CHAPTER 48: THE MAN-BEAST

Caspian led Richard through the shadowy back halls of the academy, deeper and deeper until they arrived at the rear wing of the old Astronomy Tower.

The air Inside the tower grew thick with dust and the scent of mildew.

The walls were lined with cracked stone, and the torches flickering weakly as if struggling to stay alive.

"This way," Caspian murmured.

Richard followed him closely, like a sheep being led to a slaughter house.

They reached a heavy wooden door, its surface marred by scratches and stains.

Caspian produced a rusted key from his pocket and turned it in the lock with a grating click.

The door groaned open, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond.

Richard hesitated at the threshold, his nose wrinkling at the acrid stench of chemicals and something else—something metallic and foul.

The laboratory was cluttered with glass vials, bubbling flasks, and strange instruments he couldn’t name.

Shelves lined the walls, filled with jars containing floating specimens—things Richard didn’t want to look at too closely.

Caspian spread his arms wide like a proud artist unveiling a masterpiece. "Welcome to where the magic happens."

Richard stepped cautiously inside, his boots crunching against broken glass and dried herbs scattered across the floor.

The air smelled of rot and iron, tinged with something coppery and sweet that made his stomach twist.

He wrinkled his nose. "This place is disgusting."

Caspian chuckled as he trailed his fingers over a line of glass containers holding mutated rats with glowing veins.

"Does the Chancellor even know you use this place for your mindless experiments?" Richard asked.

Caspian picked up a small, clear vial, inspecting it against the light. "As far as no one gets hurt, they don’t bother with me." He glanced at Richard, his eyes gleaming. "Relax. I only experiment on rats and animals. You can trust me. I’m not the monster the stories make me out to be."

Richard’s frown deepened. "How am I supposed to believe you’ll give me what I paid for? What if this whole serum thing is just a lie?"

Caspian clutched his chest dramatically. "Oh, Richard. I’m wounded. Truly. You think I’d betray someone who wants revenge so badly? Don’t worry—I’ll clear every last doubt after this."

Richard’s patience frayed. "You better. Or else I’ll have you locked up."

Caspian’s smile didn’t waver. He extended his hand. "Then let’s do business. The gold?"

With a scoff, Richard tossed the heavy coin purse onto the table. "There. Now give it to me."

Caspian picked up the bag, counting each gold piece with a greedy glint in his eyes. "Thirty pieces of gold. As agreed."

Satisfied, he tucked the coins away and held up the vial. It was colorless, shimmering faintly under the dim light.

Then, with a whispered incantation, Caspian traced a finger along the glass.

The liquid inside slowly darkened into a deep, viscous red—like thickened blood.

"There." Caspian lifted the vial, its glow casting strange shadows on his face. "Take it. Drink every single drop. This will make you faster, stronger—your magic will surge beyond what even demons can match."

Without hesitation, Richard snatched the vial, uncorked it, and downed the contents in one gulp. The liquid burned like fire down his throat, but he forced himself to swallow every drop.

He closed his eyes, waiting.

Seconds passed.

Nothing.

A moment passed. Then another.

Richard’s eyes snapped open, blazing with fury. "I feel nothing! You fraud!"

Caspian only smirked. "Relax. I wasn’t done yet."

Before Richard could react, Caspian stretched out his hand and began chanting—a low, guttural string of words that made the air itself tremble.

The shadows in the room twisted, stretching unnaturally toward Richard.

Richard’s breath caught in his throat as he felt a violent surge building in his chest.

A sharp, searing pain lanced through his body. He gasped, clutching his chest as his veins darkened beneath his skin, spreading like ink.

His muscles spasmed, his bones shifting unnaturally.

Caspian’s eyes rolled back. His voice deepened unnaturally. "Let the soul be reshaped. Let the beast awaken."

Suddenly, Richard collapsed to one knee as pain tore through his veins like fire. His muscles seized, bones cracked and reshaped.

Raw, overwhelming power surged through him, flooding his senses.

His vision sharpened, his hearing became unnaturally acute. He could feel magic coursing through him like a raging river, stronger than anything he’d ever known.

Richard’s body convulsed violently, his spine arching backward as a sickening series of pops and cracks echoed through the lab.

He let out a guttural cry as his frame began to stretch—his bones elongating, his shoulders broadening, his muscles bulging beneath his skin.

He watched his nails blackening into jagged claws. His feet burst through his boots, reshaped into something feral.

A low growl tore from his throat as his face contorted, bones shifting beneath the surface.

His nose flattened, jaw widened, and two sharp fangs pushed down from his upper gums.

A single horn burst through the center of his forehead, spiraling slightly as blood trickled down between his eyes.

His ears grew pointed and slightly longer, twitching like a predator’s. Hair sprouted along his arms and back in uneven patches, and a long, dark tail lashed out behind him.

He was no longer fully human. He was something halfway between beast and man.

Richard opened his mouth and roared so fierce it shook the dusty rafters and sent several glass vials crashing to the floor.

His eyes blazed like molten embers.

The hunger for revenge, for blood, roared through his mind, drowning out all of his humanity.

"Yes," he growled, staring at his hands "Yes... the power. I can feel it. I can taste it."

Caspian stepped back, his eyes wide with mad glee. He clutched his stomach and let out a maniacal cackle that echoed off the walls.

"It worked! It worked! The serum worked. I’ve done it!"

Richard turned his feral gaze on him, his lips curling into a vicious grin. "Now\... I can unleash my wrath on Archer. I’ll tear him apart. Rip him limb from limb. No one will ever stand in my way again."

He was panting now, saliva dripping from his fangs. "He’ll beg. He’ll scream. And then... I’ll kill him."

Before Caspian could say another word, Richard vanished from view with an explosive dash, his claws digging into the stone floor as he launched himself down the dark corridor like a wild animal.

The last thing Caspian saw was Richard’s monstrous silhouette vanishing into the halls, his roar of bloodlust echoing through the academy like a storm.

"Run wild," he whispered, slowly smiling again. "Let’s see what chaos you bring."

* * * *

I was halfway through my second bite of roasted boar meat when I felt Raven’s eyes on me.

She sat across the long dining table, legs crossed, twirling a spoon in her fingers as she watched me intense curiosity.

The dining hall was buzzing with noise—students laughing, chatting, clattering plates—but Raven’s voice cut through clearly.

"So, have you made a decision yet?" she asked.

I blinked, finishing my chew before answering. "Decision?"

"About the club," she said, nodding toward the parchment clutched in my hand. "You’ve been staring at that list since we sat down."

I sighed and slumped a little in my seat. "It’s hard. There are so many clubs out there."

"Well," Raven leaned forward, tapping the table with her spoon, "you could find one you’re actually passionate about. You know, like the Beasts Taming Society or the adventurers club. There’s also the Herbalist Circle, the Rune Carvers, or the Ruins hunters if you like stealth missions."

I wrinkled my nose. "Yeah, none of those really interests me."

Raven groaned. "Then how about the Blade and Sigil Club? You’re already famous for besting Richard. With your skills, you’d make it in without breaking a sweat."

I opened my mouth to respond—

But a loud cry suddenly pierced the hall.

Screams erupted. Plates shattered. Silverware clattered to the floor as dozens of students leapt from their seats in a panic.

Panic swelled like a crashing wave.

"Monster!" someone yelled. "There’s a monster out there! It’s attacking students!"

A girl shrieked at the top of her lungs. "It has claws—claws and horns!"

Raven and I exchanged stunned glances.

"Monster?" she whispered.

"What monster?" I asked, pushing up from the bench, my heart racing.

Just then the dining hall doors exploded open, as something slammed through them.

A ferocious man-beast burst into the hall with a deafening roar.

Gasps and screams filled the air as students fled in every direction, overturning tables and trampling benches.

The man-beast bared his fangs, saliva dripping from his lips as he thundered toward the center of the hall.

"BRING ME ARCHER!" he roared, shaking the very walls of the dinning hall.

My stomach sank. The hell is this?

Every head in the room turned toward me for answers.

Raven’s grip tightened on my arm. "What the hell did you do?"

I swallowed hard. I didn’t do anything. What does a man-beast want with me?

This was not good.