Towards the end of the market, he heard a low rumbling growl, one he had heard before. Antioch hid behind an umbrella post, holding the wooden boards vertically, steadying his breath. In the next second, he heard small claws grazing the ground, approaching quickly. He brought a wooden board up to, ready to strike, when the small creature passed the beam, continuing its journey north.
The creature looked just like the one he saw before, full of dark matted and bloodied hair, claws on each foot, but it had an absence of eyes. Its sockets were hollowed out, no evidence of eyes even being there.
Antioch stayed silent, watching the small beast continue its way until it disappeared from sight, which signaled him to flee. Antioch started hurrying through the market, when he heard a small screech, coming back from where he had just been. A scurrying of claws came approaching back his way, so he hid the same way again, behind an umbrella post, hiding him from the north.
When the beast passed this time, Antioch took more time to study it, catching one detail he had missed before. Its ears were absent, replaced with large holes on each side of their head.
Antioch thought more about why the beast had turned around so quickly after he started to flee, figuring out that the hearing of the creature was highly sensitive to make up for the lack of eyesight.
Antioch cursed his luck, all he had wanted was to make it home, now he was in quite an ordeal. As the creature continued on, Antioch thought of ways to pass it, making his way back to his house to hide for the night. He searched his pockets, finding a small lid to a jar he had, cupping it in his right hand. He turned around, throwing it as hard as he could, its impact echoing around the market.
The passing creature turned, locking in on the noise, darting towards it, passing by Antioch by the umbrella post, who held his breath. As it passed, Antioch took the time to quietly start his way, taking each step carefully, making sure not to step on any debris that lay about. As he made his way through the market, the shadows shifted with the moon cresting the building edges, making his mind imagine figures all around.
As he continued his way, the sounds of the creature faded, leaving him in silence once more. He finally finished his trek through the market, turning right, peeking his head around to peer into the street before his home. He did not see anything, so he made his way onto the street, crossing swiftly, about to reach his house, until out of the alley ahead, the large creature from before stepped out, facing away from him.
'Son of Hepi,' Antioch thought as he stopped where he was, turning to run into the alley next to him, as he saw the creature sniff the air, turning his way. As the creature looked eyes with Antioch, he fled in a sprint, running down the nearest alley, hearing the howl of the creature behind him, claws scraping against the ground, approaching the alleyway.
His feet raced forward, propelling him farther through the alley, the scraping of claws kept approaching faster and faster. At the end, he turned sharply, bolting to the right, the creature sliding past, losing its grip, before digging its claws into the ground, launching forward.
As he kept running, the beast lunged at him, hooking his right leg, tripping Antioch, who fell into a heap. Above him, the creature snarled, flames brewing at the back of its mouth. Antioch held up a wooden board, flames pelting the board, sending heat all around, scorching his legs. He yelled out, his pants smoldering, flames biting into his skin. As the flames stopped spouting from the beast, Antioch swung the board, hitting the creature in the jaw.
The board splintered, the beast looking unphased, no damage being dealt. Antioch sat back, awaiting his demise, when he felt a bead of courage well up inside of him, pushing him to fight, to survive. He felt a renewed strength, the burning pain subsiding, his mind clear from distraction.
As the beast started its next attack, opening its mouth to breathe more flames, Antioch took the splintered wood, ramming it through its open maw into the top of its mouth, flames licking at his arm. The wood was stopped short, so Antioch pressed harder, resistance lessening, as it pierced through, into the creature's brain. His arm was charred, pain shooting up his arm as the flames died out.
The beast fell forward, crashing onto Antioch, its teeth ripping into his arm as it left its mouth. Antioch yelled out once more, the pain catching up to him. He laid there, groaning in agony, the creature's body laying over his own as he thought of what to do next.
As the pain caught up to him, he started feeling dizzy, his hearing drowned out by blood running through his head, pulsing after each beat. After each pulse, he felt himself slipping into a deep sleep, one he would never come back from.
'All I wanted was to help others, now I am the one in need, but there is no one to help…' Antioch thought as he slipped farther.
Suddenly, a white light burst forth from the beast, snaking through the air as a gathering of particles. Antioch thought he saw fireflies, ones he hadn't seen for years, here to guide him to the afterlife, so he reached out to them, hoping to catch one for the last time.
As his hand hit the light, it flowed into his arm, straight to the center of his body, all of it collecting together. When the last bit of light disappeared, Antioch was disappointed, sad that his friends would disappear so suddenly, taking the time to close his eyes for the last time.
When he did so, silence gripped the area, the night taking hold. Wind whipped through the street, his hair billowing in the wind, covering his face.
On both sides of the street, doors and windows opened, spectators perring out, seeing the fallen beast. Cheers rang out, the night becoming a cacophony of sounds. Many left their homes, walking up to the beast, lying dead on the ground.
As they got closer, they saw the silhouette of a body, pinned below, crushed by the creature. One by one, those present noticed, cheers dying down, replaced with whispers of questioning, wondering who could've done this.
One brave soul dared to get closer, kneeling down, moving the creature's arm off of the face of the deceased, finding it to be Antioch. Their mouth gawked open, hand raised in front, tears welling up in their eyes, as they turned around.
"It's Antioch," She spoke, voice shaky, wind whistling past, chatter absent amongst the present.
Others teared up, thinking of everything that he had done for them, how he had been one that never let them down, even in the current crisis. More walked up, looking at him, his arms outstretched to the side, burns covering most open skin.
His clothes were shredded to pieces, cloth scattered around the area, many still alight, smoke drifting into the night sky. His skin was open, flesh burnt and charred, cuts racing up and around his arm, cauterized by the immense heat he endured.
His legs were scalded, blisters forming all around, leaking serum onto the ground. His shoes were ripped open, mangled at the ankle, torn up to the toe box, the smell of leather burning invading everyone's noses.
Many around walked up, nodding to each other as they grabbed the beast, pushing it up and over Antioch, landing flat on its back. They knew that he had fought till the very end, taking the beast with him, whatever the cost.
As they stood watching, a screech rang out from a nearby alley, scraping claws entering everyone's ears. Out of the alley came the smaller creature, bereft of eyes, walking out, carrying a small arm in its mouth, blood dripping from its maw, splattering on the ground.
As it made its way further, one of the spectators turned and ran, kicking the ground as they sped past the others, some joint in retreat. With each step, the smaller creature's head perked up, tracking each additional noise, when one last person joined the escape. When they started to run, the smaller creature started its pursuit, passing those too frightened to move.
As it made its way over, it passed the body of the larger creature, stopping short, sniffing the body. As it did, it screeched out, seemingly knowing the other creature was defeated, turning to pursue the assailants, when an arm reached out, grabbing hold of the small creature's matted fur, pulling it close.
Those present opened their mouths in shock, watching as Antioch raised the creature into the air, above his head, before squeezing down on its neck, watching the life drain from its eyes. Blood dripped down, hitting his face, falling down his cheek, as he sat up, right thumb wiping the blood away.
As he sat up, Antioch took deep breaths, his chest shaky, tossing the creature to the side, turning to face the others. They saw his eyes regain light, his burns starting to heal in front of their eyes. At one point, they appeared to see white light exit the small creature, flowing into Antioch's arm, but none of them believed what they saw.
After the light entered his body, more burns continued to heal, skin stitching together, pulling over any area that was charred and scalded, hair regrowing over the newly healed parts. He popped a smile, spouting out, "Saved you all again," before he toppled over, exhaustion taking hold over him. The ones who remained watched him, peacefully sleeping in the middle of the street, clothes torn up, injuries healed, the two creatures lying dead around him.
They walked up, two men grabbing one side of him each, carrying him into the nearest home, a woman grabbing any medicinal products she could, slathering all over his body, hoping to protect from any infection, before placing him on a small bed, covering him with blankets, letting him sleep after his night of horrors.