They headed to the market and shopped for everything they would normally buy, the only exception was that they started purchasing meats of different kinds such as lamb, goat, and beef. He wouldn't eat it but he knew how to cook it nonetheless and would make different dishes for her and show her how to prepare it.

The texture of those meats reminded him of the texture of human flesh and fish made him remember the scent of Rex's body and chicken was the only thing that seemed to be within his comfort zone at this point.

Although he was there with her, he wasn't truly "there" in the sense,he was even more distant than usual and throughout the entire time shopping he was tense, he just kept staring at the villagers with the sole thought "Who's gonna be the next one?", it was playing on his conscience,the thought of so many people dead due to him living a life in peace.

All of the deaths were on his hands.

Miranda could see it, something was itching his mind and when he said that they needed to talk,she felt uneasy.

For some reason she tried her best to prolong their time shopping but he was gloomy and she had no reason why.

In light of this, she decided it was best for them to go home to which he quickly agreed.

On their way back home,he couldn't help but glance at the forest frequently and as they arrived at the house and Miranda headed inside, he stood outside of the house looking at it.

This is my last day here

After collecting his composure,he entered the house and as he saw Miranda near the kitchen counter, he took a seat on the couch.

"Miranda, as I said be-"

"I know, you said you wanted to talk but lets talk after we eat" she interjected.

He gave no response and just sat there.

Spacing out at the thought of leaving the house to pursue whatever laid in store for him in the forest left two feelings running rampant, fear and excitement.

Although he was living here with her, he believed he would feel no remorse if he had to leave her.

The fear which stemmed itself into him was the fear that the opponent would be too much for himself to handle and he would be most likely be throwing his life away but the excitement came hand in hand with that fear, the thought of something like that awaiting him.

It struck him in that single moment when he thought about that excitement, he believed he had come to terms with everything in the past as he wished to make this decision, they wished for him to live his own life and although in this case it would mean a 50/50 chance of him throwing it away, it would mean he had lived his life the way it was meant to be in his belief.

It disgusted him that he was this way and uncertainty ran through his entire being.

He had dazed off thinking about it and he hadn't even realized that Miranda was sitting next to him and had brought food.

Seeing him a trance, she had no desire to break it and just left him there to come to his own.

"Sorry about that, was just thinking about something,thank you" he told her as he accepted a plate filled with roasted chicken,with a gravy and rice.

She could be seen eating something entirely separate from what he was eating, the strong scent indicated it was beef.

Garlic and pepper roasted beef and potatoes huh

He took the first bite of the food she provided and it tasted great.

"Miranda, you've improved alot" he complimented her.

"Thank you, it's because you taught me" she responded smiling.

They quickly ate their meals and washed the plates and both of them took a seat on the couch.

"Miranda"

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about me living here?"

What's he asking?..............I can't sound too desperate here

"It's nice" she answered happily.

"You think you've gotten over what happened before?.....................the thing with your family, I don't mean to sound bad" he enquired.

"At first,it haunted me everynight but I really think the past month has teached and helped me alot and I've accepted things for what they are and I feel better like I can finally start moving on with my life, it's what my parents would have wanted me to do" she replied sadly.

"Thanks for telling me, it makes me happy to hear that, also Miranda..............what if I leave?" he responded as he got off the couch and began to walk towards the stairs.

She stared at him at the thought of him leaving.

I've never really thought of him leaving before........... I don't want him to

"If you were to leave, I'll pull by somehow" she responded hesitantly.

"I understand" he said as he arrived at the bottom of the staircase to head up.

Me leaving shouldn't have much of an impact then I guess

There was a deep underlying cause for the conversation, it wasn't just because of that creature within the forest and the deaths, but it served as a factor for him getting a purpose and reason to live,if she had at anypoint expressed a desire for him to stay he might've given it a second thought but that was all gone now.

Upon that conversation and the thoughts of it,she began to think about him,he must have suffered through alot in the past and although she knew not what he had been through, she wished to ask.

"Also, what about you? Have you gotten over whatever it is that happened to you in the past?" she asked him impulsively.

I shouldn't have asked him that

"It's mixed, I don't know what to think, I'll find out soon enough" he responded as he continued to walk upstairs.

He actually answered me this time

As he entered his room,he shut the door and locked it, the pain was unbearable,it was as if his entire body was being burned, although he was slowly learning to cope with it,the sensation never grew old,the only thing he was able to stop was the feeling to scream.

He took his clothes off and entered the tub to cool himself off from the pain. After around 20 minutes of that sensation, it finally came to a pass.

He got up and looked at his body in the mirror and began to inspect it,he was in peak shape and would be able to challenge whatever waited for him.

The pain he suffered through and was continuing to suffer through always gave him the thought that he was going to die at anypoint in time but he wouldn't have minded dying like this as a form of punishment.

He had made his mind up.

If I don't die after tonight, I'll find a way to make it to the association after for your funeral Rex, I have no intention of returning here

Hours passed with him staring out his window at the forest and night soon fell.

He had no idea of it but for the entire day when he was inside of his room,Miranda was directly outside of his.

She knocked on his door and asked if he wanted to eat but he replied by saying no and urged her to eat by herself today.

It was an odd scene, not once did Miranda shout at him for him to come out of the room but that was the last thought on his mind.

A period of time passed and as he heard Miranda's door close,he waited around 2 hours until it was midnight when he was confident she was asleep and exited his room with his Xiphos in his hand,closing the door ensuring the door was closed silently not to awake her.

Upon reaching the stairs to descend,he looked at Miranda's door.

"Goodbye" he whispered to himself as he began to descend.

Arriving downstairs,he could see the candles were still lit.

She must've forgotten to out them

*TAP TAP TAP

"Where are you going?" Miranda asked walking down the staircase behind him.

"I'm leaving" he replied as he continued walking towards the door to leave.

He's leaving....................leaving.....................wait he's leaving?

"LEAVING TO GO WHERE?" she shouted as she ran grabbing his arm stopping him.

"To the forest and other places" he replied shaking her arm loose.

To the forest?

"And why are you going to the forest?" she asked confused.

I owe her atleast this much

"The mutilated bodies that have been turning up near the village were all done by that thing in the forest" he stated

That thing in the forest?............................

She finally noticed the sword he was holding in his left arm.

Don't tell me...........

"AND WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU" she shouted frightened

"It's a call............... the body trail has slowly been leading up to the house,as long as I remain here with you, it'll continue, you understand right? It's my responsibility............ Zerbia will pass by the house when he has information, tell him I'm gone and he'll organize everything for you, there should be enough money for you to live good until that time comes, you'll pull through" he answered

She had grown dependent on him in their time together and her world basically revolved around him at this point in her life,without him there,it would crumble.

"NO, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME" she begged

"You'll be fine without me Miranda" he told her.

"NO, I WON'T, I NEED YOU" she cried

"Miranda............I owe the families of the people who've died this" he said with his guilt playing on his conscience.

"YOU DON'T OWE THEM ANYTHING, YOU ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES ME HAPPY RIGHT NOW, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME" she shouted crying as she extended her arm out towards him.

Should I knock her out and leave........

He stared at her thinking about the logical way to get out of here.

"For all you know, the bodies had nothing to do with you, if it really wanted you it could've put bodies directly infront of the house, it could be coincidental" she told him trying to appeal to his logic whilst crying.

"You're wrong, this is what you would call killing for fun with impatience,back in the forest I told it I would've been back for it and with each passing day I spent in the city and living here it began to kill people due to impatience, it didn't kill infront of the house because it would've been obvious, the killings were a buildup to this point signifying I've spent enough time here, it didn't help that I wasn't in the village or outside when the bodies were found because if I would have found out sooner I would've left much earlier" he stated, trying to justify him leaving.

"It doesn't fucking matter, leave it to the authorities, you don't owe these people shit" she responded panic-stricken

But I owe you somethin so I have to stay here huh

"Goodbye Miranda" he told her as he continued to walk towards the door.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE" she shouted as she ran and put her arms around his waist.

"What're you doin Miranda?" he asked confused.

"Stopping you from leaving me, if you want to leave you'll have to take me to the forest with you" she stated

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO FUCKIN REASON, HAVE YOU NOT FUCKIN HEARD WHAT I JUST SAID" he shouted confused

"I DON'T CARE, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE FOR OTHER PEOPLES PROBLEMS, ITS YOUR LIFE,LIVE IT HOW YOU WANT,NOT OUT OF SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS,THOSE DEATHS THAT HAPPENED ARE NOT ON YOU," she shouted crying.

He put his hand on his face and began rubbing it back and forth. The words she just spoke made him think of everyone thus far.

He understood it now, he hadn't put the pieces of his broken mind back together, he sought the easy way out, although he had no idea of the opponent in the forest and although there was a chance of him winning, he had no desire to win or the confidence to win, he was just seeking his own death for a cowards way out to life, it was a suicidal fight he was aiming for deep down inside and he now realized it, this isn't what anyone would've wanted and what would it have changed.

*Clank

"I don know what the fuck to do anymore Miranda" he muttered as he dropped his sword.

I finally got through to him

"Its gonna be alright, I'm here with you" she said as she hugged him tightly

"What do you think I should do Miranda?" he asked in a state of bewilderment towards life.

"Stay with me,it's better than going out there isn't it" she stated as she let go of him and walked infront of him looking him in the eyes.

He turned around and began to walk towards the stairs, he would only make a decision like this again when he had put everything back together, she needed him but at this time he also needed her,everything else could wait until he saw himself to be fit, free off self hatred.

"Wait" Miranda told the boy.

"What is it?" he enquired as he turned around.

She ran over and began to hug him.

"Please don't do something like this to me again" she cried.

".......................I'll leave when you want me to Miranda" he said as he gave her a kiss on the forehead then a hug to calm her down.

After about 5 minutes of a deep embrace from her,she finally let go and he began to walk towards the door again.

"Where are you going?" she asked worriedly upon him walking past her.

"For my sword............ don't worry I'm not leavin" he replied.

"No, let me keep it, it'll put me at ease if I have it" she told him as she began to walk briskly,outpacing him and walking past him.

"Okay...................give me it back whenever you're ready" he replied as he stopped walking for the sword.

After she picked it up, she ran back to his side and they both headed upstairs together.

"Can you wait with me in my room until I fall asleep?, I just need to know you'll be here with me" she asked him as she entered her room.

"Ok" he replied as he entered her room.

It was neat,the room was relatively big,had a bathtub to the far left, a brown wooden wardrobe and chesterdrawer directly infront of him jammed up against the wall and to the right pushed against the wall was a medium sized bed with a small square wooden table next to it.

She put the sword next to the bathtub and climbed into bed.

He walked and outed the candles mounted on the walls and walked to the left of the door and took a seat on the ground with his back against the wall.

After around an hour,when she had finally fallen asleep, he headed to his room.

Looking out of the window,he could see red eyes within the forest looking up at him illuminated by the moonlight.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know anymore, I have to pick myself up truly before I make a choice like this" he whispered to himself making eye contact.

He grabbed both curtains at the end of the windows and pulled them,as the curtains slowly closed in,the eyes slowly faded away.