Craving

"Right about what?!" Nisha asks the monster flies above and I'm its target.

"It has an attack pattern! Remember them!"

"Got it!"

Oh, no. . . not this one. As soon as I'm in its range, it unleashes fire in a very large area. It is only the first out of three but I'm already drained. Ugh, I can't die here! Woah! The fire almost got me! With my last energy, I flap my Angelus wings to get out of its targetted area. I lie down facing up as I hear the fiery explosion and Nisha's huge hit after that.

"Get up, Cancer!" she yells from afar. "It's after me. Don't you mess up again or I will kill you!"

I'm annoyed. She thinks I can just hop and run around as she does. Has she forgotten that I let her drink my blood? What an ungrateful spoiled little brat!

No, snap out of it. In a way, she's right. I can't mess up this shot again. This time, I won't shoot unless it stops moving. It points its sword at Nisha and spews a huge volume of black flame. I can't see her! Where is she? Is she safe?

After the black fire, regular red fire scatters all over the place. Even the castle is destroyed. Hundreds of people must have been caught up in that. This monster that Carmilla has turned into is indiscriminate. It doesn't care about its people as she did—even if for a little. I wouldn't want anyone to Ascend. There is no seeable benefit for this as it charges and obliterates the castle with its giant sword.

I'm already aiming at it and this time, I'm prepared for the recoil. I pull the trigger tightly but it still is too much. Falling to the ground, I watch the projectile ballistically heading toward the monster. It explodes with a flash of light, a critical hit!

"YEAH!!!" I hear Nisha celebrating somewhere in the ruins but I can't see her.

*Sigh* I guess she is okay.

The fight stretches out and I lost track of time. Remembering the move sets is the only thing in my mind as if. . . I'm a machine that's built only for this reason. My body is moving on its own. All I see is the ground and don't even need to look at the monster to know where to run and dodge and when to attack. It feels weird. . . but at the same time, soothing.

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**

Nisha is waiting for the moment to strike as the monster swings its huge sword downwards upon Kai—who seems to be dodging the attacks effortlessly. Her eyebrows reaching for the sky, Nisha gets curious and impressed.

"Wow, he's suddenly doing better," she mutters as she runs. "Well, that's a good thing."

She jumps the highest she can, tightens her grip on the sword as she raises it above her, then descends right after the monster hurls its sword at Kai.

"YAAARGH!!!" she roars, exerting all the strength she still has. The attack staggers it.

Meanwhile, the hurled sword misses when Kai flies high using his Angelus wings. Like a fresh feather, he lands on the hilt of the burning sword. His smirk is striking even from far away.

"Cancer?" she mutters, bothered by the sudden change in his aura.

The monster walks there to retrieve its sword. When it gets close enough, Kai bursts from the giant hilt and towards the face of the monster. His punch imbued with Angelus Light together with his momentum staggers it back. Nisha quickly realizes what he's doing so she attacks its rear. Kai, again, staggers it back. The huge monster became a volleyball for both of them until Nisha runs out of stamina to do a heavy hit.

She is out of breath while Kai's excited face shows how much more energy he is eager to disburse. It worries her a little bit but they have a bigger problem in front of them. Their attacks were effective in staggering the monster but not enough to deal serious damage. They have memorized its attack patterns and can now easily dodge and counter.

At this point, it all comes down to attrition. The first to get drained losses. Kai is not looking like he will collapse any sooner. Nisha on the other hand is not as fast and strong as before. Her battle of attrition isn't with the monster but with Kai. He notices this and after the monster stops attacking he runs toward her.

"What happened to you, Kai?" she asks, breathing heavily. "Why have you suddenly—"

In his Anthropa Frame, he puts his wrist on Nisha's lips. "Take as much as you can," he says with a vicious voice.

Nisha feels that this is wrong so she retreats but he insists. "Stop—"

"It's all yours. Just don't slow me down."

Her hunger takes over her and drinks a lot from him. After a few seconds, he pushes her away and she trips. Sitting there, he watches Kai turning his back. She's terrified at the same time feels safer.

"What has happened to you?" she asks but he pays no response.

They fight more aggressively with Nisha still struggling to match his speed. She wonders why he's not slowing down although injured, lost a lot of blood, and was exhausted just moments ago.

"This is definitely unusual," she says to herself.

**

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This is getting boring. . . When will this bitch go down? My fists are bruised so badly that the bones and joints are now exposed. The pain excites me. They are tickling me! I must punch more and harder!

I hit the monster right on the forehead. Its skull dents inward and my right forearm has its bones shattered like glass.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!" This is the feeling I was rooting for!

On the ground, I lie down and can't stop laughing! Look at my arm! It's like a gummy worm. I wanna have a taste. Oh, yeah. . . it's so soft.

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**

They have beaten Carmilla in that form. She's there on the ground reverted to her old and ugly but conscious appearance, injured and exhausted.

Nisha is horrified looking at Kai biting his broken arm. She hurries to stop him. "Stop it, Cancer! You're hurting yourself!"

He laughs so hard that leaves his lungs with no air. She is struggling to control him as she keeps his broken arm away from his mouth. A few tears flow from her eyes out of concern and guilt. She doesn't even know why this is happening to him but whatever she thinks she did, this is the result and it's her fault.

"Please, stop!" she begs as he restrains him but he won't listen.

"You brats!" Carmilla curses as she rises shakily like the old lady she is. "You will pay!"

She goes ahead leaping to attack them. Nisha is unaware as she's busy handling Kai. But then, she gets shot from the side.

"You stupid wench!" Darick curses, shooting more bullets as he approaches. "YOU KILLED HIM!!!"

In tears, he reloads his rifle and aims again but a giant bat attacks him from behind. She stands up and tears Darick into pieces. The blood splatters on Nisha's horrified face. Now, there is nothing in Carmilla's way.

"DIE!!!"

Kai bursts out from Nisha's grip and summons the silver knife he got from her coffin back in her apartment. He throws it at Carmilla, hitting her right in the forehead. And she falls face-first on the ground, hammering the knife deeper into her head.

Still in shock, Nisha lets go of him. He's laughing endlessly. The barrier of the island disappears and everything seems to have gone quiet. Kai's laugh is the only thing she could hear.

"That was fun!" he cheers. His grin is so wide that his cheeks could rip apart. "But I wish it stretched out longer. Is this all? What a weak boss! Give me something stronger!"

"Cancer," Nisha says, concerned and scared. "What is going on with you?"

He didn't hear her as he walks to and fro restless. His mind is craving for more action. Then gradually, his laugh becomes heaves of anger.

"Somebody. . . fight me!" he roars. And then his violence-craving eyes turn to her. He squeezes his fist and walks closer, giggling.

"Cancer?" she asks, kicking with her feet to move backward on the ground. "What are you doing?"

"How about you fight me?"

"No, we're not enemies." A sinister chuckle, he lets out. He's scaring her. "Stay away from me!"

"It's gonna be fun—I'm telling you. Fighting is never boring!"

His fist glows intensely and he is ready to unleash it on Nisha.

**

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