◆ A Shadow of Her Former Self
EVERY now and then, an eerie premonition will turn into reality. But this was one of the worst situations that I could’ve ever imagined. The monster that emerged from the gate was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
It had the face of a woman with porcelain skin, her mouth fitted with a muzzle. She was three heads taller than me with absurdly lanky limbs, and in her long arms was the head of a beautiful boy. The boy’s pale face reminded me of a marble statue. I couldn’t make out his expression; his face was beautiful like a doll, but I couldn’t shake off the ominous aura that he emitted.
Though this statue looked to be enveloped in white cloth, two burly arms sprouted from his waist. They bulged with muscles and the rugged, thick fingers were adorned with several rings, each fitted with a massive jewel. Numerous, long, jointed legs grew from the lower half of the monster, resembling a grotesque insect.
Its dark, hard torso had a dull luster like it was damp, and the black legs that sprang forth from either side of its torso resembled human arms.
“Your species has interesting ideas,” Mephisto said with a shrug. “To amalgamate different species together to form a different, single being is an act that makes me understand just how cruel humans are.”
Sweat started to form on my hands as I gripped my staff.
“You didn’t…” I started.
“Oh, this is a tad different from the time when I made your father into a monster,” Mephisto replied. “I toyed with your dead father’s soul back then, but I don’t like being a one-trick pony, you see. Oh no, this time, I beautifully combined useless Eliza, her father who treated her so dearly, and her bodyguard, a boy who was in love with her, to form this creature.”
“How could you…”
“Take a look, Chloe. They all look so happy. I suppose it’s only natural—they all love each other very much, so they must be elated that they now get to share a body. They must’ve been shivering with delight when I tossed them all into the alchemy pot while they were still alive. Indeed, I got to hear their wonderful screams until their bodies had boiled away.”
“I’ll never forgive you!” I shouted.
My body felt like it was on fire as my skin started to prickle. What did Ms. Eliza and Mr. Coldman do to you?! There was no reason they should be treated with such contempt. It was simply horrible. I can’t forgive him. My rage had blown my fear away as I glared at Mephisto.
“Splendid!” the demon exclaimed. “Your hatred is very comforting. Your abhorrence, disdain, and fury are the greatest honor that my work of art could receive!”
He licked his lips with his scarlet tongue. What do I do? What should I do? If Ms. Eliza and her loved ones can be saved, I’d like to do so. But how? The aberration in front of me let out a glass-shattering howl as the engraved eyes of marble started to leak tears of blood. The insect monster shuddered and reared its long neck back, preparing to use its colossal body to squash me.
I rolled out of the way to dodge the attack and saw that a burly arm—much girthier than a log—fitted with numerous rings had punched through the ground, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.
“Even a single hit will end me!” I shouted. “Unlike Mr. Julius, I’m just a normal person with a frail body!”
The titanic monster was agile for its size, and it used its armlike legs to jump into the air. When I looked up, I saw a shadow looming over me. I almost tripped as I ran full speed ahead to dodge its attack. As it landed with a deafening thud, a large gust of wind kicked up and blew me onto the sandy floor.
“You’re so powerless, Chloe,” Mephisto remarked teasingly. “You’re Celestia’s child and yet, you’re far too weak. You can’t do anything alone.”
Beside him stood Minne, facing the ground with her hands together as though she was praying. If possible, I want to save everyone. If only I had more power. I only had a few more anti-evil spells left in me. They may have been effective against the monster, but if I defeated it, Ms. Eliza couldn’t be spared.
The only way to save them is to probably defeat Mephisto first. My chances were slim, but if I had a sliver of hope, I wanted to gamble on it. My feet were caught in the sand, but I managed to stand up and dodge the oncoming attacks as I rummaged through my bag. I grabbed whatever hit my hand and pulled it out.
“My super effective roach catcher! And thorns of restraint, capture my prey!” I cried.
I threw a small bottle with honey-colored liquid and a crystal rose at the monster. The bottle shattered at the foot of the beast, leaking its contents as it started to morph the sandy terrain. I wasn’t sure just how effective it’d be against the giant monster, and I threw as many crystal roses as I could. Thorny vines began to sprout and wrap around their prey. The monster tried to shake itself free from the vines, but my other item—a materialization of my hatred toward roaches—changed the ground underneath its feet into a sticky mess. The more it struggled, the more entangled it became, in the sticky, yellow substance that crept up its body.
The monster was restrained twofold as its feet and body were ensnared, and it desperately shook its neck with Ms. Eliza’s face. It struggled as much as it could to free itself. Ms. Eliza, I’m sorry for treating you like a giant bug. I can only hope that you won’t have your memories of this experience when you turn back.
“I can’t do anything alone, you say?!” I shouted. “You’re dead wrong! I’m the world’s strongest alchemist and a beautiful maiden! If alchemy turned Ms. Eliza and her loved ones into this form, I’m certain that there’s a way to turn them back. I’ll search for a method, so no need for your concern!”
I spoke as loudly and confidently as I could in order to amp myself up while pointing my staff at Mephisto. I used my free hand to rummage through my bag and grab as many alchemy bombs as I possibly could.
In an attempt to give one final struggle, the boy’s face on the restrained monster opened his mouth. It chanted an unpleasant spell similar to a curse, creating several giant flies the size of my head around me. Each monster was equipped with a sharp beak.
“You never give up, do you?!” I yelled. “Just sit tight and be quiet!”
I glanced at my spherical bombs and selected a green one that had the word “anti-insect” written on it. I threw the bomb at the flies with all my might—it had a wonderful insect repellent effect that was extremely prized during the hot summer months. White smoke billowed in the air. One by one, the flies fell to the ground. Flies are powerless against me!
This was partly thanks to my master, Ms. Natalia, who was terrible at keeping rooms clean. When I think back to that dirty alchemy store I entered when I first started living with her, flies in this vast desert are nothing!
“Give it up, Mephisto!” I declared. “I’ll clobber you with the proper anti-evil spells that I recently learned!”
“And you think you’ve won? Your bluffs are so comically obvious that it’s adorable!” the demon replied. He put a finger to his lips as he tilted his head slightly. “Indeed, this monster is very weak. Is it because it’s mixed with a weak human? A being this frail will certainly be of no use to me. I was only entertained when I was creating it—I’m so horribly disappointed now.”
He flapped his wings and took to the skies before gracefully landing atop the torso of the restrained monster. He gently stroked the grotesque body in consolation before his lips twisted to form a cruel grin.
“I don’t need it anymore,” he decided. “If it’s gonna die anyway, might as well give it some of my magical energy as a parting gift.”
Magic transferred from his hand to the monster’s body and the beast soon started to deform and inflate while it gave an agonizing scream. At this rate… Cold sweat dripped down my back.
“Burning Angel Michael, heed my call! Cast judgment on all evil…” I started to chant. But for a split moment, I hesitated.
If I use my magic here, Ms. Eliza might be lost forever. I dawdled and couldn’t fully activate my spell.
The monster’s burly arm became grotesquely enlarged and transformed into an enormous sickle. It swung its sharp blade at me without faltering.
I felt no pain, but an inexplicable impact hit me. My vision grew dim, and I felt something warm trickle out of my body.