The Crimson Throne

"GET AWAY FROM ME, MONSTER!!!" A terrified scream caught Elaine's attention and directed her eyes toward a gruesome scene.

A large man trampled under the paw of a ten-foot-tall wolf-like creature. Thick, dark, and spiked fur covered its entire body, with four massive, menacing spiral horns sprouted from its head. The creature's three red eyes focused on the prey while its sharp teeth buried deep into the man's flesh, tearing apart his ribcage and devouring his internal organs. Acidic liquids trickled from its jaw, vaporizing everything they touched. After a hearty meal, it growled in satisfaction, then turned toward the other fleeing bandits. The same scene replayed several times, contorting the once lush forest floor into a grotesque mixture of blood and body parts.

Elaine's face turned pale while the floor collapsed beneath her feet. The destruction took only a few minutes. But to a horrified Elaine watching from the inside, each minute seemed like an eternity. She hid under the carriage's windows while her trembling hands dug into her dress. She needed to remain calm. Panicking now would worsen the situation. Elaine had only two choices: staying within the carriage and hoping the Devil Beasts passed without noticing her or attempting an escape. Both paths would culminate in a horrible death if things went awry. But without other alternatives, Elaine could only contemplate two terrible options, weighing their costs and benefits. 

Cecil. What happened to him?

She stopped her train of thought and peeked outside. The still unconscious Cecil remained tied up against the tree in the far corner. It seemed the Devil Beasts had not yet detected him. Elaine sighed in relief but knew after all the smoke and dust settled, it would take them little to no time to discover another warm body to fill their stomach.

I want to save him, but should I endanger my life for another person?

Elaine's conscience and reason engaged in a fierce battle inside her head. Each side brought up several valid points. Counting today, Cecil and she had only known each other for three days. Even if he was her guard, the typical standard still considered them strangers. But he risked his life for her. From a moral perspective, shouldn't she reciprocate? Elaine again looked outside. The piercing cries from the victimized bandits echoed throughout the forest while the Devil Beasts picked up their prey one by one with alarming proficiency. 

No more time left for deliberation. I need to go now!

She decided the turmoil was an opportunity to escape. No matter the result, she had to take a chance. Sitting quietly and waiting for death was not her ideal last moment. Elaine creaked open the carriage's door, careful to produce little sound. She peeked out and realized no one was guarding her. The two bandits assigned to watch her had long abandoned their duty and fled. The scene outside was one of fathomless pandemonium. Elaine could barely make out the running silhouettes beyond the smoke and dust. Staring at her tied hands, she began searching for a sharp object. She needed to free herself before she could use magic again. 

Nearby was a body mangled, almost unrecognizable by the Devil Beast. Wrestling the urge to puke, Elaine crawled toward the pile of flesh used to resemble a human male. Next to the body was a bent sword released from its sheath. Its owner must have conducted a futile battle with the monstrous beast before it shredded him into tiny pieces. She crawled closer and placed the rope against the sword. After struggling for a few minutes, it finally wore down and tore apart, unleashing her hands.

Elaine's short celebration concluded when she felt three gleaming red eyes piercing her. Fiery hot air breathed down her neck, producing a burning sensation on her skin. Her body froze while her heart palpitated. Sweats poured from Elaine's forehead, and a tsunami of feeling stirred within her. 

Is this the end?

Clenching her fists, Elaine tried to suppress the sweeping terror controlling her. She struggled to remember details of the creature from the book. But severe distress drove her mind into a scramble, causing her to recall little of the Devil Beast's weaknesses. What other actions could she take? She had seen the creature's unparallel strength and its cruel disposition. Today's constant stream of unexpected events exhausted both her body and spirit. Even if she could muster enough strength to use elemental magic, Elaine knew the creature's might would outmatch her. 

Elaine endured the Devil Beast's burn-induced breathing for several more seconds. Then she felt no other movement from the creature. Instead, it stood leisurely before her, taking its time, as if still deciding on the most satisfying killing method against its newest mark. Elaine laid still, hoping her final judgment would be swift. Yet nothing came. The breathing stopped, and she heard the monstrous footsteps moving away.

Elaine looked up in disbelief, unable to process the unimaginable situation. Widely regarded throughout the known world as highly destructive and indiscriminate killing machines, most recorded encounters with the Devil Beasts resulted in heavy losses or annihilation to the opposing party. Then why was she spared? The beast's action perplexed Elaine, but she had no time to investigate further. A figure in her peripheral vision reminded Elaine of her urgency. She must save Cecil before the other monsters notice him.

The close escape from death helped unfogged her mind, and Elaine remembered some valuable details from the book. While remaining on the ground, she picked up several handfuls of dirt and spread them throughout her body. Then, crawling toward the nearby trees and scrubs, Elaine used them to camouflage herself and crept toward her bodyguard location.

 "Cecil... Cecil,"

"Please wake up. We need to leave here!" She whispered in his ear while covering him with dirt and cutting the rope using a sword she pulled from another mangled body.

Cecil did not respond for several seconds, and Elaine's voice grew more desperate as time passed. Finally, one of his fingers moved while the golden lashes from his tightly shut eyes trembled. A small groan escaped from his lips. Elaine's desperation turned into excitement. "Cecil! No, I mean Sir. Ascania, please hold on to me. We need to escape!" She whispered. She placed his arm over her shoulder and lifted him from the ground. But Elaine again overestimated herself. Even if Cecil was lean and fit, her menial strength and small stature could not fully support his weight, resulting in them tumbling over.

Loud growls suddenly reverberated across the forest floor, once more rendering her palpitating heart. She took a quick turn, then the remaining colors faded from her face. The surrounding Devil Beasts were all fixated in her direction. Their red eyes transformed into a ferocious crimson hue while their growls grew into a deafening pitch. The beasts' berserk appearances were more terrifying than ever before. Elaine stood still, trapped in a mind-numbing fear, watching the monsters enclosing her from all sides.