The Great Escape (Llorva)

Llorva stayed as still as she could in the beasts arm hoping that her compliance would ensure her life. As the beast moved Llorva quickly realized that even if she were to escape the beasts grasp the monster moved around the market stalls as though it had traversed them thousands of times before. It moved with purpose, never once looking back at the guards that were chasing it down. Weaving through the village the beast ran into a street with a blockade. "Thank the forest! I might finally be saved from this monster." Llorva was well aware that should she be saved she would be resold at another slave market with her master dead. However her enslavement was more valuable than the death that she would likely suffer at the hands of her beastial captor.

Not long after the beast turned onto the road with the blockade it let out another long hiss that prompted three of the men at the barricade to flee. When Llorva heard the guard captain give the order for the archers to fire the beast transferred Llorva from under its right arm to being protectively clutched against its chest. As the rain of arrows fell upon them Llorva watched as the arrows harmlessly bounced off of the beasts skin and fell to the ground

When the beast had almost reached the barricade it made a sudden turn toward a corner of the barricade and its voice rang in her head. "Hold on to me or else I can't guarantee that both of us will make it out of here in one piece." Deciding that it was best to comply Llorva nodded and wrapped her arms around the beasts chest and grabbed onto the ridges of its back. She was amazed to find that instead of the skin feeling like a smooth leather it felt more like the metal of a sword or dagger and was cold to the touch. Almost immediately after Llorva had gotten a firm grip on the beast it lunged at the wall of a house used in the blockade. She quickly forced her eyes shut as the wall approached her. Her head pressed hard against the chest of her captor in an effort to soften the coming blow. Just when Llorva hit the wall she was surprised that she was not overcome with the pain of the impact; rather she felt the wall gently press on her back before her center of gravity was offset by the beast as it ran along the house wall.

Looking to her left Llorva could see the ground quickly moving beneath her as the beast swiftly moved along the wall passing over the barricade and its guards as they stood baffled by the sight before them. Almost as soon as the beast had started running the wall did it jump off to the ground once again. Only after the creature had put some distance between it and the barricade did the guards begin to break their stunned paralysis. "Don't let the demon get away! After it!" the captain yelled with the sound of footfall close behind it. Looking around the her captor the best she could Llorva saw five guards pursuing her captor however they soon began to fade shrink on the horizon as the creature continued running north. Llorva although terrified of what her bestial captor might do to her was once again astounded by its speed. The creature effortlessly ran through the irrigation ditches and muddy soils of the farm lands. Eventually when the creature stopped all that the eye could see was dense grass land with flowers dotted throughout that was gently swaying from the early summer wind.

The creature once again shifted its grip to support her armpits. However, this time there was a worried gentleness that had not been present before almost as if it was afraid of hurting her. As soon as Llorva felt her feet part the grasses and rested firmly on the soft earth the creature released her from its grip and its entire being seemed to visibly relax. Shortly after the creature took several steps backwards and once again talked to her, "Do not be afraid I will not harm you. I am aware that you are unsettled by this form so please do not run while I change it." Llorva nodded her head, curious as to what form it would take and why it wasn't harming her. Llorva's curiosity peaked when still creatures' hard skin began to lighten and a dark silhouette appeared beneath. It looked similar to how a cicada molted with its carapace becoming soft and lighter in color.

The form beneath then broke through the skin and stepped out onto the grass. Llorva was shocked to see the man from the market standing before her with the only difference being his choice of attire. "Now I believe I owe you an introduction and explanation after that scharade, Wouldn't you agree?" the man calmly joked "Wa... What are yo... you?" Llorva stammered as she tried to avoid looking at his dangling member. "Well what I am is an angel sent by god to judge the wicked, liberate the oppressed and to avenge those who cannot avenge themselves." The man said with a bow "Now as for who I am please call me Vinncent." the man continued while lifting his head and smiling at Llorva.

Llorva stood staring at the man "An angel why would a angel take the form of a creature that the humans called a demon?" Llorva thought "You still don't believe me do you?" the man asked." I suppose that I cannot entirely blame you after seeing my other form." He said righting himself and pinched his brow with a sigh. Then he dropped his hand and turned back toward the way they had come. "Anyway we need to keep moving. It is too exposed out here and I doubt that the guards haven't commandeered some horses by now and are chasing after us." The man then turned back to look toward Llorva and said "Whether you come with me or not is your choice and one that I will not force you to make." before passing Llorva and walking north.