A beam of sunlight peeks through the open barn doors in the early morning. Sophitia lay quietly asleep. The deep red of her hair shimmers in the sunlight like flames. Rather than wake her up, I let her sleep for a while longer. I check our belongings, and everything is good. The street below is quiet. Despite the early hours, I expect to see common folk getting started on their daily chores or work as soon as possible.
There wasn't a soul in sight. I know the stable hand and master would be up even earlier than this. Last night, during our heated exchange, the streets were still lively. We were lucky to be off the main road, but I could hear the sounds of life outside. Something felt wrong. I shake my sister away. I hear her stirring as I scan the street below.
"Again? What is it brother? Have you not indulged yourself enough? I'm tired and exhausted. If you want to have sex again, please wait for another time," Lady Sophitia muttered.
I turn her over, putting my finger to her lips. Her face is filled with surprise, but she says nothing. A rustling sound comes from outside as she looks me right in the eye. After carefully removing my hand, I peer out the barn window. A tingle of terror runs down my spine. There was a humanoid-looking being standing alone in the alley next to the barn. White milky or bone-white skin covers its body. The body of the creature is utterly bare of hair. Like the sun's rays, the humanoid's eyes were golden.
Despite being oblong in shape and lacking a nose, the creature has razor-sharp teeth inside its mouth. Dread runs down my spine when I see its permanent smile. The thing would tower over me despite the fact that I am tall. The fingernails on its arms are razor-sharp and horribly long. The abomination could be described as a lanky nightmare. There is some kind of black armor covering its chest and lower body. I watch as it opens its mouth inhumanly wide. Like it was sensing the air. The monster continues onward down the alleyway out of sight.
"We need to move now," I whispered, almost not saying a word.
We gather our belongings as Lady Sophitia nods. As I prepare my sword, my sister does the same. Sword fighting isn't her strong suit. That was the forte of our siblings Erfan and Kenna. Even so, she was a prodigy when it came to magic and archery. No matter what the creature is, I would instead not put Sophitia or anyone else in our group at risk.
There seems to be something perilous about this monster. Scenarios run through my mind. I look out into the alley. No sign of the humanoid. With caution, I creep down the opposite way. Behind me, Sophitia stays close. There is no sign of the monster, yet I can still sense its presence. If it spots us, I can't let my sister be harmed.
"Head back to the Castle, Last Sophitia," I whispered.
"Why?? What's wrong Asa?" Sophitia questioned.
She hadn't seen the abomination. I didn't want her to. No one should see such a being with their own eyes. It was here still, very close by. I know it was hunting us. The streets remain clear. Not a soul to be found.
"Listen, Sophitia. There's something hunting us. Some kind of creature. I've never seen or heard of anything like it. You have to get back to the others. Now, go!" I said firmly.
Again, she looks over my face. Trying to determine if I was serious. For a long moment, we held each other's free hand.
"Okay, but make sure you head to the Castle too," my sister whispered.
"I will," I replied.
We jogged for a few minutes before reaching a street that would take her to the Castle. I watched her as she cautiously moved down the street. Sticking to the darker side of the street with shade. When she was out of view, I headed the other way. The presence of this abomination drew me in. 'What is this creature? It looks like something out of a movie.
A demon or hell spawn. I'm a lover of horror movies, but this is beyond anything out of a man's worst nightmare. This was abject evil.' My body shivers at the overwhelming presence of the monster. I felt it in every fiber of my being. One moment, it wasn't there, and then it was. Like it popped into existence or manifested somehow. The city is empty. 'Could this thing be causing this?' I came to a corner at an intersection. The presence felt stronger.
With great care, I peer around the corner. The image I saw is straight out of hell. A group of bodies lay in a pile. It was that creature with another one. They are identical in every way. One was squatting over the pile, eating one of the bodies. The other is doing that mouth-sniffing thing. It turns in my direction. A second later, the other stops eating and looks right at me. Before I reacted, the creature was behind me. The abomination impales me from behind. I stare at the blood-covered appendage. My still beating heart was speared on its razor nails. Blood drips from the ripped arteries.
As suddenly as it has occurred. The monsters were back down the street. Instinctually, my free hand grips my chest. To my astonishment, no hole is there. A blurry in front of me draws my attention. The creature charges at me at lightning speed. As it maneuvers behind me, I realize it's aiming for my heart. At the last second, I dodge the income blow. Yet again, my chest gets impaled. This time from the front. The other creature was gazing down at me with its arm in my chest. Then again, it wasn't. The two beasts were just now charging me. 'Am I seeing what's going to happen? Is this even real?'
The two attacks came at me in rapid succession. Both I counter with my sword. The force drives me into the canal. A rush of cold water engulfs me. The two monsters glare with anger. Showing razor-sharp teeth in their open mouths. One of their mouths enlarges, and some sort of energy forms in its throat. I've seen enough movies to know what comes next. I dive under the water, catching a glimpse of a black beam of something devastating the bed or the river.
Another beam strikes where I just was. I use the cover of the water to swim farther away. 'Thank God for all those practices during stunts underwater.' The beams hit random places all around me. I dive deeper into the bed of the river. A bridge is coming up. I can take a breath there under cover. More beams slam the bedrock around me. I swim up, breaking the surface. There wasn't much time, so I took the deepest breath possible and dived into the bedrock.
I wasn't seen, but the bridge came down right as I cleared the area. My swimming skills were on par with a pro. I effortlessly put distance between myself and those monsters. As I do, the presence dissipates. Like a fading feeling slowly going away. When it was truly gone, I swam to the surface. People were everywhere now. They were looking at the river canal. Some people were pointing while others were trying to find out what was happening. The bridge I passed was in ruins. Then screaming came from down the canal. Where I'd see that pile of bodies. City guards rush to that area. An old man and woman helped me out of the water.
"Young Sir, your eye is bleeding. Are you well?" the old woman asked.
"I'm fine," I said.
Blood rolls down from my right eye. A throbbing pain hung behind my eye and in my head.
"Son, did you see it?" the old man said.
I stare at him in shock. The man nods his hand as we both acknowledge what happened.
"You saw them then. Come with me boy," he whispered.
To my shock, I comply with the man's request. I took one step and felt all my energy drop to nothing.