Daisuke slowly rose to his feet, his pulse thundering in his veins at Reginald's ominous words. For a moment, the transmutation circle and the abomination it sculpted didn't matter. All he could think about was the wretched fate that awaited him and the others because they stepped out of line.
"I was fully aware of your deception from the very beginning," confessed Reginald with a wicked smile. "But I didn't mind; what intrigued me was the mysterious aura you exuded—it was like you were an enigma, some sort of anomaly.
You thought you were taking advantage of me, but I'm afraid it was quite the other way around. I had a hunch that keeping you close would somehow lead to a breakthrough in my work. And," he grinned widely as a feral and menacing roar echoed from the materializing monster, "it seems I was correct."
The man's final set of words entered Daisuke's ears in an undertone as he sprinted out the door and down the long corridor.
Reginald, on the other hand, had no room for fear. He felt nothing but gratification for his creation and was reassured that the master-slave dynamic woven into the transmutation formula would win him complete fealty of the chimera. A hearty chuckle erupted from his throat, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for the impending cataclysm he was destined to unleash upon the royal capital.
"Yes! I've finally done it! You're the culmination of centuries' worth of blood, sweat, and research! Now I'll finally be able to show them! I'll let them regret the day they decided to tarnish my family's honor!"
Standing at an imposing height of over two meters, the grotesque, humanoid creation loomed over its ecstatic creator. Its visage resembled an unfathomable abyss while a pair of blazing red eyes seethed with tangible fury. Whether fueled by the malice of Reginald's mother, the collective loathing of his young victims, or simply driven by the instincts of a mindless beast, the abomination surged toward its maker in a grisly assault.
Reginald's breath caught in his throat as he was forcefully knocked to the ground, pinned beneath the weight of a massive, spiny arm. Razor-sharp claws gradually tore into his flesh, piercing skin and muscle as the fiend exerted relentless pressure.
"Keuuugh!" Reginald cried out in dismay. "Wh-what do you think you're doing, you fool?! I created you! I'm your master, so why aren't you obeying me?! Uwwaahhhk!"
A blood-curdling scream erupted from his throat as two rows of deadly teeth clamped down around his arm. With a wrenching pull of its thick, elongated neck, the limb began to tear at the elbow, sending waves of mind-shattering pain coursing through Reginald's body. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he writhed in agony, his bulging eyes reflecting a maze of veins.
CRICK-CRACK!
The bone suddenly shattered, followed by the sickening sound of muscles, tendons, veins, flesh, and skin tearing apart like plastic. A geyser of blood erupted forth, baptizing the monster in a bitter twist of fate.
Unyielding lines of terror and anguish creased Reginald's face as he frantically clutched the injured arm, attempting to stem the gushing blood. His complexion paled as he peered into the dark abyss of the creature's maw, watching in horror as its blood-smeared teeth tore the limb to shreds before it disappeared down its throat. Then the beast let out a hiss, fiery eyes locked onto the remaining arm of its squirming prey.
"Hiiiick!" Reginald squealed like a pig.
All of a sudden, the beast snapped its head to the side. A reptilian tail armed with spikes shot out like a whip to attack an uninvited guest. It let out a pained shriek, however, when the appendage was severed and fell limply to the ground.
"W-Winston!"
At the desperate call, the butler clicked his tongue discreetly. He's lost quite a bit of blood; I need to finish this quickly.
The beast looked on, enraged by the injury while Winston simply smoothed his slick, permed hair back into place, his expression dreary. His unassuming demeanor then transformed into that of a warrior as he unsheathed a long knife concealed within his jacket. Without hesitation, he charged at the monstrous abomination that Reginald's ambitions had brought forth. The clash was fierce, a dance of primal power against calculated precision.
Again and again, without missing a beat, Winston's blade met the armored scales coating the creature's body with a resounding clang—jugular, wrists, solar plexus, knees, and the tendons behind the ankles, but not one attack managed to properly find its mark.
Undeterred, the man's eyes darted across the beast's hulking form, seeking vulnerabilities. A gap caught his attention—a slender opening nestled between the protective plates at the base of the torso.
In a blur, Winston closed the distance again, his long legs propelling him across the room. Striking with a lethal focus, he aimed for the weak point. However, his knife's durability had waned from the previous flurry of attacks.
PINGG!
The blade shattered upon impact against the unyielding leather that sat beneath the scales. Time seemed to stretch as if suspended in a void. In that moment, Winston's fate was sealed. The scattered fragments of stainless steel from the knife, still spiraling mid-flight, reflected his crumbling nonchalance.
The sight of his body being torn asunder shimmered in Reginald's widened eyes, a haunting realization of the consequences of his actions.
Suddenly, the creature's head snapped around, its expression ravenous as it closed in on its unfinished meal. Then, a gut-wrenching scream echoed from the heart of the lab, accompanied by the gruesome sounds of breaking bones and rending flesh.
***
Thousands of miles away, a figure cloaked in shadows stood, extracting his sword from the eye socket of a lifeless corpse. As he stood amidst the aftermath of a bloody battle, a subtle disturbance resonated through the metaphysical vessel of his power, akin to ripples in a bowl.
"...One of my puppets just had its strings severed," he mused with indifference, his gaze casually drifting to the side.
***
Drunken eyes, a perverse smirk, brutish hands—her mind trembled in recollection. Unwelcome words, suffocating closeness, and the blatant disregard of her boundaries and innocence—these haunting memories surged through her mind like an unyielding tempest.
Despite her efforts to quell them, they surged forth with even more intensity, sending shivers of discomfort rippling through her body. Suddenly, amidst the turmoil, a pained scream shattered the silence, jolting Sheba from her nightmarish stupor.
CRASH!
The backdoor of the barn house swung open, unleashing chaos as two guards burst in, their faces contorted in terror. Around them, the residents of the crude dwelling stirred from their slumber, their faces drained of color as the ghastly chorus of bones cracking and flesh tearing echoed through the night.
One guard leaned against the door upon slamming it shut, desperation etched in his features. "You fool!" he barked at the other man. "Quickly, get something to block the—"
BOOOM!
A second explosion echoed, sending shockwaves of panic rippling through the trembling onlookers. A monstrous arm burst through the door, seizing the guard in its deadly grasp and tearing him mercilessly through the splintered wood. As his agonized screams pierced the night, his sword tumbled to the ground, landing amidst the tense gathering of Beastfolk.
The guards' scheme to unleash the chimera upon the slaves and flee during the carnage now appeared nothing but a desperate fantasy. Aware of the folly of their plans, the remaining guard brandished his sword at the approaching beast, its menacing presence creeping closer with each passing moment.
In the midst of his kins' panicked cries, a youth retrieved the sword and leveled it at the snarling creature. Under normal circumstances, the guard would've chained him to a post outside and lashed him in the presence of his people for being in possession of a weapon. But now, facing imminent danger, such distinctions were trivial. Death did not discriminate between races, and the guard knew this all too well.
As another Beastkin frantically scoured for any semblance of a weapon, Feng sprang into action. A single glance told him the odds were firmly stacked against them; opposing the beast wasn't a solution, but simply a distraction.
He clicked his tongue in frustration when he realized that all the horses were paralyzed by fear. Dammit, they're pretty much useless in this state!
"Everyone!" his voice boomed, commanding attention. "Get outside, now!"
Driven by panic, the slaves began to flee, leaving behind the valiant few who stood against the creature. As the building emptied in a panicked frenzy, Sheba's senses suddenly honed in on April's fallen form near the doorway.
Within moments, a flicker of crimson emanated from within the structure, signaling the advancing threat. Sheba's heart quickened, a heady mix of dread and determination coursing through her veins as she reminisced about her mother and siblings.
As her quivering gaze lingered on the helpless child, a silent vow echoed in her mind. She refused to let fear paralyze her again, knowing all too well the consequences of inaction. With a shaky breath, she darted forward, her steps fueled by a newfound resolve.
When she reached April's side, the intensity of the creature's presence loomed closer, its ominous eyes piercing through the darkness. Sheba's pulse raced, her trembling hands reaching out to lift the girl from the ground. Then she cradled the child in her arms, a surge of protective instinct flooding her senses.
Every fiber of her being screamed to escape as she bolted toward the others, yet a gut feeling told her fleeing together was utterly futile. The creature's relentless pursuit echoed behind her, gaining ground, its presence a looming shadow.
With a heavy heart, Sheba gently lowered April to the ground, her voice urgent yet tinged with sorrow as she urged the girl to run.
"B-But what about you?" the child protested, her fingers clenched into defiant fists as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'll distract it while you escape with the others," Sheba reassured with a smile. "Please hurry! Run as fast as you can! There's not much time!"
"No!" April shouted stubbornly, her face turning red. "You're lying!"
Sheba's gaze shifted, finding solace in the sight of Aldric racing toward them to forcefully pull the girl to safety. With a fleeting moment to spare, she sought out Feng's eyes, a bittersweet smile playing upon her lips, conveying a blend of remorse and gratitude.
In a hushed tone, she slurred the words, "Find them for me."
Feng's eyes widened in alarm. "Sheba!" his cry pierced the chaos, determination propelling him forward. Yet his momentum faltered as the creature's limb descended like a blade, its lethal claws finding their mark.
Fear of monsters & the unknown: 20.2%