NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Little one
"Daddy Vorden! You're up!"
'Fuck!'
...
Vorden scowled as he turned, locking eyes with a girl no older in look than fourteen.
Her face was sharp—high cheekbones, a narrow chin, and a nose that looked slightly too straight, as if it had never been broken despite a life that should have seen plenty of fights.
Her green eyes were bright but carried a hard edge, the kind that made it impossible to tell if she was amused or considering something violent.
A smudge of dried blood sat at the corner of her mouth, blending with the dirt streaked across her pale skin.
She wore a plain tunic, simple in design but made from fabric that wasn't cheap.
Practical, but expensive—like something meant to look unremarkable while still carrying value.
And in her small hand, still wet with fresh blood, was a knife.
"What did you do!?" Dane shouted, rushing forward.
He snatched the weapon from her grasp, his movements frantic.
This was the so-called Heavenly Beast assigned to Vorden by the panel.
A disaster in the form of a young girl.
Despite her human shape, she could shift into over fifty-five legendary creatures and mimic any human at will.
An unfathomable power—wasted on a menace.
She was over three thousand years old.
Yet, that hardly mattered when she caused problems like a reckless child.
Just last week, she had nearly killed a boy, forcing Vorden to sneak out of the hospital to intervene.
And now?
Now, she might have actually succeeded in murdering someone.
Vorden exhaled sharply, letting the bloodied knife clatter onto the holographic ground.
The ground wouldn't register its presence as it was an inanimate object.
"Oh, nothing," she said casually.
"Just killed some animal that kept following me. Stupid dog!"
"Its collar said it belonged to one of the foolish humans around."
Vorden's breath hitched.
His eyes darted to the knife.
Panic coiled in his chest.
If the owner started searching for their dog…
If they reported it to the Bureau…
The Kingdom's hidden surveillance would surely unmask the culprit.
This little menace had done it again.
And now, he had to fix it.
"You idiot. Why are you such a villain?"
She smirked. "I fuck villains."
His jaw nearly hit the floor.
Where did she learn such a foul sentence?
"Where the hell did you learn to talk like that!?"
"From a show I watched at home."
Vorden's face twitched.
Brilliant.
That was another problem to deal with.
As soon as he got back, he would be blocking that damned watch channel.
Over the past month, he had learned far too much about this creature and himself.
From dealing with nosy family visits, to sneaking through the city, to managing her chaos at home.
The hospital had tried to keep him contained.
But Vorden didn't play by their rules.
He had earned his freedom—with sheer wit.
"Shit. Take me to where you hid the dog."
Dane strode towards the bathroom, moving with sharp urgency.
In seconds, he had changed into fresh clothes and pulled a cloak over his head.
He paused, frowning.
How had the little menace slipped through the hospital unnoticed?
She must have shapeshifted.
Probably turned into some insignificant creature and avoided every human on the way.
He needed to buy a high-tech cage. Soon.
"May," he said, testing her name on his tongue.
"How exactly did you get here without being spotted?"
He adjusted the red cloak, smoothing the fabric over his head.
The material shimmered.
His features shifted seamlessly, ageing into those of an old man.
A useful tool, bought from an obscure online store.
Perfect for sneaking in and out.
May smirked. "Turned into a Tux mouse. Swallowed the weapon. Slipped past those fools without a hitch."
Her eyes gleamed with a wicked sort of joy as she lifted her bloodied hands towards the ceiling, as if basking in divine glory.
Dane scoffed, picking up the murder weapon.
"You're doing that again. Follow me. They'll be checking on me in an hour."
He tossed the knife at her.
In an instant, her form shrank, bones twisting and warping as she morphed into a Tux mouse.
A sleek, ink-black creature, no larger than a fist.
Its fur had an unnatural smoothness, like polished silk.
Its belly, deceptively flat, could stretch to swallow objects of any size—without the slightest bulge.
She snapped up the knife with one bite.
It slid effortlessly down her throat, vanishing as if it had never existed.
Then she straightened on her hind legs, flashing a devilish grin.
'Damn... she could probably swallow me whole.'
Vorden gestured for her to move.
The door whispered open, then shut behind them.
...
A Couple of Minutes Later.
They stood beneath a pedestrian bridge, shadows cloaking them from sight.
Beyond the alley, people hurried past.
Vehicles soared overhead, leaving streaks of neon light.
Holographic advertisements flickered across the sky, flashing goods and weapons to nearby Seekers.
Patrol drones drifted through the streets.
None of them saw a thing.
In front of them lay the corpse of a dog.
A deep stab wound gaped at its side, blood pooling thick beneath it.
Vorden exhaled sharply.
May, still in her Tux mouse form, grinned at the body.
Without hesitation, he summoned the Tip of Cremation.
Wind coiled around his outstretched palm, swirling with increasing force.
Then, with a faint shimmer, the item materialised—a small potion bottle, its glass dark and flawless, exuding an eerie mystique.
Inside, thick grey mist churned in slow, hypnotic spirals.
He had never used the Augmentation before.
Now was the time.
Crouching, he placed the knife beside the dog.
He uncorked the bottle.
The mist poured out, heavy and fluid, settling over the corpse and weapon.
It clung to them, rippling like liquid smoke.
Yet the bottle's contents remained unchanged, as if it had lost nothing.
"Fascinating..." Dane murmured.
Before his eyes, the dog and knife dissolved into nothing.
Gone.
Erased from existence.
No owner would remember.
No evidence would remain.
A perfect disappearance.
May watched, her small black nose twitching in delight.
In seconds, it was done.
"And now," Vorden said, straightening, "back to the panel. Till next week. I'll have a cage by then."
May huffed, folding her tiny beast arms.
She rolled her eyes in exaggerated displeasure.
His own eyes flashed deep blue.
A thick chain of energy shot out, wrapping around May's form before yanking her into the void.
In one swift motion, she was gone.
Vorden didn't linger.
He slipped from the alley, his form went out as a blur.
...
Moments Later.
Back at the hospital, he changed into the medical uniform and dropped onto his bed.
The glass-like ceiling above him shimmered, giving the illusion of movement.
A mechanical voice filled the room.
"A visit from the Soul Academy in 32 minutes. Be prepared, patient Vorden."
Vorden nodded absently, folding his arms behind his head.
The bed adjusted beneath him, the headrest rising to support his neck.
More comfortable than anything he'd slept on in his life.
"Status."