There are fourteen Cyclops here.

This is a little disturbing.

Usually you don’t find that many of them together, especially so near the cities. Fourteen is a whole group. Why did they decide to come all the way here?

A Cyclops is not easy foe. Their strength and durability surpass most monsters, and they carry big clubs around like they are nothing. Even two Cyclops can be dangerous enough to need a whole party of hunters to be dealt with.

And from those fourteen, only five are easily visible. We spotted the rest inside of a small cave, sitting and waiting.

Cyclops can communicate with each other telepathically. The moment the fight starts, the others will come to help. Those five walking around the burned village are nothing more than bait.

Well, I guess that was the reason we brought so many hunters here. The Shinning Siblings could probably eliminate this whole group with a bit of effort. With the help of the others, we are guaranteed to succeed.

We are just about to tell Diego about the situation, when we realize something.

There are dozens creatures approaching from behind.

We’d seen some of them before. We didn’t know the name of their species, but that wasn’t surprising. There are just too many different monsters in this world. Those ones look like apes, but have six arms each and sharp fangs on their mouth. Some mix between a monkey and a spider.

How didn’t we notice them before? It’s true that most of us were searching ahead and only a few hundreds of our bodies were guarding the back of the group, but still. We need to be more careful.

We keep watching those creatures, and they keep coming.  With the way they are positioning themselves, their intention is clear. They are waiting for us to start our fight with the Cyclops to attack us from behind, surrounding our group.

Should we just let it happen? Is there even anything that we could do?

And more importantly, how the fuck are Cyclops scheming with spider monkeys? It makes no sense. Did they learn how to communicate with each other?

Does that mean they would understand us, if we go to talk with them?

There is a chance that it would work. There’s also a chance that it wouldn’t, and they would freak out and attack us.

Well, it’s not like we would really be in any danger.

We decide it’s worth the shot.

We gather enough of us together and fly into their direction.

Seeing so many of us coming they get startled, but they don’t react like this was something unexpected. Were they expecting us?

We form into a shape similar to them, and ask:

“- What are your goals here?”

We still aren’t sure they can understand us. Even if they do, there’s no way to know they want to communicate with us. But it seems like the best option for now.

One of them is carrying the same rock we have been seeing so often those days. He steps in front of us, and answers using a weird acute voice:

“-We’ve been ordered to come here, so we came. We’ve been told to wait for a large number of humans, strong looking ones, and we’ve been forbidden of attacking any human in the meantime, and we complied. Now that they have finally arrived, we’ll feast.”

So this is indeed an organized attack, but who is the master mind?

“- Who ordered you?” We ask.

The creature looks a little confuse by that, but answers:

“-We were ordered by you.”

By us? Did some of our bodies grown another consciousness and started going around bossing other monsters?

No. It probably didn’t mean we, but something like we. A similar creature.

And that thing from the city did call us brother when we talked. Was it him or someone else?

It seemed he didn’t trust us enough to kill those humans. Or maybe he was just making sure no one would survive.

Fourteen Cyclops waiting in front of them and eighty seven of those spider monkey creatures coming from behind. And us, infiltrated in the middle of them. Together, the hunters would be attacked from all sides.

Even without us, most of them would die. With our help, none would survive.

Was that the plan, all along? Was that why we had been sent here? Are the ones sent to deal with the werewolves dead already?

Something big is happening. Monsters are strategically dealing with the strongest humans.

We look at the creature in front of us, patiently waiting for our answer. It respects us. More than our answers, it feels more like it’s waiting for our orders.

It thinks we are part of this, somehow. Maybe we were in the past.

Was this why we were created? To help annihilate the human race?

Does that mean that we should do it?

Kill Diego, Lucas, Rosa, Daniel and Anna?

We aren’t really human, after all. We have always only been pretending it. So, are we just monsters like the one before us? Driven by hunger and rage?

No, not really.

Are we like that man, then? A Herald, as he said?

Maybe we are. But there was cruelty on his eyes, a deep evilness that had disturbed us. He wanted to burn the world not because of his anger, but for pleasure. That wasn’t us.

Are we more similar to the Shinning Siblings, then? Are we brave like Diego, kind-hearted like Lucas, righteous like Rosa, benevolent like Daniel and courageous like Anna?

It is also a no. We aren’t like them.

We aren’t human, we’ve just been pretending. We aren’t really a member of the Shinning Siblings, the fearless heroes of this country.

But we have been with them for one year now. We travelled, we fought and we made each other company all this time.

Between them and those creatures, we like them better.

We enjoy our time together.

We don’t want it to end now.

It's a simple decision, really. It’s what makes the most sense.

“-There have been a change of plans.” We say.

FeverDream

It's finally here! This chapter is waaaay behind the normal schedule, but I just moved to a new apartment and spent the last few days cleaning and organizing everything. I was finally able to get internet ealier today, though!

I hope I'll be able to go back to our normal schedule, but no promises at this moment. Please be patient, it may take longer than usual, but the chapters will keep coming.

Anyway, I hope you are enjoying it!