The Shadowed Beasts
I remember the dim lights glowing out of the window, the glass panes tinting with the slightest hue of pink, and the curtains parted to watch the day pass. I take one last look at this building, remembering how the lantern shone when I first found my way to this village. Vowing to myself to only come back once I’ve learned how to fix this mess.
Running down the paved hill, panting, I felt the sun on my back and sweat rolling down my face. I rushed into the closest house possible, a building found near the edge of the forest. Too focused on losing those shadowed beasts I didn't question whose house I entered, only praying that I’d lost it.
Gathering my surroundings, I noticed it was the chapel of the village. The sun was glaring through the windows, lighting the whole building for me. You could tell this place hasn’t been used very much, seeing all the moss developing on the sides of the surfaces. There were rows of pews all facing the end of the building, two fountains stood on each side, water still flowing through them.
Hearing footsteps, I realize this chapel wasn’t abandoned. Spinning to face the source, I hear a bone-chilling howl. My heart caught, I could feel a lump forming in my throat, it was that dreaded beast. There it was at the entrance, a beast in the shape similar to a wolf, it was as big as a horse with fur as black as the midnight sky, and its orbs glowing like two small moons. Slowly, it made its way inside of the chapel, keeping its eyes on me, waiting for my next move.
Lost in fear, the other person was forgotten. Only noticing them as they made their way towards one of the fountains, grabbing what looked to be a flask and pouring it in, causing the water to release vapor. Even from afar, I can tell he's a big bulky man, donning a large dark cloak. He yells at me to take cover. Following his command, I duck beneath a pew. Hearing a splash as sizzling ensued, I glanced towards the beast, now a puddle of black goo. The man then took a vial out of his pack and scooped some into it. I could see a smirk from under his hat, he tilted his head towards me and I could see the glint of adventure in his eyes.
Now that I have the time to look at him more closely, I can see that he’s huge. This man is definitely not normal, even crouching he towers over me. I notice that underneath that dark cloak, he’s wearing armor made of chain-mail and steel with gloves made of leather, he seems ready for battle. Attached to his belt was a pouch covered in scales that sheened in the sun. That must be where he kept his vials, I’d be surprised if he hasn’t cut himself on those scales a couple of times, probably why he's wearing those gloves.
Catching me staring, he gives me a broad smile and reaches his hand out to help me up. He says that his name is Baron and he's a special kind of dwarf, raised in a magical environment without the ability of natural magic, and so he taught himself through alchemy.
He leads me upstairs and rests his hand on a large wooden door adorned with bronze hinges, it makes a sound and he ushers me in. Somehow the magic in this building allows for more room, but only if you have the magic to do so. The attic is like a study, filled with bookcases and writing materials. The room has two different scents, both pungent and foul. One is similar to sulfuric acid, probably due to the bubbling flasks in the back. And the other is a musky smell, something to expect when entering a building with this many books.
He informs me he hadn't truly killed the beast, only wounded it so it had to retreat. What was left was its shadow in physical form, something that happens when fatally wounded. Giving me what looks to be a storybook, it tells the story of this village. The book describes a tale of a white-haired witch who controls such beasts we saw before. She was bent on returning to her world and believed that to do so she must collect as many shadows as possible. She made a pact with an alpha wolf, giving him the strength to grow into a powerful shadow beast in return for his assistance in her quest to collect shadows. They call her Eclipse.
Baron said that he possesses the ability to tell the strength of a shadow, and that mine is very strong. It will prove hard for Eclipse to remove it from me. This past week has been proven hard, Baron has been working me to the bone by teaching me alchemy. The only thing he talks of is Eclipse and how everything has become unstable.
I question him about how he came to this realm, he explains of a rift that had been opened by the universe itself about three weeks ago. It's been continuously spitting out several creatures from his realm and suddenly closed just a day prior to my chase in the forest. His family had been sent to this realm when the rift first opened, trying to retrieve these creatures and bring them back safely to their realm to keep the peace.
Baron reaches into his shirt, taking out a necklace with a pulsing purple stone that emits a strange glow, the stone was clasped inside an intricately designed sphere, almost as if to shield your eyes from its glow. If all was silent you would be able to hear a small hum. He explains that his family only has a few of these necklaces at hand. They hold the power to open a rift to any universe depending on the stone put inside of the clasp. They also lead you to where you want to go, guiding you with its humming.
Feeling uncomfortable in the itchy makeshift armor Baron made, he gives me a satchel made of the same material as his pouch. Inside is a few vials and flasks, a dagger, a pair of gloves, and an alchemist book to read off of, should I forget anything he's taught me. Before coming here, Baron was informed of the general location that Eclipse would be. The ruins of a castle not too far from the chapel, located somewhere in the forest.
I knew it wasn't long before she made her way to my village, so we walked in stride, climbing over logs and broken tree stumps, stopping to listen for the necklaces hum. Suddenly a powerful howl stopped us dead in our tracks, I watched as the ground shook from the force. Once it calmed down, we raced towards the sound, and there standing before us was the largest beast I had ever laid eyes on. In front of him was the white-haired witch, Eclipse, kneeling towards him on the ruins of the castle, both mouths were smeared with blood. We stood stunned at the scene before us, what could they have done to get that much blood on their face.
We agreed to split up, Baron would handle the beast while I handle Eclipse. I watch as Baron races around the ruins, trying to flank the beast. I focus on making my way to Eclipse. I walk up the winding stairway and notice all the rubble from the ruined castle, the broken candle holders, the faded marble, and eroded pieces of armor. What a magnificent castle this must've been. Looking at the castle in reverence, I suddenly hear a deafening scream. I kept my head high as I rush up the stairs towards Eclipse. Glancing down towards where we first saw the beast, I notice Baron. He’s bloodied from head to toe, his armor shredded, and the beast stands above him.
I call out to Eclipse, begging her to call off her beast. She stands up and looks down at me with a sneer.
"You don't belong here." She says with a smirk.
Suddenly a blinding flash emerges and a rift appears before us. The beast was now gone, along with Baron. I started to panic, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do now that Baron was gone and I’m not sure how long the rift would stay open. As soon as that fear entered my mind, I feel a searing sensation spreading throughout my body. Looking down, I see my shadow flicker, and for the first time, I feel despair. Glancing up at Eclipse I see that her eyes are closed, and her face in concentration. I feel frozen as she walks towards me. She embraces me and falls into the rift, slowly I feel myself sinking. Welcome home...
Thank you so much to @fuwafuwa for helping me visualize this story and for inspiration, @aden.stanway375 for giving me ideas on what I should do to make this story more interesting and exciting, and @jordan.white306 for helping me with writing flow.
This is my entry for the Art Prompt Writing Contest #13 by @thewritersblock where we are to write an original piece of fiction, the prompt was this picture taken by @nubellorona
Sources for the images here:
Beast
Storybook: The Witch and The Beast
Rift Necklace
The Witch and The Beast
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Jewlzie from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.