《Doctor Monster》 Distress ¡°Drip¡­Drip¡­Drip¡­¡± Droplets of water cascaded down onto her eyelids, awakening her from what seemed like an eternal slumber. Her eyes widened when suddenly pain shot into the left side of her head, half shutting her curious eyes. She moved her hand to grab the painful area, but something felt awfully heavy and cold. She noticed cold chains grasping onto her tiny wrists, too heavy for her to move her hands freely. They drained her of her strength as if they had been magically modified. The same for her slender legs, haunted by more heavy, rusted chains. Where am I? No¡­ I need to find a way to escape She looked around her; the room was indeed dark, so dark that it swallowed her vision; she could not tell what she was staring at but understood that she was against a wall. I might find a window or a door if I follow the wall She mustered up the little strength she had and stood, leaning against the wall, as if she would fall at any moment. Her hands stretched slowly against the walls, searching for a way out. ¡°Knock¡­ Knock¡­¡± Her hands caught onto what seemed like a piece of wood, barricading the window; she dug her nails and clawed into what seemed like a piece of the frame. She forced her hands and muscles to pull tightly until a ray of moonlight gleamed from the small crevice she had created. "Gah!" The piece of wood flung off, and she fell back, hitting the floor; in pain, she turned and twisted her body, stomach down, unable to touch her back due to her chained hands. But what she saw next erased her pain and replaced it with shock. "Who are you?" In front of her was a girl covered in green feathers; she looked around sixteen, maybe younger. The girl''s head was down, not allowing others to recognise her facial features. "Are you ok? Hey, can''t you hear me?" She is a Valkyn, but where are her wings? [Valkyn: Bird-like, winged, and feathered beings that roam the skies of Vyrmorin. They have large wings for hands and sharp talons but exhibit a human face, albeit covered in feathers. The colour of the feathers varies based on status and power; they are swift and territorial] The chained girl then stood again to get a better look; to her horror, she did. The feathered girl''s hands were covered in flimsy bandages, drenched with blood. A sense of nausea eroded into the girl''s gut. She forced her hands to quickly grasp onto her mouth, and her eyes twitched with disbelief when she noticed that from the shoulders down, her hands had been cut off, severed, removed. H-How could a living being do something so dreadful to such a young girl? She staggered closer to the Valkyn, her chained feet rattling on the cold ground. "Hey¡­ We need to get out of here!" But the Valkyn did not respond; the chained girl knelt down and placed her hands on the girl''s shoulder. "My name is Livora... P-Please¡­we need to escape quickly!" Livora gazed at the girl and noticed a slight twitch on her trembling lips. The Valkyn girl whispered in a broken voice. "R-Run away" Tears streamed down her face, and she made an excruciating expression as she explained. "Run away from here, those... those monsters, tho-those wicked monsters killed m-my mother, they are going to kill us too¡­ you have to escape¡­" Before the girl could talk, large thuds of footsteps approached from outside the room. Livora heard the sound and quickly moved towards the side of the door, awaiting the door to open so she could ambush or even sneak past to seek help. The steps became louder and louder. Livora grabbed onto her bloodied metal chains, wrapping them around her hands and wrists. She bit onto her lips, trembling with fear, then steeling her nerves, awaiting in silence. "Creeeeeakkk" The doors slowly opened, and coarse and loud voices followed out of the shadows. "Haahh¡­which wench should we take next?" A devious and younger voice responded. "They''re all wretched monsters, who cares which one we take." The poisonous voices echoed louder as they laughed. "I wonder if the red hair is awake. We didn''t get to torture her and hear her screams." "Yeah, we should make her like the bird brain before the ritual, haha." Livora knew at an instant that these heinous criminals had been the ones that had locked her and the poor injured girl in this room. She gritted her teeth. T-These monsters! How could they do such horrible things! Livora wanted to smash their heads against the floor, but she knew she was outnumbered and, more importantly, out of strength; she had to keep biting her lips in despair, waiting for them to pass through so she could slip into the darkness. The men entered. Livora is behind the door. Both men recognised the broken barricade and ventured towards the window. Livora used this opportunity to tip-toe around the door to escape, but she heard a loud shout. "Who damaged the barricade!" "More importantly, where is the redhead!" At that moment, Livora''s chains rattled on the door frame. The two men sharply gazed at her. Livora shut the door. She used the chair outside to block it from opening and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. I have to find a way out and get some help, or that poor girl will die She hurriedly ran through the passage until she found a door, a moment of relief. I can finally go outside Just as she approached the door, she was slammed onto the floor. A giant, rugged man grabbed onto her head, lifting her up from the floor and suffocating her. His face seemed to droop from the side. Like his structure, he uttered in a low and sluggish tone, each syllable tumbling out in a lazy, uneven rhythm. "M-Master s-said no escape¡­ Master angry" The giant man then carried Livora on his shoulder; she kicked and kicked, but it was useless. The man took her into another room full of rugged, bandit-like people. "How dare this repulsive thing try to run away¡­ Knock the creature out and tie it up; it''s next!" Her eyes were closed shut by a piece of cloth, and before she knew it, someone had hit the back of her head with a log. ~~ "Sskkrrttt"This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. What is that snake-like metallic noise? For a brief second, Livora regained consciousness; she felt her head heavy and her body being dragged. The noises were her chains screeching on the cobblestone floor. Her arms felt the presence of two people on both sides carrying her away, her vision still dark from the blindfold placed on her. A burning, ash-like smell permeates the air around her and invades her nostrils. What is this burnt smell? It''s not the scent you smell from a burning tree, but¡­ The dragging had stopped, and the men who grabbed her arms let go. Unable to stand, she fell onto the floor. "REMOVE THE DEMON''S BLINDFOLDS!" A sharp crimson red penetrated her iris, and she could not determine what she was looking at. She slowly re-organised her vision; it was a great fire, but something was being burned. A moment of hesitation, then realisation struck her eyes, which widened with terror and shock. W-Why¡­ Why is¡­ Why is there someone being burned¡­? Livora grabbed onto her mouth but soon vomited out everything inside her onto the floor. Her face was riddled with nausea and tears. A narcissistic voice pretentiously echoed from the other side of the burning stake. "Disgusting creature! How dare you spoil the lands of Arkalon with your vile innards!" ''Hang the blight on the empty stake; we must get rid of this filth quickly!" ¡°Well? What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°Yes Lord! As you command¡± The men grabbed Livora and tied her up to a stake. She did not resist, her face filled with lifelessness as if she had given up. Slowly, without energy, she lifted her face to gaze upon the voice. A round, stubby man dressed in a white doublet adorned with gold sitting on a raised chair on a small podium. It was a human noble. Around him were men dressed in rugged tunics, but that wasn''t all; she was surrounded by the elderly, women, and even little children. "What are you looking at, you vile swine¡­ your gaze is filthy like your predecessors." Livora looked at the noble and murmured. "W-Why?" "Huh! Is the filth broken already?" She vocalised in a fit of anger and resentment. "WHY ARE YOU KILLING US! WHY ARE YOU BURNING US! WHAT DID WE DO? WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS?" The noble sarcastically repeated. ¡°Why¡­ Why ...Why¡­¡± He was mocking her. "That''s what you creatures always say, ''why'' I''ll tell you why." "Because you are vermin. YOU ASHRIVEN WRETCHES. You and your filthy kind need to be tortured, burned, and eradicated. You, who destroy the lands, seep blight onto the balance of the world, will be cleansed". [Ashriven: remnants of blight] "B-But we are just normal people like everyone here. We don''t spread blight. We don''t kill, nor are we monsters." ''PFFT... Bahahaha¡­ ''Normal people''¡­. you? You can''t possibly compare to us, noble humans. Do you think I don''t see your demonic horns that you hide under your hellish hair? Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I don''t know what you are capable of? You demonic beasts must be cleansed before you bring blight to my village¡­ you will be burned, and you should be grateful because your essence will be purified by our saviour Arkon." [Arkon: A legendary hero of the past who had slain the great demonic lord that terrorised the lands and ascended to become the ruler of humans] Livora was shocked; she could not believe what she had just heard; the deranged voice echoed from ear to ear. This man is crazy¡­ She turned her head in disbelief towards the people crowded around her and spoke. "Please you must sto¡­" But to her despair, they cut off her words. The men and women chanted. "BURN THE MONSTER! BURN THE BEAST!" The elderly kneeled, forming a circle with their hands, praying: "Arkon, grant us your blessings; we offer this vile creature as a sacrifice." A child in the crowd turned to her parents and excitedly chirped. "Mama! Papa! I can''t wait to see the fire! Can''t you burn it quicker!" Livora, choking on her despair, let out tears in silence. Her voice was too broken by the disturbing chide she just witnessed. The crowd acted as if she was a caged beast, the fuel to a fire at a festival¡­ She was something they regarded as worthless. They are all crazy¡­ The Noble stands up from his little podium and preaches. "Now! Now! The sacred people of Arkalon." "It''s time¡­" "Let us eradicate this filth from this world and incur the blessings of Arkon." Like an insane, eccentric cult, the crowd cheered. ¡®Burn the BEAST! Burn the MONSTER!¡± A man, holding a large torch, began approaching the stake All sound began to disappear, and all she could hear were the large steps the man took. Death was slowly creeping towards her. With each step, Livora protested; she moved her hands, wiggled her feet, and turned her body, but all for nought. The man took his final step and threw the flame at the straw beneath her. Livora was too tired to move, her hands too bruised to twist and turn, her legs too broken to jump up and down. The blaze approached her. ¡°Crackle¡­ Crackle¡­¡± Is this it? Is this how I meaninglessly die? Why? Why? Why¡­ "Mother¡­ I wish I could see you again¡­" She shut her eyes with intense worry and fear. The fire had caught up. Just as Livora acquiesced to her demise, a large gust of wind invaded the centre where she was. Its power blasted away the people in the crowd, knocking them off their feet. Livora slowly opened her eyes, and in front of her was a mysterious man. "Who are you?" The man responded to her. "Do you know where I can find a doctor?¡± Livora, awestruck with confusion. ¡°Huh?¡± -------------------------------------------------- Authors Notes: Thank you for reading this beginning chapter of my new novel, Doctor Monster; it has indeed been a pleasure starting this series. I want to introduce many ideas, journeys, and developments. Please stay tuned for more chapters; I promise this journey will be worthwhile, and you will experience laughter, sadness, and satisfaction. I have added this section to clarify anything that might make it tricky to understand or read the novel. Sentences in Italics are thoughts and feelings Sentences that have ¡°speech marks¡± are used for dialogue. ~~ I used this symbol to represent a change of scene/setting/time. Some keywords and what they mean: P.S all words with the * symbol are words only applicable to this story. Cascaded: to fall down. Gleamed: to shine brightly *Valkyn: Bird-like, winged, and feathered beings that roam the skies of Vyrmorin. They have large wings for hands and sharp talons but exhibit a human face, albeit covered in feathers. The colour of the feathers varies based on status and power; they are swift and territorial Eroded: gradually wear away Permeate: spread throughout Crimson: rich, deep red colour Doublet: padded Victorian jacket Tunics: loose clothes worn by men Predecessors: someone who had the same position but before *Ashriven: remnants of blight Blight: disease *Arkon: a legendary hero of the past who had slain the great demonic lord that terrorised the lands and ascended to become the ruler of humans Deranged: mad or insane Naught: nothing Thank you all and Let Us Journey Together! Scarlet Eyes Livora''s puzzled expression grew increasingly; she was truly confused about what had happened. She thought to herself. Was I not just about to die¡­? But reality had snapped back at her, her gaze focused on a mysterious man, his hair dark as the night and his structure deemed that of an average but athletic individual. The man wore: a dark black long coat with a hint of navy translucent space blue, almost as if reflecting the crescent moon''s glow. Livora could not help but notice that the man had spectacles/shades covering his eyes. Truly mysterious, as no one wears shades at the peak of night but those who may have something to hide from the world. "Oi¡­ Can you not hear me?" the man exclaimed in a calm yet annoyed demeanour. She looks at him, and her eyes meet his black spectacles. "I..I.." words are trapped inside her mouth; they can''t flow out, possibly due to the traumatic event she had just experienced. The man turns his body. ''Damn it, no luck here either", he murmurs as he starts to protrude out his long limbs and walk away. Livora thinks to herself. I have to ask him for help¡­ I have to say something or it¡¯s the end for me¡­ She uses all her energy to let out, "W¡­Wait!" But the man doesn''t stop. I said, "Wait", she shouted. No response: the man keeps walking as if he has lost all interest. "I know¡­ I know a doctor!" Finally, a response, the man''s ears raise as if he had heard something exciting; in a peculiar fashion, rather than turning his body around, the man walks backwards towards his original position. He turns to face her, contradicting his previous indolent nature; he enthusiastically states, "Oh¡­ so you do know a doctor¡­ well, who is it?" Livora was just an apprentice doctor who had no practical experience but had learned from her mother, who was known to heal all kinds of ailments. So, with a fearful heart, she murmurs, "I am an apprentice doctor¡­" "Huh¡­ Speak up," he retorts.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "I said, I am an apprentice doctor!" "What¡­ an apprentice doctor, that''s the same as not being a doctor", he impudently remarks. "My... my mother is an experienced doctor." The mysterious man''s face had started to lift up, and his cheeks began to raise as if he was jubilant that he had found something he had been searching for eternity. Their conversation is cut short by the miserable noble. "Well¡­ Well¡­ Well¡­ did the demon call its allies here to tarnish our sacred ceremony?" His gaze fixated on the back of the mysterious man "And tell me, knight in shining armour, how will you save his wretched creature? Will you start growing wings and fly her away?" the noble smirked. But the man did not turn his body; he did not face the noble and continued to ignore him, infuriating the noble''s puny pride. "How dare these rats think that they can ignore me! GUARDS! Kill that vile man and prepare to restart the ceremony." A guard positions himself behind the mysterious man, who''s still fixated on Livora. "WATCH OUT!" Livora screams Before a moment''s notice, the guard hurls his large club and hits the back of the man''s head. Livora, who had closed her eyes on the impact, opened her eyes to see what had happened to him, but to her surprise, the man was still standing; his head was slouched as if he had only been smacked with a small branch. However, the most important thing was that the man''s shades had fallen to the ground. Livora finally managed to take a peek at the man''s eyes, but she was shocked. The colour of his eyes wasn''t human; they weren''t of any creature she had seen. They were scarlet red, so red that it reminded her of the great crimson flames she witnessed moments ago, the same crimson that was about to torch her alive. But amidst all that, she blurted out. "How beautiful¡­" After a moment of pause, she realised what she had said and felt incredibly embarrassed. Nevertheless, she composed herself. The noble starts to giggle. "HAAA¡­ Did you see what happens to those who ignore me? Nothing is above me; I am the ruler of this domain; don''t you dare think that the likes of you can get the better of me." The guards also smirked as they looked at the man, but those laughs iced over. The mysterious man straightened his head and cracked his neck to relieve tension. His veins popping out from the side of his head, the man casually turned his head, his crimson red eyes enraged with anger as he looked at the noble and spoke, "Shhhhhh". Like a shadow, his aura had seeped and penetrated the ground, covering the noble and soldiers. A sudden feeling of fear imprinted inside the noble and all the guards around him; sweat started pouring down their skins. The noble understood he would be in danger if he had not shut his mouth. The man turned to Livora, "So where is this so-called doctor mother of yours?" Livora knew that her value had risen up in this man¡¯s world; she did not know her mother''s location because they had been separated. However, she worried that the man might forsake her if she said this. Hence, she had no choice but to strike a deal. Fearful but also confident, she spoke, " I can take you to her but, only if you help me." "Aha, you are cleverer than you look¡­ I see how it is¡­" She momentarily worried that the man may have found her words impertinent. Still, the man grabbed the shackles, and they withered away like dust. The people around scream, "Blasphemy! How could he destroy the holy chains of Arkon". These chains were not typical, as they were imbued with powers that suppressed mana and ethos; if anything were trapped with them, it would be practically impossible to remove, much less destroy, without the owner''s command. The noble shouts: "HERATICS!!!! I don''t know what sorcery they used, but they are no match for the noble troops of Arkalon. All guards get ready! Kill those two Ashriven! I want their heads!". He turned his body towards the noble and his guards. On the back of his coat was a prominent symbol; it looked like an arrow pointing up, and the bottom of the arrow had a line across, somewhat like an upside-down cross. The guards surround them and slowly approach. The guard in the red tunic swings his sword; the man dodges by a hair width, and the others follow. Their swords cut through the air at the man''s body, but he dodges them, moving rapidly through the guards as he slips left and right, passing by each attack. The attacks continue, two guards slashing down, three slashing left and right, and four piercing the air with their spears but with no luck. Until a guard lunges with his long spear at the man''s heart. Livora shuts her eyes, thinking the man has been struck. "HAHAHA¡­ Is that all you had to show? So weak, as I thought, no one is better than my noble soldiers" the noble snorts in relief. ¡°Now guards, start the ritual again, I¡¯ll make sure to burn her till there¡¯s no bones left¡± he wickedly smiled.