Book 2 Chapter 16

The large Starfish wavered slightly, feeling confused as it looked at the prey still standing in front of it. In all its life nothing had resisted its attack so easily, even creatures that were strong against its acid or had ways of protection at least recoiled in fear or pain. Its senses traveled over the small figure in front of it curiously but didn’t sense any danger from the squishy thing. In the end, it decided to just finish off the prey itself, moving forward with wobbly steps.

Tirr watched its decision with disgust. Seeing it moving towards him still, he looked down at Garm who was still in his arms. “It’s even dumber than you.”

Garm whined in response feeling wronged after being compared to the almost mindless creature in front of them.

The starfish approached them steadily, picking up speed as it knocked over anything blocking its charge.

Tirr was unmoved, watching with a frown as he held Garm tightly and stood waiting. Around him, the patients and staff that had yet to leave shrieked as they saw the creature charging. A few let out a brief yell for Tirr to run, afraid of seeing the young child dying in front of them.

As the beast reached him it moved quickly. Wrapping it rough coral-like arms around him as it prepared to crush him.

Tirr’s eyes widened as he felt the Beast’s strength. As its arms wrapped around him and attempted to squeeze, he realized he might even have some trouble, or would have, if this were a few months ago after he had first woken up. No wonder the guards here had been so overwhelmed. The fact just made him even angrier at how late the Water Temple was.

As the starfish squeezed tighter and tighter, it started to move its mouth up, ready to start eating its prey.

Unable to stand the gross mix of slime and an almost sandpaper texture. he reached up a hand casually and gripped the creature by the base of one of its arms.

Feeling such a large force suddenly grab it the creature started to panic, releasing its arms as it waved them erratically, trying to free itself.

Tirr held it still in his grasp, before closing his hand tightly. The hard-layered shell skin cracked and broke as Tirr tore the arm off directly. The Beast let out a bubbling screech as it reeled back and away from the pain.

Tirr looked down at his hand with a grunt. His skin was burned and molted from where the starfish’s blood had touched him. Seeing the beast wheeling wildly in front of him as it struggled to get away, he took a few calm steps forward.

The creature panicked further realizing it had mistaken some dangerous predator for prey, it wobbled on its remaining arms to flee, before it felt a heavyweight settle on its back forcing it to the ground.

“Enough…” Tirr said as he pressed his foot against the creature. “I’ve waited enough…”

Loud cracking could be heard by the remain people in the warehouse as the coral-like skin of the Beast slowly cracked from the pressure. Finally, it shattered, and the beast let out one more bubbling groan before Tirr’s foot crushed through its hard-outer skin and exposed its delicate insides.

The warehouse looked in shock at the young boy who had just killed the terrifying creature, but before they could even think to say anything he left, heading out the door towards the fighting outside.

Maria could only let out a sigh, realizing that they couldn’t keep the news from spreading at this point. She handed a patient over to one of the other shocked staff and quickly followed after Tirr.

As Tirr got to the front of the warehouse he found a different scene to the organized defense that he and Maria had first passed through. The checkpoints and perimeter that had been so carefully set, had been torn apart as over a dozen of the starfish beasts rampaged through. They were spread in front of the warehouse, easily found by their colorful coral skin. Pockets of surviving guards could be seen doing their best to hold out, shields guarding against the creature dangerous spit.

As Tirr watched another guard fell as his sword was barely able to leave a dent on the Beast before it wrapped itself around him, His bones broke one by one as it squeezed.

Tirr felt his anger building as he looked over the bodies of guards that had already fallen. He clenched his fist, quickly releasing Garm to hop down onto the ground. “Kill them...” He ordered the pup.

Garm seemed to nod obediently before taking off into a run towards one of the nearby creatures. As he ran, his form grew, until soon he loomed over the warehouse yard. The starfish didn’t even have time to react as it was suddenly caught up in his massive jaws.

A single crunch was enough to finish the creature off and Garm threw its body away before letting out a sorrowful yelp of complaint. Not because of the sizzling blood that now dripped from his jaws. That had no effect on him. No, he whined because the starfish had left a horrible taste in his mouth.

He looked to Tirr to complain further but looked away when he saw his master's angry expression, instead he moved to the next one, this time choosing to crush it under his giant paw. The guards could hardly believe it as the large wolf appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by a young boy. Even more surprising was how it so quickly dealt with the creatures that had brought them to death's door just moments ago.

As Tirr stood watching Garm deal with the creatures, one moved towards him sensing easy prey. Tirr didn’t look as he raised his hand and the creature burst into flames. It let out a bubbling squeal as the flames covering it roared and grew fiercer before going quiet as its body turned to ash.

In less than a minute the last of the creatures had been finished. Garm stood licking the ground as he tried to get the horrible taste out of his mouth. Maria came out just in time to see Tirr move towards the nearby guards who shrunk back in terror.

“Where’re the Water Temple’s people?” He asked impatiently.

“They… They aren’t coming,” The guard responded haltingly. “The Beast attack was too large, so they decided it wasn’t worth risking any of the water priests.”

Tirr glared at the guard in fury before turning towards Maria. “We are taking care of this.”

Looking at the carnage the creatures had caused she could only nod, if the Water Temple wasn’t coming, then Tirr might be this town’s only hope.

“Which way to where this all started?” Tirr asked, turning back to the guard

“The first of them came from the docks, about 5 miles that way” The guard answered quickly

Tirr didn’t wait further before calling Garm, who came quickly, crouching down so Tirr could climb up with Maria. As they prepared to leave one of the braver guards managed to yell out “Who are you?”

Tirr looked back, a proud and familiar arrogant expression on his face, “A God…” he said plainly, before urging Garm onward. The wolf took off, moving too fast for the remaining guards to track as they disappeared into the town’s streets.