A MAN MADE HORROR

Sibyl's POV

There are occasionally moments in one's life where they think to themselves, "Why don't you just eat dog shit and die?" and this was one of those moments. The plan was simple, but relied almost solely on her suffering.

"I'm going to actually make her eat real life shit," Sibyl thought as she stared at the two monstrosities in front of her.

One was a manifestation of mouth horror, a being whose humanoid torso split open into two, saliva falling from it uncontrollably, and whose face was of a manic woman, her head thrown back into a manic laughter that never left her lips. The other was a conglomerate of bones and rotted flesh, vines ripping through the meat and holding it all together. It had a constant whimper, as if in pain, but its strangely child-like face held no intelligence.

Sibyl felt her stomach leave her, realizing now why Merle didn't let her eat breakfast and lunch before their mission. The stench of the rotten flesh made her nostrils burn, and the sight of the two would have made some fall to their knees. She felt like her heart was going to leave her chest with the knowledge of what came next.

Svetlana had used her illusion magic to make Sibyl appear weak and ill, as if she had been going through the wilderness alone for weeks or months. It was then Sibyl's job to run into the encampment while the others got into position. At this point, typical sovran cultural norms would keep her safe.

As soon as the two lesser demons began to surround her, the entrance to the large maroon and gold tent flung open and two large greater demons came out. One of them was short and pudgy, his hair gone and the only things separating him from humans were his pointed ears and red eyes. He was dressed in clothing more in line with a business meeting than a trek through the woods. The demon beside him was towering, and his long red hair waved and curled around wildly. His green eyes pierced the moonlit night. He had large yet thin horns, spiking from behind his forehead directly backwards in a straight line. He seemed to be dressed for utility and appearance, his hearty boots contrasting with his silken shirt.

"Don't fucking salivate at the nequam bitch," the shorter one barked, "throw her in the fucking cage!"

Both lesser demons snapped into action, the one that was nothing but a mouth with legs and arms grabbed her by the hair and began dragging her towards the large cage. It was two massive pieces of metal connected by glowing blue bars. Huddled inside were other humans, most of them barely looking human at all. Apparently, humans were typically so malnourished and weak that demons nor fae saw them as a threat.

The demon placed its free hand on one of the bars and a small opening was created and Sibyl was thrown in. As soon as she got in, she attempted to touch the bars, which promptly singed her fingers. She breathed in deeply and waited for the show to start.

Merle's POV

"...and the demiurge laughs in 3… 2… 1." She stood on a high branch above the clearing with her communicator, Yifa.

Yifa was about twelve years old and was a fae rescued on one of her many manumissions. Yifa could communicate sight, sound, and taste across up to ten individuals, but in turn became completely vulnerable, unable to use any of her senses. She had an arm wrapped around Merle's leg, their physical touch creating a better connection.

Merle watched as multiple arrows flew through the sky from the cliff they had been scouting from before. Cahal's arrows hit their marks and the entire tent of the greater demons immolated. The shorter demon had returned to the tent and his howls of rage were heard immediately. At the same time a young man known as Lievin threw a chain dart as he leapt from the tree closest to the clearing. It wrapped around the head of the lesser demon made of rotten flesh and vines and as Lievin fell towards the ground he pulled the chain towards, using his momentum to pull the monster to the ground and separate its head from its body. Not a moment later Cahal sent another flaming arrow and the thing's body became naught but flames.

The maw with legs rushed towards the man as he rolled to his feet but Nora was faster. Nora separated its entire body into two from head to toe with her great sword. Her muscles rippled as she swung the blood off the sword in one quick movement. Merle nodded at the sight in satisfaction and turned to Yifa.

"It is my turn, Yifa. Will you be alright here alone, my friend?" Merle questioned, long ago getting rid of desires to treat the child like a child.

As Yifa disconnected the connection between the team she looked up at Merle and beamed, her bright blue eyes shining in the light. She slowly rose to her feet and put her hand together excitedly.

"What do we always say, Merle?" Yifa questioned, her voice birdlike and melodic.

"As long as you live I never die," they said in unison, Merle attempting to refrain from a frown.

It was an old saying, from long before the war, before the rift and the mutations of the world, and every time it left Yifa's lips it made something in Merle both weaker and stronger for it. She did not show the world her softness, she'd seen too many children like Yifa dismembered and debased. She closed her eyes and nodded at the child, compartmentalizing the last bit of kindness and morality within herself before she leapt from the branches herself.

As the wind licked her skin, feathers began to burst from her flesh, her arms turning into wings with her own blood dripping off them. They were clean before she touched the ground, landing in front of the greater demon she assumed to be in charge. At this point, both Lievin and Nora were in battle with the shorter demon, his body beginning to look more and more like a humanoid boar as they fought. It wouldn't be too much longer, Merle knew, the demon was out matched by the unlikely team who once hunted demons alone, without the Menagerie's support.

She grabbed the polearm off her back, the end sickeningly sharp. The demon shot forth, his eyes wild and changing. His round pupil elongates and his breathing turns into more snarl than panting. Merle deflected each of his angry grasps with ease. The more erratic an opponent became, the more childlike it appeared. As Merle led the demon around like a bull, she glimpsed Felix desperately trying to reign in control of the fae healer that had been tied up behind the tent. Apparently, the healer didn't want to go with them, and it was looking more and more like Felix was going to have to slit his throat.

Merle groaned internally, frustrated by the fae with stockholm syndrome, and hoped that he'd be able to deal with it alone. She thrusted the spear into the demon's stomach and up through his torso, making a yell as she lifted him up off the ground and then slammed him down. This caused the fae to shriek, and Felix was able to get a solid hit onto the fae's face and they went limp in his arms.

Now, It was Sibyl's turn. She used the paper rune that Svet gave her before they put in action her plan and slammed it into the floor of the cage. She had prepared all the humans to run out as soon as the bars flickered and they all escaped without a second to waste as the two metal pieces collided with each other, the magic holding the top one in the air disappearing.

Merle yanked the polearm out of the demon's stomach and as she went to go remove his head, the demon screeched, aetheric force suddenly pouring out of him and forcing Merle back.

"Who do you think you are?" Her growled, his body rising from the air as his blood began to congeal around his arm, all the blood around them swarming towards him.

"No one may touch my earthly flesh!" He screamed, and at the same time, Merle screamed, "Blood sorcerer! EVERYONE FUCKING MOVE!"