'Devour Him' the figure said with a serious tone.
With no hesitation all 36 dogs launch an attack on the tired mage who stood below the rock with fear as he heard the command. He was furious and anxious since he didn't know what crime he had committed nor what offense he did towards the figure.
He ran with all his might but he wasn't able to outrun the dogs. They ran as fast as a dire wolf but according to his senses he knew they weren't wolves but dogs. Mutant dogs with huge black coats with yellow eyes
In a split second 6 dogs jumped in front of him, stopping him in his track. They growl and bare their teeth indicating they will attack any moment.
With lack of options, he took out a small potion with red blood liquid and threw it on the ground. The red potion releases a sickening smell that made the dogs threw up blood and hallucinate as they attack each other.
He ran past them with no hesitation and kept running towards his goal. But after a full 10 minutes he realizes he was bleeding to death. He had no idea when he got bitten but didn’t complain about it as he was getting closer.
But when he was about to reach it the other 30 dogs had already surrounded the entrance. The entrance towards his home, his garden, his land, his safe heaven. All he needed to do was get past the dogs and run over the hill.
But under these circumstances it was impossible, he was already bleeding to death and could collapse in any moment. His mana still depleted as he didn’t have a chance to recharge. He had no chance of surviving. But he wasn't planning to die. He had to go back. His friends are waiting for him. She is waiting for him.
He gripped the crystal he was holding. He tried to stay calm. He breathe in fresh air. And decide to run past the dogs anyway. With the crystal in hand he let out a roar and charged towards the entrance.
One of the dogs let out a howl and all 30 of them attacked him. They leap on him one by one trying to slow him down before he could reach his safe heaven.
Pain was all he felt in that moment. But he didn't quiver as he tried to run with 30 dogs holding onto him. All that’s important to him was to get back and save her, the future queen.
As he gets closer and closer towards the entrance, the dogs tried their best to stop his down but their effort was in vain. So as last resort the dogs start to bit off a chunk of meat from him. They were ordered not to eat him but was to prevent him from entering the garden.
Knowing the dogs were getting desperate, he uses every last mana he had and pour them to his legs, and in a split second he cast 'Quick Burst'.
He launched himself towards the entrance leaving behind the dumbfounded dogs. He let out a smirk when he reaches the entrance and enters his garden.
He felt relief when he saw the familiar ark. But he felt something was different about it, something odd but he couldn't describe it. He shrugged it off and makes his way towards his house.
On the way he saw all the familiars living things. The flowers, the animals and trees all of them were the same but he keeps having this feeling there was something odd about them. Something was different but when he saw his house he left those thoughts behind and make his way there.
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His house, his home, his sanctuary was a huge tree that had outgrown all the other trees in the garden. It has come close to be a world tree but it had stop growing due to the future queen being sick. And as a final attempt to achieve the world of godhood, he left the future queen and king at his home and venture off into the outer world to find a cure. All the hardship he went through to achieve a seat in the upper realm was worth it. As soon as the queen absorbed the crystal, the tree with grow into a world tree and they will achieved godhood.
But, everything went downwards as he opens the front door.
A blade had struck him in the stomach, he was filled with disbelief that his garden, his sanctuary, his home had been infiltrated. He thought of all the possibilities on how the enemies trespassed his territory.
But as his vision was getting clearer, he was shocked. It wasn't an enemy but it was his childhood friend, the future king Oberon who had struck him with his poison sword.
'GET BACK MONSTER!' Oberon said
He was confused and paralyzed when he heard those words. Monster? It's me Oberon. It's Actaeon.
He tried to speak but there wasn't a word came out but only a growl. It made Oberon cautious and kick him away. Oberon call out a fae and ask it to protect the queen as he closed the door behind him and prepared to attack again.
Acteon who was still confused, tried to called out to his friend but all he let out was more growls and a roar.
Oberon then made a swift move and attack. He trusts his sword forward and kept his distance as his mindset though the monster was stronger than him.
Actaeon, seeing his friend still attack him, ran away while trying to figure out what was wrong with him. This made Oberon shock for a moment and then he starts to chase after him.
Actaeon ran and ran while trying to find out what was wrong, did the guy earlier cast a spell on him or was Oberon hallucinating. While deep in thoughts Actaeon didn't realize his body was weakening and bleeding. The poison from Oberon sword is spreading in his body. And before Actaeon realize it, he was already slowing down giving a chance for Oberon to catch up.
He heard the roar of Oberon as he was charging towards him from behind. Actaeon panicked and ran towards a nearby pond thinking he could wake his friend up from the spell. Seeing Actaeon changed direction, Oberon predicted his movement and strikes Actaeon legs with his sword.
Actaeon now realize his body couldn't take it anymore and gave up on him. He fell onto the ground. He was depressed and frustrated. He was still confused what was going on until he saw a puddle in front of him. He crawls towards it and saw his face.
What he saw shocked him. He didn't see the face of Actaeon but instead he saw the face of a mutated monster. Now he knows why everything was odd, it's because he has turn into a 3m high monster. He then remembered about the 30 dogs who tried to stop him. They had changed his appearance by biting off his flesh and replacing them. He had no idea what they replace his flesh with but it's purple in color.
He turns around to see Oberon preparing for a final strike. He could see in his eyes that he was serious about killing him. He tried to speak but all that came out was more growls and roars.
Oberon spoke ''I have no mercy with monsters who ate my friend.'' he gripped his sword tightly as he walks closer.
'You ate him didn't you!' he scowled. 'I can sense Actaeon within you...you...monster'. He draws his sword and pointed towards Actaeon. 'I'm going to avenge him...for the garden...for Titania...''
Actaeon who knew his life was in dangers tries to communicate with Oberon, he let out more roars and growls. He didn't want to give up, he didn't want to die. And that moment he remembered about the crystal. The crystal that can cleansed any diseases. It was in his pocket. But the poison in his body prevent him from moving. He panicked and let out a roar as he tries his best to move his arm and hands.
Oberon took the desperate roar in a way of mocking him. He was irritated, he was annoyed, he was sad and with no hesitation Oberon strike Actaeon in the heart. In the same time, Actaeon was able to move his hand and grab onto the crystal absorbing a small portion of its power.
Within few seconds, Actaeon body started to glow, the mutated purple flesh on his body started to peel off one by one, revealing a half-eaten body.
Oberon who saw the process collapse knees first, as he knew what he had done. He dropped his sword with disbelief and rest Acteon on his lap. He cried for Actaeon name and tried to heal his body which was already beyond repair.
Knowing his Oberon finally recognized him, Actaeon let out a small smile and took out the crystal he promised. He hands it over and uses all his strength he had left to say 'Ti...ta...nia...'' and collapsed. Leaving behind a crying Oberon who will never forget what he had done. He killed one of his only family.