Post by blacknoise on Sept 29, 2015 20:09:36 GMT
CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS!
I hear them chanting my name, I'm a favorite among the circus here, but I certainly don't relish that fact. My life started going downhill the day I was born. Please, listen to my story. No one else will. As they push my cage into the middle of the tent, I hiss and spit at the gathered, pressing crowd. They will let me out soon, another seeks to prove themself on my strength. I know I will overcome them, but I fear the pain I will go through for it.
CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS!
The cage clicks open, the ringmaster bolts towards the door as a burly man flexes in front of me. Tear him to shreds, rip him up, eat all that he is. I kill not out of anger nor rage at my captors. I forgive them, for they see me as nothing more than a mindless monster. How could they know who I am? Trapped in this form, I snarl as the cage is rattled. They want me out, they want me to fight. I am hungry, I need food. The pain in my belly overtakes me now, I can't hold back much longer.
CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS!
It is too late, I am gone.
CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS! CAS-SA-RUS!
Two men stand on podiums, shouting with booming, magically enhanced voices over the roar of the crowd as blood and flesh are splattered over the first few rows of spectators. They overlook a very large cage where a small, female, six-armed creature tears apart what might have been a human male ten minutes ago. Now, as claws and row after row of vicious teeth tear into the screaming, thing, the only thing clearly identifiable in that cage was the certainty that the monster possessed the upper hand.
"And the crowd goes wild! I tell you what, Jon, I've never seen a monster so vicious in all my life! Looks like ol' Cutthroat Cretre won't be earning his freedom afterall."
"That's right, Horne. Looks like the only thing Cretre earned is his spot in hell, along with the other criminals that have taken up the offer to fight this beast for a full pardon."
"Another ten minutes and all that'll be left is his bones. I don't know about you Jon, but I think I'm done with this spectacle."
"Takes a strong man to sit through this, Horne, but this is a good reminder to deter crime out here. This isn't the kingdom of Etirath, that's for sure. This is Nuria."
-
I sit, crying in my cage, hoping for the salty tears to wash away the blood. But nothing comes out, the blood stays caked upon my face, my body heaving in dry sobs. A low voice whispers from beyond the darkness and I perk up. Someone peers at me from beyond, I know their scent. This one, I have never seen them before, but I hear them. They come to my cage at night, they hide behind a crate with a candle, and they read.
I do not know who they are, what they are, or even if they are real. What I know is this, they read to me. They read until the candle burns out, from night to early morning. In their reading, I grown more than accustomed to them, I have begun to love them. As I rest before the next day, before the next fresh hell, I dream of them. Dreaming of what they might look like, of how they might act when they do not read, and most of all I dream of what they read. Words float around me like the foreign night speech from the forgotten depths of Sodden Down. I understand them not, but they fascinate me, and I love to hear them.
One day I will escape, and when I do, I will seek out books. I will read.
-
"Ringmaster, we can't keep this up much longer. I read to her everynight, but it grows bigger and more restless. We're going to have to put it down."
"Damnit, I know. It took so much work in getting that thing created, and for the first part of our decade it was useless and weak. Now, I don't know."
"It's tenth year approaches, it is said their hormones kick in about then, she will begin to grow stronger than we can contain. We must put it down immediately, for our safety and for the safety of the town. We can always make another."
"Yes. One more night then."
"I'm, sorry? Sir?"
"One more night. We have a show lined up tomorrow and-"
"Sir, it needs to be done now. Already, it has grown as big as wild lion, it will continue to get bigger as it develops. We can't risk-"
"I will not cancel the show, one more night and we are done."
"... I understand, sir."
-
This is wrong, I smell the one who reads to me, but it comes at the wrong time. The sun is high in the sky, I begin to feel the hunger, I will be shown again tomorrow. It has been many days since my last meal. Why does it come now? It bears no candle, it's steps are heavy, why does it come now? No no no no go away! I will hurt you, no, go away! I do not want to hurt you! NO!
-
I can barely stand the sight of it. The six armed beast stands on all eight limbs in a tattered shirt that drapes over like a dress to its legs. I hate it. I was supposed to have a beautiful, graceful sister. Instead, I have you, and the small features of humanity in your face fade when you hiss and snarl at me.
Yes, retreat to the back of your cage, monster. I see your teeth. Six rows, I brushed them when you were young. Your long claws disgust me, they're still covered in dried blood from your last meal. Your blonde hair is matted down in dirt, your back is like a hunchback and you're too tall! How can you eat others?! You almost were human! But mother needed money, and you were so easy to sell before you were born. Everything would have turned out great. But you killed her! You killed her coming out of the womb!
You monster! You filthy, feces covered beastie! I want my sister! I want my mom! I don't want you, devil from the deeps! If I could kill the warlock that formed you in the womb, I would. But I can't, so I'll satisfy myself with this. I'll kill you!
-
NONONONO!
-
"I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!"
"I AM GONE."
-
"I should have listened to the boy. Now my monster is gone and my best firespitter is nothing more than a pile of refuse to be removed."
"Wait, what do you mean, ringmaster?"
"Are you deaf?! The monster is gone! It escaped! The boy tried to kill it himself and released it! It's out there hunting now."
"What do we do?"
"It went off in the direction of Etirath. If the tracks it left are to be believed."
"So-?"
"So we go the opposite direction. Pack up the tent, we need to be gone in no more than three hours. News of this cannot reach the authorities til we are far, far away from Nuria."
"And as for the monster?"
"I pity anyone who meets it, but that won't be us."
Name: Cassarus
Age: Tem
Gender: Female
Race: Human monster
Height: 4'2" when hunched over, 5'1 when standing at full height.
Weight: 195lbs
Rank: Citizen
Abilities and weaknesses: Cassarus is a monster formed of man and beast. She possesses six arms capable of bending metal bars apart and claws that are nigh unbreakable. Her magical connections inside her body are screwed up beyond repair, therefore she will never be able to use magic. Her wounds heal relatively quickly, but not super-humanly. Her skin is thick and her spine pushes out like spikes from her back, but it does not hurt her nor hinder her height. Her legs are not particularly strong, but they are strong enough to support her body's heavy, dense weight. Being that she is very dense, her strength is much more than what would be expected of her. That is not to say she appears weak, muscles bulge disgustingly from her body. Her top set of arms are extremely thick skinned, to the point where a blade would have difficulty piercing its hide. However, they are also weak, and unable to hurt much of anything. On the other hand, its two pairs of lower arms are much, much stronger, with the capability to even snap bones with ease. However, they are weak, carrying skin no different than that of a normal human.
She cannot speak very well, limited to select words and phrases because of the many rows of teeth in her mouth. She is, however, highly intelligent nonetheless. She does not desire human flesh, but will eat anything if hungry enough.
Weapon(s): Claws and teeth.
Gear: A very large shirt and a necklace made of bird feathers