Chereads / Guardian of the Oracle / Chapter 9 - The Beast Within

Chapter 9 - The Beast Within

Issac sprinted through the dense forest, dodging branches and roots. His only strength was his ability to run. When he first started thieving, he was terrible at it. He would get caught constantly, and that would lead to many run-ins with the Peace Keepers. They would chase him and shake him down every time something was reported stolen. He clenched his fists and quickened his pace, remembering how they treated him.

Don't blame the thief, blame the society that created him. He thought he could have made an honest living for himself if the circumstances were different. If there were less greed and corruption in this world. Everything was a rich man's trick: politics, currency, war. All devised by them so they could keep power. So they could have the best life had to offer, only for themselves. He had seen it with his own eyes.

He stopped on the trail, leaning against a nearby tree. His breath came in ragged gasps. Sweat stung his eyes and soaked his shirt. It all had to stop, he thought. If it didn't, he would rather live away from society for the rest of his life.

As he was getting ready to start running again, smoke rose from the ground about five feet away from him. The wind howled and the Watcher materialized before him. He threw something into the air, and Issac instinctively caught it. It was the small bag he was holding when he had taken his walk in the woods. Before he came here, it had been the last thing he had stolen. It seemed to have something in it. The feeling of it through the bag told him that it wasn't inside before.

He untied the bag and dumped the contents onto his palm. It looked like the grip of a knife. He pondered over it as he moved it around in his hand. Maybe a hilt of some kind?

"What is this?" he asked as he looked back up towards the watcher. He was gone, no sight of him could be found. At that moment, he heard a piercing howl, followed by the sounds of growling.

He turned towards the sound. Through the trees and on top of a small hill, he could see the beast. A wolf the size of a bear. It started to slowly move towards him, its head hung low as if stalking its prey. He was too scared to move a muscle. As it got closer, he could see its piercing red eyes. Its mouth opened as it growled, revealing many sharp yellow canines.

Issac tried to sound calm as he said, "Good doggy, nice doggy." He looked around slowly for something, anything that could be used as a weapon. The beast howled again, making him jump. Issac lost his balance and fell on his backside. The wolf seized this opportunity and charged at him. It leaped into the air, its mouth wide open, ready to devour him.

He thrust his arm out in front of him by reflex. He knew he had no chance of stopping its attack. The wolf pounced on him, biting into his arm. He felt the bone snap and blood gush over his chest and face. He screamed in agony, a sound he had never heard himself make. Was this the end? He pounded his other hand into its side, using the hilt he struggled to get the wolf to release him. The beast didn't budge, though. It stayed on top of him and shook its head violently from side to side. It was going to rip his arm off. He panicked. His vision started to blur.

"I'll kill you!" he shouted with all his strength, putting everything into one final blow. He aimed at the animal's throat. He felt a slight burning sensation on the back of his hand, as the covenant seal began to glow bright blue. The hilt then emitted a jet black aura of light, and out of it came a blood red blade. It was the size of a dagger and slightly curved. The blade seemed to move as if it wasn't solid. The dagger pierced through the neck of the beast. It yelped and let go of his arm. The wolf thrashed about in a panic, not understanding where this unbearable pain was coming from.

Issacs head slowly rose, he saw that the blood spilling from the wound didn't fall on the ground. Instead, it seemed to be drawn to the dagger. The drops of blood seemed to levitate and move into the blade. As the beast tried to run, the drops of blood turned into a river. Faster and faster it flowed into the dagger, until the beast had no more strength to move. It collapsed fifteen feet away, motionless. Dead.

Issac fainted.