The Last Pillar.

Chapter eighty-one: Italian monster

Italy, 2000

Moonlight cast over Rome. Most people were in their beds, the unsavory ones who were still awake prowled the streets. Such a man was walking through the streets, pockets full of money and drugs. A firearm was in his back pocket. He was chuckling to himself at what a great amount of money he had made that day. However his smile faded when he heard footsteps following him. He turned and saw nobody. He continued on his way and heard footsteps again. He stopped and heard them still approaching. He pulled his firearm and looked behind him. Nothing again. He walked once more and heard the footsteps follow. Some sort of force made his skin bead with nervous sweat. A voice cut through the dark. "Hey mister.," the voice spoke, "If you were to be spared, would you change your ways?"
The man was scared but forced himself to look behind him. He did not see anything. He began to breathe hard. "What the hell?," He whispered to himself. "Do you believe people can change?," the voice asked, behind him again. A weight on his back made him shake. His body had an amazing feeling running through it. "Your soul is corrupted by greed. You polluted my home.," the voice said as the man felt weaker and weaker. His body was shriveling up. His mind went black as the life was sucked out of him. The body of the man fell to the floor. A smaller body landed on pavement and walled away. "That was filling.," the small voice spoke, "I won't have to hunt again for a while."

The small being walked in the shadows, away from the light and avoided humans. It was time to return to the hiding spot. There was no need to stay outside with humans for longer than necessary. The small feet of this being walked to the mouth of truth and the statue opened, allowing the child to go inside. "Thank you.," Her little voice spoke to the one who opened the way for her. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she walked down the staircase, deeper and deeper into the darkness. She heard something behind her and looked back, scarlet eyes looked down at her. "Don't try to scare me.," the girl spoke. "You were out longer than usual.," Came the reply, "Do the humans know about us?" "I don't believe so.," the small one replied, "But, I'm going to rest today." Her small feet tapped on the stone stairs as she descended. Others came from the darkness to greet her. The child hopped up on a stone pillar to rest on.
Her head laid on one of her companions' laps. A hand brushed over her hair as a voice hummed a lullaby. The voices of the other were soft as the girl fell asleep. Her small body was covered by a cloth they had aquired and her head lay on the lap. It had been a year since what happened in morioh. Yet, she knew that she could not return to the way she was once, not after she had witnesses to her power.

---

A knock came to the door of an Italian man, the man went to the door and opened it to see his friend. "Abbacchio, what is it?," the man asked. Abbacchio walked in, "I heard something interesting from listening to some talk amongst the other gang members." The Pale haired man sat on his friend's couch, "Gang members in Rome are going missing, only to be found later as nothing but skin and bone. All of their organs and body fluids drained. No injuries save for a single wound of missing skin." "This sounds like a terrifying stand ability.," the Italian man spoke. "But, the weirdest thing is the wound itself.," Abbacchio said and pulled out a picture of one of the corpses, "All of the wounds are in the same shape, a tiny hand. I thought you would want to be aware of this, Bucciarati." Abbacchio sighed and closed his dual colored eyes.
"This is what we're supposed to investigate.," Bucciarati spoke, his blue eyes looked over the picture, "Were going to Rome, as ordered by our capo." "Are we bringing the others?," Abbacchio asked. "Of course.," the blue eyed man spoke and put the files down, "Tell them to rest, we're going to be looking around the city at night." "Got it.," Abbacchio spoke and got up, "If this is another stand user that you take in, I will not be pleased." "You always say that.," Bucciarati chuckled as his friend left. He looked down at the picture again.

"Just what are you?"

---

The sun was down again as the tiny child stirred, her previous meal still filled her. She did not need to eat again for a while. She lept from the platform she slept on onto the floor. The marble tiles were cold against Her tiny feet softly padded on the marble and stone floor as she went to leave, she put on her sandals before leaving. "Are you leaving so soon, little dove?," the voice of her ghostly companion asked, "Where are you going?" "To walk around.," the girl replied and pulled her cloak hood over her head, "Perhaps I'll find something to entertain me tonight." "Lady (y/n). Be safe. Call for us if you need anything.," the voice of another spoke. "I will, Wamuu.," the girl replied, "I'm off." She walked up the stairs and used her strength to open the hiding place.
Her red eyes looked to the moonlit sky, the moon was sadly drowned out by the lights of the city. She walked into the streets and followed them. Some humans were out. Either tourists or unsavory folk. She passed the place where she had preyed upon the man the previous night. She sensed something down that alley with her horns. Stand energy. Quietly, she walked into the alley. She found a group of humans around the husk she left. All male. All in late teens and early twenties. All had stands.