Dancing on the golden ashes

The world looked completely different now. My vision was sharper, clearer, and filled with details I'd never noticed before. Ominous soul energy floated in the sky like golden, ethereal clouds, twisting and writhing with unnatural intent. It was as if the world had paused for a moment, holding its breath in reverence—or perhaps fear.

Then, all the fire that had erupted from my body moments ago began rushing back to me in a torrent of raw, uncontrollable power. The sheer force of it threatened to overwhelm me, yet I held on, barely managing to contain it. My soul surged and expanded rapidly, growing beyond anything I could have imagined.

If I had to guess, my soul now towered five, maybe six meters tall, its form resembling a flickering wisp of flame. But it wasn't just fire—it was something far beyond that. Something otherworldly. Uncanny. Its brilliance burned with an intensity that made even me hesitate to look too closely.

Black and gold swirled together in perfect harmony, flickering and weaving like a living tapestry of fire and shadow. It was truly beautiful—a sight that felt almost too grand to belong to me.

Time to move, I thought, the weight of reality settling back in. I had most likely attracted a lot of attention with that display, better stay lowkey...

I stood up and summoned my fire wings, their blazing form materializing behind me. The sheer length of them left me in awe—they stretched at least a meter on either side, slightly thin yet elegant in their design. But it wasn't their size that amazed me—it was the power radiating from them, an indescribable force that seemed to burn brighter with each passing moment.

I flapped my wings, and in the blink of an eye, I was soaring three meters above the ground. Within moments, I had climbed to a height of twenty meters, the world below shrinking beneath me as I headed east at an incredible speed. The feeling was exhilarating, as though I had completely left the burdens of the earth behind and ascended into the sky.

I rolled through the air, testing my maneuverability, twisting and turning as I pushed my limits. The rush of wind against my face and the sheer freedom of flight filled me with joy.

So much for staying lowkey. My brilliant flash of golden fire lit up the sky, ensuring that everyone below saw me streaking past like a comet. But did I care? Not at that moment. It was far too fun.

The crystal land stretched endlessly, its shimmering expanse glinting under the light. Flying made it so much easier to traverse—I didn't have to navigate the labyrinth of sharp crystal paths or waste time finding my way out. It almost felt like cheating, but I wasn't complaining. Still, the effort of maintaining flight began to tire me out slightly.

I really need to find a beast that can fly, I thought, the idea of something majestic filling my mind. Something like a dragon... I wonder how that one is doing right now... What was his name again? The memory eluded me, but it didn't matter.

Anyway, I mused, one day, I'll return to that massive Blazelia tree and take it with me as a pet. A smirk tugged at my lips at the thought. That piece of shit actually tried to kill me at some point. The audacity…

It felt like I had been flying for an eternity. The emerald crystal lands stretched endlessly beneath me, their beauty overshadowed by the growing exhaustion settling in my body. Each flap of my wings felt heavier, and to make matters worse, something inside me began to stir—something I hadn't felt since the day I first arrived in this world.

Hunger...

I hadn't consumed a single soul for almost a month, and now my reserves were completely depleted. The desire to devour crept over me like a shadow, insidious and relentless. It was unlike anything I'd expected. My body felt strained, my soul energy flickering dangerously low. The truth was stark: this great power came with a heavy responsibility, one I could no longer ignore.

I needed to find a soul to consume, and fast. The burning sensation in my eyes was growing, an ominous warning of what might come if I waited too long. My grip on myself was slipping, and the thought chilled me to the core.

If I lose control... who knows who I might attack?

There's no beasts around... what do I do? My reserves seemed to have burned out much faster than I'd expected. It must be because of Beast World, I thought grimly. The connection to my beasts was draining more from me than I realized.

Could it also be tied to the souls I consume? The thought struck me suddenly. Perhaps after a soul harvest, part of the soul's nutrients goes to my beasts instead of staying with me...

The realization was unsettling, but it made sense. If that was the cost of maintaining such power, I would need to find a way to manage it—or risk losing myself entirely.

After flying for about ten minutes, I spotted a group of humans below. Most of them were gathered around a large campfire, while others rested inside makeshift tents fashioned from large leaves. They had found a wide, open clearing in the crystal terrain—a perfect spot for a small stronghold. It was impressive, really. There were at least forty or fifty of them, huddled together for warmth and companionship.

Since it was nighttime, they were having dinner, their laughter and cheerful chatter rising into the crisp air. The sight tugged at something deep inside me, stirring a memory of three familiar faces. It made me smile warmly, if only for a fleeting moment.

But then, without warning, a sharp, stabbing pain struck my temples. It was like being hit by an invisible hammer, and for a second, the world tilted violently. The intensity of it almost made me black out. I staggered mid-air, my wings faltering, and nearly plummeted to the ground. But somehow, I managed to regain my balance before crashing.

"Hungry... We... must feed..." The eerie voice surged through me, overtaking my mind and body. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't regain control. My body refused to listen as if it had a will of its own.

The hunger was overwhelming, an all-consuming force that drowned out every rational thought. I wanted to devour everything. Even the humans far below me smelled intoxicatingly delicious. Without my control, drool slipped from my lips as the intense desire to feed grew stronger.

My powers raged, spiraling out of control, and the world around me began to blur into darkness. Everything happened so fast, and yet I could feel it—feel myself slipping further and further away.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

My body heavily dropped to the ground next to the massive bonfire, my own fire raged everywhere, it was so blurry I could not see anything, only feel what was happening.

"Who ar—" The first person who spoke didn't even have time to finish their sentence before my scythe sliced through them like paper, splitting their body clean in half. Blood sprayed out in a grotesque arc, painting the ground beneath me. The blade was in its normal state, yet it was impossibly sharp. I didn't even bother to check their level. All I knew was that, one by one, they began to attack me.

Abilities exploded in my direction, waves of light, fire, and shadows crashing into where I stood. But the flames surrounding my body darkened, shifting into a black inferno. The fire consumed everything it touched, melting the attacks—and the attackers themselves—into nothingness.

"Feed... me... your... souls," the voice growled, low and guttural, echoing through me. It wasn't mine. It couldn't be mine.

"This bitch is crazy! Everyone, attack!" a young voice shouted, rallying the others.

More attacks followed, but my body moved faster than I could comprehend, a blur of violence and speed. Each second, more people fell. Blood soaked the ground beneath me, streaming like rivers, even splattering against my skin. It dripped down my body, warm and viscous, until some of it entered my mouth. The metallic taste hit my tongue, and I wanted to vomit—but my body relished it.

I wasn't human anymore. I wasn't even a monster. I was something far worse.

The screams echoed in my ears—pleas for mercy, cries for help—but they only seemed to fuel the inferno raging inside me. I wanted to stop. I can't stop. But no matter how hard I fought against the hunger, it overpowered me, dragging me deeper into this sick, twisted slaughter.

Eventually, I gave in. My mind numbed to the chaos as my body moved of its own accord, cutting down every last person in my path. Blood pooled at my feet, its stench mingling with burnt flesh and charred metal. The smell alone should've made me retch, but instead, my body craved more.

Please... just end it quickly. The thought echoed weakly through me, but I didn't know if it had any effect.

Pain shot through me as a sword slashed across my torso, severing one of my arms. The limb flew through the air, landing with a sickening thud. For a brief moment, I felt hope—hope that someone strong enough could stop this madness. But that hope was short-lived. My arm regenerated in seconds, flames stitching flesh and bone together like it was nothing.

The one who had attacked me growled in frustration, but before they could strike again, I moved. My hand clamped around their head, squeezing hard enough to make their skull crack beneath my fingers. Their muffled screams stopped as I felt their brain collapse, oozing through my fingers like overripe fruit.

My hand raised to my mouth without my consent, and my tongue darted out to lick the mess from my fingers. The taste hit me like a punch to the gut, sickening and vile. I wanted to cry, to puke, to rip this damn body apart and end it all. But no—this thing controlling me savored it, reveling in the carnage.

This is so fucking wrong.

"Tonight we feast!" the voice roared through my body, triumphant and unrelenting.

The last vestiges of my humanity screamed in protest, but they were drowned out by the sick satisfaction radiating through me. I had become the very thing I feared most—an unrelenting force of destruction.

"Soul Harvest..."