Content Warning: Explicit Violence, Blood, Strong Language, Profanity.

Leonard Engel waited in silence, aiming his weapon through a small hole at the edge of the window as he prepare for the worst. Outside, the creature with claws sprouting from its mouth kept screaming and growling with euphoria, as if its throat had come alive and was driving it to force its way into the human’s shelter, repeating with fury and desperation:

“Your blood, human! YOUR BLOOD…!”

Leonard remained quiet, finger on the trigger, sweating from the adrenaline, but breathing deeply. He knew he couldn’t stay there much longer —but stepping outside meant certain death. So he counted to ten, ready to shoot no matter what happened.

Suddenly, something moved. It wasn’t the mutant.

From between the twisted, acid-scarred trees, an imposing figure emerged: tall, gaunt, draped in a dark purple coat. A white skull-like face with six crooked horns jutted from his head like dry branches. Long, dark brown hair cascaded over his shoulders. He walked on what seemed to be claws. His right hand, bony and uncovered, swung loosely. The left was hidden beneath the thick folds of the coat.

His voice was deep, commanding, unlike anything Leonard had ever heard, 

“Well, well… what do we have here? A fucking Rainbane causing trouble, huh?”

The mutant with the clawed mouth, who had been kicking the cabin door, abruptly turned around,  

“HE’S MINE!”

Leonard didn’t even realize when he had aimed the weapon —he just did— and fired directly at the chest of the new monster.

But the creature didn’t flinch. Instead, he let out a dry, raspy laugh and launched himself at the other mutant with a speed nearly invisible to the human eye.

“Don’t even think about it! You won't kill this beardo,” he growled, slamming the mutant’s head into the ground with such force that the earth shook beneath them.

The claw-mouth creature shrieked in rage, struggling, but couldn’t break free.

“AAARGH! I SAW HIM FIRST!”

“Are you sure?” the skull-faced one asked coldly.

“It’s been eight years! EIGHT! Since the last time I saw an uninfected one! His flesh is so... pure! HE’D BE A DELICACY!”

The skull-faced being scoffed. “And why the hell would I care?”

“You’re insane!” the trapped Rainbane spat. “Humans are DELICIOUS! That one’s probably the only one left for miles!”

Inside the cabin, Leonard listened to every word. His heart pounded like a drum. That horrific creature was talking about him like he was some prized, irreplaceable treasure.

Then, the cadaverous being shouted: “That’s exactly why I need him ALIVE!”

And with that, he threw a punch so brutal it made the other mutant’s skull crack like glass.