The demon within

[You might not want to read this before or after a meal]

His vision swimming, Arya could see multiple realities which may or may not be true. Nothing came to focus. He saw multiple colors swimming around like rainbow colored fishes. The images shifted perpetually bringing forth one head ache inducing vision after another. He not only saw colors and patterns scattered across his periphery, he also saw numerous unseemly shapes. Shadows of a rabbit baring its fangs at him. He also visualized blood.

Seas of blood swirling and shifting from which all manner of monstrosities rose. The likes of which he had no wish to see ever in his life.

But the illusory visuals he experienced were nothing compared to the auditory agony. Various sounds intertwined to produce the harshest of melodies. The perfect harmonization it brought was jarred by epitome of tone deafness. Together the experience was unbearable.

In truth, the sounds would not have been intolerable if not for the high pitched screeching which brought with it madness incarnate.

The poisons effects had taken their toll on Arya's feeble body. Tired and without nourishment, it seemed as if he would die to an already dead rabbit. Yet, he did not. The poisons corrupted his internal structures but somehow also nourished them making them more resilient while producing an immunity to similar toxins. The sufferings wrought by the poison were not for naught.

Slowly, the numbness receded from his depths. The tattered and rotten internal organs and tissue regained a bit of vibrancy enough for him to get back his bearings. But before he could think, his already collapsed body fainted.

The poison afflicted him with wounds that would heal. They would heal and make him stronger for it. But for now, he rests.

***

Arya opened his blood red eyes and gasped wildly. He was not in a fully conscious state. His darkened skin appeared almost violet in color. The only thing running through his mind now was hunger. He swerved from side to side searching for something- anything to ease his suffering. The moment he gazed upon a ant and fly infected corpse of a greenish rabbit, he pounced and began to tear into it.

His teeth tore through skin and flesh swallowing what he could. They broke through the bones of the animal and continued to consume the remains. The teeth and claws were the only things spared besides the violet tail. He left nothing and yet, he still craved more. His instincts called to him as he sniffed the air and ran through the forest. Tearing through the trees he had previously though to avoid. Body filled with unimaginable strength he charged through the trees towards his next target.

The 4 foot tall 5 feet long, six legged creature was dueling another of its kind. Their horns and tusks locked and they pushed each other, causing them to crash against the trees and boulders in the vicinity. Their scaled but spiked curved backs actually penetrated the seemingly indestructible boulders and ground the bark off of the trees.

The beasts with no visual organs to speak of relied on their sensitive sense of smell. Their snouts, which took up a third of their enormous face, dripped with mucus. The jagged front teeth along with thick molars which allow both grinding and cutting alerts one to their omnivorous diet. The single horn on top along with the two tusks combined with their strong hoofed feet and bulky make them an ideal battle machine.

The charging Arya swiftly approached the duo which paid him no mind and continued their brawl. The organism emitting such a weak aura was of no concern to these beasts.

Arya jumped onto the back of one of these creatures and pounded hard wishing to break through their hard carapace. Yet failing miserably, he was thrown off and ignored once again. The battle between the two beasts didn't even pause at his feeble attempt.

But, Arya had long lost his reason and was operating completely on instinct. He repeatedly charged and ponced onto the backs of the powerful monsters failing every time he tried to injure them. As he operated, his instincts kept him from getting trampled and crushed.

The epic battle between the beings reached its peak when one of them managed to throw the other off balance and fell it. The victorious beast rushed forward and pierced through its opponent ending its life. It then proceeded to raise its head and bellow loudly announcing its glory. This was the moment Arya once again pounced onto the living beast.

This time, its strong and hard back could not protect it as Arya's target was now its unprotected neck. He clung to its tusks and scratched and dug his nails into the soft flesh. The alarmed beast could not predict what was happening. It shook its head about trying to get this pest which could now threaten its life off its body while bellowing loudly in quick panicked bursts.

The struggle was futile as Arya clung steadfast not letting go. The beast charged into a boulder causing Arya to shake. The impact did not directly reach him as it was blocked by the long thick horn and tusks. The beasts own tools of defense had inadvertently protected its assailant. The shock did bring his head closer to the neck though. This compelled the starving man to bite into the screaming beast.

He tasted blood. Oh so sweet blood. After the long duration without water or any similar liquid, the parched throat finally got what it wanted. The pitiful amount from the rabbit like creature was not enough to quench his thirst. But this! This was nectar. The liquid gushing through his throat brought a pleasure he would not have felt if he was right of his mind at the moment. But for now, this was what his body craved.

Slowly the struggles of the beast weakened and it was brought to its knees. It had lost too much blood. Its body started to feel a strange chill. The numbness spread through out its body slowly intensifying. The warmth of the fires of life fading away. Despite not being an intelligent entity, the beast was still had a sense of self. This sense of self protested against the very notion of death. With this will from its very soul, it brought out the last vestiges of its strength and flung the feeding Arya.

But with injuries to great and a cavity in its throat, this last act was meaningless to its survival.

The feral Arya recoiled back to the now dying beast. Its injuries fatal and having tried with all its powers to resist yet failing, the beast now wanted rest. So it slowly relaxed its breathing falling into a deep and eternal sleep.

Arya started gorging into the still warm body of the beast he had just killed. The tough hide could not be easily penetrated so he focused his efforts on the throat. The difficulty of the venture was thus greatly reduced. The initial hole he had created was slowly expanded as he tore through in order to get easier access to his newly obtained sustenance.

The tough and sinewy flesh was reduced to mashed and tender paste inside Arya's mouth. The sweet and savory meat had hints of sour. The amazing blend was absorbed fully by the young man. But that soon changed as very quickly, Arya lost interest in the flavor and instead started to gulp down the food without carefully tasting, chewing only the bare minimum needed to help him swallow.

Unable to bite through the bones, he avoided them. Opting instead to drain its blood and devour its flesh. Eating the beast from the inside out raw, Arya soon finished his meal due to his stellar pace.

Still barely satisfied, Arya crawled out of the deflated skin that used to be the majestic beast he had once fought dripping in blood which made for quite a horrifying image. All that was left of his meal was its thick hide, head, impenetrable bones and hooves along with waste from its bowels and intestine.

Still not fully satiated, he made his way to the other beast which lay collapsed against a tree. The corpse had already gone cold as its blood had dried. This was going to be a meal with a slightly different taste and texture.

The man tore at the damaged region, the place where the beast had been penetrated by its kin was clearly visible and accessible. This time, the barely rational brain of Arya together with his instincts decided that it was better to eat slowly and savor this meal as he was no longer starved. But the instant he decided that he was no longer starving, his body collapsed and he passed out.