D E M I S E

the one, and only part.

A brief explanation: Haven is a 'twinned' earth-like dimension i initially created for stories of my own use, i thought of many species to fit in with this dimension, a few used and/or mentioned in this story are: Nexials(nex-ee-uls), Skyllierds(skih-lye-urds), Numstrin(noom-strin), and Keiltre (kel-tri). All species have reference doodles included with the story to avoid confusion.. Thank you for reading, and please enjoy.

-SITS

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D E M I S E

EastCliff is on of Haven's most beautiful territories. It's home to many Skyllierds, Nexials, and other wildlife. Of course, being the biggest, Skyllierds are one of the least hunted in this area. That being said, Numstrin like myself, are quite able to take one down if the right techniques are used, but we're getting off track. My names Kirin, i'm one of the younger hunters in my village, that being said, i was an apprentice to one of the better mentors in the territory, making me more skilled than some in my age range, but sadly, Numstrin are not immortal or free of any danger. We are hunted by none other than the dreaded Nexials.

Huge, hideous beasts with the ability to grow their teeths length in a matter of seconds, and paralyze even the large Skyllierd with a single bite. And this, is where i tell the story of how i encountered my demise.

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It was a darker night, and rather rainy and unpleasant. I was on a mandatory vigilante hike with a higher ranked squad for training purposes. About 15-20 of us were participating in this 'wonderful little outing' whilst the rain could've been mistaken for a freaking waterfall. Everyone was soaked to the bone, and covered in muck up to the thighs. Our torch had fizzled out three hinns ago (hinns are Havians way of telling time. They're about 45 minutes in real human time.) and our Keiltre had run off into the forest before we even left the damn site. There were several Numstrins whining like a child without that popular new toy in the store window, whilst me and about 2 thirds of the rest of the troop stopped at a clearing in the Reystums. We used materials held in the bulky sacks of the carriers sent with us and made a quick shelter of Skyllierd hide to light a fire and dry off. We had Zemhit (zem- heet) for a meal, and everyone rolled out their sleeping vessels and either tied them to a Reystum, or lay them on the ground. Several others (including me) were sent out to gather food for the next day. The trip was supposed to last about 67 hinns, and we'd only passed 8. I wasn't hesitant to do my job, so me and the others chosen for night-gathering set out amongst the forest to find some wild Keiltres, or even better- perhaps we'd find roots of a Reystum. After about 2 hinns of searching.. Every troop member had frozen in their tracks, no one made a sound as we all stared at each other in silent horror. We had come across a footprint, now, most wouldn't be disturbed at the sight of one, but it wasn't the fact it was there that terrified us, it was what it belonged to, and the fact the footprint was obviously fresh.. Very, very fresh.. The footprint that lay in front of us belonged to a Nexial, the one species that no Numstrin has survived an encounter with, i could feel my stomach instantly sink, as if i had swallowed several rocks- we all just stared, everyone was sweating, and no one dare move an inch. Nexials are able to sense sound and movement, as their eyesight is the level of someone with both eyes taken out, that being said, chances of survival after encountering one are less than -856% as these creatures live to kill, it is said their stomachs are an empty gaping pit, and if swallowed, you just keep falling, and falling, every now and then your deepest horrors will haunt you for eons, and then vanish faster than the blink of an eye. Everyone's horror inclined faster than a roadrunner on a barbecue the moment the rustle of Reystum branches was heard not far in the distance. The leader of the troop signaled for us all to head back as quiet as possible. Everyone began cautiously stepping their way back to camp- but i was left in a small predicament, there was a large bush surrounding my feet, one step, and the Nexial would come for me like a magnet for a fridge- i slowly tried to make my way over the pale green mass without making a sound. Suddenly the rustles of the Reysrum branches got louder, the beast was headed right for us- i had managed to get over the bush, and catch up to the troop, i had immediately alerted the leader, and we were suddenly signaled to split up. I made my way to a small opening in the side of a mountain, the beast following me, slowly gaining on my pathetic little strides, of course it would follow me out of anyone else, i was the youngest. Setting that aside, i slowly made my way through the rocky corridor, everything suddenly cramped up, i was crawling slowly along the cold, hard floor, attempting to find an escape from the terror that lie behind me. I didn't dare look back, it had already sensed my movement, why make it worse, anyway, the level of space in the spot i had dragged myself into was lacking, a nexial surely couldn't fit in this tiny space, nonetheless, i proceeded to be guaranteed safety, until at least, i had reached an ultimate dead end. That moment, was when my hearts sank, and i could feel my stomach knotting up again, i wanted to puke, the feeling was more than overwhelming i felt so hopeless, so terrified, of what was going to happen, i knew for a fact that i was deader than a doornail. My head started spinning, as the scratching of the beasts claws got louder and closer, my eyes beginning to well with tears as i silently accepted my fate, i wanted to escape, there had to be a way out, i could hear something enter the area, and i suddenly froze, my heart was racing, i held my breath in hopes the creature wouldn't notice me, it did no use, i could feel it's breaths upon my forehead, warm and muggy, it's toxic saliva dripping down my forehead (the toxins only take effect upon ingestion or contact with open wounds, which is why nexials bite their victims to paralyse them with their saliva.) i was a terrified, sweaty mess. My hearts felt as if they had been twisted into some sort of balloon animal, and the nausea wasn't helping. Suddenly, i felt sudden contact on my chest, then immense pain as the creature dug into my flesh with its teeth and powerful jaws, rendering my body immobilised and practically lifeless. I still had the ability to feel things, i could feel the creature ripping into my sides with it's teeth to get at one of my hearts, then swallowing the remains whole like a boa constrictor, as i entered the bottomless pit, this was my forever home, i felt the falling sensation already, the neverending fall of nothing but you nightmares to sing you to sleep.

After what felt like several million hinns, the plummeting sensation was interrupted by blood curdling shrieks, and the sound of tearing flesh. I felt my body hit a hard rocky surface and land in a pool of what felt like water, giving the previous situation, it was most likely blood. Turns out there was a Ghipsen blade left in my pouch that got loose, and it tore a hole in both my arm, and the nexials stomach. I was losing blood quickly, and the beast was already dying too, i heard the troop running into the entrance of the cave, starting to search for me, i was unable to scream, as the nexials toxins were still infecting my nervous system.. It took them forever but they caught sight of my hand and were able to drag my limp, bloody body out of the cave. Half-way back to the camp i had fallen asleep, everyone was slapping my face, and screaming at me to 'stay with them' and 'don't die' i thought it was useless, as i had already lost one of my hearts to the beasts infinite hunger.. What everyone seemed to have forgotten, was that

Where there is one nexial, there will almost always be more.

Faster than you could comprehend several large Nexials jumped at the entire squad, tearing at their flesh as if it were paper, the sound was more than sickening. I watched in horror as they were dismembered one by one.Their agonizing screams swiftly drowned in a gurgly splatter of blood and flesh, leaving nothing but a bloody mass of meat and bone on the ground, decapitated heads lay around my body, and half of them just happened to stop rolling in such a way where they were all still staring at me, i was unable to close my eyes, and was left staring at the silently horrified faces of what used to be a troop of brave soldiers, all dismembered, and decapitated. I wish i didn't survive through it all, but the beasts left me alone as i already seemed dead.. (remember, nexials almost always kill to quench their bloodlust. Rarely ever for food.)

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In the morning, i had regained some ability to move, and the gaping hole in my side had already started to heal, i had to wait about 3 hinns before i could get on my feet, everything was sore, and stinging. I decided to leave the pile of shredded, bloody flesh behind me, and try and seek the rest of the camp when it was still bright out. I somehow managed to find the remnants of the tent the others had set up, the sinking feeling that everyone had perished began to set in. I had decided that grieving wasn't what i needed to worry about at this time, i needed to find the village. So i ran, every excruciating step only pushed me farther. I knew it was useless, without the rest of the troop i had no idea what direction to turn, maybe the first nexial encounter i had should've been my last- i felt sick, i wanted to go back to the village, but i had no idea what direction it lay. that's when i remembered the mountains were far taller than the entangled Reystums, so i began the climb. My side was throbbing the entire time, but i continued anyway. After about 8 hinns i reached the peak, i began to search for signs of my village, then on the other side of the forest, i saw a small trail of smoke, rising from the ground, i scrambled down the mountain as fast as safely possible. Then ran in the direction in which the smokey aura had been coming from. When i reached the outskirts of the forest, my speed only gained, then there, in front of me, where the gates to a village.. I waltzed inside, only to be met with sudden dizziness, i collapsed to the ground, other Numstrin soon began surrounding me. I had lost too much blood to live on. They left me on a mat in attempt to help, yet i passed away 4 hinns later.. I had finally gotten what i wanted, but i still hold those horrific memories of watching everyone meet their demise.