"S-SO TELL ME, HUMAN," the creature bellowed, its voice resonating deep within his bones. Its neck bent forward, bringing its horrific face inches from Ezra's, the rancid stench of decay filling his nose. "AREN'T YOU SCARED?" Its mouth opened wider, rows of teeth glinting in the darkness as it prepared to snap down and tear his head clean off.
Ezra's mind screamed for him to move, to run, to fight back, but his body wouldn't obey. He was frozen, a cold paralysis creeping through his limbs. Why… why can't I move?
he thought desperately, panic clawing at him. This thing is different—stronger than anything I've faced before. He could feel its intent, like death itself looming over him, and he knew that even if he tried to run, he wouldn't make it a single step.
But just as the creature's jaws hovered inches from his face, it paused. It straightened, its dozens of eyes narrowing as if in curiosity. It tilted its head, studying him with a newfound interest.
The monster's grin stretched impossibly wider. "THERE'S SOMETHING…
STRANGE ABOUT YOU," it growled, its voice both mocking and curious. "MAYBE I SHOULD TRY SOMETHING… DIFFERENT."
Ezra's body tensed as he watched the creature's claw trace dark symbols in the air, each one flickering with a sinister energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.
The monster's grin faded, replaced by an intense, unreadable expression, its eyes narrowing with a cold, calculating malice as it chanted in a low, guttural voice. Ezra's heart pounded in his chest, an overwhelming dread settling over him.
The symbols floated toward Ezra, and he tried to back away, but his body wouldn't obey. They sank into his skin, sending a shock of cold through his bones.
His vision blurred, and he felt a crushing weight settle over him, like invisible chains binding his soul.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN FROM ME, HUMAN?" the monster's voice hissed, a growl laced with venom. "NOW YOU'LL NEVER ESCAPE. I CURSE YOU—MIND, BODY, AND SOUL. YOUR LIFE IS MINE TO CONTROL, AND YOUR FREEDOM IS GONE. WHEREVER YOU GO, I'LL BE WATCHING… BECAUSE I AM THE WATCHER"
Ezra's breath hitched as a searing pain tore through him, his whole body wracked with the creature's dark energy. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped, his voice trapped in his throat.
The monster's laughter echoed in his ears, its cold gaze bearing down on him.
As the pain ebbed, Ezra staggered, clutching his chest. The world spun, and his eyes grew heavy. Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he heard the creature's final, chilling words:
"You carry my curse now, human. And when the time comes, I will take what's mine."
The last thing Ezra saw was the monster's piercing grin, fading into darkness.
Ezra opened his eyes to see nothing.
The monstrous figure was gone. The entire cave was silent, save for Ezra's unsteady breathing.
What just happened? he thought, glancing around in confusion. Then he felt something… different. There was a small, surprising weight on his backpack. He turned around and noticed his old teddy bear, hanging from his bag as always—except now, it looked different.
The bear's button eyes were no longer blank; they glittered with a strange intelligence, a flash of anger and… frustration?
Suddenly, the bear's mouth twisted, and a deep, raspy voice filled the air, grumbling in disbelief. "W-WHAT IN THE…?! WHY AM I SMALL? AND SO... SOFT!"
Ezra's jaw dropped as the bear wiggled, its stubby arms flailing in irritation. The bear tilted its head up, its dark, beady eyes locking onto Ezra's face with a mixture of horror and indignation.
"No… NO! This wasn't supposed to happen! I WAS SUPPOSED TO CURSE YOU!" the bear bellowed, its voice cracking with frustration. "NOT END UP STUCK IN THIS… THIS FUZZY NIGHTMARE!"
Ezra stared, unable to suppress a laugh. "You… you turned yourself into a teddy bear?" he sputtered.
The bear's button eyes narrowed, and it let out a furious squeak. "IT'S NOT FUNNY, HUMAN!" it shrieked. "I am the great DEVOURER OF SOULS! CURSE-BRINGER OF REALMS! And now… now I'm stuffed and… and sewn together like some child's toy?!"
Ezra snickered, failing to keep a straight face. "Yeah, and you look adorable."
The bear squirmed, clearly infuriated.
"ADORABLE?! I am not adorable! Release me at once, or face the wrath of—!"
Ezra reached over and gave the bear a little pat on the head, cutting off its rant. "Face the wrath of the cutest curse I've ever seen?"
The bear's eyes blazed. "YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?! I'll have you know, the next time you sleep, I'll be right there, haunting your dreams!"
Ezra rolled his eyes, amused by the bear's tiny tantrum. "Right. Good luck with that." He tucked the bear back onto his bag, still chuckling. "Guess you're stuck with me now, 'Devourer of Souls.'"
The bear let out a defeated groan, muttering, "This is humiliating…
Outside in the forest a female in her mid 30s she was wearing a fitted, black sleeveless top with a high neck that highlights her choker, featuring a subtle triangular cutout at the collarbone.
Over this, a waist-length, deep purple jacket with gold edging adds elegance, with slits at the back for dynamic movement. Form-fitting black pants and knee-high black boots with gold accents complete the look, with a slim gold belt displaying a symbol at the waist.
Her fingerless gloves with a gold ring on it and the orange gemstone on her choker enhance her commanding, beautiful, and slightly edgy appearance.
"Who in the world were those monsters chasing and are they still alive?"