Eater Blade: Grinding in Apocalypse

Paula's breath hitched in her throat as the shape stepped forward from the edge of the crater.

Its body was tall, bones too long, joints bending in ways that broke the eye. Its limbs cracked as it walked, each movement like a shadow stretched too far. Veins glowed faintly violet beneath pale skin, pulsing. And its face…

Its mouth was smiling.

A crooked, stretched grin full of jagged, wet teeth.

Its black, pupil-less eyes locked onto Paula and it knew. It knew what fear smelled like. It fed on it.

[ABNORMAL HIGH EATER]

[CLASS: RUNNER]

[LEVEL: 2]

[FEED POINTS: +2000]

She couldn't move.

Her legs felt like sandbags. Her blade trembled in her grip. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest.

"Move. MOVE."

But nothing.

Paula's lips parted to call out, to order a fallback, to warn the girls but no sound came. Her throat had closed. Her breath hitched. Her knees weakened.

Behind her, Mina started to sob again. "W-What… what is that? What is that?!"

Saya's voice broke. "We're gonna die. We're gonna die! That's not a normal Eater! I don't wanna die! I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

Their screams echoed. Their fear wrapped around Paula like chains.

And the creature charged.

Too fast.

It blurred forward in a zigzag motion, impossibly swift, its claws trailing violet vapor. Paula raised her sword but her stance was broken. Her mind couldn't catch up.

"I can't move… This is it."

She saw the claws coming—four gleaming blades of bone, aimed straight for her chest.

Then—

"PAULA!"

A body slammed into her from the side.

Saya.

She tackled Paula to the ground just as the creature struck. The claws pierced her instead—sinking deep into her side and lower back. Saya's body twisted as the Eater tore through her midsection. Blood sprayed across Paula's face.

Paula's eyes went wide.

"SAYA!"

Saya gasped but her hands were still on Paula, holding her close.

"Guh—hah… Guess… I really wasn't ready after all…" Saya whispered, her voice wet, shaking. "But… it's okay. I'm not afraid now."

Paula shook her head violently. "No. No no no—Saya—why did you—?!"

"I always wanted… to be like you…" Saya coughed blood, more pouring from her lips. "Strong. Brave. I knew I couldn't do it… I knew I wasn't ready… But you…"

She smiled, her teeth red. "You always protected us. You were always in front. I thought… maybe this time, I'd be in front of you. Just once."

The Eater raised its arm again.

"Don't cry, Captain…"

She pushed Paula with her last breath.

"I'm glad… it was me…"

CRACK.

The Eater's claw ripped through Saya's torso and flung her lifeless body aside like a doll.

Dead.

Just like that.

Paula sat there.

Staring.

Blood dripping from her chin. Her fingers were still curled around her sword but the blade lay flat. Her legs were still bent but not ready to move. Her eyes were glass.

"No…" she whispered.

Mina was screaming. Backed into a wall. Rocking back and forth. Shouting, "She's dead, she's dead, they're all DEAD—!"

But Paula heard nothing.

Just static.

Her pulse was thunder. Her skin cold.

Saya's body was still in front of her. Limbs twisted, face slack, one hand stretched toward Paula like she was still reaching.

That image burned into her.

Her fear shattered.

Her breath snapped back into her lungs and the scream that came from her chest was not fear.

It was rage.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The courtyard shook with it. It cut through the air like a shockwave.

The scream ripped through the night like a war horn, shaking the air, rattling the bones of every creature in earshot. Paula's blade snapped upright as she surged to her feet, eyes wide and wild, streaked with tears and blood.

Her voice cracked through clenched teeth: "You took her. YOU TOOK HER!"

She charged.

The abnormal didn't flinch. It smiled wider.

Her first strike was savage—an overhead arc that would've split a regular Eater in two. But the creature tilted, fluid as mist, letting the blade slice air. Paula didn't stop. She spun, dragging the sword low, sweeping wide in a second attack.

Miss.

Another strike.

Miss.

Again.

Miss.

The Runner danced around her like it had rehearsed her movements for weeks. It leaned back, ducked, twisted. Its jagged limbs moved in jolts and graceful snaps, its grin never fading.

Paula growled and attacked again.

Strike.

Miss.

Strike

Dodge.

Feint.

Parried with a claw.

Her sword sparked as it clashed with one of the creature's limbs. Her arms shook with the impact. But she kept swinging, faster now, every move tighter, angrier.

"You're not stronger than me!" she screamed, tears spilling freely now. "You're not better than her!"

The creature tilted its head, mock curiosity in its eyeless stare. Then it giggled—a distorted, clicking sound that scraped against the nerves.

Mockery.

It leapt behind her in a blur and backhanded her.

She tumbled across the ground, smashed through a pile of rubble, and landed hard. Her ribs screamed. Her vision spun. But she was up again in seconds, dragging herself up with her sword like a crutch.

Blood dripped from her lip. Her shoulder was out. Her left eye nearly swollen shut.

She charged again.

Every memory, every broken piece of her heart, fueled her steps.

Nina's scream. Kira's disappearance. Saya's smile.

It all burst into fire inside her.

"I WON'T LET YOU WIN!"

She lunged—this time a feint, followed by a quick pivot and an upward slash meant to catch the creature under the ribs. It barely dodged, her sword grazing its side. Violet blood sprayed. It hissed.

For the first time, it looked… surprised.

But it recovered, crouched low, and lunged in return—claws aimed for her throat.

She blocked, parried, slashed low. It backflipped away.

She closed the distance again, screaming as she spun with a two-handed strike that cracked the air.

Too slow.

The Runner dipped and slashed across her chest.

She gasped as her armor split open, blood soaking through. But she didn't retreat. Her next strike was wild, unpredictable, nearly catching the creature's leg.

It jumped backward—laughing.

"DAMN YOU!" Paula cried. "FIGHT ME!"

And it did.