Chapter 229 – The Beast Form of the Jotun Fox
Quinn:
I forced myself to stand, every fiber of my body ablaze with agony, as I concentrated the last remnants of my mana into my hand. A flickering blue flame began to form, unstable, as if mirroring my broken condition. My gaze locked onto Chloe Evenhart, sprawled on the ground. Her eyes were closed, lips stained with blood, each breath more labored than the last. She seemed resigned to death—a cruel contrast to the fury burning within me.
"Goodbye..." I murmured, feeling the heat of the flame intensify. I wanted to end this, to see her body reduced to ashes.
'ROOOOAAAR!'
Before I could unleash the spell, a deafening roar tore through the air. The sound was so powerful it felt like a hammer striking my chest. My eyes widened in shock, but before I could react, something enormous and feral sank its teeth into me.
"AHHHH!" I screamed as excruciating pain flooded every nerve. The massive jaws tore into my flesh effortlessly, piercing muscles and bones like they were paper. Each bite was an indescribable torment. The creature's maw crushed my body with brutal force, tearing chunks away with every movement.
My screams turned into a strangled gasp as the beast violently shook me, my body flailing like a ragdoll between its jaws. Each thrash sent sharp flashes of pain and panic through me. The sound of bones snapping and splintering echoed in my ears, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth.
The creature finally tossed me into the air as if playing with its prey. I soared uncontrollably, crashing into a stone wall with devastating force. Bones shattered on impact, the wall collapsing as I was buried beneath the rubble.
When I tried to move, a shiver ran down my spine as I registered the state of my body. Looking down, I saw one of my arms was simply gone, torn away in the bite. The other hung at a grotesque angle, mangled and useless. Blood gushed freely, pooling around me in a steaming crimson puddle.
My breaths came in erratic gasps, each one a grating effort that tore through my lungs.
"Damn... soul golem..." I mumbled weakly, my mind grasping at straws to understand the attack.
How is the soul golem still active? She dismissed it...
Then my eyes focused on the creature, and despair dragged me into a bottomless abyss. This wasn't Chloe Evenhart's golem.
The fox girl... she survived. And she's one of those rare, special demi-humans...
In front of me stood a towering golden fox, as imposing as any golem yet infinitely more terrifying. Its golden fur glistened in the flickering firelight, and its four glowing eyes burned with an intensity that seemed to pierce straight through my soul. Six tails swayed behind it, each one radiating a raw, destructive power that sent chills down my spine. It was monstrous.
'ROOOOAAAR!'
Another earth-shaking roar echoed, scattering the debris around me. The beast took a step forward, the ground trembling beneath its immense weight. Its eyes bore into mine, their message unmistakable: I was prey.
The massive golden fox approached slowly, each of its steps carrying the weight of the world around me. The earth quaked beneath its paws, and its hot, suffocating breath hit my face like a scorching gale. Its grotesque face lowered, four blazing eyes filled with immeasurable rage locking onto mine. I couldn't breathe, paralyzed by terror and the unbearable agony of my mutilated body.
The fox let out a huff, and a yellow glow began to form in its throat. The heat emanating from it was suffocating, threatening. I closed my eyes, accepting my end.
At least it'll be quick, I thought, trying to find some solace in the despair.
But the blow never came. The yellow light vanished, replaced by something far worse: the rising fury of the creature. I opened my eyes slowly, and the sight before me was even more terrifying. The fox wasn't just angry; it looked at me as if I were an insect to be crushed, but with an added touch of cruelty. Its gaze shifted briefly to Chloe Evenhart, lying on the ground bloodied and broken, and its rage seemed to reach a new peak.
"Painful… death…" The creature's voice echoed, deep, cold, and laden with the promise of unimaginable suffering.
Before I could react, the fox lunged, opening its monstrous jaws and seizing me with its teeth.
"AHHH!" I screamed as it lifted me as if I were nothing more than a plaything. Its sharp teeth pierced my flesh, tearing through muscle and crushing bone. I felt my remaining arm ripped away with brutal force, followed by searing pain in my chest as its fangs tore into my ribcage. Each bite was calculated, cruel, as if it sought to extend my agony.
My vision began to blur as my screams echoed through the air, but the fox did not relent. Its teeth ground into my body with deliberate slowness, shattering bones and pulverizing organs with terrifying precision. I felt my skull crack under the immense pressure, and the world around me became a haze of pain and darkness.
It wasn't killing me—it was destroying me, piece by piece, as if ensuring every moment would be etched into my consciousness. The pain was so overwhelming it seemed eternal, with each second stretching into an unbearable eternity.
The fox continued, relentless, chewing through my mangled body as I drowned in the torment. The only certainty that remained was that it would fulfill its promise: my death would be excruciating.
Kinue:
As my body sank into the dark, cold depths of the river, the crushing reality of my situation began to settle in. The water around me was suffocating, pulling me further into the abyss with every movement. The stabbing pain in my stomach throbbed relentlessly, intensified by the explosion that had hurled me into these icy depths. I had tried to shield myself with mana during the impact, but shards of debris had torn through my flesh, leaving my right arm shredded, bone exposed and muscles ripped apart.
The darkness seemed endless. I couldn't tell if it was the weight of the water or the grim embrace of death pulling me under, but I felt utterly crushed. The void began consuming my mind, and for a fleeting moment, I let myself go. I accepted that this was my end—that my body would be swallowed by the abyss.
The world around me started to fade. Yet, in that suffocating darkness, it wasn't faces I saw—it was the sound of laughter, voices as familiar as the beat of my own heart. Not images, but vivid, powerful memories. Moments of joy, of trust. They pulled at me, like chains of light dragging me back from the brink. I clung to those memories, letting them anchor me.
Determination ignited within me like a roaring blaze. The last vestiges of strength I had began to converge, fueled by my mana. The agony of my human body started to fade as a transformation overtook me. First, there was heat—a searing, overwhelming heat that radiated from every part of me. Mana surged through me, reshaping my very essence, unraveling the fragile body of a human and replacing it with something far greater, far more powerful.
My vision illuminated as my human form gave way to my other self. My body expanded, and six tails unfurled like a golden fan. Lustrous golden fur covered me, radiating a light that illuminated the abyss around me. My size became colossal, and the strength coursing through me was indescribable, as if the very world trembled under my presence.
'ROOOOAAAAR!' My roar pierced through the waters, erupting with unbridled fury. The golden glow I emanated reflected off the river's surface, and my now four eyes scanned the world with a promise of vengeance and protection.
The ship's crew, who had been nearby, screamed in terror at the sight of me.
"A giant monster! A demi-human beast!" someone shouted. Water mages raised their hands, readying spells. But as their eyes met mine—burning with pure rage—they hesitated. My gaze paralyzed them more effectively than any physical attack.
I swam fiercely toward the port, my heart heavy with anticipation. The sight that greeted me was desolate: absolute destruction. Burnt houses, snow-covered streets, and scattered debris told the story of the battle between Quinn and Chloe, leaving scars that seemed impossible to erase.
Chloe! The name echoed in my mind, laced with desperation. I tried to call her, but in my bestial form, all that came out was a furious roar reverberating through the chaos.
I need to find her!
Tearing through the wreckage, I used my massive paws to overturn debris, my breath coming in frantic puffs as I searched for any sign of life. Then, at a distance, something caught my eye—the Soul Golem of Chloe. The towering, skeletal creature with antler-like horns was unmistakable. Relief washed over me momentarily, a sign that Chloe was still alive.
But that hope shattered in an instant. The Golem, like a shadow, dissolved into snow before my eyes.
NO! My mind screamed, consumed by an overwhelming fury. It was a mixture of rage and despair. My failure had allowed this. Chloe needed me, and I wasn't there.
The anger drove me forward. I pushed on with all the strength my monstrous form could muster, ignoring the screams, the cold, even the pain. I rushed to where the Golem had vanished, and then I saw her. Chloe lay collapsed, a fragile and bloodied remnant of the warrior I knew. Her body, riddled with injuries, looked so small amidst the destruction.
Beside her stood Quinn, his hand raised, gathering mana for a fire spell. Everything else vanished for me. There was only him. Only my hate.
'ROOOOOOOAAAAR!' My roar ripped through the air, and before he could react, I lunged at him. His words were silenced as my jaws closed around his body. I felt the crunch of breaking bones, the warmth of his blood filling my mouth. He screamed, a sound that fed my thirst for vengeance. But it wasn't enough.
I spat Quinn out, his broken body tossed aside like a discarded toy. Yet, my rage didn't wane. I charged at him again, my gaze locked on him with unrelenting fury. I wanted to crush him, erase him from existence. Mana began to gather in my throat, glowing vibrantly with the promise of destruction.
But then, something shattered my focus—Chloe. The fierce glow in my eyes faltered when I looked at her. Her body, so fragile, so wounded.
My family… my friend… I'm losing everything again.
The urge to annihilate Quinn, to utterly destroy him, burned like fire in my soul. But something inside me halted that impulsive rage. Killing him quickly wouldn't suffice. He didn't deserve an easy end or a swift death. He needed to feel. He needed to suffer.
"Painful… death…" I murmured, the words escaping as a decree while my gaze bore into Quinn.
With a swift motion, I opened my jaws and captured him, trapping him between my teeth. His flesh gave way to the force of my bite as his bones snapped, the sound of his agony pouring out in piercing screams. I moved his body slowly, chewing with deliberate cruelty. Each bone that fractured, each piece of flesh torn by the crushing pressure of my jaws, was a testament to the torment he had inflicted.
The sound of his skull shattering was like music to my ears, a grotesque crack echoing like the pop of a wine cork. Warm blood streamed down my throat, mingled with the soft, sickening squelch of his brain slipping between my teeth—a visceral reminder of his defeat. I continued to grind his body until nothing remained but a grotesque mass of flesh, fragmented bones, and blood mingled with my saliva.
With disgust, I spat the remnants onto the frozen ground. What was left of him was unrecognizable—a formless heap, a testament to his insignificance in the face of my fury.
I took a deep breath, feeling energy surge through me. Shifting back into my human form would be agony, but what was pain compared to what Chloe was enduring? The transformation burned as my body became pure mana, reshaping itself until I returned to my humanoid form. The wounds I had suffered on the ship screamed in protest, my entire body a symphony of raw, excruciating pain. But I ignored it—Chloe needed me.
I ran to her, my heart pounding like a war drum. Chloe lay on her side, her pale face slick with sweat. Each ragged breath seemed like a battle she was barely winning, and blood pooled at the corners of her lips as she coughed weakly. Her skin bore the marks of burns, deep wounds, and dried blood.
"Kinue..." she murmured, her voice so faint it was barely audible, yet it struck me like a dagger. A weak smile played on her lips as her glazed eyes met mine, though it was weighted with pain.
I trembled, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. "Did you... drink the healing potion?" I asked, desperation lacing my voice.
"No... my bracelet... it was lost in the river," Chloe whispered, her breaths shallow and uneven.
Wasting no time, I pulled a healing potion from my own bracelet and knelt beside her. "You're going to be fine," I said, trying more to convince myself than her. Tilting the vial to her cracked lips, I tried to make her drink, my heart pleading for this to work.
"I'm glad... you survived," Chloe murmured, her voice fragile and barely a whisper. Her heavy eyelids fluttered, and fear gripped my heart.
"Drink it!" I shouted, tipping the potion into her mouth, willing her to swallow.
"I don't think... it's going to work, my friend," she rasped, her words slicing through my soul like a blade.
I held her tightly, shaking her gently to keep her conscious. "Chloe, please! Stay with me!" I begged, tears streaming down my face. My trembling hands continued pouring the potion, ignoring how it spilled over her chin.
"It was Nikolaus Wolves... it's all his fault..." she murmured, her voice barely audible. Her eyelids quivered as she fought to keep her gaze on me.
Suddenly, her frail hand gripped mine with unexpected strength, her eyes burning with a determination that clashed with her condition. "Tell Nate... it's okay," she said, each word a struggle. "Tell him... I don't blame him... it wasn't his fault."
"Chloe, don't say that!" My voice cracked as tears flowed freely, soaking her face. "You'll tell him yourself! Please, just drink the potion!" I tilted the vial, desperate to make her take it. "You're my family too! Don't leave me!"
Her eyes, already clouded with pain and exhaustion, glimmered one last time. "Take care of Nathan... for me... okay?" Her voice faded as her eyelids slowly closed.
"Chloe! NO!" I screamed, my voice a raw, primal cry of anguish. I clutched her frail body in my arms, shaking her, hoping against hope to pull her back.
My voice echoed into the void as I held my best friend, sobbing uncontrollably. In that moment, the world crumbled around me, leaving me drowning in an endless storm of grief and despair.