The Mystics Of Valenthia

21. Scylla

I jumped at the sound and looked around, spinning on my toes. The music stopped and jarred me back to reality. Everyone, I saw, had a confused expression on their face. None from among us was screaming.

It came again, and I tried focusing on it when I realised—

"It is coming from the courtyard!" Bex shouted, snatching the words from my mouth.

Carter raced towards the courtyard, followed closely by Bex, Nova, Eva and me.

I came to a sudden stop behind Eva and looked around. The lights that were usually on, were out and it was eerily dark. I strained my eyes and willed it to get accustomed to the darkness. I could see nothing or hear nothing.

Nova flipped her ring in the air and it turned into a sceptre.

"Lux," she whispered and the tip of her sceptre illuminated the entire courtyard. I walked ahead and heard Carter hissing, "Stop, you idiot!"

I ignored as I reached the centre of the courtyard and spun around. I could see no one and everything seemed fine.

"It was just a blackout, guys. Nothing to worry about," I called out.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt a damp tentacle around my waist and I screamed.

"Renna!" Carter yelled as the thing pulled me up. I yelled and kicked in the air for it to put me down. Bex and Nova each tended a glowing ball between their palms, ready to shoot.

"Don't shoot!" Carter yelled at them.

"Why not? It will kill her!" Bex was frustrated.

"I know what I am doing!" He snapped back.

I could take the damp thing no longer. It smelled of the salty sea and was wet all over. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on fire. I could burn the tentacle, maybe. As I did so, I could feel the heat rising up around me and I opened my eyes. Great! I was on fire!

The creature made an inexplicable sound, midway between a shriek and a "What do you think you are doing, girl?" and let go of me. I dropped to the ground and Nova ran towards me.

"Are you alright, Ren?" She leaned down and asked.

I rolled up to a sitting position and coughed as I answered her, "Of course! I deal with this stuff every damn day!" I screamed.

She gave me a small smile as I stood up. I tried to have a look at the thing that gave me the creeps.

I gasped when I saw it. The thing made me feel like wrenching my eyes out when I see it. It was horrible, like my worst nightmare come to life.

The creature had four eyes and six long necks equipped with grisly heads. Each of which contained three rows of sharp teeth. Her body consisted of twelve tentacle-like legs and a cat's tail. As if that wasn't enough, four to six dog-heads ringed her waist.  It was a monster, through and through.

I convulsed at the sight of it and turned away. I could not bear to see it.

Her one of the twelve tentacles reached out for me again when Carter intervened.

"That is enough, Scylla," he said, his voice had a commanding tone to it.

It stopped and stared at Carter for a while and rumbled in a language I did not understand.

"No, you aren't hurting her," he said firmly.

She yet rumbled with a slight frustration.

"You will have to go through me, then," Carter said softly.