Early Morning
Thomas rushed around the small house, trying to get ready while glaring at his alarm clock.
"Beth! Stop messing with my alarm clock! Now I'm late!" he shouted.
From the mirror, his younger sister brushed her hair calmly. "Don't blame me. Maybe you should just wake up on time."
She wore her school uniform neatly, completely unfazed by his irritation.
Once they were both ready, they walked to a small room where a framed picture of their parents rested on a simple altar. They knelt down together.
"Our parents died in a car accident years ago," Thomas murmured quietly. "Since then, it's been my duty to take care of Beth."
Beth wiped a tear from her cheek, staring softly at the picture.
After the prayer, Thomas stood and clapped his hands once. "Hurry up, Beth. You'll be late for school."
Beth rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, but stop treating me like a baby!"
Thomas walked her to school like he always did. Before leaving, he placed a hand on her head.
"Do well today and come home early. I'll be working late."
She stuck out her tongue playfully. "You're such a worrywart!"
Thomas chuckled faintly and waved as she disappeared into the building.
At Work
Thomas pedaled his bike quickly, still annoyed that he'd woken up late. The moment he arrived at the pizza shop, his boss stormed toward him.
"Thomas! You're late again!"
"I'm sorry," Thomas began. "I had to drop my sister off—"
"Save it!" the boss snapped. "This is your last strike. Screw up again and you're fired."
Thomas lowered his head. "Understood."
As the boss walked away, a coworker approached him with a sympathetic smile. "What a jerk, huh?"
Thomas sighed. "I don't know how long I can keep this up."
She nudged him lightly. "Come on. If you quit, who am I supposed to talk to?"
That earned a small smile from him. "Alright. I'll manage."
Just then, the manager handed him an order slip. "Family-sized pizza with three milkshakes. Deliver it to this address."
Thomas glanced at it.
667.
He packed the order, mounted his bike, and set off.
The Strange Address
As Thomas rode, the streets grew quieter… older… unfamiliar. He frowned.
"667? This place looks abandoned."
Finally, his GPS beeped, confirming he had arrived.
Thomas slowly looked up.
A decrepit hut stood before him, its clay walls cracked and overgrown with vines. It looked like it hadn't been touched in decades.
"This… can't be right."
He checked the address again.
667.
Swallowing his unease, he knocked on the door.
No response.
He knocked harder.
The door creaked… then suddenly collapsed inward with a loud thud.
"Uh… hello?" Thomas called nervously as he stepped inside. "Sorry about the door. I can fix it…"
The air inside smelled rotten. Cobwebs clung to every corner. Then, in the dim light, he saw it.
A skeleton.
Sitting calmly in a chair.
Thomas screamed and stumbled back, his heart racing. After a moment, he forced himself to breathe.
"This… this can't be real."
Trying to act normal, he awkwardly placed the pizza box and milkshakes on the skeleton's lap.
"Enjoy your meal," he muttered nervously.
As he turned to leave, something caught his eye.
A jar.
It was tightly clasped in the skeleton's bony hands.
"Maybe the money's inside…" he whispered.
Hesitating only a second, Thomas unscrewed the lid.
The moment it opened, a freezing wind burst out of the jar. Thousands of glowing beast souls shot into the air like a storm of light.
"What the—?!"
Before he could react, one of the souls slammed straight into his chest.
Thomas's eyes widened as his body convulsed violently.
Then everything went black.
Something Inside Him
Minutes later, Thomas woke up on the floor, gasping. His entire body trembled. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
He felt… wrong.
Different.
But fear forced him to ignore it. He grabbed his bike and rode back to work as fast as he could.
When he arrived, his coworker's expression changed instantly.
"Thomas! Where were you? That address was fake!"
Then she froze, staring at his face.
"Thomas… your eyes… they're turning red."
He touched his face, breathing heavily. "I'm fine. I just… need to rest."
She frowned, worried. "Go home. I'll cover for you."
Thomas nodded weakly and left.
The Beast Detector
Elsewhere, Steven lounged lazily on his couch while Sophie tinkered with a strange machine.
"What's that thing?" Steven asked.
"Shh!" Sophie snapped, focused.
Seconds later, the device beeped loudly and she jumped up. "It's done!"
Steven blinked. "What's done?"
She grinned proudly. "A beast detector."
"A what?!"
"You remember the old story about the beasts that slaughtered humans until they were sealed inside a magical jar?" Sophie said. "This device can detect them."
Steven frowned. "Why would you even build that?"
"Because if they ever return, I want to be ready."
Suddenly, the machine began to beep rapidly.
Sophie's expression turned serious. "It's detecting a beast… nearby."
Without another word, she ran outside, Steven chasing after her.
They stopped when they saw a familiar figure leaning against a wall.
Thomas.
"Thomas?" Sophie asked.
The detector screamed loudly.
"What's up, Sophie?" Thomas said casually.
Steven panicked and swung a stick, smacking Thomas on the head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Thomas yelled.
"Sorry! Sophie's machine said you're a… beast," Steven admitted sheepishly.
Sophie stared at the device in confusion. "But how? Why is it detecting you…?"
Thomas sighed. "I left work early. I wasn't feeling well. I would've gone home, but it's locked. I gave Beth the key."
His eyes then landed on the device. "What even is that?"
Sophie and Steven exchanged shocked looks.
"You… don't know the story?" Sophie asked slowly.
Thomas shook his head. "No. What story?"
Sophie inhaled deeply. "Long ago, a man brought beasts into this world, claiming they needed help. But they slaughtered humans instead. Realizing his mistake, he sealed them inside a magical jar from Aslaste Village… sacrificing his life in the process."
Thomas froze.
"…I think I saw that jar."
Sophie's eyes widened. "Where?"
"In an old hut. There was a skeleton holding it."
"A skeleton with a green necklace?" she pressed urgently.
Thomas nodded, his face pale.
Steven gasped. "That's the sealing jar!"
Silence filled the air.
Thomas swallowed hard. "…I opened it."
"What?!" Sophie and Steven shouted.
"When I opened it, glowing things flew out… and one of them entered me."
Steven stepped back in horror. "You're telling me you released the beasts that caused mass murder years ago?!"
Sophie stared at Thomas seriously. "If one entered you… that's why the detector reacted."
Thomas's voice trembled. "Am I going to be okay?"
Sophie hesitated. "…There's a 70% chance you'll die. And a 30% chance you'll lose control of yourself."
Thomas's heart dropped.
"I'm… going to die?"
Steven awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, man. You've been a great friend. We'll never forget you."
Thomas smacked his hand away. "This isn't funny!"
He turned desperately to Sophie. "There has to be another way."
She crossed her arms. "I need to analyze your blood first. That's the only way to know for sure."
Thomas nodded firmly. "Fine. But I need to check on Beth first."
The First Sign of Doom
When Thomas arrived home, Beth was studying peacefully.
"How was school?" he asked softly, ruffling her hair.
"Fine," she replied with a smile.
Relieved, Thomas changed clothes and cut his palm carefully, collecting a sample of his blood.
Before leaving, he warned, "Don't open the door for anyone."
Beth nodded.
But minutes after he left, a loud knock echoed through the house.
"Thomas? Is that you?" she called.
The door suddenly burst open.
Monsters flooded in.
Beth screamed as the beasts grabbed her and carried her away.
---
The Kidnapping
When Thomas returned later with Sophie and Steven, the house was destroyed.
Furniture overturned. Windows shattered. Silence everywhere.
Thomas's voice trembled. "Beth…?"
No answer.
His knees buckled as he collapsed onto the couch.
"It's all my fault…"
Before he could sink deeper into despair—
SLAP!
Sophie struck him hard across the face.
"Pull yourself together!" she shouted. "If they had killed Beth, they would've risked losing the alpha too. They'll wait until the full moon when they're strongest. That's when they'll try to kill her!"
Thomas blinked, stunned. "You're saying… we still have time?"
"Exactly," Sophie said firmly. "But not much. Steven, check the date of the next full moon."
Steven checked his phone. "…Three days from now."
Thomas clenched his fists. "Three days… Then we save her now."
SLAP!
Sophie hit him again. "And if you die on the way? Then what? We fix your problem first—or we lose everything!"
Steven stepped between them quickly. "Alright, enough. She's right. If you're dead, you can't save Beth."
Thomas hesitated… then finally nodded.
"…Why are you two even helping me?"
Steven smirked. "Because you've helped me more times than I can count."
Sophie shrugged. "And I'm interested in the beasts."
Thomas smiled faintly. "Thanks… guys."
Then Steven suddenly pointed. "Uh… Thomas… your hand."
Thomas looked down.
His right hand had transformed—covered in red fur, ending in sharp claws.
His eyes widened in terror.
"What… is happening to me?"
Sophie stared seriously. "…You're running out of time."
And far away, deep in the shadows, the beasts gathered.
"Our master's soul is inside a human," one growled.
"Find him," the largest beast ordered. "Bring him to us."
Their focus locked onto a single location.
Thomas's house.
The hunt had begun.