The Beast within

The sound of battle echoed across the burning village. Captain Sidlak Luna, having secured the other villagers with his cavalry team, froze as the distant shrieks and chaos from the central square reached his ears. Without hesitation, he broke into a sprint, his glaive glowing faintly with the energy of his magic.

When he arrived, he was met with a horrifying sight: Elder Lolong, grotesquely transformed, loomed over the struggling cavalry guards. Eyes sprouted from the elder's limbs, and multiple flailing arms struck at the guards as they shielded the remaining children. A suffocating aura of despair radiated from the monstrous form, far beyond what a D+ ranked monster should exude.

"Secure the perimeter and protect the survivors!" Captain Luna barked to his remaining soldiers, his voice sharp with urgency. "I'll handle this!"

The clash between Captain Luna and the monstrous Lolong sent tremors through the crumbling remnants of Barangay Saliksik. The captain moved with the precision of a seasoned B-rank warrior, his glowing glaive slicing through the air. But Elder Lolong, consumed by rage and twisted by dark energy, proved a formidable opponent. Its grotesque limbs flailed unpredictably, forcing Luna to fight defensively as he sought an opening.

From the safety of a nearby corner, the children watched in horror as the once-respected elder shrieked and attacked. Tears streamed down their faces as they clutched each other, torn between terror and disbelief.

Finally, Captain Luna began to turn the tide, his blade striking true against the creature's sinewy flesh. But as his advantage grew, Lolong released a deafening roar, and a surge of dark energy exploded outward.

The shockwave sent the captain and his soldiers staggering. Before they could recover, the creature leaped into the air, crashing through Saliksik's gate and vanishing into the wilderness.

Breathing heavily, Captain Luna lowered his glaive. "It's letting the energy guide it," he muttered grimly. "That thing is no longer human."

One of the teenagers, Elder Lolong's grandson, was trembling with grief and stumbled toward him. "Captain, couldn't you have saved him? Couldn't he… couldn't he have been brought back?"

Luna's gaze softened, though his tone remained firm. "Once someone succumbs to that much darkness, there's no coming back. The best we can do now is make sure no one else meets the same fate."

The teenager's sobs quieted, and the group of youngsters fell into a heavy silence. Grief burned in their eyes, but within that pain, something else began to stir—a flicker of resolve.

As dawn broke, the survivors prepared for their journey to Kabunlawan. The ruins of Saliksik stood as a grim reminder of unchecked despair. The villagers gathered close, some too numb to speak, others whispering silent prayers for the fallen.

The wreckage of the village grew eerily quiet, but the silence didn't last.

A low, guttural growl rumbled from the shadows. One of the cavalry guards, tense and alert, shouted, "Captain! Movement among the fallen!"

Captain Luna's sharp eyes scanned the area, and his heart sank as he saw the bodies of the dead villagers twitch and rise. Black tendrils of energy coiled around their limbs, twisting them into monstrous forms.

The captain's grip on his glaive tightened. "This is what despair and unguarded land do," he said grimly. "We can't save them now, but we can end their suffering."

The cavalry formed a defensive line as the monsters closed in, their shrieks filling the air. The soldiers fought valiantly, but the sheer number of the creatures overwhelmed them. Captain Luna's mind raced as he realized they wouldn't last much longer.

"Fall back!" he commanded. "Protect the survivors!"

The group retreated through the forest, the soldiers fending off the relentless horde. The children looked back in horror, tears streaming as they recognized twisted faces among the monsters. One teenager broke from the group, screaming a familiar name as they spotted a friend—now a monster—shambling toward them.

"No! That's not them anymore!" a soldier shouted, grabbing the teenager and pulling them back.

As the monsters drew closer, Captain Luna made a decision. He raised his glaive high, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "It seems I have no choice."

A radiant golden light engulfed him, casting shadows through the trees. The survivors gasped as a powerful spiritual energy surged.

"Diwa," someone whispered, awestruck.

From the golden light emerged a magnificent horse, its sleek form glowing with ethereal energy.

The spiritual beast neighed, its presence commanding even the monstrous horde to hesitate.

Captain Luna mounted the horse and gave a single command. "Replicate."

The horse's body shimmered, splitting into four identical copies. Though the light dimmed slightly with each replication, the presence of five glowing mounts was enough to inspire hope.

"Get on!" Luna shouted. The survivors hesitated only for a moment before scrambling onto the mounts.

The replicated horses charged forward, carrying the villagers through the dense terrain. The original mount led the way, while the remaining cavalry fought desperately to hold the line.

The gates of Kabunlawan loomed in the distance, and a collective sigh of relief swept through the group. As they passed through the gates, Captain Luna dismounted. With a wave of his hand, the replicated horses vanished into faint streams of light.

The captain staggered, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, his armor feeling impossibly heavy. A soldier moved to steady him, but Luna raised a hand. "I'm fine," he said, though his voice betrayed his exhaustion.

The children approached him hesitantly.

One boy, his voice trembling, spoke up. "Thank you, Captain. You saved us… even when we couldn't save them."

Captain Luna's tired eyes softened. "You'll save others, then. Be strong. For Saliksik. For yourselves."

As the survivors were ushered into safety, Captain Luna slumped onto a stone bench, watching the sun rise over Kabunlawan's walls. Though they had escaped the horrors of Saliksik, he knew the fight was far from over. The price of despair was steep, and he could only hope these youngsters would find the strength to rise against it.