I was filled with gratefulness toward Feleshia. She was the only person who voided treating me like a beast after meeting me, since Alice my childhood friend. Without judgment she brought me into her home land, talked to me like and friend, and even joined a party with me. In those moments watching over her, as she peacefully slept, I made a decision. I would protect her with my full strength. I wouldn't allow anyone, or anything to take her life. There wasn't much I could do as I watched my mother, and my friends die, but I was regretful of not having the power to protect them. The humans could never capture me again, or it would mean her life as well. Anything that so much as looked at her in a threatening manner would feel my wrath.
As mid day passed, a ray of light barely entered into the cavern. I was now hanging above her head as my stomach began to turn. It felt like someone had tied my guts into a knot, and was pulling it tight. I could barely hold my human form, the beast was emerging from the depths, like a great white as it attacks a seal. I was so focused on containing the devil inside that I almost missed the sounds of clumpy feet cracking twigs outside. "Three, no four", I exclaimed as I took in a wave or air through my nostrils. "Humans!" A demonic toothy smile slithered across my face, just what I needed to cure the twisted feeling in my stomach. Blood, I craved it. The scent it my nose, the sounds of there feet drawing closer and closer, it was exhilarating. They had drew so closely to the cavern that I could hear the very beat of their hearts. I could not wait any longer I had to have a bite. "I have to steer them away from the cavern. If even one of them slips by me and makes it inside, Feleshia is defenseless.", I thought as my began to make for the opening.
I made my exit and shadow stepped around the group, as if I were coming from the river instead of the cavern. There in the midst of the dark trees walked four easy meals. As I came in closer I saw that they were adventurers, probably here to cause trouble for the dark elves. Each one level twenty nine, two males, two females, all tagged with "The Slayers" titles. "Are you lost?", I asked the group as I walked passed a web cover dark wood, directly toward the party. The group took formation the paladin at the head, the casters at the rear, and the assassin in between. They each drew their weapons, and the leader began to speak. "Look guys the idiot is making it easy for us!". The party shared a laugh then fell silent as they watched the devil erupt from within me. The leader rushed towards me and let out a battle cry. His white and blue armor along with his exposed body lit up jade green as the enchanter raised his staff toward the paladin. "Protection!", he shouted. I could see the rogue moving to flank me. I wanted to fend him off, but I couldn't. I was being forced to fight the paladin. My best guess was that the battle cry he let out was taunting me toward him. "No matter.", I silently thought as I punched the paladin in the face, just as his hammer jarred my body. The jade green protection spell shattered, and the paladin was sent flying back to the casters. Between his armor and the enchanter's help he only lost half of his health. Just then I felt two blades pierce my neck, and heard the assassin who was now behind me saying, "venomous fangs". I was pretty sure he poisoned me, but it wouldn't help the parties chances. Between the hammer, the initial stabs to the neck, and the poison I was barely scratched and my health flickered ever so slightly as the poison would damage then get regenerated just as rapidly. "Holy healing", the female priest sang out. The paladins wounds were healing then back to full health he went. Within seconds the team was back to their feet and in formation. "We aren't doing enough damage", the rogue said stating the obvious. "Attack up!, protection!", the enchanter casts one spell on each combat class. The rogue now had a slight red glow, with the paladin glowing the same green as before. They charged forward again. The paladin cried out once more as he charged, "This move again? This is child's play.", I said as I shattered the protection spell once again this time with a straight kick to the chest, the paladin flew back, and I could hear the air being cut through by the daggers behind me. As the daggers swooshed closer to my neck I shadow stepped backward. With me now behind the rogue I grabbed his head with my claw and held him off the ground in front of me. His party watched as his head began to deform. His cries carried through the air for miles, then fell quiet as brain fluid and blood ran down his body. With his head completely crush along with his friends spirits, I bit into his neck and siphoned out every last drop of the sweet crimson nectar. Throwing his body to the side I was now the one laughing. The priestess heeled the paladins wounds again, as he flew into an emotional rage. "No! No! No!", he screamed as he rushed towards me. The enchanter fled, high tailing back toward the human settlement. The priestess was as angry as the paladin, fully committed to my demise. He swung wildly, bashing his hammer into trees, and grass, hitting anything in sight except his target. His hammer came down vertically with full force, as my left knee rose to meet it. The head cracked in half and crashed to the ground. "Holy smite!", the paladin cast his spell in anger. A jolt of white lightning crashed down onto my head, as the paladin went in for a pitiful punch. "Too weak!", I exclaimed as I caught his hand crushing every bone inside it. I jammed my right claw through his stomach, pulled out his intestines, wrapped them around his neck, then specially moved upward hanging him from the dark wood branch above. He squirmed for a moment, but I'm pretty sure it was just his nerves firing off signals before his brain shut down. "Monster!", the young lady priest screamed out. As I made my way over to her she fell to her knees. I explained to her exactly why their party failed. "You were all weak. You didn't have good tactics. The same move twice in a row is foolishness, and worst of all you were overconfident. You thought you were fighting some ignorant beast, when in all reality I could have killed you all without even touching you. I have used no spells, no enhancements, merely raw strength to defeat you.". The girls eyes widened as I drew in close to her. "Allow me to show you what I mean.", I said as the crimson red circles flashed in my eyes. "Walk to the river without stopping. Tie a heavy stone to each of your feet, then drown yourself.". Without a word the girl set out on her final mission.