The Battle
Wrenching itself from the portal, the creature's vulgar musculature set itself square-on to Samir. Tendons cracking, sinews stretching, veins bulging; with each heave of its gargantuan chest the beast became yet more corporeal – and yet far from natural. The foul stench of its crude anabolic metabolism hung heavy in the air; its pollutants and toxins animating tendrils of shadow from the darker recesses.
Malandanti.
The word was starting to acquire a mantra-like quality for Samir.
Malandanti.
Percussive.
Malandanti.
Insistent.
Malandanti.
Or had those qualities always been there; lying dormant; his consciousness only now awakening to the words rhythmic potential: the war-drum heralding the imminence of battle?
Malandanti.
Hungrily snorting air, the beast coiled itself backwards. With the assurance and synergy of the waking-dreamer, Samir’s left shoulder rolled forward, assembling a symmetry with his right leg’s half-crouch. Muscles relaxed, centre-of-gravity lowered, the grip on the balls of his feet secure … time stretched and contracted beneath Samir as the beast flung itself across the room at him.
Weight shifting onto the left foot, Samir pivoted out of the Beast's trajectory and slammed his fist into its leathery flank in one fluid motion. Twisting his fist on impact to rip its skin, Samir pressed the advantage and moved-in on the beast as it turned – stunned – from the wall where Samir had been standing. He smiled as he pulled his right leg back to deliver a roundhouse-kick to its grossly muscled-neck.
Malandanti.
Samir had found his heritage.
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THE GOODS
You're currently reading a chapter in the story
Leapers. This chapter
was posted on April 26, 2008 by
JJ1979.
This story is filed under:
Action / Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction
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'...On Thursdays during the Ember days, periods of fasting for the Catholic Church, the Benandanti claimed their spirits would leave their bodies at night in the form of small animals (wolves, butterflies and rats in the Friuli).'
So the warrior need not take the form of the wolf..."
Can't wait to see who tackles "The Battle" though - been a few days, is everyone too scared of it...?"
jait, wanna take a shot at it? :)"
Not fond of this sub-genre but you're doing a good job changing my mind ;-)"
Great writing, good detail and description. =]
- RF"
I'm sure I'll add something soon... This story is right down my alley!"
As an aside, the werewolf transformation is supposed to have been the first time it's happening to him, rather late in life (I put him at 40ish.) It's one of those needs-based things where thus far in life he hasn't been required to do anything, but his calling came late... so he's kinda screwed in that sense. :)"
I like the idea of a modern-day supernatural conspiracy of shadow-fighters..."
(Also plays into the whole werewolf familial/bloodlines concept.)
Actually.. that just gave me an idea. But I'll save it for later in the story. :)"
I'll do a little research (looks interesting... I love this kind of lore) and write something tomorrow after my Protagonize presentation (see blog.)
Hell, maybe I'll write something tonight and post it during my demo. Better than posting crap and deleting it after. :)"
Benandanti reference from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benandanti"