THE LAST SHADOWBEAST

CH 16: Ride Home

ASIN

"LOOK OUT! "

I grasp the stirring wheel and turn it just in time to avoid the crash. The speeding truck bumps against the side of the car, sending us spiraling away. Drystan hits the brakes and the tires cry as we halt.

"Are you alright? "

I reach to unbuckle her seatbelt.

She nods.

I peek through the windshield.

The truck has crashed into the mountainside, its cargo tilting at a dangerous angle.

"What in the Semiot-"

Neith whispers as we leave the car.

"The driver must have dozed for a moment. "

I rush toward the wreckage.

"Asin wait-"

I tear the right side door open and heated smoke erupts in my face.

I wave it away, squinting to see beyond it.

I reach with my hand, but all I sense is the torn fabric of the seat.

Impossible.

Leaning on its roof, I haul myself over the vehicle and dart around through the dark highway.

Nothing.

"What's wrong? "

Neith asks.

"There's no one in there. "

She frowns.

"Are you sure? ", she shifts into a wolf and sniffs the cold night breeze.

"Then, what's this smell-"

A load thump knocks me away and overturns the whole truck to the side.

The heavy vehicle loudly bangs on the road.

Neith morphs back to her human form, and the silence following is broken by a wild and alien scream coming from the truck.

My every muscle strains as I wield my Flow in preparation.

Something dangerous is in there, something powerful enough to cause a bump into the steel crate with its sheer force, and it's not a Beast.

Then it comes out.

And I stand there unable to move as I gape at whatever came through the crate's roof.

It was a humanoid-shaped abomination with grey wilted skin dribbling down, covering its eyes and nose and partially its abnormally wide mouth, its long thin legs, and arms were twisted at a disturbing angle and ended with sharp reddish claws.

It howls, and the sound of nightmares come true awakens my senses.

The abomination jumps on us, jaws open wide enough to cut short the streams of skin cascading over it.

I shape the Flow into a dome over us, leaving Neith out of it, and make several chains emerge from the ground and warp around its insect-like articulations.

As insane as it is, the monster snaps out of its restraints and charges, my Flow erupts from the roadway, forming large spikes that tear right through its visible ribs.

The creature's long, bloody tongue leaps in the air as it squirmes, trying to lug its jagged, big frame off the barbs. The Flow stirs in my hand as I bolt toward it, I bring down my newly formed blade through its neck and the head pops off, rolling between my feet.