[Warning: Gore and adult content. Read at your own risk.]
Chapter 2: Accursed Birthday Gift
Beast World―a land of primal instincts and untamed wilderness, where survival is the only law. A rugged and unforgiving territory in the middle of the cosmos appointed in the middle stratum of the Stellar Bridge, a cluster of stars that holds various notable worlds connected through the distinct planetary systems derived from the entire cosmos' Stellar System―the one responsible for sending females from one world to another.
This planet was filled with dense forests, towering mountains, vast plains, and deep blue unearthed oceans―a paradise for the beast kind.
The air is thick with a distinct scent of bloodshed. A grisly aftermath left behind by the brutal nature of countless beasts, committing necessary massacres to persist and outlive grave dangers.
However, during winter, the Beast World transforms into a frozen wasteland, washing away the stench that sullied its sphere, a paradise lost in gore.
The winter in the mountains is particularly harsh for the dwelling beasts and beastmen alike. It was characterized by freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall causing countless deaths due to extreme hunger and chill. The landscape is blanketed in snow, with the cold air biting at exposed skin. The wind howls, creating a haunting and eerie atmosphere that echoes across the trees.
Despite the seeming dangers of winter, it was a season of peace for the denizens of this world. Beneath the frozen surface, the fiercest beasts of the land lie idle in restraint, hidden away to persist against the extreme condition ensued by the power of nature.
Beyond the treacherous threat of the big eaters, the opportunity to conquer naturally falls under the small fishes. Thus, the chance of capturing females who were tragically sent out haphazardly in the cold region of Ilhu Mountains fell under the hands of anthropomorphic creatures, and savage beasts― the ill-fated Kuris.
After being transported to the Beast World, Atasha found herself at the mouth of a troll's cave, one of the malicious Kuri creatures residing in the perilous peak of the Ilhu Mountains including orcs, goblins, and many others.
Just as Atasha busily plans for her escape after witnessing the troll's savagery, the said monster coincidentally, caught a whiff of the subtle sweet scent that her pheromones produced causing it to stop chomping down the leg of an earth boar in its hand.
The troll licked the corner of its charred lips before pulling his massive shaft away from the captive female's swollen genitalia, pushing her aside after losing interest in continuing.
Using its relatively huge snouts and wide-open nostrils, the troll tried to sniff off the source of the familiar scent.
Maybe due to the strong breeze, the scent was all over the place. Still, the creature excitedly pictured the licentious scenes once he had two healthy females to accommodate his insatiable lust.
***
Atasha gasped in panic when she saw the shadow of the creature coming closer to her. She anxiously rose to her feet and sprinted off the exit.
There's no way she'll wait for her demise. Atasha aimlessly runs towards the snow-covered woods while trembling both in fear and cold.
The troll's pointy ears perked up and picked up the sound of her footsteps. It took its club before it stormed out facing the strong gust of wind and snow without any sort of preparation.
Trolls are beasts known for their stupid and lascivious nature. Unlike land beasts that crawl or walk on all fours, their two legs and irregular enormous build make them dull and slow-moving.
With a loud thumping sound, the forest floor shook as the troll sluggardly paced after its prey. Every step the creature makes leaves a huge footprint beneath the white snow that covers the mountains.
The pile of snow made it hard for Atasha to move. The harsh cold air sent shivers all over her body, but she didn't want to stop moving. For her, it's better to die in the cold than to be that monster's pet sleeve!
As her wet rugged snicker sinks into the snow, the sound of the creep's heavy footsteps follows behind her. Maybe it was due to adrenaline that she was able to still think through her survival instinct.
Atasha was slow and not sporty, but she liked watching random documentaries on Geo-Nat and Y-TV. That's why when she saw a plank of wood, she immediately grabbed it and stood aboard.
However, owing to its pair of long uneven legs, the troll managed to catch up with her in no time. A swift and big swing of its upper extremities allowed the troll to throw its club with a compelling force aiming at the escaping lass. The large bone of an unknown creature was violently sent flying towards the girl.
Fortunately, by a stroke of luck, Atasha was able to duck and evade it in time. The huge bone dashed like a lightning rod and collided with several trees, sweeping the cold forest clean of bald tree trunks that caused the snow to dust around creating a pinpoint flushed avalanche that almost buried her alive.
Atasha swallowed a mouthful of air somewhat grateful for her oh-so-little-straw-of-luck for not being hit by that thing and roughly making it out of the freezing ground thanks to the troll's club that ended up being pinned deep on the snow field after knocking down the dead trees.
"Roar!"
The troll bellowed after missing the mark and tried to jump on her but half of its body was buried in the snow. It continued to roar unwittingly while its arms clawed in front trying to reach her.
Before it could free itself from the ground and do something to her, Atasha pushed the large tree trunk, that was drawn to her during the snowslide, out of the pile of snow and hopped on it cleverly, gliding down to escape.
Once again, the Kuri roared when it noticed the girl drifting away but could not do anything due to the snow that bound him. It shrieked violently like a disoriented pig, but it was useless. Finally, after a while, the witless troll exhausted itself from all the screaming and flopped on the forest floor. However, he was doomed to break. Behind him were several pairs of chilling, cold-blooded embers― the eyes of a true predator.
*Shwaaash!
*Crunch!
---
"O-ooohh brrrsh! Ah! Pishhaap!!!" (Oh gosh! Ah! Please stop!)
Atasha who just escaped her doomed, could only pray that something would block the trunk that is now sliding down at a rapid speed. Her lips and cheeks quiver from the chilly breeze, brushing through her gums and even starting to freeze her saliva as we speak. She continued to slide down the snow at a very high speed with zero visibility and got whacked by the branches of trees.
"A-aaw! Aww! Fu—ouch!"
The loud beating of her chest from when she arrived at the troll's cave up to here was comparable to the drumrolls during the Olympics.
Perhaps the only consolation she has is the fact that she can no longer hear the angry roars of that monster. Not knowing it had died an unnatural death, Atasha was quite relieved that she was able to outrun that creep.
Shortly afterward, the sound of rushing water entered the girl's ears. She was left in panic as the sound grew more evident.
"Did the waters here not freeze yet!?"
She doesn't know how to swim and even if she does, if she ever falls into the water, she will surely die due to hypothermia.
Atasha picked up a dried scattered tree branch and stuck it to the ground to slow down her speed. However, it snapped in half before it could become useful.
It wasn't that long before the surging water current greeted her eyes, reflecting the bright twin full moons. The steep descent of the river over a rocky ledge made her gulp and laugh witless.
"T-that's a freaking large waterfall right there. Ha-ha-ha!" The trembling lass feels like she's about to lose it.
Scared for her life, Atasha could no longer delay and jumped off to her right before the wood fell into the raging current. Her heart was racing in fear and panic after diving into the snow.
"This is a mess! A freaking mess!" She wallowed in tears as her body swooned in defeat on the cold and wet ground while breathing heavily. All her frustrations and exhaustion burnt through her in an instant.
What kind of luck does she have to be sent to this place?
Ultimately, she never wished to participate in some kind of shady selection. She just wanted to live a normal life in a normal place! Atasha railed that the only people who are convinced of some kind of made-up fantasy are those who can't keep up with their lives.
Isn't religion made for them to have an object for their faith in the hope that someone is out there to save them? She's too tired to believe in miracles! She already lost everything to have any sliver of faith left in her!
Now what?
Is it because she had already gone down the drain, that's why she's being punished by being sent to this hellhole? Atasha starts kicking her feet and hitting the ground in anger.
"I was already satisfied with what I have! I wasn't even bothering you by praying and hoping that you would help me up while I'm at my lowest!"
Atasha was quickly reminded of the life she had to suffer for almost two years and painstakingly picking up the shattered pieces of her soul.
"I already managed to survive―alone! I didn't want any of this! So, why do you have to take me here? What, just to torment me again until I plead for your mercy that won't ever come?"
Screams of resentment were cast towards the moon where the Goddess that her world serves hails from. And apparently, the only one witnessing her pitiful situation.
"It's always unfair. You're always so unfair!"
Atasha suddenly remembers the events before coming here. The suspicious 'grading' of females and the two obvious different paths. She couldn't help but feel aggrieved.
"I bet those girls have it better. If not, then why the fuck is there a need for a quality control?"
Atasha is not stupid and she's particularly sensitive when it comes to something discriminatory. She had been played for a fool and taken for granted because of her appearance. After experiencing so many bad things due to her looks, Atasha had become apprehensive about this sort of thing.
"I already suffered a lot in Blue Planet because I wasn't pretty, are you telling me that I was thrown off in Monster World because I'm not cut out to be in a fairytale even just as a pauper?" She laughed sarcastically before covering her face with her freezing hands.
"Just why! Why am I sent to this forsaken place?"
The girl was bawling her eyes when her stomach decided to chime in.
Grooowl―
"You could've given me something to eat but I was the one you served to be eaten by a monster instead! Shit!" The girl complained as she cried under the moonlight's watch with an empty stomach.
"I wasn't even able to get a taste of the cake I painstakingly lined up for after saving up!" She suddenly remembers the days that she had to endure not having snacks just to save up for the strawberry cake that she always wanted to try. After so much trouble, here she is, racing with death in an unknown land!
*Dadadada~Dada~!
*Dadadada~ Dada~!
(SFX: birthday tone)
Out of nowhere, the sound of the alarm she set on her phone rang and echoed throughout the forest. When she checked it, there was even a note saying it was her birthday. This made her sobbing even worse.