My Life as A Death Guard

On the village road, the pus-filled hunting dogs swiftly pounced, tearing flesh and splattering blood.

It’s okay, everyone has to die.

She hugged her sister tightly.

But Herila wanted her sister to live a bit longer.

She wanted her sister to make it through the poisonous fog, to see the world outside the village, even if it was a barren wasteland.

Herila gently patted her sister’s head.

Her sister’s hair was like hers, dry and messy from the corrosive gas.

“Shh, sister is going to find dad. Stay here and don’t move, okay?”

Her sister cried, pulling on Herila.

“Don’t go, please, let’s stay together, sister.”

Herila pulled her sister’s hand away.

“Be good, okay? Live well.”

Then Herila started running, without looking back.

She started running, her legs trembling, her heart pounding, her lungs seizing up—she was about to die.

She ran desperately onto the main road.

The dogs that were tearing apart her father’s body saw her. Her father’s blood and the dogs’ saliva mixed and dripped from their flesh-covered lips.

Those fangs aimed at her.

Herila wanted to scream, wanted to shout something, wanted to tell them she wasn’t afraid to die.

But fear had completely gripped her, slowly grinding through her bones, tearing her flesh.

She couldn’t control herself anymore. She stopped, trembling, unable to take another step.

No, I’m brave. I’ll trade my life for my sister’s.

I’m brave.

Herila thought desperately, but as if her bravery and pride were pierced through, the dogs, drooling, turned and ran—

Ran towards her house.

No!!! Her sister!!! Laysa!! No!!

Herila wanted to run.

She wanted to save her sister.

She had to save her sister!!!

She had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her mother she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister she had to save her sister

She couldn’t save anyone.

She had lost everything she could rely on.

She had no reason to live.

Her life was a meaningless void.

She had never achieved anything.

She had never accomplished anything.

She was merely alive, then died, meaningless and worthless.

It’s okay, Herila, everyone dies.

It’s okay.

Tears and snot covered her face.

Herila felt like she was breaking down, like she had gone mad.

She desperately knelt, her hands clutching her face, tears blinding her vision.

Nothing mattered anymore.

She didn’t care about anything.

Come eat me, come tear me apart.

I’m just a useless waste, without the courage to protect my sister.

She was tired.

She gave up.

But she didn’t hear her sister’s screams.

The sound of blades slicing through flesh, the dogs’ wailing, dull thuds—

Herila couldn’t understand any of it. She continued to cry desperately.

“Don’t cry.”

A hand reached out, gently taking her hands away, carefully wiping her tears and snot.

“Your sister isn’t dead, go comfort her.”

“Stop crying. We’ve killed those dogs.”

The violent crying made Herila still sob uncontrollably.

She looked up.

The young man holding her crying sister had his face covered by a gas mask, but he was smiling.

Backlit, the white light outlined his figure.

The man squatted down, holding a sickle in his other hand.

“You were brave, you are trying to attract the dogs’ attention to protect your sister, right?”

“Brave girl, join us. Let’s protect our loved ones together.”

“By the way, I’m Hades, a Death Guard.”

This is the story before Herila joined the Death Guards.

This is also the story of Herila finding hope again.