Read The Infernal Scribe :: The Beast of Gévaudan

Chapter Six

"The Beast"

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[You have discovered a new demon: The Beast of Gévaudan]

Demon Trait: Moonlight Frenzy

A cursed demon hound that once consumed enough aether to ascend the Inferno and enter the human world, where it terrorized the French region of Gévaudan.

With its massive, wolf-like form, the Beast rampaged through the countryside, slaughtering hundreds of innocents before its aether reserves depleted. Its thick hide is impenetrable to all but the most powerful of weapons.

Beware, for its bloodlust is insatiable and when moonlight touches its fur it becomes nearly unstoppable.

The Beast hadn't yet noticed me as it fed upon its prey. Its snout was buried within the victim's rib-cage, devouring the flesh inside. Although the victim was partly mauled and disfigured, I could still make out the vague appearance of a middle-aged man with pudgy features and a head of red hair.

I slowly backed away, when the beast's ears twitched. Its snout slowly pulled out of its meal, and turned towards me. I saw its eyes for the first time—a putrid yellow, the color of jaundice. They honed in on me like I was a new meal.

In a flash, the beast took off, closing the distance between us in an instant. For a moment, all I saw were its fangs as they were about to clamp down on me.

My body moved on its own. One hand released a fistful of dirt into the air. In an instant, hundreds of displays surrounded the beast's snarling face.

[Log Entry: I threw a granule of dirt.]

[x100]

The distraction would buy me at least a couple of seconds. I wasn't a swordsman by any means, but at the very least I could focus my attack onto its one weak spot.

The description said that its hide was almost impenetrable. That means I have to aim for the eyes!

I leapt into the air and swung the ancient, bronze blade down at the beast's face. But just as the tip of the blade was about to find its target, I saw the beast's nose twitching. It sniffed the air, its wiry whiskers reacting to the subtle changes in the wind.

Without even seeing me, the Beast swung its giant claws, honing in on my exact location. I managed to raise my arm in the knick of time, only for the Beast's claws to slice through my forearm like it was made of paper. The weight of its arms threw me against the wall. The brick shattered against my body.

I fell to the ground and saw the displays slowly flicker away and the Beast's pale yellow eyes dart in my direction.

My trick isn't going with this one. And I can't outrun it...

The Beast charged at me once more, its fangs bared. I quickly pulled the demon bone out of my inventory and shoved it into the demon's mouth before its fangs could close on me. I then used the bone as leverage and cranked the Beast's head in a corkscrew motion, turning it sideways and exposing its eye.

Using the ancient blade I stabbed down as hard and as vigorously as I could manage, slicing through its pale yellow sclera, releasing a torrent of blood. The Beast yelped in pain, clawing at my arms. I held fast and twisted the blade, until the Beast wrenched itself free.

I jolted to my feet, bathed in a mixture of the Beast's blood and my own.

The Beast scurried to a safe distance, out onto the street, where I could see it clearly under the moonlight. That was when I realized my mistake.

[The Beast of Gevaudan has activated their trait: Moonlight Frenzy]

[When The Beast's health has dropped below 50% and moonlight touches its fur, the Beast's attack and special attack stats will double for thirty seconds.]

It slowly stood up straight. At full height, it towered over me. Red sparks danced across its body. The beast's eyes were wide with bloodlust, its pupils dilating wildly.

It raised its claws and slashed through the air, sending wind currents rippling through the air. I lifted my arms to protect my head and the wind sliced through them like they were butter, leaving gashes at least half-an-inch deep. Blood spilled down my arms and pooled at my feet.

Thirty seconds of this?!

I couldn't defeat this demon. Not like this. With no other option, I opened my mouth and bellowed as loudly as I could.

"HELP! SOMEBODY! IT'S THE WITCH!"

I'll have to come up with an excuse for being near the body, but it's better than dying here.

I waited, but help didn't arrive.

What the hell? How come nobody's waking up?!

In response, a display appeared before me:

[The town is fast asleep!]

[Once the sun has set, you cannot rely on outside help.]

I stared at the display in disbelief.

Are you kidding me? You couldn't tell me that sooner?!

Adrenaline and aether coursing through the Beast's veins, its massive body twitched and jittered with energy. It jolted towards me with the speed of a leopard and swiped its claws at me.

I swung the bronze blade in a desperate attempt to defend myself. The beast's claws sliced through the corroded metal and through my chest.

I clutch my chest, wincing in pain. Luckily the bronze sword took most of the blow and I had only received a surface wound. But now I was weaponless. All I had left was the demon bone fragment.

I couldn't run and I couldn't overpower it.

I had just one idea left.

The Beast lunged at me. When it was just inches away, I brought up my inventory then slapped my hand across the display, lighting up as many possible entries as I could.

In an instant, a pile of antiques came crashing out of the display—silver candlesticks, bronze goblets, incense powders, cauldrons made of heavy iron—they piled atop the Beast's body, sending it straight into the ground.

In that moment, I saw my chance. Throwing caution to the wind, I rushed at the Beast, raised the bone high, and brought it straight down into its remaining eye.

It yowled in pain, gnawing thrashing. I pulled away to a safe distance, avoiding its razor sharp claws.

Blinded, the Beast's nose sniffed the air. Its snout caught onto my scent and it tracked me as I slowly backed away.

I have to eliminate all of its senses...

The Beast began to rise out of the pile of antiques, when I saw a jar of incense topple to the ground. Without thinking, I dashed towards the Beast. It seemed taken aback by the sudden movement and it hesitated just long enough for me to dive to the ground, grab the jar, then toss the powder into the air.

A thick plume of reddish-orange powder lifted into the air, assaulting our senses. I quickly pulled my shirt collar up to cover my nose and mouth, while the Beast hacked and coughed at the noxious plume.

With its sight and its scent taken from it, all that was left was his hearing. I watched carefully as its ears twitched, scanning desperately for a sign of my location.

I remained as still as possible.

The Beast's ears slowly pronated outwards. It followed its ears towards my general direction.

Shit... How does it know?

Then I realized. My heartbeat.

I covered my chest with my hands. Steadied my breathing. Allowed my body to calm down.

The Beast lumbered towards me, not quite sure of its target's location. I could feel its footsteps as they approached, its hot, moist breath filling the air.

Soon, it was only a few feet away from me. I could see its fangs reflecting the moonlight. If it sensed me, I would have no time to escape.

Finally, the Beast gave up and turned its attention elsewhere.

I watched as it wandered blindly towards the alley where it could lick its wounds. The light from the moon had died and the sun had started to peek over the horizon.

As I basked in the sunlight warming my skin, I heard a yelp coming from the alleyway, where the Beast had hidden. Curious, I tiptoed over and peered around the corner, only to find the Beast's fur had caught aflame and its skin started to peel.

It can't survive in the sunlight?

The demon's fur and flesh disintegrated into dust and pure aether, rising into the air.

[Congratulations! You've made it to sunrise!]

[The witch can only summon demons at night, so you're safe—for now.]

I entered the antiques I had summoned back into the inventory, then returned to the alleyway where the victim's body had been left behind. In the light, I saw his hands for the first time. They were rough and calloused. The hands of a worker. And I also saw a gold ring resting on his finger.

The same gold ring I saw on the man at the trial.

Killed just because he voted Not Guilty? This witch is brutal.

Despite my reservations, I rifled through the man's pockets to check for any more clues. I dug out a few coins, handkerchief, a pocket watch, and a carpenters guild badge with the name "Johan Hendricks".

Nothing stood out in particular, but I didn't have time to investigate further. I heard the sound of window panes opening and the chatter of the early morning crowd. The town was stirring to life and trouble would follow if anyone caught me near the victim's body.

I stored the victim's belongings in my inventory and ran off.