"PARENTAL INSTINCT"
Panicked Nadirians fled the streets as the Hexclaw lumbered forth ominously. Slowly advancing with a fearsome expression, the monstrous entity was met by a group of twenty Nadirian Hunters—led by none other than Boss. Having survived the previous encounter, Boss exuded evident confidence, standing tall with folded arms, and a grapevine in hand! The hunters all wore bandanas, and they gripped bigger, stronger, and prettier capture nets, along with large screwdrivers equipped on their utility belts, assuming a poised stance as the Hexclaw Menace drew nearer. Despite the others seeming calm and collected, one hunter was trembling uncontrollably in fear.
With a shaky voice, he stepped forward and anxiously said, "Uhh, Boss? The-The-The-The monster's gettin closer... Boss?"
Boss, seemingly unfazed, replied, "You're right, Joey; Hexclaw certainly is gettin closer. There ain't no questionin that. But that's the plan." Mercilessly squishing the juices out of the grapevine with his hand, he calmly continued, "Mr. Hexclaw here's got a cripplin obsession over the plants it seamlessly creates with a single touch. Not only that, but it's also got an obvious parental instinct to protect those plants, as if they were his dear children. It can tell whenever they're in danger, no matter where they are. And when it up and finds the culprit of their sufferin—"
In an explosive flash, the Hexclaw burst forward with powerful speed, startling the entire band of hunters. With trembling hands, including Boss, they tightly clenched their catching nets and got in position. Just before it could get close, two hunters within two different buildings across the street from each other, simultaneously lifted a line of trip wire, catching the Hexclaw's leg and causing it to stumble. Both hunters then ignited switches on their sides, and instantly, the Hexclaw caught on electricity. The twenty hunters charged at the fallen creature, each of them pinning its claws and feet to the ground with their screwdrivers, which crushed through its limbs like metal through wood. They quickly enveloped the monster with their capture nets, preventing it from breaking free. Boss and his team exerted every ounce of strength to restrain the Hexclaw, warily avoiding its claws while preparing for a decisive strike. However, Elizabeth, nothing shielding her face, accompanied by Aurora and Anna, who chased after her, rushed towards them.
Elizabeth pleaded desperately with fear in her eyes, "No! Wait! Don't hurt him! Please!"
Aurora, nervously chasing behind her, exclaimed, "Elizabeth! I said get back! Now!"
Ignoring the warnings, Boss braced for an attack, but the Hexclaw Menace poised its claws and pressed vigorously through the ground, summoning multiple tree branches from beneath, which violently scattered the hunters. Dozens of colossal tree branches stretched skyward, carrying numerous buildings with them, some collapsing during the process and crashing powerfully onto the streets. Nadirians on the sidelines scurried away as a giant tree began to emerge from the ground. Elizabeth, Aurora, and Anna found themselves standing atop the rising branches, yet despite their safety only lessening, they tried to assist the injured hunters lying beneath the rubble.
Containing the titanic branches was a towering figure of profound scope and grandeur. Its colossal form stretched ever into the clouds, never seeming to cease its continuous growth. Having the landscape of Kingdom Nadiria at its mercy was the Goliath tree that had originated from Hexclaw's touch. The Hexclaw Menace itself was now more menacing than ever, having replaced its long-lost middle body with a makeshift and strangely functioning replica made from the wood of its trees, standing lone and formidable amidst the destruction.
While Aurora assisted more injured Nadirian hunters on the floor, the caught buildings above her were bound to collapse, and right when she caught notice, they abruptly descended toward her before she could retreat to safety.
Boss hid in a corner, head in hands, trembling in fear. "Why me? Why me? Why me?" he said. "This is hell. I mean, we're high up in the sky, but… we're still technically in hell! Curses! I ain't never wanted to be a hunter. Ma and Pa were always so selfish—forcin me into roles I'd never fit into. Damn you all! I've long lost my sense of purpose now. Heh heh heh... I don't even know what I'm doin with my life anymore. Thanks, Ma, Pa. Now, all of us are gonna die!"
Atop the rubble of a destroyed building stood the pallid Damien. The scenes before him made him grimace in disgust. He had both hands joined behind his back, standing calm and composed amidst the unsightly chaos.
Fixating a condescending gaze, he uttered, "Hmph! Soft men. Cowardly men. Cannot even stand together to challenge one enemy. Nadiria is indeed home for idiots." He eyed the Hexclaw Menace from top to bottom, and forming a malicious grin, he muttered, "I, shall be the one to tear this monster to pieces."
He leaped off the building, which was a couple dozen feet high, then landed effortlessly on the ground, rolling back up with a poised hand, ready to disintegrate the Hexclaw's entire body for good this time. But before he could take another step, he halted at the notice of a family of four caught in a dire situation—the father having his leg trapped under a collapsed building, while the wife and two sons struggled desperately to help him out.
Damien thought to himself, "They are not my business," then trudged onward.
But yet again, before he could get any closer to his target, he halted as the sighting of a crumbling structure over the family caught his attention, and it was just seconds away from falling and crashing into them.
"Curses!" Damien cursed with a roll of the eye, visibly annoyed, as he shifted his focus from battling the Hexclaw to saving the family.
As the wife and two sons continued their futile attempt at saving the father, in Spanish, he pleaded for them to get to safety, "Querida. ¿No ves que es inútil? ¡Tienes que olvidarte de mí y llevar a los niños a un lugar seguro!"
The wife, displeased by his pleas, demanded that he get his leg out of the collapsed building, "¡Cállate y saca tu pierna de ahí, holgazán!"
Damien finally appeared, and with nonchalance, he placed a single finger on the collapsed building. Within seconds, the entire structure disintegrated to dust, freeing the father from his distress. The other three helped him up, rejoicing at his safety.
They turned to Damien, thanking him repeatedly, "¡Oh, bendiciones! Gracias a los cielos. Misericordia infinita. Thank you, kind señor. You are very, welcome." The man bowed nobly.
In return, all Damien gave was a blank stare, and the boulder that would've initially landed on the family crash-landed powerfully right behind him, eliciting no reaction whatsoever.
The family retreated, and before Damien could notice, a tree root ensnared his leg unexpectedly. More roots bound his wrists as he hit the ground, and he noticed the Hexclaw glaring at him. As more roots cocooned him, Damien witnessed two blurry silhouette figures before him—a woman and boy.
"Look, Ma, Daddy is leaving again," the boy's voice echoed as he held the woman's hand. "Oh, cheer up, Ma. Hopefully, he won't be returning this time."
Bewildered, and raising an eyebrow, Damien was sealed completely, but his hands were excluded, leaving them to poke out in the open.
Meanwhile, amidst the Hexclaw's space, Elizabeth stood behind it at a distance, her eyes fixated on the monstrosity. It turned to meet her gaze. With an uncertain face, she slowly began to walk toward it. Aurora appeared behind her, crawling on all fours and covered in dust.
She called out, "Elizabeth! You… you don't know what you're doing! Get away from that thing! Please…"
Elizabeth continued forth, seemingly oblivious to her actions.
She began softly, "I…I'm...I'm not crazy. You...made your way to the farm...on purpose, right? The cornfields... they're of importance… to you. You felt… you needed to take care of 'em... right?"
The Hexclaw Menace's eyeball fixated sharply on Elizabeth as she got closer, readying its claws.
"You probably don't understand, why you're like this. Your memory's probably blurry too. And you're probably just tryin to get home."
Elizabeth was within a few steps of the Hexclaw now, intent on getting closer.
"But, it's okay now; I'm gonna get you home—back to our home. And, when I do, we can go about our lives as usual. I'll tell you all about the days I spent alone; how I grew. I'll even introduce you to my friends. I… I made f-friends. And then…" Her voice cracked. "And then, we'll find whoever it was that did this… to you…"
The Hexclaw's eyeball gleamed with a sudden realization, easing off its animosity as Elizabeth got closer.
Finally within centimeters, she halted to meet its eyeball.
"You don't have to be afraid anymore," she said. "I'm here for you. And I won't let you disappear again." She slowly stretched out a hand to meet its claw, and with compassion she finally punctuated, "So why don't we just go back home now, Noah."
The Hexclaw recoiled in confusion, a nervousness numbing its senses as Elizabeth stretched her hand. For a moment, it just stood there, in silence… Suddenly, its eyeball gleamed blood-red, and its pupil retracted and glared daggers. In the blink of an eye, it swung a giant foot right into Elizabeth's stomach, sending her flying and crashing the back of her head into a wall.
CHAPTER 14 of 'Bonnie's Touch' ends