"Laur, is it time?", asked Quinn.
"The sun's setting", said Laur as he looked up at the sky. The dying sun bled across the horizon, as if the world itself had sensed what was about to be unleashed. A bath with blood was uprising.
"Yes."
Laur took a look at the entrance gate. "Givera, say your final goodbyes."
He adjusted his sleeve and slowly spread his fingers. The setting sun cast long shadows across the town, as if darkness itself was reaching out to claim it.
"Threx ul'korr… vael".
Something stepped out of the darkness like some kind of living disaster. Standing close to four meters in height, it was covered in black scales that seemed more like armor than skin. Each move sent massive muscles that felt like boulders beneath the armor moving. It had a face straight out of the depths of one's nightmares. It possessed the head of an animal that looked like a werewolf, with jaws opening so widely that it was impossible for nature alone to achieve such an action, giving way to sharp teeth smeared red with dried blood. His arms looked more like killing weapons.
Finally, it lifted its gaze.
Two amber eyes glowed in the dark face not of an animal, but something that knew fear, and took great pleasure from causing it. It breathed, and everything became still, the air itself seeming heavier as birds fell silent and the wind stopped blowing. The ground itself shook beneath its very feet. A black aura surrounded it.
"Have a wild feast", said Quinn.
The monster's eyes flashed a red light as it ran in.
---------------------------
"The sun's almost setting grandpa. When will dad come home."
"Go inside Liam, don't wander around, he will be home soo-
A wet crunch cut through the chaos.
"G-grandpa?"
He looked down in disbelief as a clawed arm erupted from his chest. The man spitted blood, and closed his eyes in a terror death.
"N-No", muttered the kid as his nerves shivered his body in sadness and fear. He ran inside his house and closed the door shut in pure fear. A moment passed, and then-
The monster's fist tore through the stone wall, sending chunks of rock flying across the room. The kid screamed in fear, his cries were audible to the whole town. The monster left to look for a meatier prey, with the kid holding his head with both his hands on it in a corner.
A claw ripped across a merchant's stand, snapping wood and flinging bodies to the ground. Red spots dotted the cobblestone path. The dust-filled air was heavy with fear and the smell of blood.
The guards made an attempt at forming a line.
It lasted mere seconds.
The beast tore into them, a tidal wave of violence. Terror ran rampant even faster than the beast did. Women cried out for their children. Men shouted for their friends. The prayers of those present turned into cries for help.
The more the beast moved about, the more red the streets became.
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"What was that?!", Leon exclaimed as he ran outside to check the noises. "It's coming from the road across!"
He was running towards it until he heard a scream. "Run, it will kill us all!"
Leon came to a sudden halt.
Reality hit him hard. All he had was a sword, two months of measly training, and a brain filled with ridiculous bravery. What was he thinking could be done against a beast that made men cry out in terror?
Every fiber in his body screamed at him to run for his life.
"Leon?! Come with me!" Virelle shouted. "A monster has invaded the town. We need to get the citizens to safety."
"The citizens...?" Leon swallowed. "Am I not a citizen too?"
Virelle paused for a moment before turning to him.
"You carry a sword, don't you?"
Leon froze.
"Right now, you're anything but someone waiting to be rescued." Virelle's gaze suddenly grew sharper. "And I'm not about to send you to death's door. Stay behind me if you have to, but don't waste any more time."
Leon gazed down at the sword in his hands as he took a breath in preparation. The fear was still gnawing away at him from inside, but he held onto the sword tighter. His sword reflected his eyes, they seemed to change. Change from fear... to confidence. He shut his eyes for a second, for him the world stopped moving in that second. Everything around him grew grey. A sweat dropped from his chin as he opened his eyes, and watched it fall down. It hit him. He remembered the moment when he first bought the sword. When he first saw Stranger. He remembered when he first took a hold of the sword properly. The blood of a noble had always had one difference from other bloods. Noble bloods are naturally braver. He lifted his gaze.
"When did I stop becoming the kind of person worth saving?"
He moved forward. "Faster!", screamed Virelle as they both started dashing towards the place...
-------------------------
Laur's eyes reflected the ongoing massacre. It seemed to have satisfied his hunger a little. A bleeding woman, on the ground dragged herself towards him. "Please y-young man, save my-my son." A smile crept across Laur's face, slow and unnatural, as though he were struggling to contain his amusement. As he heard more cries, his smile just got wider. As blood stained the streets and panic consumed the town, he felt a comfort he had never found among ordinary people.
He spread his hands in amusement, his thoughts were twister, and only once sound roamed his ears
"Make them...cry!"
A smug grew on his face as he looked at the woman. Seeing his face, her bones shivered. He stomped her face, until it was unrecognizable as a human face.
"Why are you wasting your time here?", said Quinn. "Oh, forgive me, them main course has yet to begin. The 'creature' has yet to begun its feast.
"Threx ul'korr… vael".
Another monster was summoned.
The creature emerged from the ground.
It was only three meters high but very graceful and lithe. It had dark silver feathers on its entire body, but they did not resemble feathers at all. Instead, they seemed to be metal-like and would make metallic sounds when moving, rubbing against each other.
Its head was shaped like a big raven's head, but with spiraling horns growing from its head. There were numerous snake-like tentacles below its beak, which constantly moved around and tasted the air like hungry snakes.
Its wings were folded against its back.
It's breath was smokey enough to cover its face. it's eyes suddenly shone white as he spread its wings in harmony. A flight was taken, at an unimaginable speed. It was finding a prey. And suddenly a voice took over the chaos.
"Draen."
A sword wreathed in blood, emitting a azure-like aura stopped the creature. It made a metal striking another metal sound. The man holding the sword's face was covered in a fog, though his intentions were as clear as day. He successfully pushed the creature back. It screamed in pain, roars that were heard over the bloody horizon.
Laur's expression changed from satisfaction to curiosity. "Who in this town is capable of stopping the 'creature'?"
The man held a stance. And then-
"Draen!"
Azure flow burst from his eyes like the liquid bolts of a thunderstorm. At the mere raising of his sword, even the sky quivered.
Vortices of clouds appeared above.
For a heartbeat, all was silent.
And then came an explosion.
A stream of azure light fell from above and smashed down on his sword. The man's feet broke the ground in front of him as he stood amidst of a devastating shock wave.
The beast dug its claws into the soil, yet still it was pushed backwards.
Its eyes narrowed.
For the very first time after its awakening...
It stepped back.
The man brought down his sword.
His sword was not covered with blood anymore.
Blood became its sword.
Azure streams were pouring through the red metal like rivers under glass.
The beast growled.
He disappeared from its sight.
The sound of a sonic boom tore through the battlefield.
The instincts of the beast shouted at it.
Too late!
A bloody slash appeared across its armored chest.
Another slash.
One more.
And then they exploded into open wounds, spraying their contents of the beast's blood into the air.
The beast staggered.
The man appeared dozens of meters away, keeping his sword at his side.
Neither moved.
But then a piece of black armor fell off its chest and hit the floor.Its face changed expression for the first time to one unknown before.
Not anger.
Nor pain.
But fear.
At a distance, Laur's smile became wider.
"Interesting."
This creature didn't fear death. It feared the man with the sword. The fog cleared, revealing the man.
He stood tall, his lean frame outlined by the azure light pouring from his body. Messy dark hair swayed in the wind, revealing a pair of piercing blue eyes that burned with unnatural intensity. His features were ordinary, familiar even.
It was Kael.