Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 33

Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 33

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Sivantic.

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Escorted by a ball of flame, I entered the cavern to examine what I could of the parasite’s breeding grounds. The stone I stepped upon was smooth and all around me the material was much the same state. The flames I conjured, empowered by Gale’s wind, swept through the system of tunnels and imparted immense heat upon the place. Even after the attack, it was necessary to pump cool air into the structure to enter it, and even after doing so the tunnels were far warmer than the lands outside.

I had turned the place into a furnace in which even rock melted, so there was little to find in the ruins, but it was still necessary to gather all the knowledge that I could.

My steps echoed through the caverns, as I ventured deep into the depths, all too aware of the sound of my own breath and heartbeat in the darkness.

The sound of my footfalls echoed through the tunnels, until I stopped at the sight of the first creature that I had slain.

No flesh remained, and the bone was scorched to the point where a touch could cause it to crumble, but what was left behind left some clues as I shone my flame upon it.

The bones were those of an adult late into the stages of the parasite’s infestation. I knew this by the holes burrowed into the bones in a systemic manner. Even the marrow of the individual was used and replaced by the parasite in the last stages of its consumption. The creature infested every nook and cranny of its host.

The question was… why?

Even in the earliest stages of infestation, the creature overtook the body and nearly made it impossible to save those who were infected. They burrowed and replaced part of the soft organs, including the brain. Even though I could heal the destruction across the organs in the torso, replacing the parts of the brain lost was beyond my ability. All that was left at the end was a lifeless body bereft of a soul, barely capable of breathing, let alone functioning.

Yet, as I walked further into the tunnels, the results were the same wherever I looked.

More and more remains with holes burrowed into their bones.

What was the goal of this malign creature? What did it seek within the body of those it inhabited? It was not sustenance. They took over the stomach and stole from it first. Why not be a mere parasite and simply conceal itself after it has taken a host? Its current actions now invited reprisal and destruction by sword and flame. If it wished to spread far and wide, should it not carry itself upon lesser animals and infest in secrecy?

How does war benefit it?

As I neared the depths of the immolated system of tunnels and caverns, I heard a familiar gait behind me.

In a moment, Djet’Is arrived.

“Everything is secure up above. I have come to see the strength of the enemy.” Her words brokered no argument and I gave her none. She fell in step to my right and her eyes took in the cavern which we had struck against. Piles of ash and bone were everywhere, and they were illuminated by the small orbs of flame that I called upon. “Not many can do the same as you, Will. We will need more to conduct assaults against them.”

As always, her mind was set on destroying the enemy, but this time I could not fault her. We were fighting creatures that stole bodies, kidnapped children to turn into hosts, and commanded monsters to kill hapless villages. Their aim was to use all as hosts and make usurp all that we have made. Their intellect has been honed to kill… and there all attempts at negotiating with them failed. They ended their own lives when captured. Or, they were too dangerous to capture, and tried to use their own infested bodies to infest others. One and all, their aim was to spread, to dominate, and to kill.

I never believed in a just killing of a living, thinking being.

However, in this case, I could see no alternative.

With that in mind, I approached the large pools filled with the destroyed creatures’ spawn.

“This is the target then. Their breeding pools.” It was chiseled out of the stone floor and filled with ash after my attack. However, I felt it as I had attacked with my magic. It teemed with life. The parasites in their most adolescent stage were like leeches without teeth and the ability to burrow and infest into a host. Until they grew, they had to subsist and live within a host or fluid. They didn't swim in water, but an emulsion created from blood and minced meat. They also spawned in the bodies of their hosts, reproducing from within, but that threatened the host. This was a finer alternative… and I suspected that this was how they got power. “The skulls and bones of the creatures around the pools are that of monsters.”

“They derive strength as the As’Kari do. They consume the flesh of monsters and strengthen themselves.” The merit of consuming the flesh of the monsters was simple. It improved the body in a multitude of ways. People became faster, stronger, and tougher. Less prone to disease and even aging, they withstood the test of both time and sickness. The Warriors of the As’Kari were carefully raised on diets held in secrecy of each clan. “That is how they consume and break through the bodies of others with ease, despite their lesser forms. Then, their host bodies will be strewn and strengthened with them.”

That explained why they burrowed into their prey and took over more and more. Many of the inhabitants of the kingdom of these lands rarely ate the flesh of the monsters. If they wanted strength quickly, then they’ll replace more and more of their host bodies. Gale’s increase in strength with the consumption of monsters took months. If my people were striking at an enemy and were outnumbered greatly, then I would take more drastic measures to gain strength and power at a faster rate.

Even though it would expend a host body, even though they wouldn’t be able to use hosts to reproduce and become more strewn throughout the body… they’ll still gain power and might.

These things we were fighting were mass-produced soldiers with the singular aim of taking this land.

“They are mass-producing Warriors. No. They are lesser than our own, but they are still formidable, especially in lands such as these.” Djet’Is dug into the heart of the matter with her words. Gale was considered immensely powerful in these lands, but she hardly compared to one of the As’Kari warriors. She would barely be considered adequate to bring along to a hunt. Averi was one of the more Knights of this place, and Gale was within reach of her. Both would struggle against a parasite and their host. “This place will be overrun. How many of these creatures were there? How many could they infest?”

“There were thousands in these pools. Only one in a suitable body would be enough to create a strong soldier.” That made Djet’Is pause. Sheer numbers had a quality all their own. Even if they could not compare to As’Kari warriors, how many would it take to defeat one As’Kari warrior? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty? Would it matter when they could have thousands, while the As’Kari’s numbers of true Warriors only barely passed a thousand? Kan’Is and Djet’Is together could use the artifacts of the tribe to kill hundreds upon hundred, but even if they were victorious, they would not kill fast enough to prevent the enemy from harming the tribe. “We must find them all and destroy them. You understand?”

“Do not speak to me as though I am a fool. I see the threat that lies before me, Will.” Djet’Is growled and looked upon the pools which once contained thousands with nothing but hate in her eyes. She had considered them dangerous monsters before, but now that she knew that they were a threat to all her people that could not be stopped before harming the tribe, her view on the matter changed. “I will send word back to my people. Your methods will be spread across the clan. Even if we must train children at a young age, as you and I have, we will have the strength necessary to overcome this damnable threat.”

I wished to suggest that my methods be spread across to all the Great Desert, but I held my tongue.

The conflict between the tribes of the Great Desert would mean the spread of my knowledge would cause more death than save lives.

If only there was no battle in the Great Desert, then the people there could be the saviors of the world entire.

Yet, that was only a faraway dream now.

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Interlude: Averi

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The physician returned with the tribal champion at his back. Though his face was obscured as usual, his countenance told the sordid tale before he even spoke.

“The creatures we’ve fought are raised on the flesh and blood of monsters. That is why they spread throughout the bodies of their hosts so thoroughly. It is the fastest method of strengthening them.” It was difficult to believe that he was the deadliest of us all, as he stood beside the towering, bronze-skinned desert-dweller with flaming red hair. The predatory glint in her sharp eyes, the rippling musculature barely contained by untarnished skin, in a frame nearly befitting a giant all screamed danger to the casual onlooker. They’d be correct, too. No Knight, not even a grandmaster of an entire order, could compare to the desert princess. Yet, she could not even compare to the young man that barely reached her sternum. He could kill us all with a flick of his wrist and we’d be none the wiser. “It is likely that the weakness of the people in these lands that draws them, as they would otherwise take over the bodies and flesh of monsters for their purposes rather than people.”

He came forward, swathed in pristine white save for a splash of red on bands upon his arms, like a messiah in the darkness. Around him danced fire and flame, casting light I his wake, as though they cost him nothing to maintain and empower. Mages would struggle for years to cast one orb of flame. Even after all their training, they would be quick to cast it and force it upon their foes in fear of it erupting in their presence. Yet he held it over his shoulder, perfectly controlled, to simply act as a light. When he dispelled it, it became innumerable motes in the air, and faded away as though it was never there.

Power.

Precision.

Intellect.

Strength.

He had everything that one could ever wish for, the world was his, yet he strode amongst us all and wished to save us from the threat of the darkness that came from the darkest depths.

It was difficult to see him as anything but a miracle.

“Averi, you will be going forward to warn people of what is to come as quickly as possible. The parasites are preparing many staging grounds. This one alone housed thousands of them. One can turn even a child into a monster.” His words were as terrifying as always. Not only for the content, for the truths that he spoke, but the speed with which he discerned those truths. Merely a few weeks ago, he knew nothing of these creatures. Yet, since then, he has become the expert on their whole existence. What could such a mind do, if turned to the destruction of those whom he deemed his opponents? Those who cast away people who he deemed worthy of being saved? “I know that many will refuse to believe you for failing in your mission, but even if you can tell anyone that a strong flame will deter their approach, that will be a victory enough.”

Mention of the word flame reminded me of what I had seen earlier. A pillar of flame that could melt stone and turn anything that it touched into ash. All the other flames of magic that I had witnessed splashed across stone and did little more than blacken it. Men were typically wounded or warded away from flame, and Knights could ignore them utterly in their wake, but such was not the case for what he wielded. With his power, he could lay waste to whole armies in but moments.

Even though his words bid me to help others, the fear creeping within my heart could not be denied.

I feared him more than these creatures that we now fought.

They were within the realm of reason and logic, they could be fought against with fury and steel and strategy. Even the desert princess could be killed and was within the reach of mortals. Though her skin was as strong as steel, there were many methods and weapons that could pierce her flesh and her power and magic was not as immense as his. However, no matter what I could conjure in my mind, even with weapons and techniques lost to time and existent only in myth and story, I could not find a means to confront him.

Nothing comes to mind which could even make him break his step, if he wished to inflict justice upon us for our misdeeds.

So, when I nodded at his words, I made a decision.

“I will do so, and risk everything, but only if you swear that you will not raise a hand against my people.”

The hunter’s daughter, Gale, scowled at me the moment the words left my tongue.

But, thankfully, he spoke before she could say her piece.

“The threat of these creatures is too great to ignore. I will stay my hand until they are dealt with. I swear.” He had spoken about not attacking my people the moment he found these creatures. However, he had not sworn an oath as he did now. I have seen him bind himself with his words and beliefs before. Even now, he only kills monsters or those who became monsters, and he even tried to save a child that benefitted from the loss of Gale’s people. So, I took comfort in his promise. “Is that enough? Will you go use everything you can to convince the people in the nearest city to protect themselves against the coming threat?”

“It is, physician, it is.”

Even if I must die for my failure, slain for living instead of dying to fulfill my royal edict, I will go to my people now.

I will do anything I can to save them.
Even if it means dying to them.