Chapter 3: Last Promise

Amidst the chaos, Taizen grappled with his own turmoil.

How can I stay strong for them when I’m barely holding myself together? The images of his parents haunted his mind, but he knew he couldn’t afford to surrender to his emotions—not when the lives of his siblings depended on him.

“Come on! Get up! Let’s go!” Taizen urged Ichido and Nayuri, who were still crying as the grim reality of their parents’ fate sank in. Despite the ache in his own bones, he knew they didn’t have time to grieve; they could do that later, once they were safe.

He couldn’t force Nayuri to bury her feelings; she was the youngest and still struggling to understand her own emotions. His only hope for support was Ichido. He turned to his brother, shaking him urgently.

“Ichido, please. We need to go. I need you to snap out of this, for Nayuri’s sake.”

At the mention of their sister, Ichido immediately broke from his anguish. His teary eyes shifted between his older brother and their devastated house. His vision was blurry, but he was willing to be strong. Without hesitation, he gathered Nayuri into his arms and lifted her up.

“Y-You’re right, let’s go,” Ichido stammered, wiping his eyes awkwardly with the back of his hand. However, his heart shattered when Nayuri only cried louder as they turned to leave.

Taizen didn’t waste a second, running ahead to lead them back toward the village. He wasn’t sure whom he could ask for help, or who could actually protect them from their mother—from whatever their mother had turned into.

Ichido stopped short, looking wildly around him.

“T-Taizen! Did you hear that?” Ichido’s voice quivered. Taizen looked back, confused, and shook his head. But Ichido knew he wasn’t hallucinating; he had just heard a sound that was becoming all too familiar.

As they neared the village, Taizen paused. A piercing scream tore through the air, confirming what Ichido had sensed.

It was one scream.

Followed by another.

And soon, a chorus of screams echoed through the village—men, women, and children. The sound sent chills running down their spines.

Ichido stopped dead in his tracks, tugging at Taizen while hugging Nayuri tightly.

Was that mother?! She couldn’t have reached the village so quickly. But if it isn’t her, then could it be….

“T-Taizen! Are you sure we should find help there?” Ichido questioned. “The screams… it doesn’t sound safe. What if what happened to mom is happening there, too?”

“No,” Taizen said, shaking his head. Even if that were true, others might need their help, and it was better to be in a larger group than out on their own. “Dad said we have to find help, so we will find help. Maybe it’s not that bad? Maybe they already defeated the monsters?”

There were other, darker maybes, but he pushed them aside to focus on the positive.

“But!” Ichido protested, then stopped and nodded. He bit his lip and tightened his grasp around his sister, holding her close. Taizen had a point. Ichido had to trust his brother, so he swallowed his doubts and followed.

The three of them ran into the town square. A grim, dangerous weight hung in the air. Black smoke churned in the distance like somber rain clouds, and a heavy feeling of unease clung to the atmosphere. Ichido couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the worst decision they could have made.

They couldn’t turn back now; a menacing roar echoed from behind, drawing closer. When stuck between a rock and a hard place, their father used to say, it just might be wise to trudge forward.

“Go! Go! Avoid what you can and stay close behind me!” Taizen ordered, grabbing Ichido’s hand. Their footsteps were hurried, stumbling over rocks, stones, and debris. At one point, Ichido almost slipped on something slick. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he steadied himself, spurred onward by his brother’s voice.

A burning piece of firewood shot past Ichido, missing him by inches. He froze, turning toward the source. Angry red flames devoured a nearby house, razing wood and thatch to the ground, while flickers of ash and sparks flew into the air like sprites fleeing a doomed world. Mangled by the side of the road were the charred remains of a villager, their hands curled in a death grip, their face an unrecognizable mess of flesh and bone.

“We’re almost there. We’re gonna make it,” Taizen reassured him, but received no response. “Ichido?”

Taizen turned back to find his brother paralyzed a few paces behind. “What are you doing, Ichido! This is no time to stand around. Get moving! Follow my lead!”

Ichido clutched his brother’s hand, shielding Nayuri’s eyes from the chaotic horrors unfolding around them.

Women and children shrieked in distress as dismembered bodies lay scattered across the streets. A loud roar ripped through the air as a monster burst through the roof of a house.

“No, no. Please, no!” a man screamed in horror, backing away. The monster lurched forward and pounced, ripping off his limbs and tearing into his flesh. Blood spurted like a burst pipe, staining the walls and ground in slashes of crimson.

More monsters appeared, biting down on their prey, cutting bodies in half, and slashing their claws through villagers right in front of terrified families.

“Hey!” Taizen called out to a villager they recognized. “We need help!”

“Help?! The whole village needs help! They are killing everyone!” the man exclaimed, his voice trembling.

“We’re children!” Taizen argued back. “And we’re not just worried about ourselves! Our parents! Our friends!”

“Then make yourself useful! You look old enough to help!” the villager retorted. He turned around and gasped, his eyes dilating. Two monsters pounced on him, tearing him to pieces like dogs fighting for scraps.

Witnessing the horror, Taizen froze as a shiver ran down his spine. He could only watch as people scattered while monsters burst from the houses one after another.

Amidst the chaos, thoughts of his friends—Sho, Naoki, and Maya—rushed through Ichido’s mind. He wanted to find them so they could all hide and escape this tragedy together. Before he could voice the thought, Taizen yelled and grabbed his arm.

“Hide!” Taizen dragged Ichido behind a stack of crates, pushing him and Nayuri deeper into the shadows while Taizen stayed near the edge.

As Ichido opened his mouth to speak, shock paralyzed him. Just a few feet away, a monstrous creature was chewing on a child. The child let out a short, strangled scream before razor-like yellow teeth gnashed into their neck, ripping out flesh. The body went limp instantly.

A cold realization struck him—that child was Sho. Ichido’s mouth hung open in a painful gasp; he couldn’t even scream. Together, frozen in horror, the brothers watched as the monster spat out Sho’s head.

“No! NOO! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!” A familiar voice cried out. Taizen tried to cover Ichido’s eyes, but he was too late. Ichido watched in horror as Naoki was violently torn apart by another beast. They wanted to help, but they were entirely powerless. Despite Taizen’s inner resilience, the grim reality settled in—they were next.

“We’re... we’re going to die. We’re going to die,” Ichido stammered. Nayuri whimpered softly, held tightly in his arms, shielded from the scenes around them. Even without seeing, the sheer terror in the air ran cold through her veins.

Ichido held her closer as her sobs grew heavier. He closed his eyes, praying for relief, until Taizen grabbed his arms again.

“We can’t stay here! Let’s go! You were right, we need to get out of here!” Taizen urged, dragging Ichido to his feet. Despite being scared for their own lives, Ichido wanted to save the other children.

“T-Taizen, what about the others!”

“There’s no time! We can’t do anything!”

“Please, we have to help—Taizen! Look!” Ichido pointed ahead.

A monster trampled toward the store where the old man was, smashing crates and pillars, stomping over dead bodies. Somewhere inside, the old man cowered and prayed, hands clasped tightly together. As much as Ichido wanted to flee, he couldn’t bear the guilt of abandoning him. If they hadn’t entered the town square, he might not have felt this weight—but they were here now.

Taizen stood frozen, conflicted.

If I leave right now, I can keep Dad’s promise and keep them safe. But Grandpa won’t survive this. Do I just leave him to be?

His conscience heavy, he let out a sharp breath, making sure Ichido and Nayuri were tucked safely into the shadows.

Taizen looked down at his hands. He had managed to do this just a little while ago, purely on instinct. Closing his eyes, he focused on the image of a long metal rod. A surge of energy coursed through his veins, and with a deep breath, he snapped his eyes open as the weapon materialized in his grip. He let out a sigh of relief, tightly grasping his tungsten rod.

He rushed ahead just as the old man closed his eyes, accepting his end. The monster charged blindly, and the old man let out a terrified cry as the creature loomed over him. Opening its jaws wide, the beast roared, spraying a hot mix of saliva and blood that reeked of rot. It lunged to attack, but Taizen intervened, driving the sharp end of his tungsten rod deep into the beast’s skull. A thick liquid oozed from the wound as the monster let out a gurgled screech, crashing to the ground in a twitching heap.

“Grandpa! Come on, hurry! Come with us!” Taizen yelled, pulling the old man out from the rubble.

“T-Taizen! Where—why are you alone? Where are Ichido and little Nayuri?” the old man stammered, shocked to see him.

“Don’t worry, they’re safe. They’re hiding right over there! Come on, we have to run before more of them find us,” Taizen urged.

The old man didn’t need to be told twice. He kept pace with Taizen as they raced back to the crates. Without wasting a second, Taizen grabbed Ichido’s hand.

“Let’s go! Grandpa is with us. Can you still carry Nayuri?”

Ichido's eyes flicked to the old man. For a moment, the panic that had gripped his face loosened. He nodded. “I-I can manage. Let’s hurry.”

As they neared the edge of the village, Ichido realized where Taizen was leading them and yanked his hand free. Beyond the village border, only a few steps away, lay a dense forest, its rolling green canopy spreading out like a thick blanket under a heavy mist.

“Wait! What are we doing here? Is there nowhere else to go? We’ve reached the edge!”

“We’re not at the end! We have to take refuge in the forest!”

Ichido couldn’t believe Taizen was even suggesting that. Leaving the village was unthinkable, forbidden even. If they were caught, the consequences would be dire.

Glancing at the old man, Ichido saw reluctance in his eyes too, yet he remained silent. Ichido’s voice trembled. “Leave! Taizen, are you crazy?! Mom said that we’re not allowed to leave!”

Taizen gripped onto Ichido’s shoulders, his gaze piercing. “Everyone here is dangerous! We have to leave until things calm down. Trust me, little brother.”

He tried his best to keep the anger and impatience out of his voice. He’d been forced to grow up all of a sudden, and it was happening too fast.

Ichido was still unsure about this. The village was all they knew in life. If they were out there, could they even survive? Instead of being killed by the monsters, they would probably die from starvation instead.

“But—” Ichido murmured.

Taizen knew his little brother wasn’t convinced. Rather than forcefully pulling him along, he wanted Ichido to comprehend every step they took.

“Ichido...” The old man’s voice was steady, his hand resting gently on Ichido’s head. “I know it’s scary. I’m afraid too. But we must. If we want to survive, if we want to honor your parents’ sacrifices, we have to leave.”

Ichido opened his mouth to say something but stopped and sighed softly. Taizen sensed the old man’s words seemed to ease Ichido’s hesitation. The trust and care the old man had for them played a crucial role.

“Ichido, trust me. We can survive out there, in the forest. Just for a few days, if we meet anyone, each of us, we promise we will not speak of this village to them no matter how nice or trustworthy they are. That way, no one outside will know about it or where we are from, deal?” Taizen asked in a calm voice.

“I-I...” Ichido glanced back, witnessing the silhouette of the village engulfed in flames, and screams still filling the sky. He turned to look at Nayuri, whom he was still carrying, and then at Taizen, before reluctantly nodding. “L-Let’s get going then!”

Taizen's shoulders loosened. He smiled and held his brother’s hand tightly, taking a deep breath before they ran out of the village for the first time in their lives. Unknowing to them, not far behind, someone followed them.

They didn’t know how far they ran, but it didn’t take long for them to recognize the surroundings of a forest. Everything was larger than them. Humongous. Ichido’s grip on Taizen and Nayuri tightened. It was as if they entered an abyss. The forest was dark, almost pitch-black if it wasn’t for the fine moonlight streaming around them. The trees were majestic, like powerful guards staring sternly at them as they ran. Ichido could swear the trees followed his gaze. It was eerily quiet at first with the occasional hooting of an owl in the distance, but soon the ambience of the forest kicked in—the chirping of insects echoing around and the sound of birds high in the trees. The forest seemed to be whispering to the newcomers.

“H-How are we going to survive here?” Ichido asked Taizen, who looked up and noticed the moon for the first time. The bright ball of light was soon draped slightly by a dark cloud, but the light remained there. The sight of the moon made everything feel a little normal, reduced the fear, and held the shadows at bay.

“We’ll survive. It’s nighttime. We just have to hide and rest until morning comes. I don’t think any creatures can see us,” Taizen reassured him.

As soon as he said that, Ichido gasped sharply and fell silent. Footsteps cut through the ambience, accompanied by a soft growl.

“B-Big brother,” Nayuri whispered when she saw what it was. Ichido carefully glanced back at Taizen and felt his body turning ice-cold when his eyes met the glowing red eyes. It was still slightly dark, but Ichido could somewhat make out the large figure.

The old man saw it too and tapped the kids.

“Run,” the old man muttered, before Taizen screamed with urgency, “RUN!”

Ichido didn’t need to be told twice before he started dashing ahead. The wild animal chased after them, its growls echoing from behind, its paws snapping on branches and pounding on the ground.

“Taizen! What do we do? I can’t see anything out here!” Ichido shouted, panting and leaping over fallen logs, his eyes darting this way and that.

“Keep running! I will keep it back—!” Taizen closed his eyes, trying to summon the familiar sensation of forming tungsten from his palms. But this time, there was no response, no surge of energy, no materialization of the familiar rod. Panic set in as he realized the harsh truth: his power had its limits, and he had exhausted his reserves of tungsten. He glanced back.

The animal was getting closer and closer.

To add to that, they were slowing down.

Taizen and Ichido were already panting as they ran. They were not going to make it if the animal kept chasing them. The old man knew this.

The poor kids were just caught up in this disaster. You all lost your parents, your friends, and your life, but still you saved this old man. It’s time I did something for you kids.

The old man slowed down as he ran, creating a gap between him and the three siblings. Ichido noticed this. He couldn’t stop, since Taizen’s firm grip ensured that they continued running, leaving the old man behind.

“W-Wait! Grandpa! Keep up, please! We’re almost—” Ichido shouted.

“Run! You kids run ahead! Run and survive!” his voice called out. I’m just an old man at the end of his life. You all should live.

That very sentence made the siblings’ hearts shrink. Taizen wanted to turn back to grab the old man, but he was too close to the animal. He could not risk all their lives for the old man this time. The growling shook the forest and the birds became still, like spectators waiting with bated breath, for they knew something bad was about to unfold before their eyes.

“N-No!” Ichido screamed. The old man smiled at them once more. Ichido could only watch when the old man turned to tackle the animal head-on.

It was a brief but fierce struggle. Using the last of his strength, the old man tried to hold the animal back, buying the siblings precious moments to escape. He swung a stick at the animal, striking its face. The creature yelped and shook its head, then snarled. Its fur stood on end, its eyes locking onto him. The old man tried to fight on, but the creature proved too powerful. It caught the stick between its jaws and snapped it in half.

His hands shaking, the old man gasped as the beast swiftly overcame him, pinning him down. With a menacing display of sharp fangs, the creature tore into him until his agonized screams fell silent.

Ichido turned away from the gruesome sight and continued running with Taizen. Despite the adrenaline, exhaustion was catching up. Ichido’s arms ached from the strain; he could no longer carry Nayuri. They slowed just enough for him to set her down, and the moment her feet touched the ground, Ichido gripped her hand tightly.

“N-Nayuri, I need you to run too,” Ichido said urgently. “I’ll carry you again, but for now we have to run, or we’ll all slow down.”

“I-I’ll run! I don’t want to lose you too,” Nayuri sobbed softly. They offered her a quick, reassuring embrace.

“You will be the strongest one of us all,” Taizen said. “Now, let’s move!”

It didn’t take long before the roar of the animal echoed again, its speeding footsteps drawing nearer. Heavy pants, low growls, rustling leaves, and snapping branches—every sound sent waves of dread through the forest.

“I-It’s getting closer again!” Ichido yelled. Taizen nodded, pushing out every bit of his remaining stamina to keep pace.

Because Nayuri hadn’t been running before, she had more energy than her brothers. Holding Ichido’s hand, she forged slightly ahead. But between the pitch darkness and the tears clouding her vision, she didn’t see the tripwire before she stepped on it.

A sharp snap alarmed Taizen, and his blood went cold. He knew it was a trap.

Through his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a log swinging right toward Nayuri. At her size, the impact would easily cripple or kill her.

“NAYURI—!” Taizen released his grip on Ichido and lunged forward with arms extended, shoving Nayuri out of the way.

The log slammed into Taizen’s side with a heavy thud, throwing him deep into a nearby trench. He gritted his teeth, suppressing the cries that threatened to escape. He couldn’t afford to alert Ichido and Nayuri to his suffering. With his leg twisted at an awkward angle and his ribs protesting every breath, Taizen forced himself to stay silent.

“Taizen!” Ichido rushed to the lip of the trench with Nayuri, only now realizing how deep it was. “Taizen! Can you climb out?!”

Before Taizen could answer, the animal’s roar echoed closer. Ichido was already crying, and Nayuri couldn’t stop sobbing.

“I’m summary. I’m summary,” she kept apologizing.

“N-Nayuri, it’s all right, b-baby sister,” Taizen managed, struggling to hide his agony. Hearing the strain in Taizen’s voice, Ichido’s heart sank; he knew something was terribly wrong.

“It’s not your fault! Now listen, I need you both to run!”

“I can’t do this alone! Please, I need your help!” Ichido cried.

“Ichido!” Taizen caught his brother’s eye, a single tear trailing down his own face. “T-Take Nayuri away! Don’t worry. I’ll find you later, I promise!”

Ichido’s heart grew heavier. He knew Taizen was only saying that to comfort Nayuri. He wrapped his arms around his sister to pull her back, but she screamed and fought against him.

“NO! We can’t leave big brother! We can’t!” Nayuri protested.

“Nayuri, listen to him! Listen to big brother, okay? He’s strong, smart, and he will make it out of this! He will be alright,” Ichido urged, forcing the lie past his lips despite knowing his brother wouldn’t make it.

“Nayuri! Listen to me! Follow Ichido and run! Find a safe place and keep our village a secret!” Taizen commanded, breaking into a fit of coughing. A metallic taste flooded his tongue, and he quickly hid his palm as it stained warm and red.

Nayuri looked down at Taizen one last time, finally allowing Ichido to pull her away. Even as she complied, she didn’t stop screaming for him.

“BIG BROTHER!” “We can’t just leave him!” “Go back!” “Please!” “No!” Her voice echoed through the trees until it finally faded into the distance.

Taizen coughed again, each shudder more painful than the last. Dizzy and lightheaded, he wiped his lips. Blood enveloped his mouth, leaving nothing but the taste of his insides bleeding out. He grimaced against the metallic tang as his heart pounded erratically.

With a faint smile, Taizen’s knees gave out. He looked down at his bloodied hands, tears finally pouring down. “I’m sorry, dad. I failed you.”

He collapsed, his face hitting the earth with a thud. Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the night sky. A crescent moon hung above. The clouds had cleared, making the moon look like a wry smile—or perhaps a smirk. It should have been peaceful, but the silver crescent felt like a mockery.

He coughed again, dots of blood spraying from his lips to stain his face.

So this is how it ends for me, huh? Not even a full moon.

He closed his eyes, letting his throbbing head take over, ready to give in to the darkness.

Then, he heard it: the animal moving on all fours, pounding the ground as it tracked his siblings.

Taizen’s head snapped up. “Maybe I can still keep my promise. Just a bit longer, dad,” he muttered. He forced himself to shout, “Hey, you! I’m right here! Come fight me!”

The snarling stopped right above him.

The animal paused to sniff the air before tracking the sound to the edge of the trench. When it locked eyes with Taizen, it let out a fierce, deafening roar. Its eyes looked like circles of flame, burning brighter with the noise.

Taizen gritted his teeth and dragged himself into position to face the beast. He winced as his right foot touched the ground and a sharp volley of pain shot through his body. Taking a deep breath, his hands gripping the dirt wall of the trench for support, he glared up at the monster. “Well, come on then. We don’t have all night!”

The animal growled, baring its fanged teeth. With a sudden motion, it took a step back before leaping into the trench.