"Quick! Over by that big tree!" Blackie urged, his usually calm voice laced with panic. "There's a hole at its base, sneak in now!"
Without questioning the urgency in Blackie's tone, Aziel ran toward the massive tree, its presence dominating the immediate landscape.
The tree was indeed enormous, its trunk easily as wide as a carriage, its bark a tapestry of age and weather.
Reaching the base, he spotted the hole, cleverly concealed behind a tangle of thick, gnarled roots.
It was barely visible, hidden within the shadows.
He slipped right into the tight hole at the tree's base without a second thought.
The space was tight, barely enough to accommodate his entire body, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.
Dust and forest soil filled his nostrils, but he ignored the discomfort, focusing on the sounds outside, straining to hear the pursuit that had sent them scrambling for cover.
"What is that, Blackie?" he whispered softly, trying to keep his voice as low as possible.
His heart beat rapidly, a strange feeling began to envelop him.
"Wait," Blackie replied shortly. "Look out of the hole."
Aziel peeked out through the gaps of the tree roots.
His eyes widened instantly.
Not far from his hiding place, about fifty meters away, stood an incredibly bizarre creature.
The creature loomed, towering at nearly three meters tall. Its upper body was built like a muscular bear, but its long, spindly legs resembled those of a deer. From its left shoulder sprouted a fluffy owl wing, while its right shoulder bore the claw of a dragon wing. Its arms were unnaturally long, its bony fingers twitching and clawing at the empty air.
But the most horrifying part—the thing that sent a chill down the spine—was its head, a human head. Its bulging eyes twitched unnaturally, its mouth stretched into an unnatural grin, revealing a row of yellow, decaying teeth.
Suddenly, the creature began to spin in place, wildly crashing through the bushes while kicking small stones into the air.
It acted like a madman, clearly insane.
"PAPA!!" the creature repeatedly shouted in a hoarse voice. "Where are you, Papa? PAPA, ANSWER ME!"
It kept rambling, the same words repeated over and over, interspersed with frightening laughter and confusing roars of anger.
Goosebumps rose on Aziel's skin.
What kind of creature is that? He hadn't heard any noises earlier. Where did this creature come from?
"Blackie," Aziel whispered again. He didn't want the creature to hear him. "What is that thing?"
"That's a Crazy Beast," Blackie answered. The ring didn't bother to whisper to Aziel, since he's the only one who can hear its voice anyway.
"Crazy Beast?" Aziel frowned.
"Yes, Crazy Beast," Blackie repeated. "They're a bit different. Not like the Beasts that I've told you before."
Aziel peered cautiously through the gaps in the roots, watching the creature continue its erratic dance.
"How's it different from the Beasts?" Aziel asked.
"Beasts are a natural evolution, fueled by the world's Mana. They're part of its ecosystem. But the Crazy Beast… they're a bit different. In fact, they don't even belong to this world."
The Crazy Beast paused in its frenzied spinning, its deformed human face tilting upward as if sniffing the air.
Then, it suddenly let out a shriek, a sound that was part animalistic rage, part human despair. It resumed its frantic movements, its claws tearing at the undergrowth.
Aziel watched, as the creature continued its erratic display. It seemed to have no goal, no direction, just pure… craziness.
"So," Aziel looked at Blackie, "if they're not from this world, where exactly did they come from?"
Blackie remained silent for a moment.
"About 20 years ago, deep chasms suddenly appeared all over the world. People called them the Abyss. No one knows where they came from or what lies at their bottom. These Abysses weren't just in one place—they were scattered across the entire continent. And it is from them that Crazy Beasts emerge," Blackie added.
"As you can see, they are indeed..." Blackie paused, searching for the right word, a flicker of hesitation crossing its form. "...bizarre."
"Bizarre?" Aziel repeated, his gaze remained fixated on the Crazy Beast outside.
"That's all you have to say? That thing isn't just bizarre, Blackie. It's terrifying! Creepily terrifying. Or terrifyingly creepy. Whatever works."
"It is," Blackie agreed. "All Crazy Beasts are indeed creepy. They each possess a unique appearance, resembling a chaotic amalgamation of various animals but with human heads, creating a sight that is both grotesque and fascinating. Their behavior mirrors that of madmen, unpredictable and wild. Sometimes they're filled with rage, other times they wear a sorrowful expression, laughing one moment, crying the next without warning."
Aziel swallowed hard, the lump in his throat a reminder of the anxiety that gripped him.
The creature's erratic movements and haunting calls sent chills down his spine, amplifying the sense of dread that hung heavy in the air.