Reg'gel, bleeding profusely, staggered as his beastly frame collapsed back into his Veyrith form, he tried to rise, swaying, but his legs betrayed him, desperation drove him to crawl with fingers clawing at the dirt until he seized Cher's ankle, his jaws opened wide, fangs glistening with hunger.
But Garm shoved his own arm into Reg'gel's maw, "Aaargh!" he screamed in pain.
Reg'gel bit down savagely, tearing a chunk of flesh, Garm collapsed from the pain, blood pouring freely. Reg'gel swallowed the meat greedily, and in moments his wounds knit halfway shut just enough strength to stagger toward the writhing creature before him.
The creature twitched, Reg'gel thought its half-formed mind struggling to distinguish danger, each moment seared through its body, only to be mended in moments, it looks as if the pain is agonizing, rendering it vulnerable.
Reg'gel sneered through bloodied teeth, "I'll tear you apart!" he roared, charging with his claw raised high, his battle cry splitting the night, but that was exactly what the creature had waited for.
Its chest convulsed, with a wet crack, a cluster of tendrils burst outward, slicing through the air like spears, they punched clean through Reg'gel's scarred flesh, lifting him from the ground, skewering him as blood cascaded down in steaming sheets.
He thrashed, biting, hacking, straining every fiber of his body against the bindings, his blows bounced uselessly against the tendrils' iron grip, the monster had already adapted, his strength meant nothing now.
Red froth spilled from his lips. Still, he bellowed through the pain, his voice echoing through the crystalline forest, "my kind will hunt you down! You'll never rest, never escape the fury of the Veyrith!"
The creature froze, mandibles twitching, reacting at the word Veyrith, it shrieked, a sound that curdled the marrow and then, with blinding speed, lashed out its tongue.
The blade-like appendage punched clean through his skull, a perfect hole pierced through his thick skull.
Reg'gel's body went limp, his final snarl frozen on his face as the tendrils drew him into the monster's chest, bone crunched, flesh tore. Slowly, agonizingly, his corpse was consumed.
Cher trembled, clutching her father and dragging him away from the carnage. Garm coughed blood, his arm mangled, but alive. She noticed something attached on his arm, a plant leaf he had tied around his skin prior. An herbal remedy, that kept him from bleeding out completely.
Cher's beastly eyes flicked back to the abomination as it gorged itself on Reg'gel's remains.
"It's… consuming Veyrith?" she whispered, horrified.
Gaining distance, she guided her father to a crystalline ridge and tended to his wounds, her voice trembled with guilt. "Thank you, Father. I should be the one protecting us, but you"
But Garm only smiled faintly, his weary gaze fixed on her with pride. To him, there was nothing more beautiful than the sight of his grown daughter before him. With the last of his strength, he squeezed her hand. "I love you, Cher… I'm glad you're safe," he murmured, before slipping back into unconsciousness.
Tears welled as Cher buried her face against his chest, clutching him tightly. They remained there, wrapped in a fragile moment of peace, as mystical insects drifted through the air, their glow lighting the dawn, plants stirred and bloomed with the first touch of morning, transforming the land into something almost magical.
Then a shadow passed overhead a giant bird soaring across the sky, something landed nearby with a heavy thud, Cher looked only to see a figure waving casually. "Yo!" the newcomer called, striding toward them.
Relief washed over her, her strength finally giving out, she collapsed against her father's chest, half-conscious, as the voice grew closer. "Hey, hey, Cher…"
That same night, Vell led the pursuit of the fugitives only to halt when the aftermath revealed itself before him. Scattered pieces of armor, shattered weapons, the mangled corpses of Veyrith soldier lying lifeless across the field.
He walked through the wreckage slowly, his veteran instincts piecing together the story written in blood, a patch of grass bent unnaturally, pressed flat, someone had fallen there, he followed the signs, step by step, until he froze.
On the ground lay a massive, broken frame, recognition struck him like a blade to the gut. "Impossible…" he whispered, his voice trembling, the track matched Reg'gel.
Just a few meters ahead, battle marked the earth, acid burns, pools of blood, a path carved by clash between two strong warriors, Vell knelt, pressing his fingers to the still-wet stain.
Further ahead, a vast crater gaped in the earth, but the miasma was gone. No trace of the creature remained.
The trio of scouts caught up, breathless, reporting their findings. Vell stood tall, fury simmering in his eyes. "Reg'gel was here…" he declared, "we must find them and uncover what happened."
His hand clenched, the rage in his eyes promised vengeance.
Cher's eyes fluttered open. The world felt steadier, though a lingering haze clung to her mind. Reaching up, she touched the bandages wrapped around her head. Slowly, she pushed herself upright, swinging her legs over the bed, only for a sharp jolt of pain to surge through her body.
"Don't push yourself, you just got patched up."
A pale woman stepped into the room, white lab coat draped over a deep-purple blouse, her long blonde hair spilled across her shoulders, eyes cool but attentive.
"Asha…" Cher murmured.
The nurse sat beside her, gently pressing a hand to her forehead. "Good, your fever subsided." She scribbled note.
Cher opened her mouth. "Where's…"
"Your father's fine," Asha cut in. "Stabilized in intensive care, it's a miracle he survived."
Relief washed over Cher, her hands clutched against her chest.
"Well, you focus on recovery now, strain yourself, and I'll come back to…" Asha tapped her gently on the head with her notebook before standing.
When the door closed, silence settled in, Cher turned to the window, staring out, the dome that sheltered them was vast but weathered, a relic of a forgotten age, beyond its fractured arches, beasts roamed freely in the forest sanctuary that had become one of humanity's last refuges.
Her eyelids grew heavy. She drifted into uneasy sleep.
Darkness, running, the ground beneath her was endless, her feet pounding against the abyss. Reg'gel's colossal shadow hunted close behind, his presence is suffocating, his growl vibrating through the void, her muffled cries vanished into nothing.
Then, something even greater fell upon them both, a shadow vaster than the night itself, swallowing her and Reg'gel alike in a quiet descent toward certain death.
Cher woke with a gasp, chest heaving, air burning in her lungs, her eyes darted to the window, to the forest beyond. A sigh escaped her lips, but her gaze hardened. That nightmare wasn't just fear. "The creature was still out there."
Far away, in the crystalline forest, the anomaly now standing upright, its body grotesquely evolved. Its mandibles clicked as it gnawed a fresh kill, blood dripping from its fangs, behind it, a mountain of colossal beast-corpses piled high beneath the moonlight, unsated, its eyes glowed faintly as it looked skyward.
The next morning, Cher stirred awake to the sound of muffled chatter echoing through the hallway outside her ward. Carefully, she swung her legs down the pain was still there, sharp and stabbing but bearable this time. Forcing herself, she rose and shuffled toward the corridor to check on her father.
With a sudden tap on her shoulder, Instinct took over, her fist shot out. Crack!
"OW, ow, ow, ow!"
The young man crouched down, clutching his face, Cher's eyes widened. "Oh Eric! I'm so sorry!"
Brown hair, he wore sleeved red jacket and gloves, topped with a maroon bandana. Cher panicked, flustering over him, but Eric, determined not to look weak in front of her, scrambled upright and spun around trying to discreetly wipe the blood dripping from his nose. He turned back with a forced grin, voice a little nasal.
"I… It's fine. Pay it no mind."
Cher bowed her head, hands clasped. "Thank you, for saving us."
Eric waved it off, still dabbing at his nose behind his hand. "Don't mention it it's all part of the job."
With a small wave, Cher moved on toward the intensive care unit.
The moment she was out of sight, Eric hunched over, trembling. "Ngh! That punch felt like a boulder fell on me!" he muttered through clenched teeth.
From down the hall, another voice cut in.
"Well, somebody looks like they need medical attention."
Eric froze.
A woman adjusted her glasses as she stepped closer. She resembled Asha, but with shorter hair and a brown drape beneath her lab coat, Leticia. Her tone was smooth, almost amused, but her sharp eyes pinned him like a hawk's.
Eric's face drained of color. "A-Aaargh!"
Cher finally reached her father's ward, at the door, she saw the base's head doctor, Markus Bradwell, a tall, composed man in an elegant grey suit beneath his long lab coat, a neat knot at his collar, his hair properly groomed, with precise movements.
"Doctor!" Cher gasped, restless.
He turned at once and walked to her side. "Are you alright, Cher?"
Inside, the air stank faintly of disinfectant, her father lay on a clean bed under bright lights, tubes and apparatus attached to his skin, Cher knelt by him, clutching his large hand as Markus explained.
"He endured several operations and countless stitches. He's stabilized… and, against all odds, recovering."
Cher's lips trembled into a smile, she pressed her forehead against her father's hand, Markus gave her a moment before gently guiding her toward the cafeteria.
The mess hall bore scars of conflict, broken panes, walls patched and repaired, but it stood sturdy, housing humanity's last survivors, Markus moved to the coffee machine, filled a cup, and handed it to her with a calm smile.
"Here, this'll warm you up."
Cher accepted with both hands, raised it to her lips, then instantly spat it out, scalding drops spattering the table. "Hot!"
Markus blinked, apologetic, but deep in his mind a thought lingered, "It's lukewarm, not scalding… Has her body shifted again?
He handed her a folded white handkerchief, she chuckled nervously while dabbing at the mess, Markus excused himself with a polite bow. "Very well then, after you finish, please rest, and don't forget to take Asha's medicine."
She nodded.
On his way out, Markus passed a broad figure, Commander Briggs, tall, burly, wrapped in fitted leather strappings and studded spaulders, a long sword strapped across his back, he gave Markus a curt nod before spotting Cher inside.
"There she is," striding in. "Our hero, in the flesh!"
Cher startled, half-rising from her seat. "Commander Briggs!"
Two others followed him, to his right was Trance, a dark-skinned man with a deep scar across his throat, gambeson hugging his muscular frame, paired swords at his side. On his left, Hendrick, tall and lean in light armor, a single spaulder on his right shoulder, a dark steel crossbow slung across his back.
Cher moved to stand fully, but Briggs raised a hand for her to be at ease.
He carried a flask and a bundle of dried meat, Hendrick cleared his throat sharply, but Briggs waved him off.
"Yeah, yeah. The missus told you to watch over me but a little sip wouldn't hurt after a mission, won't it?"
Hendrick only sighed, Briggs gulped the liquor with a satisfied groan. "Aaah! A strong drink washes away fatigue better than sleep."
He tore off a piece of beef jerky and offered it to Cher, she shook her head politely. "No? Your loss." He chewed, swallowed, then leaned forward.
"Cher, I'd like to let you rest but Veyrith has already advanced on the southern port. We don't have much time, I need you to tell me what happened out there."
Cher tensed, clutching her coffee cup as she recounted the events in a careful, clipped summary, as her words trailed off, the air in the cafeteria seemed to grow heavier.
Briggs' expression darkened, he gave a subtle signal to Trance who thumped his fist over his chest and left the room without a word.
"Thank you, Cher," Briggs said at last with firm tone. "Your report will help us greatly in the missions ahead."
Cher rose and bowed her head. "If you'll excuse me, Commander."
He waved her off, draining another mouthful from his flask, his gaze lingered on the table long after she had gone, "a creature that could slay a high-ranking Veyrith… almost alone?" His jaw clenched.
"Hendrick," he muttered.
"Yes, Commander?" the ranger replied, ever calm.
"The progress?"
Hendrick gave a crisp nod, "proceedings are moving smoothly, completion is on schedule."
Briggs grunted in approval.
Deep within the sanctuary's hidden labs, past steel doors and crystal-lit corridors, a glass tube loomed in the dark. Inside, suspended in pale bluish liquid, a girl with long curling hair floated in silence thin tubes snaked into her skin, her body limp and unmoving.
Researchers bustled around the apparatus, jotting notes, adjusting valves, feeding strange sigils into glowing consoles. On the girl's neck, a single rune pulsed faintly with light, then another flickered into being beside it barely-visible.
Back in her quarters, Cher sat quietly, her father's condition still weighing on her heart. From the drawer, she drew out a small locket and flipped it open, inside was her mother's smile, frozen in time, her father, and herself together. She traced the edges with her thumb and whispered a promise under her breath.
Days passed, her wounds finally healed, Cher donned her usual garb and went first to check on her father before heading to the training grounds.
The clang of wood and the shouts of trainees filled the air, Eric was in the middle of a spar, sweat dripping as he swung his practice sword, catching sight of her, he waved. "Hey, Cher! Over here!" Distracted, he didn't notice his opponent closing in.
"Hya!" Gilbert barked, his grey garb streaked with dust, silver bracer gleaming as he smacked Eric's forehead, Eric yelped, rolling across the dirt.
Gilbert sighed, shaking his head. "If this were a real fight, you'd be dead already. Focus."
Cher laughed softly, then picked up a wooden sword from the rack. "Mind if I join?"
Both boys exchanged a glance, Gilbert smirked, Eric grinned nervously. "Don't hold back then!"
Later that afternoon, the three of them lay sprawled on the ground, sweat-soaked and panting. Around them, the training field was quiet, targets peppered with arrows, scuffed earth still marked with the chaos of sparring.
Eric groaned, tossing his arms dramatically. "Cher… when did you get so strong? Please, don't leave me behind!"
A sharp whack landed on his head. Gilbert stood over him, scowling. "You never shut up, do you?Then stop slacking."
Cher chuckled at their antics, wiping sweat from her brow. "My father trained me hard. I just… learned to keep up."
Eric and Gilbert exchanged a look, then both smiled. Gilbert extended a hand to pull them up. Side by side, they stood, watching the horizon as the sky bled into crimson and gold.
"One day," Gilbert said with conviction, "we'll be great fighters. And we'll protect humanity." Cher and Eric nodded in unison, their shadows long against the setting sun.
That night, Trance led a small squad through the swamps, the air reeked of rot, and every step sank into thick, sucking mud, only the glow of scattered luminescent insects lit their path, casting pale reflections across stagnant pools.
The silence was oppressive broken only by the croak of unseen creatures and the splash of boots in murky water, then Trance froze sensing danger, his scarred hand shot up, signaling caution, something moved in the dark behind them, a shadow trailed their every step, when they quickened their pace, it matched them. Trance's eyes narrowed, he suddenly wheeled around, flinging a volley of projectiles into the trees, mocking voice drifted from the darkness above. "Well, well… what do we have here?"
From the high branches, shapes emerged, Vell stood at the forefront, two others flanked him before the shadow landed next, their glowing eyes looms over, the squad braced for inevitable battle.