บท 23: memories (3)

leaving the memories cain was in shock "that, that was me. the reason I have more emotions now is that I'm not being controlled by that parasite. is that the soul I'm eating now?" feeling the next wave of memories come cain began to resist "no! I don't want to see that again! please!" but it was too late, the next set of memories had already started.

(cain/parasite pov just after alice died)

looking at the pack of wolves in front of me I heard that voice again [warning, emotional index over safe levels, level one seal overridden. activating level zero, complete emotion shut down... warning, emotional overflow to strong, level zero failed. beginning damage control...]

that familiar calm began to settle in, but this time it wasn't as strong, I could still feel my anger, my fury. shifting my form from, I began to change, that thing I ate earlier letting me control when and how I changed for the first time.

Another set of arms grew out from under my first set, both tipped with the sharpest claws I had and coated with as much muscle as I could add for maximum power while keeping their speed. my lower body shifting from bipedal to quadripedal for power and speed instead of manoeuvrability. my teeth elongating and sharpening as I give myself an extra set of eyes on the sides of my head for a wider range of view. my tail thickening and the blade changing to a spiked ball of keratin as my front set of hinds shifted to a canine type with shorter claws but stronger muscles for speed while my front pair became feline with hooked but strong claws for griping and pining. a thin but strong carapace forming all over my body to protect me from the sharp claws and teeth of the wolves. a form for pure combat and killing. no stealth, no finesse, no subtleness. just. pure. carnage.

charging my way through enemy after enemy I killed and ate and killed and ate as I grew stronger, faster and had more control over my body. no wasted movement, no wasted energy, no wasted time. kill as fast and as cleanly as possible, as I went through I optimised my body to hunt even better. as I went further and further through the facility they were getting stronger, but so was I. nobody was left, all eaten by the wolves who were later eaten by me, the only markings that either of us had been there were the cracked walls and floors and the destroyed doors.

walking through the desolate halls I heard a voice "help! please anyone help! I don't want to die!" turning a corner I saw a man stuck under a pile of rubble. a guttural voice coming out of my mouth as it was not meant for talking "alex." "0-pr... c-cain? is that you? please! help me!" "and why should I?" hearing my question he struggled to look up from where he was "why beca..." the words stuck in his through as his face began to pale as he looked at me. "when you were strong you would bully and torment me, now that your weak you ask for my help. why should I help the likes of you?"

not letting him talk I crushed his head under my foot, not even eating him, "you aren't worthy of my help." turning around I saw the next pack of wolves waiting for me "why is it that you do not run? I am covered in the blood of your kin, and yet you still fight? why?" only getting a growl as an answer I began my charge. there were three of them, one with a horn, the leader of this group it would seem.

running up to them I reached for one of the smaller ones with my left hands while my right defended from the other as it tried to free its brethren. the leader meanwhile charged at me from on. with my arms occupied I began to fight the group leader with my front legs.

starting his attack he went to bite my torso, pushing my front half to the ground I raised my legs to pin the wolf while I continued my attack on the two in my arms. pining the leader under my legs I dug my claws into its side as I began to rib and crush at it. meanwhile, my top left arm managed to get a grip of the smaller wolf's neck, a sickening 'crunch' as I crushed it, its lifeless body dropping to the ground as I used my newly freed arms to rip the other in half before crushing the last under my feat. before beginning my feast.

outside the building, I saw the last one. a wolf the size of a large truck, fangs like knives and a glowing horn resting on the top of its head as small swirls of snow flowed around it as if honouring their monarch. seeing me walk out of the building, still eating one of its kin, it was furious. the winds picking up to match its anger as it got ready to fight me. finishing my meal I looked up the last of my prey, "so you are the one that caused this, you are the reason for Alice's death."

finally seeing the end of my vengeance i let my fury overcome me, pure anger running through my veins as I chared to the beast while unleashing all my anger in the form of a beastly roar that could be heard for miles, the beast responding in kind as we charged at one another, our only goal the death of the other.

opening its mouth preparing to bite me I raised my arms to grab to the side of its head to put it in a grapple. realising my intent it rushed with more ferocity than before as it was too late to turn back now. on the impact, the air trembled as monster met monster in a brutal battle to the death.

it managed to get one of my arms in its maw tearing it off and eating it, I could almost see a smile on its face as it did so. using my remaining three arms I dug my claws deep into its flesh as I raised my legs to pin it to the ground while it responded in kind as we began our dance of death.

after hours upon hours of fighting and fighting, we were both battered and bruised, I was missing all of my arms and had a large wind in my side from its horn, it was missing one of its eyes and one of its legs was broken beyond prepare, it was also missing its horn as I had broken it off when it stabbed me with it. we were both covered in claw and teeth marks. struggling to stand I walked over to it as it lay in the snow, bleeding. standing above it I pulled out the tooth that was stuck in my chest, just next to my heart and panting I said,

"you, you were a good fight, even though we both had put our lives on the line, I had fun. I will keep this, and I will use it to carve the memories of other worthy prey, as a reminder to them, and to you. thank you." before finally, I killed it, a smile on its face as it seemed to enjoy the fight as much as I did, before i ate it, leaving nothing behind as respect ti my first worthy hunt.