The beggar did not answer Macey’s question but he did frown heavily, shaking his head and clasping his hardened and dirty hands over his eyes. It was probably obvious to guess what had happened to the pour soul. Fate was against him, as it was to all denizens of the World of Wasted Dreams. And yet, Akemi alone decided to defy fate and show the man compassion.

"Ut absolutam gratiam tuam...ut absolutam gratiam tuam...""

The old man let out what appeared to be a whispy gasp as Akemi stepped forward to deliver unto him some much appreciated food. He listened to her words and managed a crooked smile towards her, the remains of his teeth hanging loosely in his small maw. Yes, this sacrifice of hers would not go in vain. Shuffling over to the left side of the road in his rags, he quickly guided himself along towards the village of Iredele.

However, it seemed that fate was dealing nothing but cruel hands on this day. As the group of Hunters was turned away from the beggar, the forces of the night chose that moment to strike. A piercing screech broke in the air, the sound reminiscent of two bones being harshly grated against one another. If the Hunters looked back they’d see that the man was seen no more in a flurry of black and white.

They looked like oversized, rotting ravens. That was probably the best way to describe them. They were at least three times the size of any regular raven, their feathers slicked with some sort of black, oily substance. Their ribcages showed, revealing pale white bones that led down to form razored claws at the end of each foot. In place of a bird’s head was in fact a clacking human skull and its body ended with a long, bony tail with a snarling bird’s skull screeching at the end of it. 

They had waited for the Hunters to pass before striking to kill the old fool that was condemned to die. And yet, the beggar was not dead. An impossible sight was being witnessed, as the man was fighting back with what seemed to be renewed strength and increased fortitude. It would seem that Akemi’s kindness had done something for the man’s conscience and he refused to die so easily like other prey before him.

Fate had certainly been changed. Perhaps he would have fallen in despair and been killed instantly had the Hunters turned away from him? No one could say for sure. What could be said though was that the man chose survival over acceptance of death. But life could only sustain for so long. If the Hunters waited any longer, than the man’s second chance would go to waste and he would surely die.