Chapter 81: The Proposal

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Proposal

Fluffy looked at the elf.

At her closed eyes. At her waiting face. At her surrendered posture.

Then Fluffy smiled.

She walked toward her. Her footsteps were soft on the broken stone. She stopped in front of her. She reached out.

And patted her head.

The elf’s eyes snapped open. Her body tensed. She stared at Fluffy. At her small hand. At her gentle touch.

"What..." she whispered. "What are you doing?"

Fluffy tilted her head. "Fluffy is patting your head."

"I know that. But why?"

"Because you are sad. And patting makes sad people feel better."

The elf stared at her. Her eyes were wide. Confused. Disbelieving.

"You... you’re patting my head," she said. "After what I did. After I tried to kill you. After I insulted your master."

Fluffy nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

Fluffy sat down in front of her. She crossed her legs. She looked at the elf. Her eyes were bright. Innocent.

"Because you apologized," Fluffy said. "You said sorry. You know what you did was bad. That is good."

The elf blinked. "That’s... that’s it?"

"Fluffy understands."

"Understands what?"

"Hating humans."

The elf was silent.

"Fluffy used to hate humans," Fluffy said. "Fluffy was slave. Fluffy was beaten. Fluffy was hurt. Fluffy hated humans. Fluffy hated everyone."

She paused.

"But then Fluffy met Master. Master was kind. Master was good. Master saved Fluffy. Master gave Fluffy meat and head pats. Master made Fluffy happy."

The elf listened. Her eyes were wet.

"Fluffy knows not all humans are good," Fluffy continued. "Fluffy knows some humans are bad. But Fluffy also knows some humans are good. Master is good."

The elf wiped her eyes. "You’re lucky," she said. "To have found someone good."

Fluffy nodded. "Fluffy is lucky."

She looked at the elf. At her sad face. At her tired eyes. At her broken spirit.

"Fluffy has proposal," she said.

The elf blinked. "A proposal?"

"Yes."

"What proposal?"

Fluffy leaned forward. Her ears perked up. Her tail wagged.

"You are going to die," she said. "In a week. Maybe less."

The elf winced. "Yes."

"So why not come with Fluffy?"

The elf stared at her. "What?"

"Come with Fluffy. Meet Master. Play with Fluffy and Master and pretty lady Lyra. Have fun. Eat meat. Get head pats."

The elf’s mouth fell open. "You... you want me to come with you?"

"Yes."

"After everything I did?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Fluffy tilted her head. "Because you are sad. And lonely. And you have no one. Fluffy knows what that feels like."

The elf was silent.

"Fluffy was alone once," Fluffy said. "Fluffy had no one. Fluffy was scared. Fluffy was hurt. But then Master came. Master saved Fluffy. Master gave Fluffy family."

She looked at the elf. Her eyes were bright.

"Fluffy wants to give you family too."

The elf stared at her. Her eyes were wide. Her lips were parted. Her hands were trembling.

"You don’t even know my name," she whispered.

Fluffy blinked. "What is your name?"

The elf laughed. A wet, broken laugh. Tears streamed down her face.

"Spicy," she said with a flushed face. "My name is Spicy."

Fluffy smiled. "Spicy. Pretty name."

"Thank you."

Fluffy stood up. She held out her hand.

"Come," she said. "Let’s go find Master."

Spicy looked at her hand. At her small fingers. At her determined face.

"I’m going to die," she said. "In a week."

"Fluffy knows."

"I’ll be a burden."

"Fluffy does not care."

"I tried to kill you."

"Fluffy forgives you."

Spicy stared at her. Her eyes were wet. Her heart was pounding. Her mind was racing.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Fluffy smiled. A warm, gentle smile.

"Because Master taught Fluffy kindness," she said. "And Fluffy wants to share it."

Fluffy reached out. Her hand trembled. She took Fluffy’s hand.

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay. I’ll come."

Fluffy’s tail wagged in a way a bunny girl tail those. Her ears perked up. She pulled spicy to her feet.

"Good," she said. "Let’s go."

---

POV Switch: Daniel

Daniel stood in the middle of the street.

His shadow clones were gone. All fifty of them. Destroyed. Scattered. Erased.

The elf stood across from him. His monster army surrounded him. Ten monsters. All hideous. All regenerating. All obedient.

Daniel was calm. He was smiling.

"You’re impressive," the elf said. "For a human."

Daniel shrugged. "I know."

"But you’re out of shadows. Out of clones. Out of options."

Daniel’s smile widened. "Am I?"

The elf frowned. "What?"

Daniel placed his hand on the ground. He closed his eyes. He focused.

"I have always wanted to say this," he said.

He opened his eyes. They were dark. Shadowy. Glowing.

"Arise."

The ground shook. The shadows swirled. The darkness gathered.

One hundred shadow clones rose from the ground.

They were all Daniel. All identical. All dark. All obedient.

The elf’s eyes widened. His mouth fell open.

"What..." he whispered. "What is this?"

Daniel didn’t answer. He blended with his clones. He disappeared from view.

The elf looked around. He couldn’t see Daniel. He couldn’t sense him. He was surrounded by shadows.

"Destroy," Daniel’s voice echoed.

The clones attacked.

They swarmed the monsters. They slashed. They bit. They clawed. They overwhelmed.

The elf’s monsters fought back. They roared. They swung. They crushed. But there were too many. Too many clones. Too many shadows.

Daniel watched from the shadows. His eyes were cold. Calculating.

He had a plan. A simple plan. Eliminate the core of the threat. The elf himself.

He turned to shadow. He blended with the darkness. He moved through the shadows. Silent. Invisible.

He appeared behind the elf. From the elf’s own shadow.

The elf didn’t notice. He was too focused on the clones. Too focused on the battle.

Daniel reached out. Shadowy hands grabbed the elf’s arms. His legs. His body. They held him still.

The elf gasped. He struggled. He couldn’t move.

"What—" he started.

Daniel stabbed.

His blade pierced the elf’s heart. The elf’s eyes widened. His mouth opened. Blood poured from his lips.

Daniel removed the blade. The elf fell. He collapsed onto the ground. He didn’t move.

Daniel stood over him. His breathing was heavy. His body was tired.

"Finally," he muttered.

Then something happened.

The monsters were still alive.

Daniel’s eyes widened. He looked at them. At their moving forms. At their attacking bodies. At their regenerating wounds.

They were still fighting. Still killing his clones. Still alive.

Daniel’s heart stopped.

"What..." he whispered. "What is this?"

The elf on the ground moved.

He pushed himself up. His wound was gone. His heart was healed. His smile was back.

He looked at Daniel. His eyes were cold. Amused.

"If only Master was around to see your face," he said.

He laughed. A cold, cruel laugh.

"Hehehehe."

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[space craft = 15 bonus Chapter’s]

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