There was something odd about the creature in front of him. He had encountered them in the past but they were easy to resist. Another popular creature that haunted the minds of young men was succubi. They were quite a common sight in the lower districts, especially in brothels.
Succubi were usually described as being demons without a physical form but in Ravenhide they existed physically and promised an unforgettable night for anyone who was interested. Sirens were creatures that seduced sailors with their enchanting voices. They were often portrayed as having wings like harpies or fishtails like mermaids and usually preyed upon men who were at sea, luring and enchanting them by singing.
Every time he shifted his gaze away from her or closed his eyes, the sharp, piercing pain in his head intensified followed by lewd visions. The creature wasn't just affecting him physically but mentally and he wasn't as well prepared as he had initially thought. He clutched his head and kneeled, trying his best not to succumb to her tricks. He felt the energy inside him intensify but the pain was unimaginable. He had no choice but to give her the attention she demanded.
The woman had pale flawless skin that glowed under the moonlight, her eyes now shone a bright purple and she was dripping wet. She had the voice of an angel and her music made men behave like an animal in heat. An aura of lustful energy surrounded her arousing any weak-willed person who was unlucky enough to stumble upon such a magnificent creature.
The sexy seductress was definitely a sight for sore eyes, the kind of woman men could only dream about. She traced a delicate finger from the tip of her sternum, gently making her way between her hefty bosom going lower and lower. Her wet lips curved into a seductive smile, taunting him as she walked towards him slowly, humming along the way.
Her songs will put you in a trance,
She will start humming as she advanced,
Making you lusty or filled with jealousy,
The succubus will enchant you with her sweet melody.
As she got closer, she started to sing and he understood every word.
"Why do you resist?
Do you not know that I exist to please,
So why don't you cease and desist,
Spread apart your knees,
Together, we shall sail the seven seas."
It finally hit him, this creature wasn't just a siren. It was some kind of hybrid. A possible mutation caused by the mix made this creature more powerful than your average succubus or siren. She giggled and her mammaries jiggled. It was as if she knew that he had finally come to the realization that he was screwed.
"What are you thinking? My dear golden knight,
Don't worry, I won't bite,
At least I'll try not to, just for tonight,
Don't get me wrong, I'm quite tight,
Once I'm done with you, you'll never be able to fight
So sit tight and enjoy the flight."
She continued to sing, winking, and licking her soft lips every now and then. She approached him slowly, stroking his arm. She knelt and hugged him from behind, pressing her soft ample breasts against his back.
"Step away from him," a voice called from behind. A woman in red clothing appeared out of nowhere. She vaulted upwards, catching a nearby branch, and flung herself at the siren. She kicked the siren in the face and landed gracefully, drawing her dual swords out of their sheaths which hung loosely against her hips. The siren screeched and sent some startled birds flying. GK had managed to snap out of his trance but he needed some time to regain his composure.
"Stupid witch, you think you can fight me?" The creature yelled.
"A highly confident bounty hunter who takes an eight-star bounty as his
first hunt and ends up with something that he is powerless against. You sir…. are an idiot and a real luck magnet." The woman muttered.
"Stop ignoring me, woman!" The sirens' appearance started to change. Long, sharp claws grew out of her now not-so-delicate fingers. The woman rushed toward the creature with her blades, slashing at it with two swift crisscrosses, but the creature deflected them with ease.
"I'm afraid that's not gonna work," she taunted as she continued to transform. Her claws had the density and sharpness of a refined blade. Needle like teeth protruded from under her lips. Her forked tongue slid in and out of her mouth and her pupils elongated into slits. The woman recovered and held the swords crossed in front of her, waiting for the creature to attack when she heard gunshots. GK, who was still clutching his head, continued to fire a stream of bullets at the creature. She blocked her face with one arm and hissed at him.
"Annoying little cowards," she spouted. Another transformation was about to take place. GK was unable to control the darkness that crept within him. His eyes glowed red and his hands were engulfed in fierce crimson flames. He got up, his vision was a little blurry but now he had some sort of heat vision. Every living creature within the vicinity glowed red and he could make out the outline of their pulsating heart and all the arteries and veins that followed. The smell of blood was overwhelming and his other senses were heightened. He could feel minor vibrations and hear the slightest of sounds.
His sword was nowhere to be found and he had no idea where he had dropped it. A different weapon started to take shape around his right arm. A dark demonic gauntlet, with scales, sharp metallic claws, and spikes poking out on the upper and lower sides resembling a dragon's talon. It was engulfed in purplish-red flames. The creature lunged towards the woman in red, but before she could reach her, she was grabbed by the throat and hurled at a tree.
The woman was startled, she jumped a few paces behind and couldn't
believe what she was looking at. Why was everyone transforming so effortlessly….? The flesh on the creature's neck had deep cuts and blisters. She squealed, her voice muffled as if her larynx had been crushed. She tried to compose herself, but he wasn't about to let that happen. He launched himself forward, channeling all the momentum into his leg and landing a roundhouse kick to her already injured throat. He then proceeded with a rising, flaming uppercut right under her jaw, propelling her upward.
As her body dropped down from above, he finished off the combo by thrusting the gauntlet into her chest, grabbing her heart, and crushing it. The gauntlet seemed to be feeding off of her blood, further intensifying the crimson flames as it leeched off of the siren.
"FUCC-U-BUS," he growled in an almost demonic voice, driven by pure rage.
She screamed a high-pitched scream that echoed throughout the woods,
Waking up the animals, and scaring them good,
Some of the birds and smaller critters had begun to flee,
In the distance, a sleeping monkey fell from a tree.
Just when they thought the fight was over,
They heard more loud screeches from over yonder,
The woman stumbled and ran for cover,
They looked up at the sky, eyes wide with wonder,
An army of sirens were flying towards them, their faces filled with anger.
The army of sirens was approaching quickly, shrieking in a high-pitched tone that pierced the silence of the night. Their species consisted of mostly females and the males were rather passive in nature and more reserved. They didn't like meddling with outside affairs. The sirens were able to morph into a mermaid or humanoid avian form at will.
"Foul beasts,
One or a million makes no difference to me,
You'll be dropping dead, three by three." GK rhymed.
"My name's Blaze by the way, and I'm here to help… if anyone's listening". The woman in red proclaimed. He ignored the woman, merely regarding her as a good source of distraction for the enemy. Some of the sirens dove in at him, their sharp talons striking swiftly. He ducked and grabbed one by the legs, using his gauntlet to crush its throat and hurling it back at its unsuspecting comrade. The dried twigs, branches, and leaves crunched and cracked as he spun gracefully and disposed of the incoming sirens with ease.
He was annoyed by their irritating screeches and cackles, more so with his heightened senses. Their feathers had a slight bluish-green hue and it covered their chests, backs, and crotches. The sirens maneuvered in mid-air, their iridescent plumage turning from metallic blue to green and vice-versa with each minor movement. Meanwhile, Blaze was slicing and stabbing at them as they came at her.
These sirens were much weaker than the one they just killed. GK whipped out his handgun, but the weapon itself started to transform as the dark energy flowed into it. Slowly, it became engulfed in dark crimson flames which melted the metal and remolded itself. It turned into a sturdy, black crossbow, already loaded with a flaming golden arrow.
"I would have preferred the handgun, but I guess I'll have to try this out," he muttered. He steadied his aim at one of the sirens which was about to dive at him and pulled the trigger. The arrow flew, the flaming arrowhead slicing through the misty night. The siren was smart though, a little too clever, she caught it before it could pierce her forehead. She laughed hysterically but it was too soon because the arrow blew up in her face, splattering flesh, teeth, eyeballs, and feathers and injuring the other sirens that were in close proximity. The weapon reloaded itself, and a new arrow formed as soon as one was released.
Before GK could say anything, Blaze shouted, "THAT WAS AWESOME,"
like an excited child.
"My job just got a whole lot easier then," he mumbled, pulling the string back and cocking the bow as he sent another arrow flying at a group of sirens.
And so they dropped three by three,
Writhing and twitching like a seizing donkey.
Out of the sky, they fell,
Bidding the night a bloody farewell.
Their bodies burned, turning a light golden brown before the fire was completely extinguished. They looked delicious, like slow-roasted chicken after a good spin in the oven.
"Add some spice and they'll probably smell better, too bad I'm a vegetarian though, "GK thought. The sirens were retreating, flying back to wherever they came from. GK turned around and was finally able to see his new comrade eye to eye.
A woman clad in red, Her hair tied in a braid,
Two blades, one in each hand,
She threw the swords into the air and then,
She flipped backward and did a handstand.
Sun-tanned skin and rosy cheeks, she wore a red leather jacket with a white Tshirt inside paired with a short red leather skirt and knee-high red boots. She somersaulted back up and caught the two Japanese swords gracefully. She stood on one knee as she joined the two swords hilts together in front of her, bowing in the process.
"I didn't really need your help, as you can clearly see. Not a single splatter of blood or a single scratch on me". GK said arrogantly.
She finished off a dying siren that was still twitching on the ground. The shiny silver blade of the katana went cleanly through the heart of the creature without much resistance.
"Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
You may be cute,
But you're arrogant too."
The woman rhymed, mocking him. "You're welcome by the way… My name is Blaze, nice to meet you." She was prepared to give him an earful after hearing that selfish comment when clearly, she had saved him from being mind-controlled and possibly raped.
Also, the fact that he disregarded the advice of the redhead at Kepp's guild and ignored his own advice about creatures evolving and changing. She was angry, she didn't even know the guy but he was able to make her angry. Did all men have inflated egos? She controlled her rage, suppressing it inside her so she didn't explode.
He looked different after the transformation.
"He probably isn't himself at the moment… " That's what she decided to believe…for now.
The crimson flames were slowly losing their intensity; their ferocity and power were unlike any other. The only problem was that it was driven by anger and other negative emotions. A power fueled by darkness. GK wondered what could have probably brought on this sudden evolution, just like the woman, he too was completely clueless.
He noticed that every time he grabbed an enemy, the weapon was leeching energy out of them. The power invigorated him, and the crossbow with its explosive ammo needed a large supply of vigor.
"I'm pleased to meet you too, but only because I'm kinda drained at the moment." He pointed the crossbow squarely at her face. The weapon was fueled by death. Every kill made him feel stronger. It absorbed the energy of the deceased and gave him a strange euphoria, it made him feel invincible.
The dark side was calling to him once again,
Will he embrace it or continue to abstain?