Chapter 4 - Beast

It took a few seconds before Lucas knew that the burning sensation on his thigh was pain. He gasped and brought his axe in front of him.

He spared a glance at his left thigh and wasn't surprised that his blood was purple, bright against his skin. Lucas heard clattering feet and what sounded like a hyena laughing but if it was made by a rat.

Something swiped at him again, almost too fast to see and if it was his old body then Lucas was sure he wouldn't see it. He dodged but still, the black claws got him in the chest, the wound was shallow but it stung something bad.

He tried to use the axe the next time but still, it got him on the back of his right hand. Lucas growled, he went into his mind and touched the memories with his mind concentrated on what was happening.

The headache nearly brought him to his knees but the thought of whatever was out there finding him on the floor made him plant his feet solidly.

He gained little from the memories. Only that the creature running around the room was probably some kind of beast. That would be like animals on Earth.

What he learned was also something about light. Most Rashaka are sensitive to light. Including Kyrexiel. He froze. "Oh give me a break!" He said as he heard small clattering feet. More than one this time.

The beasts laughed and then a swipe on his back made him turn but the creature was already gone and he was too late to do anything as another one went for his leg.

Kyrexiel growled with frustration. If this continued he knew he was going to bleed to death. Then he blinked....wait he was healing.

It started from the scratch on his right hand. It was slow, very slow but he was healing. "What." Lucas gasped as he felt something go from his stomach to the rest of his body that was wounded.

Some kind of energy?

He didn't have time to think about it because one of the beasts slammed into him from the side and sent him sprawling. Then the beast went straight for his eyes with claws.

Lucas saw the beast for the first time. It was an ugly thing like an oversized standing Lemming but big like a dog and without the hair, with large legs and hands filled with claws. And it was black with dark small eyes.

Lucas felt panic but his body felt disgust that this lowly beast was touching him, and that made him act fast, as if the disgust was a trigger to muscle memories. His left hand pushed the small beast back and his axe swept forward, cutting it in two from the stomach.

Black thick blood fell on him and goosebumps rose on his skin like pebbles, and he shuddered. Kyrexiel must hate animals. Since beasts are like animals on earth. He stood, he was almost out of the beam of light.

He heard the clattering of the beast's feet again, but this time it was cautious. No longer the bold movement it was earlier.

"Oh, Kyrexiel. You are so stupid." Kyrexiel growled as something hit him. He had entered a double trap. The first was the small mean beasts, the second was the beam of light that not only lured him in and made him the center of attention but entered his eyes and made his reaction slow.

Kyrexiel stood, smiled entered the dark, and left the beam of light.

Immediately it was as if he entered his natural habitat, his eyes saw better. Not as if he was under light but he easily picked up outlines and there were about eight beasts.

As if his seeing better automatically meant he could hear and move better.

"Well then," Kyrexiel growled softly, the blood of the beast like metal metal in his nostrils. He readied his weapon loosely in his right hand, muscles coiled for action.

The beasts were fast, they leaped so fast Kyrexiel lost them in the darkness. One jumped at him from the rear, claws like sharp knives.

It gave itself away with its weird laughter before it even reached him and his axe swung like a hammer, making a meaty thump as it rammed into the creature's chest.

It crumbled. The remaining seven stopped, they turned to Kyrexiel and they bounded over. They dropped all disguises as their claws racked the ground and raised scratching sounds.

They attacked as one, claws swiping in the air. Kyrexiel swung his axe, almost blindly. Crushing two together but the others were already there and their fangs and claws found flesh to rend.

Kyrexiel jerked, and his left hand caught a hairless beast that was clinging to his tight, he felt taunt muscles before he threw the creature from him.

Lucas.....Kyrexiel felt a lick of panic as they climbed over him, his skin stung as claws dug in. If he didn't act, he knew he was going to die before any healing kicked in.

Kyrexiel...Lucas, sent his mind spinning. He grabbed hold of Kyrexiel's memories, he felt a splitting headache but he got what he wanted. A glance was sent to his brain and made his body react without thinking.

He felt something soothing low in his stomach. He grabbed hold of it mentally and it was trying to hold gas. Still, he directed it to his heart and it started to burn.

His heart busted into invisible flames and Kyrexiel's body was flooded with strength. He caught the beast trying to dig a hole through his neck and he smashed it into the ground as he crouched.

Kyrexiel picked his axe from the ground shook himself like a dog, and dislodged the beasts clinging to him. They fell, drawing blood and flash from him but he didn't care and barely felt the pain.

He could see better too, the darkness brightened and he saw the beasts. Kyrexiel didn't wait for them this time and he was on them, axe flashing before they began moving.