Monster's Genie

The battlefield was a scene of chaos. Jinnara stood in the centre, his indifferent gaze sweeping across the carnage. Two mages stood opposite him, their hands glowing with power. 

"You bastard! You killed him...my husband, I'll burn you to death," One of the female mages trembling and crying shouted from the top of her lungs.

Without hesitation, they unleashed a barrage of explosion spells. The air burned as the fiery orbs streaked toward Jinnara.

"Burn! Burn! Burn and go to hell, you devil," She completely forgot about the word holding back since she used all her strength and mana she had inside her body on a single spell. It was a dangerous gambit to let out spells without the control, but that was her last concern right now.

In an instant, massive black wings erupted from Jinnara's back, shielding him from the attack. The spells exploded on impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the area. His wings trembled under the force, blood dripping from their edges. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Weak body," he muttered, his voice laced with disdain.

He lowered his wings, revealing himself unscathed, and began walking toward the mages, his steps deliberate and unhurried. His crimson eyes glinted with menace.

Before he could close the distance, a towering figure stepped into his path. A man wielding a massive sledgehammer, its size almost comical, hefted the weapon over his shoulder.

"You're not taking another step," the man growled, his voice deep and resonant.

Jinnara tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. The man roared and brought the hammer down with all his strength, aiming to crush him where he stood. The ground cracked and trembled under the force of the blow, but Jinnara raised his hand, catching the sledgehammer mid-swing.

His hand shook from the impact, blood oozing from his palm as the weight threatened to overpower him. Yet, his expression remained calm. "What a sensation," he murmured, almost to himself. "So this is what a mortal body feels like. Is this what you mortals call pain? I love it."

With a surge of power, Jinnara pushed the sledgehammer upward, the sheer force causing the man to stumble back, his footing faltering on the dusty ground. The clang of metal echoed through the tense air as the weapon slipped from the man's grip, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Jinnara's gaze locked onto his opponent's, his eyes gleaming with an unnatural intensity that seemed to draw the very breath from the forest. 

The man froze, his chest heaving from exertion, but his hands slowly fell limp at his sides. A subtle shimmer, like ripples on a pond, emanated from Jinnara's presence, wrapping around the man like invisible chains.

"You will listen to me," Jinnara spoke, his voice a soft, hypnotic rhythm, the calmness of it chilling. It carried not just authority but something deeper—an ancient, unrelenting pull that burrowed into the man's mind. "Attack your teammate."

The man's eyes widened, his expression shifting from determination to a desperate confusion. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no words came, only a soft gasp of resistance. Tears welled up in his eyes as he fought against the unseen force.

"I... I can't..." he whispered, his voice breaking, but even as he spoke, his body betrayed him. His trembling hand reached out to take back the fallen sledgehammer.

The man's eyes glazed over, his grip on the sledgehammer tightening. As if in a trance, he turned and began walking toward one of the mages, who stared in horror.

"What are you doing?! Gen, wake up! What are you doing? Our daughter is waiting for us back in capital. We can't die here." the mage shouted, panic rising in his voice. "Stop!"

But the sledgehammer-wielding man didn't respond. With a single, devastating swing, the hammer connected with the mage's head. The impact was gruesome, sending blood and fragments flying. The mage's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

But that wasn't the end of it, as the other mage also suffered the same fate. The sledgehammer user called Gen was crying inside, as he saw his wives head crumble into pieces by his own hand and he slowly started to understood whatever they were facing was not something they should be fighting.

A baby's wail pierced the air, cutting through the silence that followed. Jinnara dashed forward in a blur, closing the distance between him and the remaining enemies. Moments later, the cries of the other collectors and wailing came to an end.

Jinnara sat atop the sledgehammer-wielding man's lifeless body, his head missing. Blood pooled around him, soaking the ground. He rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. The baby's cries continued, pulling him from his reverie.

He glanced at the child in his arms. "How am I supposed to feed you?" he muttered. 

The idea of transforming into a woman briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly shook his head. "Ridiculous. I need to find a woman. I can't leave this body."

A faint sound drew his attention. From the shadows of a nearby cage came muffled noises. Jinnara stood and approached, finding several lamia children trapped inside. Their mouths were gagged, their eyes wide with fear.

He knelt before the cage and tore the door off with ease. The children flinched, their fear intensifying. He reached for one of them, a young girl with silver scales. Removing her gag, he spoke with a tone of indifference. "Who are you?"

The girl shivered, tears streaming down her face. "P-Please don't hurt me."

Jinnara frowned. "If I wanted to hurt you, I would have already." He straightened, turning to leave, but the girl's trembling voice stopped him.

"Wait!"

He turned back, raising an eyebrow. The girl hesitated, then spoke quickly, her words tumbling out in desperation. "Our tribe... it was attacked. We were captured by the humans."

Jinnara's gaze didn't change a single bit, as he looked at the baby in his arms. "Is there a woman in your tribe who can feed this child?"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise. She nodded. "Y-Yes."

"Good." Jinnara extended his free hand to her. "Then lead me to your tribe."

The girl hesitated, glancing at the gagged children behind her and the bodies strewn across the ground. She clenched her fists, realizing that this was her only chance to escape. Taking his hand, she nodded resolutely. "I'll take you there."

Jinnara released the remaining children from the cage. The girl's friends looked at her with pleading eyes, but she avoided their gazes, guilt weighing heavily on her. Leading this man to her tribe was a gamble, but staying here wasn't an option.

One thing she didn't notice brutal way Jinnara killed all the humans, as she couldn't even properly see what happened, but she knew this man killed all of the humans.

As they set off, the baby's cries softened, its tiny fingers clutching at Jinnara's shirt. He glanced down, his expression unreadable. "You're lucky I'm curious about this mortal existence," he muttered under his breath.

The girl led him through the forest, her fear gradually giving way to determination. She clung to the hope that her tribe—if they were still alive—would be able to protect her from this strange, dangerous man.

After hours of walking, they reached a clearing. Smoke rose in the distance, and the faint sounds of life could be heard. The girl's pace quickened, her heart pounding with both relief and dread.

"We're almost there," she whispered.

Jinnara's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area. "Good. Let's hope your tribe has what I need."

The girl swallowed hard, leading him toward the village that awaited them. Each step brought new questions to her mind. Who was this man? What was he planning? And most importantly, would her people survive his visit?