The crowd's collective breath caught as they stared at the jagged hole in the wall, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the ground. "The defiled have breached the barrier," a voice whispered, like a dark prophecy unfolding. The young guard's voice trembled as he spoke, "The Enlightened Soldiers will come. They are Dhecid's finest, the only ones who can purge this darkness." The air was heavy with anticipation and fear as the crowd waited, their eyes fixed on the hole, wondering what horrors might emerge from the shadows.
As the injured soldier crawled out of the jagged hole in the wall, his voice barely above a whisper, he locked eyes with the crowd and mouthed words that sent shivers down their spines: "It's... a defiled abomination." Blood bubbled from his lips, and his gaze filled with a mix of fear and warning. Some in the crowd instinctively took a step forward, hands reaching out in a futile attempt to help, but their feet seemed rooted to the spot. Fear of what lurked in the darkness beyond the breach kept them frozen, terrified that the creature might emerge and claim them next. Despite their desperation to aid the soldier, the unknown horror waiting in the shadows proved too daunting, and they hesitated, their cries for help stuck in their throats. Before the soldier could utter another word, the unseen force yanked him back into the darkness, cutting off his screams in mid-air. The crowd's collective gasp hung in the air, their eyes fixed on the hole, bracing for what might emerge next. The soldier's final words echoed in their minds: "Defiled abomination." Suddenly, a dark, hulking figure emerged from the shadows, its twisted limbs grasping for the edge of the hole. Eyes glowed like embers in the darkness as it pulled itself up, its gaze fixed on the crowd with an unblinking stare. The air was heavy with anticipation and fear as the crowd waited. The creature's gaze swept across the crowd, its glowing eyes fixed on each face with a primal intensity. The crowd's collective fear turned to panic as they realized they were trapped, with no escape from the horror emerging from the hole. Some tried to flee, but their feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to tear their gaze away from the creature. Others cried out in desperation, their voices hoarse with fear. The creature's twisted limbs flexed, and it pulled itself further out of the hole, its massive body unfolding like a nightmare come to life. As it emerged into the torchlight, the crowd saw the true horror of its form: bulging, pulsing growths covered its skin, and its jaws were distended, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. The air reeked of decay and death. The creature let out a guttural roar and charged forward, driven by a mindless hunger. It plowed through the crowd, its massive body crushing those who couldn't escape. The creature's twisted limbs grabbed a few people, pulling them screaming towards various parts of its body where mouths formed, revealing jagged teeth. The crowd's screams grew louder as the creature devoured its victims, their bodies disappearing into the darkness of its forms. As it fed, the creature moved deeper into the city, its twisted form carving a path of destruction and terror through the streets. The torches flickered and dimmed, casting eerie shadows on the walls as the creature's roars echoed with the city alarm system
The creature kept moving, its twisted form carving a path of destruction through the deserted streets. Most people had fled into hiding, locking themselves away in their homes. Then, it caught sight of a woman holding a baby, frantically banging on a door. "Please, oh please, let us in! Don't let it see us!" she screamed, her eyes wild with fear.
The creature's gaze locked onto them, its glowing eyes fixed with an unnatural interest. As the woman continued to plead, "Please, for the love of God, open the door! It's coming, I can hear it!" the creature charged forward with primal madness, all its eyes locked on her. A strange, insidious power seemed to emanate from the creature, rooting the woman to the spot in dread. She was paralyzed with fear, unable to move or scream as the creature closed in.
Just as its twisted limbs were about to snatch her and the baby, a woman in a worn soldier's uniform stepped forward, her eyes flashing with determination. She positioned herself between the creature and the terrified woman.
"Hey, it's going to be okay," she said softly to the woman, her voice calm and reassuring. "I've got this. I'm a mother too, and I won't let anything happen to you or your baby. Don't worry, it's just an abomination. We'll get through this."
With a swift motion, the soldier woman removed her spear from her back and charged forward, her eyes locked on the creature. As she attacked, a shimmering barrier of energy erupted around the woman and her baby, protecting them from the creature's assault. The creature slammed into the barrier, and a few cracks appeared in its surface, but the soldier woman's spear bit deep into its twisted form, and it let out a deafening screech.
The soldier woman charged forward, her spear flashing in the dim light as she clashed with the creature. The creature's twisted limbs swiped at her, but she dodged and weaved, her movements swift and precise. She struck back with her spear, aiming for the creature's glowing eyes, but it was too fast, and it managed to dodge most of her blows.
Despite her agility, the creature's claws raked across her armor, leaving deep gashes in the metal. The soldier woman grunted in pain as she landed a solid kick to the creature's stomach, but it didn't seem to faze it. The creature retaliated with a powerful blow, sending the soldier woman flying across the street.
She landed hard on the pavement, her armor dented and battered. She struggled to her feet, her spear still clutched in her hand. The creature charged forward, its jaws wide open, but the soldier woman stood her ground. With a swift motion, she plunged her spear into the creature's mouth, aiming for the back of its throat.
The creature let out a deafening screech as it stumbled backward, its body thrashing wildly. The soldier woman took advantage of the momentary distraction to strike again and again, her spear biting deep into the creature's twisted form. Finally, with one last blow, the creature collapsed to the ground, defeated.
The soldier woman stood over it, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She was battered and bruised, her armor dented and scarred, but she had won. She turned to the woman and her baby, who were watching in awe.
"It's over," she said, her voice rough from the fight. "You're safe now."
Somewhere in the far distant tower
A young man stood atop the tall tower, his dark blue hair ruffling in the wind as he gazed out over the city. His eyes, a deep shade of blue, seemed to bore into the scene below, taking in every detail of the battle between Sergeant Layla and the creature. "Sergeant Layla's got her work cut out for her," he said, his voice neutral.
He watched intently as Sergeant Layla dodged the creature's attacks, her movements swift and precise. "She's got skills," he commented, his tone matter-of-fact. As the creature collapsed, the young man's gaze lingered on Sergeant Layla, his expression serious. "That was intense," he said softly.
The young man rubbed the sore spot on his head, wincing as he turned to face Sister Mayura. "Old hag," he muttered, his tone casual.
Sister Mayura snorted, popping her lollipop out of her mouth. "You think you're slick, don't you? Sneaking out again, like I'm gonna let that slide? You're gonna get a serious beatdown from me if you keep this up, got it?" She glared at him, her eyes flashing with her condescending gaze. "