Shit, it’s tentacle was wrapped around my leg. It’s quickly tightening itself, I could feel my leg start to become numb. I try and struggle but its grip is too strong. I need to get out or I’m going to die.

“Let my treasure box go!!”

I see Fifi fly towards the monster with a small fireball in her hand. What is she going to do with that? And did she call me a treasure box? I’ll get back at her later.

The monster tries to grab Fifi but she was too swift and easily dodged him. She flew at its face and slammed her fireball into its eyeball.

“G-g-gahhhhhh!!!!”

Its eye was burnt to a crisp, and from that damage, it lost its grip on my leg. While it writhed in pain I try to rush up the stairs, but I was interrupted by Fifi’s voice.

“Duck.”

“I’ll k-k-kill you-u-u!!!”

Hearing Fifi tells me to duck, I ducked. I hear its tentacle wizz by my head.

“Jump back.”

I jump back and land on the ground. After missing its first attack, it slammed its tentacle where I was previously at. If it wasn’t for Fifi’s command I would have been injured.

“Get down low.”

I immediately lay flat on the ground. Once again I could hear the tentacle wizz by, but I couldn't see it. Acting as my eyes from above, Fifi continues to give me commands.

“Roll to the right.”

She tells me to roll to the right, and roll to the right I did. Fifi’s assistance was truly helpful.

My body was starting to get even more tired. Being forced to do continuous actions was straining my body. I can’t go on like this or I’ll run out of energy before the monster stops attacking.

“Roll forward.”

“Roll back.”

“Jump forward.”

“Wide swing. Jump up.”

“Run forward and slide.”

I was on the right-hand side of the stairs, the monster was about 10 feet from the other side.

It’s getting harder to breathe and my heart was hurting. My aching body can’t take this anymore.

“Fall on your back then roll forwards. Go all the way to the other side of the stairs. It’s chasing.”

I understand Fifi’s plan now, she was trying to get that monster’s tentacle stuck. That last attack, the tentacle had gone through the railings to reach me and was chasing after me now. All those earlier dodges were to make the monster feel frustrated so it would chase after me. This fairy isn’t that dumb after all.

“Run and loop around.”

It wasn’t the clearest instructions, but I understood it. I run towards the monster and go under its tentacle, then jump over it. I continue this pattern as I am being chased by the tentacle.

The monster hadn’t realized what we were doing, it was completely focused on controlling its tentacle. It was dead set on catching me.

It seemed weird to me that the monster was only using its tentacle to attack. If it was me, I would have charged at my enemy while also using my tentacle. But the monster didn’t do that, it was currently standing on all fours with its eyes closed while all of its concentration was sent into controlling the tentacle.

“It’s too late, bud. Crotch punch!!!”

What are you expecting me to do, Fifi? I’m not going anywhere near that thing’s crotch with my hands. I don’t mind using my feet though.

The monster finally realizes what we were doing when its tentacle stopped going forward. It was stuck on itself and couldn’t chase me anymore. It opens its eyes and looks at me, but only one of them was currently functional.

It had realized our plan too late. Before it could start moving, I slide underneath its body and raise my right leg. Fifi’s plan was a risky one. If the monster realized earlier, then it could have crushed me with its hands or legs, but now it's my turn to attack.

“Crotch Kick!!!!!”

I put as much strength as I could into my kick. I could feel something being crushed.

“GAAAWAAOOOHHHHH!!!!!”

The monster screamed in agony as its entire boy slumped forward. I think it passed out.

“Hurry Jude.”

Before I could get back up, a siren blared in my ears. Lights were flashing and all the cells opened up at the same time creating a symphony of doors.

“What’s happening Fifi!”

“What!?”

She couldn’t hear me and neither could I. The siren was way too loud.

Fifi flew down and landed on my shoulder before yelling into my ear.

“I think it was Mako who did this!!”

“Ok!!”

I look up towards the second floor where Mako was. I don’t know why she did this, but she was probably trying to help me in her own way. I have to thank her the next time I see her.

I get off the ground and start to walk towards the stairs. I hurry as fast as I could since I know that the monster is only temporarily knocked out.

“Whoa, what the fuck is that.”

“What the fuck’s happening.”

“Is someone trying to escape.”

“Hey, I don’t see any guards around.”

The moment the inmates walk out of their cells, they were no longer lifeless like earlier. I couldn’t hear any of them, but I can see the confusion on their faces.

I hurried my way up the stairs and could see that some inmates were regaining their composure. While some were dazed, some were running towards the second floor to escape.

“Oh shit, someone got murdered.”

“Damn, look at all that blood.”

“Move bitch, I’m trying to get out of here.”

I feel so sluggish going up the stairs. Each step felt like I was carrying a boulder.

“KYAAAALALALALA!!!”

Shit, it woke up. The sirens and all of the commotion from the inmates probably woke it up.

“No-o-o o-o-one’s going-ing-ing any-any-anywhere!!!! KYAAAALALALALA!!!”

“What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know, but I’m getting the fuck outta here.”

“Are you ok Jude!!”

Huh, who called my name.

I look up and see Mako. What is she doing here? She should have escaped by now, why did she come back. The questions raced through my head.

“Why are you here!?”

“I’m here to pick you up!”

In my weakened state, I couldn’t resist her. She literally picked me up in a princess carry. I embarrassingly look at her, but she just smiled. It was a warm and confident smile. It was so manly. What am I, a maiden in love?

“Let’s wait for an opening before escaping.”

Mako whispered into my ear and my heart began to race. It was racing but it was different from when I was fighting that monster. I didn’t know how to describe this feeling.

I calm myself down and began observing the monster. None of the prisoners had escaped yet because they were looking at Tod’s body. Some were afraid of what caused Tod’s death, others were afraid that there may still be guards in the room.

“It’s moving.”

Fifi spoke as she was still sitting on my shoulder. The next moment, screams filled the air. The monster’s tentacle skewered the inmates nearest to the door. It pierced through four people and they all began screaming out of shock. The monster’s tentacle threw the bodies off the second floor and began attacking other inmates. It was eating one of the inmate's body it had thrown down.

The inmates fled from the monster’s area of attack. Some inmates ran away from the door, but some tried to run towards it. Before they could go any further, the monster jumped onto the second floor and blocked the door.

“W-w-where a-a-are you-u-u!!!!”

It killed those inmates and began looking for someone, which was probably me. I did leave injuries that would scar a man for life.

Now that it blocked the door, our situation wasn’t any better than when we first tried to escape. If Mako had escaped then we would have made progress, but she came to save me. I’m grateful that she came back to help me but I would have liked it better if she just escaped.

“Shit, it really is like Father.”

Mako said something, but I couldn’t hear her. The sirens were still wailing throughout the prison.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something unusual. There was a golden glow coming from behind the monster. There shouldn’t be anything there except Tod’s body.

“Is that Tod!?”

Mako’s shock was justified. Tod was standing behind the monster, and he was covered in golden flames. Even though he shouldn’t be able to stand, those golden flames created legs for him.

“MAKO, JUDE!! I’ll distract the monster, run for the exit when I do!!!”

Tod screamed towards us before running towards the monster. The monster was surprised at a voice coming from behind him, but it quickly turned around. It stood face to face with Tod.

They stared each other down, but the first person to make a move was Tod. He ran straight towards the monster without slowing down at all. Was he trying to tackle the monster? That monster had monstrous legs that would keep him stable even if a car crashed into it.

It was working, Tod was pushing the monster back! Tod was actually overpowering the monster. The monster attacked Tod with strikes from its hands, but Tod ignored them.

Eventually, the monster tripped on one of the dead inmate’s bodies and fell onto its back. Tod didn’t miss this opportunity to straddle the monster. He began to pummel the monster with a flurry of punches aimed at its head. He was dominating the monster.

“TOD, ITS TENTACLE!”

I try to warn Tod but it was too late. The monster’s tentacle sent Tod flying towards the wall, but he got up like nothing happened to him. No, that wasn’t true, each time he was hit the golden flame dimmed.

After that encounter, the monster backed away from Tod. It experienced how strong Tod was and was wary of him. From a distance, the monster’s tentacle began to wiggle. It was preparing to attack.

“It’s not going to work. That flimsy monster is nothing against Heaven’s power.”

I didn’t understand what Fifi said, but Tod was receiving powers from the heavens?

“It won’t work a second time!”

From my perspective, the tentacle turned into a blur, but Tod saw it. Tod was firmly holding onto the tentacle. The tentacle tried to struggle out of his grasp but it couldn’t. Tod grabbed the tentacle with both hands and sent all the power into his waist before swinging the monster into the wall. There was now a massive dent on the concrete wall, but this wasn’t the end of it. He continued to slam it into the wall again and again.

“Incredible.”

That was the only thing Mako could say as she watched this scene of carnage. I couldn't agree more, this was incredible. Tod had herculean strength.

“How do you like it now! How do you feel, being the one to be toyed with! Did you enjoy my legs, you bastard!!!”

Tod vented out his anger on the monster. The monster could only scream in agony as it was continuously used to paint the walls. It was finally released from its suffering when its tentacle ripped off, and it flew to the first floor.

Tod looked at us and smiled.

“I wished we could’ve talked more, I’m sure we would’ve been good friends! I could’ve introduced you to my girlfriend Jessica! Can you do me a favor? If you ever meet Jessica Laula, can you tell her that I will always love her in life and death, and tell her that she shouldn’t dwell on my death! It was nice knowing you two!!! Stay safe and healthy!!!!”

These were his final words, this time he wasn’t going to come back. The golden flames around him were dim, and his body was nearly transparent.

“Goodbye Tod!! I’ll make sure to tell Jessica your last words!!!”

“Thank you for saving us!!! Goodbye Tod!!!”

Even on the verge of death, he still gave us a big bright smile. These were his last moments before jumping off the second floor and body slamming the monster.

It was time for us to leave this prison. Tod said his farewells and we said ours.

“Let’s go, Mako”

“Ok.”

……

When was the last time I had a friend like that? Not one who I try to get along with just because, but one I truly respect from the bottom of my heart. How lamentable that we were only friends for a few hours.

“Are you ok, Jude?”

“I’m fine.”

“But you’re crying.”

“I can say the same about you.”

“I-I’m fine.”

The moon was shining down upon us. Such a gentle and beautiful light. I wonder how I never noticed it before. It was silent between us but it didn’t matter.

Just a few hours back we were strangers, but now we were strangers who had gone through life and death together. A unique bond that ties us together.

We were almost free from the prison. Just a distance away was the entrance to the prison, but to us, it was an exit. The flashes of the police lights shone brightly in the dark, but it’ll never shine as brightly as Tod.

“Thank you, Mako. Thank you for coming back for me.”

“You’re welcome, and thank you for protecting me.”