Broken down door, collapsed ceilings, and burns that stained the piles of rubble. It looked exactly how I pictured it would. Walking in through where the front doors once were, I looked at the spiral stairs that now folded in on themselves. Wooden planks poked out like spears while ornaments that decorated the walls, now laid on the floor. Torn spotted wallpaper and a family portrait that now only had a hole in it.
I pictured myself running down the stairs into my mother's arms. Her ghostly figure, replaced with a a burnt body of charcoal. You wouldn't even be able to recognise her, if not for the blue ring on her right hand. My emotions in great disarray, I merely stared down at her. The tears unable to form. Your mother's in front of you, dead on the ground. What are you even supposed to do in such a situation.
A part on me hoped that she had escaped, that she was safe somewhere. The other knowing full well that such a scene was all that awaited me.
I pulled off her ring, stashing it in my pocket. Standing up, I walked around. My hands traced the walls as my walk became increasingly unsteady. Blood decorated the once tidy walls. The stench of rotting corpses and iron plaguing my nose.
It was difficult to walk among the rubble and bodies.
A humanoid creature with dark skin and multiple long arms, crouched over one of the many bodies. It's face devoid of any characteristic, other than its large mouth with large razor sharp teeth.
Bones cracking and loud squelching, it certainly was enjoying its meal.
The creature twitched. It's head quickly turning in my direction. It's jaw covered in blood that stretched all the way to its chest. It smiled eerily.
I ran. Picking up a few rocks, I chucked them at the monster. They merely bounced off him, like pieces of paper. Right, left- below the pillar...
The beast collided with the walls on several occasions, especially at the wide turns. Some previously still standing walls, couldn't help but tumble down upon the impact.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit- run you son of a bitch, RUN!", I screamed at my legs.
It's steps grew louder and louder. I couldn't outrun him for much longer-
"SHIT".
The beast scratched my ankle and I fell to the floor. My sword falling out of reach. I dragged myself to the one thing that dictated whether I would live or die. Just a little closer... Yes!
The monster lunged at me, mouth wide and ready to bite my head off. Unsheathing my sword, I immediately turned around. I pulled the blade to its mouth, pushing against the jaws that were so close to crushing me. Though this effort seemed more futile than anything. My eyes widened in horror as it pulled back 3 arms ready to claw me to shreds.
*Bang*
Dark Crimson blood oozed out of its skull, running down its face and dripping onto mine. A brief second persisted before a loud cry of pain. The monster shook uncontrollably, though it had still not fallen yet. Rising to its feet, the beast glared to the surroundings, trying to locate the insolent being that cause him this pain.
3 more shots were fired as the monster drew closer, each step slowing its movement as the bullets penetrated it's skin, till finally- it collapsed.
I couldn't see the man at first. The tall frame had blocked my vision of him. Though now that the creature was on the floor, I could finally see my saviour.
A tall man in a large coat that looked like bear skin, long black hair, and a scar that stretched across his face, pulled his gun back in its holster.
Our eyes locked for a moment, before he began to walk away.
"You're just gonna leave me here? I can't walk you know!", I shouted in surprise.
He kept walking.
I grunted to the stinging pain in my ankle, the pain only getting worse as I moved. I used the walls as support to hop my way over to follow him.
"Why are you here?", I asked. "Did you know my parents or perhaps one of the servants?"
He walked over to a thin plank. He snapped it in half as if it were nothing.
"Here", he handed it to me.
"Oh, thank you", I replied, taking it off his hands and using it as support.
He reached over into his pocket and pulled out a single copper coin, putting it in my hands, "Now leave me alone".
"I'M NOT A BEGGAR!", I glared at him, a vein almost bursting out my forehead.
For a second, he looked genuinely confused.
Though he soon got back to walking away without saying anything. He really started to get on my nerves. But, deep breaths. It's going to be ok, he saved your life; be grateful.
We soon arrived outside.
"Yo Scott", a woman called out to the man in front of me, waving her arm. Her eyes looked surprised when she saw me, "Who's the kid?".
Scott said nothing as he surveyed the surrounding area, walking even further away from me. Like what did I even do to him, I'm not gonna bite you know?
Her eyes glanced at the plank in my hands and then to my bloody ankle, "You're really worthless Scott".
He flinched at her remark.
She ushered me towards herself, gesturing toward a large stone, "Sit".
She pulled out some bandages and a strange jar from her leather bag.
She opened the jar, "You want a whiff, it smells nice".
I was weirded out by her proposal, but I didn't want to be rude.
"UGH! THAT REEKS!", I shouted as I pinched my nose shut. And yet I couldn't get that revolting smell out of my nose.
"Hahahahahahaha", she laughed at me. "Smells bad doesn't it? Don't worry, it'll go away in a minute. It's an ointment, it'll help you heal quicker".
"My name is Issola", she added. "Nice to meetcha".
"I'm Ford".
Her hands wrapped around the clawed and bloody wound. I hissed as I felt a severe sensation. I just had to persist.
"Did you find Roderick?", she asked Scott.
"He's gone", he muttered in a deep rumble.
"You know my father?", I asked surprised. "And what do you mean he's gone?".
"Oh, you're his son, then It's better if Scott tells you. But first we need to go, it's not safe here", her eyes looked to Scott.
Judging by how Scott had so easily killed that monster, I wondered what there was to even worry about. I think it was called a reaper, once appearing in Miss Shelby's lesson... Now that I think about it, I don't think I saw her in there.
The two walked in front as I somewhat lagged behind.
*snarl*
"Huh", I looked to the bushes and snow from where I had heard the sound.
"What's the hold up?", Issola asked as she noticed me stop.
"Nothing", I shook my head. It was probably just an animal or the wind
The journey to town would take a few days. Not that it was very far, it was more so because of the difficulty I faced with walking.
I felt bad for slowing them down. But it was nice having their company when I no longer had any.
- - - - -
The night grew thick as the light from the fire and that which it illuminated could be seen. The moon was not out. And so it was much darker than usual.
*snap*
"What was that?", Issola looked towards Scott and then to the origin of the sound.
She walked toward the disturbance.
The next second, her body was flung to a tree. Accompanied by a loud thud and the sound of falling snow, I looked back to the place from where she was thrown.
What emerged behind the shadows was a werewolf, though it was much larger with dark grey fur and black markings.
"It's a High-Class!", Scott shouted to Issola.