Pilot/Prologue

“I can’t believe it.”

Hiroki crouched low behind the bushes, his heart pounding in his chest. Just a few feet away, the creature landed on the thin grass with a thud, its massive wings folding against its back.

“I told you,” Yuudai whispered beside him. “This is where they cross the wall."
The creature was massive – its dragon-like head was bright orange and covered in scales, while its muscular body was covered in rough gray skin, reminding the boy of the toughest Valcrestian armor. Hiroki imagined them many times, but never expected something so big. The beast’s claws rummaged through the dirt as it sniffed the fresh air.

“It’s almost…beautiful,” Hiroki murmured

“Okay? Weird.” Yuudai gave him a look.
“Where did you even get that tip from?”
“My father.”
“Your father? The governor? He told you where to find freaks?”
“Well, it was more like ‘whatever you do, don’t go there!’ kind of talk. But you know me.” 

Hiroki rolled his eyes but didn’t take them for a second off the creature. It was right there – a freak – humanity's greatest enemy. And yet, for a split second, it reminded him of a dog, sniffing around for food.

Then, a scream.
Both boys turned their heads towards the sound. It was a kid, around their age. He stood frozen a few meters away, with a spilled basket of vegetables around his legs. His face was pale.

The freak’s head snapped toward him for a quick second, before it charged.

“Oh shit,” Yuudai said, before realizing his friend was already gone.
Hiroki ran from their hideout, slamming into the kid and knocking them both into the ground, just before the freak’s claws slashed through the air where they were standing a few seconds ago.
“We gotta go!” Hiroki grabbed the kid and raised him back on his feet.
The boy, now out of trance, turned and ran. The freak let out a snarl, turning towards them again – only to be met with the swinging of a tree branch.
“Take this!” Yuudai yelled, smashing the branch across the freak’s face. The freak shook its massive head, then let out a deafening roar in Yuudai’s face, thick strands of saliva splattering across his cheek.
“Oh, man…” Yuudai muttered, Then turned on his heels and ran. The freak gave chase, throwing its powerful legs on Yuudai’s back, making him stumble. Hiroki had no time to react before Yuudai crashed into him, sending all three boys to the ground.

‘Shit shit shit’ he thought, before hearing a sudden crank of metal. Hiroki looked up to see the freak’s massive jaws snap open, only to be closed back by a chain wrapped around its snout. The beast screamed, its eyes burning with fury, but the chain held tight.

“GET THEM OUT OF THERE!” a voice shouted.
A soldier, at the other side of the chain, trying to hold the freak in place. Another soldier rushed towards them, grabbing all three boys in a rough embrace. The soldier then hit the earth with his legs, and the earth swallowed them. For a moment, all Hiroki could see was darkness, feeling a rush of movement around him. Then, the ground spit them back out, right behind the line of soldiers.

Hiroki gasped for air, his mind still racing. Three soldiers rushed to Yuudai, inspecting him for injuries, completely ignoring Hiroki and the other kid.
“Are you hurt?” one of them asked.
“I’m fine,” Yuudai muttered.
“Didn’t your father warn you about this place? You should know better than coming in here,” Another one said.
“Well…we saw this kid, and we thought we could help,” Yuudai said.
Hiroki wasn’t listening anymore. His eyes were fixated on the freaks. It fought like hell, four soldiers wrestling him to the ground as two others drove spears into its hearth. The creature let out a final, agonized roar before succumbing to death, leaving behind a deafening silence.

 A single tear fell from Hiroki’s eyes before the soldiers grabbed him up and carried him and the other two towards the city, as he kept watching the body of the lifeless freaks.