THE EVIL FOREST

CHAPTER 1

      "This place is haunted, the ghosts of people who were killed by Imboko are not in peace. They will rest only if someone avenge for them," the old woman told Abednego.

"That king uses supernatural powers, there's only one way to destroy him, " she said.

Abednego was now curious, he could not believe what he was hearing. Yes, he wanted that king to be killed, he wanted to set his village free from horrendous murder. Innocent people have been killed, the village was in complete frenzy because of Imboko. He was ready to do anything to bring that village into total freedom, to liberate it from the cruel claws of Imboko.

"Yes, tell me," he asked the old lady.

"I'am willing to kill that king. I will avenge for the innocent souls," he went on.

Mrs. Matendechere was a woman who knew much about the evil spirits in Igodo forest. She told Abednego that it will be possible to kill the king and set the land free.

"There's only one way," she told him.

" That way is not easy. You need to fight some ogrism and bring their tail. That way you shall be instructed on how you will kill the king," said the old woman.

There was a dingy old barn-like building, with an enormously portioned steeple sticking up straight into heaven, it was so high and the cause of nearly as much confusion in its day. This steeple, it must be understood, was an afterthought, and its addition to the main edifice, when the latter had already begun to decay, had excited a vehement quarrel, and almost a schism in some fifty years before. Here the road wound down a hill and was seen no more, the remotest object in view being the graveyard gate, beyond the meetinghouse of ogrism in the deep intense of the forest, eight miles beyond a deepest river in that forest.

For several moments they had not spoken, because the breeze was hushed, the brook scarce tinkled, the leaves had ceased their rustling, and everything lay motionless and silent as if Nature were composing herself to slumber. That's where ogrism are found.

The woman took Abednego to see the place so that he can lay a strategy to get the ogrism tail without being seen. Following her, they passed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a long, low room, paneled in black oak, at the end of which was a large stained- glass window. Suddenly Abednego caught sight of a dull red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and, quite unconscious of what it really signified, said to Mrs. Matendechere,

"I' am afraid something has been spilt there."

"Yes," replied the old woman in a low voice.

"Blood has been spilt on that spot."

"How horrid," cried Abednego.

The old woman smiled, and answered in the same low, mysterious voice,

"It is the blood of the Innocent, those who

were killed by Imboko, and those who were murdered on that very spot by her own husband, Okuyoyo. But now is the time to avenge for their blood."

In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen. Suddenly there was a terrible flash of lightning

lit up the sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder made Abednego to stand still.

"What a monstrous climate!" said Abednego. She sternly warned Abednego to beware of some trouble coming to the house.

"I have seen things with my own eyes my son," she said,

"that would make any person's hair stand on end, and many and many a night I have not closed my eyes in sleep for the awful things that are done here."

The storm raged fiercely all that night, but nothing of particular note occurred. The next morning, however, they found the terrible stain of blood once again on the floor. The second morning it appeared again.

Abednego left the following morning with the woman to go and spy about the ogrism, they did not return home till nine o’clock. By half- past ten all the lights were out. Some time after, Abednego was awakened by a curious noise in the corridor, outside the room. It

sounded like the clank of metal, and seemed to be coming nearer every moment. He got up at once, struck a match, and looked at the time. It was exactly one o’clock. He was quite calm, and felt his pulse, which was not at all feverish.

The strange noise still continued, and with it he heard distinctly the sound of footsteps. He stood up and opened the door. Right in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect. His eyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils; his garments, which

were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.

For a moment the ghost stood quite motionless

in natural indignation; then, dashing the bottle violently upon the polished floor, he fled down the corridor, uttering hollow groans, and emitting a ghastly green light. Just, however, as he reached the top of the great oak staircase, a door was flung open, two little white-robed figures appeared, and a large pillow whizzed past his head! There was evidently no time to be lost, so, hastily adopting the Fourth Dimension of Space as a means of escape, he vanished through the wainscoting, and the

house became quite quiet.

On reaching a small secret chamber in the left wing, he leaned up against a moonbeam to recover his breath, and began to try and realize his position. Abednego was supposed to go and get an ogrism tail, a tail that will destroy king Imboko, to get the tail it wasn't that easy, he will have to fight some terrible ghosts and monsters so that he can cross the impassable river to reach where the ogrisms sleeps. They are not supposed to see him, if they happen to

see him then he shall be a dead meat, they will end up feasting on him.

Mrs. Matendechere was to train him how he will reach there and how he will acquire the tail and flee before they notice Abednego. It was a matter of life and death. Any slight mistake and he will be no more. He was required to follow each and every instructions to detail. Abednego was given a magic guard, he will use it to strike the ground ones when he is in danger, the fourth time it will not be having power. He took of so early in the morning. The air was cool, the grass was damp and slick beneath. All around him the woods were lit with an array of morning blues and violets. It filled him with an almost contagious inner peace.

He paused to stare up at the few visible stars overlaying above him, where he stood stretching before his run. He stopped briefly, marveling at the fullness of the moon as it drifted towards the western horizon. It was in nature that he felt most at home. His muscles literally burned with the need to run. The sudden halt of the activity made him itch to begin again.

Knowing every thought the creatures had made from the comment he came into the evil forest, made the choice in trails easy. So picking the hardest route was the best option.

Suddenly cautious, Abednego paused and felt

for the creatures's presence once more.

Satisfied there was no danger, he took off at a

slow steady pace. It was the sudden breezy-whoosh of something landing behind him made Abednego freeze. His short-step run, came to a

skidding halt as he realized something was behind him.

Something, large enough it's air resistance alone had nearly toppled him over! Knowing deep down what it was, but unable to stop

himself from looking, he turned. Find himself staring up at the most impossibly large ogrism he'd ever seen. Backing up a step, he swallowed harshly, his Adam’s apple bobbing, as his eyes widen with terror.

CHAPTER 2

The ogrism eyes were yellow and cold. Its entire front was stained with blood, and from its mouth hung a limp human arm. One look into the monster's eyes and Abednego knew this was the thing, it was the exact creature, that had wished to kill his earlier. There was no way Abednego could think of that would hide the fact he saw the ogrism in front of him, his fear was too vivid and much too obvious.

Dropping the arm from its mouth, the ogrism's

tongue rolled out to lick its lips. The beast wore a look of surprise at the sight of Abednego. It sat down on it hunches to watch him with a curious look as it cocked its gigantic head. Then, like a dam bursting, Abednego cringed at the sudden onslaught of thoughts that

attacked his mind.

He knew what the ogrism wanted, and this time Abednego gave into the urge to run. The flash of a ogrism's smile was the last thing Abednego saw cross the ogrim's face. He turned and fled in with every muscle fiber he owned. He controlled his breathing, then put all his force into longer strides and more

pressure onto the balls of his feet. He never once letting his heels touch the ground.

Instead, Abednego ran with a speed that surprised both the ogrism and himself. Knowing he was easy prey on such an open path, he jumped from the trail, sprinting and zigzagged his way through the trees. He

hurtled anything that got in his way, running faster even as he heard the it cursing in his mind. After a time, he was out of breath, but he had put a good distance between his creature and himself.

Yet, he knew that would only be temporary.

Now that he had seen this creature was an ogrism, he knew it wouldn't be long before the it caught his trail once more. First thing first, he needed out of these woods, the option was a river. He was given a hint, he needed not to loose this moment, he had his wife Nina and baby Kipili in mind, seeing a splash of water

ahead in the denseness of the woods, Abednego revived his pace and took off towards direction. As he broke through the trees, he realized with some

disappointment it wasn't river, it was a small pool with only two men and small, burning, fire. Nevertheless, he knew he should warn them, possiby even without any hesitation, he ran up to the two men. Waving his arms for help, unable to breathe, he wondered if they would even understand his meaning. At the sight of him running from the tree-line, the two jumped to their feet, yet neither made any attempt to come closer to him.

The two stared at him as if he hand lost his mind, yet both remained silent. As he finally neared one of the men, he grabbed him by the arm. His breathes so ragged he could only heave, he gave up trying to speak, and instead pointed desperately in the direction of the woods.

Only as he took in the appearance of the man

he had touched did he realize his mistake. That erethrol beauty, the scantily bared skin covered only by fine silks, were all things he’d seen before in otherworldly creatures.

Horrified, he snatched away his hand as if he'd been burned. Like the ogrism, these two men were both supernatural beings. Yet, they did not attack, instead they silently stared at him in shock. He could feel the hair on his neck raise on-end as he looked at the two men. Both were of the same as other evil spirits in the forest and sniffing lightly Abednego trembled at their smell. Even the feel of the one man's skin beneath his

fingers had been utterly intoxicating.

Somehow, he found, he was unable to move or

even look away from the two ugly looking creatures. Unwillingly, he felt the beginnings of his own frenzy engulfs.

He trembled slightly, feeling the chill of the morning air for a completely different reason.

As if the two could hear his thoughts, both of the men's flabbergasted attitudes began to change. The one he had unconsciously touched grabbed hold of his thin wrist in a tight grasp to keep him from fleeing.

Against his will, a wave of indescribable power burned up Abednego's arm, hitting him so hard he fell to his knees with a pitiful moan.

At the sound, both the men’s eyes slanted into aroused gazes, their pupils vividly dilating as they took in Abednego. With a panicked start, he realized what the creatures were.

Of course, he had run into the territory of incubuses, he cursed.

"The human smells of ogrism... he's another's prey," the black-haired one said to the other, even as he cautiously stalked his way around the kneeling boy.

Outside his view, the dark haired incubus came to a stop directly behind Abednego. Tenderly a clawed hand caressed the back of his neck until it held a lock of his hair. Thent he creature did something strange, he leaned forward to scent the hair against him overly-sensitive neck. Crying out, he cringed away from the creature, feeling a warmth beginning to pool in his groin.

Much like the other incubus, the silver haired one seemed interested in his scent as well.

First he sniffed at the palm of his hand. Then the creature spread out his fingers with his clawed hands eyeing them curiously as he held the extensions apart.

He stared up at the strange creatures, frightfully noticing the short curled horns that grew from beneath both of the creatures’ bangs. Unsettled, he shakily got back to his feet and tried to pull his hand from the incubus’ clutches.

Yet, the silver haired creature playfully grinned at his sad attempts of escaping, before licking at the fingers of his captured hand. As he stood withering from the feel of the incubus’ touch on his flesh, the creature paused briefly.

Those strange silver eyes bore down at him intently, taking in his red face and trembling knees, then he spoke to the other.

"He's a rare human... to see us, and I don't smell an ogrism for miles. We could take the ogrism prey.”

“He is special, to outrun an ogrism in the forest," the silver-haired one complimented, before his fangs nipped at Abednego's fingertip. Crying out from the

sudden pain, he tore his hand from the other’s grasp to clutch it protectively at his chest.

Momentarily awakened from whatever trance it was the two had placed on him, he knew he did not need to hear anymore. Even standing near the two men made him ache in ways he already regretted. Mustering up every ounce of strength he possessed, he willed himself to fight against their supernatural powers.

When he was successfully able to step away from the silver-haired one he rejoiced, but he found it nearly impossible turn away from the two men. Fighting against his self, he forced his body to turn, then he willed his feet to leave the night-creatures behind.

His steps were shaky at best, but he fought to

distance himself from the creatures.

Yet, it seemed, taking everything he had done

to surprise them thus far, this undoubtedly was

his most awing achievement to the two incubus males. Who now stood, shocked into silence, as they peered queerly at his back.

They were dumbfounded, and using it towards his advantage, Abednego attempted to put even more distance between them as he clumsily began to jog away from the pair.

However, in only a few seconds they had gathered their wits, and with a speed his mind could only comprehend as a blur the two now suddenly stood directly in-front of his escape route. Abednego stumbled back, shocked from the sudden appearance of the two before him, terrified as the two approached him with a

foreboding air.

"We're not succubae," the silver-haired incubus said tersely as he grabbed Abednego gently by the arm,"...but for a human, male or not, to be able to resist our charms… is nothing short of insulting, boy..." the other finished.

An insult they felt the need to rebut, Abednego guessed from the looks they gave.

His life was in danger, he may lose it at any moment.

"Nina, I am coming back home", he said thinking about his wife Nina and their baby Kipili.

It had always been his strong belief…However,

Abednego thought with a moan, his eyes clenching shut as the creatures’ hands roamed his body, the incubuses did have a certain charm, he had to admit, and the way they touched him ... he could, just this once-

Abednego violently shook his head fighting to stay clear of the creatures’ trance, and keep his mind clear from his treacherous thoughts. Yet, in the mere seconds he had been led astray, the two incubuses had removed nearly all of his

clothes skin. Until he was left bare, in nothing more.

Clearly masters of their art, silver-haired one now held him from behind, keeping his legs held wide apart. While the other kneeled between his open thighs to run his fingers down the sides of his rib cage in small circles.

As if sensing their spell had faded, the incubus from behind him licked the shell of his ear and sucked on the sensitive skin behind the appendage. Even awake and conscious of his own disapproval, Abednego could not find the words or effort to persuade the two men to stop touching his body.

The creatures were tightly holding him on the ground, he was helpless in their arms.

Yet, he warred within himself, determined to

break free, the two incubuses had used encase

his mind. With all his effort, he turned and bit bare the inner thigh of the silver-haired incubus holding him from behind.

He was ready for anything, a punch to the face or jaw, but instead the incubus let out a throaty moan. He was stunned, stupefied even, his eyes widened and his jaw slackened. Seeing his refusal to be put under their spell and the bloody bite mark taken from the flesh of the other incubus the soft, gentle, touches of the coaxing dark-haired incubus in front of him suddenly became quite harsh and painful.

"Brother, when was the last time we enjoyed one who could resist us so strongly?" the incubus behind Abednego murmured to the other, clearly excited at the idea.

Of course, Incubuses enjoy crunching the bones of their victims; it must be a real treat for a race fawned over with just a whiff of their scent, Abednego groaned. Glancing backwards at the one that held him from behind he cringed. Gone were the rough hands that had pinned him down so hard, and in their wake the silver-haired incubus' hands tightened roughly around his form digging into his flesh with no regard.

Abednego senses, now immune to the being's glamour, were bombarded by the eagerness the two had to ravish his body. He could feel their readiness to violently tare his body in the most excruciatingly painful ways they could envision.

Dread hit his tomach like a knife at the revelation and he was filled with fear. Now earnestly struggling against their hold, he was violently shoved to lay flat on his back.

The chill of the wet grass under his skin was nothing against the molten heat of being pinned between two incubuses. In only a brief second, the dark-haired one that had pushed him down caught his eye.

He had only seconds to comprehend the fang-

filled grin the dark-haired incubus flashed before the creature's sharp teeth sank deep into his collarbone. He screamed in agony from the pain, rising from the ground shoving at the other’s chest to remove the needle like fangs from his neck.

Using that as the incentive, the other incubus slid in behind him to pinned back his arms.

Then without any hesitation, the creature sank his own teeth into the delicate skin of his back, beneath his shoulder blade.

With each bite of the incubuses' fang-filled

mouths, he could feel his flesh sever, in some places it seemed down to the very bone. He could do nothing but scream, fighting their bone crushing hold, as the creatures’ bites continued.

He could feel them rubbing against him, their hunger hard as steel against his flesh. The louder his cries rang out, the more wanting

their behavior became. It wasn’t long before he realized the pain he felt was only a stronger form of pleasure for them.

Suddenly, grabbed by the nape of his neck, he was forced over on all fours. The silver-hair fiend forced his mouth on to his weeping neck.

Straining and fighting futilely against their hold, Abednego bit down harshly when given the chance.

Expecting anything but for the incubus to munch his throat, he gagged. His mouth now filled blood, he vomited, while the incubus moaned. Their bodies were nurtured from granting that they themselves and others felt.

To an incubus, the pain was only a stronger form of pleasure for their bodies.

The hopelessness of his situation sank in when he felt the incubus behind him bite down onto the boney jut of his hip. Velveteen hands cupped the cheeks of his ass and squeezed down harshly puncturing him with all ten of his claws. They had teared part of his hip skin, now they were poking their long nail fingers deep inside his body.

His scream was muffled between the hands of the silver-haired incubus. Where he jumped at the pain and protrusion, springing forward to taking the hands deeper in his throat with a plan to pluck out his tongue, he thought was possible. Gagging, he fought against the hold of the two incubuses. Abednego bit, punched, scratched, kicked, and beat at the thighs of the incubus in front of him vainly.

Yet, the two only seemed to enjoy it all the more. Pushing away at the incubus in front of him, he tried to breath. Yet what little air he could pull to his lungs was drugged by the husky scent lingering between the incubus's rigid legs.

Dizzy from lack of oxygen, he felt faint. Yet, ever still the incubus held him by each side of his jaw forcefully slamming his hand inside his mouth. It seemed regardless of his teet teeth and struggles, he was hopelessly trapped between the pair.

As his vision darkened, he felt the incubus behind him leaking the blood that was gushing out from the pelvic bone. He was sucking and

at the same time pricking his back so hard. He felt a sharp pain run in his body. The pain was unbearable. He sagged against the man in front of him, completely and utterly defeated.

He clenched as he felt the incubus press forward, cringing under the rough hands that led fingers inside his body. As the incubus pressed through the straining bi-layer of muscle fighting to protect himself, he felt tears begin to roll down his face. He sobbed knowing these creatures would tear him apart.

Clawing at the ground beneath him, he anguished at his plight. Yet, just before the incubus could forcefully prick him with its fingers, he was showered in a warm spray.

Within seconds, he was torn from the grasp of the silver-haired incubus.

The force of which he’d been yanked back left him with bits of fingers in his mouth. He collapsed, gagging, spitting out what he could as he dry heaved left with nothing else to vomit, even as he was showered in another spray of blood.

He froze in terror, unable to turn to look at the creature who had saved him. Knowing it was the ogrism whose clawed hands were digging so painfully into the meat of his arm.

Abednego found he couldn’t tear his eyes from the blood running down the skin of his

arms. He could feel it's warmth as if he’d bathed in, as it trailed down his face and back.

"To touch the prey of another...," a rough voice spat out at the severed head of the dark- haired incubus that had tried to eat him alive.

"Worthless trash...," the man cursed as he punted the head across the place.

Not sure what exactly he was overcome with, he fought wildly against the creature’s inhuman strength. Until, tired of his struggles, the person slammed him to the ground.

Wincing in pain as his face was grounded into the dirt, he fought to bring air back into his winded lungs.

It was a sickly sound as he was finally able to breathe once more, yet he was unable to feel any relief. For as he did so Abednego a voice angrily hissed into his ear.

"You will be still, or you will end up like him," the voice warned with a low growl.

Abednego hesitated long enough to crack open one eye and found he was staring into the depths of the eyes of the silver-haired incubus'

severed head. Without even thinking he went ridged, frozen to the spot, unable to look away from the head's glossy gaze.

He was frozen in that moment, knowing then

and there that this is where he would die. It was surprising to him that he wasn’t afraid of being killed. Instead he only feared how long the man would keep him alive for what was about to come. Having already seen a thousand ways the man wished to kill him in his mind, he fought to remember the best ones.

His mind was consumed with this even as the man turned him over to lie on his back, poking and prodding him as if to inspect an already dead kill.

To his credit, he lay there passively, like a game already bagged. Though the man was invasive, his eyes were blank and unresponsive. He could not break his gaze with the incubus' soulless eyes.

At least, that was until he felt a course tongue lick at the cuts on his arm. The world seemed to come crashing back to his senses with that one gesture, and for the first time that moment he saw his hunter. He knew it was his hunter, but the creature had somehow shifted forms into the figure of a man, cloaked in a pelt of the large ogrism.

The man's eyes were gold and ogrism-like, coldly baring down at him from under the shadowed upper-jaws of the ogrism's pelt as he cleaned his wounds with his tongue. With each stroke the man flashed a set of fangs that put the needle-like teeth of the two incubuses to shame.

The ogrism-man had the eyes, teeth, and claws

of a beast. Yet, somehow possessed the body of a man. Unbeknownst to Abednego, his fear had

gradually faded, as he had blatantly stared at the ogrosm-man for quite some time. Only to return fully, when a sudden loud rumble erupted from the man's chest as he snarled down at Abednego's arm with his lip curled in contempt.

"Smells and tastes tender,” the ogrism-man cursed angrily.

Abednego flinched at the other's rage, cringing away as the man grabbed him and tossed him over his shoulder. The world spun around Abednego's eyes as he was once more treating him like downed game. Effortlessly, the ogrism-man carried Abednego while maintaining an unfeasible speed as he stormed into the woods. Yet, Abednego's amazement was short lived, for in the matter of seconds he had venerated his hunter, his hunter stopped and threw him into a lake of icy water. The chill of the lake’s waters was like razors slicing into his already battered body. Having already given up on all hope of surviving, he was shocked as he surfaced. Only then realizing how much better drowning sounded, than being devoured by an ogrism.

He sputtered, hacking up the water from his lungs, yet all the while hoping it would kill

him before the ogrism captured him once again. When the ogrism-man began undressing himself, he instinctively became wary.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Abednego edged backwards into deeper waters. Having never been much of a swimmer, he wondered briefly if he could make it to the other side of the lake’s shore…

Yet, as the ogrism-man stood nude before him,

Abednego realized he would never make it before the ogrism captured him again. As much of a bear as he was a twinkle, the ogrism-man was sculpted in an unnatural fashion, his body rippling with impossible thick muscles.

He was large and bulky, with tail swaying behind. Definitely the tail he was instructed to cut. That tail is the one that was required to terminate that cruel king in the village of Namamali. To get it, it was putting your life in danger.

The ogrism-guy was stacked, suddenly it began to sweat. He didn’t need to hear the its thoughts to know what would happen if the monster got a hold of him, somehow knowing what the fiend had planned gave Abenego the will to fight.

As it dove nude into the water, he dived to grab a rock from the lake’s floor. Deciding to lay in wait for the it, he inched closer to the shore with the stone in hand. Cautiously, he circled the area where the ogrism had disappeared, his nerves wracking in the silence.

Every sound, each cricket whether from an insect of ripple of water had Abednego on edge, but the ogrism-man did not rise from the water. He wanted nothing more than to laugh and try to force himself into believing the entire moment had been nothing more than a dream. Yet, as a large hand rose from the inky waters to engulf his own, Abednego felt his hope slip away just as easily as the the rock he had held so firmly in his grasp.

As another arm wrapped around his waist and

pulled him roughly against a hard chest, Abednego found he had lost the will to fight and instead he dangled from the man’s arms as pathetically as broken doll. The other wasted no time as he pulled them both from the lake, pausing only to toss the rock back into the murky lake. Before he threw him to the ground once again.

Grunting in pain, Abednego turning over onto his back to looking up at the man who now stood towering above him so threatening.