The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 89: Red Key (2)

Vampires approached. Attention is focused on a young boy, Tristan. His eyes were vacant, his mind shattered by the horrors he had witnessed. He stumbled upon a child, no more than ten years old, its small body torn apart, and must have wondered how deadly the beasts must have been.

"My God, Brother, what have you done," Ruben muttered as the thunder clapped.

"Yet again, we arrive to witness this monster’s aftermath. I will tolerate this no longer, Ruben. Your brother should, and must be stopped. It ends tonight." The general of the Calvary, Ilupina said in a severe tone.

"We must move quickly before they turn," Tristan stated.

"Is he still here?" General asked.

"Yes." Ruben replied the general. "Ilupina, he must not be impaired on," he added.

"I gave you my word, did I not? But Victor must be controlled."Ilupina finalized. "Burn the bodies. Search the outbuildings." General Ilupina ordered.

"Form two groups. You, sop them with fuel." Man 1 ordered.

"Yes, sir." Replied Man 2.

"Ruben!" Ilupina called on him as he attempts to step forward. "Stay with me." He added.

(The thunder rumbled as the soldiers moved around the area on their horses, lighting the dead bodies)

Everywhere was suddenly quiet as the soldiers continued lighting the dead bodies with fire. Tristan was feeling uneasy in his helmet, so, he pulled it off. The Calvary was looking ready to face whatever might take off that moment. The door in a small hut slammed opened. Its hinges creaking in protest. Then came in two soldiers, one was holding a torch in the form of a burning stick, its tip ablaze with fiery sparks, illuminated their path."

"Give me the torch," Man 1 ordered his subservient. As he collected the torch, he moved closer a dead body to observe it. The dead body emitted a low, guttural growl, its voice a mere echo of its former self. It burst out of the small hut, breaking the door in its front as a means of escape.

"They are turning!" Man 1 exclaimed calling the attention of other soldiers, including Tristan, the general and Ruben.

Here comes the arrival of Ruben as Tristan and Christine were about to leave. Some of the police officers who had survived Tristan’s bully on seeing Ruben, in his animal-like form, began to take to their heels quietly. Ruben started moving closer to Tristan.

"Ruben," Tristan called with a shaky voice.

"I know what you have done, Tristan." Ruben said.

"Ilupina deserved his fate, and Joseph was no better." Tristan replied as he staggered backwards.

"Joseph has already reaped the payment for his own transgressions." Ruben said in a howly manner.

"And Ilupina… Ilupina deserved his fate many times over. A terrible business, the slaying of your family. Yet, so much effort was spent to conceal this matter from me." Ruben was still speaking.

"What do you suppose Ilupina had to hide? Or perhaps it is you, Tristan… (Pauses) …as the last of your wretched family who has something to hide." Ruben muttered.

(Ruben growling as he rushes over to Tristan pushing him to the wall)

Ruben was about to perform his normal act of blood sucking to find out truth when Christine distracted him by firing shots at him from her rifle.

"Go!" Tristan suggested as he set free and began to run, alongside Christine. They ran off to the road, luckily, they met an incoming truck. The driver was shocked to see the people standing in his front had suddenly disappeared.

"What the fuck?" he asked rhetorically.

"Mind if I drive?" Tristan asked showing the claws of his vampire teeth.

"Get in." she told Christine who was on the windows of the vehicle, already in her transformed form.

Christine however jumped over to the open space of the truck. Ruben was already flying towards them. Christine, stood tall, her eyes fixed on the enormous bird creature approaching her. Ruben, the bird, a terrifying Griffin-like beast with razor-sharp talons and beak, spread its wings, casting a dark shadow over.

As the bird charged, Christine unsheathed her claws, growling with great energy and agility. He dodged the bird’s initial attack, but the beast’s wings created powerful squalls of wind, sending Christine stumbling back and hitting the back window of the truck.

Christine beast side took over, and she transformed into a powerful, half wolf-like creature. She leapt forward, jaws wide open, but the bird was too quick. It struck Christine with its talons, tearing deep wounds in her side.

Christine surged forward, she countered with a fierce bite, sinking his fangs into the bird’s neck. The bird shrieked, flapping its wings wildly, but Christine held tight, her supernatural strength keeping him locked onto the bird’s flesh.

The battle raged on, the two exchanging blows. Christine’s hybrid nature allowed her to adapt and recover, especially as she sucked the bird’s blood, but the bird’s sheer size and strength kept him at bay.

In a final, desperate bid to defeat the bird, Tristan who had been driving, tapped into his vampire side’s dark powers, and with so much speed unleashed a blast of shadowy energy that engulfed the bird. The creature let out a deafening screech as it stumbled, its wings faltering. Tristan rushed back to take over the steering of the truck to control it.

Christine, however, took advantage of the opening, striking the final blow with her claws, ending the bird’s reign of terror. As the dust settled, Christine stood victorious, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She was gradually turning back to human.

"Whether dead or alive, I will get what I want." Ruben, now in his human form, shouted from where he laid.

Christine now returned back inside the truck to seat beside Tristan.

struggled within himself, she looked on the TV, her picture was there; Christine White. The woman on the TV must be making references to her since she was not understanding the language spoke.

(Growls) "You have got to get away from me." Christine warns everyone present. They started running out of the old eatery except few men speaking in Spanish. They brought out their guns and cocked it.

"Get away from me!" Christine exclaimed.

One of the armed men rushed out and went to where a vehicle was parked. He opened it and tried to communicate with an agency over the signal device.

"Hello?" the man was speaking.

It connected to the computer department in the ship where Gregory White was in.

"There." Gregory instructed pointing at the device where the voice was heard.

"Christine White." The man’s voice added.

"Get the men up there. Now." Gregory instructed.

As the uproar was going on, Tristan ran back to the old building where he had left Christine. Christine was no longer there.

"Get the hell away from me." Christine yelled as she started scattering the whole places. She has turned now into her kind, the hybrid. Everybody, including the soldiers started distancing themselves from her. Christine, however, broke out of a door, and met another soldier in his front. She was preventing murdering any human, so she turned to her side and made to run.

"Stop. Stop." The soldier yelled at her as he continued shooting Christine from behind while she ran.

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Tristan heard gunshots while he was inside the old building.

"Shit." He said as he made out of the building. He looked up to the sky, the sun was setting.

Christine was still running away from the Police who were running after her.

The fight had now become intense with the arrival of Tristan. His swift movements as he bullied the Policemen and leaving them lifeless. He was indeed super-fast. After all, he was a vampire.

"Ah!" the last man standing yelled out as his wrist was twisted and he fell on the ground.

Tristan flew up and arrived at where Christine lay, struggling to survive.

"Christine. Oh, shit." Tristan was hasty. He bites his hand to let blood gush out.

"Here, take it." He was serving her hand to Christine so she can feed on the blood.

"No." Christine said immediately. Still struggling with her breath.

"Christine, you will die." Tristan said as Christine finally accepts to feed on his blood. Tristan’s heartbeat was thumping as Christine continuously sipped the blood.

"Shit." Christine said, after drinking to his satisfaction.

"Can you move?" Tristan asked and Christine nodded in affirmation.

"Let’s leave as soon as possible, the sun is setting." Tristan concluded.

They had jumped into the water and are now swimming. They relied on their sense of direction, following the faint sound of waves crashing against the shore, since the fog was thick.

The water was icy, numbing their limbs, but they pressed on, their breathing synchronized. Occasionally, they’d pause to shout encouragement or adjust their course.

The swim was grueling, but the men endured until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they saw it - a rocky shoreline, beckoning them towards safety.

With renewed energy, they stroked towards the shore, and beside the shore, there was an entrance.

*****

Ruben went closer to the prison. He inserted the circular key into its opening in the prison.

The metal cage, now stood vulnerable as the chains that bound it were slowly unwound. The sound of clanking metal echoed through the air as the links