Rise of a Valkyrie

Part 49

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The creature sat bolt upright as a commotion rang out at the entrance to the hall. Reed grabbed one of the discarded leashes and draped it around the neck of the beast. The guards had returned, and they were escorting a man with them. He was middle-aged, dirty and haggard, dressed in the threadbare clothes of a beggar. He looked confused, and when his eyes settled on the creature, Weslan saw fear. For its part, the creature stood upright, straining against Reed's leash, and snarling ferociously.

A cold chill ran up Weslan's spine. The man hadn't been sprayed with the scent. The beast would kill him in a heartbeat if it got loose.

From her place in the booth, Rayker watched the creature's behavior and gave a satisfied nod. "Good girl."

The prisoner was squirming to get away, until one of the guards smacked him with a rifle butt. They dragged him to the chamber and threw him inside, closing the door behind him. Reed positioned himself once again by the chamber's operation panel.

Weslan looked on, appalled, but helpless to do anything. "What is this—what are you trying to do?" he stammered.

The rest of the guards now carried rifles instead of their usual pistols, and they were clutching them nervously. Weslan felt like the situation was devolving into some kind of nightmare.

"Are you going to try and control that man's mind, like you did with the creature?" he demanded.

Rayker gave him a look of derision. "Even I'm not that ambitious," she said.

She stopped whatever she was doing and nodded to Reed, who hit the button.

The gas began to fill the tube as before, and Weslan tensed, unsure of what was going to happen. He cried out in shock when the man doubled-over and vomited blood. Spines erupted from the man's flesh, and Weslan collapsed onto the floor.

As the horrifying transformation continued, Weslan felt a strong hand grab his shoulder, pulling him to his feet as he almost slipped in the puddle that had formed around his legs. Reed and the others were backing away from the machine, naked fear on their faces.

"Get ready to run," said the guard who had grabbed him, and continued to pull him further away from the chamber.

Rayker alone moved in front of the tube, calm and curious as ever. When the gas faded, she opened the door and stood back as a newly formed monster, tall and covered in armor, stepped out. It gazed at her serenely, then reached out to touch her. She grasped its arm, running her hand up its enormous muscles, and caressing the razor-sharp blades that jutted out from the limb.

"Reed," she said, "come and see."

Reed cautiously approached the hulking thing. It didn't react, except to look back and forth between them, like a child meeting strangers for the first time. Eventually Reed was standing right next to it, his face a mask of sweat as he poked its chitinous armor.

"Bloody hell," breathed the soldier who had pulled him back. "I can't believe that worked! You're alright, kid," he said, patting Weslan on the shoulder.

"Reed, have your men take this one into the field to get a sense of its capabilities," Rayker instructed.

Reed nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it will be a great asset, but we will need to use it as a transportation mule for now. It should be able to move much faster through the mountains. We will rig some harnesses so that it can bring back more subjects from the farms."