The Bloodbath begins

Aldwyn's sprinted through the city streets, his twin blades at the ready. The beasts pursuing him were relentless, their unearthly howls echoing through the night. He ducked into a narrow alley, the buildings pressing in on either side like the jaws of a vice, and took stock of his surroundings. The cobblestone underfoot was slick with rainwater, and the air was thick with the scent of fear and magic.

The first creature, a hulking mass of muscle and fur, lunged at him. Aldwyn sidestepped with the grace of a panther, his blades slicing through the air and leaving deep gouges in the beast's flank. It roared in pain and stumbled, giving him enough time to leap onto a nearby barrel. The barrel rolled down the alley, crashing into the second creature, a spider-like horror with a human torso and eight legs that ended in hooked points. The creature's screech pierced the air as it was sent sprawling.

Aldwyn didn't waste a moment. He vaulted off the wall, his boots sticking to the cold, wet stones as if they were made of velvet. He raced along the wall, using his momentum to propel himself up to the rooftop. The beasts followed, their movements jerky and inhuman. He could hear the clack of their claws on the cobblestone and the wet smack of their grotesque limbs against the damp walls.

On the rooftop, Aldwyn surveyed the chaos unfolding in the streets below. The city was in an uproar, with flashes of red and yellow light dancing in the rain. The cries of the innocent and the roars of the transformed guards filled the air, a cacophony of panic and carnage.

The beasts leaped onto the rooftops after him, their eyes burning with the light of the demonic transformation. He readied his stance, blades gleaming in the moonlight. A creature, a grotesque amalgamation of a lizard and a man, lunged with a hiss. Aldwyn spun aside, his blades slicing through the air, and the creature's tail whipped around, smashing into a chimney, sending bricks cascading into the street.

Aldwyn used the distraction to sprint along the roofline, his boots barely making a sound. He leaped from one rooftop to the next, the gap yawning wide beneath him. The beasts pursue him, their movements clumsy yet powerful. He reached the end of the roof and, without a second thought, hurled himself into the void, his blades flashing in the moonlight. He landed on the back of a pursuing creature, a demonic hound with eyes like glowing embers. He plunged his blades into the creature's spine, the beast's howl piercing the night as it collapsed beneath him.

„Fucking hell, there are a lot of them..." Aldwyn thought to himself as he immediately focused on the beasts again.

Using the momentum of his landing, Aldwyn rolled and sprinted again, leaping across a narrow alley onto the next rooftop. The remaining beasts closed in, their forms a twisted parody of humanity. He vaulted over the edge of a building, using the shadows to his advantage, and swung from a hanging sign, his blades slashing through the air. Two of the creatures, a bat-like creature with a man's face and a hunched, four-armed abomination, followed.

As Aldwyn reached the opposite rooftop, he noticed a conveniently placed wooden water tank. He smashed it with a swift kick, sending a torrent of water gushing down onto the pursuers. The weight of the water knocked the bat creature off course, sending it flailing into the alley below with a sickening crunch. The four-armed monstrosity, however, managed to catch itself on the edge of the roof, its claws digging into the shingles.

Aldwyn reacted quickly and drew his revolver, he aimed with precision and shot the beast directly in the head. The head exploded in a blue liquid and the body fell into the dark alley.

....

Master Sewell had always been a formidable warrior, but now, facing the transformed guards, his skills were truly put to the test. His eyes narrowed as he assessed the monsters that now pursued him. With a swift pivot, he swung his sword in an arc of gleaming steel, cutting through the air and leaving a trail of blue flame in its wake. The first creature, a creature with the torso of a man and the legs of a spider, shrieked as the blade sliced through one of its limbs, sending it spiraling into a nearby wall.

The second creature, a hulking mass of fur and teeth, barreled towards him, but Sewell was ready. He rolled under its outstretched arms and, in one fluid motion, brought the sword down onto its back. A burst of light accompanied the blow, and the creature's fur smoldered as if doused in holy fire. It roared in pain and stumbled, giving Sewell the opening he needed to deliver a swift, silent thrust into its throat. The creature's eyes rolled back, and it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Master Sewell didn't slow down. He leaped onto a nearby cart, using the momentum to catapult himself over the remaining beasts. His blade sang through the air, leaving a trail of blue sparks as he swung it in a wide arc, carving a path through the monsters.

The cart's contents scattered across the cobblestone street, and as he landed, he grabbed a metal rod from the debris. The rod began to glow with the same blue light that danced in his eyes, now a weapon of both steel and magic. The creatures stumbled back, momentarily blinded by the sudden flare of light.

Master Sewell took advantage of their disorientation, sprinting towards a nearby alley where the shadows pooled thickly. He flung the rod into the air, and it split into a dozen smaller shards, each one trailing a ribbon of blue flame. They streaked through the night like a meteor shower, piercing the eyes of the demonic guards. The creatures wailed in agony, giving Sewell the opening to charge into their midst, his sword a blur as he carved through flesh and bone.

....

In the Hall of the Sword the situation was resolved, both members who turned into creatures were cut by Gustav's war axe.

Gustav's eyes reflected a deep sadness. "May you rest in peace, my friends."

Just as Gustav was about to give an order, the front door shattered and a large creature gained entry.

Gustav, Lila and the others looked at it in shock and immediately prepared to finish the creature off.

The creature was a towering mass of muscles and fur, standing at least twelve feet tall with a head that resembled a wolf's skull. Its eyes were a deep crimson that seemed to burn with an inner fire, and its gaping maw was lined with rows of serrated teeth that dripped with a noxious green saliva. The creature had six limbs, two of which ended in hands with fingers that were more like claws, and four that ended in paws with long, curved talons that scraped the floor as it moved. Its fur was mottled black and red, and it had a thick mane of the same colors that flowed down its neck and back. The creature's shoulders bore heavy armor plating, remnants of the High Confessor's guards that had been twisted and fused into its flesh.

"By the gods," Lila breathed, her eyes wide with shock. "What manner of beast is this?"

Before the creature could charge at them, something unexpected happened. It blew up and exploded into several pieces. The whole area was drenched in its green blood.

Gustav couldn't believe what he had just seen. "What in the name of the ancients was that?" he exclaimed, wiping the vile substance from his face with the back of his hand.

A silhouette appeared at the entrance. As it came closer, it became clearer. His skin was pale, almost translucent. His hair was a wild tangle of black curls that framed a face that was both hauntingly beautiful and terrifyingly cruel. His eyes turned out to be pools of pure malice.

"I apologize for the trouble. That was not our intention, but so be it." Said the person standing in full view in front of Gustav and Lila. "Where are my manners... My name is Enigma and I come by order of the Baron. Who's in charge here?"