In a village tucked into a forest, the sun grazed with his light, awakening those who have settled here since its formation. The husbands prepared for the day's work while their wives began cooking. Immediately ready to toil, the young ones moved eagerly.

"Mom!" a young man called hoisting a wooden stick over his shoulders "im gonna get some water!"

"Be careful honey!" his mother called back as she prepared breakfast for her men. The boy glanced at his dad, who was speaking with another man, lingering over his large back and tall frame, annoyance filled his blue eyes and his skinny body shook in envy.

Avoiding the older men's gaze the boy nimbly departed for the river.

"Fuck you dad." He mumbled angrily, remembering the intense, and nearly physical, confrontation the previous night. "I don't care! I'm not bro!"

"You are right on that one Jonny boy." The young man jumped, knocking the back of his head on a tree branch making the woman laugh. Rubbing the sore spot he glared at her "NOT FUNNY!"

"Yes it is." She replied, slapping her leg.

"Shut uppp, Anne! SHUT UP!" Jonny whined, puffing out his cheeks and waving his arms much to the woman's amusement.

"Never change, Jonny boy, never change." She wheezed.

Extending her gloved hand, Anne aided her friend's brother to his feet who for a moment lingered on her garments.

The shirt and skirt she wore were so vibrant, his eyes couldn't help but linger where they shouldn't have. Sporting several flowers and hearts painted on quality fabric the same color as her pink hair and eyes. Her face was treated with makeup and lipstick, her hair was combed and treated with various products that he didn't know of.

It's impossible to look away from her beauty. Jonny couldn't help but agree with his father on this; Anne was too beautiful to live in a backwater village like Marzh.

"So." Anne began, breaking her junior from his admiration. "You are heading for the river?"

"Obviously." He answered, shaking the buckets. "Mom can't."

"Birth will do that to you." Jonny's body trembled at the mention of that aspect of her marriage. If only...if only he was just a bit older...if only..."So how's your mom?"

"As good as she can be, she's limping but at least she's moving."

"After five days? Impressive." Anne vividly remembered the pain of birth and after,however she was lucky to have a very talented alchemist as a husband. Unfortunately, Aunty didn't. "You know I have some healing potions at home."

Jonny groaned, he didn't want to be near those flowers but her...lover's products were not known for their weakness. "Don't ask for too much."

"You are just the best Jonny boy." The two walked the path that the two had traversed since childhood. The pregnant silence soothed the younger of the two, basking in his childhood memories.

After reaching the embankment, the green haired boy sighed in relief as he spotted bushes with shimmering and smelling flowers.

He took off his shoes and tying his hair up. "I'll fill the buckets and then I'll get you flowers."

"no problem." she answered watching the boy slide down into the water with his bucket and collect water. "I heard that you and your father had another argument."

The boy paused letting the water pass over his feet. "How do you know that?"

"You two are that loud."

"Really?"

"It would make a dragon's roar look like a mouse's squeak."

Sighing, the boy placed the buckets of water on the river bank, scoffing "He's annoyed that I'm not interested in marrying any women."

"And?"

"He asked me to go to a matchmaker."

"When you're eighteen you're prime steak as a man?"

"If my parents want grandchildren, they should give Joseph a few more years and booom! Grandchild is here!" he laughed sarcastically "just stupid. forget about it."

Thinking for a moment Anne silenced herself thinking hard about what could cause that mindset. "Do you still have your eye on that archer girl?" she asked again, remembering that moment nearly a year ago.

Trembling in anger he firmly stated "No," but Anne knew better than to believe that.

"You do, don't you?"

"Shut up." He demanded picking the glittery flowers while ignoring their intoxicating aroma that was pervading the area at a rapid pace. "You can't tell me what to do!"

"It's been a year, Jonny, get over it." Anne commanded, mustering all her motherly energy with each word. "She's been away for six months! There are a thousand more women like her or even better. If you get out of your thick skull."

His eyes narrowed. All he saw was red. How could she? Anne, his crush, his sister! She said the same thing dad said! Why? Why can't they ju-

There was a pause. The air hung still for that small, infinitely fleeting moment. Time ceased it's unending march. The scent of the flowers washed away in the river as did Anne's commanding aura swallowed by the blackened stream. In their place was the sound of a beating heart so loud that the sky shook.

As the body missing an arm hit the water, the march resumed. As the blood mixed with the blackened stream, the originator of the beating sound stood like the reaper of souls.

Anne felt a chill run down their spine, locking eyes with the figure who stood still. Her mind ached and her body trembled, sweat fell from her head as she looked around rapidly.Who ever-whatever- that was it wasnt good! she had to run! Get to her son! The village is through! One of the poti-

Her mind froze, she couldn't move, her legs wouldn't move! WHY? Why couldn't they move? Adonis! She must get Adonis! He needed her! She needed him! She looked at the figure.

In spite of the figure's hunched posture, each step felt like an earth-shattering impact. Tall and thin, the figure wore a black garment bound with withered buckles and rusted chains. Beneath their feet the ground was stained black.

"What do I do?" Anne wonders, her heart pounding in her chest as she stares at the boy who grabbed hold of the stick. Dread seeps into her soul as she whispers, "What can I do?" Her heart skips a beat when she feels a hand on her shoulder.

The grip was harsh and painful. Her bones creaked as this...person dragged their fingers over her skin, ripping it and staining her dress red. Their breath was warm and it almost distracted her from the hand looping around her hips. Running across her neck something warm and wet met her skin while the grip tightened.

She felt something invade every part of her shifting and squirming in her while diving deeper and deeper reaching her darkest depths that not even her husband had gone to, leaving her a mess of disgust and tears.

"Who are you?" she said, her voice devoid of emotion, mesmerizing the figure.

Was this person one of those bandits? Or worse, a Defiled? No, no, no she absolutely had to flee! She needed to run! She needed to run! She didn't want to carry a sorcerous child!

Mustering all her strength, and faithfulness to her husband, the pink haired wife let out a viscous "HELP! HELP ME!" that echoed across the area.

The figure tilted their head to the side in curiosity at the woman's actions.

"Me?" pointing at the crying yet smiling mask that somehow produced a sickly voice. "I'm Kali."

"HELP PLEASE HELP!"

"Quiet." A simple word was whispered, her shouts were hushed.

Sighing in relief, the figure uttered a low "Now..." snuggling this particular creature. She stroked this creature's hair, making her voice as soothing as possible. "Can you tell me who your nest's leader is?" she asked.

"Leader?"

"yes, I don't know where I am." the figure nodded stroking her hair more "can you help?"

"uh-um-uh..."

"Is that a language?"

"N-no?"

The black chimera wrapped her fingers around the woman's neck "then let's go to the leader of this nest." Anne nodded furiously, barely able to breathe through the vice grip.

From the forest, a beast emerged as the two walked away. Neither emitting mana nor shadow, as if not present, the chimera and human continued unknowingly. The soulless husk reached down into the water and pulled out the limp body of the village boy. Its body was covered with chain-like markings and dispersed into a flurry of red sand.

Kali looked at the creatures staring at her.

"Who is that?"

"Why is he holding Anne?"

"Mommy that mask is scary!"

"Daddy why is his left hand glowing?"

"A left-handed caster?"

"Evil monster."

One after another the villagers' whispers and thoughts filled Kali's ears, plaguing her with sadness.

"Why are they staring?" she asked, looking at a trio who exudes a massive fog of hatred. What had she done? Was it because of that creature she attacked? Is it because they don't know her? Why? "Why are they saying 'his' and 'he'? My name is Kali."

"They are cautious of you, master." Great Wiseman answered, reading the minds of the villagers "they think you might have hurt or done something to the woman in your hand."

The chimera looked at the human guiding her to their leader. 

This creature was odd, just odd. She felt a pull towards it, a feeling that she would last long. She had used anysis on her, getting a far more in-depth vision of the creature than she wanted.

Her hips were wide and her skin was so soft to the touch. Her scent was so strong, and the mana within her was particularly strong compared to the other creatures. Everything in this creature spoke of her ripeness and fitness for child bearing.

The chimera wanted to take this creature. She wanted to have this creature! In spite of this, Kali has two walls standing between her and her desire; the spawn named Adonis and the mate.

There was seemingly no end to the warmth she felt when the thought of what she could only assume was her mate entered the creature's mind. However, that warmth paled in comparison to the utter inferno that filled every syllable of those annoying cries.

She thought about this, she wanted this one creature but it was still so defiant. Even now there were fleeting thoughts of screaming for help and hoping these spectators could overpower her.

What was the easiest way to stop those thoughts?

Kill everyone after finding out where she was? Or would it be better to kill this 'Husband' and the spawn?

She felt her chest burn as the image of two bloodied human corpses at her feet entered her mind. Yes, that was right, that way this creature could devote itself entirely to-

A strong sting roared through her chest, locking her muscles together, causing her throat to tighten beyond comprehension.

"No!" Kali screamed in her head, stopping everything in its tracks. She couldn't do this! She didn't know anything about an innocent child! How could she think in such a way?! "No?" she spoke aloud. Why did she feel this repulsion? It was as if every part of her said this was wrong? Why? If she could prove she was the better mate then it would be easy to keep this creature! Still she felt disgusted by that train of thought but what else could she do? What other method was there?

"i-is ther-re something wrong?" the creature choked fearfully, almost breaking her captor from her thoughts.

"Thoughts. Confusing thoughts." the chimera answered, trying to understand the tornado that is her developing mind."Some very confusing thoughts."

"O-oh i s-see." the creature turned back as they arrived at the center of the village. “We're here."

Kali looked at the house they had arrived at.

Made of wood and painted white, it was a small, cozy cottage atop a large hill guarded by a fence.

Kali let out a disappointed sigh. This was too small. Why would a nest leader live in such a small place? She expected it to be much larger. For a moment the thought of a large building entered her head causing her to shake her head.

"Very small." Kali muttered before glancing at the human. "Are you sure your leader lives here?"

"Quite certain." Another voice answered instead of the trapped female.

Authors notes.

Hello to all my readers this is The_Prophetic_Storyteller Id like to start off by saying thank you for sticking with me and my story so far i hope you like things. Id like to say that i have recently been planning more of the arc while i was down since i needed a better plan for this arc. A lot of things will be hidden going forward and happening as our lovable chimera begins to learn more about the human world and her ideas as a monster.

I hope you all will join me on this journey and accept my apology for no chapter within the last month things are hard am i right? i wish you all the best with your friends and family.