CHAPTER 42 — The Night That Would Not Stay Silent
The night should have been quiet.
Zodac lay on his back, eyes half-open, staring at the faint cracks in the wooden ceiling above him. Moonlight slipped through the narrow window, casting pale lines across the floor like prison bars. The inn was supposed to be a place of rest—temporary shelter before another long road—but sleep refused to come. It never did anymore.
Outside, something stirred.
At first it was distant. Muffled voices. A sharp cry, quickly swallowed by the night.
Zodac turned his face slightly toward the wall and closed his eyes.
"Don't worry, Alex," he murmured to himself, using the name he rarely allowed to surface anymore. "It'll die down."
That showed him how much he was lying to himself.
The voices didn't fade. They multiplied.
Footsteps pounded. Someone screamed—a raw, tearing sound that carried fear so pure it clawed through the walls and into his chest. Wood cracked. Glass shattered.
Zodac's jaw tightened.
He rolled onto his side and pulled the thin blanket higher, as if fabric could block out the sound of terror.
*Not my problem.*
That was what he told himself.
*You don't owe anyone anything.*
Another scream cut through the night—closer this time.
Then came a sound that made his breath hitch.
*BOOM.*
The entire inn trembled. Dust fell from the ceiling beams. Somewhere nearby, something heavy collapsed, followed by the echo of splintering wood and panicked shouts.
Zodac exhaled slowly through his nose.
"I hate my conscience," he muttered.
He sat up.
For several seconds, he didn't move. He just sat there, shoulders slumped, staring at his hands. Hands that had killed. Hands that had saved. Hands stained with blood no matter how hard he scrubbed them.
Outside, someone cried out again—this time a woman's voice, shrill and desperate.
Zodac clicked his tongue and swung his legs over the bed.
"So this is how it is," he said quietly.
He reached toward the small drawer beside the bed. His armor rested there, carefully placed, its surface faintly catching the moonlight. The green lines etched into it pulsed once, as if sensing his intent.
His hand hovered for a brief moment.
Then—
"Equip."
Bright green light flared, swallowing the room whole.
---
The streets were chaos.
Torches lay scattered across the ground, some still burning, others crushed under panicked feet. People ran in every direction—some screaming, some crying, some frozen in place by terror. A shopfront had been torn apart, its wooden beams snapped like twigs.
At the center of it all stood the beast.
It was massive—larger than any common monster that should have been anywhere near a town. Its body was black and corded with muscle, built for speed and violence. Its forelimbs were long and powerful, ending in five thick fingers tipped with hooked claws that gouged deep into stone as it moved. Its hind legs were even worse—coiled like springs, ready to launch it across the street in a single bound.
Its head was the most horrifying part.
A white, skull-like visage, elongated and reptilian, armored as if bone itself had been reforged into a helmet. Rows of jagged teeth filled its mouth, slick with blood. Its eyes burned with feral intelligence—hunger sharpened by rage.
A woman lay on the ground before it, screaming as the beast clamped its jaws around her arm. It shook its head violently, trying to tear flesh from bone. Blood sprayed across the stones as nearby villagers fled in blind panic.
"HELP!" someone screamed. "PLEASE—!"
The monster reared back—
Then a voice cut through the chaos.
"Cold Snap."
A beam of pale blue light shot across the street, striking the beast directly in the head.
*RRRROOOOOAAARRRR!*
The creature released the woman and staggered backward, roaring in pain. Frost spread rapidly across its skull, crawling down its neck in jagged patterns. Within seconds, its head was encased in ice, its movements grinding to a halt as it froze solid in place.
A young woman ran forward immediately.
She wore a wide-brimmed witch's hat, now slightly crooked, and her long purple hair spilled over her shoulders as she knelt beside the injured villager. Her eyes—light purple and focused—glowed faintly as she assessed the damage. She wore a white-and-black fitted shirt and a short flared skirt, boots planted firmly against the stone. In her hand was a staff topped with a glowing blue orb.
"Heal," she said softly.
Green light poured from her palm, enveloping the woman's mangled arm. Flesh knit together before their eyes. Blood dried. The wound closed, leaving only a faint scar behind.
The woman gasped, clutching her arm in disbelief.
"Go," the mage said firmly. "Get somewhere safe."
The woman didn't argue. She scrambled to her feet and ran.
The mage stood slowly, turning back toward the frozen beast—
*CRACK.*
Her eyes widened.
*CRACK.*
The ice splintered.
*CRACK.*
The blue glow dimmed as fractures raced across the frozen shell.
"No—!" she whispered.
With a violent burst, the ice shattered.
*RRRROOOOOAAARRRR!*
The beast roared again, louder, angrier, shaking frost from its body as it locked eyes with her.
The mage swallowed, then raised her staff.
"Laws of the land, defy the laws of nature," she chanted rapidly, voice trembling but controlled. "Strike my target with high lightning."
The orb blazed.
"High Volt!"
Lightning shot forward—but the monster leaped.
The bolt slammed into the ground where it had stood moments before, blasting stone apart. The creature landed behind the impact zone and slammed down, releasing a shockwave that ripped through the street.
The mage cried out as the force knocked her hat clean off and nearly sent her sprawling.
She barely kept her footing.
The beast charged again.
She reacted instantly, striking her staff against the ground. Stone rose beneath her feet, lifting her into the air just as the monster smashed headfirst into the elevated rock. The impact echoed through the town.
She landed behind it and spun, staff already glowing.
"Defy the laws of nature," she shouted, desperation creeping into her voice. "Fireball!"
A sphere of flame formed and blasted forward, striking the beast squarely and sending it skidding across the street.
It roared again—angrier than before.
It rose.
Uninjured.
Her breath hitched.
*Too strong…*
The monster launched itself at her.
She slammed her staff down with both hands.
"Laws of the land—pause my target in its place!"
A blue wave erupted outward.
"FORCE STOP!"
The beast froze mid-air, suspended inches from her face, jaws wide, breath hot against her skin.
Her legs shook as she stumbled backward.
"I have to end this," she whispered.
She raised her staff again.
"Earth Spike!"
The ground erupted. A massive, jagged spike shot upward, aimed straight for the creature's skull—
*CRACK.*
The spike shattered.
The skull didn't.
Her eyes widened in horror.
The spell ended.
The monster dropped, smashed the remaining stone aside with one powerful arm, and lunged.
A chunk of shattered rock flew, striking the mage across the head.
She screamed and fell hard to the ground, her staff skidding away across the stones.
Dazed. Bleeding. Helpless.
The monster loomed over her, roaring with triumph.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
*This is it.*
Then—
*BOOM.*
Something collided with the beast mid-lunge.
The impact sent a shockwave through the street, blowing dust and debris into the air. The monster staggered backward, claws scraping against stone.
The mage opened her eyes.
A man stood between her and the beast.
He wore dark armor traced with faint green light, a hood shadowing his face. In one hand, he held a sword that hummed with restrained power. In the other—a massive shield engraved with the lifelike image of a black war hog, its eyes carved with terrifying realism.
The beast slammed against the shield again.
It didn't budge.
The man didn't move.
"Run," he said, voice low and commanding. "Go. Now."
The mage stared at him, stunned.