The Harbinger's Children (Guardians Of The Arcane Chronicles Vol. 2)

Chapter 5: The Beginning Of An End

Fun Fact: Marriage traditions have not changed much since the olden times. Although most marry for love and companionship, there are still a significant number of couples whose marriage was arranged. Marriage can also be used as a means to climb the social ladder by marrying into a higher class.

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The cobalt evening curtain lifted gracefully, revealing sparse droplets of stars sprinkled carelessly over the canvas of the night sky. Its vastness blanketed the fragile world, bringing humbleness to all that it covered and gratitude for the cosiness of home. Faint sounds of activity peppered the otherwise quiet neighbourhood while the light drizzle fell on the surrounding greenery, each drop serving as a blessing from the Heavens above.

And then a scream of frustration broke the nocturnal peace rudely.

"This is the fifth time you've lost our funds!" a woman screamed. "When will you fix your gambling problems?"

"Shut up, woman! You don't think I feel bad enough for losing?" The man grabbed her hand roughly, pointing a wand at the bank glyph on her wrist. "Empty the rest of your reserves; I need to win it all back!"

"Hell no, you useless man!" She fought back against his iron grip, trying to push him away. "I'm not letting you throw away our family like that- Argh!"

The woman stood back to her feet, gingerly touching the red palm print on her cheek. Her body trembled as tears welled up in her eyes.

"What the hell?!" she screamed, materialising her staff in her hands. "I can't believe you actually hit me, you bastard!"

The crystal on her staff burned fiercely as magic charged up within it. The man summoned his staff as well, putting a magic barrier between his wife and himself.

"Firebolt!"

The barrier remained untouched, but the man quickly put it down in shock. An anguished scream shattered the night sky.

"What... What is this?!" The female Mage was screaming in both pain and horror, clutching an ugly looking claw that used to be her right arm. "What did you do to me?"

"I... I didn't do anything!" the man stammered in confusion. "Don't worry, I can heal it!"

He muttered an incantation as he placed his hand on the grotesque claw. Magic flooded his entire body as the Cleric prepared to discharge his healing spell, but that only proved a fatal mistake. The man's eyes widened in fear as he started screaming uncontrollably.

"Pavlovs! Pavlovs, are you alright? What's happening-"

The woman shrieked and fell backwards in fear. "Oh gods..."

A low groaning sound seemed to shake the ground as the man's shadow grew larger and larger. His scream warped into a roar, and dozens of eyes popped up over his now slimy, worm like body. The monstrosity staggered around, stumbling over its six legs as it swung a tentacle, snapping a nearby lamp post in half easily.

"Pavlovs, my love..." the woman whimpered, frozen to the spot in fear as what used to be her husband inched closer to her. "You're still in there, right? Please..."

A tentacle wrapped around her waist as the monster pulled her gently closer to it. She cracked a slight smile at its many eyes as time seemed to freeze in one tender, loving moment.

And then he ripped her in half.

Muffled screams punctuated the air as the monster put the woman in its gaping maw, licking up the entrails that were still trailing from the upper half of her torn body. Its teeth grinded up what remained of her corpse with a sickening crunch.