A monstrous chicken with red, green, and black feathers went charging through the village. It scratched apart a nearby shed and pecked the roof into smithereens with it's terrifying beak. Villagers ran around, screaming.
A few of the men approached the monster with pitchforks.
They surrounded the monster, backing it up against a wall. One of the villagers gave a signal as a net dropped down from the top of the wall.
As the monster struggled under the net, the men with pitchforks stake down the net, trapping the chicken.
The monster tried to peck at the net, but the villagers had it trapped. Realizing the uselessness of struggling, The monster's eyes were full of fear and terror as a memory flashed through its mind. A name. Its name. Marley. But it wasn't Marley anymore.
The monster screeched in a futile attempt as tears spilled down its eyes.
༻✧༺
Beniter rode a horse as he galloped through the woods. His sister's words echoed through his mind;
"Beniter, you have to inform lord Delrik that the castle is under attack. We'll send him another message as soon as we're safe. Don't fail."
"I won't," Beniter had replied.
Tilda had hugged her brother, saying, "Be safe."
Beniter hugged her back, and said, "You too."
Then he grabbed a horse and started his journey.
When he finally reached the clearing near the lake, the sky was dark with brooding clouds.
Beniter covered his mouth in horror at what he saw. He mumbled, "Oh no. Lord Delrik…"
༻✧༺
The monstrous Ferris arrived at the basement and delivered Cosaria and Tilda to the feet of Lord Grysle.
Tilda crawled over to Cosaria and held her, asking, "Cosaria, are you okay?"
Cosaria said, "Yes, I'm alright."
"Tender," Lord Grysle snarled.
Glaring at Grysle, Tilda said, "Lord Delrik and Felux are on their way here right now."
"Oh, I hope so," Grysle said, "Though maybe not in the way you think. You see, it turns out that they fell right into my trap."
Cosaria whimpered, "What did you do to them?"
༻✧༺
Beniter watched the scene from the woods. Men dropped like flies as a barrage of quill spikes launched towards them from a giant monstrous hedgehog. The monster was as tall as a watchtower and as black as demon water.
With flared nostrils, the monster's eyes fixed on Delrik, its target. With the monster distracted, Felux sliced at its right paw. Furious and reeling in pain, the creature shook is quills and launched them towards Felux.
Felux held up a big shield, but it didn't cover him completely from the wall of quills he was faced with. While his vitals were covered, Felux flinched in pain from the quills impaling themselves in one of his legs.
Seeing his top commander hurt, Delrik cried, "Felux! Stand down!"
This beast was far bigger than any threat they'd faced before.
Felux ignored Delrik and continued to face the beast. If he couldn't defeat this beast, no one could.
The monster swiped one of its paws at Felux and the men who came to back him up. All the knights, except the unlucky ones, dropped to the ground and dodged the swipe. Prone on the ground, the men remaining were left fully exposed to be stepped on by the monster's foot.
Just before the monster stepped down and crushed Felux and the knights, Delrik stabbed the beast. The beast screeched in pain then turned on Delrik.
The beast turned tried to swipe at the young Duke. Delrik dodged then immediately countered with a painful slice at the leg Felux had already wounded, deepening the gash.
Blind with rage, the monster turned, bit Delrik, and tossed him away like a rag doll in its mouth.
Shrieking in pain, Delrik dropped, limp on the ground.
Felux was back on his feet, his unstable leg bleeding. He yelled, "Delrik!!!"
Delrik's body began convulsing as ashy mist burst from his flaring cursed body.
For a moment, Delrik locked eyes with Felux. In those eyes, Felux could clearly see the fear Delrik tried so hard to hide. He was terrified. They both were.
In a whisper that only Felux could understand, not from hearing it, but from years of fighting besides each other, from years of being best friends. From years of brotherhood, Delrik said, "Please, kill me now. Hurry. Before it's too late."
Felux understood Delrik's plea. But he couldn't move.
Felux watched as Delrik transformed into a giant beastly monster. Delrik's hands became paws with razor sharp claws. His back grew thick, sleek black fur and a protruding smooth tail. His face turned into a muzzle as whiskers and sharp teeth replaced his once handsome features. He roared, the mighty voice of a giant monstrous black panther.
The panther turned its hunter's instincts on the hedgehog. It pounced and slashed at the hedgehog with its deadly claws.
The hedgehog dodged the attacks and tried to launch a quill attack.
The panther jumped just in time, dodging the quills and landing with grace. Pouncing on the hedgehog, the panther pinned the beast on its belly.
Then the panther bit the hedgehog's neck and ripped the skin and blood away in a gory arc.
In seconds, the battle was over. The monster hedgehog was dead.
The panther growled and shook its head, as if confused. Breathing heavily, it flashed its golden eyes over the carnage. As if in reaction to the scene, it ran into the woods, moving towards the Arquix castle.
Beniter had seen Delrik transform but stayed far enough away from the action to be able to think logically about it. Once the coast seemed clear, Beniter ran towards Felux.
Felux hobbled towards the direction the panther went as he tripped and fell.
Beniter said, "Sir Felux!"
Felux turned, saying, "Beniter?"
"The castle is under attack."
"Pull the quills from my leg."
"But-"
"Do it!"
Beniter began plucking out the quills as Felux chomped down on a dirty fabric saying, "ARG!"
Felux applied pressure to the wound and said, "Help me wrap it."
Ripping his tunic, Beniter handed some fabric to Felux as Felux began wrapping his leg.
Felux said, "Help me stand."
Beniter helped Felux stand up.
Felux said, "We have to get to the castle."
"But, your leg…"
"It's fine. We don't have time."
Beniter glanced up then said, "Wait."
"What're you…?"
Beniter ran off for a moment before returning with a horse.
Felux said, "Good eyes."
Beniter said, "What about Delrik?"
"He's heading towards the castle. It'll be us to stop him."