But he couldn¡¯t. ¡ª Ha-ha, what, admiring the corpses? ¡ª Graham¡¯s voice broke the silence. Deiv was silent. ¡ª Hey, Ghost, what¡¯s wro¡ª A lunge. Graham¡¯s throat was in Deiv¡¯s grip. ¡ª Ghost¡­ What¡­ are¡­ you¡­ doing¡­? Deiv raised his head. His eyes. Pure, unbridled rage. Graham trembled. The parasite squirmed. His eyes widened in horror. ¡ª Die, scum. CRACK. The spine detached from the skull. Deiv stood, holding Graham¡¯s body in one hand, his head in the other. He threw them aside. From the darkness, Alagana, Malenia, and Karib stepped forward. They froze. ¡ª What¡­ WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GHOST?! ¡ª Alagana stared at him in horror. Deiv turned. Their fear pierced the air. In his eyes was pure, unrestrained rage. He looked at them like a beast unleashed. They knew¡ªhe would kill them. But they couldn¡¯t move. They were afraid of him. The Weight of Loss Deiv took a step forward. His gaze was empty, but inside... Hatred boiled. Alagana, Malenia, and Karib stood frozen, unable to move. He closed his eyes. And in that instant... A LUNGE. His claws tore through the air. CRUNCH. Malenia''s head detached with a wet sound, her spine still dangling in his hand. Karib recoiled, barely realizing what had happened. But Deiv was already there. One more move¡ªand Karib was on the ground. His skull cracked, like an eggshell. Alagana finally managed to move. Her heart thundered in her ears. She needed to run. She turned and fled. But he was faster. His claws closed around her throat. She gasped, staring into his eyes. There was nothing but fury there. ¡ª "Go," his voice was low, threatening. "And tell everyone that if they come for him, or if he accidentally sees them... I''ll kill them without hesitation." He loosened his grip, and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. ¡ª "Run. While I haven''t changed my mind." She bolted. Tears streamed down her cheeks, fear paralyzing every muscle. What happened to him? Why¡­ did he attack his own? But she didn¡¯t stop. She didn¡¯t want to die. Deiv watched her flee. Then he slowly turned to the bodies. Father. Levan. He took a step. His knees buckled.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He collapsed to the ground. And for the first time in years... He cried. He lowered his head, fingers trembling as they gripped the blood-soaked earth. ¡ª "I''m sorry..." His voice broke. "I''m sorry..." But the only response was silence. And then... He screamed. Loud. Piercing. A scream filled with pain, hatred, and despair. Shaking the air. Tearing through the night¡¯s darkness. Audible even where Alagana was running. But she didn¡¯t look back. She just sped up. Hours passed.
Deiv stood up. He couldn¡¯t just leave. Everyone who had been killed here deserved peace. He took a shovel from a nearby house and began to dig. Days blended into one endless nightmare. Deiv worked without sleep, without rest, gritting his teeth, drowning out the pain. Dig. Cover with earth. Dig. Cover again. On the fourth day, all the bodies were buried. Now he could leave. Now he could finish one task. He ran for seven hours without stopping. Every step was agony, but he didn¡¯t notice it. Tbilisi. The city was completely destroyed. He came to the place where he had woken up as a monster. Where it all began. On the floor, amidst the dust and rubble, lay a nearly decayed skeleton. His mother. Deiv froze. The world dimmed. Nearby, on the floor next to her, lay a broken necklace. The necklace he had given her for her birthday. His fingers trembled as he touched it. And then... He could no longer hold back his tears. He cried. For long minutes, hours. Then he carefully picked up his mother¡¯s body and, without a word, headed back. Back to where he had buried everyone else. Days passed, one after another, but he didn¡¯t stop. The tears never stopped. Even when it seemed like there was no moisture left in his body, he still cried. And then he returned. He placed his mother¡¯s body next to his father. Covered the grave with earth. And collapsed to his knees. He had lost everything. Everyone he held dear. Now, he was completely alone. In the silence, someone watched him. Around the corner of the gate, hidden in the shadows, stood a special forces soldier. He watched the strange sight: A parasite, crying over a grave. The soldier wiped his face with his hand, brushing away his own tear. He quietly activated his radio. ¡ª "This is ¡®Eagle¡¯. We have a¡­ parasite here." A pause. ¡ª "He... He¡¯s just crying." ¡ª "Repeat that, ¡®Eagle¡¯," the general''s voice came through the radio sharply. "What do you mean a parasite is crying?" The soldier remained silent for a moment, then, swallowing, he responded: ¡ª "It means exactly what I said. He¡¯s just... crying." ¡ª "Are you sure?" ¡ª "Yes. He¡¯s kneeling by the graves." The general was silent for a while. A parasite, burying someone? A parasite, mourning? It was... illogical. (A few hours ago) The soldier had observed the sea of blood on the village¡¯s lands. The soldier kept watching. Then, he saw the parasite walking through the forest. The special forces soldier held his breath and hid. But he didn¡¯t hear any approaching footsteps. Carefully peeking out, he saw the parasite carrying a body. Slowly. Gently. As if afraid to harm even the dead. The figure of the parasite slowly rose, swaying, and headed for the gates. The soldier watched as the creature knelt and began to dig the earth. It didn¡¯t tear at the ground with claws. It didn¡¯t throw the dirt around like a wild animal. It dug with its hands. Like a person. Like... someone burying a human. (Now) ¡ª "This is strange..." the general murmured. ¡ª "Yes, sir..." The soldier didn¡¯t know what else to say. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the parasite, feeling something like pity rising inside him. And then... A loud sound. The soldier jumped¡ªhe had accidentally knocked over a piece of metal. Silence. Deiv turned sharply. Their gazes met. The soldier froze. His hand instinctively reached for his weapon... but he stopped. The parasite didn¡¯t move. He just stood there, tears streaming down his face. Real. Pure. ¡ª "¡®Eagle¡¯, what¡¯s going on?!" came the voice over the radio. But the soldier didn¡¯t respond. He stared into the eyes of the creature he was supposed to kill. There was no fury in those eyes. No threat. Only pain. Only loss. ¡ª "The parasite has left," the soldier finally said. The general on the other end fell silent. A parasite, mourning? It didn¡¯t make sense. And Deiv, without saying a word, turned... And faced the graves again. A Shadow That Protects The special forces soldier left. Deiv remained. He sat by the graves, motionless, like a stone statue frozen in time. Days passed. Time lost its meaning. Hunger no longer mattered. He simply existed. But one day, he rose to his feet. He stepped forward¡ªuncertain, chaotic. Where to go? What to do now? He didn¡¯t know. But then¡­ a thought. The soldier. That man¡­ He could have tried to kill him, but he didn¡¯t. More than that, he lied, saying that Deiv had left. Why? Because he saw not a monster but a person? Deiv didn¡¯t know. But with that thought, he kept moving.
He wandered for weeks. Borders lost meaning. Forests turned into ruined cities, and cities into nothing but destruction. That¡¯s how he ended up deep in Russia. And one day, during another aimless journey, he saw them. A small family. A father. A mother. Two children. Scared. Exhausted. They were looking for shelter. Maybe their village had already fallen to the parasites.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Deiv watched them. He followed them unseen. He didn¡¯t know why. But he couldn¡¯t leave them.
Night. They walked, stumbling, when the shadows came for them. Three of them. Parasites. Confident. Insatiable. They moved slowly, savoring the fear. ¡ª Well, what do we have here¡­ ¡ª one of them hissed. ¡ª Pathetic prey, ¡ª the second one giggled, tilting its head. ¡ª Maybe we should play first? ¡ª the third one sneered, licking its lips. The father pulled out a gun. A shot. Precise. The parasite jerked, collapsed backward. But¡­ Soon, its chest was unscathed. They laughed. The mother clutched her children. ¡ª Run! ¡ª she screamed, but the parasites had already encircled them. They knew this was the end. But then¡ª A blur of movement. A crack. A scream. Deiv crashed into the first parasite like a battering ram. It flew through the air, smashing into trees, bones shattering like dry twigs. Three became two. The father froze. The mother clung to the children. A new monster¡­ But the parasites recognized him. It was him. The one Alagana spoke of. Fear. But there were two of them. They couldn¡¯t lose. They lunged at him together. Claws slashed through the air, cutting through emptiness. But he was faster. Two strikes. Dull. Sharp. Two bodies collapsed into the dirt. Blood seeped into the ground, soaking into it like rust into metal.
Deiv turned. The father. The mother. The children. They were afraid. He sighed. ¡ª Are you alright? They didn¡¯t answer. They just stared at him in terror. Only one of the children dared to ask: ¡ª Who are you, mister? ¡ª It doesn¡¯t matter. Deiv shifted his gaze to the parents. ¡ª I understand your fear. It¡¯s normal. The father swallowed hard. ¡ª Can we¡­ leave? ¡ª Of course. Deiv looked away. ¡ª Do you have a place to hide? The father lowered his head. ¡ª Not yet¡­ We¡¯re looking¡­ ¡ª I see. He turned and walked away. But¡­ He couldn¡¯t just leave them. He stayed at the edge of the shadows, following them unseen. The father looked at his wife. ¡ª Are the kids okay? ¡ª Yes¡­ ¡ª she whispered. ¡ª But what was that? ¡ª He¡­ speaks. And he saved us¡­ But why? The father looked into the night. ¡ª I don¡¯t know. He took a deep breath. ¡ª But¡­ I¡¯m grateful. I didn¡¯t even say thank you. Hearing this, Deiv only whispered softly in response: ¡ª You¡¯re always welcome¡­
Important Announcement I want to apologize to my readers in advance¡ªthe writing style of the novel will be changing. This is my first work, and I¡¯m still learning the writing process. Over time, I may adjust my approach, experiment with new methods, and improve the text. I hope for your understanding and support. Thank you for reading. Before the Storm The darkness of the night swallowed everything, leaving only the rare glimmers of distant stars that flickered in the cold, indifferent sky. The forest whispered with a thousand voices: the wind moaned through the treetops, unseen creatures rustled in the leaves, and somewhere far away, a chilling scream echoed¡ªlike the final cry of a dying soul. Deiv stood in the shadows, his eyes emotionlessly watching the family desperately searching for shelter in this cursed world. He didn¡¯t know why he was still following them. Maybe some remnants of humanity clung to him like rotting flesh on bones? Or was he simply looking for a new purpose, something to stop him from getting lost in his own emptiness? The parasites wouldn¡¯t leave them alone. They could smell fear, hear the helpless hearts beating, sense the warm trail of living blood¡ªand Deiv knew they wouldn¡¯t stop. He killed them without a sound, like a shadow gliding through the trees. One, he slashed apart before it could even hiss. Another, he ripped its throat out, leaving it to choke on its own blood. A third, he smashed against a rock, reducing it to nothing but a wet, shattered mess. The family, unaware, found a cave. The father let out a weary sigh as he stepped inside first, followed by the mother, clutching her children tightly. They disappeared into the dark stone depths, and Deiv silently watched as they vanished into the blackness. He waited. An hour passed. Then another. He knew the parasites would return eventually. But since there was still time, he decided to check the cave. The tunnels stretched deep into the earth, the stone walls were cold and damp, covered in claw marks¡ªeither from animals or something far worse. The air was thick, stale, carrying an ancient, suffocating presence. But there was no immediate danger. Stepping back outside, he raised his head to the sky. It looked the same as it did in his past life. The stars shone indifferently, as if the rotting world below meant nothing to them. ¡ª "What am I even waiting for¡­?" ¡ª he whispered to himself, but no answer came. Morning arrived quickly, but it changed nothing. The world remained just as dead. The family emerged from the cave. The father looked rested, the mother as well¡ªbut the children¡­ The children were exhausted, their eyes filled with restless fear. Deiv saw it. He saw how terror was slowly devouring them from the inside. He followed them in silence, lurking in the shadows, knowing that this morning would bring more blood.
Silence. The forest whispered softly, the trees swayed under the weak wind, creating the illusion of living beings watching every step. Deiv moved soundlessly, observing the family''s fear that never faded for even a second. His breath was quiet, his movements¡ªsmooth, almost unreal. ¡ª "Everything is going smoothly¡­" ¡ª he muttered to himself, but the moment the thought formed, creatures emerged from behind the trees. Several parasites, licking their slimy, fanged mouths, slowly approached the family, filling the air with the sickening sound of claws scraping against bark. ¡ª "Fucking clich¨¦¡­ FUCK." Deiv rolled his eyes, but he acted instantly. His face emerged from the darkness¡ªdistorted, twisted with an expression of pure madness. He didn¡¯t make a sound. He just stared.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The parasites froze. Their bodies trembled, their thin limbs twitched in panic, and then¡­ they screamed. Not a war cry. Not a threatening roar. A scream of terror. They turned and ran, clawing at the ground in blind panic, leaving jagged marks in the dirt. Deiv stood in the shadows, watching as the family cautiously looked around. They saw the parasites flee¡ªbut what had scared them so much? The question hung in the air like a sinister mist, impossible to escape. ¡ª "Looks like I overdid it¡­" He saw the tension in their bodies only grow. Now, they didn¡¯t just fear the parasites. Now, they feared whatever had terrified the monsters that were supposed to be the embodiment of nightmares.
Hours passed. The forest grew thinner, trees giving way to rocky roads. Finally, ahead of them, a massive, high wall of thick concrete slabs appeared, lined with barbed wire. The walls looked impenetrable, but most importantly¡ªthere were people on them. A sniper on the watchtower was the first to notice the family. He raised his rifle, looked through the scope, and quickly reported through the radio: ¡ª "Survivors spotted. Two adults, two children. Unarmed." Below, soldiers moved into action. Heavy boots pounded against the ground as uniformed men approached the gate, preparing to help the family. Deiv watched from a distance. He felt no relief. He didn¡¯t care. Just¡­ satisfied that he had gotten them to safety. He turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Deiv wandered through the forest, lost in the emptiness of his thoughts. He had no purpose. He just walked, like an ordinary man following familiar trails¡ªexcept he hadn¡¯t been human for a long time. The days dragged on endlessly. Twenty days filled with boredom and self-discovery. He tested the limits of his strength, realizing how much faster he was, how his body regenerated at an unnatural speed. Pain was almost nonexistent¡ªwounds sealed before his eyes, bones mended in an instant. But now what? If he had a reason to fight back then, now he had none. With nothing else to do, he memorized every inch of the land, every rock, every shadowed path around the fortified military camp. He was bored. Not physically¡ªhis body burned with energy, craving movement. But inside¡­ emptiness.
Night. He lay on the cold ground, staring at the sky, littered with stars. Beautiful¡­ but meaningless. And then¡­ A distant sound. Faint, but growing louder. A siren? Deiv tensed, sat up, listening. Far away, the alarm grew stronger, cutting through the night¡¯s silence. Something was happening. He jumped to his feet and ran. Through the forest, through the dark silhouettes of trees, toward the growing chaos. And then he saw it. Parasites. Hundreds. No¡­ more than five hundred. A horde of grotesque, twisted bodies, moving like a living ocean beneath the moonlight, advancing relentlessly. Gunfire flashed from the walls¡ªsoldiers desperately shooting, trying to stop the flood. Bullets tore through the monsters, but they kept getting up, their wounds sealing almost instantly. One of the soldiers, panicked, reached for a flare, ready to call for reinforcements. But then¡­ Something moved in the air. A massive shadow streaked across the ground, leaving a jagged, violent trace. ¡ª "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" ¡ª a soldier shouted, disbelief in his voice. BOOM. The ground shook. A thick cloud of dust exploded into the air, obscuring everything. The soldiers and parasites froze. Everyone was staring at the same spot. From the swirling dust, a figure slowly emerged. Him. Ghost. Among the parasites, Alagana saw him¡ªand immediately, her body went cold. Her heart pounded in her chest. Fear. Real, suffocating, paralyzing fear. Deiv stood before the monstrous army, his gaze cold, void of anything human. He didn¡¯t care. Didn¡¯t care that he was outside the walls now. Inside, he was still human. Above, on the wall, among the armed soldiers, one man recognized him. The same soldier. The one who had seen this parasite¡ªthis monster¡ªcry. Now he stood before them. ¡ª "Is he with us¡­ or against us?" Silence. A single second of stillness before the storm. The Ghost鈥檚 Wrath Deiv stood still, his heavy gaze fixed on the parasites. The soldiers didn¡¯t know what to do. No one rushed to shoot, uncertain whose side he was on. Among them, only one man¡ªthe same one who had seen him at his parents¡¯ grave¡ªlooked at him with hope. The parasites hesitated. Many of them believed that one against so many couldn¡¯t do anything. All except Alagana. She knew the truth. If Ghost lost control now, he would destroy them all. But he didn¡¯t attack. He just stared. Hatred burned in his eyes, and she knew¡ªhe was holding himself back for some reason. And then¡­ One step. A thunderous sound. The ground shook. With a single lunge, Deiv tore an entire group of parasites apart. In that instant, the rest lunged at him, but he spun around and struck them down as if they were rag dolls. Panic. Fear flickered through the parasites. Alagana froze, assessing the situation. Attack? If she made even one wrong move, he would rip her apart. But she had a plan. She stepped back, linking telepathically with someone. Meanwhile, the battle raged on. Another parasite leapt at Deiv¡ª A gunshot. The bullet blew its head apart. Deiv turned toward the wall. That soldier. The same one. He didn¡¯t betray me. Other soldiers started shooting at the parasites. Deiv hadn¡¯t expected that. They were helping him. A strange feeling stirred in his chest. Happiness? He didn¡¯t even understand it himself. And the next moment, he attacked again. The battle lasted nearly half an hour. At last, the final parasite fell.
A hum of silence covered the battlefield. The soldiers shouted in victory. They had won. But Deiv¡­ He frowned. Something was wrong. He scanned the area, until¡ª A STRIKE.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. His head rang, and he was thrown several meters away. He got up. No one. And then¡ªanother strike. And another. And another. He reacted in time, and as the next blow was about to land, he caught his attacker by the throat. ¡ª Alagana. She struggled in his grip, but he only tightened his hold. ¡ª I gave you a chance to live¡­ His eyes darkened. ¡ª But now, I won¡¯t let you go. He raised his other hand, ready to rip her head off. But something stopped him. Tentacles. They wrapped around his arm and then¡ª SLAP. His hand was severed. Deiv glanced at the stump. No blood¡ªhis wound healed instantly. But the tentacles grabbed his other arm too. He scowled, throwing Alagana an irritated look. ¡ª Is this your trick? And then he saw her. A tall parasite stood in the distance. Who the hell¡­ She called for backup? A sniper on the wall fired, but the bullet ricocheted off the tentacle like it was metal. ¡ª Expected¡­ ¡ª Deiv muttered. And then¡ª A parasite appeared before him out of nowhere. A female figure, flexible, with bright green eyes. ¡ª So it¡¯s you¡­ The infamous traitor¡­ Ghost. Deiv showed no emotion. ¡ª Traitor? I was never one of you. The parasite¡¯s lips curled into a sinister grin. ¡ª Galian. ¡ª I didn¡¯t ask. ¡ª You think this is a game? And how rude, you could¡¯ve at least said thank you for not killing you right away. ¡ª If you wanted to kill me, you should¡¯ve cut off my head. She laughed, her voice dripping with venom. ¡ª I like you. ¡ª Sorry¡­ not my type. Galian eyed him, tilting her head slightly. ¡ª Look up. Deiv raised his head¡­ Shit. A HUGE silhouette was approaching. A parasite. Deiv watched as a thirty-meter giant neared. The ground trembled under its steps, as if nature itself was trying to flee from the creature. ¡ª So now you have giants too? His eyes narrowed. ¡ª You really think this will scare me? ¡ª he said, looking at Galian. She only giggled. ¡ª Let¡¯s see how you talk in a few minutes.
Deiv just waved dismissively and tore off the tentacles without ceremony. He lunged at Galian with insane speed, but she vanished. Both thought the same thing: ?He/She is fast.? They parted, then clashed again in a deadly dance. Fists and claws sliced through the air, each strike lethal. And then¡ª A THUNDEROUS CRASH. The giant unleashed a monstrous blow. Deiv dodged, but the force of the impact knocked him off his feet. Two enemies. How to deal with both at once? Alagana wasn¡¯t standing idly by either¡ªher attacks were precise, hidden, and deadly. Oh great, now there are three -_-. The soldiers tried to distract the giant, firing at it. Sometimes it gave Deiv a second of respite, but no more. The fight dragged on. Deiv was starting to tire. None of them had sustained serious injuries. He realized¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t die easily. He studied the giant¡¯s movements carefully. It regenerated quickly. Ripping its head off wouldn¡¯t work¡­ then what would kill it? ¡ª Hm¡­ Deiv narrowed his eyes. It must have a heart. Or something like it. He made a decision. A full-speed charge. Kill in one strike. He shot forward at inhuman speed. The giant sensed danger and tried to defend itself, but it was too late. A DASH. A STRIKE. He pierced the giant through. From its chest, he tore something out¡ªpulsing, the size of his own body. ¡ª This must be its core. The giant froze. And collapsed. Dead. Silence. Galian stared at the scene, eyes wide. And then¡­ She smiled. But not out of anger. Not out of hatred. Out of admiration. She had fallen for this Ghost¡ªnot as a man. But as the perfect opponent. She linked telepathically with Alagana. ¡ª Don¡¯t interfere anymore. Alagana wanted to argue. ¡ª This is too dangerous! But then she saw her face. Galian¡¯s eyes were glowing with excitement. She was having fun. Alagana stayed silent, thinking, ?Why do you love fighting so much¡­? And the battle resumed. Hours passed, and they kept fighting. They destroyed everything around them. The soldiers couldn¡¯t look away. These two¡­ They knew parasites were strong. But this was beyond anything they¡¯d ever seen. But suddenly¡­ Galian stopped. She staggered. And Deiv could barely stand. They were exhausted. Galian caught her breath and¡­ Laughed. ¡ª Now that was a fight. She took a few steps back. ¡ª So? Shall we meet again for another round? Deiv, panting, told her to go fuck herself. Alagana couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. What was there even to say? Galian, barely breathing, grabbed Alagana¡¯s hand. ¡ª I think we¡¯ll be going. Deiv wanted to finish them off, but he had no strength left. Galian smirked. ¡ª See you in the future, handsome. She made a heart shape with her fingers. Deiv showed her the middle finger. Galian laughed. Alagana muttered to herself, Boss is going to love hearing this story. Galian winked at Deiv one last time. ¡ª Well then, sister, "cough" let¡¯s go¡­ ¡ª About time. And they vanished. Deiv stood, watching them go. Shit. What the fuck was that just now¡­ WAIT!, SHE SAID SISTER!??!? The Price of Risk Galian and Alagana walked away from the battlefield. The air was still thick with smoke and the stench of rotting flesh, while behind them lay piles of dead parasites and the mangled remains of soldiers. Alagana walked in silence, but inside, her anger boiled. Her fists trembled with tension, nails digging into her palms. ¡ª Do you even understand what you just did?! ¡ª she snapped, spinning around to face Galian. Galian smirked, lazily stretching. ¡ª Oh, relax. It''s over, isn''t it? ¡ª "Over"? ¡ª Alagana nearly hissed in fury. ¡ª He could have killed you, do you even understand that?! Did you see what he did to the GIGANT? Galian rolled her eyes. ¡ª Yeah, yeah, he was really scary, pierced the giant through... and so what? I''m still alive, right? Alagana gritted her teeth, still glaring at her. ¡ª Did nothing about the way he fought make you hesitate before starting that battle? He wiped out our squad by himself, Galian. One man. Without much effort. Galian shrugged. ¡ª Well... not exactly without effort. ¡ª She shrugged again. ¡ª He was covered in blood, barely standing... ¡ª And yet, it was only a miracle that saved us! ¡ª Alagana turned away, pressing her temples. ¡ª Damn... I don''t even want to think about what the boss will say. Galian giggled. ¡ª Oh, I can just imagine his face... At the base. ¡ª YOU''VE LOST YOUR MIND, GALIAN?! The loud roar reverberated through the command center, making even the battle-hardened soldiers flinch. The boss towered over them, his face contorted with rage, and his fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. Alagana stood off to the side, arms crossed, with a stony expression. ¡ª I warned you, sister. Galian smirked, slightly shrugging. ¡ª Oh, come on, boss. Nothing really happened... well, almost. ¡ª ALMOST?! ¡ª The boss slammed his fist onto the table, and the thick metal plate dented under his strength. ¡ª Galian, you''re the daughter of the leaders, and I respect you, but that doesn''t give you the right to do WHATEVER YOU WANT! IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO YOU, WHAT WOULD I HAVE SAID TO YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER?! For a moment, Galian lowered her gaze, but her smirk didn¡¯t disappear. ¡ª Well, I''m still here and fine, right? The boss let out a deep sigh, covering his face with his hand as if trying to collect his thoughts. ¡ª And now tell me... What about the traitor? ¡ª He looked at them with a grave expression. The girls recounted everything that had happened. ¡ª You¡¯re telling me he SINGLE-HANDEDLY DEFEATED THE ENTIRE ARMY?! Silence hung in the air like a taut string. Galian¡¯s smirk widened. ¡ª Yeah... and it was awesome. The command center was lit by dim lamps casting yellowish light on the metal walls. The air was thick with the smell of smoke, sweat, and oil¡ªa mix that had become familiar to the base. The boss continued to shout, his voice shaking the walls, veins in his temples bulging with fury. ¡ª Do you even realize you could have died?! ¡ª He stepped toward Galian, pointing at her as though accusing. ¡ª You treated that bastard like it was just a sparring match! EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW HOW DANGEROUS HE WAS!!! But Galian, as if nothing were wrong, lazily yawned, looking at him as though his shouting wasn¡¯t worth a single coin. ¡ª So what? ¡ª she drawled with a smirk. ¡ª I survived. The boss clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles whitened. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡ª You...! Just then, the door slammed open, and a tall woman with long white hair entered. No emotion reflected on her face, but as soon as she appeared, even the most seasoned fighters snapped to attention. ¡ª M-Madam Val! ¡ª The boss immediately regained his composure. He bowed his head in respect. ¡ª What brings you here? Val walked forward slowly. She stopped, crossing her arms over her chest, and scanned the room with a sharp gaze. ¡ª I came to check on my daughters. ¡ª Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of steel in it. ¡ª And also to find out why you¡¯re shouting at them like it¡¯s their last day alive. The boss swallowed and shrugged. ¡ª M-Madam... Galian fought the traitor... Ghost. ¡ª He frowned. ¡ª And... she barely made it out alive! Val sighed heavily and, rolling her eyes, turned to her daughter. ¡ª Galian, sweetheart, we¡¯ve talked about this. ¡ª But, mom...! ¡ª Don¡¯t ¡°mom¡± me. ¡ª Her tone turned sharp. Galian scowled but fell silent. ¡ª And you, Alagana? Where were your eyes? Alagana looked away, clenching her fists. ¡ª I tried to stop her... but you know how stubborn she is. Val shook her head. ¡ª Alright, let¡¯s move on. ¡ª She looked at both daughters. ¡ª What can you tell me about him? About the traitor? Galian spoke up first. ¡ª He¡¯s strong. Fast. Smart. ¡ª And you, Alagana? Alagana bit her lip, recalling. ¡ª He always aims for the head... And he pierced the giant right through. ¡ª She swallowed. ¡ª And also... He¡¯s incredibly angry. When I look into his eyes, I... get chills. ¡ª Sister, you¡¯re exaggerating. ¡ª Not at all. Val nodded slowly. ¡ª If we compare him to our warriors, who would you say he¡¯s like? Alagana hesitated, her fingers twitching nervously. ¡ª ...Probably... like an elite titan. Silence. ¡ª An elite titan?! ¡ª Val¡¯s voice rose sharply. ¡ª You¡¯re saying he¡¯s that strong?! Alagana shivered but nodded. ¡ª It¡¯s... just my guess, mom. I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯m right... Val crossed her arms over her chest, frowning. ¡ª I hope he doesn¡¯t cause us any more problems... The boss, who had been listening quietly the entire time, suddenly raised his head. ¡ª Uh... Madam Val, sorry for asking, but... what¡¯s Mr. Ashbor doing right now? Val raised an eyebrow. ¡ª He¡¯s with the Lord. A heavy silence fell over the room. ¡ª Another important mission? ¡ª The boss swallowed. ¡ª Something like that. Why do you want to know? ¡ª Well, you usually come together. Val paused for a moment, then smiled. ¡ª Madam... ¡ª The boss spoke cautiously, choosing his words carefully. ¡ª I¡¯m not demanding anything, but... wouldn¡¯t it be wiser to deal with this traitor while it¡¯s still early? He could wipe out a small army by himself. Val raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t respond immediately. Her golden eyes narrowed, and something dangerous flickered in them. ¡ª Are you worried about this? The boss swallowed. ¡ª Yes and no, Madam. It¡¯s just... usually, when things like this are ignored, it leads to bigger problems. If you know what I mean... Val nodded briefly. ¡ª You¡¯re right. We should deal with him. The boss straightened. ¡ª Should I gather a special squad? ¡ª No. ¡ª Val smiled, but there was no warmth in it. ¡ª I¡¯ll handle it myself. A heavy silence filled the room. ¡ª What?! ¡ª Galian spun around to her mother, her eyes flashing with indignation. ¡ª So it¡¯s okay for you to do it, but not for me?! Val sighed heavily. ¡ª Daughter, don¡¯t forget that he¡¯s probably stronger than you. I won¡¯t let you risk yourself like that again. Galian clenched her fists. ¡ª Fine... ¡ª her voice trembled with hurt. The boss cleared his throat, drawing attention. ¡ª Madam, are you sure you want to handle this yourself? ¡ª I¡¯m bored. People give up too quickly; they don¡¯t entertain me in battles. Even with their weapons, they¡¯re useless. And if this traitor really is that strong... Why not check him out before I kill him? Alagana frowned. ¡ª Just be careful, mom. He¡¯s unpredictable. Val looked at her and nodded slowly. ¡ª I¡¯ll keep that in mind, daughter. She asked her daughters with a hint of curiosity: ¡ª Where should I look for him? Alagana and Galian exchanged glances. ¡ª He¡¯s not the type to hide for long, ¡ª said Alagana. ¡ª I¡¯ve noticed he always shows up where there¡¯s active combat. He attacks unstable regions, wiping out our squads. ¡ª And also... ¡ª Galian added, frowning. ¡ª He''s clearly hunting us (parasites). Last time, he attacked us too, took down our fighters, and then even took out the giant. ¡ª So, he¡¯s moving towards where there are more of them, ¡ª Val remarked. The boss nodded. ¡ª Then the next target is Sector 12. Our troops will advance there. If he attacks again, it¡¯ll be there. Val smiled, her eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡ª Well then... I should hurry. Galian turned away, her lips tightly pressed together. She was angry. At her mother. At herself. At this damn order. She was upset that she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to fight Ghost again. Echoes of Darkness After Galian and Alagana left, Deiv collapsed to the ground, barely managing to take one last breath. Exhaustion wrapped around him like a heavy blanket. Pain pierced his body, but he had already begun to recover. His consciousness faded. The soldiers at the fence kept their eyes on him. No one could believe what had just happened. A parasite who fought against his own kind? It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡ª What do we do with him now? ¡ª one of the soldiers asked quietly. ¡ª On one hand, he helped defend the village¡­ ¡ª another started but fell silent. ¡ª And on the other¡­ he¡¯s a parasite, ¡ª a third one said grimly. They exchanged glances. Without speaking, they understood each other. It was a dilemma: trust him or see him as a threat? No one knew the answer. ¡ª Maybe he¡¯s a spy? ¡ª a voice came from the darkness. ¡ª If he were a spy, it would have been a trap, and we¡¯d all be dead already, ¡ª another soldier countered. Time passed. Hours went by, and night had fallen once again. Deiv remained still. His breathing was steady but heavy, as if every movement of his chest took immense effort. One of the soldiers ¡ª the one who had seen him before ¡ª stepped outside the fence. He approached slowly, holding his weapon in his hands. Deiv was in a deep sleep. He didn¡¯t even flinch when a branch snapped nearby. The soldier crouched down, studying him. He remembered their first meeting. Back then, the parasite had been carrying someone. And later¡­ he buried them. "Did his own kind kill someone he cared about?" The soldier sighed and sat down next to a rock, leaning against it. ¡ª We¡¯ll see what you have to say when you wake up¡­ ¡ª he muttered, gazing up at the night sky. Meanwhile, behind the fence, the other soldiers continued arguing. ¡ª It¡¯s a trap! ¡ª one insisted. ¡ª Then why are we still alive? ¡ª another retorted. ¡ª If he wanted to kill us, he would¡¯ve done it already. Parasites don¡¯t wait for the right moment. They just attack. ¡ª So what? He could still be a spy, ¡ª the first soldier persisted. But even the most suspicious ones understood: if Deiv had wanted them dead, they would be.
Endless darkness. Deiv opened his eyes. But this was not the place where he had fallen asleep. This was emptiness. There was no sound, no movement. No horizon, no sky, no ground. He felt neither cold nor warmth. Not even his own breath. Only himself. Slowly, he rose to his feet. Nothing changed. The world remained indifferent, bottomless. And then he noticed something strange. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. His hands. Not clawed, not grotesque, not covered in parasitic flesh. Just hands. Human hands. He froze. No distorted forms. Just skin, warm and alive. He took a sharp breath. ¡ª Is this¡­ a dream?.. His voice sounded muffled as if sinking into the thick darkness. ¡ª Wait¡­ am I dead?.. And then ¡ª a voice. ¡ª How could you let this happen?.. A chill ran down his spine. ¡ª W-what?.. The darkness thickened. The space around him trembled, as if someone had torn it apart. ¡ª How¡­ could¡­ you¡­ LET THIS HAPPEN?! The voice echoed through the void. It was filled with so much hatred, so much pain that something inside Deiv twisted in agony. And then he saw him. Himself. But mutilated. The figure stepped out of the darkness, and Deiv shuddered. His face¡­ it was torn, one half of the skull exposed, the eye socket empty, lips twisted into a grotesque mockery of a smile. Parasitic flesh had fused with human skin, creating a monstrous symbiosis. ¡ª You could have saved them, ¡ª the Other rasped. Deiv stepped back, but his feet found no solid ground. ¡ª No¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­ ¡ª You could, but you didn¡¯t, ¡ª the words poured out like thick, poisonous liquid. ¡ª You just WATCHED as our parents, our friends, everyone¡­ died¡­ ¡ª Shut up¡­ ¡ª You could have saved at least Father¡­ ¡ª Shut up! ¡ª But you killed him with your own hands. ¡ª SHUT UP!!! The darkness trembled. And then the space filled with whispers. ¡ª You could have¡­ ¡ª You could have saved them¡­ ¡ª You just watched¡­ ¡ª Coward¡­ ¡ª COWARD¡­ ¡ª COWARD, COWARD, COWARD, COWARD!!! Deiv clutched his head. ¡ª Please¡­ stop¡­ The whispering didn¡¯t fade. It only grew louder. ¡ª You could have¡­ ¡ª No¡­ ¡ª You should have¡­ ¡ª No, please¡­ ¡ª BUT YOU DID NOTHING!!! Deiv screamed. ¡ª STOP!!! The darkness shattered. He woke up. His body jerked, and a cry tore from his throat: ¡ª PLEASE, STOP!!! A sharp breath. His chest heaved in a feverish rhythm. Sweat streamed down his skin, his hands trembled. The soldier sitting nearby fell onto his back in shock, staring at him with wide eyes. ¡ª Shit¡­ The others had already raised their weapons. ¡ª What the hell?! Deiv panted heavily, his gaze darting around. But even awake, he still heard the echo of that voice. ¡ª Coward¡­ Deiv took another shaky breath, trying to regain control. Slowly, he lowered his gaze¡­ His hands. Once again, they were covered in rough, uneven flesh. Not human. He was a monster again. ¡ª So it really was just a dream¡­ ¡ª he whispered to himself. ¡ª Hey¡­ Are you okay? ¡ª a voice came from beside him. Deiv slowly turned his head. The soldier who had been sitting next to him was still there. He was watching him but didn¡¯t move closer. Deiv said nothing and looked away. ¡ª You know¡­ ¡ª the soldier shifted slightly. ¡ª It¡¯s kinda rude to turn away when someone¡¯s talking to you. Silence. ¡ª Alright, if you don¡¯t wanna talk, fine, ¡ª the soldier sighed. He was about to say something else when Deiv suddenly spoke: ¡ª Why do you care if I¡¯m okay?.. ¡ª his voice was low, strained. ¡ª Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?.. The soldier froze for a moment. He was clearly used to seeing monsters, but hearing one speak his language¡ªthat was something else. ¡ª It¡¯d be pretty stupid to be afraid of the guy who saved us, ¡ª he finally said. Another pause. The soldier took the chance: ¡ª Why did you fight against your own kind?¡­ But before he could finish, Deiv sharply turned his head toward him. ¡ª THEY ARE NOT MY KIND!!! His snarl was filled with fury. The soldier flinched, his hand instinctively twitching toward his weapon¡­ but he held back. ¡ª Sorry¡­ ¡ª he swallowed. ¡ª I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. He quickly corrected himself: ¡ª Then why did you fight the parasites? Why did you help us at all? Deiv frowned, his claws clenching. ¡ª I have my reasons¡­ But you don¡¯t need to know them. Another pause. And then he asked a question of his own: ¡ª Why didn¡¯t you turn me in? The soldier raised an eyebrow. ¡ª What? ¡ª Back then. When you saw me. Why did you just leave? Why didn¡¯t you call your people? The soldier looked away for a moment, thinking. ¡ª I¡­ I saw that you were in pain, ¡ª he finally said. ¡ª And I didn¡¯t want to make it worse. I saw you burying someone. That¡¯s all. He chuckled, shaking his head: ¡ª You don¡¯t see a parasite burying someone every day. He looked at Deiv again and asked: ¡ª By the way¡­ I was thinking. Thanks. You saved us. But, you know¡­ what should I call you? I don¡¯t wanna just call you ¡°parasite.¡± Deiv hesitated for a moment before answering: ¡ª Just call me Deiv. Trial by Fire Deiv flew over the earth, covering kilometers as if he were a shadow chasing the fading light. The night enveloped the steppe with a thick veil, but he saw everything ¡ª every blade of grass, every stone, every patch of charred earth. The wind whipped his face, but Deiv felt only one thing. The rotting smell of parasites ahead. And fire. On the horizon, right in the ink-black darkness, crimson flames ripped apart the sky. He accelerated. Military base near Dagestan The soldiers were retreating. They no longer fought ¡ª they survived. The concrete walls of the base were shattered like eggshells. Parasites crawled over the debris, biting into the mangled bodies of the dead. The air was thick with the smell of gasoline, burning flesh, and... something else. Something foreign. The commander of the base, breathing heavily, reloaded his weapon, gritting his bloodied teeth. Only a handful of soldiers remained around him. ¡ª Sir! ¡ª shouted one of the soldiers, holding a radio to his ear. ¡ª We received a message! ¡ª What the hell kind of message?! ¡ª From command... They say that a... "ally" is coming to us. The commander grimaced. ¡ª What?.. At that moment, a roar sounded. Through the dusty haze, a silhouette appeared. Tall. Broken. Dark eyes gleamed in the light of the flames. The soldiers raised their weapons. ¡ª DON¡¯T SHOOT! ¡ª came from the radio. The commander still didn¡¯t understand. ¡ª Who. Is. This?! ¡ª It¡¯s that... Parasite... ¡ª the soldier nervously swallowed. ¡ª He... is with us. ¡ª Go to hell! The commander grabbed his pistol but didn¡¯t have time to raise it. The parasites howled. They charged at the people. Deiv moved first. His claws dug into the nearest creature, tearing its body in half. The soldiers froze. They saw how he fought. How he tore apart his own. But that didn¡¯t make him one of them. The next parasite tried to leap at a soldier. Deiv was instantly in front of it, grabbed it, and crushed its skull. His eyes flared. ¡ª Run! ¡ª screamed one of the soldiers, unable to hold back. But the commander didn¡¯t move. He saw something else. What was behind Deiv. From the ruins, a mountain of flesh crawled out. A parasite of a new kind. A monster, too large, too wrong. Its body constantly shifted. Bones protruded through the skin. The muscles moved unnaturally. It recognized Deiv. "One of us." "No. Foreign." Deiv slowly clenched his fists. ¡ª ¡­Shit. The monster roared. The battle was just beginning. Deiv froze, staring at the colossal creature in front of him. The smell of decay and raw meat hit his nose, making him want to vomit. The parasite¡¯s blood-red eyes glowed through the haze of rot, and thick black slime dripped from its massive jaws. This was an elite parasite ¡ª a monster whose existence was only a rumor. For a moment, a memory flashed before his eyes. Two years ago... ¡ª Alagana, you understand we need help! ¡ª Karib hit the table with his fist, looking at the woman with a cold expression. ¡ª If your boss sends even one elite parasite, we... ¡ª You don¡¯t even understand what you¡¯re asking for, ¡ª Alagana crossed her arms, interrupting him. ¡ª They don¡¯t send them for petty matters. Besides... ¡ª the corners of her lips twitched in a barely noticeable smirk. ¡ª You¡¯re just too lazy to work. Present¡­ <> Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Deiv cursed through clenched teeth. The creature opened its jaws, and a long roar escaped its throat. The sound was so deafening that his ears rang. Deiv felt his heart clench in cold fear ¡ª this roar was the most terrifying thing he had ever heard. And in the next second, the parasite lunged at him. Deiv darted to the side but was too late ¡ª the monstrous body slammed into him with wild force. The air was knocked out of his lungs, and the world momentarily went dark. Instinctively, he struck the parasite, burying his fist in its chest. The creature roared in pain but immediately attacked again with new fury. <> <> His thoughts were interrupted by another strike ¡ª their fists collided in a powerful clash. The shockwave spread in all directions, lifting dust and knocking bricks from the half-destroyed buildings. Both were knocked back, landing on the ground with a dull thud. Deiv groaned. His chest burned with pain. <> But the parasite was getting up. Its body writhed, muscles pulsed, and the wounds on it healed in the blink of an eye. <> <> Deiv didn¡¯t wait for the creature to attack again ¡ª he made a leap and disappeared into the ruins. Survivors could be seen in the distance. When he emerged from the shadow of the collapsed buildings, the people noticed him. In the next moment, a dull click of safeties echoed ¡ª dozens of soldiers aimed their weapons at him, and the civilian survivors screamed in terror. Deiv clenched his fists. <> ¡ª Don¡¯t shoot! ¡ª a rough voice shouted in Russian. Deiv turned and saw the general ¡ª badly wounded but still on his feet. The general frowned, eyeing him carefully. ¡ª Something happened¡­ Actually, why am I asking? You don¡¯t even understand my language. ¡ª Really? ¡ª Deiv responded in perfect Russian. A heavy silence fell. The soldiers froze. The general stared at him as if a stone had suddenly started talking. <> ¡ª We¡¯ve got a problem. I can¡¯t kill him. He regenerates and adapts. ¡ª No way to kill him? ¡ª There is one way¡­ ¡ª And what is it? ¡ª Fire. ¡ª Fire?? ¡ª Do you have incendiary rounds? ¡ª I think¡­ for the sniper rifle, ¡ª one of the soldiers replied. ¡ª What about a barrel of gasoline? ¡ª We have one¡­ but why do you need it? The general nervously answered. Deiv smirked. ¡ª Because I¡¯m planning to shove it down this bastard¡¯s throat, and one of you will set it on fire with a shot. A silence fell. ¡ª Are you crazy? ¡ª the general exhaled. ¡ª Maybe. But we don¡¯t have a choice. The general looked around at the soldiers. ¡ª Who¡¯s willing to fire? The crowd of soldiers remained silent. All were terrified. But suddenly, a man with a scar over his eye stepped forward. ¡ª I¡¯ll shoot. Deiv nodded. ¡ª Where¡¯s the barrel? ¡ª In the warehouse, ¡ª the general pointed toward the half-destroyed building. ¡ª But... the problem is, the warehouse is next to that monster. <> He looked at the sniper. ¡ª How much time do you need to prepare? ¡ª Five minutes. ¡ª Then wait for my signal. Deiv leapt into the air and landed right on the parasite¡¯s head. The impact made the monster stagger. The fight resumed. The blows were lightning-fast. Each time Deiv dealt damage, the parasite regenerated, almost mocking his efforts. But finally, Deiv noticed the flash of the sniper''s scope. <> He abruptly dropped to the ground, hitting it with such force that thick dust flew up. Seizing the moment, he dashed toward the warehouse, rushed inside, and quickly started checking the barrels. One was full. At that moment, the warehouse ceiling was shattered, and the parasite burst inside. ¡ª Shit¡­ Deiv grabbed the barrel with both hands and shot out of the warehouse. The monster charged after him. But Deiv was faster. He jumped high into the air, twisted, and like a Hollywood hero, shouted: ¡ª OPEN YOUR MOUTH! With force, he shoved the barrel straight into the monster''s throat. The signal was given. A shot rang out. The incendiary round pierced the metal. In the next second, flames erupted, and the barrel exploded, engulfing the monster from the inside. The parasite screamed so loudly that the walls shook. The flames consumed it, leaving no chance for regeneration. The fire burst from its mouth and eye sockets, tearing it apart from the inside. One final gasp ¡ª and it collapsed. Deiv looked at the sniper. The sniper saw him through the scope and nodded. Deiv gave him a thumbs up. ¡ª Good job. Deiv sank heavily to the ground, staring at the ashes of the parasite. He had just saved these people, but there was no satisfaction in his chest. <> At that moment, a calm, but threatening, female voice sounded: ¡ª Not bad for someone like you. Deiv tensed and slowly turned his head. In front of him stood a tall, thin woman with pale skin and long white hair. Her face was strangely beautiful, but her expression was predatory, almost amused. ¡ª Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m not mad at you, ¡ª she added, tilting her head slightly. ¡ª He was my least favorite spawn anyway. Deiv thought to himself: <> But before he could even fully process her appearance, she disappeared from the spot and appeared right in front of him. IMPACT. Deiv didn¡¯t even have time to react ¡ª he was thrown back several meters, landing heavily on his back, and then, coughing, he got up. ¡ª Why am I so interesting to women¡­ If I were human, I¡¯d probably be happy about it¡­ ¡ª he muttered, rubbing his cheek. The woman didn¡¯t respond ¡ª she just disappeared again. Another hit. And another. And another. Again. Again. Again. He tried to parry, tried to predict her movements, but she was faster than he could comprehend. Each of her strikes was precise, accurate, and deadly. But finally, after another attack, Deiv found the moment for a counterattack. Through the blow, despite the pain, he turned and drove his fist into her stomach. There was a loud THUD, and her slender body flew backward, crashing into the ground. When the dust settled, she slowly rose, a malicious smile on her face. ¡ª Listen, could you stop smiling? ¡ª Deiv exhaled, wiping blood from his lips. ¡ª You¡¯re scaring me¡­ She laughed quietly. ¡ª You¡¯re funny. ¡ª Yeah, one already told me that¡­ ¡ª he remembered Galian and winced. Deiv took a step forward, narrowing his eyes. ¡ª But you know what surprises me? Why do you parasites pay so much attention to me? Why are you trying so hard to kill me? The woman stopped smiling. ¡ª Because you are the only problem in these lands. Her voice became harder, almost icy. Deiv exhaled. ¡ª And out of curiosity¡­ can I at least know your name? She tilted her head, as if thinking, and then calmly responded: ¡ª Val. ¡ª So, Val¡­ You seriously plan to fight me? She smirked slightly. ¡ª Fight? Heh-heh¡­ ¡ª contempt flickered in her eyes. ¡ª You¡¯re nothing more than a bug trying to defy what you¡¯ve become. Something unpleasant stirred in Deiv¡¯s chest. He clenched his fists. ¡ª If I¡¯m a bug to you¡­ then why didn¡¯t you kill me right away? She smirked. ¡ª Because I¡¯m curious to see how strong you are before I kill you. But then her expression changed. Her eyes filled with rage. ¡ª And also, ¡ª her voice became cold, almost hissing. ¡ª I want you to experience hellish pain¡­ for trying to harm my daughters. Deiv froze. What?! She¡­ a mother? Alagans¡­ and Galian?! Deiv tensed up. ¡ª Oh shit¡­ ¡ª he whispered. Shattered Darkness (Val versus Dave) Dave felt his heart pounding wildly. The mother of Alagana and Galiana. He had just fought an elite parasite, and now he was standing before a being that was clearly stronger than him. ¡ª ¡°Shit¡­¡± he muttered under his breath. Val stood before him¡ªtall, thin, with a piercing gaze devoid of malice¡ªonly cold interest. ¡ª ¡°At first, I thought you¡¯d be taller,¡± she said. ¡°And¡­ scarier.¡± ¡ª¡°What, did I disappoint you?¡± Dave crossed his arms. ¡ª¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I¡¯m going to kill you either way.¡± Her voice was light, as if she were discussing something ordinary. Dave tensed. ¡ª¡°Do you even have a reason to kill me?¡± ¡ª¡°You crippled my daughters,¡± Val answered calmly. ¡°And I don¡¯t like it when someone touches my family.¡± Dave was about to say something, but she vanished. The next moment, something heavy smashed into his face. He was sent flying, crashing through several walls before slamming into the debris. Shit¡­ He struggled to his feet, spitting blood. Val was standing in the exact same spot, as if she hadn¡¯t moved at all. ¡ª¡°You¡¯re weaker than I thought,¡± she said. Dave took a deep breath. ¡ª¡°And you¡¯re too damn overconfident.¡± He lunged forward. A punch¡ªVal dodged. Another strike¡ªanother miss. She slipped between his attacks effortlessly before delivering her own. Her fist slammed into his stomach, piercing through. Dave doubled over. ¡ª¡°To be honest,¡± Val continued, ¡°I¡¯m surprised. You look¡­ human.¡± ¡ª¡°W-what¡­?¡± Dave choked on his own blood. ¡ª¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? You don¡¯t look like the other parasites.¡± ¡ª¡°Since when¡­ does that matter to you¡­?¡± ¡ª¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I used to be huma¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t finish. Dave regenerated in an instant, straightened up, and swung at her. Val dodged, but his fist grazed her shoulder. ¡ª¡°You planning to have a heart-to-heart or what, in the middle of a fight?¡± Val tilted her head slightly. ¡ª¡°Didn¡¯t your parents teach you not to interrupt when someone¡¯s talking?¡± Dave tensed. ¡ª¡°Shut up.¡± ¡ª¡°Oh? Did mentioning your parents hit a nerve?¡± Val took a step forward. ¡ª¡°I said, shut up.¡± ¡ª¡°Are you trying to protect their memory or something?¡± Dave clenched his fists. ¡ª¡°Maybe I should go talk to them myself when I¡¯m done with you.¡± Something inside Dave snapped. Val had already turned toward the survivors. But Dave exploded with rage. One second, Val was standing before him. The next, her face met his fist. The air compressed around them from the sheer force of the blow. Val was sent flying, crashing into a ruined building. ¡ª¡°I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!¡± he roared, charging forward. The fight turned brutal. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. His blow struck. The entire structure collapsed, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. Dave landed on the rubble, breathing heavily. But Val was still alive. Her voice came from within the dust. ¡ª¡°Whoa¡­ You do know how to get angry.¡± The next moment, something grabbed his leg. Dave barely had time to react before Val hurled him into the sky with monstrous strength. ¡ª¡°Fly a little, will ya?¡± He shot through the air, only to crash into solid concrete below. Shit¡­ She¡¯s not just strong. She¡¯s too fast. Dave got to his feet, but Val was already there. Her elbow slammed into his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Then¡ªhis stomach. Then¡ªa spinning kick to his temple. Each strike was perfect. Dave crashed through a wall, tumbling onto the ground outside. He rolled but managed to stand. ¡ª¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡± Val stepped out of the dust, brushing off her hands. ¡ª¡°Tired?¡± ¡ª¡°Oh, fuck off¡­¡± Dave wiped the blood from his lips. ¡°Do you always talk this much in a fight?¡± ¡ª¡°Only when my opponent is interesting.¡± She vanished. The next moment, her fist was inches from his face. But Dave reacted in time! He tilted his head aside, feeling the wind from her fist brush past his cheek. He counterattacked! His fist slammed into her ribs¡ªthen he grabbed her throat and drove her into the ground. ¡ª¡°Here¡¯s your change!¡± He raised his fist for another strike, but Val twisted his wrist, sending a jolt of pain through him. She broke free and kicked him in the chest. Dave flew back but flipped in midair, landing on both feet. They froze. The battle had turned into a deadly dance. ¡ª¡°You learn fast,¡± Val smirked. Dave exhaled. ¡ª¡°And you¡¯re not as strong as I thought.¡± ¡ª¡°Maybe¡­ But I have one advantage.¡± She disappeared. Dave braced himself. But the hit never came. Instead, soft laughter echoed. ¡ª¡°You really are a good opponent.¡± She turned¡ªDave was no longer in front of her. He had vanished and appeared behind her in a blink. ¡ª¡°Just shut the hell up.¡± His fist smashed into her skull. Val was launched across the battlefield, crashing through multiple buildings before hitting the street, leaving a trail of destruction. Dave didn¡¯t stop. He rushed after her. He stood over Val¡¯s fallen form, breathing heavily. His eyes glowed red, his body trembling with fury. Val slowly rose from the rubble, rubbing her jaw. ¡ª¡°Heh¡­ Not bad,¡± she spat onto the ground, standing at full height. ¡°But you know what I¡¯m curious about?¡± Dave didn¡¯t respond. She smirked. ¡ª¡°What would your parents say if they saw what you¡¯ve become?¡± Dave¡¯s jaw tensed. ¡ª¡°Why do you care?¡± he shot back. ¡ª¡°Oh? Did that piss you off? Are they here?¡± Silence. Dave¡¯s lips twitched. ¡ª¡°They¡¯d be horrified, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± Val took a step forward. ¡°Their son, the one they loved¡­ now a monster.¡± A dark aura flickered around Dave. ¡ª¡°¡­Stop¡­¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t handle the truth?¡± ¡ª¡°I said¡ª¡± ¡ª¡°They would¡¯ve turned away from you, wouldn¡¯t they? They¡¯d say that you¡ª¡± ¡ª¡°SHUT UP!¡± Dave vanished, appearing before her in an instant. His hand plunged into her stomach, piercing through. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡ª¡°¡­You¡­¡± He grabbed her throat with his other hand. ¡ª¡°SHUT UP FOREVER!¡± With monstrous strength, he pulled. A sickening crack echoed. Blood sprayed everywhere. Val didn¡¯t even have time to scream before her head was torn from her body. Dave tossed her corpse aside like trash. ¡ª¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­¡± He stood there, blood dripping from his hands. ¡ª¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± He turned toward the survivors. But then¡ªhis body stiffened. A sharp pain tore through his chest. He coughed up blood. ¡ª¡°W-what¡­?¡± He looked down. A hand¡ªrough, clawed¡ªwas sticking out of his chest. ¡ª¡°You really thought¡­ ripping my head off was enough?¡± Dave froze. Cold fear gripped his spine. Val¡¯s voice. But¡­ how? Before he could even turn around, he was hurled forward with monstrous force. He flew several meters, crashing onto the asphalt and rolling across the ground. Dust filled the air. Dave tried to rise, but the next moment¡ª A BLOW. His vision blurred. Another blow. Pain tore through his body. And another. His jaw cracked. ¡°Come on, come on, you can do better than that,¡± Val grinned, pressing him into the ground with her foot. Dave wheezed. His regeneration was working, but too slowly. He had lost too much strength. Val leaned closer. ¡ª¡°Though honestly, I¡¯m a little disappointed. I expected something more¡­ impressive.¡± She slowly ran a finger along his battered cheek. ¡°But you know what¡¯s even more disappointing?¡± She suddenly turned, looking toward where the surviving humans were hiding. ¡ª¡°They.¡± Her smile widened. ¡ª¡°I think I¡¯ll look for your parents in that crowd.¡± Dave tensed. ¡ª¡°N-no¡­¡± He tried to move, but his body wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡ª¡°Oh yes¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll crush them right in front of you,¡± she smirked. ¡ª¡°They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re¡­ ¡± blood dripped from his lips. ¡°They¡¯re gone¡­¡± Val froze. She slowly leaned down. ¡ª¡°What did you say?¡± ¡ª¡°They¡­ are no longer alive¡­¡± He coughed up blood, his breathing ragged. Val stared at him, her expression growing serious. ¡ª¡°You know what it means to lose loved ones?¡± he whispered. She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Then, after a long pause, she said: ¡ª¡°That¡¯s exactly what I, as a mother, am trying to prevent.¡± Dave barely managed a weak smile. ¡ª¡°And if¡­ one of your daughters¡­ was gone?¡± Val¡¯s face twitched. Her eyes burned. She was silent. ¡ª¡°What would you do?¡± Dave whispered. She clenched her fists. ¡ª¡°I would kill anyone involved. Why do you care?¡± Dave nodded slightly. ¡ª¡°Now you understand¡­ why I¡¯m trying¡­ to kill all of you¡­¡± Val remained silent. ¡ª¡°It¡¯s already written¡­ all over your face.¡± ¡ª ¡°And know this¡­ if by some miracle I survive¡­¡± He coughed, blood spilling from his lips. ¡ª ¡°¡­I swear to you¡­ I¡¯ll kill every last one of you. Even if I have to burn the entire world to the ground¡­¡± He looked up, his gaze filled with hate and sorrow. ¡ª ¡°Losing your parents¡­ it¡¯s painful for a child, you know¡­¡± A bitter pause. ¡ª ¡°But what comes after¡­ is even worse.¡± Val simply stared at him. Unblinking. Then, without a single word, she raised her hand¡ª And with inhuman force, drove it through Dave¡¯s chest, ripping his heart apart.
This is not the end¡­ Bloody Dawn Pain¡­ It spread through his body in burning waves. Blood poured from the wound, dyeing the ground crimson. Dave wheezed, feeling life slipping away from him. ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were trying to say with that little speech¡­ but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Val stood before him, looking down with a slight smirk. ¡ª ¡°Still, I¡¯ll admit¡­ you¡¯re not entirely pathetic.¡± Her voice carried a strange blend of satisfaction and indifference. Dave¡¯s vision blurred. His regeneration had failed. He tried to breathe, but his lungs refused to obey. Val straightened up and turned her head toward the survivors. But¡­ there were none left. ¡ª ¡°Hah¡­ how amusing¡­¡± She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smile. ¡ª ¡°They ran? In just five minutes? How unexpected¡­¡± She chuckled, shaking her head. Then her gaze returned to Dave¡¯s lifeless body. ¡ª ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you, Ghost.¡± Her voice was calm. She turned and, after a few steps, threw over her shoulder: ¡ª ¡°I hope Galian doesn¡¯t stay mad about this for too long.¡± And she left him behind. A broken body.
Inside the Mind Dave opened his eyes. He was standing in that place ¡ª the one he had seen before in dreams. Dark, faceless space stretching in every direction. An endless void, where no sound existed. No movement. He lowered his head and let his arms hang limply. ¡ª ¡°So this is the real end¡­ huh?¡± he whispered. But then¡ª A blinding light flared before him. Memories. Dave watched as a scene from the past unfolded ¡ª distant, warm childhood. He saw himself as a child, laughing, running through a field of green. His mother¡¯s voice calling him in for lunch. His father, teaching him to fight, laughing alongside him. Dave blinked, and a faint smile touched his lips. ¡ª ¡°So this is that moment¡­ when your whole life flashes before your eyes¡­¡± But the smile faded quickly. He understood the truth. He was dead. And this¡­ was just memory before the void.
Dave stood, watching fragments of his past. They shifted one after another ¡ª dim, blurred, drowned in the haze of time. His parents, laughing at dinner. The friends he once ran the streets with. The voices of those he used to know. And one by one¡­ The memories faded. When the last pleasant memory disappeared, Dave felt his shoulders slump. He missed them. All of them. And only now, facing the cruel irony of his path, did he let the tears fall. He cried. He hated himself. He knew what he had done. How many innocent lives he had taken. And finally, he screamed: ¡ª ¡°WHY¡­ WHY, GOD¡­ WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO ME?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Why¡­ someone just answer me¡­¡± He screamed and cried all at once. But there was no answer. The memories were gone. And he remained. Alone in the void. He sat down, head bowed. Until¡ª Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He heard a voice. Familiar. ¡ª ¡°You ask why?¡± He turned. And saw himself. But it wasn¡¯t quite him. The other one wasn¡¯t screaming. Wasn¡¯t accusing. Just staring. Blankly. ¡ª ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± Dave asked coldly. Silence. ¡ª ¡°You gonna yell at me like last time?¡± His voice trembled. ¡ª ¡°You gonna scream that I should¡¯ve tried to save them?¡± The other Dave said nothing. ¡ª ¡°I COULD¡¯VE AT LEAST TRIED!¡± Silence. ¡ª ¡°BUT WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE CHANGED?! HUH?! ANSWER ME!¡± Silence. ¡ª ¡°YOU¡¯RE BLAMING ME FOR DOING NOTHING?! THEN TELL ME¡ªWHAT COULD I HAVE DONE?!¡± No reply. The other Dave simply vanished. Dave fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands. ¡ª ¡°Why is even my own mind against me?..¡± He sat like that for a long time¡­ Then raised his head¡ª Suddenly¡ª Before him stood a mirror. Huge. Black as the abyss itself. He stood up. And stepped closer. What he saw in the reflection made his breath catch. It wasn¡¯t him. Not a human, at least. But a monster. Massive, grotesque, covered in mangled flesh. Its face twisted beyond recognition. Fangs. Claws. Eyes glowing blood-red. He didn¡¯t recognize himself. Was this¡­ him? He had seen his reflection before, in water¡ª But never like this. ¡ª ¡°W-what the hell are you¡­¡± He reached out slowly¡­ His fingers brushed the cold glass surface. And then¡ª The creature moved. Its eyes ignited. The hand in the mirror lunged forward! The glass exploded outward! A clawed hand burst from the reflection and grabbed Dave. Darkness swallowed him whole. The last thing he heard was a whisper¡ª Dripping with hatred and loathing: ¡ª ¡°Humans¡­¡± And then¡ª Everything disappeared.
Pain. Sharp. Piercing. Dave gasped. He felt air fill his lungs. He felt the weight of his body. He was alive. His eyes slowly opened. At first¡ªjust blurs. But then, after a few seconds, he saw the sky. Cold. Gray. He moved his lips and exhaled hoarsely: ¡ª ¡°¡­What the hell¡­¡± Consciousness returned slowly. Pain... searing through every nerve. Dave lay on the cold ground, staring up at the morning sky. Dawn. He breathed heavily, as if his lungs had forgotten what it meant to be alive. Each breath felt like a battle ¡ª life reclaimed by force. But one question drilled into his skull like a nail: "How did I survive?" He remembered it ¡ª the feeling of Val¡¯s hand piercing through his chest, crushing his heart. That wasn¡¯t something anyone could live through. And yet, here he was. Alive. A growing unease churned inside him. His body slowly began to respond; sensation returned to his limbs. And then¡­ he felt it. Something. Something clutched in his hand. His fingers were digging into¡­ something soft. He tensed, heart racing. Slowly, he raised his hand¡ª And screamed. A scream of despair, of fear, of revulsion. In his hand¡­ was the head of a girl. Her skull was torn open by claws, her face twisted, one eye hanging loose. Her head dangled from his fingers. Dave recoiled violently, yanking his hand free from the mangled remains. He stumbled to his feet in horror. Looked around¡­ And the breath froze in his chest. Bodies. Everywhere. Torn, mutilated ¡ª as if savaged by some wild beast. Blood. Flesh. Bone. And right behind him ¡ª a headless man¡¯s corpse. Crushed ribcage. Fragments of skull scattered nearby. Dave¡¯s eyes followed the bloody trail¡ª leading right from where he¡¯d been lying. ¡ª "...No¡­" He touched his lips¡­ And froze. Blood. Human. ¡ª "Oh God¡­ no¡­" he staggered backward, barely able to stand. "What¡­ I¡­ I couldn¡¯t have¡­" Panic took hold. Flashes erupted in his mind: Claws. Screams. Blood. Flesh. He lurched forward. Violent nausea surged. He dropped to his knees, vomiting, body trembling with disgust for himself. He didn¡¯t understand. He¡¯d died. He was sure he had. ¡­Right? He lifted his head. In the distance ¡ª a road. He had no strength, but he started walking, stumbling forward. He had to find answers. After a while, he reached a large metal sign. Rusty, dirty¡­ But the words were clear: ¡°SOCHI ¡ª 15 KM¡± He froze. ¡ª ¡°What¡­?¡± His face went pale. ¡ª ¡°How the fuck did I go from Dagestan to Sochi?!¡± He stood there, dumbfounded. None of it made sense. The last thing he remembered ¡ª he had died. But now he was here, miles from the battlefield, and his body¡­ whole. ¡ª ¡°What the hell is going on¡­?¡± he whispered, eyes fixed on the sign. He reread the words, but it didn¡¯t help. Reality refused to align. He looked back¡ª Back to the field of corpses. Fear gripped his chest. He ran. He needed to find someone. Anyone. He needed to believe this was just a nightmare. ¡ª ¡°God¡­ please, someone¡­¡± He whispered prayers, barely realizing what he was saying. But the bodies didn¡¯t move. Too still. He kept counting ¡ª ten, twenty, fifty¡­ over a hundred. And not just humans. As he moved deeper, Dave saw a mound of parasite corpses. Torn to pieces. Burned. Mutilated. ¡ª ¡°What the fuck happened here¡­?¡± he breathed. He tried to remember, but his mind was a blur. Fragments. Screams. Pain. Then¡ª Nothing. Then, a sound. Dave spun around. One of the bodies twitched¡ª Then went still. ¡°Playing dead?¡± He approached slowly. ¡ª ¡°Are you alive?¡± His voice was hoarse. No answer. He stepped closer. ¡ª ¡°Can you hear me?¡­¡± He knelt down, reaching out¡ª ¡ª ¡°STAY AWAY FROM ME, MONSTER!¡± The scream pierced the silence. Dave staggered back. A girl ¡ª young, covered in blood, her eyes wide with terror ¡ª was pressed to the ground. ¡ª ¡°W-what¡­? M-monster¡­?¡± he blinked in disbelief. ¡ª ¡°DON¡¯T TOUCH ME! STAY BACK!¡± she sobbed, shaking. ¡ª ¡°I¡­¡± he stepped forward, but she shrank away in pure fear. Dave froze. ¡ª ¡°W-what¡­?¡± She gasped for air, trembling. ¡ª ¡°I-I thought you¡­ you were helping us¡­ When you showed up, you started killing those things. We cheered¡­ we thought we were saved¡­¡± Her voice cracked with sorrow. Tears welled in her eyes. ¡ª ¡°Then you looked at us¡­ with eyes full of madness¡­¡± Dave felt the ground vanish beneath him. ¡ª ¡°¡­and you started killing us too¡­ one by one¡­¡± He stood motionless. ¡ª ¡°¡­you bit a man¡¯s head off¡­¡± ¡ª ¡°¡­Are you going to kill me too?¡± Silence. Something shattered inside him. He didn¡¯t think. Didn¡¯t speak. He turned¡ª And ran. He didn¡¯t know where. He didn¡¯t know why. All he could hear was the question screaming in his mind: "WHAT THE FUCK AM I?!"
Sorry it took so long to release the new chapter. I¡¯ve been feeling under the weather, and it¡¯s been hard to work on the script with this damn headache