Reborn As An Evolving Monster

Following the dark and moving ponds left behind by its Master, the Moonlit Feline ran.

The ponds had gotten more and more frequent.

Each one made Krista's heart tremble.

There were so many of them after all!

How? Why?

Who or what had Master fought for so many to form?

The Moonlit Feline stopped suddenly.

Fear like it had never felt before.

The entrance of a Forest.

A Forest like no other.

Krista felt immense resistance to step forward. Her body was warning her.

In front of her, a shadow.

A shadow that circled around the whole Forest.

The sun was shining.

It was behind Krista.

The trees are two dozen meters beyond her.

It couldn't be the tree's shadow then.

Then it was the shadow of... What?

Gulp-

Krista couldn't tell.

The Forest was like no other.

It was a Forest where Light wasn't permitted.

A Forest where the sun never shines.

A Forest Cursed to be forever shrouded in Darkness.

The Moonlit Feline braced itself, and leaped into that shadow.

Into the dark forest at the center of the Realm of Monsters.

A Forest that had appeared by feeding on the blood and bodies of countless victims.

Victims of an Ancient War about which very little is known.

...

As soon as Krista walked into the Forest, everything had changed.

The sun had suddenly disappeared.

The sky was darker than it had ever been.

The ground and trees were infested with worms, cockroaches, and other vermin.

Every step Krista took, every 'Krsh' sound that resonated, every creature she saw, made her skin crawl.

***

I'll keep going.

I will find Master!

We got separated once... In the middle of that Blizzard.

The Olga rose from the ground and took Master away.

But Master found me again. He found US again! Now, it's my turn.

It's my turn to find Master!

***

A dark shadow stretched on a tree.

The contours of that shadow could barely be seen, but Krista had noticed it.

It wasn't the first time she had seen something like that after all. It felt similar to the way Light used to-

Suddenly, its dark wings were painted blue!

Both had noticed one another.

The Lioness took a step back.

The giant butterfly's head was horrifying!

The next second, its wings shone red!

The hue, the way its head had turned, the way its wings fluttered, Krista could tell that it was about to attack!

But the Moonlit Feline wasn't here to fight.

The Lioness quickly took three steps to the right, so that her body would be hidden by a thick tree's trunk.

The next second, a bright light shone in the middle of the darkness!

The butterfly, blinded and surprised by the light, started shaking.

Its mouth opened, and a harrowing screech echoed far and deep throughout the forest.

The Moonlit Feline, now in its smaller and harder to notice Cat Form, felt vibrations traveling through the ground.

Krista quickly extended her claws and leaped onto the tree it had been hiding behind.

Ten seconds passed, and a swarm of Monsters surrounded the area!

The gigantic butterfly's screech only ceased once its body had been cut into pieces.

The horrifying creatures then turned around, looking for the slightest source of Light.

The Moonlit Feline's body shook through the spectacle.

Weren't they on the same side? Didn't it call for them? What is happening? What is this place?

Krista had none of the answers.

The white-furred cat gulped, and continued moving through the Forest, guided only by the dark ponds that appeared sporadically.

The madness and absurdity that led to the Creatures' actions left the Moonlit Feline shaken to her very core.

Why did Master come here? Master ran away from us... To come here? To this place? To be surrounded by these...? Does this mean that he prefers these to us-

Krista shook her head.

Trying to understand Master this way won't lead to anything.

I need to find Master.

I believe in Master!

The Moonlit Feline stopped running a bit further. Her Endurance Points had practically been depleted in their entirety.

It was Krista's fifteenth break after she had started running after her Master.

***

Just how far is he?

It doesn't matter. I will find Master!

Master pulled me out of that place. That place where everything was trying to kill me.

It's my turn to pull Master out! Out of this dark place!

But Master ran away... Master... Hurt Elisa...

I believe in Master!

Master never would have hurt Elisa.

But he did...

Master wasn't being himself!

Master is hurting because of that!

I won't leave Master when he's in pain! I won't leave Master! Just like he wouldn't leave me!

I won't let Master... Run away like this.

I stood between Master and Elisa.

It's my fault.

That's why...!

***

The Moonlit Feline's body shivered.

How long had Krista run for? She couldn't tell.

It didn't matter!

A familiar presence.

***

Master would never leave me!

Master ran away without looking at me.

That's why I'm sure that if he looks at me, if I look at him...!

Master would never leave me!

I am special!

Master loves Elisa, Levi, Light, Gray, and Fiery.

But I am special!

Master would never leave me. Master would never let anyone take me away!

I know that it's true... Because you taught it to me!

I am special!

***

Krista's Master enters her field of vision!

But... He's pointing at...?

Those flames... Are they aimed at...?

***

Master would never leave me!

Master would never hurt me!

Even if Master aims them at me, I know that he won't hurt me. Ever!

There are times when Master isn't Master. Master's eyes change, and he isn't himself.

But Master would never hurt me!

Master has hurt Elisa.

I am special! Master would never hurt me!

On that Floor... Surrounded by that purple Aura... Master's fists and claws found their was to Levi...

That doesn't matter! Master wasn't being himself!

I am special!

I know that it's true!

Even if those flames rise, I know that it's true!

Master would never hurt me, even if he isn't himself!

I know that because...

***

Kill it.

Break away from that past for good.

Kill that past for good.

Kill it.

The only one you haven't hurt yet.

***

Undeterred by those flames, its pupils pierced through the night.

Its judging blue eyes approached fearlessly.

***

I know that it's true.

Because the first time that Master wasn't being himself... The first time that confusion over his own actions overtook Master... The first time that Master didn't understand his own actions... The first time that it happened...

Was inside that Dungeon!

On that desert, where Master put his body on the line to protect me!

That's why...

I believe in Master!