The Monster Must Be Destroyed

Jane adjusted her grip on the hilt of her short sword and stared resolutely into the darkness after the beast. The woman was a monster hunter. She had a duty to perform. If she didn't, other girls would soon be targeted. Jane didn't dare waste time trying to find the remaining scraps of her armor while the monster was so close. The hunter quickly crossed the small chamber to where she had lost sight of the creature and dashed down the corridor in pursuit.

The monster was not difficult to track. Thick streaks of black ichor decorated the walls where it had passed. The creature's pain-filled vocalizations could clearly be heard echoing through the dark tunnel. Jane set her mouth and followed the wails with grim intent into another low chamber.

When Jane peered into the chamber she saw the beast across the room. At the sound of the woman's bare feet squishing through the thick muck, the monster abandoned its search for a hiding place, turned around, and roared in the young hunter's direction. The noise was high-pitched, almost nasal, but hurled with such ferocity that Jane was momentarily taken aback. In her moment of pause, the thing lunged at her with its mouth wide and its long teeth bared.

With practiced, fluid grace Jane stepped to the side to let her attacker lunge past her then quickly brought the blade of her weapon down through where she thought its nervous system might be. At least, that's what she intended to do. The creature was so much larger than the monks that she had trained against. She didn't step far enough. As her blade sank into the tough hide of the creature, its heavy body slammed into her shoulder. She fell to the ground under the panting form of her prey.

The monster screamed and wrapped its long tentacles around the girl's athletic body. The woman was out of position and she knew it. The creature's tentacles caught her arms and squeezed them to her sides. She was very nearly truly captured. At first, Jane thought that it might crush her it its strong coils, but as the moments dragged on the strength seemed to drain from the creature. Its breath, once loud in Jane's ear, came with more effort and began to stutter. Minutes later it finally stopped gasping and simply gave out.

With the creature finally dealt with, Jane was able to crawl out from under its long, limp tendrils. She shoved the appendages to the side as she got to her feet and brought herself to her full height. The large form in front of her did not move. It simply sat in place like a discarded movie prop.

Jane had done it. The most difficult creature she had ever faced had fallen. Day would be breaking soon. Jane needed to get back to her dorm before she was missed. She retraced her steps to the chamber her first fight had happened in. Her fingers deep in the slime, the girl found her discarded weapons but only a few scraps of the leather that had been her armor.