The Monster Within

Baron Ciaphas Curze sat in his study, looking over the ledgers and records of his village's progress. He was satisfied with what he saw. The roads had been completed, trade had been reestablished thanks to Athlea, and the houses were finally about to be finished. It had taken a lot of effort, but the barony was starting to take shape.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a contented sigh. His butler, Nathan, entered the room and brought him a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Nathan," Ciaphas said, taking the cup from him. "How are things progressing in the village?"

"Very well, my lord," Nathan replied. "The villagers are grateful for all that you've done for them. Trade has brought in some much-needed income, and the roads have made it easier for merchants to travel to and from the village."

Ciaphas nodded, pleased. "And what of the houses? Are they almost finished?"

"Yes, my lord," Nathan said. "The last few are being constructed as we speak. They should be ready for occupancy within the week."

Ciaphas smiled. "Excellent. I've also been thinking about creating an efficient plumbing and sewage system for the village. We can't have people getting sick from contaminated water."

Nathan nodded. "A wise decision, my lord. However, the village is medieval, and the means to achieve such a feat are limited."

Ciaphas rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Perhaps we can find a way to make paper. That would allow us to create the necessary documents and plans for such a system."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Making paper, my lord? That would require ink supplies and books, which we do not have."

Ciaphas smiled. "Not yet, we don't. But I'll send a letter to Athlea, the trader who's been supplying us with goods. I'll ask her to send us some ink supplies and books. It's worth the investment."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "Very well, my lord. And what of the paper itself?"

Ciaphas leaned forward. "We'll create it ourselves. I remember hearing of a process that uses wood pulp. We have plenty of trees in the forest, and I'm sure we can find a way to make it work."

Nathan looked impressed. "That is quite ambitious, my lord. But I have faith in your abilities."

Ciaphas smiled. "Thank you, Nathan. And speaking of education, I've been thinking of investing in a school for the village. Our people must have access to knowledge and learning."

Nathan nodded. "An admirable goal, my lord. But who will teach at this school?"

Ciaphas grinned. "I'll be hiring a teacher, of course. Someone who can educate our villagers in various subjects, including agriculture, history, and perhaps even combat training."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Combat training, my lord?"

Ciaphas nodded. "Yes, Nathan. I plan on training the young village guards into proper soldiers. We never know when we might face an attack from bandits or other hostile forces."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "Very well, my lord. I will make the necessary arrangements for the ink supplies and books to be brought to us. And I'll start looking for a suitable teacher for the school."

Ciaphas leaned back in his chair, content. "Excellent. We'll continue to make progress, one step at a time."

As Ciaphas sat in his chambers, contemplating the future of his barony, he heard a knock on the door. Nathan entered, a look of concern etched on his face. "My lord, there's been a disturbance at the border. The guards are reporting sightings of strange, shadowy figures moving towards our village."

Ciaphas frowned, his mind racing. He had invested so much in this village, he couldn't let anything happen to it. He stood up, determination in his eyes. "Gather the men. We must prepare for battle. We will defend our home at all costs."

As the shadowy creatures charged towards him, Baron Ciaphas Curze felt a pulsating sensation on his chest. He clutched at his rune, trying to calm himself, but it was as if dark energy was taking over. Suddenly, his eyes began to glow with a sinister red light, and his body convulsed as if something was trying to break free.

The Baron's skin turned pale, and his veins turned black, as a dark aura engulfed him. His hair became wild and unkempt, his teeth sharpened, and his fingernails grew into claws. He let out a blood-curdling roar as he charged towards the bandits, his new form granting him immense strength and speed.

The sky was filled with the flash of golden lightning, the ground was wet and slippery with rain. The villagers watched in horror as their beloved leader transformed before their very eyes, becoming a monster that seemed almost invincible. They scattered in all directions, afraid for their lives. The air was filled with the sound of screams and the clash of steel, as the Baron fought with the enemies.

The villagers that saw the Baron as a hero, flinched as he became a beast that seemed almost invincible, his shirt rent and tattered, his chest covered in black veins and his skin torn and his hair wild and unkempt. Facing off against the bandits, the Baron's muscles bulged and his face warped into a demonic visage, his teeth sharpened and his nails turned black.

Ciaphas' eyes burned bright red, the pupils seeming to glow with a strange light. He blotted his eyes, trying to remove the image of the burning village, but his eyes refused to look away, fixated on the inferno.

The transformation had made Ciaphas powerful, but it had also made him irrational and cruel. He took great pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on his enemies, and the bandits soon realized that they were no match for this new, evil version of the Baron.

As the battle raged on, the villagers watched from afar, hoping and praying that their once-great leader would return to his senses. But as they watched, they couldn't help but wonder, what had caused this transformation, and whether would Ciaphas ever be the same again.

In the distance, I could see Ciaphas, his eyes burning bright red, the pupils seeming to glow with a strange light. He blotted his eyes, trying to remove the image of the burning village, but his eyes refused to look away, fixated on the inferno. The transformation had made Ciaphas powerful, but it had also made him irrational and cruel. He took great pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on his enemies, and the bandits soon realized that they were no match for this new, evil version of the Baron.

The smell of burnt wood and scorched earth, the residue of burning bodies, the smell of death. The battle fumes caught in the wind and they carried the stench of blood and gore and sweat until the smell became so insipid it was impossible to tell where something aromatic ended and something noxious began. The air smells of ashes, of smoke and death. His eyes burned bright red, the pupils seeming to glow with a strange demonic light.

The fight was over. He had won.

but at what cost?

What did I do?

What creature am I?

He looked down at his hands, at the blood he had spilt, at the people he had butchered. And then, he saw the people screaming and running, and he heard the sound of steel clashing against steel, and he realized that he had been the one to kill them.

The once-proud young man with a promising future, the once-strong leader who had fought with honour and courage, the one whose name was revered by some and feared by others, was now turned into something wicked, something he couldn't even fathom.

He managed to come to his senses, his rune pulsating wildly as he managed to scream for Nathan's help, before finally losing consciousness.

The following morning, when the Baron awoke, the first thing he saw was Nathan tending to his wounds.

The young man smiled, and Ciaphas knew that he was safe.

"My lord, are you alright?"

Ciaphas looked around. "What happened? Where am I?"

Nathan sighed. "You defeated the bandits but did not return to your senses until the next morning. But you have many wounds, my lord."

Ciaphas looked down at his hands, at the blood he had spilt, at the people he had butchered. And then, he saw the people screaming and running, and he heard the sound of steel clashing against steel, and he realized that he had been the one to kill them. Ciaphas slumped down, his head in his hands.

"My lord, what's wrong?"

Ciaphas glared at Nathan, his eyes reflecting a mixture of anger and defeat.

He had betrayed his dignity, and he wasn't sure if he could ever live with the memories of what he had done."

The Baron touched his face. His skin was soft and supple, but the stale blood made him feel dirty and unclean.

Ciaphas pressed his hands to his face and found them wet with blood.

He reached out to the wound, feeling it with his fingers. It was there, ever so real, bleeding. He closed his eyes, trying to swallow the pain. It was there, ever so real. It was as if he had been stabbed with his sword. It even smelled like iron, and yet, there was some kind of relief as the blood seeped out of his skin.