The Huntsman Of Death:A Gamer's POV As Side Character

"KYAAA!"

"Take this..."

Laughter and playful shouts, filled with joy wafted in the air. A group of boys splashed in a shallow riverbank, their mirthful voices carrying over the gentle current.

One boy swam through the muddy waters, screaming as he tussled with friends and scooped up tiny, wriggling fish in his hands. His skin was strained with mud, flecked with bits of waterweed.

As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky with hues of amber and red, the boy finished his catch and bundled the fish in a cloth.

"Bye, see you tomorrow!" his friends called out before heading to their homes. He waved back but didn't leave since he still needed to wash a pile of clothes.

As he washed the clothes, a group of elderly women carrying utensils walked towards the river.

"You're going to need an entire river to keep up with your appetite for fish!" one teased.

"Or maybe he'll catch himself a princess instead of a fish one of these days!" another chimed in, spring laughter among the group.

The boy just grinned and shook his head as he walked away. "Don't joke about that," he replied, tossing his damp shirt over his shoulder.

"Me? A prince or a princess? Now that's a real fairy tale, grandma."

Once he'd rinsed himself off, he wrung out his shirt and slipped it on, feeling the cool fabric cling to his skin as he turned toward the village. On his way home, a few familiar faces passed by, and he greeted each one with a friendly nod.

An elderly man paused to pat his shoulder, grinning. "Handsome as ever. You'll break some hearts one day."

Embarrassed, the boy laughed. "Maybe after I managed to awaken and become a notable figure."

"I am sure you will. After all, you are the pride of our town," the old man spoke sincerely, warming his heart.

Nodding, the boy thanked him and walked away happily, swinging his arms as he continued down the path while humming to himself.

"Tonight's dinner is going to be a feast," he muttered happily. But as he neared his home, the happiness slowly started to fade away.

An oppressive pressure seemed to burst out and slam against him, making him feel heavy and suffocating.

"What... what is this feeling?" he whispered, his footsteps faltering.

"It's sickening.'' His heartbeat fastened up as he looked around.

The usual warm glow spilling from the house was gone, replaced by an unsettling darkness. The door hung ajar, casting a shadow that seemed too thick and unnatural for the evening light.

A chill crept over him, the pleasant air suddenly feeling heavy and cold. He swallowed hard, his instinct urging him to turn back, but he felt that he was being too paranoid.

His instincts screamed at him to stop, to hide, yet he couldn't ignore the gnawing worry tightening his chest.

Taking a shaky breath, he stepped closer and entered the doorway as he called out.

"Mother, where are you? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened, Lukas," came a strained voice.

"Huh!"

He tilted his head toward the sound and froze. There, crouched on the floor was a woman with disheveled hair with tear marks on her clothes, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

For some reason, a large shadow fell across the floor, casting the room into sudden darkness.

"Son, why are you standing there? Come to me," the woman called.

"Y...Yes?" The boy stuttered, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.

The darkness over the house seemed to press down upon him, filling the air with an ominous, sickening heaviness. His stomach churned violently as if warning him that something was terribly, horribly wrong.

He stepped closer hesitantly, a sense of unease welling in his heart, his lips parted to call out for Mother. But as he tried to speak, his jaws widened, and instead, what came was a scream...

"AAHHHHHHHH!"

The sound echoed through the room, sharp and heartbreaking, as out of nowhere, his mother twisted unnaturally. Her entire body contorted, scaring the shit out of him.

Her face was a grotesque mast. And in her mouth, he saw bits of flesh, and as his gaze landed down behind, he froze. Beneath her, sprawling on the floor, lay the torn corpse of a man, his upper body flayed and bloodied.

"Father... BLUERGHHH!"

His stomach churned and his reflex kicked in, urging him to vomit, but nothing came out since his gut was empty. He staggered back, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Son, why are you reacting like that?"

The boy's heart pounded as his mother slowly rose from the floor. Her face twisted and her mouth stretched wide, showing her sharp, unnatural teeth with bits of flesh clung to her lips while her eyes had a cold, empty look.

She made a strange hissing sound as her neck stretched long and thin. It didn't look human.

No, it didn't resemble a human even in the slightest.

"Mo... Mot..." he tried to speak, but terror strangled his voice.

Instinct kicked in. He turned around and bolted towards the door, but just as he took a step to get to the door, something slick and wet seemed to have wrapped around his ankle. Looking down, he saw her long, snake-like tongue coiling around his leg, dragging him back.

"Come here, my child," she whispered sweetly, like she always did. But it sounded wrong, twisted.

He screamed, clawing at the ground to break free. Just as he felt all hope slipping away, a heavy stone flew through the air and struck her head. The grip on his ankle loosened, and he looked toward the doorway.

"Run!" An old man yelled, standing by the entrance, his face pale with fear. "Your mother's possessed! Go, now!"

"No... It can't be," the boy stammered, stumbling toward him. His mind reeled. "She was fine."

"Stop talking and move!" The old man shouted as he grabbed the boy's arm and yanked him to safety.

"The neighbors are all dead and I reached here upon hearing screams. Just run without looking back." The old man shouted and pulled him back before trying to snap the boy out of his stupor.

The boy stared at the old man in disbelief, clearly finding himself disoriented from reality.

Seeing this, the old man raised his hand to slap the boy but before he could, a dark claw pierced through the old man's chest from behind. Blood sprayed across the boy's face as the old man's mouth opened in silent agony before his lifeless body fell to the ground.

The boy froze and his entire body started shaking as a bloody figure emerged.

Behind the old man's lifeless body stood his mother—or what was left of her. Her twisted face was inches from him, her mouth curling into a cold grin as her eyes glinted with hunger while she whispered, "Mama's here."

And then, with a sudden chill, she leaped at him, slamming him to the ground.

Licking her lip, she drew her bloody claws and pressed them on his neck, tracing a small gnash.

"NOOOOO! Mother... It's me... Mother... Mother..." he screamed, struggling beneath her monstrous grip.

"Save... Save..."

The boy screamed, swaying his hands and feet, trying to call for help but only felt despair seeing his mother... no, the monstrous identity drawing closer.

The boy screamed, his voice as loud as possible as the fear gnawed at his heart.

Fear gripped the boy, freezing him in place. His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he thought it might explode. His breaths were quick and shallow, almost choking him. He wanted to scream, but no sound would come from his throat.

He stared at his mother or the thing that was currently wearing her face. The twisted smile on that face and those empty eyes filled him with a terror, unlike anything he'd ever felt. His legs shook so badly he could barely stand.

The smell of blood made him feel sick, but he couldn't look away. His heart broke as he remembered his mother's warmth, her kindness. Now, she was just a monster.

Tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "Mom... please... no..."

As he screamed, drops of flowing blood splattered on his face, but as he looked up he noticed that those eyes were shedding blood. In the flicker of those gazes, he could sense the feeling of despair, vulnerability, despair, guilt, and regret.

"Son... Mama... is sorry for being weak.."

"Mama is sorry for hurting you..."

"Mama is..."

But the next instant, that gaze changed and instead of remorse, an eerie greed shone within them.

"Hehehehehe... Mama's gonna devour you..."

But deep down, he knew she was gone. The thing before him was closing in, hungry, and all he could do was tremble in fear.

"Come and be one with Mama."

With those words, her lips widened apart, and her mouth opened impossibly wide to reveal rows of sharp and large teeth, enough to create a huge hole, one that was large enough to engulf a whole person.

"Now, let mama enjoy yo..."

Just as the darkness seemed to swallow him whole, a golden light flashed.

SWISH!

The golden then sliced through everything that blinded the boy's vision and when it returned, he saw his mother's headless body collapsing on top of him.

SPURT!

Blood spurted like a fountain, drenching his whole body and leaving him flabbergasted. Then his hollow eyes quivered as he saw a man holding a bow speeding towards him as he asked with a grim look on his face, "Are you alright?"

The man hurriedly rushed in and squatted to take a look at the boy who didn't seem to be in the position to answer anything since something inside him had ceased to exist.

Something irreparable.