Nikink/Beast

Beasts

The powerful black wings carried the Beast of Seven Lamentations over the vast eastern forest. His face was twisted into a feral snarl as the sorceries of the wings enhanced his perception to such a degree that the scurrying Barbarians among the trees were clearly visible. He could nearly smell their fear as he passed high overhead.

He wanted to land among them, to feel their flesh beneath his claws, to hear their screams, to taste their blood, to cleanse their existence from creation.

But he refrained. He was on a mission for his Mistress, his Lady, his twisted Love.

“There is a Lunar to the East, my pet. It is newly exalted, but already seeks to raise the barbarians against Dathnor. Seek it out, my beast. Seek it out and bring it surcease from the agonies of life. Flay the skin from its bones. Bring me its defiled head. Fail me and you will know such torments as you cannot imagine, yet. But I know you will please me. For I know you know I love you…”

And so Beast flew east. For three days he knew nothing but the open skies, wind and meals of birds snatched from the air.

Then he found it. A tribe of barbarians marching through the trees, geared for war. Wyld twisted mutants herded amongst them, given crude weapons, and cruder armour.

Beast slowly circled the tribe. Maybe three hundred fighting men, half as many again mutants. He could see the poison coating their weapons with his sorcerous perceptions. He grunted and flexed his muscles, calling upon the strength of Oblivion to strengthen him.

Then he dived. Faster than any natural bird, his face was grinning with a lust for destruction and his top-knot writhed like a snake in the wind.

His soulsteel gauntlets started moaning in anticipation of blood, as bony claws sprouted from his fingers. A scant hundred yards above the trees Beast began a blood curdling scream, and then penetrated the forest canopy. Before the large, tattooed man leading the horde could react, Beast had punched into his chest, separating his torso from his legs. The last sight of the man’s life was Beast’s jaws closing around his mouth and tearing his lips apart in glee. Gore sprayed across the tribesmen and as Beast flew above the canopy again, the torso fell amongst them, faceless and bloody.

A great cry rose from the horde and arrows began flying intermittently through the canopy. Beast began to laugh, and licked his lips in joy. These mortals were no threat to Dathnor. He began to circle higher, looking for another target. It was going to be a satisfying afternoon.

Then he saw it. Towering above even the largest mutants strode a sleek furred beast-man. It looked up where the tribesmen were pointing and bellowed a challenge at the flying Abyssal. Within seconds a small tree flew into the sky and crashed into Beast, knocking him backwards into a slow somersault. His eyes blazing in anger, Beast of Seven Lamentations released a howl of anger in answer and spun into another dive.

The Lunar leapt into the forest canopy and stood casually upon a branch. It reached to its waist and clutched at a silvery tattoo which fluidly unwrapped itself to become a long moonsilver lash, writhing from the Lunar’s hand. As Beast flew at it with unholy speed, the Lunar snarled and flicked the whip towards him. The whip caught around Beast’s throat before he could react, and with a smooth jump the Lunar had the silver cord wrapped around another branch. As Beast tried to claw at the strand, the Lunar’s eyes gleamed, and it jumped to the forest floor, pulling hard on the lash. A glimmer of shock crossed Beast’s face as he was pulled off course at phenomenal speed, whipping around the branch to smash through another tree. As he rose among the splintered remains, he glared with hatred at the dusky man-beast before him. The Lunar roared again and pulled the whip, bringing Beast to his knees.

Beast could feel his lungs burn for air, but knew the ministrations of his Lady would be far worse than anything this creature could do. He leapt into the branches of the tree above the Lunar, as it began to drag him closer. His claws dug into the living wood and halted the Lunar’s efforts. With a mighty lunge, Beast threw himself over a branch and swung himself into the creature’s face, wrapping his own claws around the Lunar’s throat and glaring into its feral eyes.

Beast and the beast gazed unmitigating fury at each other. The Lunar’s jaws opened to reveal silver fangs longer than Beast’s fingers as it roared in anger. A bleeding sun appeared on Beast’s brow as needle sharp fangs extended and he bellowed hatred in reply. With a sudden lunge Beast closed his mouth around the Lunar’s muzzle, drawing forth blood and essence. With a start the creature kicked up, knocking Beast away and releasing the silver whip.

The two Exalts circled warily through the underbrush. Tribesmen and Mutants stood back in fear and awe. Already forming tales and legends of this battle between their god and a demon. The whip lashed out again and missed as Beast called forth his tainted essence to appear on the other side of a tree. Blood dripped down his snarling face. The whip snapped again, and Beast appeared right before Luna’s Chosen, a circle of oblivion appearing within the bloodied sun. The Lunar’s other clawed hand shot out to rake the Abyssal, and with a devious grin and a rush of tainted essence Beast appeared behind the creature in a cloud of swirling black Raitons. With a ragged laugh Beast of Seven Lamentations tore great chunks of flesh from the Lunar’s hide as a scream erupted from its jaws.

The Lunar spun swiftly to grab the mocking Abyssal, and again was confounded as a cloud of Raitons appeared above its head. In the setting of the sunlight every shadow became a gateway into oblivion. The moonsilver whip snapped into the space above the Lunar, severing a tree branch but missing its mark. With a howl, the creature leapt into the undergrowth, but it was too late. The Abyssal punched into its back and grasped the Lunar’s spine. The Man-beast writhed in agony as Beast of Seven Lamentations held it up by the gruesome handle and repeatedly kicked into its stomach and ribs, laughing all the while. Beast swung the pitiful exalt’s head into a tree trunk, and sprayed its blood across the trembling tribesmen who remained.

With a final crack, the Lunar fell silent.

A hush fell over the forest, before a gradual sound of panicking barbarians fleeing through the trees could be heard. Screams and woeful cries softly echoed in the evening air.

Beast laughed again. Triumph was a good feeling. With a practised skill, he skinned the creature and separated the head. Then, clutching his gory trophies, he took to the skies and returned to Dathnor, injured but victorious. Surely his Lady would be pleased!

“My pet, you bring me such fine gifts! But what’s this? The head is not defiled! The skin was not flayed! How dare you insult me with such carelessness! Am I not your Lady? Am I not your love? You must be punished, my beast. It’s the only way you will learn.”

And another rent scream echoed across Dathnor adding a baritone harmony to the noisome air.