Flesheater of the Forests

Chapter XIX

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Yurie issued a warning, urging Grandmother and the others to keep their distance and avoid engaging in a quarrel. At this point, she was unsure of her next move, as the situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

The puzzle pieces she had been holding onto seemed to constantly change shape, leaving her feeling achy. The only concrete reminder of her father's existence was the orange paintings tucked away in an underground cave.

Meanwhile, Mason, on the brink of death, remained elusive, hidden from Yurie's search. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that he wouldn't be dead, dead as he wasn't shot with silver or burnt with fire. Her mother, often seen as a harbinger of death, added to the complexity of Yurie's journey.

Yurie herself grappled with her identity, blurring the boundary between human and wendigo. Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the deserted streets, throwing Yurie into disorientation once again.

Although she was surrounded by darkness, Yurie realized she was never truly alone. Elektra stood, jerking her head involuntarily. Approaching Yurie, she observed her own arms, void of any fur.

Without physical form, Elektra handed Yurie something imperceptible, a hidden presence amidst the interplay of light. "Little Yurie and I find ourselves brimming with restless energy these days, as our targets prove disappointingly easy to... capture," the voice echoed emphatically.

"Personally, I much prefer being the pursuer rather than the pursued, Yurie." A cacophony of voices intertwined, arguing and speaking in unison. "I cannot betray her, for she is my..." "Silence, all of you! I can't believe I've expended so much effort in assisting you."

A piercing scream pierced the air, assaulting Yurie's ears. "I have no interest in anyone who succumbs to foolish emotions." The darkness gradually dissolved, revealing a scene from the past that must have been Elektra's early days, when she was nothing more than a malevolent girl, tainted by an otherworldly presence amongst ordinary people.

Yurie understood the responsibility that lay before her: to return Elektra to her origin, regardless of the cost, even if it meant sacrificing herself.

From a young age, Elektra had always been exposed to supernatural forces, toying with the fierce tiger, primarily due to her inherent nature as one herself. She possessed an unstoppable strength, yet found herself trapped in a body that she struggled to fully control.

Yurie clasped her hands together, breaking the ringing silence. "Enough with this charade," she declared, her disgust evident. "The mere thought of calling you "my twin" is far too revolting."

Elektra nonchalantly added, "Have you ever desired something that did not rightfully belong to you? In my world, mistakes come at a high price, and sincerity is the deadliest mistake of all." Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Yurie added, "Your pathetic performance of "life" has come to a close."

Elektra trembled at Yurie's words, her laughter echoing through the room, revealing her deranged state. "Indeed, time is running out," Elektra mockingly shrieked with excitement, "So, who shall claim dominion over this existence?"

Yurie expressed, "You only desire for us to exist separately? Just like a parasite that feeds off its human host, eventually detaching after draining it too much." In defeat, Elektra let out a piercing shriek, "NOOOOO!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!"

Yurie flexed her knuckles as she confidently asserted, "If we were to rely solely on physical strength, I'm rather confident in my ability to emerge victorious." Elektra instinctively took a defensive stance, lowering herself to all fours, and pleaded with a stammer, "H-hey, wait! Let's avoid targeting the face!"

And when I wish to win, win I shall.

"Phew. Ah, so I should have expected nothing less from a wendigo like yourself. A mere physical attack won't be enough to kill you," Yurie stated, picking up one of Elektra's shattered antlers. "But what if I were to use this? It is known to be fatal for wendigos if inflicted with severe injuries when their paths cross. As a reward, I will send you to the afterlife, with the help of your own antler." Yurie raised the antler above her head, ready to strike. However, before she could do so, something halted her. A mysterious voice interjected, "I apologize for the interruption. My name is Belial." Yurie looked towards a wendigo similar in appearance to Elektra, but noticeably smaller in size. Belial exclaimed, sounding annoyed, "I can't believe you made me come all this way, Elektra. I have come to claim that wendigo." Belial pointed towards the feeble wendigo lying on the ground. Yurie responded, "Ah, you mean this thing? Please, take it away." Belial crouched down next to Elektra. "North of Winter will not be pleased to see you."

And at that moment, the curtains dropped, leaving the audience in the dust. The trio vanished from the midnight street, from Bayfield, and from the surface of the world.

Grandmother felt her heart crumble like bad cookie dough, she comforted herself with the thought that it was an appropriate outcome. Yet, amidst the chaos, there was a presence more terrifying than theirs, resembling a malevolent spirit, overpowering any arrogant challengers. The forces of evil that once threatened society now bowed down in submission. However, this enigmatic figure soon departed without leaving a trace, making him nothing more than an urban legend referred to as the "North of Winter."

As Mason emerged from the shadows, a low growl escaped his lips as he wondered about the fate of Yurie and Elektra. Clearly exhausted from her "babysitting duties", Mason could see the weariness in her eyes.

Grandmother glanced at the dark-haired teenager and let out a sigh, acknowledging the difficult circumstances surrounding half-beasts like him.

Yurie had to have created Elektra, who possessed a strange consciousness and a strong desire to witness the downfall of civilization. It wasn't possible to have a cursed twin attached to the back of a human's head and live. Yurie, a passionate yet mysterious girl, had struggled to ignore Elektra, a fact that filled Grandmother's voice with a sense of sadness.

The wailing sirens filled the void left by Yurie's absence. The street lay in ruins, with lampposts and cars strewn across rooftops and scattered amidst the few surviving trees. Grandmother, now uncertain and disheartened, had hoped to raise Yurie as a normal child, but the chaotic disaster surrounding her showed that her plan had been a failure. Paramedics lent their support, helping her to her feet and wrapping her in a warm, comforting blanket on that cold, dark night. The burning question remained: was her beloved granddaughter still alive or had she perished? Trusting Grandmother to care for Yurie, her son had unknowingly placed an immense burden on her shoulders. Even the paramedics and investigators who arrived on the scene were left agape by the extent of devastation before them, unable to comprehend anything beyond a severe earthquake.

Mason reached out and patted her back, understanding that Yurie was lost in the wintry essence of the forest's flesh-eating creature. He harbored a profound and somber belief that Yurie had been brought back to a dreadful realm teeming with hidden creatures lurking in every corner, a place where wickedness itself is conceived. Elektra successfully carried out its duty, ensuring the continuation of the Crimlock bloodline. The Crimlock family, overseen directly by the powerful force known as North of Winter, operates covertly as a secret agency, often recognized among his kind as the "Nobles of Immoral" and the "North's Overseers." Their primary responsibility is the elimination of anything that poses a threat or concern to the North, employing cryptids of any sort to accomplish their objectives.

After leaving his position in the force many years ago, he chose to dwell among humans, resulting in him becoming estranged from his own kind and labeled as a "badblood." However, the tables may soon turn as the North starts to view the increasingly empowered and aware humans as a potential threat.

But what about now? He could feel Yurie's presence had just blinked off, a bittersweet relief as he took a breath. Having her around had been both beautiful and a mistake.

Mason spoke, his words laced with a haunting sense of warning:

"When you see it, when you hear it, when you feel it, when it calls you. It sees you, it hears you, it touches you, it has you."
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