79. The Eight Beyond

I had emerged, but not as Kenos… I was something different.

Thanks, in part, to Katsíki's broiling rage and… something else.

I looked at my hands and saw that they were dark.

Razor sharp claws sat where my fingers once were and my head was like that of a goat.

I glanced over at Ndlo and saw that was quivering in fear.

Fear of what?

Fear of me?

No.

He wasn't afraid.

Not yet.

I walked up to him as black smoke swirled around within the dark room which was lit only by the faint orb of light above.

I lowered my head so that I could look Ndlo in the eyes.

"How did it feel? When you laid your filthy hands on his heart?" I asked. My voice an ear shaking growl.

Ndlo didn't speak as his body continued to tremble.

Even his teeth chattered, but I shook my head.

"Speak, Ndlo. Did it feel good? Did it fill you with ecstasy?" I asked as my now red eyes reflected in Ndlo's.

"I-I'm s-sorry." Ndlo shattered but I shook my head again.

"No you're not. But I shall guide the way to earn Katsíki's forgiveness. Would you grant me one request, Ower?"

"You and lord Katsíki are one. So long as your orders steer along the path set by him, I am yours to command." Ower said without materializing.

"Good. Please bring me two healers."

"As you wish."

I nodded to myself before absorbing all the dark smoke back into my body.

I then grabbed Ndlo's pants and slid them down to his shins all while the man stared at me.

I then grabbed his dick and balls before lightly squeezing them.

"Mmm!" Ndlo moaned just as Ower returned with two confused healers.

"Alright guys, this man has committed a grave sin and for that he shall be punished. Heal him as I hurt him ok?"

The two magicians nervously nodded and I squeezed Ndlo's genitals with so much force that my claws dug into his body.

"AAHHHHHHHH!" Ndlo screamed but I found his voice extremely annoying so I shoved his genitals down his open mouth and I forced them down with so much force, that I dislodged his jaw.

His body then limply fell forward prompting me to look at the petrified healers.

Something about this felt… familiar.

I pointed at the dying Ndlo.

"Heal him, quickly. If he dies I'll… just heal him."

The healers raised their hands before sending out tons of life energy into Ndlo and we all watched as his body put itself together tissue by tissue.

As for the healers, they wore UEF uniforms and so they probably had tons of spare life in them.

What none of us had was time and so, after his body returned to normal, I decided to test just how sharp my claws were and so I pressed my open hands on Ndlo's chest and tore it open.

"PLEASE! FORGIVE ME!" Ndlo gurgled and blood flew out of his mouth.

"Who? Me? I've already forgiven you. It's Katsíki's anger that needs to be sated." I said before dragging my claws across Ndlo's chest, tearing it open in the process.

"AHHHHHH!" He screamed while I gouged out his innards.

The healers healed him again and I gently held his chin before deeply sighing.

"Tell me, what was your end goal? We watched you and although you spoke of grand things, you always seemed like the kind who would die and be forgotten quickly. Your cold corpse buried beneath the sands of time." I said to a convulsing Ndlo.

"K-" He stuttered.

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that." I asked while placing my ears next to his mouth.

"King." He wheezed.

"Hoh? You fancy yourself royalty? Well, as a prince, I have to say, you are not the kingly sort. Kings are decisive men who let nothing, not even blood, get in the way of what they want. Kings build nations all while feeding and protecting their people. You… you are a rodent. A leech. You came here and thrived beneath Katsíki's wing all while touting yourself as some sort of legendary warrior. But… I never want it to be said that Katsíki is a cruel being, so I will not rob you of the chance to be king. I don't know what land you will rule over or how long your reign will be, but I just know that a dastard, such as yourself, could do it. Given the chance. So I will only take three of your limbs so that you may one day become the Stubby King." I said before raising my hand and slashing across Ndlo's legs with so much force I tore through both flesh, bone and even the chair.

"AHHHHHHH!" Ndlo yelled, but I wasn't done.

I wanted to make sure that he never stood again and so I created countless thin threads of darkness.

I then sent them into Ndlo's bleeding legs while his screams filled the room.

Once my threads got up to his pelvis, I expanded them and created a bed of spikes that encircled his bones so that even if he ever healed his legs back, the pain from walking would most likely make him shit himself.

I then dug my claws into his shoulders and while he let out gurgled screams, I tore off the arms that had dared touch Shiru.

I'm assuming this is enough? I asked internally.

[It is.]

I nodded and promptly stood up.

"Heal everything including his right arm." I said to the two mortified healers who stood in the corner. I grabbed Katsíki's gown before exiting the room.

I then left site A and was brought to the heart by Ower as the sun soared high above.

[Thanks.]

"No problem. Just leave all the nasty stuff to me." I said while washing my now normal hands in the stream.

My head had also returned to normal.

I sighed before leaving the heart.

I then walked towards Yna's hut where I planned to get some clothes, but instead, I arrived to find Timí standing there with a book in hand.

"What do you want?" I growled at the human.

"Oh- I wanted to speak to Katsíki, but I can always come back later-"

"Speak to him about what? Tell me. We are the same person after all." I said with a yawn.

"The Eight Beyond."

My heart froze for a second.

I then crossed my arms before staring at the small human.

"What do you know about them?"

"I was going through Farin's notes and I found that he and you discussed at length the existence of beings who exist in a dark realm far beyond ours. You see… the beings you mention bear uncanny resemblance to the ones I've seen in my dreams ever since I was a boy." Timí explained.

"I see. Do you think they have anything to do with your barrier?" I asked.

"Maybe. That's why I wanted to discuss it with Katsíki."

Tsk!

"Come on, didn't you hear a word I said? He and I are one. Talking to him is the same as talking to me." I said but the meek idiot lowered his head while muttering words of uncertainty.

I let out a deep sigh before plopping down on the grass in front of Yna's cabin.

I then patted on the spot next to me as the setting sun dyed Coh a deep orange.

"Come on. Let's talk."

Timí nodded before sitting next to me.

"So tell me. What do you think the Eight Beyond are?" I asked while playing with some of the dead grass in front of me.

"Mmm… according to your discussions with Farin, I assume they are somehow connected with the eight aspects. But do the eight aspects come from them? Are they a part of the cosmos or are they outer beings from a plane for beyond our reach? I don't know…" Timí said while stroking his chin.

"You said you've dreamt of them. Describe your dreams. Is it the same dream every time or…?"

"It's the same every time. I awake in the same place. Within the arms of a being I cannot fully see. I'll be so small that I can snuggly fit in his arms but when I try looking at him, my head hurts so I don't. Looking at him is like peering into an endless hole that is surrounded by countless other abyssal holes and this what I remember from glimpses. I dread to imagine what his full form looks like. Standing next to him every time are seven other beings. One is an orb of light at the centre of which rests a golden heart. The second is a tall man with skin that looks like coal and instead of a face, he had a jagged twisted hole that seemingly never ends. The third is a large man who's entire glasslike body continuously bubbles and convulsed with heat. The fourth is a woman who's body is made from wisps of white smoke. The fifth is a short woman from which waves of green energy comes. The sixth is a tall slender man who stands, seemingly stuck in place, his body is glasslike much like the third and the last is… an orb of something I'm not entirely sure of. No matter how hard I stare at it, it seems like nothing there, but as soon as I shift my attention, it appears." Timí explained before narrowing his eyes.

"These beings all live in a dark realm that twists and churns constantly. It is a world of chaos and they all simply stand there, next to a large pool of blood in a vast plane."

"Ah, about that vast plane. It's actually the body of a woman." I pointed out but Timí frowned at this.

"Really?"

"Yep. I don't know how to explain it either, but whenever I go there, the Eight Beyond are standing atop the body of a gigantic woman and that pool of blood you described is actually a wound on her chest." I said.

"I see… do you think they are hurting her?"

"Maybe. Maybe they're trying to help her. We may never know." I sighed before noticing an approaching Yna.

She was clad in her dark armour as usual and she held her helmet in her hands.

I glanced at Timí and saw that the little guy was staring at Yna intently.

"Mmm…" I sounded as Yna opened the cabin door.

"Hello, Timí." She greeted and Timí greeted back.

She then entered the cabin before slamming the door shut.

I simply sighed before glancing at Timí who looked at little flustered.

"So… Yna, huh?" I asked with a grin.

"Who would have thought that she had a thing for weirdos, such as yourself. Could you borrow me your arm?"

Timí reflexively cowered away but I grabbed his arm regardless before trying to squeeze his arm.

Well, I tried but we had long since discovered that Timí was almost indestructible.

"This barrier definitely has something to do with those guys. Although one would think that, if our theories are correct, they'd favour hosts exclusively."

"Don't they?" Timí asked after taking his arm back.

"They do. I'm assuming Luno can create barriers that are about as strong as yours."

Timí hummed in understanding as we sat.

"I'm curious, how does Yna behave when she's with you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"She's always so cold and distant with me even though Katsíki and I are literally the same person. I wonder how she treats her little snuggle buddy." I said with narrowed eyes.

Timí looked at the cabin but I clicked my fingers in front of his face.

"Oi! Focus on me. Just pretend like she's not mere meters away and can clearly hear everything we say."

Timí made a panicked expression before suddenly standing up.

"Thank you for your time, I'll return to speak with lord Katsíki when he awakens." He said as he quickly walked away.

I rolled my eyes and rested my head on the cabin's wooden walks.

I looked at my large, goat like legs and sighed.

I was a monstrosity.

A freak.

Katsíki was the same and yet he got treated so differently.