Chapter 10 - Eyes of the Beast

As the countless stream of the mythical creatures walked upon the vast plains, awe and amazement bubbled within me. With the fiery color of the sunset touching the horizon, a breathtaking scenery had emerged before my eyes. 

Accompanying me in my side was the savior of this unholy crusade. Although the cloak of darkness surrounding him was absent, the depth of his mystery still brought upon another layer of unknown. 

His glistening, crimson pupils sent a powerful image of a beast in one's glance. Yet, as mighty as he was, a subtle trace of loneliness had painted his face. 

"What will you do?" I asked, curiosity welled up inside of me while I laid my sight upon his figure.  

Smiling lightly amidst the passing breeze of the plains, he answered in a nonchalant tone, "Of course, I'll continue my hunt. Until the eradication of every last one of them." 

"How about you?" 

When his query arrived at my ears, silence quickly overtook my being. Hesitation hindered me to give a certain reply, while uncertainty sprouted within me. 

After a while, a sigh of resignation came out of my lips. With a firm gaze, I told him what I wish and plan to do. Hopefully, he wouldn't think of anything less about me. 

"I'll join them… I'll try to see their perspective and stop their invasion. For it was unreasonable and inhumane to do." 

               -Page 30, Chapter 5. Journey to the myth by George J. Northtooth. 

….. 

Soon, maniacal laughter echoed within the room while the grip of the unknown figure became tighter and tighter. Squirming to break free of his clutch, Elizabeth attempted to make her assailant let her go by sending a few punches to the figure's face or head. 

Seeing that it wasn't effective at all, Elizabeth began to hit desperately to the same arm that held her neck firmly. 

Her heartbeat’s rate started to get faster and faster, as her lungs begged for some fresh air. Revealing painful expression, her mind racing at the thought of being unable to get away in time and killed for a reason she didn't even know. 

"Kuh…" 

Her consciousness flickered as she struggled to maintain her focus. The lack of any oxygen had caused her anxiety to reach its peak, while a sense of helplessness started to spread throughout her body. 

On the other hand, the joyful smile of her attacker hadn't left his visage as he saw the pointless struggle from Elizabeth. As he watched her frightened gaze, while drowned in the sounds of her muffled pain from her choked throat, he licked his lips in excitement and watched the life of the girl seeping away out of her slowly. 

Her eyeballs started to roll to the back of her head and release some tears, as her nose dripped out a mucus. A little more and she knew she couldn't escape this fate. Even the strength of her hands to try their best by hitting, clawing, punching to the figure had begun to lose their strength and fell to her sides powerlessly. 

However, at the crucial time, before the figure's wish for Elizabeth's death came true, another foreign visage emerged within the darkness as he laid upon his gaze at Elizabeth's attacker. With just a little wave of his hand, along with an incomprehensible gibberish out of his mouth, the new arrival of the second person had attracted and resulted in violent reaction from Elizabeth's assailant. 

"Begone." 

A cold, emotionless voice rang inside the room and overtook the stillness of the place. As the monster-like visage of the figure saw that a hooded man had appeared out of nowhere, he dispelled all the pretense of playfulness around him and immediately sent a thrust of his hand to Elizabeth's heart, in order to stop the young girl’s heartbeat. 

Yet, faster than a blink of an eye, a flash of blue light had arrived at the monster-like figure and struck at his body before he could react to it. Shedding away all of the shade within the room, that brief passing of illumination had revealed the abhorrent visage of Elizabeth's attacker as well as a figure with full body cloak that reached his knee, a mask, and greenish eyes glinting in predatory light. 

"Oooooohhhh!" 

A howl full of reluctance and fear arose while the previous mist materialized themselves around the room and swirled furiously. They shook all of the items inside it threateningly. But then, before the humanoid monster unleashed his full power, the cloaked figure started to conjure another flash of thunder, followed by a long chain within the lightning.  

Overwhelmed at the sight before him, The humanoid monster quickly decided to send the rest of the energy in him towards the chain of lightning. The dark mist abided by his will and gathered before him. Forming a wall against the incoming chain as the humanoid monster thought to make a run for it. 

Unfortunately, the humanoid monster had greatly underestimated the force behind the flying chain, along with overestimating the energy that was left inside of him. The path of the chain was obstructed but in a second. Moving as if it had a mind of its own, it wrapped itself around the figure of the humanoid monster and released untold untold agony the moment it latched itself on him. 

Amidst the cries of despair and pain out of the humanoid monster, the cloaked figure strode before him while his gaze was still as emotionless as ever. Looking at the miserable state of the monster, the cloaked man lifted up his opened palm and clenched it tightly. 

Soon enough, the chain wrapping the humanoid monster tightened itself until it became unbearable. In seconds, the humanoid monster burst into dark mist as he let out his last death throes. 

While he watched the disappearance of the humanoid monster, his attention then shifted towards Elizabeth's lying figure on the floor. For Elizabeth, what had just happened was blurry to her, as her consciousness tried to slip away in the middle of their chaotic situation. 

Within her blurry view and her weakened body, she listened to the brief, yet long howl of her attacker as well as a glimpse of unprecedented battle that was way above her imagination. When she saw the last moment of her attacker, the faintest heartstring at the very corner of her heart evoked a little sympathy and grief towards him, even though he was the reason why she is in such a state. 

Right before her consciousness faded, under the dimmed lighting of the moonlight that came from her window, she sighted the steps of the cloaked figure that was proceeding into her direction. Yet, unknown to the cloaked figure, Elizabeth noticed a faint glimmering of crimson eyes that were no different than those of a beast. 

Shortly, before she could react whatsoever, pitch black darkness blocked the rest of her vision and her mind completely gave up on her and went into deep slumber.