Masquerade of Madness Decisions of the Wrong Kind: Part three

Creed was locked into a heated battle. One-Eye kept up a fast attack until his buddy, One-Arm, showed up to jump Creed, too. Creed blocked one with his sword and barely dodged the other. A homeless man momentarily diverted his attention – it was Louie. "Run!" Creed yelled out to him. Louie did, but a Nard whacked Creed sending him flying.

"See," Louie called out, "he is a monster."

Baxter joined Louie to watch the fight from a safer distance. "If he is a monster, then tell me why he protected that woman, and you."

"Oh, I don't know. Don't go messing with me head."

Creed felt scared now, but due to his training, he knew fear had no place on the battlefield. He stood up as another blow struck him in the gut. Good thing he decided to wear his armor today, he thought as he rebounded.

Sue slashed out, hitting only air as a Nard went after her again. She continued her weak attempt to fight.

Brandon held onto Crystal tightly. He wanted to run, but he could not leave her behind. The pregnant Nard jumped for them, opening her stomach, revealing her tentacles, protecting a baby behind them. Her tentacles lashed out and grabbed Brandon, dragging him into her gaping stomach.

Crystal tried to hold onto Brandon's hand, but the Nard was too strong and her hunger too evident. He kicked and screamed in agony. Brandon could feel his whole body burning and then realized his skin was peeling off. Death ended his suffering as the intestinal juices devoured him.

Crystal dropped down onto her knees, crying hysterically. "We're all going to die!" she screamed out in terror. Uncontrollable tears began to fall. Brandon was gone, and she felt sure she would not live to see Ashley again either.

All her nightmares could not combine to produce the scene Crystal was about to witness. The carnivorous Nard leaned toward Crystal. Her ravenous appetite was still apparent. At that moment, the Nard's pregnant stomach opened, her tentacles unraveled, and Brandon's skeletal remains dropped to the ground.

Horrified and overcome with shock, Crystal could not move. She sat frozen, staring at the Nard and then the jumbled bones in front of it. Finally, Crystal reached out to the skeletal hand of Brandon lying at her knee and slowly picked it up. She thought about the boyfriend she would never really get to know. Her mind momentarily escaped the immediate danger lurking directly in front of her.

The pregnant Nard studied the Humanoid girl's actions. She watched as the Humanoid kissed a bone from the spit-out remains of her victim. Interested and somewhat entertained, the Nard decided to study the Humanoid a little longer before she devoured her also. Besides, the fighting across the street caught her attention, as the daddy of her baby let out with a loud growl.

Across the street, Sue ducked and rolled, slashing upward on the Nard she had been fighting. Crimson's blade grew longer and sliced the Nard open from the bottom up, making the blood flow and splatter. Noises from the Nard's throat echoed around the abandoned buildings.

Seeing the demise of the baby's daddy brought the pregnant Nard back to the task at hand – it was best to grab her other dinner and run.

Creed dropped his sword, knowing he could not win in hand-to-hand combat against two Nards. Instead, he began to gather energy to create a medium-sized air blast in his hands. Creed called out,”Flante Aeries Souca.” He directed the explosion toward the one-eyed creature. The Nard flew back, smashing into an automobile.

[Flante Aeris Souca is a strong blast of wind concentrated into a ball of pure force.]

The one-armed Nard looked on, stunned. This adversary possessed power like their future queen and it wanted that power, too. Maybe if it devoured the Casalyian, this power would belong with the victor.

One-Eye reacted violently to the blast, which blew a hole through its stomach and out the backside. Shock waves of the blast traveled throughout the Nard's body, crunching internal organs. Suddenly, its only eye popped out, left dangling on its cheek.

The one-armed Nard looked at Creed's handiwork, somewhat pleased. It appreciated the utter brutality of the fight.

The pregnant Nard circled Crystal and then launched its tentacles. The Nard dragged her away swiftly.

Sue chased after them, tears starting to form. "No! Bring her back!" Sue knew she was only an instant away from losing her best friend.

Creed summoned Spike. "Finish him off!" he demanded, looking directly at the creature. "I have to go to check on the others. I have a bad feeling."

Spike nodded as Creed turned to leave. He picked up his sword, while emerging his wings and taking flight.

The beast became infuriated, charging after Creed with fists drawn up. Spike, wanting to do her master's bidding, materialized directly in front of the Nard. He punched right through her and could not withdraw the fist.

Spike smiled, her eyes turning vicious, then taunted, "The reason you can't hurt me is because I am a Spirit of Aura." She floated down his arm, showing no damage from the harsh blow. I have two forms, you see. One is physical, and the other one is spiritual."

Spike grabbed One-Arm's face and stared into it, trying to decide what fate should befall it.

What is this thing and why does she float down my arm? The Nard tried to figure out his adversary, but time was against him. Spike suddenly ripped off the Nard's face with animal-like teeth, then spit the bloody tissue out.

The homeless people who had been hiding began to reappear, shocked and afraid.

Spike just smiled through blood-stained teeth and disappeared.

Meanwhile, Creed spotted Sue first, then the pregnant Nard, dragging Crystal behind it. Creed landed in front of it, slicing the tentacles that twisted around Crystal. The Nard fell, whimpering. And creed saw the inside of her.

"It is a girl!" he cried out. Instinctively he needed to heal it. Creed stood above the Nard, yelling out, “Full Admission!”

Crystal was angry, but scared. She slapped Creed, screaming, "Don't heal her! Leave her to die! She killed Brandon!"

Creed yelled at her, "She is pregnant! If I let her die, it will die, too."

"Then let it!" Crystal said. "Let it die if the baby's going to be like her!"

"I cannot," Creed replied. "It is a child. Every child has the right to live."

"But . . ."

Sue grabbed Crystal's shoulder, shaking her head. "No. Just think, she could be Ashley's mom and then you would have never met her."

"That's not a fair comparison, and you know it. Fine, I'm going home." Crystal folded her arms over her chest, walking away.

Sue brought Creed the slashed-up tentacles. "Maybe if you use these, you could heal her."

Gratitude filled Creed's eyes. “Breath of Life,” he repeated constantly. He could see the body turning white, as the healing began to work.

The Nard gradually healed but was in pain. The baby kicked and kicked as the Nard seemed to wet herself.

"I think her water just broke," Creed observed.

Sue's eyes went wide.

"Spike," Creed summoned.

"Yes, Mas - Creed."

"Take her to Gin's house."

"Can I eat her?"

"No!" Creed threw Spike a bewildered look.

"Boo, Creed!" Spike yelled, then disappeared holding the enormous pregnant Nard.