The midnight beast

A drunk man was walking through the side road, an alcohol bottle in one of his hands. He kept singing and waddled into a small ally, where no one was around, and it was pitch black as well. The male kept walking without even thinking twice about the empty alley. Suddenly two red eyes started to foam through the darkness. This man fell on his back and started to crawl back with fear. A giant wolf begins to appear through the dark corner and attacked the man.

Soon after the young travelers had their meals, they head towards the rooms that were given by the owner. Bruno and Julian stayed in one room. Amber and Amara went into another room. Julian sat on his bed and started to remove his boots and placed them aside. Bruno looked at Julian's concerned face. Bruno cleared his throat,

"It seems like something is bothering lord."

Julian looked at Bruno and shrugged off the thought of the creature that the owner was talking about,

"Nothing. I will be back."

Julian wore his boots back on and grabbed the cloak that was lying next to him. Bruno walked up to Julian when Julian was putting his robe on and wearing the hoodie.

"Let me assist you, my lord."

Julian shook his head, refusing Bruno's offer,

"No need, I will be fine by myself."

Julian then grabbed his sword that was leaning against his bed. He wore the strap around his chest, placing his sword on his back. Bruno watched Julian exiting the bedroom. He looked worried so, he grabbed his cloak and his book and decided to follow Julian without his notice.

Julian soon found out the back door as he went out of the pub and noticed he was behind the pub. He looked around as he saw a small well placed near the kitchen area. He found a woman wearing a light blue dress and creating different shapes using the water she got from the well. She was startled when she saw Julian. The water bubbles that were floating above her head started to crash onto her clothes, her hair wet. She sat on the ground while moving her heavy wet hair behind her head. Julian walked up to the female and lent her a hand,

"Get up."

The female looked up at Julian and gently placed her hand above Julian's palm and, held it. Julian pulled her up. The female let go of Julian's hand and hugged herself, and started to shiver, then Julian removed his cloak and put it around the female. The female slightly blushed and looked down at her feet.

"Thank you, sir."

Julian didn't reply to what the female said to him, but he decided to ask a question instead.

"Do you know about the creature that appears after sunset?"

After hearing Julian's Question, the female's skin went completely pale. She gripped tightly onto the cloak and gave Julian a slight nod. Then Julian folded his arms and gave the female a grim face.

"can you tell me about it?"

The female looked at Julian and placed her hands near her skirt, and start to grip onto it.

"Mhm…that creature…"

The female began the clench her jaw, and her wet hair started to fall over her forehead, coving her eyes.

"That creature…killed both my parents and my younger sister…"

Julian looked at the female's face, knowing how much pain she went through after losing her entire family. Julian placed his palm above the female's head,

"Tell me, when did this creature start appearing?"

The female looked up at him, and then she thought for a while, then she remembered how the water pressure the village got was lower than usual.

"When the water pressure of the lakes and rivers went low…and mostly we had to fight for our delay needs…that's when the creature started to appear?"

Julian cupped his chin and thought for a bit as his eyes widen as he muttered a few words,

"Shadow creatures…"

The moment Julian muttered it softly, they heard a woman screaming in front of the pub. The sound made Julian panic. He walked back inside, leaving the female by herself. He blasted out from the Pub's main door, breaking the lock. Bruno rushed next to Julian. They both started at the beast and the woman looking at the wolf with a child in her arms. She looked terrified, and her eyes widened, and she looked frozen in place. Julian pulled out his sword and dashed in front of the women. He slashed his sword and glared at the wolf. The wolf lowered its head and lifted his paw, and slashed Julian using its claws. Julian block the claw attack using his sword crossed over in front of him. He spun his sword and leaped into the air and spun himself as he slashed the sword right into the wolf's head. The wolf started to howl in pain as it took a few steps back, and began to growl. Julian stood on the ground. His sword begins to beaming in flames.

The wolf let out another howl again and ran up to Julian. He let out a deep breath and dashed towards it as well. Amber opened the windows to see what the noise was, and her eyes met with Julian fighting against a fifteen inch tall beast like the wolf. Amber covered her mouth as she watched Julian fighting against the beast by himself.

Bruno quickly rushed towards the women when Julian kept distracting the wolf. He quickly kneeled and gave his hand, the women grabbed Bruno's hand and got up as the young baby stopped crying, the female bowed her head and quickly ran off to safety, Bruno looked at Julian covered in wounds, Julian clenched his teeth and attacked the wolf over and over again.

Bruno closed his eyes and started to chant. The moment Bruno stopped, Amber came rushing to the scene. Vines began to break out from the cement ground, wrapping around the wolf's body, making the wolf unable to move around as it struggled harder to get itself free. Julian used this as a great opportunity, he leaped into the air one more time and stabbed the wolf's head, piercing the blade through its skull, and he kept putting more pressure on the sword until the other end of the sword appeared under the wolf's chin.

The wolf turned into ashes and disappeared into the midair. Everyone who watched this fight started to cheer and clap. Praising for Julian's brave and heroic act and managing to break the villages from this horrible curse. Julian slashed his sword and put the sword back in. he sighed and wiped the blood off his cheek.

Bruno let out a slight chuckle and watched Julian ignoring everyone around him. The female he met watched the fight as well. She approached Julian and blushed even more. She already folded his cloak when she handed it back to him. Amber and Bruno looked at them with confusion. Julian took the cloak,

"Thank you."

He said to the girl with his usual cold tone. The girl shook her head and leaned closer to Julian, placing a kiss on his lips. Julian looked down at the female with his poker face. Amber started at them with a jaw-dropped expression. Bruno cleared her throat and looked away.

"No, thank you, sir."

The girl said with a happy tone as she bowed down and ran off with a bright red face. Julian looked at Amber and leaned closer to her face,

"Were you jealous?"

Amber stuck her tongue out and then looked away from Julian,

"In your dreams! Hmph!"

Bruno chuckled and watched them yelling at each other, and that's how that night went by. Soon it was morning, and we continued their journey. They waved goodbye to the owner and the female who Julian met as they started to leave the village.

(to be continued)