3/3
“Mommy, did you feel the earthquake today? The base was attacked by a powerful Miasma monster, and it took seven Eclipses to barely repel it.”
“One of them was a father of three children. I was the one who returned his belongings to the base. Mommy, at that moment, I felt like I saw my own reflection in those crying children. It’s all my fault. If I could have been stronger… If I could, Mommy, Zera feels so sad, I blame myself.”
“Zera, it’s not your fault. Whether it’s you or them, you are all heroes of the base. I believe those children will inherit their brave father’s will and become warriors who protect the base just like their father.”
“You don’t understand, you don’t understand.”
” Mommy, the base is losing more and more people recently. Today, three more Eclipses left, including Uncle Quis, the captain of Dad’s guard. No matter how I tried to retain them, it was useless. They all say that the miasma Masters has set its sights on our base and will come back sooner or later. Is this true? What should I do, Mom? Zera is so confused.”
“Zera, considering the current situation, Mom suggests you also leave the Grey Castle Base. You have great talent, it just hasn’t grown yet. You shouldn’t be buried here.”
“Mom, how can you say something like that? The Grey Castle Base was built from scratch by you and Dad. It’s your effort. How can you!”
“I’m sorry for making you angry, but I’m sorry, Zera, staying here will only lead to losing everything. So, after calculating the pros and cons, this is the best plan right now. More than the base, you are Mom’s effort. Mom hopes you can survive.”
“You’re not, you’re not Mommy. Mommy wouldn’t say something like that. You…you don’t understand anything.”
“Hehe, Dad left too, taking his lover and property with him. He abandoned our base. Should I bring him back? No, such a betrayer, he deserves to die! It’s all because of him. He killed Mommy! If Mommy were still here, everything, everything would…”
“Zera, your emotions are very unstable. Mom suggests you rest for a while. You’ve been too tired recently, and your constantly tense nerves have caused a great burden on your soul. Mom is worried about your health condition. If this continues…”
“Shut up! Stop pretending to be Mommy, it makes me sick. Mommy wouldn’t be like this. Mommy would support me, she would support me, right… I’m going to kill him, kill that bastard.”
…
” Mommy, look, I’ve brought Daddy back, though it’s only half of him. But this way, our family is reunited again. Mommy, please praise Zera, like when I was little, like you used to, praise me, quick, praise me!!”
” Mommy, why aren’t you speaking? Speak to me, speak!”
“Zera, you can’t go on like this. Mom asks you to immediately stop using your Eclipse powers. Your mind has been severely affected by the tainted miasma, and you are on the verge of berserking. Mom begs you, please listen to Mom. I don’t want to lose you.”
“How can that be? Mommy, I feel great, full of strength all over. I need to become stronger, even stronger than me now, so I can protect the Grey Castle Base, so I can protect our memories with Mommy. Right, to keep getting stronger.”
…
“Mommy, I don’t know why, but there are fewer and fewer people in the base. I hardly see anyone on the streets. The few I do see, when I go up to greet them, they all show me a look of fear and run away screaming ‘monster.’ Mommy, why is that? Have they all gone mad?”
“So I chased after them and killed them. They must have been about to berserk, that’s why they were hallucinating. Right Mommy? How could I possibly be a monster?”
“Zera, can you stay at home and keep Mommy company from now on? I don’t want you to go out anymore.”
“Eh, that’s strange Mommy. Didn’t you always want me to leave the base before? Have you finally come around? But I can’t, Zera is busy. I have to patrol the base every day, Zera has to protect everyone, I can’t stay with Mommy all the time.”
….
“Mommy, it’s really strange, is everyone in the base staying behind closed doors? I can’t find anyone, this can’t go on. So, Mommy, you know, Zera went out of the base today, found several nearby gathering places.”
“I originally wanted to kindly invite them to live in our base, but they attacked me directly. Mommy, Zera was so angry, so I brought them all here. Now there are more people in the base, isn’t that nice, Mommy?”
…
“Just why aren’t they speaking? They’re just lying on the ground. Mommy, are they tired?” .
“Zera”
“Really annoying, Mommy. I’ve already checked the nearby gathering places, but it’s still not enough, far from enough. Zera needs to find more people, more people to fill the Grey Castle Base, so the base can become lively.”
“But don’t worry Mommy, Zera has already got a clue. The people I caught today told Zera about a new, huge base up north. They’ve absorbed several other gathering places and now have thousands of people, giggle.”
“And, Mommy, do you know? Their name is something like… Ashen Gathering Place. Zera thinks they will definitely want to come here. I’m going to find them. But I’ve heard their leader is very powerful, and I’m a bit worried. So, Mommy… can you share your strength with me?”
Zera’s eyes were bloodshot, desperately gazing at the maid with a look of madness.
Drool began to drip from her massive mandibles at the corners of her mouth.
Her flesh wings on her back kept flapping as if urging.
But just as Zera, already rotted and mutated, reached out her two claws towards the maid, she paused mid-way. The human pair of her blood-red five eyes regained a bit of clarity, as if struggling with something.𝘪𝑎.
Updated from 𝑖𝘳.𝒸ℴ𝑚