Monster of Monsters #1 Part Seven: The Outsider, Chimera Rises

By Kristie Lynn Higgins

Type: novella and the word count is about 42,800 words.

The Game sears through bonds of friendship...

Light and darkness...

All Kein wanted was to be devoured. As an orphan, she had been told since joining her school that it was very important that a house or clan devour her so when she met a creature promising to devour her, she was confused at first but then she was consoled that someone wanted her.

A world of monsters and a world of humans...

Loneliness can be a very strong emotion but it can also be a very strong motivator so even when a creature of the darkness invited her to come to her, innocence heeded the call. Kein began an adventure of heartache and joy as she walked the paths of shadow and light. She would discover what it was to be devoured as a dangerous game drew her into a deadly realm of wishes, revenge, hope, desire, love, and horror.

Monster of Monsters #1
Part 7: The Outsider, Chimera Rises

Kein's secret is out, and she must come to terms with the horrible thing she did in the past.

Monster of Monsters Science Fiction Horror Action Adventure Novella Serial Series:
1. Monster of Monsters #1 Part One: Mortem's Opening
2. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Two: Mortem's Contestant
3. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Three: And Let The Real Games Begin
4. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Four: A Bargain Has Been Struck, Too Bad For You
5. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Five: Secrets Told And Secrets Unfold
6. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Six: Vampires, Dragons, And Mummies... Oh my!
7. Monster of Monsters #1 Part Seven: The Outsider, Chimera Rises

The Mortem was a centuries-old game no one has ever won. A world where games are won and lost and where the contestants wager their lives. Monsters ( also known as Monstrum Races ) of the Mortem include vampires, werewolves, Kumovons ( spider people ), the Mummy, a mad scientist, Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, Dr. Griffin, Scorpioids ( Scorpion people ), dragons, the Atlantean ( being similar to the Creature from the Black Lagoon ), succubus, Centipedia ( Centipede people ), chimeras, Mortem Masters ( those who are like Dungeon Masters ), vampire slayers, monster hunters, basilisk, Baron Samedi, Iceland Giant Earthworm, Frankenstein's monster, Raijū ( thunder animal or thunder beast ), ghosts, witches, bigfoot, fringe science, Cybernetics, Genetic Engineering, Phoenix, jinni or genies, etc.

My novels, novellas, short stories, and flash fiction range from science fiction, fantasy, action-adventure, horror with elements of mystery, thriller, suspense, dark fantasy, gothic, a mix of fairy tales, legends, and epic fantasy. Explore my worlds of magic, tech, werewolf, sword and sorcery, killer robots, UFO, witches, dragon baby, undead, demented games, vampires, villains, flying saucers, dungeons and dragons, werewolves, ghosts, mummies, assassins, monsters, androids, leviathan, aliens, curse of the mummy, mutants, warlocks, dragon riders, sorcerer, superheroes, zombies, mutant creatures, etc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristie Lynn Higgins
• Release date: Sep 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463217856

Kristie Lynn Higgins

You can also check out my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/author/kristielynnhiggins

Book preview

Monster of Monsters

#1 Part Seven

The Outsider, Chimera Rises

Text Copyright © 2018

Smashwords Ebook Edition

09272018

Cover Art

Le Pandemonium created by John Martin

www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

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Love Fairy Tales & Fantasy? Check out my complimentary books

Dragon Rite, AaBack’s Grim, Monster of Monsters,

& BOTB Mystic Rose

The first ebook or two are complimentary for each series.

Love Science Fiction? Check out two complimentary books

SOG Series

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Where movies and tv collide in unexpected ways.

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Monster of Monsters

#1 Part Seven

The Outsider, Chimera Rises

Monster of Monsters Website

www.KristieLynnHiggins.com/MOM.html

Chapter Thirty-eight

What Happens In The Past Doesn’t Always Stay In The Past

Over thirty years ago...

In the forest outside of Kein’s first school…

About a week before Kein discovered the lady…

The lady woke to her new surroundings. A bargain had been struck in the Mortem, and she lost a duel, greatly injured her Kumo’uma, and was cast out of the Mortem. Organic chains kept her bond to a giant platform that was the size of a football arena, and she would rot in her prison until she died. The lady had lost most of her Kumovon children during the battle, and the rest were prevented access to her. She would be left alone with her dying Kumo’uma. The lady could leave him and abandon him, but he would die if she did so. She used what energy she had left to heal the spider-horse and herself, but it wouldn’t be enough. She needed to eat and if she couldn’t hunt, she would never eat.

Spiders crawled out from their homes and approached her. The lady thought their actions odd. Spiders mostly kept to themselves and rarely interacted with Kumovons. Maybe they were just hungry. The hundreds and hundreds of spiders crawled up the Kumo’uma, but not one of them attacked the spider-horse. The Kumo’uma seemed to get a sense from the spiders that they… they were there to…

A few of the spiders crawled onto the lady, and she was able to get more of a sense from them. The large number of spiders had gathered there because someone special was in the area. Some of them had even interacted with this special person. They all waited for this person to come to them, and one day soon she would. The spiders sensed that the lady was somehow connected to this person, so they would also treat her as family. They began to eat away at her organic chains and within three days, they had freed the lady and the Kumo’uma. They also brought to her large grasshoppers for her to inject her venom into them and at least, eat a little.

Sometime later…

Kein had spent seven, fun-filled, knowledge gaining, and meaningful months with the lady, and young Kein decided it was time that she gave her a name. She had told the lady she wanted to use a name from her own language, so Kein spent several days looking for just the right one. There was a book on the Japanese language in her library, so Kein checked it out and slowly read through it, looking for just the right word. Her reading skill was still poor, but she pushed on determined not to ask the lady for help but to make it a surprise.

I’ve found the name! I’ve found the perfect name! Kein yelled as she came running up to the raised platform within the large cavern where the lady resided.

The large brown spider, she had befriended and who was almost as cherished as the lady, crawled out to her, and Kein picked him up as she asked him, What's a matter? You seem upset.

Do not worry about him, the lady told her. The large brown spider wanted to warn Kein what the Kumovon had in store for her. The lady had decided it was time for her to leave, and she only needed a little morsel to usher her on her way. The lady planned on devouring Kein, eat her so she could escape her prison and return to the Mortem. The lady knew the large brown spider wanted to give away her plans, but he had no way of doing so, and she stated, He is just very excited about today. You would not believe how long I have been waiting for this day, the lady told her with a devious grin.

So you're also excited about the name I picked out for you, Kein spoke as a joy her young mind couldn’t describe whooshed about her heart. I hope you like it. I hope you really like it. It's perfect.

What name did you pick out for me? the lady questioned, not that she cared what Kein, who would soon be her departing snack, had picked out for her as a name.

Before I tell you, the human began. It wasn't that easy figuring it out. I translated it wrong the first time, but I believe I have it correct now.

I'm so proud of you, my little morsel, the lady said as she moved up behind Kein who had turned her back to her. The lady debated whether or not to sink her fang-nails into the back of her neck and allow Kein to stew in her venom until she was ripe enough to eat. If she did that, she would have to wait until tomorrow before she could escape the prison the cavern had become. The lady could also quickly kill the human and spare her some of the horrors of being devoured by a monster’s poison.

Kein put the large brown spider down on a rock, and then she set down her school bag beside him. She was about ready to burst like a balloon with all the feelings pushing inside her to get out. Kein contained them a little longer. She could celebrate with the lady once she heard her new name.

The Kumovon extended her fang-nails and readied the instrument of the human’s death as she asked, What name did you select for me?

She reached out her other hand to seize Kein by the shoulder and hold her there while she brought to the young human a very slow death. She had served her purpose to stay off boredom while the lady and her Kumo’uma healed and there was only one other purpose for her to fulfill.

Okasan, Kein spoke the name with such affection as she turned around with this huge smile that expressed the words she couldn’t form in her young mind. The name mother was everything the Kumovon had become to the child. Mother... one who cares and teaches, one who loves her children more than she loves herself. The lady was caring and nurturing, and Kein believed with all her being that she loved her. The lady already said she would devour her, so all of those things made Kein the lady’s daughter, so okasan should be her name. Kein waited for the smile of appreciation she knew would soon appear on the lady’s face.

Venom dripped from the Kumovon’s fang-nails as another poison infiltrated the lady’s mind. She stood there as if Kein had attacked her. The child had assaulted her, but instead of physically striking her, she besieged her with a deep sentiment, an undeniable devotion, and an endearing attachment. A surge of emotions washed over the Kumovon. Kein had called her... The human child saw her as... The lady couldn’t believe that Kein loved her. What a vile thing to imply and what an atrocious thing to call her. The lady was to devour her... She was to gobble Kein up... There should be nothing else, there was room for nothing else... The human should fill her stomach, not her heart.

Outrage, confusion, and anger took over where apathy, certainty, and deceit had once been. The lady had never been so angry with the human, but she managed to calmly questioned her as if giving her a chance to eradicate such nonsense, What name did you call me?

Okasan, Kein answered again as the innocent and carefully thought out feelings behind the name gurgled to the surface like bubbles singing with pure delight and boundless glee. She still smiled as she asked, Isn't it pretty? I really like it, and I think it suits you.

Do not call me that, the lady spoke angrily as she viciously reacted. The Kumovon retracted her fang-nails as she repeated as if the first time had never been said, Do not ever call me that.

You don't like it? Kein inquired as she still didn’t see the incensed monster before her. I thought it was pretty, and it suits who you are to me.

Do not call me that! the lady screamed.

I... I didn't mean to upset you, Kein spoke and for the first time, she was a little afraid of the lady. She still didn’t see the enrage monster before her, and the human spoke, I thought–

Do not ever call me that! the lady yelled as she grabbed her shoulders and shook Kein. She wanted to shake the idea right out of her little head, and the lady screamed, Do you understand?

The girl nodded near tears.

Now leave! the lady ordered her as she pointed to the exit.

You're mad. I didn't mean to make you mad. I'm sorry. I'll–

The lady screamed all the more, Leave now! I do not want to see you! Leave and never come back! The lady started to pace the room as she ranted, This was a mistake. This was all a mistake. She turned to Kein as rage saturated her face, and she screamed all the more at her, Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are to me? You are a little morsel. You are something to devour. I do not care about you. Leave! Leave and never come back! You are a curse! You are a curse to anyone you come across!

I'm a curse... Kein repeated as the world around her collapsed. Tears streamed down her face as she questioned, You see me as a curse? I thought you wanted to devour me. I thought you–

The lady screamed with all her might as if she was this great monster, and Kein jumped back out of fright, then turned, and ran out as fear found a place in her heart.

The next day...

I'm back, young Kein called out before she could be seen. She left her school earlier that morning and traveled through the forest, down into the ruins, and through the tunnel lined with spiderless webbing. Kein carried something that was a little heavy for her, so she walked slower than she normally did. I’m sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry... Please don't be mad with me anymore.

She hadn't seen one spider the whole way through the tunnel, and Kein didn’t like that it felt empty in the cavern.

I'm sorry, Kein spoke as the tray she carried, rattled with china. She kept her eyes on the tray so not to drop what she brought in. I didn't mean to upset you. I promise I won't ever call you by that name again. She paused before the great platform and asked, Are you there? Please come out. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad with me.

The lady didn't answer her as she pretended to have left the cave and little morsel behind.

I found you some tea, Kein spoke, hopeful it would coax the lady out. The headmistress had some in her office along with this tea set. I looked up how to make it, and it tastes good. She paused, waiting for a voice who usually greeted her by then, and when the quiet was the only thing that replied, Kein pleaded, "Please come out. Please come