Without A Trace

Chapter Nine: Odjur

I decided to post to celebrate my birthday. Which is today. Enjoy. 

Note: the wither storm inspired Odjur, so I put an image of it to help your mental images. 

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Älskar found himself motionless as the rest of his home's makeshift army ran at New Hope's smaller army. He soon shook his head, snapping out of it, and ran forward, joining his fellow Earth Dwellers-that's what they're called now-in a battle cry. He leaped, becoming a wolf mid-air as his battle instincts kicked in. His bulletproof vest served him well as he was shot at by the two men he was leaping at. His gaping jaw bit down on wear he aimed-the head of the man on his right. He bit down, pinning his ears back in attempt to block out the sounds; the man's screams, his neck snapping, gunfire, and the battle sounds around him. He pressed his paws on the man's chest and pushed back, the fur on his chest, neck, and around his jaws getting sticky and warm with blood. He opened his jaws, dropping onto four paws as the man's head rolled out of his jaws. The army of New Hope, Älskar estimated, was about a hundred men. He turned to the horrified college of the man he had surely killed; the other one he aimed for. He leapt at the man, biting on his vest and tearing at it, and in the process lifted him off the ground. Soon, the straps tore, unable to handle the way Älskar violently shook his head. Älskar curled his lips up to reveal his jaws as he opened his jaws and dropped the vest, slowly padded toward the man, snarling, saliva dripping from his jaws. He leapt forward and ended the man's life with a swift bite before he could shout.

Älskar attacked and killed a dozen more soldiers before he decided Rose should see the battle. He closed his eyes, quickly becoming his human self. He unsheathed Rose and ran forward, cutting the straps of someone's bulletproof vest. It fell lopsidedly, hanging by the straps on the other side. Before the soldier knew what was happening, a shapeshifter that had become a deer barreled down on him and rammed his antlers into the soldier's chest. The two shapeshifters made eye contact. They both nodded in thanks for helping each other take the soldier down before turning seperate ways and going back into battle.

Älskar helped several of his comrades battle; slicing the straps of the vests of New Hope soldiers, or finishing the job with a stab or a slice or two on a soldier that had already lost their vest. Soon, he noticed New Hope's army dwindling in the low thirties. They began retreating; the space shuttles that brought them here were swooping down to take them back home. Once all New Hope soldiers had either retreated or lay limp on the garbage, the Earth Dwellers joined together in a loud shout of victory. Everyone had who could shiftshape was human when they shouted. Älskar walked towards the gathering hoard of celebrating Earth Dwellers. But their victory was short lived as the horrible voice Älakar had heard in his head when he transformed spoke, the seemingly soul eating voice coming from the horrid vortex, no longer just in Älskar's head. It echoed out from the portal, sounding like every word split his head open.

"I TOLD YOU I'D BE HERE...," it made everyone gasp. They all turned to the vortex, mouths gaping and eyes wide. Älskar snarled as a hideous black wolf came out of the portal, floating. It was about the size of a blue whale. It's fur and hideous jaws dripped black ooze. It had a single, purple eye that didn't have a pupil or a white part, and a purple spotlight showed where it was gazing, following the eye. It's limbs hung limp and useless at it's sides, and it had several black tentacles waving around, attached to it's back. It's fangs were incredibly long, as were it's claws. It spoke without moving it's jaws. "YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY...." Suddenly, a voice spoke over the intercom from a spacecraft of New Hope Älskar suddenly noticed had stayed and not taken any soldiers; "Odjur! Listen to me!" It was definitely female. Älskar recognized it as the rude and emotionless voice of the President Of New Hope. "You've got to listen to me! I brought you into this world, so you better kill them! Kill those scum!" The newly named 'Odjur' turned it's creepy spotlight onto the spacecraft. "WHO ARE YOU TO COMMAND ME?!" it asked in it's soul-reaping voice. The intercom came on again, "What?! I brought you here! Obey me!" She snapped. Odjur let out a horrible raspy mocking laugh. "NO ONE CONTROLS ME." And with that, it lifted one of it's tentacles. Then, he brought it down on the spacecraft, smashing it and making it fly out of control, spiraling away from the Earth-Dwellers, exploding when it collided with the garbage a few miles away. Then, Odjur turned and aimed it's spotlight on Älskar and his thousand-or-so friends.

Odjur's spotlight fell upon Älskar. Then, he Älskar felt his feet float off the ground. Odjur was lifting Älskar. A few people rushed forward and grabbed Älskar's feet and ankles, attempting to pull him back down. Älskar reached down frantically to grab someone's hand, but Odjur's beam was too strong, tearing Älskar from his fellow Earth-Dwellers' grips. It brought the frantic shiftshaper closer and closer until Älskar was about close enough for a bronchiasaurus to be put between him and Odjur. "THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND....I WAS ABLE TO GROW FROM YOUR ANGER. NOW, I'LL DESTROY THIS DIMENSION. I'LL RID IT AND EVERY DIMENSION LIKE IT FROM EXISTENCE. AND YOU GET TO WATCH EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING YOU LOVE BE REMOVED FROM EXISTENCE..." Älskar struggled. "No! NO!" Älskar screamed, knowing Odjur was capable of what he threatened and more. Odjur laughed at Älskar's pain. It lifted one of his limp front legs, pointing it at the vortex it came from. It expanded, and everything around it began flying into it.

Älskar screamed in horror as his fellow Earth-Dwellers were lifted from the ground and flew into the vortex, vanishing into the eerie darkness. Lasair was flying past him, and he grabbed her around her hips as she almost flew by. She gasped, happy he had saved her. He hugged her close, afraid of losing her. They were both so horrified. Älskar began screaming at Odjur as Lasair buried her face into Älskar's chest. They were hopeless. Powerless.

And they all vanished.

Without a trace. 

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There is more.