Chapter Three – Monster
Terror jolted me awake.
I was on my feet before my eyes were open, which caused the world to pitch and turn for a moment. The night seemed more pressing, the darkness squeezing away my exhaustion. I looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the fear eating away at me. Everything seemed in order. But what was the fear for? My breath caught in my throat.
Okuro.
But why? Where could he be? Why wasn't he with me here? I leaned against a tree, unsure of what to do. The connection felt muted, as it only does when he is far away. But, only a few hours before he had been right beside me! I shook my head, frustrated by not knowing what to do. I closed my eyes in an attempt to straighten out my thoughts. I was running out of time.
Images flashed through the connection, all dotted with inescapable terror.
…Demons… they surrounded him, cackling behind the masks…
…Okuro blasted lightning in an attempt to fend them off…
...A large yellow beast beat on an equally massive drum…
The connection went dead.
I snapped back to myself, eyes wide and breathing shaky. Had they just…?
No. I wouldn't allow that. I COULDN'T allow that. That feral rage bubbled to the surface as I contemplated the possibility. A drum sounded to the west, and I ran towards it, letting whatever feral spirit it was tapping into me take me there.
I don't recall hearing my own footsteps. Just the air rushing around me as that ungodly speed pushed me along. My breathing was more animal than human, coming out of my mouth as a guttural snarl. I sensed their presence, and felt my brother's pain. It coursed through every inch of me, wanting to take me down.
NO. NOT THIS TIME.
The voice shocked me. It was neither mine nor Okuro's, and the initial surprise killed my speed considerably. It had the same guttural undertone as my breathing, and the anger it possessed fueled the inferno in my soul. KEEP MOVING. It insisted. I obeyed without a second thought.
I skidded into the field, which seemed familiar to me somehow. The grass was shorter, by far. The feral influence began to die out as the memory flooded back.
It was here Gekigami attacked me.
I shook the thought from my mind, returning my attention to more important matters than nostalgia. I could feel them here. Dark presences clouded my mind as I tried once more to reach Okuro. The connection was still dead, or at least numb. I roared out my frustration, feeling a jump in energy to my left. I turned, stepped forward.
A wave of sensations hit me as I stepped through the energy gap. Flashes of intense, fiery color, sounds of taunting laughter, and perhaps one more powerful than any other feeling combined.
I was hit full force by the scent of Okuro's blood. From so long gnawing my hand until it bled, I had learned the scent of my own blood. Okuro's wasn't that different. Three green demons turned to face me as I growled. Four red fleshed demons and the golden drummer stayed stationed around my brother's body. I lowered myself to the ground, as the power itching to come forth broke the wall I put before it.
The change was quick, and subtle, but I felt it. I still felt human, but only primarily. A tiger's tail twitched behind me, and I could feel every bit of influence from its spirit. The raw strength poured through me as the three green demons bounded in my direction. With one last question about what I was, I let my human mind fade away, and the tiger's mind take her place.
They moved slowly, no, lethargically. It was all too easy to pick out the points their movements guarded. It was even easier to pick them out before they knew what was happening. They fell without so much as touching me. I bared my teeth, snarling out a challenge to the others.
The red showed strategy behind their wave, blocking my flat blows with little issue. Their shield was invisible to even my improved eyes. Whatever it was it made excellent retaliatory blows. While bluffing three, the fourth caught me from behind.
I skidded and spun, tail swishing in eager anticipation of a challenge. This time I would make the first move. The shield was nothing to claws, and the first red fell during the shock of its destroyed protection. Two of the other three narrowly faced the same fate. But the final crimson demon jumped back when the shield shattered. It lunged at me so quickly after touching the ground I was thrown off guard. But it was all too easy to block its blow and sink my teeth into its neck. Though the blood tasted terrible, the feel of the lifeblood spilling out of it felt oh so nice. Unclamping my fangs from its throat, I let it crumple before turning my attention to the golden one. With a flick of its wrist, it disappeared into the ground.
I tentatively moved forward, unsure of where he would strike from. The ground rumbled violently beneath me, and I barely jumped away in time. The speed kicked in, and I rushed behind him. He moved easily with me, for such size however, and with three smacks of the drum the ground beneath me seemed to explode. I was sent tumbling back, but rolled to my feet with swift momentum. I prowled, and waited for him to surface once more.
For such a large demon, he predicted my movements easily, and moved in accordance. I didn't want to fall to such a beast, it challenged my existence. So with a second of delay, I caught him off guard, kicking the dirt from his surfacing into his face. With that stun, I leaped behind him, and his lifeblood sizzled into the earth.
I roared, lost in the primal rush of this power. My eyes scanned the field, for I still sensed life. There a crumpled form twitched, breathing shallowly. No. Its existence challenged mine. I couldn't allow it to remain. With a snarl, I stalked toward it. This form looked so feeble, so pathetic. Killing it would be no challenge, especially compared to the demons. I raised my claws into the air, prepared to spill this blood along with the others. Right as I was about to deal the blow however, the scent of the blood trickled back.
And stopped me cold.
I stumbled back from Okuro's unconscious body, fully aware of what I had done, and what I had been about to do. My eyes wide, I kept stepping back, breathing shakily. No… I won't… I can't…
YOU MUSSST… The snarling voice hissed at me. IT IS ESSSSENTIAL. NO ONE MUSST CHALLENGE YOU EXISSSSTENCE AS HE DOESSSSS…
No. He's… He's my brother. I couldn't-
ALL THE MORE REASSSON…. IT WOULD BE ALL TOO EASSSY NOW…
The voice seemed more snakelike in my head now. And yet when it laughed, it sounded tiger-ish again. I shook my head violently, as if hoping that would unlatch this monster from my mind.
YOU CANNOT GET RID OF ME KIERRA…. NOT UNTIL THAT THING IS ELIMINATED…
"I WON'T LET YOU!" I screamed aloud.
I waited in the shadows, more afraid of myself than anything. After many long hours of monitoring his breathing, I watched as Father found Okuro. Picking him up, he sent a cold glare in my direction before running back the way he had come. I ran in the opposite direction, putting as much distance between us as possible. I couldn't go back.
For once I agreed with Father. A monster like me should not be around Okuro.
