In the dark of night, a lone horse marched forth alongside his rider, the masked man
A tall black robe covering most of his body, a grey mask that show no facial features, every piece of leather or iron over him was not of normal status, but more of a king's
A part awaited him in the distance, knights of silver and guards of the Varish capital
"Commander" said the knight in front as both he and the rest bowed down in respect
The masked man walked past without reply. They gave a look of confusion to each other before following after him
"Such a moody person" said the first of them leaning to the side of his horse whilst keeping his eyes on track
A girl behind him approached and said "with how long he has been traveling for, he might just be tired. This tends to happen with me as well"
"I'm sorry, are you sure we are talking about the SAME PERSON, with your tired statement?" he replied showing the absurdity of what she just said
"If I had his status I wouldn't even bother to walk out" said a third being half a sleep "I'd just send some lackeys out and keep myself cosy"
"That is why you are not in his place" a fourth person spoke with a heavy voice. He was the leader having a sharp face gazing forward
The first knight stared him in confusion saying "Why is your voice so… weird?"
"What do you mean weird?" asked the leader giving aside eye while keeping his eyes forward repeatedly
The girl spoke saying "He does seem to try and act tuff"
"This is my normal voice though" replied their leader getting nervous
The sleepy leaning atop the horse's head, with his weird pumped shield as the pillow he spoke "His tone is getting shaky…"
"Oh, come on guys" the leader broke character whilst whispering back at them "You know how long I have been waiting for this? I might get to gold status with good enough behaviour"
"He's getting greedy" the sleepy one sang
Their leader replied "Can't you let it pass just this time? —" His eyes noticed the tall greens before them, using that as an excuse he changed the subject of the conversation he spoke
"Oh look, we reached the forest. I wonder what we'll be doing in there"
"I don't think it has anything with fighting," said the girl
"Well, he doesn't seem like the type to need help in that" replied the leader
"And there goes your dreams of gold buddy" said the first knight
"I am not that desperate" replied the leader reaching the forest
It was dark and cold, Owls kept eye on them with their creepy wide eyes as they passed through, the forever black depth gave off a sense of unease
"Creepy!" said the girl having a shiver of cold
Trying to get her attention, the first Knight cleared his throat with a loud enough voice "Ahem! Do you perhaps feel, cold?"
He was attempting to remove the chest plate around him and hand it over
"Ew no! it must be so sweaty" That line broke and shattered his ego to pieces
The masked man spoke silencing both moth and thought in the surrounding space "We will spend the night here. I have something to check before we head southeast"
His side pocket started to give of heat and smoke, instinctively he placed his hand inside throwing what ever there was inside
The weird carved shapes it was, the eye ear and tongue made out of wood, with the nail of silver keeping them stacked and atop each other
The masked man stared at it as blackness ate the material turning the object into coal and dust, he thought to himself "He went mad? —"
It all happened in a blink, behind them a bird with unequal wings was flapping to reduce the speed as he faced them, his mouth opened slowly towards them
The masked man took a guard of his horse using him as a shield whilst shouting "Shields! —"
Each peak went in a deferent direction stretching into a mantis claw shape whilst changing colour
The leader was cut in half, and so was the first knight, the girl managed to fall down with an injury to the side, but the lucky one was the lazy, leaning down on his shield he had time to deflect the hit
Many men and horses were injured in the process as the crow changed its form, human chest with crab hands, legs of a cheetah supported by a tail and a cat's large hep
The lazy knight stood with both his hands on the shield pressing it downwards, it clicked opening into an upper and the smaller side pushing him upwards, knives came out as he attempted to strike the creature
Dash!
"How is he this fast!" said the knight before the crab's claw snapped him in half
The monster went through the crowd cutting and injuring any and all who stood his way, some died, others had to suffer, a few were fortunate enough to leave alive
His aim was the masked man
"Gotha!" said the creature with his claw around the commander's neck
Snap!
The commander had both hands protecting him, he reached his palms into the position where both sides of the claw touch whilst raising his elbow in the same time
That all happen as the creature changed his other hand into a scorpion's tail and went on to strike him
But he was not as fortunate, the masked man tilted the claw using it as a shield. The monster in reply lowered the size of it giving a space to strike, but the cost was lowering the grip's strength
The commander pushed it upwards taking the piercing strike under his arm, he pulled the creature towards him, his elbow struck that face and pushed him back down,
Not giving a chance, the commander pulled the tail forcing the body upwards as well, the force of that hit to the back with his leg sent the weirdly shaped monster flying away
Before it could regain shape to push forward a knife implanted its forehead
It went cold on the ground with his hand under its chest, the masked man did not move either, a moment of eerie silence went by before the creature spoke once more
"Wont you come and check if I am dead" a mocking voice came out of it
"Your hand's underground" replied the masked man with a machete in hand
SNAP!
A large claw came from underground clapping with an insane force
"It's called a cheliped don't be so stupide" said the monster standing up, a hold beneath his stomach worked as a path towards that part of his
"Calling it a claw would work as well but it won't give you off as a very smart person" he said seating himself comfortable
"You wont like being called stupid, right?"
The commander's reply was pure silence
"A quite person I see" said the creature standing up "Well, plus one info form"
With the shape shifting monster ready with its cheetah legs on one side, and the commander with his machete in the other, a fearsome battle was about to rapture inside the forest