Beast

The beast was terrorizing his kingdom.

Malin was the greatest mage and warrior in history. It was his kingdom and he would not tolerate the beast; he would hunt it and kill it himself. He wouldn’t fail.

They’re watching.

As if to prove he was worthy of such a feat, he turned to the fireplace, held out his wand, conjured a whirling, glowing red sphere, and gently tossed it. The fireball missed the fireplace by an inch or two, catching onto the blanket on the floor.

He gritted his teeth, feeling the council’s disapproving eyes on him. Not a whisper passed among them as Torin rushed to put out the fire.

“No damage done, Malin,” Torin said nervously, gingerly holding the blanket. He pushed open the window, letting an icy winter breeze whip through the room, and tossed the blanket in the snow.

Somebody cleared their throat, and everybody turned to an elderly man who sat at the head of the table. He pushed his glasses up his nose as he said, “You’re still young and learning. Perhaps we should send an experienced and proved mage such as your brother.”

Malin clenched his fists, but managed to keep his expression neutral as murmurs of agreement sent the room into a tizzy. The council could never stop praising his brother, Andreas, as if he were some god. He was surprised they hadn’t started praying and offering his brother sacrifices yet.

“No!” he shouted, barely containing his anger. “It must be me! I will kill the beast and I will not fail.” A dark shadow passed over his face as he met the gaze of each councilman. They stared back with expressions of shock, disbelief, and uncertainty.

They didn’t believe he could do it.

“The beast has kidnapped a girl,” a frail voice that belonged to Argos said. His robes were ragged and unwashed, his skin pale and sickly. “He kidnapped Emilia. We received word not even ten minutes ago. The stakes are rather high. Andreas would be much better suited for this task.”

His stomach clenched. Emilia, a nobleman’s daughter. The girl Malin wished to marry, the girl he loved. She refused his hand in marriage for years now, saying her father was sick or she needed to finish university and then she would consider it. Well, now her father was dead and she finished school in the fall.

It was perfect timing.

He would kill the beast and save her and they would finally marry. The stakes were high, indeed.

“I said I could do it,” Malin seethed, eyes burning. He gestured towards the fireplace. “That will not happen again. Every day I grow stronger than Andreas. You cannot disagree with that.” He paused, and nobody opposed him so he continued. “Andreas will not be back for another day, by then Emilia could be dead.”

Andreas was strong, he’d surpassed all the mages at the guild. But Malin’s power was growing fast. It wouldn’t be long until his power was greater than Andreas’. He was already making history, and he smiled proudly at the thought.

The men fell quiet, contemplating. The fire crackled, filling the room with overbearing heat. Malin whipped sweat from his brow, longing to be outside in the snow.

The elderly man with glasses sat straight, pushing his shoulders back. “Very well, Malin. We will grant you your wish this one time. Don’t fail us.”

Malin nodded curtly, spun on his heel and left, finally enjoying the coolness the winter breeze offered. Snow crunched under his feet and he kicked piles of it as he walked.

The beast had Emilia. Who knew what kind of tortuous things it was doing to the poor girl. At the thought, he picked up a light jog. The councilmen knew she was being held against her will, and yet still took time to squabble over who would kill the beast.

Idiots.

She could be dead by now.

No. He shook his head, not thinking of the impossible. He would leave immediately and soon she would be in his arms.

…

The beast wasn’t all that hard to find. In fact, his footprints in the snow led them to a cabin not even an hour’s walk in the wood outside the kingdom. Not very secretive, Malin thought smugly.

It would be easy. If his magic didn’t kill the beast, then an arrow certainly would. He would have its head mounted on the wall and Emilia in his bed.

Trees clawed the sky, branches stark and white. The sun was sinking, casting ghostly shadows over them. They followed the tracks to a cabin set in a small clearing.

The cabin was small and plain. Smoke pillowed from the chimney and a pile of logs stacked neatly near the door. It looked so normal, so human. Except for the long, deep gashes etched on the wood door. Claw marks.

Malin motioned for the men behind him to quiet before pounding on the door. “Beast! I know you’re in there, come out!”

There was nothing but the whisper of the wind through branches. The men’s armor clinked as they shifted. Not even the winter birds chirped.

Malin gripped the knob, but it was locked. Just as he was about to turn away, the door creaked open. Emilia’s red lips parted in surprise, her gold-brown hair plaited around her head, as if a crown.

“Malin?” She glanced around, behind him, towards the trees.

“Emilia. I’ve come to save you and kill the beast. Where is it?”

Her gaze was frozen on something behind him, in the trees. Just as he turned, there was a large, guttural roar. Malin sucked in a breath as he took in the beast, cloaked in shadows.

It was hideous. Magnificent. Lethal.

Its head was that of a lion, mane puffing around its head, but its body was similar to a bear. Its paws were larger than his head, each lined with deadly talons that could gut him with one swipe.

The beast growled, revealing two rows of sharp canines. That would also gut him without a second thought.

He pushed his fear down, but didn’t advance as the beast studied him with its yellow, unnaturally human eyes.

It took in the group of soldiers cowering, their weapons and armor. With the beast’s gaze upon them, they shrunk back, staring at their feet, whimpering. It lost interest and turned to Malin, who refused to show fear like a coward.

Its gaze latched onto Malin’s wand, which was pointing at the beast.

“You’ve come to kill me.” It wasn’t a question. The beast stepped forward, sending his men tumbling back in fright. The beast paused, paw hung in mid-step. “Emilia, go back inside.”

Malin’s face tightened in anger. “Don’t tell her what to do!” He glanced behind him. Emilia’s face was pale, eyes wide. He nodded and she stepped inside, letting the door close behind her.

“Alright, Beast. Any last words?” Malin turned, readying his wand.

The beast tilted its head, as if contemplating. It was such a human gesture for an animal. It wasn’t right.

“I was cursed by a witch. I watched as she burned to death and refused to help. With her last breath, she bound me to this body,” the beast said slowly. Cautiously. “I live here peacefully, searching for a cure, a solution, a way to become my former self.”

Malin laughed as if the beast had made a joke, and a few men chimed in with weary chuckles. “Peacefully?” he spat. “Is that what you call stealing, scratching on doors at night, kidnapping innocent girls?”

“Kidnapping? Emilia came here herself! She’s been-“

“Enough! You will not trick me with your lies.” Malin’s smirk dissolved, replaced with an icy glare. In one smooth motion, he conjured a fireball and threw it. The beast ducked, and the fireball landed in the snow with a loud hiss.

Malin cursed and the beast leapt toward him. He flicked his wand and the beast stopped midair, falling to the ground with a muffled thunk, snow flying. The beast struggled to get up, but its legs and arms were bound by invisible bonds.

Its roar was filled with panic and despair, gaze pleading. “Please, I’ve done nothing wrong. Let me go and I’ll prove it!”

“Let you go?” Malin cried incredulously. “Let you go so you can destroy us all? I think I would much rather see you dead.”

He took a bow and arrow from one of his soldiers, not bothering with his magic. He always enjoyed the art of archery, the way the arrow slung across the bow.

The arrow struck though its eye, and the beast made no sound as it fell, dead. Blood stained the snow.

Malin held the bow over his head and shouted, “The beast is dead!”

The men cheered and raised their weapons. Malin wanted to scold them for being so useless but that would have to wait.

“Emilia,” he called and the door creaked open. “Emilia, it’s alright. He’s gone now.”

She stepped into the snow, her gaze skimming the group of soldiers, Malin, and then the beast, dead in the snow, an arrow protruding from its brow. She let out a sharp cry and fell to her knees, cupping her hands over her face as she began to sob.

Malin wrapped his arms under her knees and behind her back, picking her up in one effortless motion.

“You’re safe now,” he whispered as they made their way back to the castle, leaving the dead beast behind.

...

Sunlight streamed through the window, the winter birds singing their morning tune. Malin groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head. He hated morning.

He paused mid-stretch. He moved his arm over and screamed.

Flying from bed, he scrambled over to the mirror, knocking several chairs and a dresser over on the way. The reflection of the beast stared back: The massive head of a lion, body of a bear.

He looked down, but only saw mounds of golden fur. He lifted his hand – no, paw. His heart hammered. He had claws.

No, no, no, no, no!

How could this be?

It much be some sort of nightmare. He backed away from the mirror, sending a vase shattering to the ground. Something sharp bit the bottom of his paw, drawing blood, but he barely noticed.

The door opened, a servant poked her head in. “Is everything alright-“ She froze in horror, her mouth working as if she wanted to say something. The beast turned, setting his yellow eyes on her and she screamed.

The beast stumbled to the balcony, adjusting to his new legs. He crashed through the glass doors. Glass rained on him, but that didn’t stop him from jumping from the third story balcony and running across the yard, hardly noticing the snow clinging to his golden fur.

…

Emilia didn’t move when Malin woke and screamed. She smiled and pushed deeper into the pile of pillows, enjoying the luxurious silk.

She did feel bad about the other beast, the one Malin had heartlessly murdered. He was telling the truth when he pleaded for his life: he was innocent. It had taken a lot of sneaking around, hiding in shadows, and lies, to make the beast look a criminal.

And when she discovered the curse. A former human, he was bound to the body of a beast. There was no way to break the curse. But if somebody dared kill the beast out of spite and hatred, they would assume the curse. Become the next beast.

She hated Malin, the egotistical know-it-all who thought he could have everything he wanted. There were plenty of girls in the village would could barely scrape by, driven by starvation, their only source of money from going to bed with Malin.

She frowned in disgust.

But the council would never get rid of Malin, he was a growing powerful mage. That kind of power was rare. It was the kind of power that went to your head, made you a tyrant.

A large crash sounded from across the hall, the sound of glass breaking. She rushed from her room, dodging a servant in the hall, and came to a stop in Malin’s room. Dressers and chairs were upturned, glass shards littered the floor.

She hugged herself as an icy gust blew through the room. Glass crunched under her feet as she stepped on the balcony. There, across the field was Malin. The beast. He ran on wobbly legs, like a newborn fawn. A few soldiers standing guard noticed and began to chase after, not quite realizing who it was.

“Emilia,” a soft voice said from behind. A warm hand clamed on her shoulder and she turned. Torin, one of the council men, watched the beast stumble across the field. Even on weak legs, he was still faster than the soldiers.

“Come inside,” he coaxed, gently leading her back into the warmth of the hallway. “Our men will catch the beast. You’re safe here. I’m sorry such a terrible thing has happened.”

He patted her arm reassuringly, and she surprised herself as a tear escaped. She didn’t bother to wipe it away.

Torin left her in her room, locking the door behind him. Alone, she didn’t bother hiding her smirk.

Everything had gone perfectly.

....

A few questions: 

Did the story hold your interest from the beginning? If not, why? 

Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural to you? 

Was the ending satisfying?

Thanks for reading!