A small boy stood in a worn down kitchen. Mold was everywhere while the stench of dirty dishes and clothes filled the surroundings, a stench that had been absorbed into the walls. Flies buzzed around joyfully and the vivid image of rotting garbage that was tossed into the corners of the room painted a true trash den. The image of a desolate place, the sounds like distant echoes. The Room seemed alive as it whispered abuse at the child.

The fridge had some food in it, but the boy merely stared longingly, sitting in his filthy corner. He rubbed his stomach and gulped before shaking his head. He didn't want to anger his mother by taking her snacks again. She will punish him. Pulling his eyes away from the temptation, he glanced at the wall. The calendar was so old, it had turned yellow, and the year dated 1993. It was showing a single month with a single circled date. The boy’s face showed nothing but dread as he gazed at the date circled with a red color. That simple piece of paper gave off an ominous aura.

She made sure to mark it, lest she forgets. Every year she made sure to let her son know that she'll be back for his birthday. He couldn’t help but be hopeful that she wouldn’t come back from her three day getaway, but her venomous words echoed inside his head, "Don't you worry brat. I'll definitely give you a nice gift. Now get lost, you’re a fucking eyesore."

The boy shivered in fright. He swallowed with difficulty, his eyes switching between the calendar and the door. The desire to run away was clear. However, the consequences would be dire. The last time police brought him home she played the part of a concerned mother. He had wept and begged not to leave. But she had a glib tongue, summing it up to a mental disease and childish imagination. She would flirt with them and buy them off with sex or information. Most of them were familiar with her, turning a blind eye. As soon as they left, he was beaten black and blue then locked in a dark closet for days.

His birthday marked the worst day of his life. Was there a way he could disappear forever? He didn’t want to die. He was scared.

It usually started with a happy birthday song, followed by a single straight cut on his back which already held nine scars. It all started on the third birthday. It was then that she had cut the first three lines. When she got to the fifth one, she crossed it over the other four.

Today, another four lines would be crossed. The boy knew there was nothing he could do about it. He was used to the hunger. The only time he got to eat was either out of the trash or when she didn't have an appetite. His anxiety visibly rose by the minute, his stomach the least of his worries.

*Click*

His eyes became wide in fear as the front door opened. She walked in and let the door slam shut before locking it. He was completely frozen in place. She looked up with bloodshot eyes and flashed a twisted grin. Her brown hair was covered with a thick layer of muck and filth. Dark bags under her eyes mixed with her ruined makeup and her sickly skin was smeared with dirt and purplish bruises. The black dress was slightly ripped and she wore scraped, red heels. Her teeth were as yellow as the calendar in the kitchen. Her brown-eyed gaze was fixed on her son as she smirked, "Well, hello birthday boy. Aren't you gonna give mommy a biiiiiiiig welcome homee?" she asked him sarcastically and widened her arms as if inviting him closer.

The boy pulled further into the corner, making himself a smaller target. She snorted and put a hand on her hip, "Oh, come on brat, don't be like that or mommy will get mad, ok? I have a very special gift for you this year." her freckled nose crinkled in amusement, a sort of insanity glowing in her eyes.

The boy was starting to panic. Completely forgetting about this resolution to power through yet another day in hell. He ran to the door. In his fear, he forgot it was locked as he pulled on the handle that wouldn't budge. Hot tears fell down his cheeks as soon as the clicking of heels sounded behind him. She grabbed him by the arm and furiously tossed him at the door, making him bounce to the floor. The smell of alcohol and cheap perfume easily overrode the stench of the dirty apartment.

Glaring with eyes devoid of emotion, she shouted, "You ungrateful piece of shit! You want to run from ME? Pathetic little cockroach. I thought you were smarter than this, but you're as stupid as your father!"

He whimpered as she kicked and stepped on him with her heels, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he was holding his head, wrapped into a ball on the dusty floor, blood dripping from the few punctures the heels had managed to make.

She took a deep breath, slicked back her hair and crouched down, grabbing him by the back of his head, "You better be sorry, dumbass. Wipe your fucking snot, it’s disgusting!"

She ripped out a patch of hair and gave one more kick before going into the kitchen and taking a seat. As she lit a cigarette, he got up and obeyed, wiping his face with the large T-shirt he had on. It hurt, but he tried to calm down, in case he would irritate her more. She looked at him and pointed a finger at her side, calling him over with a silent command like he was a dog.

"Take your shirt off." she said coldly as she took a puff of the cigarette. With shaking hands, he took it off and stood with his back facing her. His face was twisted in anguish.

*Tsk* She muttered, marveling at her handwork before putting out her cigarette on his shoulder, adding yet another of many dots. The boy shouted in pain with a suppressed voice, shivering. She got on top and pinned him to the floor while slapping an open palm on his back. He cried out as tears once again fell, "Arrogant little shit, aren't you? You're a worm got it? A maggot and now I'll give you your fucking present."

His screams were muffled by her sweaty hand as a click of a pocket knife sounded. She sliced his back horizontally and hummed the birthday song. The blade dug into his skin like hot iron. Once it finally stopped, he was sobbing and shaking like a leaf. She was still singing the tune as she sliced her palm open, "Heh, here you go son. I received this a few days ago, it’s only proper I’d share." the next moment she smeared her blood into the cut.

She stood up, pulling his head up by the hair. She grinned at him with madness. His eyes widened in terror, staring at her through the tears, "Hahaha! Happy birthday."

***

I woke up drenched in cold sweat. Pure panic making my breathing grow fast and eccentric as I looked around in panic. I calmed down as recollection of the last few months returned. Sighing, I looked around the cave, the sunlight was lightly shining through the opening. The remnants of the lucid nightmare still lingered in the back of my mind. I cursed in frustration.

Sitting up, my eyes widened as a sudden wave of dizziness made me turn to the side and vomit. My whole body shook as I released the contents of my stomach. I grabbed my head and tried to calm down as the panic attack started again. It was just a dream. A fucking nightmare. I swayed, mumbling incoherently with shut eyes as the abusive whispers and laughter slowly faded. I haven't had a panic attack like this for years. The last time I got it was when I was 21. That was how the librarian figured out I was sick. She had found me screaming in my room and called an ambulance. They had told her about my condition, the fact that she kept a bigger distance from me hurt but she didn’t kick me out. It took me two whole hours to get myself back together, trying to get my mind of the past. My heartbeat finally slowed as breathing got easier and the tears stopped.

I shoved that memory back into the deepest parts of my consciousness. I could never forget. I wasn't lucky enough to forget. She would never allow me to forget. That dirty whore was still haunting me even after both of us had died. I rub my face as I let out a heavy sigh and finally stand up. I almost lost my balance when I straightened my back. Looking around in shock, I realized the cave seemed smaller than before, it was mildly disorienting. Then I looked down at my body.

I was a lot bigger and taller than before, around 170 cm. The torn clothes that used to be loose were now tight and ready to rip any second. It's not like it mattered. They were already damaged beyond repair and completely stained with blood from my hunt.

My arms and tail had turned to a dark metallic gray bordering black. I was surprised to see that my tail had grown back and it had developed along with my body. It had become thicker and tougher, the skin a lot rougher. I look over my shoulder and closely observe the spiked bones that stuck out of my spine. These spikes had a darker color. At the place where my tail connected with my tailbone, the spikes became thinner, having the appearance of saw-like bones. I could feel that my skin had become thicker and my muscle mass had increased. I was tall and lean. A relief at not having to see my human body ever again couldn’t help but rear its ugly head.

My skin was slightly tanned but the tattoos were now more pronounced and had a darker tint to them. I felt curious about the changes. Focusing slightly, I slowly dragged the razors of my tail across the stone wall. The effect was the same as with my claws. A deep, straight line was cut into the rock which pleased me greatly. Scratching my head in satisfaction, I immediately noticed my hair had turned an ashen color. I moved my hands higher and found my horns had become longer. They now stuck around 10 cm to the back, slightly rotating upwards in an arch.

I exit the cave and crouch down to stare at my reflection in the water. I grin in approval. My features have become more mature and, I've got to admit, I really could be labeled as handsome now. Maybe I’ll actually get laid in this life. I was still observing myself when I heard a branch crack behind me. Quickly turning around, I was ready for a fight but nobody was there. I frown in confusion and look around. There's nothing...

I could still hear movement so I sniffed the air as my eyes widened in realization. My senses had increased. The people were still a distance away from here. Three people, two male, one female, I can’t tell the race, but they definitely didn’t smell like beastfolk. Focusing more on hearing, I could actually make out their chatter.

"Alright guys, it shouldn't be too far now.” a rough voice spoke calmly.

"You sure we're going the right way? I mean it’s been like, three days since that thing disappeared." the other man commented with a grunt.

"Don't underestimate my tracking skills, it definitely went this way. Even though the footprints have faded, the Gods dammed trailing graveyard of creatures should be evidence enough. Shit, judging by their description, that thing had a contract, otherwise I’d have left when we saw that Sliver horn... A kid killed a damn Silver horn!"

"So... it killed a Chimera and a Silver horn deer? The bounty was really nice on that Chimera, even though it was just a mid-tier Predator rank. You think it’s really worth it going after that thing? I mean, the noble wants it and all, but I’m getting a bad feeling." the woman said with tension in her voice.

"Well, this is just a retrieval mission, we need the money anyway. It shouldn’t be too challenging considering the thing is still under contract.” the leader muttered with slight doubt.

"Shit. We only found blood and no corpses. That doesn’t seem like no contracted monster. Didn’t you see that beastman? The thing ripped off its arm.” the other man grumbled in frustration.

"We'll find out soon enough. Even if it did manage to power through the restraints, they should still be very much active. The fact that beastman was alive is proof enough, they said the rules prevented it from hurting people. Stick close and quiet down, we're getting closer."

My eyes widen in surprise. I had slept for full three days and hunters were currently on my tail, sent by the thorns in my ass apparently. I had left the deer's horns behind because I couldn't even dent them, let alone eat them. The few undesirables also left a trail.

They were close now, around 50 meters from the waterfall. I cursed and focused on hiding my presence. Rushing at the highest tree in the vicinity, I easily climbed up. Reaching the desired height, I circled my tail around a branch to keep myself steady and leant forward to look down. I was within the shade of the tree so I was sure I wouldn't be spotted so easily, not a lot people have the habit of looking up. I crouch down to observe the three figures exiting the bushes. I can see all three humans perfectly even though I'm high enough for them to miss me. Thinking about their conversation, I suddenly realize something. The two beastfolk fucked up royally. Yes, there was a rule but it was ‘Don’t hurt or attack US in any way or form.’ These guys were free pickings... I grinned manically, almost laughing out loud.

"What the hell?" the middle-aged man with dirt-blond hair and a thick beard mumbled. He seemed taller than me with bulging muscles and a large longbow on his back. He wore a set of hide armor, a lot better than the one the dog wore. I could spot many hidden pockets and weapons on his body as well as the short sword on his hip. His rough face was an image of confusion as he walked to the edge of the small lake. The exact spot where I had taken a dip.

He looked frustrated as he turned in a circle, noticing the cave opening and walked to the entrance. The woman approached him and frowned, "What's going on? Where is it?" she asked as her thin brows furrowed. Although she seemed petite, I could tell that chick wasn’t weak. Her light armor consisted of a fitting, green vest that protected her vitals, tight fitting overalls and the guard of a rapier peeked on her hip. Her auburn hair was tied in a ponytail that reached her lower back, the blue eyes questioningly staring at their leaders back.

"It's like it completely vanished here, probably jumped into the lake.” he muttered and pointed at the shore, “I can clearly see the blood trail end right there. Aha!" he exclaimed and crouched down where I was standing just a few minutes ago, “Hmm, fresh... but the footprints are bigger and bare. Whoever this was lost their footwear, male, hmm, might be our target.” His eyes followed the trail leading to the forest and other one to the cave. He cautiously decided to approach the cave to investigate, unsheathing his sword.

The other man prepared his large battle-axe, remaining silent as he followed the tracker into the cave. His dark hair was tied in a messy bun, a large scar trailed down the left side of his face and over his lip. He looked a lot rougher than the blond man and must have been around 2 meters tall. Wearing chainmail and a plate, the man strapped a round shield to his forearm in preparation.

The two men disappeared into the cave while the woman crossed her arms and stayed as the lookout. Deciding the other trail I left could compromise me, I quietly crawl over the branches and onto the other tree, moving away a few meters from my old position. The wood creaked lightly under my weight but stayed firm otherwise. Thankfully, it was far too little to garner the attention of their lookout. I wanted to observe them a bit before I do anything else, they were the first humans I’ve seen in this world.

The two men walked out with complicated expressions, sharing a look.

“Well? Anything in there?” the woman asked with interest.

“Uhm, yeah. There are cuts on the walls, dry blood everywhere, some of the rocks seemed corroded. Some kind of black sludge is on the ground though. I honestly don’t know what it is.”

Uh, it must have been the leftovers from my body... I shiver at the memory of that painful experience.

"Gross. Well? Where is it then?" the woman grimaces, trying to sneak a quick look in the cave.

“Well, the other set of fresh tracks lead to the forest,” he points at my old tree, “That way.”

The larger man groans in annoyance, “For fucks sake! I’m sick of this damned hunt already. We’ve been tracking this thing for a whole day already. The little shit ran up and down the forest, walking us in circles and now there is even more to be found!”

Their leader pinches the bridge of his nose, “Calm down, Hol. We’re close. These tracks are only a few minutes old, we just missed it.”

The woman spoke, "That noble said this thing must be brought back alive, right?” a sly look passed her eyes, “Why don’t we just catch it and sell it ourselves, tell him it’s gone. It’s safe to say the thing grew so no one would connect it to the one that went on the rampage. Just imagine the price some people would pay for something so exotic.” the excitement and greed in her voice really ticked me off. It brought back memories I would have rather kept buried.

The man with blonde hair sighed and glared at the woman, “Sally, I thought that kind of behavior was behind you. We have a job and are getting decently paid for it, so don’t ruin a good thing by being greedy. Besides, you seriously don’t want to fuck with nobles from Velegard.” he shook his head disapprovingly and barked orders, “Okay, let’s find this thing." the leader gives the two instructions. They nod and search where the tracks led, “They’re gone... hmm.” he looked up the tree, his eyes widening made me frown in confusion, “Shit. It can climb. See those claw marks?” His two companions nodded seriously, “It’s probably still here... no wonder I’ve been so tense. It didn’t leave the area.”

Nearly slapping my forehead at the stupid mistake, groaned inwardly. I hadn’t controlled my strength. Idiot.

The big man rolled his shoulders and grinned, “Man, am I itching for a fight.” looking around, he pressed his lips in thought before getting the ‘I have a great idea’ face as he began whistling and calling out. What the hell is he doing? I click my tongue in irritation when I realize he’s calling out to me as if I were a dog. I seriously took offence at that one.

All their eyes were directed up into the thick branches. They’ll find me like this sooner than later, so how do I deal with them... Three versus one are not good odds, I still haven’t fully adjusted. Maybe if they separate I can pick them off?

I decided to climb down since they were still far enough to pull off and use the thick underbrush to my advantage. Since they were on their guard and looking up, I figured I’d strike from the ground. Managing to get down without them noticing, I went prone and waited, grinning when I saw them slowly distance themselves from each other. The chick had her rapier out, carrying herself with caution with her eyes firmly planted on the trees, “See anything yet, Jackson?” I carefully crawled through the thorny bushes, caring not to make another stupid mistake while they talked.

“Not yet... but stay on your toes people, and don’t go too far.”

She stopped and glanced in their direction as I decided to act. With incredible speed, I grabbed her ankle and dragged her into the thorns with me. Just as she was about to squeal and attack with her rapier, I grabbed her mouth with my other hand to keep her silent and broke her wrist with my tail, the rapier impaling into the dirt. Her muffled scream was contained as I kept her pinned and stared into the distance to see if the men noticed anything. Shit. The big man was running this way, “Sally?! Sally! What the- Answer me Sally!” he seemed panicked and looked around with worry. I knew it was a matter of seconds before I was spotted. Glancing at the terrified woman, I grinned down at her and shrugged. I stood up, holding my hostage by the neck.

The big man froze before standing in a form, his shield pointed at me and the axe held on the side, ready to be swung, “Let her go!” he growled in anger.

“No.” I said calmly and stared at him, “Drop your weapons and tell me what happened on the Preiss farm. Maybe I’ll let her go then.” Word being maybe. I say, noting the contract isn’t reacting beyond the painful pull it asserted every few seconds. It was weaker than before, but it occasionally burst with new power. Something was messing with it again... Worry sprung in my chest, I need to get to that farm before it’s too late.

Hearing a whistle in the wind, I instinctively moved left. An arrow flew and lodged itself deep into the tree behind me, cutting my shoulder. With a hiss, I stare at the man holding a longbow in the distance and grab the woman’s uninjured wrist. One scream from her had the big man tossing his shield away. He held an arm out, “Stop! Fine!” He said and tossed his axe to the ground, extreme worry in his harsh eyes, “Let her go and I’ll tell you everything.” listening to his heartbeat that had an odd fluctuation, I knew he was bullshitting me.

“Speak or I swear I will snap her neck before you can even blink.” I hissed in threat and held her tighter, making her gasp for breath and claw at her throat.

The ranger ran over, holding out his bow while his other hand was pointed in a way of surrender, “Calm down, please. Please?”

Narrowing my eyes, I loosened my grip and let her breathe again, “Talk!”

“We are just a few adventurers a noble from Velegard picked up in Fort Town as back up. The two beastfolk had contacted the Trading Association a few months ago with the request of finding a buyer for an exotic slave. We were selected by our guild to be on standby for the noble. He arrived four days ago but by the time we got to the farm, the beastman, Seth I think, was missing an arm and the girl was too busy crying to tell us what happened. Once he finally told us about you, the noble sent us to track you down and bring you back alive. And now we’re here.” he said with a bitter expression, but I could tell he was telling the truth for once. However, the implications of what he said made me snarl in rage. They were playing me like a fucking fiddle. It was what they had planned from the start, the greedy fuckers.

The woman winced at the sound but stayed still, her broken wrists prevented her from reaching for her hidden dagger, “P-please...” a small squeak escaped her lips. Glaring at her and the two men, I understood I had a choice to make. The final straw in my decision lied in the fact they were human and all humans were the same, greedy bastards. I had no doubt in my mind that as soon as I released her, the two would attack. Feeling disgusted, I stared the men right in the eyes and squeezed. Her neck slipped between my fingers as the sweet smell of blood filled the air. Letting the corpse drop, I charged the big man before he could get his bearings and pick up his axe. Ramming him with my shoulder, I was shocked to see him fly a few meters before toppling on the ground with a grunt, his plate dented where I hit.

Reaching for the ranger who took out a dagger, I deflected the blade with the back of my hand, the sound of metal hitting metal screeched as I swung my tail at his legs. A sound of tearing flesh filled the forest and a scream unfolded as his legs were cut off by the razors. Ignoring the bleeding human, I charged again at the rising lump of enraged muscle. The big man was definitely the biggest threat. He was completely unharmed save the dented plate. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with rage and pain, “YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED HER!” he put a leg back for balance this time and prepared to catch me.

Instead of charging him again, I ran up the nearest tree and disappeared. Climbing and jumping on the high branches, I made sure the sounds were surrounding him. He spun in circles, glaring up with veins nearly popping on his forehead, “Come down here and fight me like a man you cowardly piece of shit!”

I obliged. Landing on my feet behind him, I reached for the holes in his armor, my clawed hand piercing the chainmail beneath his plate and through his right kidney. I didn’t manage anything else as his elbow connected with my face. My nose and mouth bled as I growled and pushed my arm deeper in his guts. He couldn’t turn around like this, but his elbow found its mark again. Cursing from the pain in my face and feeling the concussion, I grabbed the first thing that felt solid and pulled it out. Jumping away, I was surprised to see a bloody string that went from his lower back to my hand.

The mad man swayed but somehow still moved and wanted to pounce on me. So, I pulled the intestine hard enough to make him drop. Feeling like this was enough, I stomped on his head until not even a twitch could be seen. Cursing, I fixed my broken nose and dislocated jaw, leaning on a tree until the vertigo passed. This man was a damn animal. What the hell had he been eating?

Looking at my handiwork, I had killed all three of them. I felt neither guilt nor shame about it. It was very satisfying and empowering. Their leader had bled to death, the woman was decapitated and the big man was all over the place. Frowning slightly, I thought how I could have done this better but decided it wasn’t the time for that. I thought about eating them but I had no appetite and I wasn't hungry. I was back to square one.

Just as I had stripped their leader’s clothes and replaced my torn ones, a sharp pain spiked on my neck. I immediately gasped for air. Damn it! Glaring in the direction of the farm, I burst into a full sprint through the thick vegetation. The collar kept tightening in warning before intensifying. This continued until my windpipe was slowly blocked. FUCK! Faster damn it! I quickly ascended the cliff and soon passed the place of the fight. The ground was still covered in dry blood. I felt like I was going purple from the lack of air as I burst into the clearing and jumped over the fence. The collar loosened.

Panting and gasping desperately, I glared at all the people gathered on the meadow. Anya looked terrified as she stood behind Seth who was holding a sword pointed in my direction. Seeing his hateful glare was mixed with shock and fear brought some satisfaction to my sick mind. I hissed at them, making them both stumble backward. Next to them stood an unfamiliar human man who was staring at me with clear interest.

He was shorter than me, around 160 cm with a near bald head that actually seemed to glisten in the sun. A sleazy moustache made him look like one of those conmen in the big cities. The greed in his brown eyes was slightly irritating as he looked me up and down like livestock. Although he wasn’t obese, his frame was well rounded. His clothes were visibly of high quality, a red, velvety sash over his gray shirt, black riding pants and shiny jewelry on his fingers. He was stroking his chin in though until he realized I was glaring at him. He laughed and waved his hand dismissively, “Haha, such a mean look, I love it! You, my boy, are most definitely worth buying.” he said before turning to the two beastfolk, “Alright, I’m convinced now, you get to live.” he said with a jolly voice and clapped his hands, making Seth release a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, my attention was then taken by the five figures exiting a large, exotic carriage. Two large beasts I recognized as Raptors at the front, eating one of the Quallas. Just as I decided to attack, I realized I couldn’t move. With wide eyes, I glanced at my feet and arms, seeing ghostly, violet chains keeping me immobile. Two of the four newcomers were whispering unfamiliar words as they stared at me in concentration. Growling in anger, I pulled on the chains with all my might with no results, “Fucking magic.” I spat and kept struggling. I growled and hissed in anger, making everyone take a few steps back.

The noble kept looking at me with growing curiosity, "Really a fine and unique specimen. Truly, I've never seen anything like it. A pretty face, fine body structure, healthy. I'll give you 500 gold for him."

Seth gaped in disbelief, “But you said 800!”

The human lifted a brow and sighed dramatically, "Indeed I had, however, he would only be worth that much if he wasn't so savage and aggressive. I can think of a thousand problems that little slave will cause me just from the top of my head. You've got to consider that I'll be responsible for his antics. 500 gold. Take it or I leave him here." he stopped and grinned, “As far as I can tell, if it wasn’t for my mages fueling that pathetic contract and holding him back, the both of you would be dead by now.”

Seth shot me a disgusted look as he answered the plump human, "Fine.”