The Mutated Amagi Chronicles
Chapter Ten: The Monster, Transformed
"Fractum Virgasa!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
A torrent of blazing white light erupted from Harry's wand as a beam of chrome green light streamed from Macnair's. Both missed their mark, however, as both wizards lost their footing when the seemingly impervious granite flooring shook and cracked, forcing both surprised combaters to fumble for handholds to avoid dropping down on the jutting rocks the bizarre earthquake had risen.
Before they could regain their balance, however, the wall Macnair used for a support suddenly shattered, showering Macnair with a painful hail of stone and mortar. A choking dust cloud spread over the area, obscuring Harry's vision as he tried to find the cause of this turn of events.
As the dust cloud eventually settled, Harry could make out silhouettes of his attacker... and the disproportionately large-limbed creature, which was gripping "Ron" with its four arms, dangerously close to impaling the struggling imposter multiple times.
Strange... That beast looks familiar...
Wait... Four arms, large wings... It's that creature in the keep! But its transformation's changed it... Now I see why it loathes its metamorphosis...
By then, Shadow had already lost almost all control over his body... as well as most of his grace. His limbs had grown to nearly shatter his exoskeleton, but they were not the only thing changed... His wings, once used for flight, had grown too bone-laden and cumbersome to allow him to soar, and was now more of an armor than anything else. His head, once majestic and dragon-like, had been marred by the emergence of protruding fangs and canines from his new, grotesque jaws, as well as the skeletal spines that had surfaced on every part of his body. He could truly be called a monster now... And no one would take his defense.
He could hear the stronger, animal mind thinking, if you could call it that. The only rational ideas he ever made out of its thoughts were various ways of tracking, trapping, and killing... whatever it could find. It must've picked up his suspicions about this "Ron"... Or why would it have went after him instead of Harry? Unless it thought "Ron" was Harry...
Macnair cursed himself for his ignorance. He had been so close... Then this monstrosity from the tower had to ruin it... it had changed dramatically since their last encounter... He couldn't counter it that time, when it had ambushed him on the moat-bridge... But now that he had a better understanding of its tactics, perhaps he could get him out of this predicament...
He gave up that ridiculous thought as soon as it surfaced. If he attempted anything even remotely threatening, no doubt his captor would abandon all mercy it was showing him and slay him on the spot. To make the situation worse, he couldn't even dare to wiggle, for the blades that the beast had attached on its arms were nearly cutting into his sides.
He could only watch helplessly as the creature methodically looked him over, examining him for weapons and possible threats. His wand dropped to the floor, his hand frozen stiff in fear. The rancid breath of the monster washed over him, making him gag uncontrollably.
By doing so, he had killed his last chance of survival. Rearing its head back, the creature unleashed a wave of unearthly sound. Macnair, struck by the terrible screech, felt his body slowly become inflexible and rigid. He lost the use of his legs. His arms. His eyes stopped darting in search of ways to escape. His chest ceased its tedious cycle of rising and lowering. In seconds, Macnair, former mighty executioner of dangerous creatures for the Ministry of Magic, was nothing more than a spirit trapped in a stone semblance of Ronald Weasley, until someone released him of his marble prison.
Harry, repulsed by what he had just witnessed, was trying to sneak away without this creature noticing. From the Canalis Psychia, he had learned of this other entity that Shadow was forced to share his body with when he transformed. It seemed much more adapted than Shadow, full of instincts and brute strength.
Slowly, deliberately trying not to disturb the creature, who was still examining what was Macnair, Harry Potter tiptoed it to the nearest exit. He was almost out of this hell... Just a few more steps, and he would be far enough away to make a run for it...
However, just as Harry had reached the nearest corridor leading out of the cavern, he accidentally stepped on a crumbling pebble. The audible crunch of the aged mortar caused the beast to drop Macnair and leap at him, unleashing an inhuman roar. Stunned by the attack, it took the crash of the Shadow monster landing in front of him for Harry to shake off his trance and break into a panicked dash for his life.
Sirius Black, still in the form of large, black hound, could smell Harry's scent, drenched with the reek of sweat and fear, before he felt the sensation of rapid footsteps in his sensitive paws.
But the steps were not right... There was something else... Much heavier steps, much longer apart than the frantic pace Harry had set himself on... A scent... similar to the distinctive tang of a dragon, but blurred somewhat... He had never experienced such a scent...
No matter how much he urged his aching legs to move faster, Harry could feel himself losing ground to the Shadow monster. With each step, it was harder to maintain the pace he had set himself.
What he wouldn't give for his broomstick now...
Though he was tempted, he didn't dare spare any strength or concentration for a spell... If he slowed down for even a fraction of a second, he feared that he would be unable to regain his speed...
His body was starting to fail him... He can't last much longer...
Will Harry die? What's happening to the rest of the group? Can Shadowblade regain his sanity long enough to put up a new chapter?
Shadowblade's good conscience: Shame on you. Using foreshadowing to get readers, huh?
Umm... umm...
Shadowblade's good conscience: Tsk, tsk.
Shadowblade's evil conscience: I know... It's even halfway evil! Just annoying.
That's IT! I __ 01\1Z0R __ 1_1R __ 45535! Leave me be!
