"I saw it… a hanged giant…"
The streetwalker murmured in her trance, hypnotized by the Psychiatrist.
"A hanged giant?"
Professor Anthony frowned; the image in her dream was beyond his expectations. "Step closer and study the details on the giant…"
"Professor."
Before he could finish, Audrey, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, rose and cut him off.
Anthony did not know what the hanged giant meant, but Miss Justice knew very well. From the Tarot Club's daily sharing of occult knowledge, she had long since learned that the figure belonged to that ancient, terrifying evil god—the True Creator!
Why would a streetwalker dream of an evil god?
No—those questions could wait. The urgent thing now was to end the hypnosis; she must not be allowed to look any further, or it would be disastrous!
Unfortunately, Audrey was still a step too late. As she stood, the woman's body began to tremble unnaturally.
Her head jerked back, mouth yawning wide, the corners of her lips tearing toward her ears as a corrupt, distorted aura gushed out madly.
"Miss Audrey, we agreed you wouldn't interfere during my consultation…"
Anthony turned, displeased.
"Aaaaah!"
A terrified scream erupted behind him—a voice that sounded faintly familiar.
Puzzled, Anthony looked back. The female patient had lunged without warning and buried her teeth in his assistant's throat. The poor young man shrieked, struggled, blood spurting from his neck.
The patient had gone berserk!
Anthony blanched and rushed forward to pull her off, shouting for orderlies to secure the room.
"Don't go near her!"
Audrey called out at once.
What are you saying—my assistant's life is in danger—
Even as the thought formed, Anthony saw the assistant's struggles cease. The patient gnawed savagely; he heard bone crack, then watched the assistant's neck tear completely, the head lolling backward to expose the ragged, headless cavity.
Blood gushed in thick pulses, drenching the floor.
9-North
An icy spike of dread shot from his soles to his skull, freezing Anthony in place.
"Professor, not a sound—back away slowly."
He heard Audrey's low voice. Compared with him, a man who had seen countless Lunatics, she seemed the calmer.
Following her cue, Anthony retreated step by step until he stood behind the desk beside her. Her face was deathly pale but composed; one hand soothed her trembling maid while she warily watched the frenzied streetwalker.
She's been tainted by the god's aura… craves flesh…
Audrey saw the woman devour greedily, skin splitting to reveal gory muscle and tissue. Most horribly, her belly swelled rapidly as she ate.
At my Sequence, I can't handle this…
she thought in frustration.
Her Path's higher Sequences were still unknown; for now she could influence minds, but against a ravening Monster she was helpless.
"Sob…"
Her maid Annie shuddered beside her, clamping both hands over her mouth yet unable to stifle a whimper.
Swish!
The feeding creature jerked its head and turned toward them.
They'd been spotted!
Yet for some reason its eyes stayed shut, as though still trapped in the mad dream. The torn grin and warped body, however, proclaimed it had irreversibly plunged into the Abyss.
It's coming!
Terror clutched Audrey's heart; she saw herself devoured.
Stay calm!
Audrey—stay calm!
In that crisis Miss Justice forced the thought through her panic: It's still asleep—I have a chance!
She stepped forward, shielding the paralyzed Anthony and Annie, and murmured in a soft, drifting voice, "It's all right, you're safe, this is only a dream…"
With no time to spare she used the hypnotic phrases she had just learned, striving to soothe the creature.
Unlike an ordinary Doctor, a Telepathist who could read the Monster's state had far better odds—and indeed, the hypnotized beast slowly calmed.
Good—now back out quietly, lock the door, call the police…
she told herself, not daring to relax.
Bang!
At that instant the door was violently flung open from outside; several burly orderlies burst in with clubs and restraints, drawn by the noise.
No!
Audrey despaired as the crash made the creature's eyes snap open. It plunged among the startled men; screams and blood erupted anew!
The Monster gorged on flesh, its belly ballooning until it looked heavily pregnant.
No—it truly was gestating something, for from within came the faint cry of an infant.
Waa…
The eerie wail hit Audrey like vertigo; she could barely breathe. Beside her, the two ordinary humans fared worse—Professor Anthony and Annie collapsed unconscious.
Audrey herself fared little better. Strength gone, she slumped to the floor and watched the Monster finish the orderlies and turn its ravenous gaze upon her.
Helpless, she clasped her hands and whispered a prayer.
" Fool that doth not belong to this age…"
In extremity, prayer to a god was all she had left.
Yet before she could finish the Fool's honorific, the shadow beneath the Monster began to twist—and something rose from it.
Swish!
An arm wrapped in many restraining bands shot out like lightning and seized the creature's throat. The fingers were long, knuckles sharp, a stark contrast to the Monster's blood-slick flesh.
Audrey's eyes widened: the handsome youth she had passed in the corridor now stood between her and the beast, effortlessly holding the killer that had massacred so many.
How had he appeared?!
Miss Justice was bewildered, her thoughts in Chaos.
Lu Ze narrowed his eyes at the Monster.
From its dress it had once been a streetwalker; its swollen belly emitted the faint cry of a baby, a sound that grated on his mind.
A ritual for a Child of God?
That possibility sprang to mind at once.
The creature thrashed and roared; Lu Ze tightened his grip, fingers sinking deep into its flesh.
Audrey watched in horror as the Monster shrieked. Its flesh melted away like wax, pooling on the floor in a grotesque, ghastly puddle. She clapped a hand over her mouth—this Beyonder was terrifyingly strong, and his methods far too grim!