Afterlife's Vessel

V

  "Ah... At last, you let your guard down and submit to my jurisdiction."

From the mist, Albori could picture two horns pointing upwards from either side of its head, the inside layered with rows of serrated teeth with varying sizes. A red, thick visor-like line ran across the creature's head, covered in dots, similar to a compound eye.

When the gas eventually faded away, Artemi no longer looked human, but an amalgamation between stag beetle and human. While resembling the primate silhouette of four limbs, it wore black plates of armour across its body, physically attached to the body. In the creases between the protective layer, a substance similar to human flesh without skin could be seen. And like a real stag beetle, its two stags would twitch from time to time, possibly subconsciously.

"Bear witness, you rodent. It is finally time for my compensation, after all that time Artemi's kept inside that glove."

"Inside the glove? So you were the tongue that snatched the beetle?"

"I bet she hasn't told you this, so let me enlighten your thirst for knowledge. I live in symbiosis on Artemi's right hand as a mouth; but I don't have any senses in that form, so I rely on what she focuses on with her eyes. When an animal gets close enough, oh... The thought of one simply makes me drool... Nothing can stop me from eating it whole. Afterwards, I transfuse the animal's genetic information with her's. That's what the smoke was all about."

"And you become a... Hybrid?"

"Correct! In this hybrid form, I can fully take control of Artemi's body, giving me the chance to feast on little rodents like you."

Blinded by its hunger, the creature charges head-first towards Albori. Even though he successfully blocked with both arms, it persistently rammed its horns into his flesh, securing him in place with the help of countless jagged spikes. When its position had gotten stable enough, the creature tossed Albori backwards with a flick of the head.

"Stag beetles have to refrain from biting forcefully in order to prevent injuring themselves. That being said, even though I am partially a beetle, my genes are also of a human's, meaning there's no need for holding back."

It snaps its jaws tauntingly, closing the distance for another bite.

"My sword! I almost forgot."

Perfectly in time, Albori drew his blade from its sheath and spun around in a rampageous manner in every direction possible, swinging it at fictitious targets, only bringing Albori to further humiliation as the creature stopped in its tracks and cracked down on the floor.

"My god! Have you ever picked up a sword before?! I've never seen a swordsman as unskilled as you are. At this point, there'd be no chance that blade would even tickle me! Shouldn't you get more training before trying to fight me? And the shape of that. Is it a display? A family heirloom? It looks so stupid! I feel bad for you, rodent. How about finishing you off in a single blow? It won't hurt as much."

"Am I seriously getting pitied by a monster...?"

"Ready your guard! I'm not going to stop bashing!"

The creature bends down and stretches its left leg backwards, directing the tip of both horns towards Albori. He braces himself by holding the blade in a secure grip with both hands; and centralising his attention onto it. In a split second, the monster thrusts itself midair like a sonic bullet, gliding hastily while widening its jaws for another strike.

'I'm going to stab its head before it reaches me.' Albori plans, driving his blade forward while the monster is still shooting towards him. Overestimating himself, he attempts to predict its trajectory and pulls the blade towards a higher angle, losing focus onto the creature itself, already beneath the blade and inches away from his waist.