Chapter 34

City of Beasts

“You’re a not royal guard either. You must be one of his minions.” The woman clicks her tongue annoyed. “I guess I should’ve expected as much from an old wrinkly man. They always brag about their accomplishments, but when it’s time to step into action, they always send someone else to do their dirty work.

The woman continues to grumble to herself angrily.

“Um, excuse me, are you a soldier?”

“Cat.” Jez placed a hand on my chest as I tried to take a step forward. I could see concern from the little I could see on her face.

“Oh, a beastman, how rare.” The woman removes her hood. What I saw was terrifying. She looked like a broken doll that was poorly put together. The woman was bald and had two different color irises: one yellow and one blue. There were stitches all over her face, no. Perhaps they’re better described as patches. Each patch of skin was a different color.

“That’s a nice shade of brown you got there. I always wonder how dark skin would look on my body. Hey, can you share some of your flesh with me?” Her yellow eye glow brightly

“…” I took a step back, trying to slip away from her mad gaze.

“It’s a shame. I would’ve loved to have a piece of you while you’re still alive.” The woman snapped her finger, and two pale figures behind her took a step forward. The pale creatures’ entire bodies were covered in stitches just like the woman’s face. They possess elongated arms that scrape across the ground as they approach.

“Catherine!” Max yell.

“Yea, I’m on it.” I jumped in front of Max and Jez. I immediately regretted this decision and wanted to scream at my past self for agreeing to this position.

I shakily raise my guards towards one approaching pale monster. A cruel smile spread across the creature’s face revealing their jagged teeth.

In my current state, I’m far too nervous to use aura. I guess I’ll no choice but to use the other.

Are you sure?

The Crooked Man’s voice echo in my head.

The more you fight. The more the bad memories you avoided all your life comes back.

“I know. That’s why I’m here.” I took a deep breath and murmured, “Bloom.”

.

.

.

And at that moment, the nervous girl was no more. Instead, her round gold pupils narrow into slits, and an unnatural calmness washes over her.

The monster paused, unsettled by the girl's sudden change. But it quickly recovered and dashes on all four eagers to take a bite of her. However, it was met with a boot to the face. The creature fell on its back, confused as to what happened. The beast looks up to see the little girl staring down at him. Enraged, the beast jumped on all fours and swung its long arm. Before its claw could reach, a jab struck his face. The blow disoriented the creature long enough for Catherine to land another blow on its face.

“Aeii!” The creature lets a weird shout as it reels from the attacks. It places one of its hands on the ground to stop itself from falling again and then lunges at Catherine, desperate to push her onto the ground.

Catherine twists her body and bashes her shoulder into a hideous beast. Their bodies collide. The monster's eyes widen as it realizes that it failed to push a girl far smaller than him onto the ground, but it was also overpowered and pushed away.

Catherine reels her arm back and throws a punch with her entire body weight behind it. The blow knocked the creature back onto the cobblestone.

Catherine looks down at the creature, somewhat surprised. Up till this point, all her fights have been an uphill battle.

“You’re kind of weak. No, maybe you’re not.” Catherine thought back to all her fights and realized all our opponents were royal guards, master martial arts, or possessed abilities that deify logic.

“Sorry, you’re not weak. You’re just weaker than me.”

The creature didn’t understand what the little girl was saying. But he could tell she was looking down on him.

How dare you. How dare someone as small and pathetic as you look down at me. You should be on your knees begging just like my other prey.

“!!!” The pale beast lets out a roar fraught with frustration and rage. Catherine raised her guard and prepared herself for the second round.

In the corner of her eyes, she spotted the second pale monster rushing her. The creature thrusts its claw at Catherine. However, he never reached her.

The beast's arm fell onto the ground. A beat later, a slit opens on his neck. Blood gushes from his neck and the served arm.

Catherine dashes towards the remaining pale beast, knowing Jez was the one that protected her. Catherine leaps into the air and her knee the beast’s face.

The monster leans backward, blood oozing out of its now crushed nose. Still, in the air, Catherine reels her arm back once again.

First Round

Beads of light suddenly formed around her arms. The lights created a soft white aura that covered Catherine’s arm. The aura imbued fist smashes the creature's head into the cobblestone. The impact of the blow sounded like a cannon firing.

The monster’s body twitches slightly before going completely still. Its head is now buried in a small creator created from the attack.

Panic begins welling up from within as Catherine realizes she took another life. However, this emotion quickly subsides, and once more, she found herself in a calm state.

“Good. Job.” Jez appears next to Catherine and places a hand on her shoulder.

“Thanks, but we’re not done yet.” Catherine turns her attention to the woman.

“I guess I should’ve expected this much from Dante’s minion. I would’ve loved to kill you guys myself, but sadly we’re out of time. You guys woke up the children of the city. If I were you, I would leave.

“You’re not going anywhere until you explain who you are.” Max threw a fireball at the woman as the woman turned to leave, stopping her in her tracks. Right now, all Max wanted to do was burn her until not even her ashes remained. But there were too many mysteries around her, like how she seemed to know where they landed.

“I don’t think you understand how much danger you guys are in.”

“Just answer the damn question!” Max raises his hand, ready to incinerate her. Catherine grabbed Max’s hand and dragged him away.

“What are you doing?!” Max roared.

“Something is coming! A lot of something!” Catherine’s ear twitches violently. Max looked behind them, wondering what frighted her.

The cacophony of screams and footfalls eventually reached Max’s ears. Then, from the darkness, childlike humanoids emerge.

“Goblins.” Max murmur.

“What? Aren’t they supposed to be green?”

“It depends on the region. Their skin color changes, so they could-“

“We don’t have time for a lesson!” Catherine tightens her grip on Max’s, urging him to move faster.

“!!!” The goblins let out a howl, and in the distance, they could hear more goblins shouting.

Catherine’s face pales. She heard horror stories of how fast goblins breed even as they were being hunted. She couldn’t imagine, no, she didn’t want to imagine how many could be here in a place without human intervention.

“Max, can’t you do something about these guys?!”

“I am!” As Max ran, he threw fireballs behind them. The fire incinerated the goblins in the front, but more goblins quickly replaced thems.

“Call Prometheus! You should be able to take all of them out with her!”

“I rather not waste my energy taking out some goblins only to be ambushed by another monster.”

Catherine bit her lip. There’s ittle bout with that patch-face woman, and those pale beasts show her that fighting in this place will only attract more monsters.

Against her better judgment, she looked behind her. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw how far behind Jez was. One of the goblins leaps towards Jez. Dark swoops down from the sky and bashes it into a store’s window.

After seeing Jez fight. Catherine nearly forgot she was blind. For Jez, running at full speed was probably more dangerous than fighting monsters.

“Max! can you create a bright light?!” Catherine turns towards Max, desperately searching for a solution.

“Yeah, I should be able to do that.”

“Good, do that and take Jez into a nearby building.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to lead goblins away from you guys.” Catherine turns around and dashes towards the hordes.

“You’re insane!” Max shouted at Catherine. He threw a fireball in the air. The ball of fire explodes, creating a bright light, forcing the goblins to close their eyes. Catherine quickly takes advantage of the situation and kicks one of the goblins, sending him flying.

Still blinded, the goblin next to Catherine swung its crude ax randomly in her direction. The ax slams into the ground near her. Before he could pulled his weapon out, Catherine swung her leg, landing a kick on its face and planting him into the cobblestone.

Catherine glances behind her to see Max leading Jez by the hand towards a store. After seeing them hide, She dashes through the crowd taking out any goblins in her way.

The light eventually faded, and the goblin looked back and forward for their prey until they heard a whistle. They turn their hateful gaze behind them towards Catherine. She places her foot on the head of one of the goblins she knocked out.

“So, who’s next?” Catherine cracks her knuckle and waves her tail gesturing for them to come at her.

Goblins are cruel creatures; however, they care deeply for each other or at least care about the goblin in their pack. Seeing their comrade on the ground

sent them into a blind fury. The pack charged at Catherine while letting out a mad howl.

“Good, come at me!” Catherine fled down the street, leading the goblins away from her team.

Catherine was a woman with many insecurities, but there’s one thing she was confident about: her ability to escape from any pursuers.

“Come on! Is that as fast as your little legs can move?!” Catherine shouted, making sure their attention is only on her.

“Aiaf!” One of the goblins shouted while pointing in a different direction as if giving orders. Some of the small pale creatures went down a side street while others climbed up a building.

Are they trying to cut me off?

It didn’t take long for her question to be answered. Multiple stagecoaches came barreling down a side street, blocking her path.

Going around will give the goblins taking the side roads enough time to intercept her. So, she jumped inside through the broken window and dove out the other side of the stagecoach.

“Aiet!” One of the goblins on top shouted while pointing at her. Catherine figured they were cursing at her for easily slipping past the blockade, or they were giving away her location. Either way, she realized slipping away from these creatures wasn’t going to be easy.

Alright, let’s see, well, you can keep track of me.

Catherine sprints towards a nearby building, kicking open what appears to be an apartment, and then slams it shut and barricades it with a nearby dresser.

The goblin pounded on the door, eager to get in and tear apart the only occupant in the building. It didn’t take long for them to break the windows.

The goblins let out a filthy laugh as they pour in through the window. Catherine retreated up the stairs. Her ear twitches at the sound of thumping above her. Three goblins came rushing down the stairwell. Behind her, she could hear more goblins coming up the steps. With both ways cut off. Catherine grabs her knife and press forward.-

“Hiee!” The goblin in front of her lunges at her. Catherine ducks, letting the creature fly down the steps. Then she raised her knife, blocking the second goblin’s club. She wraps her tail around the goblin leg and pulls his feet from underneath him, sliding down the steps. The third goblin tackles her attempting to push her into the horde below.

“Eii” The goblin let out a shriek, surprised to see it fail to make Catherine budge and see the petite woman easily lifting him off the ground.

“Move,” Was all she said as she threw the goblin over her shoulder into the horde behind her. More goblins were moving above, making their way down the stairs. Retreating to the roof like she originally planned was no longer possible. Catherine kicks open the door to the third floor. All the doors in the hallway were either locked, barricaded, or broken down except for the second to the last door at the end of the hall, which was slightly ajar. Catherine took advantage of her small frame to slip into the room. Immediately she barricades the room with nearby furniture.

As the goblins beat on the door, Catherine crawls out the already broken window and climbs up to the fourth floor, using the window ledge and loose brick sticking out of the apartment as a foothold.

By the time goblins broke the door down, Catherine had already slipped into a room on the fourth floor. She hugs the floor and listens as the goblin stomp around the room, searching for her.

Carefully, she wrapped her tail around a shard of glass and flung it out the window down the back alley.

“Hie!” The goblins scrambled out the window and ran in the direction where they heard glass shattering.

Catherine lets out a sigh and flops down onto the bed. Goblins were somewhat clever creatures; however, she doubted they were smart enough to realize that all she did was escape to a higher floor.

“Now, I just need to regroup with Max and Jez.” After a brief respite, Catherine begin moving the bed and the other furniture that was blocking the door. After removing the barricade, she peeks into the hallway. It was pitch black. However, her eyes easily cut through the darkness. An ability she highly favors during her thieving career. But, now, a part of her wishes she couldn’t see anything.

Dried blood caked the floors. The blood trail leads out of destroyed rooms, indicating that something broke into the rooms and dragged the people away. Catherine tore a gaze from the sight and found herself staring at a strange fleshy substance growing on the wall. She swore she could see human faces in the wall and ceiling upon closer look.

“Just keep moving.” Catherine looks forward and focuses solely on finding Max and Jez fearing she go mad if she look any longer.

Slowly, carefully she made her way upstairs. Going back onto the street was too dangerous since the goblins was hunting her. Thus, she went toward the roof as she had initially planned. Once again, her ears perk up, picking up the sound’s goblins coming from behind the roof door.

“Give me a break,” Catherine moaned as she, her knife. She opens the door slightly. Two childlike creatures stood on the roof's edge, looking down at the streets.

“There’s only two of them. I can do this.” Catherine grips her knife tightly and dashes toward the goblin. Her footsteps were silent despite her running towards them. The creatures didn’t notice her until she was already on top of them; her blade easily sliced open one of the necks of the unexpected goblin.

The second one let out a scream as it swung its club at the back of Catherine’s head. Only to hit the air as she simply ducks and kicks him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. The last thing the goblin saw was a knife going into its throat.

Calmly, Catherine wipes the blood off her using the dirty rags on the goblin. After clearing the rooftop, observe her surroundings, even five stories up. She couldn't see the entire ruin. The veil of darkness that swallowed the entire region was far too thick. Not even her sharp eyes could pierce through all of it. However, she could see dozens of goblins on the streets hunting her.

“Keep it together. This was just like when the town’s guard had been searching for me for a week. I just need to keep to the side street and stay quiet. Catherine took another look at the city before quickly climbing down the building into the backstreets.

The moment she steps into the alley, her thief instinct kicks in. She moved swiftly and quietly it almost felt like her body had melted and become a part of the shadows. As she moves through the darkness, she quickly realizes that her tactics against the town’s guard are ineffective against the creatures that lurk here in these ruins.

“Eii!” The goblin yelled, spotting Catherine trying to sneak across the street. The little creature screams as loud as it can to alert everyone. She grabs her knife, debating if she should kill the goblin or run. Before she can come to a decision, a massive hand burst through a brick wall, grabbing the screaming goblin and pulling it into the nearby store.

Screams and the sound of bones cracking echoed through the store, and then there was silence. Catherine backed away, never taking her eyes off the building.

“Is someone there?” A freighted woman’s voice came from the store the goblin the was dragged into. The voice cause Catherine to freeze in place.

“Please, you have to help me. You have to help us!”

“Us?” Catherine utters thoughtlessly, immediately regretting her action.

Multiple arms emerge from latching onto anything they can to pull themselves out of the building.

Catherine quickly slid next to an overturned cart to hide. Against her better judgment, she peeked. A simple act that nearly drove her to madness

A massive fleshy abomination drags itself out of the store using its many appendages attached to its melty form. Human-like faces covered the body. Their mouths were open as if they were trying to scream, but it spoke over them.

“Where are you?” this time, a husky man’s voice came from the creature as it looked for Catherine, who ducked behind the cart. The beast slowly moves towards Catherine’s position.

“Please, just leave me alone.” Catherine stays low to the ground and crawls towards a nearby alley, using all the carts and rubbles to keep out of the creature in sight. An arrow lands in front of her before she can cross the street.

“Gigi!” The goblin on top of a building point at Catherine while grabbing another arrow. Before it could shoot another arrow again, the mass of flesh hands stretched towards the building, grabbing the goblin. Catherine watched in horror as multiple hands grabbed onto the goblin, pulling it into its body. More goblins came running down the street, throwing whatever they had in their hand to free their comrade from the abomination.

The objects sink into the creature’s flesh and the goblin it grabbed. The flesh beast charges at the goblin horde with surprising speed.

Multiple hands sprang out of the fleshy body, grabbing the goblins and pulling them into its body. Catherine took advantage of the situation and made a run for it.

“Max! Jez!” Catherine shouted not bothering hide her presnce.

“Over here!” Max kicks open a door waving to get Catherine. “Hurry up and- whoa!” Catherine dives into Max, knocking him onto the ground. Enraged, Max opened his mouth to yell at her but stopped when he saw the fear in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yea… yea, I’m fine. Somehow.” Catherine’s voice is weak and shaky. She gets off Max and shuts the door behind them. Relief washed over Catherine as looks at both Max and Jez. But that relief quickly turned to horror when she heard knocking at the door.

“Hello.” A woman's voice came from behind the door. “Please help me.”