PAIN BREEDERCHAPTER 9: "The Cost of Escape"
FADE IN:
They were running through the depths of the forest.
The rain was still pouring down violently.
Despite his broken leg, Ren kept running. Every step sent pain shooting straight to his brain.
Elara followed behind him. Her leg was also broken, so she was limping, but she refused to give up.
REN(panting, in pain) Hold on, Mom… Just a little more… There should be a place behind that hill…
Elara's breathing was irregular.
But her voice was still strong.
ELARA(weak but determined) …You… run… I'm… right behind you.
Sounds still echoed from the forest behind them.
Hooves. Shouts.
The hunters were chasing them.
The purple cursed energy around Ren's arms was still faintly glowing, but its power was fading.
SYSTEM VOICE [Temporary Power Surge Ending] [Bond Level: 63%] [Echo Pain Feedback: Critical]
Ren's face twisted in pain.
Elara's pain was also flowing into him.
Both of them were feeling the same agony at the same time.
REN(in pain) …How long… will this last?
SYSTEM VOICE Until the bond stabilizes or one of you collapses.
Ren gritted his teeth.
The trees in the forest were becoming denser.
A dark slope appeared ahead of them.
Ren grabbed Elara by the waist and half-carried her as he began climbing the slope.
REN(panting) Come… Let's go down from here… Maybe we can find a river or a cave…
Elara's hand was on Ren's shoulder.
ELARA(whispering) …Ren… why… are you still running?
Ren didn't hesitate.
REN Because… I won't leave you.
At that moment, a voice rose from behind them.
HUNTER VOICE(shouting from afar) There they are! They're escaping!
Ren increased his speed.
Elara's leg was now limping badly.
ELARA(in pain) …Leave me… You can run much faster alone…
REN(angrily) Shut up, Mom! I'm not leaving you!
New sounds began to emerge from the forest.
This time, not just hooves.
Something else.
Heavier.
More dangerous.
Suddenly, a crimson blur shot past them at the speed of light.
And Cain appeared right in front of them.
In one hand, he held Lira's lifeless body. In the other, Yoren's body.
His hand was pierced through Yoren's heart.
He lifted Yoren into the air and ripped out his heart.
Cain's mouth was filled with blood.
He took a piece from Yoren's heart and put it in his mouth.
CAIN(with bloody lips, mocking) Hmm… classic human taste. Well, Breeders… what do you think? Your allies are dead. Now it's your turn.
Ren froze.
REN(angrily, voice trembling) I won't surrender to you.
Cain wiped the blood from his face with his hand.
CAIN(smiling) Ahh ahh… you Breeders never change, do you? Come on, stop with the pride. You've lost your leg, and you're still acting proud.
At that moment, a faint light began to filter down from the sky.
The sun was rising.
Cain's face suddenly changed.
CAIN(irritated) Damn it…
Then he looked at Ren.
CAIN Breeders… you got lucky this time. I have to go.
And he disappeared from sight.
Only the smell of blood and the sound of rain remained.
Ren and Elara stood there.
Ren's leg was broken. Elara's leg was broken.
Both of them were barely able to stand.
REN(panting, in pain) …Did we escape?
Elara leaned against Ren's arm.
ELARA(weakly) …Not yet…
In the depths of the forest, two bound souls… stood in the first light of a new day, under the shadow of a new danger.
Ren was breathing in pain.
REN …What now? Our arms… our legs are broken…
At that moment, the system voice spoke coldly.
SYSTEM VOICE [Emergency Healing Protocol Activated] [You have 3 uses of Healing Pulse for both Echo and Host]
Ren looked up in surprise.
REN …Use it.
A purple-black light suddenly enveloped both of them.
Bones cracked back into place. Torn flesh closed rapidly. The fractures healed.
Ren and Elara's legs and arms returned to their original state.
The pain disappeared in an instant.
Ren moved his arm and leg in shock.
REN(astonished) …Uh… isn't there a price for this?
SYSTEM VOICE The price will be seen later.
The voice cut off.
Ren stared blankly for a moment.
Then he took out the map Yoren had given him from his pocket.
He looked at the map.
A red dot was blinking in the south.
REN(taking a deep breath) Come on, Mom… The guild is to the south.
He stood up.
Elara also slowly got to her feet.
Together, they walked over to the bodies of Yoren and Lira.
Ren knelt down.
He bowed his head.
For a while, he silently prayed.
Then he took Yoren and Lira's emblems, pieces of their armor, and weapons.
REN(in a low, sad voice) I'm sorry… I had to do this.
Elara stood silently beside him.
Together, they buried the bodies in the forest soil.
Ren looked at the graves one last time.
REN(whispering) Thank you… Yoren… Lira…
Then he looked at the map again.
REN Let's head south.
Elara came to his side.
She placed her hand on her son's shoulder.
ELARA(weak but warm voice) …Together.
The two of them began walking south.
After walking about 1.5 kilometers through the forest, something began to appear between the trees.
Tents.
A small fortress.
High stone walls with the hunter emblem on them.
The guild was here.
Ren stopped.
Elara stopped beside him.
REN(in a low voice) …We're here.
Elara squeezed Ren's hand.
ELARA …Be careful.
Ren took a deep breath.
Purple energy faintly glowed around his arms.
And together, they began walking toward the guild's gate.
As they approached the tents, everyone poked their heads out of the tents and stared at Ren and Elara.
Whispers rose.
SOLDIER Is that a Breeder? What is he doing here?
At that moment, a soldier stepped out of a tent and stood in front of Ren.
He was a tall man in iron armor. Two horn-like protrusions extended from his helmet. He had a large brown beard.
The smell of blood came from him before anything else.
ERETT(in a stern voice) What are you doing here? Especially a Breeder… Who sent you? This isn't a place you just stumble upon.
Ren reached into his pocket.
The soldier's hand immediately went to his sword.
All the soldiers around them did the same.
The sudden silence was filled with the sound of swords being drawn.
REN(in a calm voice) Calm down.
He pulled his hand out of his pocket and showed Yoren and Lira's emblems.
The soldier's face changed for a moment. His eyes widened, but he quickly returned to his previous expression.
ERETT These… are Yoren and Lira's emblems. Where did you get them? Maybe you killed them and took these.
Ren paused.
He also took out the map. Yoren's signature was on it.
REN You asked what happened to them. A hunter named Cain killed them.
The soldier's face turned worried and excited.
ERETT Cain?
Ren nodded.
REN Yes. Cain.
At that moment, murmurs spread through the camp.
SOLDIERS(whispering) Cain? What is Cain doing here?
The soldier (Erett) took a deep breath.
ERETT Come inside.
He turned around and shouted.
ERETT Open the gates!
Then he extended his hand.
ERETT I am Erett. This is the Yonca Guild. We named it that because we're a little lucky.
Ren shook his hand.
Erett turned his back.
ERETT You should consider yourself lucky too, since you met Yoren. And we accepted you, even though you're a Breeder.
The inside of the guild was filled with soldiers and even civilians. There were people living normal lives here.
Ren and Elara began walking deeper into the guild.
Scene cuts. It shifts to Cain.
A crimson army was slowly marching through the forest.
In the very center was a covered carriage adorned with gold.
Inside the carriage sat Cain.
Beside him was a woman whose face was completely covered, wearing a black cloak.
Cain held a bloody cloth in his hand. He was wiping his bloody hand and mouth.
The veiled woman asked in a calm voice.
WOMAN Did you kill them?
CAIN(wiping his bloody lips) Yes. But except for two of them. They were very lucky… they escaped from my hands, My Lady.
The woman replied in a harsh voice.
WOMAN You useless piece of trash.
Cain chuckled lightly.
WOMAN What will my father say when he hears this?
CAIN(smiling) Don't worry, My Lady. We'll handle it… we'll handle it.
At that moment, a shout came from the front of the army.
YOUNG VOICE(desperate, crying) Stop! Stop!
At the very front of the army stood a frail, thin young man with messy brown hair.
He had stretched out his hand, trying to stop the army.
And he had succeeded.
His eyes were filled with tears.
YOUNG MAN(crying) Please… please help me! I don't know how it happened, but I fell here… My mother… my father is dying!
At that moment, the carriage door was knocked on.
Cain answered in a calm voice.
CAIN Yes?
The soldier spoke from outside without opening the door.
SOLDIER My lord, a civilian seems to be asking for help. His mother and father are badly injured.
Cain smiled faintly.
CAIN Help them then. After all, we swore to protect them, didn't we?
SOLDIER Of course, my lord.
The soldier stepped back.
But he muttered to himself.
SOLDIER(to himself, quietly) It would be better if you didn't eat them too… But we did swear.
Then he walked over to the boy.
BÖLÜM 9 ENDS