o ignis

“Yeah,” Her reply was a tad softer, “I get it. But him... He’s irredeemable. “ And I thought I was an awful person. It was a small comfort, at least, to know there were worst people out there than herself. Even worse than the rich, haughty folks who always mocked her for everything about her character.

“It’s alright. I just have to find him. Demand why he does this. I won’t rest until I encountered that good-for-nothing old jerk.”

+umbrae-monstrum

Charlie seemed to be only mildly interested as the girl’s lifeless body dropped to the ground.

“Strange… I never find that as satisfying as I hope.”

She shrugged to herself. “Well, I suppose there’s always a next time.” She waved a hand. A gold necklace with a blood-red ruby appeared in her hand with a flash of smoke. “I knew I was saving this for a special occasion.”

Gracefully stepping over to the body, she lifted the woman’s head and slipped the piece of jewelry around her neck. “Maybe she’ll revive with better manners.” The grue chuckled to herself before vanishing into the inky blackness from which she had come.

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic #Fin.

There was a brief moment of silence, with the exception of the fire still cackling cheerfully despite the grisly scene. The air remained still before the necklace, and the corpse, began to rise in the air. In a bright flash, her limbs suddenly sprung to life. Amber eyes flew open as she gasped, before falling gracelessly onto the ground face-first, the necklace shattering into nothingness.

For a moment, she can only lie there. Her limbs felt like chunks of wood, her body aching all over. With a groan, she forced herself to stand up. With a jolt, she remembered the monstrous woman who went through with her threat. She glanced around, tensing and snarling, only to realize she had disappeared.

Her hands came to dust off her already-filthy clothes as she curled up close to the fire again. That woman killed her, and yet... How did she come back to life??

+umbrae-monstrum

“Really? Those are going to be your last words?” Charlie raised an eyebrow up at her. “Normally someone might beg for forgiveness, or at least say a prayer. But hey, sometimes less words do it better, am I right?”

“Well, it’s been fun talking to you. Goodbye.”

The shadowy hand that was holding the woman suddenly lit up with red sparks of electricity. A second later, the hand tossed her into the air. Just before it impaled her through the chest.

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic #(I haven't even had this blog up for a week and Willow is already dead.#Great going.)#tw; death #tw; impalement

“No! Don’t--ACK!” She shrieked as she was briefly electrocuted, agony surging throughout her entire body. More painful than that, if possible, was the sensation of something sharp plunging from her back, ripping it’s way up to her chest. Thankfully, it was just as brief too. Her mouth sagged open and her eyes rolled back as her life quickly drained away from her body, before her limp form fell upon the ground.

+umbrae-monstrum

Something in her mind snapped when those words left the woman’s mouth.

There was a roar as her arm extended well beyond it’s natural length. Her hand shot forward and grabbed the girl by the collar of her shirt, lifting her high up into the air.

“I am NOT one of that bastard’s minions!” She bellowed in pure rage. “He’s the reason I’ve become what I am. The reason we are all here! How dare you think I’m another one of his playthings….” The monster’s anger suddenly shifted into another sadistic smile.

“Now, my dear girl. How would you like to die tonight?”

She shrieked as those claws punctured through the fabric of her sweater before she felt her rising off the ground. Her legs flailed wildly about as she struggled off her grip.

“But...” Maxwell had clearly turned this poor woman into a beast. Who was she before all this happened? How did Maxwell get to her. For a fleeting moment, she almost pitied the woman despite her viciousness.

“Let... Me go....” She winced, twisting her body this way and that, but despite her efforts, she couldn’t dislodge herself from Charlie’s grip.

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic

+umbrae-monstrum

Interesting question. Well, she didn’t see any harm in humoring her before finishing her off. It wasn’t as if any of it mattered.

“Oh, I don’t want much from you, Miss.” She flashed her a menacing smile. “Just to see you cower in terror before I tear you apart. It is my job, after all. If these lost souls start to get too comfortable here, I’m obliged to pay them a little visit.”

Her smiled widened to reveal rows of long, sharp fangs. “Your precious little fire won’t last forever. And when it finally leaves, I’ll be there. Ready to strike you down.”

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic #(Willow YOU ARE MAKING IT WORSE OMFG...#If it comes up to this point you are allowed to kill her off.)

Willow shuddered, swallowing the lump developing in her throat. Whoever she was, she knew this encounter won’t end pretty for her. At the mention of her fire, she hurriedly threw a few more sticks in there just to keep it going for a little bit longer.

Her job.

“You must be one of Maxwell’s creatures, aren’t you?” She bared her teeth at the monster, trying not to tremble in fear, “One of his demented pets! Why do you do this to us!?”

+quiteliterallyacatfish

“Wooaaaah. Good kitty.”

#quiteliterallyacatfish #;; ic

+umbrae-monstrum

Coward? COWARD?!

How dare she call her a coward! Did this brat have any idea who she was dealing with?!

The grue snarled and circled around until she was facing the woman’s back, her teeth bared and her spines bristling. The joke had worn itself thin. Now it was time to move in for the kill.

“You’d better watch your mouth, Madam. For if I showed myself, we’d soon learn who the real coward is here.”

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic #(NOW you fucked up...)

She heard a snarl in response, and tensed, shuffling around in her backpack before wielding an axe, getting ready to strike. If this creature’s intent was to hunt her down, it has another thing coming! This woman isn’t going down without a fight.

Willow gasped as a voice hissed behind her, hurriedly turning around with her axe raised. It sounded as if it belonged to a woman. Was it a lady monster?

“Why are you stalking me, huh? What do you want from me?”

(Like for a starter!)

+weo-wont-starve

“No, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone like that… What’d he do?” Weo replied, one of her fluffy cow ears flicking a bug away.

“Is he the guy who put us here? Or.. Is he another survivor?” she asked, seeming full of questions about this place, and rightfully so, as she was whisked off from her home without warning.

“The first one is right,” Her expression hardened at the image of his smug grin imprinted in her head. God knows how badly she wanted to punch him in the face. “He’s the bastard who runs this place, apparently. Responsible for putting everyone here.”

+umbrae-monstrum

“HISSSSS!”

The shadow monster grit her teeth and rapidly withdrew her hand. Her fingers burned in pain where the woman’s heel had connected with the bones. Cursed thing was smarter than she thought. She lowered her body and crept closer, beginning to slowly circle the encampment. If the flame from the pit wasn’t so bright, she’d rush in and get a bite from that girl just for her previous action. No one angered her and got away with it. A snarl rumbled in her chest as she moved in closer to the light’s edge, just close enough for her image to flicker into view and then disappear just as quickly.

Willow shakily exhaled as the hand whisked out of sight with a hiss, eyeing the spot where that hand had been creeping up to her. Good lord, what was that!? Was it Maxwell using his powers to mess with her again?

She could feel the dark aura come closer, as if death was just waiting outside her camp. She could hardly stand the heavy tension that befouled the night. The air was so thick on it Willow could almost choke on it. Something was there! She knew it! SOMETHING IS THERE!

Then she saw it. Right at the edge of the firelight flickered the threatening face of a beast. Or... Was it a woman? Both? That image from within the dark was so brief Willow barely had time to fully register what was it. It set her nerves on edge, wild fear and anger churning within her until it fueled her to stand up as she fiercely glared at the area where that face flickered in and out.

“Show yourself, coward!!” She roared.

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic

+weo-wont-starve

Weo saw the look on her face, and knew that one. “I don’t like carrots much either, I prefer fruit, but I already ate all my berries.” she said, glancing in her bag, there were some mushrooms that she dug up, but those weren’t good for eating raw, at all.

“So, what’s your name?” she asked, taking another bite of the mushy roasted carrot.

“Same here,” She grunted, swallowing her bite. She lifted her head, studying the creature slowly. She seemed friendly enough. But could she trust this minotaur thing?

“My name is Willow. Say, have you seen a tall, skinny old man with a big nose and lips? Wears a suit and smokes a cigar. Likes to call us ‘pal’,”

+weo-wont-starve

“Oooh, yikes.” She grimaced, “Well then. Welcome to the club, I suppose? Unfortunately, monsters aren’t the only danger here. God knows how I managed to live here as long as I could. I mean, I have died a few times, but you can actually cheat death every now and then with a bit of luck and some material.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful, dying over and over again. I can’t even bring myself to hurt a rabbit.” the monster sighed, she was seriously going to need help learning to distance herself from such things. She pulled out another carrot, holding it out to the firestarter as a sort of peace offering.

“My name is Weo, would you like a carrot?”

“Uhh...”

Personally, she didn’t like carrots too much. Willow always found them bitter-tasting, or what she’d describe as ‘vegetable-y’. But she couldn’t give up the prospect of a little free food, even if she need have plenty back in the camp. If there was anything she remembered from surviving the dirty streets in poverty, it was that she always took advantage of even the most trivial opportunities if she wanted to live another day.

“Sure, I guess.” She cautiously took the carrot and took a bite, trying not to grimace. Yuck, still bitter.

+weo-wont-starve

“That’s probably because I haven’t been here as long as you have. I’ve only been here on the island for a week or two. Even still, the monsters here are pretty scary. There was a tiger-shark-thing in my camp the other day.” she said, dropping her spear on the ground and plopping onto her furry rump.

“I’m sure I’ll be a raggedy survivalist in a few week’s time.” Weo sniffed, pulling of her backpack and pulling out a roasted carrot and biting off the tip. The petite minotaur might be classy looking, but her instincts as a beast were still there, just subliminal are more… Bovine.

“Oooh, yikes.” She grimaced, “Well then. Welcome to the club, I suppose? Unfortunately, monsters aren’t the only danger here. God knows how I managed to live here as long as I could. I mean, I have died a few times, but you can actually cheat death every now and then with a bit of luck and some material.”

#;; firestarter #(FUCKING--)

mrkanman

Willows hair looks like onion rings

?????????????????????

+weo-wont-starve

Weo had nearly jumped out of her skin, she was simply passing through the camp when she got a spear directed towards her, “Startled! That’s what I am!” She pouted, crossing her arms and pointing her own spear at Willow. “I’m a minotaur. And you humans don’t seem to know your mythology very well.” The cow huffed.

“A minotaur?” She held her spear forward, uncertain whether to interpret this new information as good or bad news, “Mythology? Sooo, you’re not one of Maxwell’s creatures? Huh. You seem like the type of animal he would make... Except you’re wearing some nice clothes, so...”

She glanced down, with a grimace, at her dirt-covered, torn, raggedy sweater and skirt. How long had she’d worn that since she came here? Heck, since she first began living in the slums? A cow creature has fancier clothing than her. How embarrassing!

+umbrae-monstrum

The night monster’s eyes narrowed at the unsuspecting survivor. What a poor, lost soul. Another one who had fallen prey to Maxwell’s mind games.

The new ones were the easiest to pick off. They had no way of fathoming the real dangers that came when the sun had set.

She flexed her talons and extended a hand towards the light of the fire, her arm ghosting forward and manifesting as a claw-like shadow across the ground as it slunk towards the fire pit.. Time for a little fun.

#umbraemonstrum #;; ic #(Back in the good ol' days where Willow didn't take the throne.)

She was so close, she could feel it in her bones. Coward! She gritted her teeth, longing to spit at whatever is hiding there. Show yourself!

Willow tensed as she heard a faint tune split the semi-silence of the night, growing in volume. It sounded akin to a music box gone through hell and back, the slow, uneven tunes making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She noticed the shadow-like head creeping towards the burning flames just in time. With a shriek of surprise, she dashed over to protect her precious flame, stomping on where the hand nearly wrapped it’s lengthy claws around the ball of fire.

+weo-wont-starve

“What t--AHH!”

A startled Willow grabbed her spear, pointing at directly at the strange bovine-like creature while her sides heaved with each calming breath.

“What are you!?”