ROUGH DRAFT

The Beast sat upon its throne looking out at the masses of monstrosities in attendance. One of its scouts had brought in an impressive catch. Thought extinct, several Humans had been captured in proximity to a previously undiscovered and unexplored cave system. The Beast had gathered its minions to set them out upon the caverns in search of more Humans. The Beast stood up from its throne.

Its gravely voice boomed loudly above the crowd, “Quiet!”

The Demons, Devils, and denizens of darkness in attendance shuddered with fear as the entire mass grew silent simultaneously. Standing at almost ten feet tall, The Beast towered above the masses from his raised dais. His thick ivory horns stood out in stark contrast to his midnight black skin. His hands and feet were adorned with ivory talons and he wore nothing aside from a leather loincloth.

The Beast glowed faintly with sweat under the flickering torchlight. It swung its massive head back and forth intently studying the gathered crowd. After several minutes of silence, The Beast sat back down into its throne.

“You have all been gathered here tonight for a monumental announcement!” its loud voice echoed out through the masses. “We have been made aware of Humans in the area.”

Murmurs and whispers sprang from the crowd. Shrieks and shouts of excitement flared up randomly, as did claps from several gatherers.

“Quiet!” The Beast roared. “I want these Humans dug from their burrows! I want them dragged from their beds!”

A unanimous cheer built amongst the attendees, the murmuring rose louder.

“I want them slaughtered in their homes! I want to feast upon the flesh of their children!”

The roar of the crowd was overwhelming. Creatures thrashed and clawed at one another in frenzied madness. Blood sprayed the diabolical crowd as creatures were slaughtered by others is a mass display of hysteria.

“It is good that you are eager to please,” The Beast snarled at the crowd. “Those that fail me are doomed to pain their debt in pain and suffering!”

An Ettin was led onto the dais by a Devil and a Lich. Entranced by the Lich, the lumbering giant spawn knelt a few meters from the throne.

“This stupid creature was the leader of a tribe of Ettins in control of the area where the Humans were found. They chose not to inspect the caverns on their land,” The Beast lectured as it stood again. “Its kin are dead! It will die!”

The Beast plunged the talons of its right hand into the thick hide of the Ettin between its two heads. With a powerful shove, The Beast sliced through the Ettin’s muscle and flesh. The Beast’s talons dug their way downward until they slid free of flesh. One of the Ettin’s heads fell to the dais and rolled off into the crowd as the other screamed in agony. A pack of Werewolves howled in unison as they claimed the head to feast. They were quickly set upon by all manner of fiends intent on tasting the tempting flesh.

The Beast raked its talons across the back of the Ettin, filleting its flesh as they moved slowly. The Ettin screamed out in pain, unable to make any discernible words. Blood soaked the dais as the onlookers fought for flesh and screamed for more.

“This is the fate of those who fail me!” The Beast roared. “This is the fate of those who anger me! Find the Humans! Kill them all! Bring me their flesh!”

The horde of gruesome creatures stampeded as they all began to exit the assembly grounds. The Beast sat back on his throne and watched as they tore at one another, eager to be the first to please their Master. It ran its long tongue along the edge of its talons, savoring the taste of the Ettins blood. A wide smile crossed its face.

Several Zombies loitered about as the gatherers departed. Imps and Gargoyles and other flying nightmares could be seen outdistancing the ground troops. Boogeymen and Bedbeasts crawled amongst the shadows. Trolls and Goblins fought as Orcs and Gremlins clawed through their lines. The Beasts smile parted showing a multitude of sharp ivory teeth as it looked on.

The Beast would destroy Humanity simply because they existed. For all of the emptiness The Beast felt within, Humanity would be punished tenfold.

*****

The school bell rang, signaling to the children that recess was over. The teachers held the doors as the children shuffled back inside the small schoolhouse. The children laughed and played as they moved along the hall, dividing up into their separate classes as they went. Slowly they all made their way to their desks followed closely by their teachers.

The second bell rang, letting the schoolhouse know that classes had resumed.

“Open your history books to chapter fourteen students. This afternoon we’ll be discussing the dark ages and the myths and legends surrounding the religious wars of those times,” the teacher explained to the class. “Why is it important to learn about myths and legends?” An eager young man raised his hand quickly. “Go ahead, Adrian.”

“Learning about the myths and legends of our past helps us to avoid believing those same superstitions and fears in our current society, Mr. Smith,” Roger stated with confidence.

“Roger is correct,” Mr. Smith acknowledged. “Now why is it important to avoid those things? How about you Tiffany?”

Tiffany looked up for a moment, surprised by her name being called out. She closed her notebook and placed her pencil down.

“It would help if you were paying attention, young lady,” Mr. Smith said. “My question was, why is it important to avoid believing in superstition and fear like our ancestors?”

“So our society doesn’t become violent and chaotic like they were,” Tiffany answered.

“Correct,” Mr. Smith said. “Pay attention. Now, Georgia, why does superstition and fear lead to a violent society?”

“Superstitions lead society to believe in things that are not real and that causes people to be afraid?” Georgia responded.

“Are you asking us or telling us?” Mr. Smith asked, drawing a few chuckles from the class. “You’re right, but more importantly, why does being afraid cause society to become violent?”

Before anyone could respond to him, the siren at the fire station began to whine to life. They were quickly followed by the town alert sirens.

“Alright, alright, calm down now,” Mr. Smith said. “Just a little emergency, nothing to be concerned about.”

As he finished the sound of an ambulance screamed out from somewhere in town. The familiar crackle and pop of the classroom loudspeaker filled the room followed by the voice of the school principal.

“Children and teachers, please exit your classrooms and move calmly and quietly to the auditorium.”

After another moment of static and a loud pop, the loudspeaker was silent. The children stood as they were instructed and began to move back into the hallway.

“Take your time everyone, be careful and move to auditorium,” Mr. Smith said, echoing other teachers as classroom doors opened.

The school building vibrated on its foundation in the wake of an explosion. The children began to scream in terror, pushing and running toward the auditorium. Some students panicked and ran out the doors. Others struggled and fought to get back in as those outside began screaming out in pain and horror, begging for help.

The situation was getting out of hand. Teachers were trying to scream over students in an attempt to get them organized and into the auditorium together. The sound of glass shattering filled the halls as students attempted to find other exits.

A loud shriek came from the direction of the auditorium, causing several students to fall over others as they attempted to stop in place. Several more screams accompanied the sounds of bones snapping and flesh tearing. A few of the students closest to the auditorium doors vomited as they stood frozen in terror by what was inside.

“Monsters!” one student screamed as he ran out of the auditorium.

An octopus-like tentacle darted out of the auditorium, catching the boys foot and dragging him back in. The same happened to three other students. The doors in the school lobby burst from their hinges cutting through several students and one teacher. Green gas floated inside as a tall decomposing figure shambled into the school. Nearby students caught in the gas began to vomit violently, forcing them to stop to become food for the Ghoul.

Dozens of giant spiders skittered through the door and up onto the walls. Multiple students were caught in webs and dragged up to the ceiling. Their screams were muffled as the spiders spun them into cocoons. Ghostly shadows seeped through the open entryway, possessing unsuspecting children nearby. The possessed children quickly turned on nearby friends, biting and clawing into their skin.

Mr. Smith stood in the hall frozen as if he were paralyzed. Confronted with the reality that everything he was raised to teach as a historian was a façade, he was literally unable to move. This ultimately proved to him that the theory that their history was designed to redirect their society was true. A theory he had written off as conspiracy and lunacy at a young age.

Georgia slammed hard into Mr. Smith and the pair fell to the floor. Mr. Smith motioned toward the classroom and they crawled through the out of control students. Roger slammed the door as Mr. Smith and Georgia crossed the threshold together, causing both to yelp in surprise. Several students were crouched under desks or huddled together in corners.

The glass shattered out of the classroom door as a large spiked ball attached to a chain smashed through and embedded into the interior wood. The door snapped and cracked as it exploded outward behind the force of the wielder retrieving its weapon. Crashing footsteps preceeded the horned bull-like head that bowed into the room. The Minotaur squeezed its shoulders into the classroom doorway and flexed its powerful muscles. Wooden splinters rained down around the room as the Minotaur smashed the doorframe and walls around it forcefully.

Children screamed in terror as the beast shook its head wildly, tearing ceiling panels free with its horns. The Minotaur swung its weapon with precision, quieting one of the children with expert ease. Most of the rest scattered like insects, panicked and out of control with fear. The Minotaur gored a nearby girl, and Mr. Smith wretched as her limp body flailed with the Minotaur’s movement.

The Minotaur swung its giant flail again, shattering a desk and smashing the young man hidden beneath. Filled with shame and remorse, Mr. Smith stood frozen in shock as the Minotaur turned its attention to him. With a flick of its powerful wrist, the Minotaur gave flight to the ball at the end of its flail. Too late, Mr. Smith spun around to run. He heard the loud snap of the chain behind him.

A whooshing sound grew louder behind Mr. Smith as time slowed down. He was aware of his right foot hitting the ground. Thud. The whooshing sound grew louder still. He was aware of his left foot hitting the ground. Thud. He thought of his wife Jessie. Thud. Whoosh.