CH - 24 [ Monster revealed ] 2

No need to worry, my dear. He will take great care of you. He is a benevolent God. He will treat you well."

"I don't… want to." She began crying.

"No, shhhh…" the man tried to console her. "You will become a god as well. You will live with great power and have no wants or needs. "

"But why?"

"He needs a wife. Our God wants to have a family, make many children. And He needs the perfect woman to help him do that."

"Why me?"

"Well… we don't know if He will actually want you yet. He has rejected all our other offerings so far. So now, we will hope you will appease him, my lady. You could be our Goddess. Don't you want that?"

"No!" She cried harder. "What happens if he doesn't like me? Do I get to go free?"

"If He is not pleased by our offering, we will have to dispose of you."

She began to cry harder. She had no support. "Let me go! Please. I'm begging you!"

"I can't do that. I'm sorry." And then he left her side and walked to the entrance of the cave. "Oh, Kumajin! My great and power God and Master! I have brought you another offering! Please, come to inspect her!"

And Halcen was scared. He could hear the cultist leader's voice echoing through the cave. But the worst thing was there was a response; a grumbling, growling echo from deep within the caverns. Halcen had never met a god before, nor had he believed such things existed. But with everything that he had seen thus far, he couldn't be sure that this creature wasn't what it claimed to be. Just what could it be, if not a god? Heavy footsteps continued up the way of the caves to the entrance. Halcen could make out a bit of an outline. It rested for a second, then stepped forward once more into the light.

It was a great beast indeed. It stood a massive fifteen feet tall with great broadness and thick limbs. The Bear God, Kumajin, indeed looked like a massive bear. It stood on its two hind legs and had regular human-formed arms, but with great claws at their ends. He was coated in a lush brown fur. His face had a half-snout, with a black nose at the end, and a sparkling teeth inside his great maw. This was a beast of utter power.

Halcen could feel the power flowing off of him. This must have been the reason these men all followed him. And as Halcen looked about at the cultists, he saw they were all bent down on one knee, bowing their heads to Kumajin. Terrifying.

"Rise, Domian." His voice quaked through the air around them. It was deep and commanding. It was… compelling.

And the leader did so. Domian was his name. He snickered. "My Lord, we have found another option in your search for a wife-to-be." He turned around to the altar and walked to the other side so Valentina was between the two of them. "This woman, another drifter lost at sea. Her crew came seeking refuge from the storm."

"Another? So soon?"

"Yes, I thought it was quite fortunate. Two in a matter of a few weeks. I think maybe this is the world answering your request. I have hope that she will be the one. Please, check for yourself."

And the beastly god did. He hunched over Valentina, who was shaking in fear, tears streaming down her face. He inhaled deeply, smelling her. A bear must have had great smelling capabilities, able to pick up on all sorts of things humans miss. He opened his eyes and there was a sudden spark. "Domian," he said lowly.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"This woman… is perfect."

Domian's eyes flashed in joy. "That is wonderful news, my Lord!" he celebrated. "Men, did you hear that? Our offering has been accepted!"

The cultists rejoiced. All their hard work had paid off. How long they had spent searching for a woman for this monster, Halcen couldn't even guess.

All the wasted lives in pursuit of this. Disgusting. Even if he is a god…

"Please don't!" Valentina cried out. "I don't want to be your wife!"

Kumajin stared into her eyes. "You will become a God like I have. You will have power over this island in the same manner that I have for all these years. We will live happily in bliss for eternity."

"Please, just let me go!"

Kumajin's presence got very still. "No!" he growled. "You will be mine! And you will bear my children!"

"Oh god, no! Please."

"I am God. And soon, you will be too. There is no one else to pray to." He stood up. "I will go and get the God Fruit for her to partake in."

God Fruit?

"Yes, my Lord! But one more thing!"

"What is it, Domian?" He asked, as he was about to turn back into the cave.

"There was a man who tried to interrupt out festivities last night as we prepared your wife. He's here, on the slab." Domian walked over to Halcen to point him out. "What would you like us to do with him?"

"Keep him tied. My bride and I will feast on him once she has become a Goddess. He shall be our wedding meal."

"Yes, my Lord." He bowed his head once more as the beast disappeared into the caves.

Halcen began to panic. He's going to force Valentina to become a bear god as well? And then they're going to eat me? Fuck.

"Wait, who's here?" Valentina asked.

Halcen forced himself to speak. "It's me, Halcen!" he was finally able to get out quietly. It almost wasn't loud enough for her to hear him.

"Halcen? You're here? Please, help me! I can't move."

"Neither can I… I'm sorry."

She began to cry harder.

And Halcen realized "I'm sorry" was nowhere near good enough. He needed to do something. He promised to keep her safe. But he knew he wasn't capable of keeping that promise. Not by himself. Though... he was slowly waking up fully from the drugs he had been injected with by Domian. He was going to do his best to break free and get Valentina out of there.

Kumajin was gone for what felt like hours. In his time away, the Kumashinja began to rally about, making preparations for their forced wedding for their god and Valentina. All Halcen could do was writhe in his position, trying desperately to get the strength in his body back and hopefully loosen these fucking chains. If he couldn't he knew Valentina would be doomed to a lifetime of servitude to this monstrosity that called itself a god. And Halcen coulnd't live with that…not that he would be alive to see it seeing as how he was supposed to be their wedding meal.

Fuck this.

Eventually, after forever, the night still hung over the world, Kumajin came back. He wasn't gone long enough though, because Halcen hadn't been able to escape from his bindings, but he was starting to feel some of his strength return. He supposed that the stuff that Domian had forced into him was some potent shit that couldn't just be shrugged off.

Kumajin was carrying something in his giant hands. Compare to him, it looked like an average fruit size in his hand. But Halcen could immediately tell what it was.

Devil Fruit?

Kumajin held onto the fruit like it was a baby. It was mostly black, on the bottom, but changed to a bright red on the top with stars encircling it. It was the shape of a strawberry. This monster meant to force Valentina to eat this Devil Fruit.

God Fruit? That means… this god isn't a god. He's a Devil Fruit user. He's nothing but a Bear Zoan parading as a God. This island is so cut off, he doesn't even realize what it actually is. He truly believes he's a god.

"Please, please!" Halcen shouted. "Don't force her to eat that!"

"Silence, meat!" Kumajin shouted back. "I will have my bride! She will turn into a goddess and then she will be mine!"

Halcen was out of moves. He was there alone, tied up, with not enough strength to get free of the shackles that held him.

"Halcen! Help me!" Valentina cried.

Domian knelt down and opened her mouth, so she couldn't struggle.

Kumajin moved the fruit towards her mouth.

"PLEASE!"

CRACK!