Chapter-68 Predator

The rain whispered gently against the rooftops, a constant, steady drizzle that painted the streets in pale reflections. The damp scent of concrete and wet earth lingered in the air, mingling with the distant hum of traffic. A perfect, quiet night in the mundane quarter of the city.

But Frederique was no longer part of that mundane world.

She moved through the familiar streets, her hood drawn low, watching the pale glow of streetlights ripple on puddles beneath her feet. Once, these alleyways had been her prison. She remembered every crack in the sidewalk, every shadowed corner where she'd once huddled, afraid.

But not tonight.

Tonight, she hunted.

The weight of her black white felt lighter than it should, her body thrumming with subtle energy. Frideria stirred faintly within her chest, a silent pulse echoing with her own heartbeat.

The patrol.

It was a routine, not a mission. The Shadow Corp captain had said it plainly enough... monitor the mundane quarter. Watch for disturbances. Deal with any threat alone.

No backup.

No help.

Just her.

She didn't expect to find anything tonight. Monster rarely prowled this far into human spaces.

But the further she walked, the more she felt it. A prickle along the edges of her senses.

Hunger.

Not hers.

Something else was hunting tonight.

She caught the scent first. Bitter, like rotting fruit mixed with copper. A wrongness in the air.

Frederique's hand twitched as she brushed the edge of her sleeve. The Art was there... just beneath her skin.

Eldritch Prime.

She could feel the elements. The damp moisture on her fingertips. The cool wind on her face. The grit of the earth beneath her boots.

And then...

The scream.

It echoed from a side street, sharp and human.

Frederique moved.

The world blurred as she broke into a sprint, her enhanced legs carrying her faster than any human could. Water splashed from the puddles, droplets clinging to her as she surged through the rain-soaked streets.

She rounded the corner...

...She saw it before she heard it... the thing that moved toward her, its steps heavy, like the earth itself was groaning in protest.

A Fomori.

Once a human... touched by corruption itself.

' I'd heard of them, but seeing one in person... it was worse than any nightmare. It stood at least two heads taller than me, its skin stretched and mottled, a sickly pale color, cracked in places to reveal black veins that pulsed like they had a life of their own. It dripped with some kind of dark, oily substance that pooled at its feet, leaving a trail of corruption behind.'

One of its arms was a massive claw, sharp and jagged, like the bones inside had been forced out, threatening to rip through its skin. The other was barely more than a shriveled stump, but it twitched with unnerving speed, like it could still do damage.

Its face... gods, its face. It was like it had been melted... half of it was a grotesque mask of flesh, the other half a mess of swollen, misshapen features. Only one eye was open, bulging unnaturally, while the other was a dark, sunken socket.

Its mouth... its mouth was a gaping hole, full of teeth that looked like they belonged to a predator, jagged and uneven.

It didn't make a sound at first, just the wet, choking sound of something unnatural moving within it. But then, its eyes fixed on Frederique...hate and hunger in them... and she knew it was coming for her.

Frederique didn't hesitate.

She attacked.

Her right hand clenched...

' Eldritch Prime. Fire.'

A spark ignited in her palm. She lashed forward, the flame flaring brighter as she willed it into existence. A burst of heat... small, but enough... seared the creature's flesh.

The Fomori shrieked, staggering back, its twisted arm flailing wildly as the fire licked along its skin.

Frederique pressed forward. She felt the Art pulse in her core, shifting. The flame died as her focus twisted.

' Eldritch Prime. Stone.'

The damp ground beneath her feet trembled. A jagged shard of rock burst up, no larger than a fist, but it was all she needed. She grabbed it, hurling it with all the unnatural strength coursing through her.

The stone struck the creature's ribs with a wet, crack.

It stumbled back further.

But not far enough.

It was fast.

The Fomoris lunged, its twisted arm warping mid-strike, stretching unnaturally as it lashed out.

Frederique barely had time to react.

Her breath hissed through her teeth. Now.

' Discord. Dance of Mirrors.'

The world fractured.

Suddenly, there were five of her... ghostly, rippling copies spreading outward in a circle.

The Fomori struck one of the illusions. Its claws passed harmlessly through the afterimage.

Frederique darted left...

Another image mirrored the motion.

The beast twisted, lashing wildly, striking another mirage.

Each blow passed through nothing.

It couldn't track her.

Not with this Art.

She weaved through the illusions, closing the distance.

' Focus.'

' Eldritch Prime. Wood.'

The Art shifted again.

A sudden, sharp pain burned along her wrist as raw wood erupted from her palm... a jagged length of gnarled, bark-like material, twisted into a makeshift stake.

The creature saw her too late.

Frederique drove the stake into its chest, piercing the corrupted flesh.

The Fomori howled. The sound was wrong, echoing in layers that grated against her skull.

But it wasn't dead.

Not yet.

It surged forward, raking its clawed fingers toward her throat...

Frederique bit.

Her jaws snapped wide, teeth like iron. She tore into the creature's shoulder... ripping, devouring.

Flesh filled her mouth, bitter and foul.

But it fed her.

Emotions.

Dread.

Pain.

Rage.

It poured into her like molten fire, sharp and electric. Frideria stirred, feeding alongside her, a quiet pulse of hunger satisfied.

The Fomoris shuddered. Its body convulsed... collapsing as the corrupted flesh withered beneath her bite.

The light in its pale eyes died.

* Silence.*

Frederique stood over the body, breathing hard. Blood stained her lips, bitter and cold.

But she felt satisfied.

Stronger.

Predator.