Of Gears and Humanity

| 14.1

[ELENA]

"Don't come over here," Damien said.

Looking over at him, I wasn't sure what to focus on. Carmine was at his side, yes, and that was wonderful. The sun was lovely, too, passing wonderful rays over his body. But it was the beast that pulled my full attention. A large, menacing beast with the body of a primeape and eyes like the electrical monstrosity from the night before. The sight of it pushed fear into my heart.

Why was there another beast like this in my world? Had there been another at the Gate and it followed us? Looking at Damien, I chewed on my bottom lip. Had it followed him?

My hand slowly dipped back under the water.

"I'm going to take care of this," Damien said. I watched as he leaned forward, just like the royal guards would do. And again, like the night before, it shocked me as to how well he fought like those in Homestead did. And I couldn't help but wonder... how was it he knew?

I kicked at the water to stay afloat. "And how are you going to do that, Damien?" I shouted. "Last night, the lion almost killed you—"

Damien snickered before sliding his hand across the dirt. "Keyword there was almost, Elena." He kicked a leg back, deepening his stance. The monster in front of him side-stepped, covering its body with the shade from the trees. "I'm here to fight another day."

"Damien, don't!" Still holding the stone in my hand, I moved my arms around me to stay afloat. "You should come in this water! Maybe this creature cannot swim!"

Damien glanced at me but didn't do as I said. He instead looked back at the beast and lifted his sword higher above his head.

I growled, squeezing my eyes shut. "Damien! Do not do anything stupid! Please!"

Damien growled right after I did. I opened my eyes to see the side of his face, to catch the annoyed expression pulling at his lips. Completely focused on the creature in front of him, Damien shook his head. "I'm not doing anything stupid," he shouted. "This, this here, is what I'm supposed to do, right?" He pointed at the creature with his sword. "I'm supposed to protect you!"

Before I could say anything else, argue back, or even do what he told me not to, the beast in front of him charged. Its mouth opened wide, exposing large teeth. Saliva dripped from its fangs, the same vile liquid that spilled from the lion's mouth. As it rushed towards Damien, it fell to the ground, splattering across the grass.

And on impact, the grass burned.

"Damien!" The world may have moved in slow motion, but it was as if I was the only one screaming. Carmine kicked his front legs up in the air as he neighed loudly, grunting as the creature rushed forward. The sound of his animalist shout was empowering; I had never heard something like that from him before.

But it wasn't just Carmine. It was Damien. While my horse slammed his hooves back against the ground, Damien leaped backward. The beast, hand extended forward, formed a fist as if to grab Damien's face, but he had already moved out of the way. With the space between them, Damien had the chance to strike.

His blade came down against the creature's face, cutting a deep wound in its cheek. As it bellowed in pain, Damien, reached his arm over his head to strike again.

"Damien!"

With a spinning attack, Damien caught the beast in the shoulder next. It dropped down on its massive knuckle, buckling against the dirt. But as it bled, its bodily fluids dripping to the earth, the grass ignited. Small puffs of smoke emerged by Damien's feet.

And Damien didn't seem to notice. He struck again. And again.

"No, no, no, no!" Kicking my feet, I swam forward towards the lake's edge. If Damien couldn't see beyond the fight in front of him, he'd burn in the flames. No royal had ever lost their coronation companion; no royal failed at this step.

I couldn't be the first. I wouldn't.

Reaching the lake's edge, I threw my hand up to catch the ground. My fingers pressed into the dirt. Spinning for another strike, Damien noticed me. And stumbled back.

"Elena!" Damien shook his head. "I said stay in the water!"

My hand still holding the stone shot up out of the water, too. I hoisted myself up, balancing on my elbow, as I glared at Damien. "The ground is burning!" I noticed the earth near his feet. "Can you not feel the flames?"

Baring his teeth, Damien glanced down at the ground. He hadn't noticed the flames; his reaction made that very clear. With wide eyes, he stepped back, away from the small, spreading flames, and bumped into Carmine. My horse neighed in protest and ran forward. Damien nearly fell back.

But he caught himself. Hand on a tree's branch, he remained standing. "Don't!" he said to me. "I got this!"

"Do you?" Grunting, I pulled myself up and stood in front of him. Drenched in water, the drops landed on the ground. Some sizzled when met with fire. "Do you!"

The beast roared, loud, horrifying, and both Damien and I had to look.

It stood with its arms raised over its head. Its teeth were fully bared, eyes bright red as it screamed. But the attention wasn't towards us anymore. It was focused on Carmine.

My horse turned and bucked its back legs at the beast. It howled again, ready to attack. And at the same time, Damien and I shouted, "No!"

Damien was the first to rush forward. With his sword at his side, swinging back behind him for the perfect strike, he looked like a royal warrior; he reacted as someone trained in our court. Feeding off of his energy, I shook my wet curls away from my face as I ran forward. The dagger strapped to my leg was close. When Damien lifted his sword to strike the beast, I bent to the side to pull my blade from the holster on my side.

"Elena, stay back!" Damien shouted.

"I'm going to be queen!" Stumbling, I pulled the dagger out from its place and held it tight in my hand. As I lifted it, the silver tip reflected the sun. But it was when I moved it forward that the world changed; everything slowed down.

The beast in front of us stopped its rampage. One look at me caused it to recoil. It covered its face with one of its hands. Still, I didn't stop.

I continued, running as fast as my legs would take me. My dagger, though at first glance I knew it would do little to no damage, remained over my head. I was ready to bring it down against the beast; could stab its chest, aimed at the heart, and watch it bleed. For Homestead, for my people, I needed to do this.

Yet, as I got closer, just a foot away, it howled like a banshee. Both of its large hands covered its face as it stumbled back into the streets. Carmine, still reacting to the beast's initial attack, screamed as he kicked his front legs, then his back. Damien dodged one of Carmine's hooves to keep from getting hurt.

And in the process turned into me, hand on my shoulder, arm around my waist,

My hand still gripping the stone shot up at my side as I tried to keep balanced. My wide eyes were focused on Damien as he was in front of me, trying his hardest not to fall into me. The moment happened so fast, I couldn't think, react, say anything.

Not until the beast howled again, louder than before.

With my arm still outstretched, my body bent back under the weight of Damien's, I watched as the beast's face started to peel, its skin pulling away from its skull. It was then I saw no bone, but metal; metal under flesh, blood, muscle.

Its terrifying eyes looked at me. At my hand. I did the same. When I did, I saw the waves around the stone of morning glory. It tingled in my hand, vibrating under my fingers.

Yet, I didn't it go. Not even as the beast slid across the dirt and grass.

The stone pulled the monster in my direction.

*

Thank you for reading! <3