Chapter 8 – The Fall of Innocence
Amidst the chaos,
the young man caught sight of Elara's mangled corpse—
her body torn into pieces, limbs scattered in every direction.
Her father lay nearby, severed clean in half,
his face unrecognizable.
In the center of that blood-soaked scene stood a short, bloated man,
his feet trembling beneath the weight of his massive belly.
He was bald, dressed in fine noble robes adorned with an emblem of aristocracy.
The memory struck the young man like lightning—
this was one of the nobles who had defied the kingdom's law.
He had eaten more than what was permitted,
crossing the "limit" decreed by the King himself.
Frozen in place,
the young man watched as the pig-like noble devoured Elara's remains,
his eyes glowing a deep crimson,
his grotesque form twisting unnaturally with every bite.
Swallowing the rising horror,
the young man took one step toward her body—
only to be struck down in a flash.
From the noble's shadow emerged a dark specter,
which lunged at him with savage speed.
He lost consciousness instantly.
---
He awoke in agony,
his whole body screaming with pain.
Darkness surrounded him.
His wrists were tightly bound.
He tried to move—
but the restraints held firm.
Then… the noble appeared again,
this time flanked by his servants,
each carrying fresh corpses.
The noble approached, his voice heavy and thick:
"What is your name?"
The young man said nothing,
his eyes burning with hatred.
Suddenly—
a shadow behind the noble lashed out,
striking the young man's face until it swelled.
"Enough," the noble ordered,
and the shadow obeyed.
One of the servants stepped forward,
carrying a foul-smelling piece of human flesh—
rotted and vile to look at.
He tried to force it into the young man's mouth.
The noble smirked with pride:
"Eat it, and you'll be free."
The young man resisted.
But the servant pried his jaw open,
shoving the putrid meat inside.
He gagged.
He tried to spit it out—
to reject it—
but it was no use.
His strength failed him.
He swallowed.
In mere seconds,
a burning heat surged through his body,
splintering through his bones like fire.
And then—
darkness.
---
The noble grunted in disgust:
"Useless. Dispose of him."
Without a word,
the servant lifted his limp body
and tossed it outside—
to the very place where he'd first been found.
---
Night fell.
The world was pitch-black—
not a single star in the sky.
The young man awoke inside the same shop…
now filled with the stench of death
and surrounded by corpses.
He crawled into a corner,
his head heavy with nightmares.
Then he vomited violently—
for he remembered…
He had eaten flesh.
Human flesh.
For the first time.