by J. J. Egosi
Michael couldn’t shake the feeling he’d traded one danger for another. The sailor’s words about the fire monster rang loudly in his mind. He had no idea how he could survive a confrontation with such a beast.
Everything looked the same. He felt as if he was walking by the same trees and the same bushes repeatedly. Perhaps even more concerning were all the corpses and eggs he saw scattered all over the ground. No matter where he turned, he kept seeing the same giant, red-spotted eggs and the same scorched bodies.
The sun started its descent into the sky, bringing Michael further unease. He’d walked for hours now. There was no one around. Nothing that lived. The endless stream of corpses and eggs had his heart pounding with each step.
He gazed up at the many nests of eggs on the ground and in the trees. They were the size of carriages, crafted from coal with large vermillion spots that boiled under the setting sun. They seemed ready to erupt.
Where did these eggs come from? What the hell could have laid eggs this size?
He took a deep breath and stopped in his tracks. His whole body shook as he understood. He had just walked into the nest of a monster. He saw the sun fade behind the trees. Disappearing into the night. As he had made no progress in getting out of the woods, Michael began to panic. A voice called from somewhere in the distance, aching like an elderly man croaking his dying breath. It called out to him, offering him a way out.
“Is someone there?” the voice whispered. “Please, help me. They left me all alone.”
Alone, huh? I know that feeling.
“Please…follow my voice… I haven’t much more time.”
Reluctantly, Michael chose to listen; he felt like he had no other option. After following the voice for what felt like a few minutes, it suddenly vanished.
Michael took in his surroundings. He was in an open field, now covered on all sides by the impenetrable forest. There was no sound. There was no voice any longer. It was so quiet; Michael could hear his heart hammering. The hair along his arms prickled, and he was overcome with a sudden dread. Every cell in his body screamed for him to take cover, but there was nowhere to go. He was utterly exposed.
He almost jumped out of his skin as he heard something moving in the woods. He could tell it was large by its footsteps. Its massive, brick-shaped silhouette confirmed it. With a bellowing rasp, it drew closer.
However, when it came into view, Michael relaxed. It was merely a cow ambling out from the brush. Michael walked over to the cow and reached out a hand to pet the animal. If it was tame, he knew he could get a good few meals out of it. Suddenly, the cow burst into flames.
Michael jumped back, letting out a scream. He scrambled to make sense of what he was seeing. A massive, blazing hand rose from a gaping hole that had formed in the ground, engulfing the air in a smoldering inferno as it dragged the carcass into the earth. Michael could feel the heat beating against him. The beast seemed to be carved from fire and lava. The surrounding branches burnt on impact, along with the grass. He watched in horror as the cow quickly vanished in the grasp of what was the largest monster he’d ever seen.
That must be…
Michael gulped.
The bloody carcass of the cow was hurled out from the ground, landing by Michael’s feet. He looked into the eyes of the animal who, just a few seconds ago, was breathing life into this world. It never suspected a thing.
Michael knew he was next.
As he tried to escape, another fiery hand emerged, stopping him in his tracks. A molten wall was forged to block his path. Michael was sweating from the intense heat it gave off. His entire body trembled. The hand crawled closer to him.
Michael knew it was over. There was no way out.
Just as he was about to be dragged to his death, he was snatched from the jaws of demise. He’d been taken by someone else.
He opened his eyes to see how he’d s survived. He was met by a young woman in white clothing.
Who…is that? He stared at her in wonder. The breeze passed through her red hair and against the stoic face. She paid no attention to him, only to the task at hand.
“You should be safe here.”
She set him down far away from the beast. He studied her and immediately noticed that she had a set of black webbed wings. They beat as quietly as the wings of a bat but with the ferocity of a dragon. It only furthered Michael’s belief that this couldn’t be real.
Is that…? Something was trying to force its way into his mind - a single word. Even after going an entire week without drinking, he couldn’t remember. He was mystified as he stared at the woman before him. She appeared to be around the same age as him. He watched as her crimson red hair whipped in the wind.
The woman gave him a stern glare.
“You shouldn’t listen to the voices in your head,” she said. “It’s bad for your health.”
Michael was more confused than ever. “You just saved me…Who are you?”
She returned her attention to her enemy and the flames it brought.
“Don't worry about that. For now, just stay where you are and try not to do anything stupid.”
This woman… Michael stared at her in wonder. Her hair. Her presence. She’s breathtaking.
The woman summoned an ivory sword from the ground. The radiance it gave off was enough to light the entire forest. Michael couldn’t veer his eyes from the glimmering aura it gave out. It was like his breath was being taken away.
She began chanting words that permeated the forest with a glowing white aura. It didn’t resemble any of the spells Michael had ever seen performed. This one had a different sensation to it. It felt pure, too gentle for the crude nature of society in the Dark Realm. Yet it was alluring, like a forbidden fruit calling out to him.
“Light Wave Blade, rise!” It glowed intensely, like a sun bringing light to banish the darkness. She swung at the beast, grunting as she cut off both arms. She took a deep breath before making her next move. The arms regenerated, but it seemed as though she had been expecting it to happen. The head of the beast then emerged from below. Brutish in shape, it resembled somewhat of a humanoid, but it was far larger. Slowly, its entire body surfaced. The giant monstrosity stood at a hundred feet tall. It towered over the forest indifferently.
As terrifying as it was, it was equally captivating. It was like a living volcano; the beast was breathing rock, lava made flesh. He watched as a charring inferno came seeping from the beast’s jaws like hungering saliva.
The mysterious woman smiled at the beast. “Just great.”
She soared up into the air and slashed the gargantuan beast across the chest. Lava splattered across the ground and trees, burning them as it made contact. It roared, sending birds flying out of the woods below. It swung at her with massive distorted arms, but it missed every time, swiping at the trees instead.
The woman was too fast. Every swing she made hit its mark. However, the wounds healed just as quickly as they came, sealing up like a quickly healing scab. As she grew tired, she flew back down to Michael.
“You wouldn’t happen to know of a body of water nearby, would you?”
He had arrived here by ship not so long ago. The problem was he couldn’t remember the way back. He had gotten so lost in the woods that he couldn’t recall where anything was. He searched the area around them, hoping to find a clue as to where he had come from, unaware that she was losing her patience.
“Well? I don’t have all night.”
Michael tried to remember where he had come from, when he had a sudden surge of memory that even impressed himself. It was like a vision had passed through his mind detailing his past steps as clear as day.
“The sea is that way,” Michael pointed behind him to his left.
“Excellent. Let’s go!” She grabbed his chest from behind and soared up above the woods.
Disoriented, Michael looked down. He and the woman were airborne now and flying over the forest. There was no water in sight. Michael had walked much further th
an he thought.
“Damn, I thought you said there was an ocean this way,” she said.
“There is. I’m certain of it. Now, can you tell me what’s going on?”
“Just shut up.”
They continued flying. Finally, they saw the sea out in the distance.
“Looks like you were right,” the woman smiled.
The fire monster wasn’t too far behind; a towering giant that was spewing lava every which way.
“We don’t have much time.”
She picked up the pace, rushing for the sea.
As they made their way to the seaport, they looked back only to find themselves staring into the molten eyes of the beast.
“For this to work, I’ll need to hurl you into the sea. Alright?”
“What? Are you serious? No, that’s not alright!” Michael’s anger was apparent.
“Do you trust me or not?”
The beast moved closer.
Trust her? I don’t even know her name. But she saved me when she had no reason to…
Suddenly, the disembodied voice he’d heard from the forest began to echo through the corridors of his mind.
“Please help…” he said. “They left me…all alone.”
Michael gritted his teeth and forced his attention back onto the woman. He took a deep breath. “Do what you have to do. Just aim away from the rocks if you can.”
“No guarantees. Just hold your breath!”
She threw him as far into the sea as she could. The speed he experienced was incredible; it was like being fired from a cannon. It was a sensation he’d never felt before, one he wished he could have avoided.
Where did that voice come from? The shambling words of solitude continued to beat against his mind; even the crashing water could only muffle them. He covered his ears and bit down on his pain.
As Michael sank into the water, the woman hovered over where she’d tossed him. She was now able to give the beast her undivided attention. The beast, however, did not return the favor. It was fixated on Michael’s descent into the sea. It stormed in his direction, launching its molten feet into the twilight waters.
Unaware of the dangers the sea posed, the beast began to melt. It boiled the sea with a fizzling collision of water against fire. The woman grinned as it tried to escape.
“You made your bed, my friend. I’m afraid you’ll have to die in it.”
The wind howled as she harnessed more power and channeled it into her sword. In seconds, a small whirlwind had enveloped her blade. She pointed it at the center of the beast’s chest. With one attack, she blew a crater-sized hole through the monster.
Still submerged under the sea, Michael watched the blurred lights piercing through the sky and the fire that rained down. Without warning, the water was battered by an onslaught of meteors. He swam into the depths, trying to evade their burning touch. The voice from the forest only grew louder.
Stop this. Even underwater, the voice lingered. I can’t help you.
“They left me all alone,” the voice said.
You said that already. What do you want from me?
“They…left me all alone.”
I fucking get it!
“They left me all alone. They left me all alone.”
The muffled phrase rang through his head over and over again. He could no longer fight it. The words and the pain it brought his heart proved too much. It took control of him.
“They left me all alone.”
His frantic paddling through the seas came to a halt as the words sunk in.
“They all did. Everyone…I’m…so alone.”
His tears melted into the sea. His defeated body sank deeper.
He was abruptly stopped by the beast’s disembodied head plunging into the water right before him. Michael’s eyes widened, thinking it was still alive. He couldn’t relax his muscles when he realized the beast could do him no harm. He couldn’t ignore what that voice had told him.
The voice is right. Everyone I’ve ever met has abandoned or ostracized me. The townspeople. My adoptive parents. Even Isabella couldn’t stand to look at my fucking face anymore. I’m a light-lover. A loser. I’ll never be anything more.
Michael’s tears melded with the water around him; even the sea didn’t seem to want anything to do with the salt they carried. He could barely bite back the memories of one rejection after another.
I can’t fucking take this. I can’t keep on going. Please…whatever you are, calling out to me. Just put me out of my damn misery!
He let out a terrified scream. A desperate call to all the suffering he’d endured that pleaded for an end.
In that moment, Michael was content to let the sea take him, whether it wanted to or not. Just as he felt his lungs giving in, the very woman who had sent him into the water pulled him out.
He looked into her crimson eyes. His heart thundered loudly against his chest.
“You saved me!” he gasped.
“It appears that way, doesn’t it?” said the woman.
Michael was confused, overwhelmed, and somewhat reposed now. He could no longer hear that voice. Only the sounds of hair whipping in the wind and her wings beating against the sky filled his ears.
The two of them flew towards the forest, leaving the remains of the fire beast behind. As it melted into the sea, Michael shivered, both from the cold and fear of returning to the forest.
“Why are we turning back?” Michael asked.
“I’m afraid there’s unfinished business to attend to,” she said.
“What do you mean? The giant monster has been slain.”
The forest was still full of red spotted eggs, much like those Michael had encountered before. His fingers trembled as they began to hatch. The woman looked at them coldly, taking a deep breath.
“I’m afraid we can’t leave until every egg here has been shattered.”
“What? Every one?”
“Did I stutter?”
The eggs hatched, revealing infantile versions of the beast the woman had just slain.
“If it helps, killing them should be an easy task.”
Michael reluctantly stood back, letting her take over.
This girl is something else. His eyes were locked on her. She doesn’t even know my name, and she saved my life. Why would she do such a thing?
The woman moved gracefully, killing everything in her path. Her body was alluring yet frightening. Michael was enchanted. His aching heart calmed as he stared at her, for reasons he couldn’t understand but wanted to.
She looked back at him, rather irritated. “If you keep staring at my chest, I’ll have to throw you in here as bait. I suggest you find something else for your wicked eyes to look at.”
Flustered, Michael quickly shook his head. “Sorry, I wasn’t staring there. I was just… You’re amazing.”
Slaying her way through the hatchlings, the woman smiled. “Flattery won’t get you far with me. Although I’ll let it slide for now. Just stay out of my way.”
Michael took a deep breath. She attacked each hatchling with her sword; he noticed they weren’t regenerating as easily. He also noticed her sword was emitting water this time.
He thought back to when she was carrying him out of the sea after sinking the fire giant. Could she have fused her magic with the water from my soaking body? He blushed. Or did it come from the sea itself?
Only now did he realize how impressive her body was. He lost himself in every mesmerizing detail. I wasn’t staring before, but now that she’s mentioned it… Her breasts might be even bigger than Isabella’s. And those eyes, they’re bloody red, just like hers were. Vicious yet soothing. He felt himself falling under the spell they cast upon him. He let them wash his fears away.
The woman locked eyes with Michael as she caught him staring at her chest. “Alright, I’ve had enough of those lustful eyes. You’re going in the pit.”
“What?!” The woman grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him in amongst the rema
ining hatchlings.
“Wait! I’m sorry. Please, carry me back,” he pleaded. He trembled at the sight of the miniature fire beasts rushing towards him. Michael flailed his arms desperately at the woman, hoping that she’d change her mind.
Michael screamed as they prepared to attack. They crackled as they marched towards him from every direction. Their molten saliva burned through the ground. Before they could get in reach of him, they all burst into a mass of water and light.
Michael opened his eyes. All of the hatchlings had been destroyed by the combustive assault of her magic. He was in the clear. That was, until he saw the woman.
“I hope you learned your lesson,” she said. She retracted her wings and glared daggers at him.
“I did. I swear.” Michael got down on his hands and knees, practically begging for forgiveness.
The woman laughed.
“Get up. A man doesn’t bow.”
Michael quickly stood and dusted himself off. “Fine. Just please, don’t kill me.”
She looked at him more closely. Michael grew nervous at how close she was getting; he could feel her breasts pressed against his chest.
“You seem like an honest guy and a lover of breasts. Tell me. Are mine the best you’ve ever seen?” she asked, pressing them against him with more pressure.
What is wrong with this woman? Where did that question even come from?
He tried not to look down at the cleavage that was pushing through her dress. The fabric was drenched with the sweat from her battles and left little to the imagination.
Does she really expect me to answer that after nearly killing me for staring at her? First Isabella and now her. What the fuck is wrong with the women in my life? He thought about her and compared her to Isabella, their bodies, and how they made him feel.
If she really wants an answer, I’m not sure if I can decide between the two.
