A/N: Hi, fanfics! I hope everyone has a great Mother's Day, and I have returned with a new chapter. It seems that I kept everyone waiting long enough to know who this shape-shifter is, and frankly, you might be surprised, so enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: This is my sign: I do not own Killer Instinct nor Carrie.
Carrie and Jago stared at the shapeshifter approaching them. Was this creature stalking them in the forest and meadow? Jago pointed his sword at the beast while keeping Carrie close. The Snow Lion stopped, tilting its head at the weapon. To his and Carrie's surprise, the animal pushed the blade down with its right paw. While the shapeshifter sniffed them, they exchanged puzzled glances.
"What's it doing?" Carrie asked.
Jago shook his head. "I don't know." Despite the initial caution, he sensed no aggression from the creature. Within its eyes, a distinct glimmer of intelligence shone. What are you? Before he spoke, the Snow Lion turned its head towards some nearby thicket. A fearsome snarl escaped its throat, its fur-covered back bristling.
Branch rustling and horses whinnying drew Carrie and Jago toward the thicket. Within minutes, hooded men emerged on horseback with a demonic sigil.
The leader sneered. "Ah, there you are!"
Jago narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip on the sword. Damn it! The cult bastards followed us!
Snorting and whining, the horses took a nervous step back while trying to move closer.
"What's the matter with them?" one cultist said until he spotted the Snow Lion. "What is that?"
"Who cares? Let's grab them!" another said.
Jago raised his sword, preparing himself for a fight. Frightened, Carrie stayed behind him. Before either side could attack, the Snow Lion stepped in. The creature growled and flashed its teeth at the cultists.
"What the hell?" a subordinate uttered. Its amber eyes gleamed as the Snow Lion inhaled air. With no warning, it released a thick stream of fire. "By the gods!"
Carrie and Jago stared in shock as the creature formed a thick fire barrier. Startled, the horses squealed and bucked. Some had dumped their riders while trying to flee from the flames. After distracting the cultists, the shapeshifter focused on the duo. In a soft growl, it lowered itself on the ground, motioning them towards its back. After exchanging puzzled glances, they relented and climbed aboard.
Once the lion arose, it galloped into the forest. Trees whizzed past as Carrie and Jago held on for dear life.
With renewed resolve, the cultists set out in pursuit. One subordinate tried to reach Carrie when he moved closer. Spotting the extended arm, Jago threw a fireball at close range. The cultist screamed as he fell off his horse.
Carrie glanced over her shoulder, focusing on one rider. An unseen force lifted the man and hurled him towards two more. Upon impact, they fell off their horses and into a nearby tree. One tried crawling back up but was trampled by the charging horses.
Carrie turned away from the horror. "God, they didn't stop to see if those men were alright!"
"What makes you think they care?!" Jago said.
The cultists pursued their quarry through the forest, whipping their horses to spur them on.
"Those bastards are getting too close! We need to lose them!" Jago said. As though agreeing with the monk, the Snow Lion quickened its pace. His eyes narrowed while watching the cultists splitting up. "They're trying to flank us!"
The shapeshifter projected a bright light from its body to counterattack. Carrie and Jago closed their eyes, shielding them from the brightness. Behind them, the horses whinnied, and their riders swore. Some stumbled from their mounts, falling to the ground. As soon as its light vanished, the Snow Lion veered right. The remaining cultists crashed into each other.
After repelling the cultists, the Snow Lion fled deeper into the forest. Carrie and Jago held on, watching out for any dangling branches. Upon reaching a clearing, two cliffs faced each other with a gap between them. Minutes later, the ground rumbled as the cultists emerged from the woods.
"What should we do?!" Carrie sounded tense. "I don't want them taking us to their master!"
"Don't worry. Everything will be okay." Jago examined the cliffs. Despite its distance, the other side was their only hope of escape. Once he told Carrie to hang on, he leaned toward the lion's ear. "Tapā'īlā'ī kē garnu parcha."
Nodding, the Snow Lion sprinted towards the crack in long strides. As soon as it reached the edge, the animal leaped forward. Neither Carrie nor Jago glanced down until they landed on the other side. As the lion skidded to a halt, it turned its attention to its pursuers. The shapeshifter roared at the cultists, who stopped at the chasm.
"We can't let them get away!" the leader shouted.
"No!" A subordinate stopped him from continuing the chase. "Our horses won't jump that far!"
The leader glared at his targets while cursing under his breath. As if sensing his frustration, his horse snorted.
Carrie, Jago, and the Snow Lion stared back, their nerves still jangled from their leap. Ensuring they wouldn't be followed, they headed toward the horizon.
"DAMN!" The leader's voice echoed off the chasm.
"What are your orders?" another subordinate asked.
His mouth tightened as the leader studied his surroundings. He gave one last look at their escaped quarry. "We'll find another way." He prodded his thigh into his mount's side and toward the forest. "This way."
His subordinates followed, unaware of a figure surveying them.
A thick fog filled the woods as the cultists continued their trek. During the journey, the horses swiveled their ears and nickered. Their noses flared as they grunted. Whining, some horses weaved on their feet.
The leader tried to regain control of his mount. "What's the matter with them?"
"I don't know. Something is scaring the darn things!" one of the followers remarked.
Out of nowhere, fire erupted from the brushes. With eyes widened, the horses screamed, wanting to escape. While the cultists tried to control their mounts, something knocked a rider off.
Screams of the fallen rider reached the leader. The man pleaded for his life while whatever ate him alive. On his left, another rider was tracked. His fingers dug into the dirt as he cried out.
His face damp with sweat, the leader watched his men being attacked. In the chaos, even horses were dragged down, shrieking. A flood of adrenaline filled the cultists as they fled through the misty forest. Whatever haunted these woods picked them off one by one.
Screams and snapping jaws filled the air. The men begged for their master's aid; some rebelled by calling out to Christ. Cries of terror-filled swearing continued until silence descended on them.
As the sole survivor, the leader wasn't sure how long he had ridden. His horse glided through the silver mist, fleeing from whatever pursued them. Countless feet patted the ground. Snarls, cries, and rasps punctured the air. Whenever he glanced over his shoulder, he'd spot the outline of his pursuer. However, it was so quick that it was difficult to tell.
As he turned his gaze forward, something slammed into him. The force knocked the air out of his lungs as he fell to the ground. His horse kept running as if chased by the Devil. Groaning, the leader checked what had struck him. Upon closer inspection, he laughed. A tree branch. A fucking tree branch.
As snarls reached his ears, he stiffened. He crawled forward until a clawed foot stepped in front of him. The leader's eyes widened once he looked up.
With solid, digitigrade legs, the creature was about six feet tall. A wicked and ravening intelligence flashed from its yellow eyes. As if smiling, its lizard-like head possessed sharp teeth. The arms and chest were muscular and human-like. The six-inch sickles on each toe emitted an eerie blue light. Throughout its body, a hexagonal pattern flashed between light blue and black. On its side was a U logo. Its long tail reminded the lead cultist of a scorpion.
The man remained still, his heart racing in his chest. Lord Gargos, have mercy. Please save your most faithful servant-
A roar erupted from the creature as it leaped on him. While its claws and teeth tore into flesh, the cultist screamed. An intense, searing pain wracked his chest and stomach during the attack. Blood filled his mouth and throat, drowning him.
As its prey let out one last gurgling breath, the RIPTOR Stalker unit raised its head. In its mouth was a length of intestine. After ripping the organ free, the creature swallowed it whole. The beast roared through the forest, its mouth marked with blood.
Stars stretched across the sky as night cast its veil on the world. Rugged land mixed with forest melted into the darkness. Apart from the singing crickets, all was silent until paws thumped the ground. With the North Star as its guide, the shapeshifter kept running. On its back were Carrie and Jago, vigilant for overhanging branches.
Carrie glanced back, checking if the cultists were still after them.
"We can't look back now. We need to keep moving," Jago said.
She still held onto the alms bowl. "On that note, where is this lion taking us?"
The monk fell silent, having the same question on his mind.
Hours of traversing through the forest led them to a lake fed by a waterfall. Moonlight reflected on the falls, giving them an ethereal glow. Behind the gushing water, they entered a cave. Despite the darkness, the ground was dry.
Away from danger, the Snow Lion gestured the duo to hop off. Once they did, the shapeshifter stepped out of the cave, only to return with dead logs. In addition, it collected small rocks and tinder. Afterward, the Snow Lion left, but not before peering at the humans.
At first, Carrie was tempted to follow, but Jago stopped her, shaking his head. He suspected the creature would want them to stay here. "Where's it heading?"
"Probably wants to make sure nothing else has followed us," Jago said. "Also, it wants us to build a campfire. Well, looking at it won't get things started."
Carrie formed a rock circle and stacked the dead logs like a pyramid. Soon after, Jago placed the tinder on top and set it aflame. Small at first, the fire grew to provide warmth. While Jago blessed the offerings inside the alms bowl, she gazed into the fire. The flames calmed her until the faces of her victims emerged. In fright, Carrie recoiled with a shriek. She placed her hand over her heart, panting.
"Carrie?" Jago called, his eyebrows drawing together.
She took a deep breath. "I'm okay. Just thinking back. I'm sorry if I disturbed your prayer."
The monk waved his hand. "No need to apologize. I had finished. So, what's on your mind?"
Today's events stood out in Carrie's mind. "That strange lion… why did it help us? The way it stared at those cultists… do you think there's any history between them?"
"I thought about it, but I'm not sure. It may have sensed danger and wanted us to leave."
"Also, how did they know about my powers, given how they described us? So far, I've told only you."
Jago crossed his arms as though troubled. "I have a hunch. Do you remember our confrontation with Omen?"
Carrie shivered at the mention of the demon. "What about it?"
"Did he say anything to convince the cult to pursue us?"
"As I mentioned, horrible things, including when he… heard…." She paused as the pieces were coming together. "Oh, my… you don't think…?"
The monk nodded. "Omen may have told Gargos after the fight. Then, relayed that message to their followers."
Carrie covered her face with her hands. "What are we gonna do?"
"We'll figure something out. One thing is certain: I won't let Omen or those cultists near you."
Despite the monk's assurance, Carrie couldn't help feeling something was amiss.
After patrolling the woods, the shapeshifter returned to the cave. Carrie lay on the ground, resting her eyes, while Jago meditated by the fire. Closing its eyes, a bright light enveloped the Snow Lion, stirring Jago. The shapeshifter changed into a human, concealed in a hooded robe. While sitting next to the monk, the shifter extracted a bag from its shawl. As it reached down, it grabbed pieces of half-circled bread. Jago squinted as the shifter handed him one of the larger pieces.
"Tapā'īṁ bharapardō hunuhuncha bhanēra ma kasarī pakkā huna sakchu?" he asked.
"Ma napugēkō bha'ē tapā'īṁ ra tapā'īṅkō sāthī tyō kalṭisṭa ākramaṇabāṭa bacna saknuhunē thi'ēna," the shapeshifter said.
Hesitant at first, Jago claimed the bread and split it in half. He nudged Carrie to wake her and offered her the other half. After taking the piece, she jerked back at the hooded figure beside them.
"Easy, Carrie, it's the shapeshifter in human form," Jago assured.
She bowed her head. "Thank you, sir or ma'am, for saving us, I guess."
The shapeshifter tilted its head but returned the gesture. "Tapā'īṁ du'ī lukā'una āvaśyaka cha, haina? Tapā'īṁ Gasa prayāsa garna saknuhuncha. Pahāḍalē gā'um̐lā'ī jōgā'ēkōlē hāmīlā'ī kasailē bhēṭlān bhannēmā śaṅkā cha."
"It talked about Gasa as a safe place to hide," Jago explained to Carrie. "Kē tapā'īṁ kyārī ra ma saṅga ā'um̐dai hunuhuncha? Yadi tyasō hō bhanē, tapā'īnlē hāmīlā'ī bhannuparcha ki tapā'īṁ kō hunuhuncha."
"Timīlā'ī thāhā cha ma kō hō." Once the shapeshifter removed its hood, Carrie and Jago's eyes widened. The fire glistened on the woman's amber eyes, tan skin, and night-black hair. A sheepish grin formed on her lips.
"Pemba?" Carrie sounded shocked.
Jago arose on his feet. "What trickery is this?"
"Yō kunai cāla hō'ina, ma tapā'īnlā'ī āśvasta garna sakchu. Masam̐ga yō śakti thiyō jabasam'ma ma samjhanchu. Pramāṇa cāhincha bhanē…." Pemba removed her robe and chuba around her shoulder, revealing the bite mark.
"It was you. You fought that demon in Thanza a few weeks ago. So, everything you told me about being a street fighter was a lie?"
Pemba shook her head. "Mailē bōlēkā śabdaharū satya rahē. Mailē bharkharai ākāra parivartana garnē bhāga li'ēm̐."
"Jago, what did she say?" Carrie asked.
"When I asked her about her life story, she was honest."
"Can you ask why she's here and not with her mom?"
Having the same thought, Jago asked Pemba in Nepali. The woman slumped in her posture, taking a deep breath before she answered. Stunned at first, the monk turned away, his shoulders sagging. He brushed his hair with hand, trying to process the answer.
Carrie sensed something was wrong. "Jago, what is it?"
The monk let out a deep sigh. "Pemba informed me… that her mother is dead."
Translations from Nepali