Pre-note: Glicuofus is pronounced (glai-kyu-fus)

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The door swung open. Zeal and excitement permeated the dull, old house, rekindling it with long-lost ardor and flare. That, of course, was because of Kyro's upbeat mood. He had cast his first spell, and with a training window of sixty-one days, he deemed himself more than capable of passing the entrance exam with flying colors. Resulatt was sleeping as always, his constant snoring irritated the neighbors-they'd glare at Kyro whenever he'd be on the porch, to which he'd chortle nervously and apologize.

Stumbling his way upstairs, he crashed on his bed. The cognizance of irrefutable power and success bloated his mind like a hot air balloon. As much as he was excited, he fell asleep from exhaustion with a wide grin poised on his biscuit face.

Night approached, and Kyro jumped awake abruptly-his hair shot up. An unusual eeriness engulfed his half-awake body. Kyro called out for Tybalt, who popped out and ushered him to stay quiet. The lantern on his dresser scintillated with vigor as if someone were making it screech and yell out in fear. Uneasiness filled the room as his ears perked up, trying to unearth any strange noises or hints of attack. Suddenly, a macabre cry bellowed from outside, followed by a bloodcurdling scream for help. Kyro ran downstairs and breached the door open. His eyes broadened as a feeling of overwhelming dread ran down his back. 

Caster, a local farmer, was lying on the pavement. His eyes were gouged, and his jaw was unhinged to terrifying extents. His abdomen was sliced open, almost like a feral animal had gnawed it apart. His intestines rested on the cobblestone while blood erupted from his slashed arteries, tainting the pavement in a deep crimson. Kyro's stomach turned and knotted, causing him to vomit on the spot. He had no time to properly process what was happening because his sensitive ears picked up a snarling from behind.

"KYRO, BEHIND YOU!"

A grotesque, four-limbed creature pounced on him, pushing him to the ground. Its head bobbed around erratically at the smell of flesh, as saliva dripped down its split jaw, causing Kyro to roll his head around, locked in between two muscle-dense arms. In the heat of the moment, he kindled, releasing a shockwave of heat, launching the creature back. It shrieked in pain, lurching around the dirt before preparing to pounce on the terror-stricken boy again. Kyro shakily aimed his palm at the creature before mustering enough Energy to release a firebolt. It lunged at him as soon as he relieved his wrist. The firebolt charred its rough body, suspending it in the air before falling down and perishing.

Kyro's breathing turned into jagged panting, each sharp breath making him lightheaded.

"What the... huff... hell was even that...huff...?"

"That was a Glicuofus-a monster hailing from the far south of the Tenebrous Expanse. It's not supposed to be here." Tybalt recited with a grim look.

A deep growl permeated the tense atmosphere as the earth beneath began to shake. Finches flew away from their houses and pebbles bounced to the rhythm of the profound stomping. A Glicuofus entered Kyro's view horizon. However, this was different from the one he had fought, as it was nearly quadruple his size with fists grazing the ground. Its eyes were slashed and its head was blemished with scars that had been inflicted by numerous blades. Its back was pierced with stakes and steel rods that signified multiple attempts to contain the wretched beast. Ky would've soiled his trousers if it weren't for an unusual resolve to befall the monstrosity.

The distance between him and the Glicuofus seemed chasmic. The closer it drew, the louder Ky's heartbeat was. In an instant, the seemingly cumbersome beast lunged toward Kyro, covering multiple meters in a matter of seconds. He had managed to evade to safety, a graze inflicted on his cheek. The beast's landing tore a small crater in the cobblestone, it hunched its back in concentration to pinpoint its fleeing prey.

"Run, Ky! This ones a lusus naturae! It's too powerful to beat now!" The halo flared.

"I know, Tybalt. But every fiber of my being is itching in excitement to fight this thing."

"Have you gone mad? One hit and you're deceased! Run away. NOW!"

I didn't know if it was the still-flowing confidence I had gotten from the earlier kill, or a fear too great that it had plunged me into hysteria. I felt calm. Too calm in fact. It was as though the world around me grew slower and my mind turned laser-focused. I raised both my palms and planned to garner Energy collectively. My odds say that I have an estimated three-second window to charge before that thing notices me again, so I took a deep breath, amassing as much Energy as I can.

Its blind glare inspired goosebumps, notifying me that it had discovered my location. The clanking of the rods and stakes disclosed its next move; a lunge. It jumped again, but this time, I was ready. Instead of jumping back, I threw my hands above me, its Herculean fist curled into the size of a wagon wheel; it struck to kill.

This was a gamble; either I'm strong enough to befall a monster, or I die a half-witted death.

A disc of flashfire ejected from my palms and sliced the Glicuofus' fist off.

I did it.

The Glicuofus swung its other fist into my side as I was hurled into a nearby house. I coughed out blood as my head rang. My vision blurred and my breathing labored, each breath I took struck a piercing pain that numbed my body. The heavy footfalls faded as my mind went black.

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I woke up on my bed and sat upright, wincing in pain. Sunlight seeped into my window, dancing on my torso which had been wrapped in numerous bandages that attempted to conceal a massive bruise. I had lived to fight another day. My throat squeezed as I tried calling out for Tybalt. She popped out like usual, but this time she bore a chagrin expression.

"Didn't I tell you to run? What were you thinking trying to beat that monster when you're still too weak?!"

"I was just shy of beating that thing! I even eviscerated its fist!" I retaliated.

"That's the problem, Ky. You were shy of beating it, and look what happened! You should never fight something unless you're certain to beat it. Oppose that and you have a death wish!"

"And what? So what if I ran? Who'd protect the other people otherwise?!"

"Resulatt, you thick-skulled boy. He's capable enough to beat a lusus naturae! You're lucky that he showed up in time!"

"Him? He does nothing but laze around all day, how am I supposed to have good faith that he'd get up and do something?!"

"Because you're his grandchild, you moron-anything that's important to you is important to him too. You're being unreasonable."

It was like a child getting lectured by their parent, that awkward silence after an argument that serves as a window for the child to comprehend their actions fully was swung in full motion. Kyro shot Tybalt a frown before curling up into his blanket. Their bickering muffled a set of footsteps receding down the stairs as Tybalt sat on the dresser.

In the following days, Kyro regained his strength to walk and headed downstairs to be greeted by an all-too-familiar tune.

"Oh, fair maiden, with bosoms ample~
In thy presence, my heart does trample~
Thine eyes, like stars, so bright and round~
Thy figure, a temptress, to which I'm bound~

But alas, in these medieval times~
Forbidden is the talk of lewd rhymes~
Yet I shall jest and take my chance~
To tickle thy fancy with a naughty dance~

Forsooth, fair lady, 'tis not to be coy~
But to seek a moment of wicked joy~
In whispered tones, I shall impart~
A tale of passion, my lady's heart~"

"When will you ever stop singing that blasted ode, Gramps?" Ky scoffed.

"Ah, Kyro! G'mornin', my boy! You seem well." Resulatt smiled, fully ignoring his statement.

"Good morning to you too. We got any food?" He replied half-heartedly.

"Aye. Alfred did drop us some fine meat earlier as a thank-you gift for last night's defense."

"Alfred? I haven't seen any villagers outside the whole night. Where were they?"

"Ah, those gents were cowering inside their houses, too afraid to do aught. Needn't worry, though. I saved them folks."

Kyro pursed his lips with mild approval before making his way outside, eager to breathe fresh air.

"Come back soon, aye? Food'll be served." Resulatt exclaimed.

Ky waved his hand and opened the door, inhaling a substantial amount of fresh air. Small amounts of dried blood stuck to the sidewalk, causing Ky to flashback to the grueling scene. He shook his head in an attempt to waive off the nefarious memories and made his way to the pond to clear his head.

He sat on the earth, discontented with himself. First, he had lost a person dear to him, and now, he almost died a half-witted death.

So much for being a Warlock, he thought.