Chapter 12: Retribution

Fair warning that there are mentions of sexual assault / rape. nothing graphic just implied.

I can say that I do not intend to do anything along these lines ever again, but it may happen.

I do have a discord if anyone wants to give me feedback or they have some questions.

https://discord.gg/Sju4uNch

A bit more of a larger chapter, hope you all enjoy

Watching the guards move in we made the choice to restrain ourselves and comply with the human slug in front of us. We still hadn't learnt his name and frankly I didn't want to familiarise myself with him any further,

"Come I'll show you what we have to offer here, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised." With a smirk plastered on his round face. I wasn't sure where he got his confidence from, the sights outside didn't provide his authority any benefit, if anything it showed just how inept he actually was.

Following him into a shoddily built building nearby, glancing up I couldn't imagine he would be able to traverse any path that required effort. His incessant jiggling, waddling shuffle was horrible to watch, and I looked anywhere else I could to avoid the sight. Moving into the building showed no improvement from the outside, we could see people cowering against the wall, predominantly female which made some terrible thoughts cross my mind.

As we moved into the building, I could feel my anger grow as the mistreatment and neglect shown towards the residents became more apparent. We could see this pig of a human being surrounded by luxuries denied others. From massive amounts of food and comforts that were completely unnecessary, he had 2 beds pushed together and we could see the sweaty stained sheets bundled up at the foot of the bed.

Disturbingly we could see scratches and gouges leading towards the bed, which didn't do our view of him any service. My opinion plummeted and I just wanted to get out of here, finally coming to another room with a table and a few chairs he waved us in and we reluctantly took some seats, the guards set up at the door and we could hear more shuffling outside.

Looking at us with a smile, "so I'm glad you took my offer and joined me inside, being out there is just so depressing, not a great place to have any kind of talk." With look of disgust on his face we could only stare at him and wonder how someone could turn out so utterly horrible.

"Yes thank you for the invite but we really need to get going, don't want our friends to worry and they are a bit of a distance away. We don't want to get caught outside after dark." I responded showing no emotion, not trusting myself not to give away my feelings.

"Oh but you haven't even experienced our hospitality yet, surely we could protect you much better than anything out in the forest. How about your friends, don't you want to bring them here as well, we have nice strong walls we can protect you with." He tried to persuade us with his words.

"Oh we have survived pretty well so far, we aren't too worried about that." Not falling for anything that came out of his mouth.

"Are you sure? We have plenty to offer here and I'm sure you'll be...happy here."

"No we appreciate your hospitality but we need to get goi….." we were interrupted with a scream,

"NO!!! LEAVE ME ALONE! NO NO NO!", coming from outside, sounding like a young voice crying out, which stopped as quick as it started.

"What was that?" Dan questioned.

"Oh uh…that…um…. It was nothing, nothing at all, probably just a disagreement. It happens sometimes, nothing to worry about." He quickly responded looking around furtively eyeing the guards, as well as a bit annoyed that we heard something. We could hear some shuffle behind us and could make out the sound of someone moving away.

Not wanting to hear anything further we abruptly stood up, not liking what we had seen the whole time being in this compound, feeling extremely dirty and needing to get out. We stood up ignoring his protests and made our way to the door where we were blocked by the guards, ready to square up we looked back to the man and saw him nod to the guards.

They moved out of the way, and we proceeded to walk towards the exit, part of the way there we stopped hearing the sound of a muffled scuffle coming from the hallway to the left, see scuff marks on the ground looking like something was dragged. Looking at the others I made the decision to investigate and as I moved down the hallway, I heard from behind me "hey wait! You can't go down there." I turned to see Dan, Michael and Sarah blocking the guards off from stopping me. I made my way down the hallway and when I turned the corner I stopped dead in my tracks, what I saw froze me and all thought fled my mind.

One of the guards was dragging a young woman to a room at the end of the hallway, she was gagged, and her hands had been tied. She was still coherent and upon spotting me looking on she turned her teary eyes to me with hope in them pleading for me to help her. I hadn't felt such rage cross my mind even when I saw Sarah get groped by the guard and with a speed that defied reason I burst from my spot and ran at the man, he feeling his captive stop moving and turned around. Spotting me he looked on in shock as I virtually teleported to him I was moving so fast, with a fist cocked back I unleashed a thunderous punch right into his chest feeling it cave in and his body go rocketing back into the wall.

Panting and feeling the adrenalin running through my system, I put that piece of human filth out of my mind and made my way back to the women and bending down I slowly moved to untie her. Making sure I moved carefully and while reassuring her I got her released from the rope and gag, upon being free she proceeded to pull me into a fierce hug with tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you thank you thank you, I thought...noone....wascoming."

"It's ok, he won't hurt you anymore." Reassuring her, while holding her in my embrace comforting her in her distress.

While on the ground helping her recover, the others had made their way around the corner hearing the commotion, Dan and my group were the first to the scene and upon witnessing us they were wide eyed. Coming quick after them were the guards, who seeing their fellow guard motionless behind us started drawing weapons. Sarah quickly coming to the conclusion after all that happened turned back to the guards present in fury.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DO SOMETHING SO EVIL?!!?!" Taking heavy steps towards them with Dan and Michael right behind her.

The guards took a few steps back before they got their confidence being surrounded by superior numbers. The lead guard stepped forward and in a show of strength responded with such confidence,

"HEY! We look after these people and put ourselves on the line so they can be safe, they should be happy we give them attention at all."

Looking at each other after seeing someone utter such nonsense the three of them were just shocked, "You have no right to force yourself on someone without their consent, regardless of what you do to "protect" them. The fact you think it gives you the right is so apprehensible, if you were any sort of decent human being, you would know just how wrong that is."

Seeing the guards unable to come back with any form of proper response I stood up still supporting the young women. We moved to join the others of my group and as we got close, I could feel the young women shrink into herself the closer we got, turning to her I had to reassure her so we could get closer, "don't worry they aren't going to hurt you anymore, we've got you it's going to be ok." Though I was utterly shocked when she turned back to me and whispered,

"No it's not, you're going to leave us, and they will do it again, I'm scared people have…. People have been going missing. I don't want to disappear as well." The fury that shot across my face had everyone take a step back as I turned to the guards.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!?". The tension in the air was palpable and I could see the guards looking around nervously and avoiding eye contact.

Sarah turned to me, "David, what's wrong? What is it?

"These pieces of shit had been taking people and they don't return." Rounding on the guards, "where have they gone? TELL ME!", I could see everyone shudder as I unleashed my fury on the guards.

The guards avoided eye contact until I singled one of them out, "YOU! tell me what I want to know!"

I could see the fear on his face as I singled him out and he struggled to get any word out of his mouth, "umm…well..ah…",

"TALK!"

"It's the boss, he asks us to get people for him, we don't know why but he asks about once a week, maybe more."

"And what the hell was that before? That wasn't the boss you little shit." Spitting back in vitriol.

"Well…ah…. we sometimes do stuff before we bring them to the boss. "He responded back meekly.

Hearing his response had my friends in a rage, just so utterly horrified by what was transpiring. If we hadn't come across this compound just what would have continued happening.

"After you boss is "done" with them what happens? Where do they go?" Saying with anger infused words.

"Well, we don't know, after we take them in, we don't see them again." He said with apprehension.

"You don't think to ask him?" Michael asks.

"Well, ah….. no, we don't. He's said that they've been taken elsewhere before, so we've left it."

"Holy shit and you didn't think to check?" asking in sheer amazement at their lack of care. Not waiting for a response, I turned to my group, "let's go and check on this boss, we need some answers.", getting nods from each we push past the guards now looking properly subdued by the past few minutes. Something about the interaction was odd but I wasn't in any frame of mind to think properly right now.

"Wait don't leave me, especially with them." The women ran up to us staying close to me.

"Don't worry we won't leave you with these animals." Reassuring her.

Moving back down the hallway with the group behind me and further back the guards loosely following. We made it to the room where we had met with the boss to find it empty, not finding anything we spread out and looked around the building and finally congregating outside the bedroom which was the last place to search.

Opening the door we entered warily and saw the "boss" bent over on the ground with some figure in front of him and a disgusting slurping gurgling noise emanating from his front. As we moved into the room we felt the temperature plummet and a chill run down our spines, hearing the noise behind him the man straightened up and we could see a massive red stain spreading on the floor, which previously had been covered by the rug.

"HEHEHEHEHEHE, you humans are just so pathetic" the voice which came from the body was pure evil, no other way to describe it.

"Just so easy to manipulate, all ripe for the picking. So much energy in such a weak body. HAHAHAHAHAHA"

Feeling chills run down my spine, "what are you?"

"Oh, I am far beyond your comprehension, you're just a source of food for me and you should be proud that you have some use to a being like me. Though now that you've come this far, I can't let you escape and take away my food."

With that I could feel the air become heavier, an almost solid feeling to it weighing us down. As the man walked turned to us we saw a red stain running down his shirt and covering his jaw and neck, feeling my stomach turn from the thought of what it was. I saw his form shift as he got closer to us, neck and arms elongating with claws sprouting from his fingertips that shone menacingly in the light.

Tongue darting out tasting the air he looked at us and his twin orbs of darkness drew me into a trance. Feeling a fog settle over my mind I was sinking deeper and deeper losing myself in an abyss. After what felt like hours a certain sense of perception brought me back from the brink and with a herculean effort I fought against the veil. Pushing and pushing refusing to be cowered I struggled and with a final push dispelled the barrier keeping me under, coming back to reality I saw the man now demon stare at me in shock.

"How, how could a human like you break my hold?" He stared in amazement.

Looking around I saw that half the guards had been dismembered and my group had been left untouched. Everyone was in a deep trance with no apparent reaction to what was happening.

"Hmmmm you are a curious one, yes you are, you and you friends smelt different and now I know something is different from these other meals I'm used to."

With that I could feel another force try and settle over me but whatever had happened before had changed me in some way, I could feel the barrier try and settle over me and with a fraction of the effort I put forward earlier I forced the feeling back. Staring at me with renewed interest the demon like being stalked forward, eyes intensifying he put more force into his mental assault and with some degree of effort I withstood the pressure.

Gritting my teeth, I got my bearings and with a mighty leap I launched myself forward, jumping and with feet leading unloaded a flying kick sending him stumbling back into the wall. With that any hold he had on the other individuals in the room was released, seeing everyone come back into reality and seeing the scene unfold the remaining guards scrambled for the door to escape dropping everything they had been holding.

The demon seeing the scene flew into a rage and with wild abandon he darted into the group and swinging his claws created a macabre dance strewing body parts all over the place. Looking on with a grim countenance we thought about the fight ahead of us, needing to stop this thing before it continues its reign of terror causing more death. Darting for some weapons nearby I managed to get 2 spears a machete and a handgun, throwing the machete to Daniel, Michael and I took the spears and Sarah had the handgun.

Without pause we darted forward, Dan for a slice at the creatures back and Michael and I thrust our spears trying to cripple his legs. Feeling the slice at his back he swung around eyeing the spears approaching him and shuffled to the side spinning around our thrusts avoiding injury. Sarah sighted him with the gun and let off a few shots, we watched on in shock as the bullets barely punctured his skin, being quickly pushed out due to some crazy healing factor he had.

This is going to be our hardest fight yet and we have to give it our all if we want to get out of this alive and save the people. Glancing at Dan and Michael I saw they were ready and following Dan's lead while he moved straight at the demon I moved left and lunged in aiming for the side of his knee, aiming to slow him down. The boss moved to the right avoiding the spear and slice of the machete, and moments later he showed an unexpected level of agility and flipped over Michael avoiding his spear. Upon landing he lunged forward claws slicing through the air drawing bloody furrows in Michael's back who fell forward screaming out in pain.

Watching this happen it felt like minutes but in reality, took only seconds and watching on as one of our own was severely injured was upsetting. Hardening our resolve Dan and I shot forward providing a distraction, continuously thrusting and cutting trying to land something. Sarah moved forward dragging Michael back to get him away from danger, the demon seeing this attempted to stop her and seeing the impending danger I rushed forward and placed myself between her and the creature.

Seeing his objective be blocked he let loose a fierce snarl and wove around my thrusts and with a heavy backhand got me across the face and I was sent spinning across the room landing 10 metres away. Hitting the ground, I could only watch in horror as he made his way over to Sarah and Michael unhindered and reared back for a slice with his claws. Hearing a swooshing noise, he ducked with superhuman reflexes dodging a machete spinning through the space his head once occupied. Roaring in a rage running up behind the demon, Daniel had picked up the spear and was in the process of thrusting his spear at the unprotected back presented in front of him.

Thinking he had him at a disadvantage Dan over committed to the thrust, and at the last minute the demon with a quick spin turned and knocked the spear away with his off hand, completing the turn with a hand out wide going for a slash that would bisect Dan in two if it landed. Watching on in shock as the quick movement and terrified it would be the last I saw of my friend I was amazed yet again as he ducked under the swing letting go of the spear and pivoting on his foot as he maneuvered around the demon.

Leaping forward he aimed for the machete he had previously thrown, with the demon furious it wasn't able to land a hit in hot pursuit. Managing to get to the weapon before the demon got him, Dan picked up the machete making a wild swing behind himself keeping the demon at bay. Gaining time to stand up and set himself I could see a level of seriousness that I hadn't witnessed on his face in a long time.

Moving into range he started slashing with the machete, aiming for his torse and legs trying to lame him and reduce the threat of his limbs. The demon moving around the blade avoiding the cuts aimed at him moving in a way that was so contrary to the body he had. Dan in the process had received some small cuts from the claws but had avoided anything serious, though it was the constant accumulation of smaller injuries that would get him in the end.

Making another few passes I noticed Dan accumulating more cuts, again nothing serious but they were happening, however I had started to notice that towards the end of the current exchange Dan had started to make some glancing blows on the demon. It seems that the Demon had started to notice as well seeing the look on his face, however he wasn't able to stop Dan from adapting.

Bringing myself back together after the hit I received I made my way to my weapon and upon picking it up I moved to Sarah to help her get Michael off to the side and stabilised. We managed to bind his cuts with some of the remaining clothes around the area, leaving her to watch over him I moved over to Dan and the demon, in the process of looking after Michael the combat between the two of them had become far more even.

Dan had been receiving less cuts, if anything he was able to avoid them all together doing just as well as the demon in avoiding injury. However, having a longer reach with the added length of the machete he was able to score mark after mark on the demons' arms, amazingly hitting the same spot time after time. Thinking about it made me look on in wonder as the control and speed would have to be phenomenal in order to do that at the speeds the two of them were moving.

Barely managing to keep track of the movements I watched on to spot any openings that I could capitalise on. Seeing a few but being too slow to take notice I figured the best thing I could do was to make some probing thrusts and draw some of the attention without being drawn too far in. Waiting for a moment I started going for his back between swipes at Dan and I could notice after a moment that taking even a bit of his attention was allowing Dan to take advantage of the opportunity and inflict some more serious impacts on the Demons limbs.

Having drawn some attention also reduced the load on Dan and meant it was only a matter of time until we were able to seriously injure him and decide the outcome of the encounter. It was a matter of minutes until we were able to inflict a relatively serious would with Dan swinging with renewed strength capitalising on a moment of distraction by the Demon. Breaking through his forearm and cutting halfway through, severing muscle and tendons, we watch the limb go limp and flop to his side. I saw my moment and thrust my spear toward his injured side penetrating about 20cm into his torse and upon pulling the weapon out blood gushed out of the wound.

Seeing the demon flinch back from the two injuries dan capitalised and with another swing made another deep incision onto his opposite leg causing some serious injury and diminishing the threat of the Demon significantly. We didn't drop our guard though as based on our experience so far, he was too dangerous a threat to not be on our guard against.

Taking a few steps back we watched him preparing for the final to our fight, making eye contact with each other from across his body we prepared to move in and finish it when the Demon let out a mighty roar, seeing a wave spread out from his body pushing us back against the walls to our rear. Seeing that the ability took it out of him, and he looked pale and unsteady on his feet, in a moment of cowardice he made a run towards the door trying to escape.

Seeing this happen despair welled in our hearts knowing that if he was to escape, he would bring untold destruction on this area. Then come back stronger than ever with a much more increased threat against what we had sworn to protect, we couldn't let this happen and needed to do something…. anything to stop it. With a final last-ditch effort, I made my way to my feet and with a cry I put everything into a final throw with my spear sending it shooting towards the Demon as he neared the door.

It got closer and closer, and I could see Dan had done the same thing with his machete, as they made their way towards the Demon we could see that he was so close to escape and prayed to anything that was listening that our throws held true and ended the threat to the forest and people inhabiting it.