I leaned back on the walls of my fathers castle. My heart raced, and I couldn't help but tap my fingers across the cobblestone walls. The images of the cursed spirits were burned into my mind. It was just like being stuck in that room again. I tapped more harshly against the stone, and tried to focus on the pain my fingers were in. It wasn’t just their faces though, that voice. I hadn’t heard that voice since that day either. Was it a cursed spirit? Was it always a cursed spirit? Can they even follow me?
My thoughts were suddenly ripped from me as the sound of something crumbling scame from behind me. I jumped away and looked back. I saw one of the bricks was broken, the brick I was tapping… My eyes glanced down at my fingers ,and I noticed the tips of my fingers were corroded in something black. Just like when I grab Zack’s throat. I lifted my hand up, but this time it didn’t vanish.
I should ask dad if he knows…No, he’ll just disappear if he thinks I’m a freak.
‘Maybe you should just accept it already then, you’re nothing but a monster.’
“Shut up!” I snapped.
Someone suddenly whistled in front of me and I jumped. Finding Nick standing in front of me with a judgmental scowl.
“You okay Frankenstein?” He asked.
I can’t tell anybody…
“I’m fine.” I mumbled and walked forward.
“Really? Because dad doesn't seem to think so.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, arlight.” I said firmly.
Nick rolled his eyes.
“Sure, whatever you say, Cheekless.”
He turned around and started walking, and I just quickly followed behind. Not saying a word. I’ll figure this out, I'll figure this out all on my own. That’s the choice I'll make. I won’t become a monster.
…
We walked through monster lane for a bit. Thankfully my soul sensing was turned off. I had no idea how I did it, but I was grateful. However, we were walking for a while now. I didn’t think we needed to walk anywhere special for forestwalk. So I didn’t know what he was doing.
“Where are we going exactly?” I asked.
“I got a pit stop to make before we head out.” He replied.
“A pit stop?”
“Just shut up and follow. Unless you wanna try and find your own way home.”
I glanced back and noticed a Naga staring me down. He was definitely ten feet tall, with his snake bottom half. While his human top was extremely built. Once our eyes met, he gave me a wink.
“Don’t worry, the snake guy doesn't want to eat you. But he’s definitely not above seducing the prince of darkness.” Nick snickered.
My cheeks flushed.
“Shut up!” I grumbled.
His laughing abruptly stopped however, he turned back and grabbed my wrist. Then ran off into the woods.
“Hey! What the hell!?”
“First and last warning, be quiet, or else I can’t promise you’ll live.”
That shut me up real quick. He dragged me along for a while, and I practically held my breath. That is, until we stopped at a huge tree. Which he leaped onto like a cat and crawled over to one of the thick branches that dangled over the edge of the hill. Thankfully urban exploration gave me a few beneficial skills. I followed his lead and came out to the branch next to him. Which showed the area beyond the forest boundary. The tree was above a hill, and down below were some men.There were two wearing a suit. One with long and shiny white hair, while the other wore a black fedora. I noticed they had pointy ears and lilac skin. While the rest of the men varied in looks, some looked like random creatures you'd find in monster lane, and all of them had weapons. There were about ten of them just standing around. I wanted to ask Nick what was going on, but honestly, did I really need to ask? Guy’s with weapons. Hiding off in the forest behind Monster lane, he definitely just wanted to fight.
“Hey! The brats finally here!” The snake man from below spoke up.
I looked over along the trail, and saw what I assumed to be a Satyr walking toward them. The clacking of his hooves sounded off as he nervously shuffled toward the men. Soon he came to a stop in front of the men in suits. The one with the hat smiled and stepped forward.
“Ah! I see you didn’t have an issue finding us huh?” He said and playfully slapped the one with long hair's arm.
“Maybe that idiot from Horn isn't so bad.” The one with long hair mumbled.
From Horn? Isn’t that dad's police thing? I looked toward Nick, but his eyes were frozen on the men. Was I wrong? Was this a drug bust or something?
“N-no I didn’t have any trouble.” The Satyr chuckled nervously.
“Well, come closer we don’t bite. Unless you ask.” The man in the hat said with a smirk.
“R-right..” The Satyr said and walked over to the group. “So, is this how things are gonna work from now on?”
The man with long hair sighed and scratched the back of his head.
“Until we get some better dealers. You don’t have to worry though. We’ll get things running smoother soon. Need some dealers who aren’t scared of the White fist. Know anybody who’d be interested, let them know we're looking. All species are accepted.” He said.
“Anyways!” The one with the hat stepped forward and went into his pocket, pulling out a small baggie. It was filled with a sparkling pink dust. “You came for the good time right?”
The Satyr gulped, but nodded.
“Got the cash?”
The Satyr didn’t move at first. He just stood still, then, something white came out from the treeline. It was like a blur as it rushed in, and seemed to ram into the man with the hat, who went flying. His body shined under the moonlight as he soared into the air and crashed into the ground. Then, standing tall in his place, was the blur from before. My eyes grew wide as I recognized her.
“Is that Aeseria?” I asked.
“Yup.” Nick replied.
The group of monsters with weapons all stood around her, forming a circle and trapping her in. I looked to Nick, expecting him to help her. But he had no sign of any emotion on his face, not even the readiness to move.
“Are you…going to help her?” I asked.
“No, this is her fight she started.” He said. “Thirteen versus one.”
Thirteen versus one!? Wait, I looked back toward her and counted again, including the guy she knocked, it was only twelve. Where was the thirteenth person?
“I thought I told you to not come back to Monster lane?” Aeseria said and eyed the only standing man in the suit.
She didn’t even seem to flinch at the crowd around her, brandishing guns, knives, swords and even fire building up in their mouths.
“Slaughter her!” He yelled.
That’s when the war came. She moved so fast, it was almost like some fast-forwarded the scene. Suddenly she was in the air and came down hard on the gunmen, punching him in the face. He stumbled back and she followed up and jabbed him in the face over and over again. That’s when someone came up behind her and wrapped their arms around her. They looked like a small minotaur, she struggled a bit and the man with the knife came in. She hopped up and double kicked him in the face. He went flying and she used that momentum to spin around inside the minotaurs hold and got loose. As she came down she punched the minotaurs horn at the base and it fell off. The beast stumbled back and seemed off balanced. Then she aggressively threw jab after jab at his face, until he dropped. Only for her to get smacked by the tail of a Naga and sent flying. She crashed back onto the ground and rolled to her feet, only to have a fireball sent her way. She quickly took off her bomber Jacket and slapped it at the fireball, which expldoded into small sparks that fell all around her.
Then I watched as she ran in like an animal. There was something different about the way she was fighting. It was unlike anybody I'd ever seen before. It was like she was a cornered beast. Every lunge and punch, it was desperate, it was needy. Like if she didn’t land every strike, or return it back, it was a matter of life and death. No smile of enjoyment in anything she did, just an angry glare at everything. I wish I had my soul opened up right now, I wonder. Just what was her soul saying?
It was long before the horde was out. Their bones broke, their faces bloodied, yet she didn’t kill a single person. Even though she definitely had the ability to kill whoever she wanted. She didn’t. Aeseria strolled over to the only one left, the man with the long hair. The man glared and took a step back, dropping the drug to the ground. Aeseria had blood splattered on her face and an uncaring look in her ruby eyes. She tilted her head to the side.
“So, this is the last warning. Go back to whoever your boss is. And tellem my areas off limits. Or tell him to come here and fight me like a man.”
The man with long hair growled and took a step back.
“This isn’t over yet, vampire.”
Just as he said that, something leaped out from the woods, it was huge and green! The beast had a large wooden club and it charged Aeseria. She didn't have time to react, and he bashed her with his club, sending her flying. She went airborne, at least eight feet in the air! She dropped like a rock and took a moment to roll over.
“What the hell is that!?” I asked.
“An Ogre, fun fact about Ogres. Their skin is especially tough. Fire doesn't bother it, and it can take round after round of military grade weapons."
I looked back at the beast, really taking it in. It had teeth poking out from his lower jaw. And he was definitely at least seven feet tall. The Ogre had a belly, but his arms definitely showed how beefy he really was.
“What? How the hell are you supposed to hurt that thing?”
Nick smirked.“Just watch.”
“AAAAAAAHHHHHH!”
Suddenly Aeserias scream ripped through the woods, I looked back and she was a blur again. She leaped into the air and came down on the Ogre's face like a falling star. He stumbled back, and she didn’t pull any punches this time, I could tell now, she was definitely holding back earlier. She leaped forward and punched the Ogre again and again. Who kept stumbling back. However, he finally got his ground and kicked Aeseria who skidded back against the grass. Doing her best to not drop, but to be honest, I couldn’t tell she was tired at all. She came back in like a beast and struck him in the jaw with her fists. The two going back and forth, almost blow for blow. Then something behind the Ogre caught her attention.
“Hey! Where do you think-!”
Before she could even finish, she was punished for looking away. The club met her face once more and she was sent back. I looked over and saw what caught her eyes. The man with long hair was running away!
“Oh no you don’t” Nick said and stood up.
“What are you-”
I didn’t even get to finish before Nick leaped off the tree. The branch cracked and shook and I had to hang on for dear life as Nick went flying. All the way over to the man who was trying to get away. As Nick landed in front of him, ice exploded to life and surrounded the area. Capturing everyone on the ground in its ring.
“Nick!?” Aeseria squealed in shock.
“The Beast eater!?” The man before Nick squealed.
“I didn’t hear a bell, where do you think you're going?” Nick asked.
“W-what!?” The man yelled.
“Aeseria! Keep going.This is your fight! He’s not running away from his round. And a student of mine better not lose.”
As if on cue, Aeseria came in at the Ogre. Bashing her fist into his jaw and breaking off one of the long teeth that came from his lips. He stumbled and swung his club at her. However, he seemed much more disoriented than before. He struggled to aim and Aeseria ducked under his swipe with the club. Then came up and uppercutted him, that’s when it hit me. His skin maybe tough, but with all those mean jabs she’s giving him. I’m sure she’s knocking his brain around!
Aeseria didn’t let up. Beating his face over and over again. This bluish green liquid came from his mouth as she hit him. I could barely tell if it was blood or his spit. Either way, he completely stopped swinging at her at some point and just took it. Until he dropped and flopped down onto his back. His body shook, but soon he didn’t move an inch anymore.
Aeseria stood over the beast with clenched fists. Red blood and the green liquid dripped from her hands onto the ground. She glared at the Ogre and leaned down, more blood fell from her leaking knuckles and she just screamed.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
For some reason, this scream felt different from before. It wasn’t one of desperation. It was one of victory.