Chapter 3: The Dog Lady

Just a dog?

‘Tis not just a dog! ‘Tis a lycanthropeire!

Aye, a lycanthropeire!

You think that be your pet dog out there, in the brush?

…Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Perhaps, I would think. For a lycanthropeire minds not the light of a fire.

It would not stay outside of the light.

And you would already be dead.

What is a lycanthropeire, you ask?

Foolish child, have you learned not at all of this world?

A lycanthropeire is a demonic animal spirit.

Body of a beast, oversized from demonic strength.

A purity of spirit, aye a very paradox, it took in the evil.

For the demonic spirit needs a willing vessel.

Then on fours, out there in the woods, it lurks!

A soul of chaos.

Hunger in her eyes.

What is left of who once was inside?

Dark soul of the demon, gray soul of the living.

Though at times, a true coupling takes place.

A true surrender of the gray soul to feed the demon.

The demon does not consume the soul, however, but becomes one with it.

Listen closely, and gather round!

For a true coupling can be recognized!

If it has eyes of fire, and her very blood were to boil...

Then, oh then, my wee children,

ye would all be dead.

So let us hypothesize!

Your pup, ‘tis a female.

Have you treated her well, young man?

Any female scorned, man, elf, or canine,

nothing against any of you young ladies, but what can be more demonic?

A scorned woman that is, not you children. Who fears a child’s wrath?

Back to our speculation, aye?

Hypothesis? Synonyms, children, synonyms!

Has your teacher taught you not even the game of words?

But I digress! And the beast hungers in the night!

Alone the foul heart stalks, until one of weak will is found.

Manipulation, or promises, your demonic little pup will find a woman to own.

To control.

And the true combining of a lady and dog, well, that would create a true dog lady.

And, all of ye wee little cute things would be but her toys,

to maim and devour at her whim.

Call for guards, and hide in your rooms!

Protect your body from harm!

But worry not about the spirit itself.

For the soul of a child is innocent and protected. Weak.

Should the demon own a child, they would both be destroyed.

Hell their judgment.

And no innocent may be judged thus!

I would say your best bet, would be to hope and pray and hide.

Me? Well, I would stay and fight of course!

And would not stop praying. Because fight or flee…

I would probably be dead too!

~A campfire tale, XXII

~Feldyn Goldchord, the Endless Bard

* * *

*SHATTER*

About fucking time!

This is bad timing!

The door ripped open, the gigantic black shape that shot out, exited so fast it was not discernible, despite the bright flash of burning blue lightning.

Ally was violently thrown into -and through- the railing opposite where she stood, landing flat on her back, wind knocked from her lungs.

Trees behind Caleb seemed to explode as the huge mass shot straight over his head, and into the night. That was way too big to have fit through that door!

Better duck, bitch!

Careful Caleb, she is fast!

Looking over his shoulder, wondering who was yelling to him, a black mass of heat and stench rushed by above, knocking him down. It crashed into the balcony that Lyle and Ally had been on, destroying it as effectively as an explosive. That’s when Caleb got his first look at the creature. It crouched for a moment in the rubble, with Lyle in its large jaws. Eyes red and bright, though with no light of their own, fur a deep, oily-looking brown. A giant dog. A monster. It was large enough to fit Caleb inside of its mouth. This is impossible!

Flinging back its monstrous head, Lyle was tossed into the air. The beast jumped, and snapped him into its mouth. Lyle’s screams had changed completely, the sound was now of the deepest mind wracking horror and pain. The monster dropped him to the ground. Holding him in place with one massive paw on his torso, the giant beast-dog-monster delicately opening its muzzle, as if to take a tiny nibble, and bit him in half from the waist down, swallowing legs and hips in one, obvious, gulp.

Hell yeah!

My God…

Lyle, bottom half gone, was screaming a sound that made all who could hear it feel sick. As soon as the beast swallowed, it turned, and looked directly into Caleb’s eyes. He was hit with a sudden driving, crushing force, before being flung airborn by a flick of the monsters snout. He hit the ground (or was it a wall?) with a grunt, and the beast pounced at him.

You soooo gonna die.

DODGE!

Praying, and not thinking, he jumped (pushed off whatever was under his feet) and hoped it was the right direction. Spinning in an axle, Caleb was barely missed by the giant dog that smelled of old onions and vinegar. Stumbling, trying to turn, and falling, he was grateful that the middle school-looking boy that had been hiding near the house, got grabbed by a leg in the creature’s snapping jaws. It bound away in a flash, dragging the boy off into the darkness of the trees, and ever-growing nightfall. The boy’s screams took the place of Lyle’s, who had stopped, the difference was that this boy was screaming for his grandpa to save him.

Mmm, that sound turns you on, doesn’t it?

Ignore him, Caleb! This horrifies you!

The confusion hit him sudden and intense, stumbling backwards, tripping on the remains of the stairs; falling back and onto his side, Caleb suddenly realized that the two voices that were speaking in unison- were in his head.

Then he saw her.

Mere feet from where he lie, he stared into the lifeless blue eyes of the pretty child. She looked older than when he had seen her last. Her blonde hair was longer too. She was even wearing makeup. Which was marred by tears and blood. Jessie’s lip was slip, eyes blood shot, bruises marked her delicate skin, thickest on her neck. And there was blood. Not so much on her face, no, most of it was… was on her legs… the ground… her… naked bottom area…

Jessica, one of Ally’s younger cousins, and Sally’s twin, was dead.

Ally’s anger, and Lyle’s words hit him at once. Covering his mouth, he began to shiver violently, heart feeling like it was vomiting. ‘Jessie, no! No, no, no, no! Oh God, no! No!’ And like, that he was numb.

What were they doing? Why were they here again?

The boy the beast tossed into the woods had quit screaming.

A shout from Ally pulled him back to reality just as the big beast crashed through the trees, knocking them down like bowling pins, and taking out the remainder of the ruined house.

'Where is it?!' Caleb thought, panic tickling his mind; looking all about, the giant dog seemed to have vanished. It must still be behind me in the rubble.

'But where… Dammit, what do I do?!’ His mind then blanked out concern for himself, a terror level worry for Ally overtaking. Stupidly standing straight up, he was looking around everywhere for a sign of the blonde teen. 'I need to find her! I need a weapon, but fuck that bitch, right? Wait, huh? No, why think that? It was(WAS)n’t her fault. Was (was not!) it? Of course it wasn’t!'

Shaking his head and feeling dizzy, why couldn’t he think? “Ally! Where are you?!” he croaked, voice randomly hoarse, like had been screaming. Coughing, Caleb stumbled, and fell back to one knee. Every time he tried to gather his thoughts his head spun so violently even sounds were lost in the whir.

* * *

Feldyn felt like a helpless fool. What in all the hells was a female (he assumed, due to its lack of testicles) lycanthropeire of such strength doing sealed in such a random location?! The half-elf had assumed it to be a much lesser creature, one dangerous, yet something he could handle. It wasn’t that he was afraid, it was that here on Earth, he had almost no power. He didn’t even have a weapon!

Feldyn just hoped the Dragonheart and Ally could survive until backup arrived. They sure seemed to be taking forever to traverse the woods… Surely the police officer heard the gunshots, and was coming to help! And Bryan couldn’t be far behind the half-elf, though would likely be a liability himself, unarmed as he was.

The lycanthropeire returned to the clearing, diving into the rubble, before flinging someone out of it with such extreme abruptness, they barely had a chance to scream, as they were tossed into the trees. Ally. It was Ally!

Feeling helpless as the beast crouched to jump in pursuit of the girl, Feldyn began throwing rocks at it. He needed to distract it! The half-elf was cursing his lack of throwing ability, as Caleb speared the crouching beast in the flank.

Yelping, blood spilling from the wound, it still jumped, but sideways. Landing on its shoulder, it stumbled, rolled, and skid into some trees, before crashing back to its feet.

Then it pounced at the Caleb faster than one could blink – right into a crackling, blue, flaming lightning peel of a manastorm.

“Yes!” Feldyn cheered, almost in a scream, as the beast yowled and thrashed. Fur and skin burnt, bubbling blood pouring from large, gaping, scar-like wounds across its face and shoulders. Stumbling, the lycanthropeire rolled on the ground, and drug its face in the dirt, moving out of sight, trying to extinguish its pain.

The fact the breaking of the seal (he assumed) triggered more manastorms, seemed to be advantageous for them. Luckily, as well, the storms were not strong enough to be accompanied by quakes. At least Feldyn hoped no quakes were to follow.

In the rubble, Caleb cried out when his bare right foot stepped into a puddle of steaming blood, that looked (and felt) like it was boiling. More weirdness, but he couldn’t stop to think about it! He had to get to Ally! If he thought, those voices may confuse him again. Whether it be giant monster dogs, boiling blood, or random blond guys popping from the woods to shout things or cheer, he had to just keep moving!

Feldyn watched Caleb sprint into the woods in the direction Ally had been thrown. The beast could still be heard thrashing and whining, though it was staying in the same general area from the sound of things.

He knew he had to buy the Dragonheart some time. But how? Looking about the clearing, he saw for the first time the body of little Jessie. What had happened sank in fast. Clenching his jaw, Feldyn continued scanning the area. A bit off in the trees to his left, there was a half-naked young man, who apparently had demonic dog survival skills.

“Excuse me!” Feldyn sang loudly to the young man, hiding some yards away, and waved a hand, kind and pleasant smile on his face. When the young man looked at him in horror and started making shushing sounds, Feldyn lowered his hand, but kept his smile. “Do you know who it was that caused the death of that girl?” he asked, sounding eager and excited, though quieter. “Why?” the young guy called back, suspicion tinting his terror stricken voice. Feldyn decided to gamble, “I was promised the blonde bitch that monster tossed into the trees.” He then tilted his head to the dead girl, “And a little one. Sad I missed the fun.” He closed he eyes and smiled, hoping his shudder of revulsion looked like a shiver of pleasure.

“You’re a sick fuck,” the shirtless young man grinned at him. “Too bad, too. You should have heard her screaming. I mean, she screamed for everyone, but…” he smiled, and leaned down some as if he was telling a secret, and not calling out to someone in the woods that his human eyes could barely even see. “I was the one that got to feel her die on my fucking cock!” He began to laugh quietly, with more than a little bit of madness. “How fucking epic is that? Huh?”

The lycanthropeire had quit making noise, but all Feldyn could have heard anyway was the sound of his own pulse pounding in rage. “How big is your penis?” was all the half-elf replied.

Laughing, “What the fuck, you a faggot?” the male asked, not sounding in the least offended, fellow psychopath to chat with had distracted him from the fact a literal monster was nearby. “It’s nine inches of pain and pleasure. My pleasure.” Feldyn leaned down and picked something up. With a smile and nod, “Then this should do it!” Suddenly, he was behind the boy in a rush of wind, too fast for the rapist to even see.

Roughly nine-inch stick in two hands, Feldyn bent his knees and thrust it up, through the young man's pants and into his ass. Lifting the breathless rapist to his tip toes, Feldyn straightened his knees, and grabbed the boy’s short hair with his left hand. Yanking him off-balance, stick still held in his right hand, he pivoted the man to the side, so he had a straight shot at the clearing. And with a shove and a kick, he released the stick and sent the impaled man stumbling into the clearing and onto his knees with a loud wail.

“I’m going to kill you!” he sobbed at Feldyn, trying to reach the stick in his ass. “What the fuck?!” Bryan snapped, as he ran up next to the half-elf, looking out at the sobbing, half-naked man, with a stick in his ass. “Long story,” Feldyn snarled, eyes not leaving the clearing. With a whimper and a lot of blood, the rapist pulled the stick out.

“Feels great, doesn’t it?” Feldyn snarled, then took a deep breath. “Here, puppy, puppy-”

The beast smashed straight into the ground from above the bleeding male, taking him completely into her mouth. Feldyn and Bryan both cried out in surprise, the latter falling to the ground from the shock of what he saw.

The rapist was now screaming in pure terror as he was tossed into the air. Jumping, the beast caught him in her mouth, chewed a little, then tossed him in the air again. Listening to the screams, Feldyn couldn’t help but feel a little bad. Though he was positive, after what that wicked man had done, that he deserved worse.

Yelling for his mother to save him, he was swallowed whole, and very much alive.

Well, that would be worse, wouldn’t it?

“What’s going on?” Bryan asked from the ground, panic under control now, but barely. Feldyn wasn’t sure what to say, or what to do. But since the beast had just swallowed its last visible victim, he and Bryan were probably about to be next.

There was a flash as a manastorm arced in the clearing, giving them a momentary distraction. “Run!” Was all Feldyn said, and Bryan didn't hesitate, running back the way he had come. So did Feldyn, only angling his flight a bit to the side, so they were not going exactly the same way. Stealing a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw the beast’s eyes coming at him (Why pick me?!) and fell to his belly, letting the creature pass overhead. Dammit all to bloody hell! No weapons, and no magic! He tumbled as it crashed by a second time. “Lance, do something or we both die!” Feldyn yelled, and he heard a sort of pop.

Suddenly falling, he hit a branch with his leg, flipping him upside down, taking another branch wickedly across his throat.

* * *

Not far away, but too far for it to be of any help, Caleb crashed through the underbrush of the woods, hoping to blindly stumble across Ally, without getting eaten in the process.

'This was a stupid plan, should just leave the bitch.'

Why was he hearing voices!? Why were his own fucking thoughts sounding like them!? What the actual fuck was happening?!?! Pazely just got back, but she really got back months ago and he just forgot! Then lightning stars arcing through the air, earthquakes, warm rain -which had stopped- on a clear sky, and a giant dinosaur sized monster dog coming out of a door in a barely standing building in the woods, that Ally opened! And here he was, running through those woods, trying to find Ally so they could escape, while trying to not about Jessie being raped and fucking murdered!

His throat tightened and he clenched his jaw. Jessie...

Jessica and Sally, Ally's almost identical twin cousins. The only difference being Jessie’s eyes were faded blue, while her twin’s were a faded green. Jessie had been so outgoing and silly, and her hair was long and wild, clothing style similar to Ally’s. The complete opposite of her twin sister. Jessie never acted scared. Sally, on the other hand, had always been the anxious type. That changed after her abduction a few years ago, when she was around Gigi's age.

Right out of their dance studio in southern California, Sally vanished and was gone for weeks. No trace, just gone. Then one day, she just returned. Wearing different clothing, unharmed and intact, in every way. With no memory of what had happened. Just that she had fond feelings for whoever she had been with, and that he wasn’t a bad man. Nothing else. The shrinks and law enforcement involved just deemed it some type of brainwashing. Yet, everyone was happy, that regardless, she seemed good, unhurt, and happy.

Sally, while still quiet, had been gaining confidence since her kidnapping. Doing more things solo, and independently. Also started to wear less clothing, and dress more like a dancer. Her family were nudists, after all. But like Ally always pointed out, being naked around nudists was like being fully dressed around normies. You could be comfortable nude at resorts, yet shy to show your belly in public.

In many ways, it had seemed Sally was improving. Getting over her weaknesses. Jessie supporting her completely, always her sisters cheerleader.

And now Jessie was dead; gang-raped and strangled to death. At least the ones that did it were now all dead. Hopefully. Murdered by Ally, himself, and that giant dog beast. Because that’s what is was, right? Murder.

The dog howled loudly, and the moon seemed bright, even under the tree cover. There was no more screaming. When had it stopped?

With a surge of adrenaline, Caleb threw himself painfully to the ground, the impossibly fast monster shot over him a fraction of a second later. Staying on his face, he belly-crawled and rolled through undergrowth, trying to use it as a barrier; the creature crashing and thrashing almost everywhere but where Caleb seemed to be, as he kept moving.

* * *

Reaching the ruins of the old house, Stryker, Pazely, and Bryan (who they had encountered in the woods), paused at the sound of the trees snapping, and the snarling and horrible barking. Bryan was telling the truth…

Stryker handed the rifle to the boy, preferring his side arm anyway. Pazely, shotgun in hand, was shaking violently at the sounds coming from the trees. Bryan was practically in a state of shock. He was so rattled at what he had seen, coming back here actually made sense to his panic numbed mind. Friends in danger, monster bad.

Stryker flicked on a small flashlight he had in his jacket pocket, and ran into the woods, leading the way. Why? He didn't think about the why. Or much at all. Ally and Caleb needed saved, that was all.

The swath of destruction had cleared them a pretty decent path. The trio never noticed the body of the little girl, that was now partially obstructed by debris.

All three thought they were being brave and open-minded. All three were very, very wrong, as they ran ever closer to the sounds of nightmare.

There was one, however, who was about to be much braver than any of them could imagine.

* * *

Oblivious to the nearby help, Caleb was rolling and crawling desperately, without even a moment to catch his breath. Realizing he had rolled free of undergrowth, he quickly got to his feet and turned, seeing Ally, blood all over her, laying against a tree. Meaning to run or duck towards cover, he didn’t even get the chance to begin moving- the giant beast hit him head-on.

Ally watched in horror as the creature flung Caleb with its muzzle, sending him spinning high into the air, above the field she sat near the edge of. The beast crouched to leap after him, and a rifle rang out the moment it jumped. Hurt or startled, it faltered its jump, yet still managed to slam into Caleb in the air, knocking him back towards Ally.

Falling even more out of control, Caleb landed on his shoulder and hip, right side of his head cracking into something. A feeling of dizzying sleepiness overtook him, though with it he struggle enough, aware he was going to pass out, and what that meant.

“Run,” he croaked, with a gag of blood. So sleepy… Ally was calling to him nearby, but he didn’t hear her. He heard nothing but the sound of the ocean in his ears… Was he lying on a shell? “Please..” he managed in a tiny pleading voice, before slipping into the blank void of unconsciousness.

The creature was shaking its head furiously from where it had retreated across the large clearing. The would-be heroes arrived at the opposite side of the field, finally got a decent look at this monster. They had begun firing instinctively at the large before being able to quite make out what kind of creature it was. Freezing instead of reloading, Stryker, Pazely, and Bryan -whom had been trying to convince himself his eyes had been paying tricks- stared dumbfounded.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The beast now looked across at them, giving a deep guttural growl. “Kids, you need to go,” Stryker said in a voice that felt like ice. This beast… was big as a house! It looked like a gigantic, roided out house pet! Was this… real? It boggled the mind. Something like this shouldn’t exist!

Bryan and Pazely ignored him. Go where? Where could they run, from that… thing? That… real life monster?

Ally, leg mangled badly enough that she was sure she was going to lose it, if she even lived.

Caleb, unconscious.

Stryker, Bryan, and Pazely frozen in terrified awe, all guns empty.

And Feldyn knew he had to get them to keep trying!

The sight of the Dragonheart unconscious worried him immensely. Ally looked terrible, but unfortunately, everyone else was expendable as long as Caleb survived. Shirtless, scratched, with a decent bruise growing across his throat, Feldyn ripped the rifle from Bryan's hands as he ran out among them. How does one use this bloody thing? He didn’t have time to figure it out, it would seem, as the guttural snarl rose to sound like dozens of engines revving at once.

* * *

Gigi, bloody mouth, covered in dirt, no pants and silly hair, reached the ruins of the house in the tiny clearing.

Of course, she had known what had happened. Kinda. It made her mad. It was Jessie's fault, for being dumb, and going off, and leaving her! If she had stayed than she wouldn't have had to die. Gigi told her, but no one listened to Gigi. When she saw her cousin, lying there, but she just wasn’t there anymore. Jessie was lying there but… she was gone. This wasn't like with bugs, or animals. This... was...

Gigi's tummy felt tight, and her chest felt sick. It made no sense, and was annoying. The frustration made her want to cry and get a cheeseburger with lotta pickles (and no onions or mustard!). First Jessie died and left her, and now she was upsetting her still! Stomping over to her cousins corpse, Gigi kicked her in the ribs. But her leg barely moved. It was more of a tap than a kick.

Jessie went to Jesus. Jesus... would be mad of Gigi for this. Because.... because.... Tears were in her eyes now. Tears not from the usual frustration. These felt... terrible. "Why did you leave me alone?" Gigi asked her dead cousin. The only one that understood her. That helped her. That taught her about Jesus, and how to be a good guy. 'Jesus, tell Jessie I'm mad at her!' Gigi prayed in her mind. Jesus heard everything. Jesus was why she was one of the good guys. A hero!

Looking out to where her other friends were, the reason she had come here, Geeg was more determined now than ever. Her friends were going to live, because she was a hero and would save them. After that, they would want her to live with them forever. She wouldn't be alone and bored ever again.

Moving to retrieve the empty handgun Ally had discarded nearby, she ran towards the sounds of hell.

* * *

As she left the small clearing… This brave little sacrifice… He was watching. If she had taken any other course of action… If she had not gone after her friends… If he had not seen her eyes...

They were all going to die… Every last one of them… He hadn’t cared… They were the fools that released it. He just watched. As always. As was his job. His punishment.

… So he told himself. So he always told himself.

His orders could not be ignored. He was to watch and report. And report he had done, to no answer. There was never an answer.

Watching the child approach her dead relation, the way she reacted... Then she retrieved the weapon before proceeding on.

He knew her intention. He knew her fate. He knew the gun was empty. He knew it would not have mattered.

To watch, and not to intervene. That was his job. His punishment.

Only this time… Could it be? He had not felt such about a life since… Was it finally time, oh great Revelator? Was this truly the time? He had risked the curse to protect those in need before, and each time he had been forced into slumber, where he dreamed of loneliness; the pains of hunger never ceasing. Each time the slumber grew longer. Each time he awoke weaker, and less able to help. Each time he was forced to watch as more suffered and died before his eyes.

Perhaps this time… God would allow it. Maybe that child, which stirred something deep within him… Could be saved.

Fully shrouded in his silken black cloths which clung to him like an ebon skin, he stood. Black mist seemed to roll from him, so fine was the weave that wisped and blew about his body. Eyes of the deepest blue ice shone brightly; the only part of him the sun would not burn, and the only part of his body exposed. For possibly the last time in the two thousand years since he had been cursed... sentenced to wait… to watch… to suffer...

Masque headed out to battle.

* * *

The beast sprang at them. Shit! Almost as fast as the beast herself, Feldyn dropped the rifle, and felt the air rush past him as he quickstepped under the creature, sliding hard on his back. Another quickstep and he was back in the tree cover; the lycanthropeire stumbled and rolled almost right over the top of Bryan.

Hiding behind a large rock, shotgun in shaking hands, Pazely tried to calm herself. “Thanks Paze,” Ally smiled, confusing her for a moment. “For coming to help us,” she smiled calmly. Then added, “This hurts pretty bad, y’know?” Ally was closer to breaking that fake smile than Pazely had ever seen. And then she noticed her friends injuries. There was a lot of blood, so hard to tell how bad she was actually hurt, other than her leg. Her leg...

“Hmph!” Pazely managed to squeak, intending to say something rude in encouragement. But the beast suddenly took her and the large rock into its mouth. The rock exploded as the dog crunched down, and hopped out into the field.

Seeing Pazely taken out in one bite, Ally screamed; then sighed in relief and embarrassment as the beast turned, and she saw Pazely still alive; the boulder preventing the jaws from closing. Pazely jumped out, hitting the ground and rolling. “Good girl,” Ally said, “now you run like hell,” she added, breathless.

Running like hell, convinced she was gonna trip on her damn long twintails, Pazely didn’t even look over her shoulder as she sprinted back towards her friends. Lord only knew where the shotgun went.

Bryan and Stryker were running towards her; Bryan shooting. His expression… Oh God. It was about to get her, wasn’t it? Pazely was determined not to scream, feeling the monsters breath on her an instant before Stryker reached her, and shoved her violently out of the way, taking the impact himself. Luckily, no teeth were involved, the officer knocked off to the side, landing limp and unmoving.

Bryan didn’t know what to do, and he was out of bullets. Pazely was having trouble standing (her ankle hurt like hell), and the beast turned towards her once again. Then that blond-haired guy appeared in a blur on the monster’s head; unloaded the rest of the bullets from Stryer's sidearm into it, distracting the big dog long enough for Bryan to run (This is suicide!) underneath, getting to Pazely, as the creature tried to buck the man from from atop it.

“This sucks so freaking bad!” Pazely half whimpered and half bitched as he scooped her into his arms. That was an understatement. Running over by Ally, he set Pazely down, then turned to go get Stryker, and noticed the officer was already stumble-running their way, just as Feldyn crashed unceremoniously into a tree next to Caleb, landing him atop the unconscious boy on the ground.

The lycanthropeire smiled at them as it paced back and forth. It's eyes glimmered with a wicked intelligence. It was enjoying this. Their fear. Wanting them to know they were doomed, and nothing but corned mice.

A black-garbed figure burst from the woods, slamming into the lycanthropeire, shoulder-rushing it across the field, and into the trees.

“Yay!” Pazely chirped, the others remaining silent, listening to sounds going on in an apparent battle that they couldn’t see. The giant dog was actually sounding like it was in pain off and on. No one moved, as they waited the endless few seconds, wondering who would win. Feldyn hoped the enemy of your enemy applied to whoever had just rescued them. If that is truly what he happened.

The battle then crashed back out onto the field. Clothed in a way to seem to be wearing a ninja costume, their rescuer fought. And he fought fast. His eyes shone like solid blocks of rich blue ice, as he blurred and sped. Black wisps of a thick, misty substance flowed and moved around his large muscular form while he fought.

The black substance around him, Ally had thought was smoke at first. Then, as her eyes began to adjust to the speed of combat, she saw it was actually some type of material. But… nothing she had ever heard of had those properties. Nothing solid, anyway.

Hitting the dog, knocking it back, the beast would bite, ninja dude would dodge. The cycle repeated, crashing and tearing up the field, as all watched in a silent mix of awe and fear. Pazely, who could keep up from the beginning, noticed neither seemed to be doing much of anything fantastic in their duel. Ninja dude was just… moving. Not flipping, tucking, being all badass. Nothing. Just quickly forward and back. He didn’t actually dodge shit. He just moved faster. Like, as the big ugly coyote-looking thing would snap at him, he just increased his speed either forward or back, to not get bitten. It was not what you would expect from someone dressed like a ninja.

The fight was not going like Masque had anticipated either. This was quite a powerful beast. Her very blood boiled, as he managed with his weakened body to finally make the bitch bleed. Masque was grateful she was either too young to have battle experience, or simply lacked in skill.

Her blood was causing him quite a good deal of pain, the heat enough to burn the flesh beneath his shadowcloths. It had been quite a long time he had felt physical pain, and was glad he could still tolerate it.

Masque smelled her nearby before the beast had. Seconds, then it would be too late. Should he draw his blade? Was that child worth such violation of Law? The she-beast, learning, faked a lunge and back-stepped, catching the attacking Masque in her jaws. Crushing into him, with a few good shakes of her head, she threw him off, away from the group that foolishly remained.

First… first she would make sure they were dead.

This nightmare looked upon them, again. They had no way to fight, again. They had nowhere to run, again. Their would-be rescuer failed. Weren’t they heroes? Why, then? Wasn’t that enough? Isn’t that what it took to save everyone? Heroics? Or was it… sacrifice?

For who ran out of the trees and onto the open field, was not a hero. The tiny little form that the lycanthropeire noticed as it turned towards the others, wasn’t supposed to be there. Some may call tragedies inevitable. Some may blame God. Some blame man. For what ran onto that field of demons and nightmares… was a child. Children die as hideously as any adult. Sin and death don’t discriminate in who suffers. Though some sufferings tear at our heart worse than others.

Stryker himself had been to many a scene with dead children, some so bad that to this day his mind tries to forget. And fails. But when he saw her standing out there… so far from them… And this, this monster looking at her… His blood turned to ice water in his veins.

“Oh my God!” Ally gasped, when she noticed the tiny girl. Drawing the attention of all of the others, there seemed to be a collective paralysis of true horror, reality setting in for her, as it still fully hadn't for themselves.

And little Gigi couldn’t help but start crying. She now understood she did something dumb. Her body shook, and she felt like barfing. Gigi didn't know what was happening, but she knew (even if she had known) there was a monster. And for the first time in her life, she was truly terrified.

Pazely made a choking sound of horror, and Stryker was unable to find his legs. What good would it have done? Bryan knew none of them could reach her, nor could they close their eyes. Oh God, please let this be quick! Poor Feldyn had been screaming as loud as he could for her to run, before the others had even seen her; his voice was still too hoarse from the branch-inflicted-injury to his throat. Even quickstepping, he wouldn’t get there before the beast!

Gigi was sobbing, and yelling for her mom, pointing the gun, held in her two tiny hands. She was going to die. What was going to happen to her, she finally understood now what Jessie had been talking about. Why Jessie had been so mad at her! GIG DIDN'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THAT!

Then she heard Ally scream, as the big dog that made her more scared than anything, jumped.

………Gigi!……

In a split second… In the moment Ally screamed… In the moment it took for the demon to clear the distance to her… In the moment it took her tiny hands to squeeze the trigger of the empty gun… In that moment… her life flashed before her eyes.

She didn’t know why she was crying for her mom. Her mom wouldn’t have come anyway. She would have said monsters weren’t real. Would have said this thing about to kill her, couldn’t be here. What had her life meant? Being bored. Until she got to come be with Ally in Castle Rock! And she got to be good friends with everyone! Life was finally not boring! And it was all because Jessie had told her about Jesus, and heroes, and not to be the bad guy.

And now… Jessie… was dead. Jessie was... hurt... for a long time, maybe... Jessie was scared, probably worse than Gigi was now. Gig had never really known fear until now. She didn't want to be scared, she didn't want to hurt!

Only the bad guys should be hurt! Only the bad guys should scream and cry!

Ally had screamed.

That scream was frozen in her mind, like everything else. Ally was scared. Ally was scared because the monster was going to kill them! But Gigi wasn't gonna die! Because Jesus had forgiven her, and she was a hero!

…GIGI DODGE!!…

She stepped to the left, feeling the monstrous paw crash centimeters from her face.

… MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! …

Rolling forward as the monster’s chin brushed over her, drool splashing across her body. Still rolling, the lycanthropeire kicked at her with a hind leg. Turning, it jumped and gnashed empty air. Moving slower than Masque, slower than them all, Gigi just kept dodging the damned thing!

… Keep it up little one, keep going, do not stop, do not give up! …

Even with the weird voice’s encouragement in her head, Gigi was still terrified. Her heart was beating so hard it hurt. She was so afraid! Why would no one help her?! Why were they just watching?! Her terror got stronger, as she felt abandoned.

And the dog got her.

'Mommy, help!' She screamed in her head, as she was lifted by her shirt the beast had snagged. 'Ally, Caleb, please!' She slid out of the shirt, onto the dog’s head as it whipped her upwards, and grabbed its fur in her two tiny hands. Shaking its head, Gigi was small enough to hold on until it quit. 'I’m so scared!' Without thinking, as soon as it quit shaking, Gigi stood and ran down its big back, and got bucked flying. 'No, no, no, Pazely help!!!' Bounding in a quick circle, the lycanthropeire hit the child with the side of its snout, knocking her across the field from the others, and into a tree. She was uninjured due to staying limp like she knew to do if she fell.

On hands and knees now, shaking, she felt like she was breathing air that made her sick. The big dog smiled at her. Her friends couldn't help her, and she couldn't help them. She was going to die. Was it because she hadn't saved Jessie? Hadn't told anyone when Jessie stupidly went with those guys? Did she deserve to die too now?

Yes. Yes she did. A pain like she had never felt before crushed her chest when she thought of Jessie. A horrible, rending feeling that made her want to die. The moment, the emotions, the feelings, she was sobbing so hard words wouldn't form on her lips, not even a scream in her throat.

'JESUS, HELP!' she screamed in her mind with everything she was capable of feeling. And Masque slammed hard into the creature’s flank with everything he was capable of giving. Missing its mark, the beast still crashed into the trees above where dirtied and bloodied Gigi was on hands and knees.

… Fight Gigi, it is not yet over, you can do it! …

Face stained in tears, Gigi rolled under the monster, and away from the battle between the Jesus Ninja that just appeared to save her from this mean stupid dog! Standing and confused, the pain and fear fading, again, that hollow frustration returned, and she looked to the others very far across the not so big field field, and clenched her fists. For just a moment, looking at them, all the big people just watching; just watching! … For a moment… she wanted the monster to kill them all. She wanted them all to die.

Now Gigi… They do not fight because they are too afraid, it is because they cannot.

Misunderstanding or not, the child was sure she understood. She saw how hurt they were then. How afraid. And she translated the voice in her head’s meaning the best a five-year-old could.

They could not fight. But she could. Just like she could have saved Jessie. No, Gigi was a hero. She would save her friends, and they would praise her for it! Love her even more for it!

Then, little Gigi. Poor, terrified, powerless little Gigi… At urging and calls from her friends to come to them... Turned and charged back to the monster, fighting alongside the ninja that Jesus sent to save her. Or so was the child’s logic. It was impeccable timing, after all, one had to give her that.

Feldyn was speechless. Had… she just gone back to fight? That look. For just a moment… That look she gave him. Them. For some damn reason… instilled confidence. In a small whisper, “Lance…” Feldyn began and barely contained a whimper of thanks as he felt the presence leave his shoulder. They could not just abandon her!

Feldyn was aware there was not much Lance could do, but he had the best chance of them all to get close without dying… Feldyn’s mind spun from the influence of whatever substance he had drank earlier. He refused to give back in to the temporary madness and used his dread to stay focused on the reality at hand. If any of this was even truly happening. It was so hard to tell at the moment!

As bloody-faced Gigi continued to dodge and roll, and the assassin-garbed man blurred about, Feldyn noticed something. This tiny little girl, hair unbound and matted with blood and dirt, was crying. She was so utterly terrified that she was sobbing. She was terrified to the point of hysterics, yet there she was jumping, rolling, and dodging; he even saw her try to kick it a couple times. If Feldyn was stunned before, now he was truly speechless.

Masque was perplexed. The child who he had risked his soul for moments ago, was now assisting him in the fighting of the very monster he intended to save her from. Weakened as he was, the tiny human was allowing him attacks of opportunity. Her speed was not on par with the demon, but she somehow seemed to know exactly when and how to move, to barely avoid contact. As in, millimeters away at times from snapping teeth, or a raking claw.

She reeked of such fear, he did not know how she kept going. He had seen grown men’s hearts fail from less. Her fear was mixed with the smells of vomit and urine, as well as blood. This child had urinated herself in fear, and filled her mouth with bile from horror. Yet, here she fought. Here she stayed. And if she died here, so would he. If he failed her, then here he too would end.

‘My Christ,’ Masque prayed, as he fought, ‘please save this one. Just this one.’ It had dawned on him why she was fighting so hard. ‘If by my death, she can live, then so be it.’ She was fighting for them. For those he would have let die. Those standing to the side of the clearing.

Ending his prayer, Masque pushed the assault. Like always, he felt no reply. No answer. No presence. He didn’t hear His precious Voice. For this new world His blood bought went on faith. And one thing Masque would never ever, ever lose...

Was his faith.

Pazely was astonished at what she was seeing. “She’s tanking it,” the twintailed girl observed. “Hell yeah, she is,” a weak-voiced Ally agreed. “That’s my Gigi,” her voice cracked, and she prayed to get the chance to tell her how amazing she was.

Stryker wasn’t sure what they were referring to, but if tanking meant she was the bait, then it sure seemed to fit. It was like watching some type of macabre bullfight, where the matador must endure not just any bull, but a mutant nightmare bull from Hell.

“I ain’t gonna just watch this!” Stryker declared from beside Feldyn, who's throat was feeling good enough to finally speak. “And just what do ye plan to do, officer? Can you explain how she is avoiding that thing?” Feldyn honestly had no idea how her reflexes were able to keep up. “We must put our faith in those two.” Stryker didn’t seem like he was going to accept that. “You will die, officer! You will make her sacrifice for naught!” Bad choice of words. “She isn’t going to sacrifice herself for me!” Stryker snapped, and started to run out to help. Feldyn was suddenly standing in front of him, knocking him to the ground with one well-placed punch.

“What is wrong with you?!” Ally yelled at Feldyn. He didn’t get a chance to answer as Pazely screamed. Gigi had tripped, and the ninja guy had missed a flying kick. That was all the opening needed for the beast to snap Gigi up, fully into its mouth.

Gigi opened her mouth, again in a panic, trying shout for help, but coughed and gagged instead. Giant tongue thrashing beneath her, the horrid smell, saliva everywhere, no grip, she was barely able to breathe. Kicking, clawing, and gagging, Geeg was holding the most fierce straddle of her life, struggling to not slide down the beast’s throat.

But it wasn’t her legs that were keeping her from being swallowed. She was far too small for that. When the beast grabbed her up in its mouth, Masque had gone insane. The moment Pazely screamed, he began a furious assault. Leaping at the creature’s throat, and hitting with a rapid series of punches and kicks; landing, rebounding right back to continue the assault; keeping the creature from being able to swallow.

Gigi dug her tiny nails into the roof of the creature’s mouth in desperation, and they suddenly burned with the worst pain she had yet to feel in her life, as its boiling blood dripped across her fingers. She gurgled a cry of pain, knees finally buckling. At that exact moment, Masque kicked harder than he thought possible in his weakened state, and the lycanthropeire retched out a screaming Gigi. Keeping up his assault, Masque drove the stumbling beast back into the trees.

Regaining her footing, the little girl, in only her soiled and torn panties, stood there… Then, she slowly turned to look into the trees where the battle continued. 'I can’t believe she intends to keep fighting!' Feldyn thought to himself. Then he felt the weight of Lance return. Apparently, there was nothing his tiny friend could do. What could any of them do, really? Feldyn didn’t ponder long as he saw two shotgun shells on the ground near him. Ammunition? Did someone drop it? Looking all around, he noticed the discarded shotgun not far from where Gigi stood. He was confident the girl was intelligent enough to operate the weapon...

Suddenly an idea crossed his drug-addled mind. A way to hopefully wound the beast severely enough for the black-garbed warrior to finish it off.

'My God, please let me be right, and please let her know my intent! And… forgive me! Forgive me for putting a child in such a situation!'

Standing, “Gigi!” Feldyn cried out to her as loud as he could, voice strong. She turned, and looked at him with the look of a child you woke from bed too early, that still didn’t quite know what was going on. He choked back a sob, which surprised him, and he held the shells up for her to see and threw them. They landed perfectly at the discarded shotgun. “What are you doing?” Ally snapped at Feldyn.

Gigi understood. Gigi was so tired. She was so cold. Her fingers hurt so bad that she couldn’t cry. No one called her to them. No one said to run. The voice in her head was gone. But… the dumb guy wanted her to do something really scary.

He was an adult, so he was right, right? No. Adults were wrong all the time. This adult though, was a hero, like her. What he was thinking in his head, was the right thing for her to do. ... Right?

She began to run fast on her tiny, frightened, little legs that should have long gone weak. And miraculously rolled as the creature -boiling blood splashing everywhere- burst from the trees to her left, snapping the air where Geeg had been a heartbeat ago.

Kicking the bitch demon from behind, Masque caused it to roll safely past the child. He also was not sure what the half-blood was wanting.

If he had understood what the half-elf had planned… How Feldyn overlooked it, is a mystery. Was it the influence of whatever hallucinogen was in his system? Or just an honest oversight? A mistake? If time could be reversed… And they changed it… Would they live? Even if what was about to happen to poor little Gigi could have been changed…

Was there really any other way?

Allowing the creature to keep almost reaching the child, in order to keep it in weapon range, Masque was running more risks than he cared for. The girl was fumbling with the weapon, dropping things, but she kept moving. So would he. There! She was standing now, holding it and- What is she doing?!

Once loaded, she hugged it tightly to her body, barrel facing towards the sky, and turned towards where Masque was managing to -more or less- keep the monster at bay. “Hey, ugly!” Gigi screeched “Come and get this!” and turned to start shaking her butt at it, voice sounding like a sobbing child screaming for help more than a warrior yelling at their enemy.

“The fuck?” Pazely asked to no one in particular as she watched the scene. What is she doing?! Ally was holding her breath, and actually feeling some hope. Could whatever it was they were planning work? Then what is this horrible feeling? Ally didn’t know, but oh, she braced herself. Just don’t die on us Gigi. Please not here, not like this. Certainly death was the worst that could happen.

Right?

Confused at what the kid was doing, Masque accidentally allowed the creature to slip past him, and he cursed as it once again snapped Gigi up into its mouth. The beast was stubborn and repeatedly tried the same thing, even after failing. Keeping up his attacks like before, he kept the monster from swallowing.

Masque then heard the shot reverberate; the lycanthropeire’s eyes crossed and it stumbled, causing Masque to hit it in the neck, producing boiling blood.

Boiling. Blood.

“Oh my God,” Feldyn said with such horror that the girls’ spines went cold. “Oh my Holy God, what have I done?” Feldyn choked and fell back to his knees. Masque suddenly understood why she had not shot; she had intended to let it get her in its mouth first! Did the half-elf know nothing?!

Masque roared a deep guttural cry of anguish and rage, forgetting his restraint; manastorm crackling its burning blue lightning brightly, as he pulled a large black katana from the very air. Weapon in two hands, he slashed once, twice, five times! Blood splashed and sprayed, hitting him everywhere, the netherweave that wisped and whipped about his body diminishing to near nothing. With another roar, as if to summon new energy from nothing, Masque plunged his nightblade deep into the creature’s left jaw. It howled, and Masque got ahold of the jawbone; ripping it almost clean off.

Dismissing his nightblade, Masque caught Gigi as she fell. She screamed as no being should be made to scream. Most of the left side of her face was gone, and the smell of poached meat caused Masque to retch, though he no longer had the reflex to even do so. She still lived! She suffered! With no options, no thought, and no time to second guess or finish the beast before him, he chose. The same second he landed, with this sweet little one boiling alive in his arms, Masque crushed her tightly to his icy body, and leapt. Faster than he should have. Fast enough that her bones might shatter, her organs may rupture, but she had only moments. The girl had to be there! She had to be!

Ceasing his crushing speed, Gigi was still screaming. 'Hang on, my precious little warrior.' Masque feared for her in his long dead heart in such a way, his mind could not understand. 'Almost there, hang on little one! Fight like you fought that demon!'

But Masque didn't know how much worse this was than anything ever! So worse, that she wasn’t even fighting! So worse, she didn’t know her words were only screams! So worse, Gigi couldn’t understand why they were ignoring her! It was so worse!! SO WORSE!! SO WHY WOULDN’T THEY KILL HER?!

* * *

After Masque rushed away with the hell-screaming innocent, the giant dog staggered violently across the field, splashing, pouring, and spraying the boiling, reeking, fetid blood everywhere. And it was shrinking. Fast. By the time Gigi’s screaming had faded, the creature had shrunk to about half its original size. Which wasn’t good, but much, better than previous. Even better, it fled. Gagging and whimpering, jaw bone hanging, it ran away from all of them, and away from the direction Gigi had been taken.

Feldyn stood. “Well, shall we get going?” he asked, breaking the seconds long silence. “Get going where?!” Bryan was incredulous. “Didn’t you see her?” he followed up, voice deep with horror. “Yeah…” Pazely spoke soft and quiet. “Did you guys notice?” she made a nervous sounding heh. “She was like, being b-b-burned. Y-y-you don’t live through those kinda burns.” Ally hit her with a rock. “Ow, you dumb bitch!” Pazely screeched, then froze wide-eyed as the severely injured Ally stood.

“You don’t know she’s dead,” Ally growled through clenched teeth. “And I’m not gonna leave her after she just saved us!”

“Well spoken!” Feldyn congratulated. Wincing from the searing pain in her leg and lower back, Ally hissed at him “Fuck you! You caused this! All of this! It’s your fault Jessie’s dead, and-”

“Jessie who?!” Pazely squeaked. Ally ignored her, and continued, “The memory loss and the injuries, all of it is your fault!

“Did you know, Feldyn?” she asked him, hatred in her eyes, “Did you know what would happen to Gigi?”

For a moment, at the accusation, the bard felt a surge of anger. “I am a fool, Ally. Not a monster.” He honestly hoped his words were truth.

“Jessie who?” Pazely squeaked again, much quieter and with a tone of dread in her voice. “We need to get moving,” Feldyn reiterated. “Where are we moving to?” Stryker asked, voice uncharacteristically deep and somber. He felt like Hell itself had swallowed his soul. He wanted to go drink and sob himself into unconsciousness. “And who even are you, anyway?” Pazely mumbled-interrupted.

“I will explain everything, but we need to get moving. You have my word, as soon as we are safe, I will inform you of every detail, leaving out none.” Stryker and Bryan were already shaking their heads, “Not good enough,” Stryker stated. “After all this, I’m not leading these kids off with…” he looked the curious man over, “…whatever you are. You aren’t normal either, I’m guessing?”

“We can trust him enough to follow him,” Ally volunteered, startling the half-elf. “But you said this is his fault!” Pazely shouted at her friend.

“Enough!” Feldyn roared. "I do not know about the rest of ye, but I am concerned over the well being of the child that fought while we cowered! “I know this is all very hard for you, and I will explain what I can on the way! If we do not leave now, we may very well not pick up the trail, if that man left one at all!” He indeed had not, though Lance was already on it.

The matter settled for the moment, Ally accepted the assistance of Stryker, and let him tie a makeshift splint to her leg, and apply some bandages torn from shirts. Her injuries did not seem to be as bad as they appeared at a glance, but she still had numerous deep gashes on her legs. Caleb, for whatever reason, would not wake up, which was the greatest concern. Choosing to move him versus the danger of leaving him here alone, or someone waiting with him for help, Feldyn hefted the boy into a fireman's carry.

With that, they headed out to discover the fortune of their cherished Gigi.