Moon Of Gold

Chapter 17: Gold and Blood

         A cold wind blows through the forest, shaking the leaves on the trees. The sky is now visible and the moon seems to be nowhere. There is a faint light pouring out of the clouds. The dirt is frostbitten and the grass crunches beneath our feet.
     We head to the middle of the forest and Crypt lurks out from between the trees. This time it looks even larger than before. It towers over us and stands there breathing heavily.
       "Tonight, the humans and mortals will now who superior. A hybrid of blood and flesh and nature's beast fighting me. I am an unstoppable force not to be tampered with" it roars.
      I feel the ground shake beneath us and Ophira darts towards the wendigo. A large vine rips through the ground and wraps around her foot. I bite down on my wrist. A stream of blood forms into a sword and I rush to her side. I slice through the vines, breaking her free. The Crypt bellows and snarls, swinging a claw towards me. Ophira takes hold of his claw and I bring the sword down. His arm flies off and he screeches, taking a step back.
      The wound bubbles up and Ophira leaps towards it again. Then she aims for the other arms. The missing left arm reforms and the Crypt reaches towards her. The wendigo rips her off as she tears a chunk of his flesh off. I rush in and thrust the sword through his face.
       "Hit me all you want! I crave your failure. Your strength can never surpass mine!" It roars, riping the sword out of its face. The wendigo flings the sword and I jump towards it, grabbing it and rolling to the side. Ophira howls and slashes her claws into his back. The Crypt yowls and sends a mighty swing of his claw towards her. She goes flying and slams into one of the trees.
      I rush to her side and the Crypt snarls. He swings his claw throws me and I tumble onto the ground. I stagger up and watch as the Crypt closes in on her.

***

      Vines coil around my body, trapping me with the tree. I struggle and rip into the vines. I hear the Crypt cackle and lookup. It's rotten bloody face inches away from my face. I snarl and snap at its face. The wendigo shrieks and grabs me, ripping the vines. He hurls me into another tree and I get up, staggering to my feet. My blood is boiling and my rage was beginning to seethe out. I glance up at the sky and the clouds disappear.
      In the sky stands a bright golden moon. The same moon I was left under. I stare into it and It feels like my eyes are starting to burn. The burning fades away and my eyes completely feel like their glowing. I howl and flecks of yellow light fly around me. Whatever this is I feel stronger than ever.
      The Crypt recoils back then lets out an ear-piercing shriek. I charge towards it and wrap my claws around its neck, digging into the skin. I let go and rake my claws down its stomach. The Crypt howls in pain and jumps back. The wound doesn't seem like it's healing correctly. The skin bubbles up but remains that way.
      I look to Julian who rushes in and thrusts the sword into the wound. He lets go and dodges to the side. I leap towards the Crypt and myself being dragged across the ground. The wendigo grapes its claw around me and swings me up into the sky. I try to position my landing and come flying down. The Crypt grabs me and slams me into the ground.
      The vines return and coil around me. I gnaw my way into them. I stop and let out a growl. My body is aching and my head is pounding. My eyes begin to burn again and I get a sudden burst of energy. Clawing into the vines, I successfully slice myself free. I glance over to see what I dreaded would happen.
        The Crypt pins Julian to the ground and thrusts a sharp claw into his stomach. 

***

      I grasp my hands around its claw, trying to pull it out. The claw feels like its puncturing each and every one of my organs. The Crypt slowly rips its claw down of my stomach, ripping through my coat and flesh. He yanks his sharp claw out, leaving me there with a gaping bloody wound.
      The Crypt licks his claw with his long tongue and I shut my eyes and holding my hands to my bloody stomach. I writhe in pain, clench my teeth.
      "So fragile like the rest of your people. What a shame really. I thought you were going to be quite a challenge. I might just have to finish you off first then yo-" Ophira let out a bellicose howl and rips her claws into his back. The Crypt screeches and flails around. She pulls it back, slamming into the ground.
      I struggle to get back on my feet and crawl away. I watch as blood drips down my coat and covers the grass. I kneel down holding my bloody stomach. This time the pain coursing through me is unbearable. My body feels like it wants to give out and I taste blood in my mouth. I cough up some blood and drop to the ground. The pain causes my body to go numb and I pass out.
      I hear the sound of a heartbeat. I'm not sure if its mine but the sound grows louder. I open my eyes and my head feels like its pounding. I'm now laying in a puddle of my own blood and my eyelids grow heavy. I manage to push myself up and see Ophira's yellow glowing eyes. They dance in the shadows as she strikes the Crypt. Their strength seems to match up but it doesn't seem like it would be enough. I have to do something but what? I keep passing out and can barely move.
      A tightness forms around my throat and I feel dizzy. A few seconds I can feel a rush of power surge through me. I begin to inhale and exhale heavily. A shape pain goes through my body and I feel something in me beginning to change. Staring at the ground, I watch my hands shake. The hands start to sprout claws and after a few seconds, I scream.
      My body rips through my clothing and large red wings rip through my back. I feel my height increasing and my muscles growing bigger. I wrap my wings around my stone pale red body then uncoil them, unleashing a roar.
      The Crypt and Ophira stand there in awe and Ophira backs away. I leap into the air and swoop down, tackling the wendigo. He screeches and digs his claws into my back. I snarl and grab his neck with my claws. I rise his lengthy body into the air and slam it into the ground. Grasping my jaws around the wendigo's neck, I flail the wendigo around and slam him back into the ground.
      The Crypt howls in fury and charges towards me. I grasp my claws around his horns and push him back. The wendigo shrieks and I flip his head up and rake a claw up his throat. He falls back and reaches an arm towards me.
      I wrap a claw around the wendigo's outstretched arm, ripping my claw into his flesh and muscle. Yanking the slender thin arm off in an instant, I rip through his shoulder as blood splatters my face. The Crypt roars in agony and reaches other arm towards me. I swing my claw upwards, catching the other arm and throwing it to the side. The wendigo stumbles and falls on his back.
      Ophira runs towards me and jumps on top of my shoulders. She jumps off, digging her claws into its eyes. The Crypt yowls and thrashes on the ground. I roar and rake a claw down his chest and stomach, slicing through the skin and wounds. He unleashes an agonizing screech and Ophira rips through the Crypt's leg, chomping down and crunching through bone. With a final attack, I bash my head into Crypt's, breaking through its skull.
      The body lays there and twitches. The Crypt curls up and is eyes fade to black. I slam my foot into his dead broken body and raise my head to the sky. I let out a mighty roar and Ophira howls. We look at each other and she gives me a weak smile.
      "You're...a gargoyle! Weird colors though" she exclaims. I look back at my wings and my body. "Well, I don't have weird glowing eyes now do I?" I grumble. Then the glowing light fades from her eyes and she shakes her head. I knees grow weak and my I dizzy. Then I collapse to the ground and her distressed cry.