Chapter 1: Birth
Creation and birth
The newborn Hurlock slowly came to. It lay in a pool of black blood as it squirmed and writhed. It slowly opened its new eyes and saw only blur, though it could make out other moving things around it. It got up on its hands and knees but only with heavy effort from its newly formed muscles. It tasted a coppery yet sweet liquid and spit out the blood from its mouth. The fluid had filled its mouth because of its sharp teeth that had been grown unnaturally fast and ripped the flesh inside its jaws. Its entire body burned with pain from the much too rapid growth and it howled in agony, along with its brood mates.
It finally managed to sit steadily and its vision cleared. The Hurlock`s brethren were coming to just as it had, all of them experiencing the same level of new pain.
Behind them sat a huge creature. Its flesh was pinkish and bloated with so many and large folds that its legs had disappeared. Its long tentacles swung back and forth, occasionally herding the new brood together when one tried to crawl away. The newborn Hurlock heard wanted to roar out its rage that seemed to scream in its veins, roar at the world, at this empty darkness and at the brood. It wanted to, but didn`t.
The huge creature that had given birth to them seemed to hum deep within its barely visible throat. It was a pleasant and soothing sound. The Hurlock was about to listen more closely when an even more powerful sound came. It screamed from the walls and the tunnels. It reached inside its body and tugged at his flesh, bones and blood. The noise was a beautiful symphony and a mighty roar all at the same time.
The Hurlock roared with it and so did its brothers. They howled their rage until the tunnels echoed and the smaller creatures fled. The sound only intensified in response and it drove the Hurlock slowly mad. The far off sound gave it the strength to overcome its unused muscles. It defied its own weakness and stood to its full height and howled louder. Its fellow brood stood as well and the closest began to jerk and twist around with the power of the song.
Kill, Slay, Dominate
The newborn Hurlock turned on its brother and leapt upon it. He grabbed hold of the smaller Hurlock`s shoulders and sunk its fangs deep in the other`s throat. Black blood flowed down their chests and the limp body fell.
This caused all the brood to go mad and a vicious melee ensued. The newborn Hurlock bit, clawed and tore asunder his brothers, all to please the voice. Once the fight was over onlt it remained standing, covered in the brood`s blood. The large pink creature purred with delight and stroked the Hurlock with a tentacle.
The Hurlock looked around. Ten of his fellows lay dead on the ground. The voice sang again.
Feast, Devour, Consume
The Hurlock did not know what this voice was; only that it must find the source. But first, it would obey. It threw itself on the bodies of its brothers and feasted on their corpses. The Brood Mother looked on, almost proudly. Once again the voice spoke.
Search, Find, Uncover
The voice almost tore away at its flesh now. It wanted the Hurlock to find it and free it. The Hurlock rose, and walked away into the shadows. It would find the source and unleash it.
The song drove it ever onward into the shadows of the deep, ever forward. It disappeared from the Brood Mother`s sight and it barely had time to glance one last time at it before new pain erupted through its massive body. The next brood was on its way.
The Hurlock prowled the tunnels alone, but as it moved it felt more voices in the everlasting night of the deep. More and more came and joined in. Dozens, hundreds, thousands came. The Hurlock smirked; soon it would not be alone.
