We approached the entrance of the hospital, and immediately knew something terrible occurred here. The glass doors were shattered and there was a lot of blood. We went inside, the only light coming from the windows. I summoned my scythe then hesitated, "This won't really work in confined spaces, huh. We really need to get around to training me with swords, Asha."

"We'll put it on the to do list." She replied.

I was pondering what to choose when I glanced at Eliara and saw she had chosen her clawed hand form. I grinned and made the scythe dissolve into a clawed gauntlet on my left arm that ended in a shoulder pauldron. I had spikes lining my knuckles and a four-inch-long spike on my elbow. I then summoned a dark red dagger in my right hand. "Glad I could be an inspiration. What do you think happened here?" she asked.

I looked around, "In times of panic, people flock to areas that feel safe. Hospitals, police stations, army bases, etc. My guess is a monster, or several found an all you can eat buffet. There's a lot of blood, but no bodies. No splitting up, seen enough horror movies to know how that ends up. Keep an eye out for survivors. We'll clean this place out of supplies best we can then leave. No sense risking a fight if we don't need to."

Asha said, "I would think you'd be itching to gain more power."

I shook my head, "Fighting a known threat or cautiously facing down a visible one is one thing. Hanging around with no clue what killed possibly hundreds of people is another entirely. Regardless, we've been away from the base longer than expected and I'm worried about them."

"Right, right. Then let's get on with its Mr. Altruistic." she shrugged.

We left the lobby picking up anything that looked like medical supplies as we went. There were some bags and purses, but it was slim pickings until we reached actual exam rooms. A stench lingered in the air, strong and soured. It grew stronger as we followed the hallway. We turned a corner and found ourselves in a large cafeteria. It was there where we found our first bodies.

I nearly vomited. It was horrible. There were men, women, and children butchered and posed in nightmare inducing poses. I refused to look up after seeing the dangling feet of a six-year-old girl hung by her own entrails. Below her were a man and woman impaled by human bone in nonvital areas in order to pin them to their chairs. Their eyelids were stapled open. They had to have been the child's parents as grief and madness was frozen on their faces. Whatever did this made them watch what happened to their daughter. I turned away and went down the next hallway, Eliara and a silent Asha following suit.

Once far enough away that the sickening scent of blood and decay was a bit alleviated, I paused and shattered a portion of the wall to my right. Blood trickled from my split knuckles as I snarled, "When we're done, we're burning this place to the fucking ground." I turned to Eliara, and she flinched at my glowing red eyes, "You're the expert of Veru and Asha's a couple centuries out of date. What did this?"

She shook her head, "I, I don't know. I've never heard of something so cruel besides the most evil and insane of people, and even then, nothing like that. There were dozens of people. If it was a normal person, then they could have overpowered them by sheer numbers. Even if they were a mage, which I doubt. There are no signs of magical damage or a fight of any kind. We should leave."

"I am not letting whatever did this live. I refuse, God damn it! Those were kids, fucking children. They weren't just killed, or eaten by some beast driven by instinct, they were played with; tortured!" I shouted.

Asha, surprisingly, came to Eliara's rescue, "Victor! That's enough. We saw what you saw. I agree. Whatever did that is a threat, and it is too close to comfort to the city. We will kill it."

The small damage to my knuckles were healed and I wiped my face, letting out a shuddering sigh. "I'm sorry Eliara, it's just... a lot. I've seen death before, but that..." I trailed off.

She smiled shakily, "It's alright, I understand. Let's just hurry." I nodded and continued our search. The image of that cafeteria will stay with me for the rest of my life. I shook my head and banished it from my mind. I needed to focus.

As we headed deeper into the hospital, we found more signs of the monster that killed everyone. Heads pinned to the wall using various means. For the sake of my sanity, I silently prayed that whatever did this wasn't a person. Some of the butchered parts looked like they were nibbled on; like something was tasting them and didn't enjoy the taste.

Whenever we found an exam room or storage room, we cleared it out. The storage rooms were magnetically locked so without power they were easy to enter. Then we entered the maternity ward, and I froze. It was markedly cleaner than the other areas. Yet, it was the most horrifying area. Scattered around in neat piles were bones, very, very tiny bones. They were stripped bare and even cracked open for the marrow.

The air around me shivered in response to my rage. Asha and Eliara flinched at the touch of my burning mana. Asha seemed like she was going to say something but stilled when all three of us heard the same thing. Somewhere deeper within the ward, was a woman singing.

The words of a haunting lullaby reached us, the voice of the woman husky and motherly. There was an undertone to the voice, something... off. Like the uncanny valley when looking at something not quite human; an echo of something dark, the dim shadow of a predator beneath murky water.

We cautiously followed the voice echoing in the silent corridors. We finally passed through a pair of doors to the theatre where the hospital kept newborns while the mothers rest. Inside was a creature of nightmares. It was hunched over something, singing to it. It was tall, easily six feet tall despite being hunched. It wore a tattered black dress and stained apron that looked similar to what housekeepers wore in the 1700's. It, she, had long and stringy black hair that was draped down her bent back. She was cradling something that we couldn't see from our vantage point. From her shoulder blades emerged two more long arms that ended in clawed, gnarled hands. Adorning each of her wrists where bracelets made up tiny skulls. Her skin was pale and clammy.

She paused in her singing and looked behind her. Her face was hidden behind an unpainted wooden mask that had the vague impression of a woman's face. Half of the mask was hidden by a long red veil. Two long and thin steer-like horns protruded from either side of her head. Each one was easily four feet long and ended in a brutally sharp point. Despite not having any holes for her eyes, I got the feeling she was looking at me.

"Ah, we have guests. Such a shame. Had I known, I would have tidied up. How embarrassing." Again, despite the deep motherly tone of her voice, something hissed beneath the surface; a viper poised to strike. She turned fully, revealing that her apron and dress were partially undone revealing a sagging and black veined breast that was feeding an infant. The child had to be less than six months old and was pale, weakly suckling. A dribble of grey fluid leaking from the baby's mouth.

image [https://i.imgur.com/EQPHRJQ.jpg]

Disgust filled my chest. "What in the fuck is that thing?" I harshly whispered.

"There is nothing on Veru that is remotely similar to that thing. I don't even recognize the mana coming from it." Asha replied.

I could hear the grin in her voice, "It's rude to speak about someone in front of them, children." The motherly admonishment brought bile to my throat.

"Alright, then what the fuck are you?" I spat. I needed to buy time to plan.

"How crude. The people of this world are so ill mannered." She pulled the baby from her nipple and brought it up to her wooden face, "You're not like that little one, are you? No, you're well behaved. I wish the others were like you. It's a shame our time has come to an end, you still had some left." she cooed.

"Put the baby down. Now." I warned.

"Now why would I do that? You know why I love babies? They are so pure, so defenseless. They require someone to care for them for every little thing, it really warms my heart. With just a bit of nudging, their life force is freely given, no mistrust is in their hearts. But even more than that," using one of her upper arms, she pulled the mask up slightly, revealing just her black and cracked lips. They curled into a smile showing yellowed razor-sharp teeth, "I so adore the temptation."

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She squeezed slightly at the child's shoulders and the sound of snapping twigs rang out in the silence. The baby started howling, "Their cries are so, so tantalizing." Before we could twitch, the monster's mouth unhinged and opened too wide. She bit down, removing the source of the heart wrenching cries.

She licked her bloody lips and dropped the now still bundle. She lowered her mask and began to sing a wordless lullaby. Oddly familiar energy flowed from her, and the world spun. I was no longer in the maternity ward of this hospital. Instead, I was in an all too familiar ICU.

I looked down at the bed and the figure that lay on it, hooked up to machines. I froze as I gazed upon my mother. She suffered from a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. It was here where I lost her. My brother was busy getting high at a party. She stirred and looked at me before smiling weakly.

"What's that mopey look on your face, Vicky?" she croaked out.

I let out a half-sob/ half-laugh, "How can I not be sad? Do you know how much I'll miss your cooking, Mom?"

She grinned, a mirror of his own cheeky grin, "Of course that's what you're worried about. Your father is going whup your ass when you join us."

My smile faltered, "I, I don't think I'm going where you're going, Mom."

"Oh shush," she scolded, "You're a good boy. You've had it rough, I'm sure God will forgive some struggling faith. Besides, you're young. I'm sure you'll find God before your time comes."

I shook my head, "Me being an Atheist isn't the issue. I'm," I let out a shuddering breath, "I'm no longer human, I don't even know if I have a soul to be saved. Now I'm in charge of the lives of so many, and they're scared of me. I'm a monster now. I couldn't save you; I couldn't save Chris. How can I save them?"

She shook her head, "You're lucky I'm not in a position to slap some sense into you, Victor. You aren't a monster, no matter what. So long as you don't lose sight of yourself. You can't blame yourself for how Christopher turned out. That is purely on him and the rat bastards that manipulated a boy in pain."

I laughed bitterly, "Yeah right, I couldn't even convince him to say his goodbyes to you."

As if on cue, my late brother, burst through the door in a panic, "Vic? How is she? Oh God, Mom." Then it clicked. All the turmoil, grief, and pure unadulterated rage flared in a tempestuous supernova and collapsed in a dead calm.

I looked with steady eyes at my crying brother. The same brother who was too cowardly to face our mother's final moments, to face his failures and instead drowned himself in drugs and alcohol. A few years later, he would be killed in a failed robbery. In a flat, but sincere voice, void of the tightness of before I said, "I love you, Mom."

Cradling my brother's head, she gestured to me with a soft smile, "I love you, too. Give me a hug, Victor. I slowly approached her, raising my hand. I then shoved my claws into her chest. With a gasp and a look of shock and confusion she looked into my eyes, blood dribbling from her lips.

The illusion shattered, reality showing my hand emerging from the chest of the monster that had approached me, pleased with its successful spell. In the moments where the creature stood frozen in surprise and confusion, my armor changed, spurred by my unyielding fury. It grew sharper, edges and spikes growing. The previously, mostly smooth surface of my helmet cracked in the facsimile of a skull's smile and opened. Inside were long black fangs, my two upper canines slightly longer than the rest. Pressure and heat burned at my shoulders and two bat-like wings burst from my back.

In a flash, I gripped her shoulder so hard her collarbone was pulverized. Like a death adder striking at prey, I dove in and bit deeply on her oddly long neck. She screeched; the sweet voice gone. I leapt as hard as I could, the floor below cracking. Ceiling after ceiling broke under the force of my jump. Asha and Eliara, free of their own illusions, shouted after us.

We soon broke through to the outside and my wings unfurled. I ripped my hand free of her chest, dragging as much as I could with it. Vantablack blood gushed from the wound. I grabbed her other upper arm and pulled. She clawed at my, her lower arms digging furrows in my tough armor. I grabbed her other upper hand with my now free hand and pulled from where the arms met the shoulder. Her right arm gave first. With a spray of black blood and gore, her arm came free. I dropped it as she cried out again.

With the cry came a painful pressure on my mind. I flinched and she took advantage of the opening. Mana swelled and a black sphere appeared in her palm. A beam of darkness, about five inches in diameter, pierced my stomach and it was my turn to scream. I summoned a dirk and plunged it into her chest. She gasped and the attack cut off. I through her to the parking lot below and flew down, following her descent.

She crashed through the roof of an ambulance. I landed on top of her at full speed, driving her deeper into the vehicle. I then delivered a brutal kick to her side, causing her to fly out the back of the ambulance, the doors getting bent from the force. I hopped out and flexed my wings.

She shakily got to her feet, her already filthy dress and apron torn to shreds and stained inky black. "I don't know how you managed to free yourself from my illusion, but I will kill you slowly for this, boy."

My now inhuman mouth clicked as I snarled, "I'm going to eat you, then move on without a second thought about you, monster."

She cackled, "How hypocritical, I don't know what I love more, the fact you think that I'm the only one like me, or that you have no idea what She has in store for you."

I didn't pause as I asked, "She?"

More cackling as she stumbled and lost her footing, "Our Goddess has such beautiful plans for your world, child. The Void will devour this realm." She reached reverently towards the sky with her remaining two arms. In a blur, I summoned my scythe and lopped both limbs off.

"If she's anything even close to you, then I'm going to rip out her fucking heart and eat it." I leapt on top of her and tore open her throat with my needle filled maw. I drank deeply as she convulsed. It was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. I then realized why her energy was familiar. It was something similar to the intoxicating power from the Phylactery. Power not unlike when the Phylactery activated on the highway filled my channels and I could feel Ouroboros stir deep in my soul.

I could distantly hear the pattering of running footsteps behind me. I was too enthralled in my meal as Asha and Eliara approached me. As soon as my tap ran dry, I snarled and used both of my clawed gauntlets to widen the ragged hole in her neck, ripping her head off in the process. Not finding any succor, I plunged my hands into her chest and like a rib expander, ripped it open. Only dregs remained and I panted in frustration.

"My Lord?" Asha tentatively asked, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I whipped my head towards her, baring my fangs. She took a quick step back and Eliara raised a crossbow tipped arm at me, horror, worry, and disgust warring over her face. I blinked and looked behind her at my reflection in the large windows of the hospital. A winged monstrosity gazed back with burning red eyes gazed back.

I glanced back to the girls and flinched at their fearful expressions. I shook my head and stood, my armor dissolving. I looked at my reflection once again and saw me, just me. Well, the new me, at the very least. I could see that Asha's expression was now one of relief, she wasn't scared of me, just worried. Eliara on the other hand.

"It seems like I'm apologizing to you a lot today, Eliara. I'm sorry for scaring you. I was just so angry, and that damn vision sent me over the edge. I, I'm sorry." I looked away. The betrayed gaze of my mother as I plunged into her chest flashed through my mind. I closed my eyes tight, forcing the image to fade.

When I opened them again, Eliara was a touch more relaxed, her arm back in its default form. She was still shaken; I don't blame her. "It's alright. I can understand your anger. I was the same. But just now... You... were like a starving beast ripping into that thing. What happened?"

I shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure. When I," I cleared my throat awkwardly, "When I fed, there was a weird energy in her blood. It's the same, or at least very similar, to the energy of my Phylactery." I touched my chest. "It resonated, and a deep hunger took hold. It was like the Phylactery was craving that energy. On the positive side, it was one hell of a power boost. I just compressed my core twice from one monster."

Asha smiled, though it didn't quite meet her eyes, "That's amazing. The quicker we can get you to compressing your core, the better."

I didn't return her smile, "There's more. That thing said something at the end. She said there were more like her. I'm not sure if she meant that exactly, as in more of her baby eating species, or what. I got the feeling that she meant like her in a broader sense though." I paused, "She also mentioned a goddess, and something called 'the Void'."

Asha and Eliara shared a pale glance. I raised my brow and Asha answered the silent question, "It's rarely mentioned. Barely more than a scary story. But there are legends that in the realm outside the world exists a black and cold place full of nightmares called the Void. That's all I know of it. That the monsters of the Void will slither in from under your bed if you don't eat your vegetables. That sort of thing."

Eliara simply nodded. I frowned and sighed, "Well, we have enough supplies and trauma to finance a therapist's private island, so let's finish up here and head home." Asha nodded fervently and Eliara grimaced.

She grumbled, "I am not going back in that place."

I smiled gently and patted her head. She acted annoyed, but I could tell it comforted her a touch. "No one is." I aimed my palm and using my new strength, flooded a fireball cantrip with an enormous amount of mana. A blazing sphere the size of the ambulance I wrecked grew into existence and I shot it through the entrance of the hospital. With a glass shattering explosion, an inferno flared to life. With this, those poor souls would be put to rest and no one else would have to suffer the nightmare fuel within. I clapped Asha's back as I turned and started walking, "Come on, let's go home. Asha, you'll love Frank's cooking. He can turn spam into a Michelin star meal."

Gaping she stared at me, "That was a cantrip. I saw the spellform. How did you manage that amount of power with a cantrip?"

I smiled smugly and stayed silent leaving the burning hell hole behind me.