Digging inside

"We have already informed the Ice Phoenix clan of the North. However, time is of the essence; we cannot afford to stand around and wait for their reinforcements," Deva stated firmly, pausing to gauge the chief's reaction.

He studied the chief's expression, hoping for a favourable response before proceeding. Sensing it, he continued, "The few of us would be unable to establish a perimeter around the demon well. Thus, we require your assistance."

"Can you help us?" he concluded, his tone earnest.

The chief deliberated for a moment; it was a challenging decision to make. On one hand, his tribesmen were injured, while on the other, the looming threat of the demons persisted.

Accepting Deva's request for aid would mean he'd have to lead his injured warriors into battle. Some might even perish in the conflict.

Yet, if he declined, the demons might proliferate unchecked, endangering not only the North but also his own tribe.

Both options presented challenges, and the chief knew he must make a decision quickly. 

"I cannot, in good conscience, send my warriors to their deaths," the chief stated solemnly.

"All the information we have about the demons comes from you, and I don't think I have enough to make an informed decision.

"Besides that, we have other priorities to address. Some of our tribe members have gone missing, and many are injured. As the chief, I must attend to these pressing matters before considering any further action."

Indirectly, the chief was expressing his lack of complete trust in Deva and his team. He couldn't be certain if they were withholding information from him, and rushing into a decision based solely on their account could have dire consequences.

Deva could empathise with the chief's perspective. He understood the reasons behind the suspicion in the chief's eyes. Nonetheless, he knew he had done his utmost to present their case.

Although he couldn't sway the chief's decision at present, Deva remained optimistic that another opportunity would arise in the future.

The existence of the demon well and the demons meant that the need for cooperation would persist. Deva was confident that with time, they would eventually establish enough trust to work together effectively.

"Then it's time for us to depart. But before we go, allow me to remind you that demons are akin to parasites capable of possessing the bodies of hosts, including humans. If you encounter any of the tribe members who have gone missing, be sure to verify their identity. You can identify a demon by inflicting a minor injury; if you observe tendrils of blood emerging from the wound to mend their body, they are demons."

"..."

The words from Deva once again reminded the chief of the absurdity of today's incident. 

With the discussion concluded, Deva and his group of eight warriors set out towards the north, determined to swiftly locate the demon well.

—

*Slash*

*Blur*

*Swish*

*Splatter*

Dal covered his eyes, unable to bear the horrifying scene before him. Never before had he witnessed such a display of blood and gore.

The cacophony of slashing and splattering emanated from a nearby mud pig carcass. Six-year-old Aru stood crouched before it, methodically digging his knife into the flesh as if searching for something.

In no time, he had carved a gaping wound into the exposed belly of the mud pig, and with a determined hand, he began to extract its internal organs.

*Sniff*

More nauseating than the sight of blood and exposed flesh was the putrid smell that filled the air. Dal felt his stomach churn at the mere whiff of it.

Meanwhile, Aru worked steadily, unfazed by the gruesome task at hand. As the cold threatened to freeze the corpse solid, he pressed on, driven by his curiosity.

Dal dared not question Aru's actions, fearing for his own safety. With each passing moment, his apprehension towards Aru only intensified.

"The system ensured that all the spirit energy was drained from the corpse, making whatever's inside remains dead," Aru mused aloud to himself. 

Curiosity piqued, he sought to explore the sensation he felt when piercing the corpse near its spine. Cutting through the spine seemed the most direct route, but for now, he opted to navigate through the abdominal cavity. It was easier considering that he doesn't need to cut through bones. 

Finally, Aru reached the area near the back wall of the abdomen, close to the spine.

His knife carefully navigated the space, probing for the object he sought.

*Ttt*

The blade encountered resistance—a solid object.

"That's it," Aru whispered to himself, his vision strained in the dim light.

Performing an autopsy at night, in the open, was hardly ideal. Yet, driven by his curiosity, Aru persisted with his task.

Crouching down, he moved closer to the abdomen of the mud pig. All the intestine was pulled out into the ground nearby. And they have even begun freezing in the cold weather. 

He plunged his arm deep inside the corpse, exploring its inner cavity. Despite the chill of the night air, the corpse still retained a slight warmth.

His fingers danced amidst the visceral innards until they made contact with something resembling a cord—a hard, thick wire connecting to something deeper within.

Tracing the cord upward, Aru encountered a bulky, elongated object with numerous cords extending from its base. It was firmly attached to the spine, its presence both intriguing and unnerving.

Whatever it was had directly attached itself to the spine. 

With steady hands, he wielded his knife, severing the tendon-like cords one by one. It was a painstaking process, 

It took a while, but he finally cut out the thing that was the centre of his curiosity. 

*Slissss*

Like plucking a fruit, he pulled the object out of the corpse. 

"Ewwww…"

At a glance, the thing looked like a snakehead fish. With pitch black scaly skin and two round eyes like contours on the front. However, it lacked any discernible fins or mouth. Instead, it had small tentacles like cords extending from every part of its body except the head.

The creature almost looked alien. And Aru was sure that it was the parasite the system was talking about.

'It doesn't have any characteristics of a fearsome predator that the mud pig had to flee from. Perhaps it underwent a transformation after attaching itself to the host. That could explain why Dal saw a tail.' 

'I need to bring this thing back to camp for further study,' he decided. 'It's the nemesis creature that I must defeat. Gaining more knowledge about it will prove invaluable in the long term.'