The Beast Within

The town was silent on her approach. Empty as Ghostbound. Only the shadows and a corpse remained. She approached with caution, looking upon the large body on the ground. Whitish-bone and blood replacing the once fleshy face. He was a bounty hunter. She could tell by the shotgun shells strapped to the belt around his chest. 

Lyolis stumbled through the doors of the saloon, bones popping. Nearly collapsing to the ground; she kept to her feet, moving towards the back. A trail of blood painted the room. Glass shattered on the ground. Tables overturned. The fresh reek of death, lingering from the man outside. 

The door at the back was open, and a man loomed over a boy, gun drawn to his forehead.

Around the door, the shadow kept her concealed. 

 "Was it you that sent those bears after us?" 

"I don't know nothing about no bears —"

"Shut up!" He whipped the gun across Boone's face, driving him to the dirt. The boy groaned and spat two teeth. "You best hope my boy is alive, or this will be worse for you."

Lyolis's body jerked to life, popping and cracking towards the man. You bastard hurt Zoar … Her host stumbled forward, moving with more haste. And I'm going to make you pay.

Mitch turned at the hips, swinging his barrel on her. "What the fuck …"

Lyolis pushed the last bit of energy into the creatures legs, screeching at the man. 

The gun flared. Bullet thumping into the hosts chest, unable to bring her down. Lyolis kept moving, drawing a few paces away.

"Fall you piece of shit—"

Boone yanked the shard of obsidian from his hip, driving it through Mitch's thigh, hitting bone. He wailed. Lyolis gave her burst to legs, springing forward, driving the man to the ground.

Lyolis screamed with all her might; black ooze drained from the host washing Mitch's face. Revolver blasting off. He fell limpless.

Lyolis whipped the creatures head, staring at the boy. The structures behind him fading like a mist.

"Thank you," Boone said, drawing his blade from the man. He smiled.

From her chest, her heart slammed and lungs filled while Boone slowly vanished. 

Lyolis collapsed from her chair, heaving her guts out. Black liquid expelling through her lips.

Tonsi came to her aid, holding back her hair. "Good. You're getting that out of your system."

"What is." Lyolis throat burned, abdominal stretching, liquid pouring. "Happening?"

Tonsi spoke softly. " What they told me was, when the psycrasite dies you return to consciousness too quickly, whereas if the alchemy fades. This rush back to consciousness creates a dizzy spell and churns your insides, causing one to vomit. Pretty sick if you ask me."

Lyolis could smell the sour bile stench that filled the canyon. A reek caused by the many pools extinguished from the others in the room. 

Once she caught her breath and wiped the tears, Lyolis gazed around the room. The ring of chairs mostly empty. She looked to her left, seeing the throne sat on ghosts. 

"Where's the Mayor?"

"I'm not certain … I believe they moved him once we linked."

Lyolis wheezed and coughed. Nothing came out. She massaged her stomach. "You mean to tell me, he didn't go under?"

Tonsi shook her head. "He went under ... they just moved him somewhere else … I'm uncertain where, but should return to our parents."

Lyolis stood to her feet, glaring at Baxter then Bonejaq. Their eyelids held tight. Head limp against their shoulder, drooling pouring through their lips. Beneath their skin, their muscles twitched though their limbs failed to respond. 

She walked over to Baxter, twisting at her hips and driving a fist to fast. The man's head bobbed to the otherside. Tonsi eyes widened and she laughed. Running over and throwing weight into her swing. Bonejaqs head whipped right.

Lyolis shook her hand, "it would've hurt less inside the host."

Tonsi nodded, "I know," waving her own. "Let's go."

The pair were guided back to the podium where the others cheered, and coin was being given out like candies. Everybody to wrapped up to notice they'd been missing. 

"What happened to you out there?"

Tonsi laughed and shrugged. "After I spat black, oil onto the man with wild eyes, I ran down these tunnels and tried to attack this Drovodian — and next thing I know my I'm looking at my body — he snipped my hosts head clean off."

They laughed lightly.

Lylois wrapped her arms around the girl, squeezing. "Thank you for your help."

"Don't mention it." Tonsi squeezed a bit too hard.

Lyolis pulled away, clutching her mouth. "I'm going to run to the restroom ... Thanks again."

"You best hurry—"

Lyolis was off, finding the loo just outside the podium. She swung the wooden door open, locked it, and ran, dropping to her knees over a black hole. The feces on the toilet made her stomach churn more and she could taste the reek. 

For several minutes she hacked air and cough, stomach feeling like it was being stabbed by daggers. She hacked once more then composed herself. Wiping the tears from her eyes and drool from her lips.

"Get it together, Lyolis … You might've won the tournament."

Lyolis rose to her feet and turned towards the mirror; she screamed, placing a hand over her lips. Another reflection stared back at her. Again not of her own, nor was it the host, but a beast with round black eyes, an elongated snout, and fur coarse and brown as leather.

She felt the beast blood push through her veins and her heart pound heavy. Lyolis lips raised; the creatures fangs showed. She raised a hand and  the mirrored her with a paw. 

Lyolis laughed. "You've finally revealed yourself … the beast within me."