The Beast. Book One Of The Dragon, Beast, Shadow And Saviour.

Prologue.

8 March 2023. Tucson, Arizona. United States Of America.

Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back!

I stumbled over nothingness, the earth nearly collapsing against me, then caught myself, struggled to regain balance, and pressed on once more.

I could still hear the sounds, the steady rhythmic steps of whatever was behind me.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Don't look back!

I covered my ears, desperate to keep the sounds out. It was hopeless, I could still hear it, resounding in the deep corners of my mind.

Don't look back!

Everything seemed to pulsate before my eyes. The ground seemed to tilt, and I lost my balance, barely catching myself on time.

Don't look back!

The thuds grew louder, it was getting closer, my end was near.

Don't look back!

I forced my eyes to look ahead, and I pressed on in a stumbling mess. I couldn't go much further, my legs were failing me.

Don't look back!

Mother, I'm sorry, but I have to.

I have to die...

The whole world tilted, and the last thing I saw when I turned around was black.

*****

I cursed inwardly as I watched- from my spot in the shadows- the boy fall to the ground, unconscious.

The beast crossed the distance between it and the child in a single leap, landing on fours right in front of the boy's head, fangs bared.

Shit.

I had to calm down, I couldn't mess this up.

The beast had lasted a thousand years unscathed, killing thousands while we searched every nook and cranny for it.
Either I killed it now, or I killed it never.

I nock my favorite arrow and pull the string, slightly holding my breath.

The eye, I had to go for the eye, the perfect kill.

The beast stared at the boy on the floor, then slowly sunk a claw into his arm.

I grit my teeth.

Not yet.

I had to wait for the perfect opportunity, if it was when the beast sunk its fangs into the boy's head, I would wait until then.

As if it had heard me, the beast lowered it's head slowly, it's fangs inching towards the boy's face.

It had never been this slow to make a kill...

Is it teasing me?..

No...It couldn't be teasing me when it doesn't know I'm here...

But what if it did?..

-Ugh-

Pull yourself together.

I waited, string pulled back, breath hitched, fingers inches from releasing the arrow. I waited as its fangs inched closer and closer but then stopped.

Suddenly, it snapped its head towards my direction - straight ahead - its face morphing into a disgusting smile as it registered my presence.

Now.

I release the string, and watch the arrow tear towards the beast twelve feet away.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the arrow tore through the air, the feathers flapping in the wind, the beast stood in place, watching with the disgusting smile plastered on its face. Then the arrow found purchase in its target, right in the pupil.

I released the breath I didn't know I was holding, beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, as I watched the beast collapse on the floor.

Did I kill it?

It could still be alive....

Slowly I inched towards the corpse, my arrow raised and ready to be released. Soon I was standing right in front of it, its back face mine

Not good enough for me.

Slowly, with my arrow still drawing, I turned it over, my breath hitching upon what I saw.

It was dead.

Oh God, it was dead...

I had done it, I had killed the beast.

The caster's would be so proud, The one thousand years of misery was finally over.

I felt a smile tug on my lips.

Time to go home.....

With a hand, I picked up the child, turning the opposite way.

Home.

Suddenly, a large shadow covered the portion of sky on top of me, in the shape of a...

I felt hot, fiery pain rush down my legs.
I look down to see a claw protruding from my abdomen.

What?..

What just happened?

A deep sound escaped my throat and blood splattered on the grass. The world as I knew it began to spin, the earth began to tilt, dark spots danced over my eyes.

How? It had been a perfect kill, the arrow had gone straight through the eye, how...

What if...

I forced myself to see clearly one last time, and as I had guessed, it was not the beast, the Gerenuk, that stared at me, but something else, to my absolute horror. For it may not have been the Gerenuk, but it was something bigger, a grinning monstrosity. Humongous in size, the creature could easily hover over the Gerenuk even when the Gerenuk was on two feet. Rivulets of black liquid-like scales cascaded down it's red leathery flesh, only little spaces of red showing in between, its face was a gruesome mixture of a sabertooth tiger and a lion, and its eyes....

The child.... I couldn't save the child...