Page 87 of Demon Monster's Little Human

"Liora."

The voice changes.

It is no longer the dark thing whispering.

It is Dain.

But he is not here.

The connection between us thrums in my skull, stronger than before, thick with fury, with confusion, with the instinct to hunt.

I feel him searching for me.

He will come.

I don’t know what he’ll do when he finds me.

I push forward, deeper into the trees, my muscles burning, my vision swimming. The night presses against me, cold and wet with mist, the air thick with something ancient and wrong.

There’s nowhere to go, no true escape, but my body keeps moving, keeps fighting.

Leaves whip against my face as I break into a clearing, my boots sinking into soft, damp earth. I collapse to my knees, shaking, panting, breaking.

I press my palms to the ground, grounding myself, feeling the earth beneath me instead of the memories clawing at my mind.

Dain’s rage lingers in my head, but he is not the only one watching me.

The dark presence hums just beyond my vision.

Waiting.

It has not attacked me.

Why?

It could have killed me already. It could have swallowed me whole, devoured whatever fragile life I have left.

Instead, it speaks to me.

It wants me to remember.

"Purna."

I scream.

I don’t recognize my own voice. I don’t recognize myself.

The trees tremble around me, or maybe it’s just me shaking.

I will everything away, forcing my eyes close.

I don’t want this.

I don’t want to be whoever I was.

I am Liora.

I will always be Liora.

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