The Star that Cursed the Animals

Chapter 3

The crocodile turned its vast head and Braden found himself staring into cold, reptilian eyes. The crocodile clamped its jaws around an enormous human-sized cage, effortlessly plucked it from the corner of the library and fixated it around Braden's trembling form.

Nestled between the colossal pecs of the transformed creature, Braden felt a rush of vertigo. The ground beneath him seemed to shift, shrinking into nothingness as he was hoisted into the air. The crocodile snatched a nearby power line and twisted it to form a hulking necklace which held his cage in place, pinning Braden against the beast's scale-covered chest.

As they lumbered from the library, the city had changed. Buildings were mere toys scattered at the foot of these new titans, their once intimidating heights now dwarfed by the towering frames of the animals. From his lofty prison, Braden stared wide-eyed at a world now unrecognizable.

Skye and Camille strolled alongside. Their playful, innocent forms now twisted into hulking anthropomorphic giants. Braden's heart throbbed in his chest as he watched his loving pets turned monstrous by the green star's curse.

His dogs broke into vicious grins and Braden could see once affectionate eyes now twinkled with a cruel amusement. "Humans are bugs now," Skye's booming voice echoed. Camille licked her lips and continued, "And the world... mere grains of sand under our paws." Their paw-toes slammed against the ground like tempestuous mountains as they spoke, and Braden felt himself shudder with each crushing step.

The unfeeling reality of their words struck him. The curse had shifted the balance of power, and humanity had been reduced to nothingness.

They gathered with the other transformed animals, pets both large and small, all towering over the remnants of the human civilization. Even sea creatures, hauled up from the ocean depths, were crawling and slithering across the land in their terrifying, new forms.

Braden gazed upon the chaos and terror from his cage. He turned his face upwards towards the twinkling, green star in the sky, the initiator of this chaos. And in spite of his fear, he felt a spark of determination ignite within him.

Braden knew he was the underdog, caged and powerless. But his heart held an unwavering resolve. For Skye, for Camille, and for every other creature cursed into monstrosity, he would find a way to turn the tide. He would uncover the secret of the green star.

For now, at least, he was given a reprieve by the crocodile. But Braden knew it was merely the eye of the storm. And he was ready to face it, to conquer it, whatever it took.