Heart stomping my chest, I darted up the stairway.

But, the sound of the creature approaching and my own curiosity made me look back.

After all, understanding what kind of monstrosity I faced was half way to defeat it.

I gasped when empty orbs glared back at me.

Nothing that I could relate to any known creature. What I saw was new to me.

That was bad, really bad. I had no idea how to fight the thing.

For a moment I thought I was dealing with a Slavic entity called Leczy. But, it was too different from what I read in my master's library.

A faint green glow appeared in the middle of an empty and infinite black abyss. An abyss of darkness that stood where the orbs should be. Shaped like a skull, but made of vegetation. With no mouth, no nose, nothing to resemble any creature I heard about.

Fern coming out of the green skin like green warts. Wood branches sprouted from all over that huge body. About nine feet high.

Tree branches, vines, and tree-creepers going in and out the torso, chest arms, and legs. Sewing all those plants together to shape a hulk humanoid figure.

An immense and bulked body supported by short, yet thick legs and large feet. Arms the size of barrels with sharp thorns sprouting from the fingers.

Thorny claws that swung the air in front of me inches away from my neck. Creating an unpleasant breeze that caressed my nostrils. Thanks for the angelic statues that held the stairs in place my head was not ripped off.

That green menace arrived at the entrance of the stairs. Yet, like real guardian angels, four bronze archangels that adorned the handrails blocked the path of the beast.

Their swords crossed in front of the monster forming a narrow entrance to the stairways. No more than the head of the beast could enter from below their open arms to invade my safe place.

Still, the giant green monster didn't want to give up.

Unable to climb the stairs, the monster decided to clobber everything. Hitting the floor and the metallic structure with powerful and shattering blows.

The clash of wood against bronze, marble, and iron echoed in the large empty hall. I fumbled to the handrail by my left to not fall to the feet of the creature.

Lucky for me, the irrational creature didn't realize how easier it was to reach me from the left of the structure. From there only the narrow handrail would be between me and certain death.

The tremendous impact of the beast's hands shook everything. The chandeliers in the ceiling danced supported only by their strings. To not lose balance, I pressed my body against the handrail.

The marble steps broke and collapsed down by their own weight. A dangerous crater opened below my feet. I was almost swallowed by it, but I grabbed the rail and attempted to climb it.

Some pointed wires, coming out of the broken marble pieces were waiting for me to let go the handrail and fall down.

If that happened they would carve my flesh like a butcher's knife.

If trying to hold my body in the rail while the world trembled around me was not bad enough; the thundering sound alerted all the people, still working on the floor above me.

One head after another appeared in the wall outlining the other end of the stairs. From there they could see my body hanging in a precarious position.

"Damn it!!", I profaned loud.

They were not supposed to be inside the building anymore.

"Get away", I shouted, "Don't come close. Find the emergency exit."

They only murmured something inaudible between themselves. I got so angry that I snapped at them:

"Leave this building at once, for God's sake. Go away now! It is dangerous to stay here."

"What is happening down there?", said a known voice that arrived close to them.

The hammering halted when Sister Paula's voice coming from above confused the creature.

I shouted to her:

"Sister, order this bunch out of the building right away. I need you all to go to a safe place!"

Sister Paula didn't want to leave me hanging there in such a delicate position. I heard her steps coming down the stairs and getting close.

"No. Get away! I can handle this myself!", I shouted with all the air in my lungs. Take them to the fire exits, fast!.

I forced my legs up and crossed them above the rail. I could not move in that delicate and unstable position.

The monster was still confused by the voices coming from above.

That won't last for long. I had to do something fast to attract his attention to me and away from the stairs. I didn't know for how long that structure would resist the furious attack of the giant. I could not allow anyone else to get hurt because of me.

I turned my body up the rail, knowing that it was too narrow for me to climb up. So, I let gravity do their job, sliding down and gaining velocity fast. My body would collide with the back of the angel if I didn't roll instants before hitting the bronze figure.

The fall was not big, but without being able to control it I could hurt myself pretty bad. All I could do was protect my head with my arms. 

Before hitting the ground my kneecap hit the side of one of the steps.

The pain was so intense that tears clouded my eyes. I could not see anything when my right side also hit the floor. And I sensed a rib cracking and a sharp pain.

I rolled to my other side.

The giant moved after me.

Lumping I would not be able to keep a distance from the creature.

One fist was aiming down and I closed my eyes, expecting the unavoidable end of my detective career.

Yet, nothing happened.

Daring to open my eyes again I saw the monster arching back. He grumbled, failing to grab something that mounted him from behind.

The angry giant tossed and turned in the center of the hall.

Mounted in his shoulders, my beautiful girl relentlessly slashed the neck of the beast with her nails.

Still hurting too much to be able to help, I moved away from the fight.

The plant thing stomped the ground to be free of the unhandy nuisance.

I used that opportunity to rest my body against the wall. The pain in my knee subsided enough to clear my thoughts. My side burned, I had no idea if the rib broke or only cracked. 

That didn't matter at all.

Voluptia still mounted in the creature's shoulders slashed the green skin without mercy. Then one of the arms of the creature grabbed her leg and swung her out.

Seeing her body aiming into one of the statues made my heart stutter.

When her back hit the bronze with violence and she fell on the floor in front of the angel, I realized that she was no match for the beast.

The enchantment limited her action.

She was not doing any real damage to the monster in her human form.

I grabbed the amulet tight.

These words left my mouth amplified by my mana.

"ET TE LIBERUM AT-TE"

Never before, the words from "Be free from yourself", in latin felt so right, like in that moment.

For the first time In my life, I was in awe and not fear. Her black and red wings sprouted from her body opening wide above her. Her hair elongated covering her back and their tone changed from red to silver. Her size increased a few inches and her nails formed powerful sharp claws.

That hellish creature stood in front of me, in all her glory. However, what I saw was not a hideous demon anymore; to me, she was my real guardian angel.

"Go get them, baby", I murmured to myself.

She flew towards the creature, standing in the air and maneuvering graciously. She moved so fast, slashing nonstop. Before the creature realized where her attacks were coming from, she was already gone. One arm was severed from the creature's body and fell in the ground. Before touching the floor it dismantled in a rain of leaves and wood. Her next blow opened a big rip in the creature's side.

Her claws were precise and deadly. She moved in a random pattern making impossible for the giant to fight back. More and more pieces of the beast covered the ground around them.

Suddenly the entire monster imploded. Where the giant stod now there was a pile of leaves, pieces of woods, vines and plants.

I looked at her and smiled, proud of her.

Victorious, she noticed me and moved to my side. Her hips dancing while she got close.

I could not feel that she was a monster anymore and I allowed her to touch me.

Her face showed concern by my wounds and she covered my body with her wings.

We cuddled for the first time.

Her moistened lips pressed against mine's and she held my body in a deep warm kiss.

A sensation of pure bliss took over my senses.

My body didn't ache anymore.

All I could feel was her caresses and her warm body fully pressed against mine.

All I wanted was to be with her for all eternity.

Surrendered by her gentle touch, I thought to myself:

"I didn't recite the binding spell after the fight, this time..."

Then everything mixed with darkness.

.____________________

What will the future bring to our duo/trio of investigators? Be here to find out in our next exciting episode. "The ties that bind"

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