Chapter 12

Griiq

The pain seared through my arm as I stumbled into the small clinic, Harlow supporting my weight. Blood dripped from the deep gashes, staining the white-tiled floor.

"Please, he needs help," Harlow pleaded with Dr. Elms, who took a hesitant step back at the sight of me.

I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the throbbing agony. Dr. Elms's eyes widened as he took in my inhuman features - the charcoal gray skin, the horns protruding from my head.

"I...I don't treat monsters," he stammered, backing away further.

Harlow's eyes flashed with anger. "If you don't help him, I'll bring in the media. I'll tell them all about the discrimination in this town, how you refused to treat a patient in need."

The doctor paled, glancing nervously at the door. After a long moment, he sighed in resignation. "Fine. Bring him to the exam room."

As Harlow helped me onto the table, the doctor gathered his supplies, his hands shivering. He cleaned the wounds, his touch clinical and detached.

"There's something you should know," he said, and he began stitching the gashes. "A farm was attacked last night, about a mile from here. All the chickens were killed, and there was a trail of blood leading into the forest. Toward your castle."

I shook my head vehemently, wincing as the movement pulled at my wounds. "It wasn't me. I swear it."

The doctor raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Then who was it?"

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze steadily. "A Camazotz. A creature from ancient times, one that could have been here on Earth, or it could have come in with the aliens. It's the one that attacked me, left these slices on my arm."

Harlow gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Dr. Elms' eyes widened in shock.

"A Camazotz? Here?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

I nodded grimly.

The doctor finished stitching my wounds in silence, his brow furrowed in thought. As he wrapped a bandage around my arm, he finally spoke.

"If what you say is true, then we're all in danger. The community, they won't understand. They'll blame you for this."

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar anger and frustration rising within me. "I know. But I won't let them suffer for my mistakes. I'll find the Camazotz and stop it, whatever it takes."

Harlow placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with determination. "And I'll be right there with you. We're in this together, Griiq."

I looked at her, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection. In that moment, I knew that with Harlow by my side, I could face anything - even the darkest of monsters.

As we left the clinic, I could sense Harlow's worry radiating off her in waves. She glanced up at me, her brow furrowed.

"We need to tell the authorities, Griiq. They have to know what they're dealing with."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. Let's go to the police station."

The walk was short, but each step sent a jolt of pain through my injured arm. I gritted my teeth, pushing through the discomfort. When we arrived, the officer at the front desk eyed me warily.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his hand resting on his holster.

Harlow stepped forward, her voice steady. "We need to speak with the chief. It's about the attacks on the farm."

The officer narrowed his eyes, but after a long moment, he nodded and led us to the chief's office. Chief Wilkins looked up from his paperwork, his expression guarded.

"What's this about?" he asked gruffly.

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. "The creature responsible for the attacks - it's not from this world. It's called a Camazotz, and it's incredibly dangerous."

The chief leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "And how do you know this?"

"It's in my books. In my world, Cainedor, the Camazotz were in legends as mythological creatures. It's also in legends here on Earth too. I'm not sure if it followed me or if it were already here and awakened when I moved in," I said, my voice steady despite the tension in the room.

Chief Wilkins's eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features. "And what exactly is a Camazotz?"

"It's a creature of pure evil," I explained, the memories of my past encounters with them sending a shiver down my spine. "They feed on fear and destruction, and they're nearly impossible to kill. They have immortal blood."

The chief's brow furrowed. "Immortal blood? What does that mean?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It means that even if you shoot it, stab it, or try to kill it in any other way, it won't die. The only way to stop a Camazotz is to trap it and contain its evil."

Harlow spoke up then, her voice filled with determination. "What do we need to do to help capture it?"

I thought for a moment, recalling the ancient texts I had studied back on my home planet. "We need to create a trap, one strong enough to hold the Camazotz. It will require a combination of magic and technology, and it won't be easy."

Chief Wilkins leaned forward, his expression serious. "Magic? You expect us to believe in magic?"

I met his gaze unflinchingly. "Whether you believe in it or not, it's real. And it's the only way to stop the Camazotz before it destroys everything in its path."

The chief was silent for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. Finally, he sighed and nodded. "Alright. Tell us what we need to do."

As I explained the intricate details of the trap, Harlow's hand slipped into mine, her touch a silent promise that we would face this together. No matter what horrors lay ahead.

I led Harlow back to my castle, my mind racing with the new knowledge of the Camazotz's presence on Earth. As we stepped into the vast library, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The ancient texts and tomes that lined the shelves held the answers to countless mysteries, and I hoped they would provide the key to defeating this new threat.

Harlow's eyes widened as she took in the sheer number of books. "Griiq, this is incredible. I've never seen so many old texts in one place."

I smiled slightly, running my fingers along the spines of the nearest volumes. "My people have been collecting knowledge for centuries. When I left Cainedor, I brought as many books as I could carry. I knew they might come in handy someday."

We settled at a large wooden table, and I began pulling books from the shelves. Harlow joined me, her brow furrowed in concentration as she scanned the pages for any mention of the Camazotz.

Hours passed as we pored over the texts. My eyes grew heavy, but I pushed through the exhaustion, determined to find something that could help us.

Suddenly, Harlow's voice broke the silence. "Griiq, how did the Camazotz come about? Where did it come from?"

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "The Camazotz is an ancient creature, born from the darkest depths of the universe. Legend says that it was created by a powerful sorcerer who sought to harness the power of fear itself."

Harlow's eyes widened. "A sorcerer? Like, with magic?"

I nodded. "Magic is real, Harlow. It's a force that flows through all living things, and some have learned to harness it for their own purposes. The sorcerer who created the Camazotz was one of the most powerful of his kind."

I stood and walked to a nearby shelf, pulling out a dusty tome. The embossed cover had strange symbols, and the pages crackled with age as I opened it.

"According to this text, the sorcerer used a dark ritual to summon the Camazotz from the void. He believed that he could control it, and use its power to conquer his enemies. But he was wrong."

Harlow leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the page. "What happened?"

I traced my finger along the faded ink. "The Camazotz turned on its creator, consuming him in a frenzy of blood and terror. It then began to spread like a plague, feeding on the fear of all those it encountered."

I closed the book, my heart heavy with the weight of the past. "My people managed to trap the Camazotz, centuries ago. We thought it was gone for good. But somehow, it found its way to Earth."

Harlow placed her hand on mine, her touch warm and comforting. "We'll find a way to stop it, Griiq. Together."

I met her gaze, feeling a surge of hope despite the danger that loomed ahead. With Harlow by my side, I knew we could face anything.

We turned back to the books, our resolve strengthened by the knowledge of what we were up against. The Camazotz may have been born from darkness, but we would bring it into the light.

Suddenly, the unmistakable screech resounded through the stone halls of the castle.