A Mutant Collector Quest

"Even destiny was with me," Malgato went on, seemingly oblivious to Shanna's attempts at resistance. "I found a tribe of savage people nearby with a ritual that could grant a being a connection to the Savage Land itself. Now, I just needed to perfect this ritual and absorb the energies for myself," he said, licking his dry lips in anticipation. "And this plant creature here, with the deepest connection to this land, is the key. Even after its death centuries ago, its blood still holds enough power for the ritual," he declared.

With a twisted grin, Malgato plunged his dagger deep into the wooden trunk of the plant creature. A thick, glowing green liquid began to pour from the wound, flowing down the trunk and directly into the rectangular pit below, its eerie glow casting a strange light over the cavern.

The red glow surrounding the rectangular pit began to fade, replaced by the eerie green light from the glowing liquid. Shanna could even smell the refreshing scent of wildlife, mingling with the damp, earthy air of the cavern.

Malgato's grin widened in satisfaction as he watched the green liquid pour into the pit, mixing with the darker liquid that had already filled half of it.

"Now, this is where you and your beasts come in," he said with a dark chuckle. "Come, let's finish the ritual, and let me become a god!" His voice turned low and raspy as he began to mutter incantations under his breath. The entire cavern pulsed with a crimson glow, intensifying as the ritual reached its critical point.

SNAP!

The metal gate suddenly swung open. Shanna, sensing something was amiss, reacted swiftly, dashing out of the cage and leaping straight towards the old man.

"Arghhh!!" she cried out in fury, her hands poised for a powerful overhead strike. Her lithe, athletic body was filled with energy, and she was certain one blow would knock the old man out, freeing her beloved Ina and Bari.

"How foolish!" Malgato sneered. With a flick of his red sleeves, Shanna was thrown through the air, crashing hard onto the ground.

"Ughh!!" She groaned as invisible pressure forced her down, pinning her to the ground, her strength sapped.

"Don't be hasty. I must follow the ritual's order. The first sacrifices are your beasts," Malgato said coldly, flicking his sleeves once more. From the other side, both the black and yellow leopards floated out of their metal cages, lifeless.

"NO… Leave them alone!" Shanna cried out, struggling against the crushing force.

Malgato ignored her cries, muttering incomprehensible phrases under his breath as he approached the helpless creatures, ceremonial knife in hand.

Slash!

"NOOOO!!!" Shanna screamed in anguish as, in one swift motion, Malgato severed the leopards' necks.

Thud!

The bodies dropped to the ground, their blood pouring out and mixing with the dark green liquid in the rectangular pit. The crimson red disappeared into the glowing green, lost in the ritual's twisted flow. 

Shanna's eyes were flooded with tears as she gazed at Ina and Biri's lifeless bodies, their blood staining the ground. Her heart shattered all over again, and her mind was transported back to that fateful day years ago when Julani, their leopard mother, was shot and killed by a guard at the Central Park Municipal Zoo.

Back then, she had been a young veterinarian, the zoologist responsible for Julani's care. She had held the dying mother in her arms as her breath slowed and her life slipped away. That moment had etched into her soul the cruelty of the world, and the injustice it inflicted on innocent animals.

Despite the loss, Julani's two cubs had survived. Shanna had promised the dying mother that she would protect them. To fulfill that promise, she had taken them far from civilization, to Dahomey, Africa, where she hoped they would be safe.

But even in the wilds of Africa, she had realized that no place was truly safe from the greed and cruelty of men. Poachers prowled the area, eager to make a quick profit from the jungle's treasures. To protect Ina and Bari—and all the other helpless creatures—Shanna had donned the hide of Julani herself, becoming a She-Devil in the jungle, a fierce guardian of those who could not protect themselves.

Now, as she lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face, Shanna whispered, her voice trembling, "I-I am sorry, Julani... I-I couldn't keep my promise... I couldn't keep it."

"There is no need to spare your tears for them, as you are going to follow them soon enough. I need powerful, healthy blood to dilute the energies of the Savage Land," Malgato sneered, flicking his sleeves. Shanna's body jerked, and she found herself floating towards him, her movements no longer under her control.

"I will kill you!!!" she snarled, swiping her hands at his face in wild fury.

"Stay still!" Malgato snapped, his tone laced with irritation. With a simple gesture, he immobilized Shanna, her struggles frozen in place. "You are the final special ingredient of this ritual," he said, his voice dripping with glee. He raised his dagger, plunging it straight towards her heart.

"Ugh!" Shanna gasped, her face contorting in shock. Her eyes widened as she looked down, feeling the cold metal pierce her skin. The pain was unbearable, and she watched, helpless, as the dagger slid fully into her chest.

The old man withdrew the knife, his face lit with twisted satisfaction, the blade free of blood.

Shanna's body grew cold, her vision fading as the life drained from her. She knew she was going to die. All she could think of was how she would never have the chance to avenge Ina and Biri, never have the chance to stop this madman and his twisted plans. 

BOOOMMM!!!

The cavern trembled violently as cracks spidered across the surface. Rocks and gravel rained down, a powerful shockwave reverberating through the air. Malgato was thrown backwards, his body stumbling from the tremors shaking the very ground beneath him.

Shanna, her vision darkening, felt the roof above her begin to collapse. As her body fell, her world faded to black.

"Ughhh, what the hell is happening?!" Malgato yelled, groaning in pain as he scrambled to his feet. His eyes darted up to the ceiling, now shattered with a massive hole in it. From the darkness above, a large, cock-screw-like metal device had descended into the cavern.

"Oh, looks like we found a secret hideout underground!" A cocky, confident voice rang out through the chaos.

Malgato's eyes widened as he looked up, his gaze locking onto a man and a beast standing amidst the wreckage.

---

Earlier...

Using Metal Constructs I created a massive drill out of the vibranium found within the soil, with the upper part made entirely from that rare metal. The rest of it was normal metal crafted using Data Warping, which allowed me to forge a larger drill in size than even the Sabretooth tiger itself, providing enough drilled space for both of us to descend.

The drill's rotation circuitry was also engineered using Data Warping, while my Electricity Manipulation powered the entire operation, ensuring that it spun at full force. 

WHOOM!

The drill's power was overwhelming, tearing through the Earth as if it were butter. I kept providing electricity to keep it running smoothly, while simultaneously creating a protective forcefield bubble around me and the tiger to shield us both from the collapsing debris as we descended behind the drill. The Sabretooth tiger remained eerily silent, his gaze locked downwards, fully concentrated.

Only a few minutes had passed when the drill hit an unexpected obstruction. Without hesitation, I fed even more electricity into the system, watching as the drill sliced through the interference with ease.

BOOM!

"Oh, looks like we found a secret hideout underground," I say, surveying the scene before me.

The vast underground chamber is filled with the bones of countless animals, scattered across the floor in a grim display. In the center, an old man draped in wizard robes stands before a strange green glowing pit, its eerie light casting shadows across the walls. Those walls are lined with bizarre symbols, adding to the ominous atmosphere of the place. 

Three metal cages stand nearby, two of them holding bleeding leopards, their lives slipping away rapidly. My Mana sight reveals that the magic here is concentrated around the strange, green glowing pit.

The pit is filled with a glowing green liquid, its unnatural hue casting an eerie light over everything. Just as we arrive, I witness a blonde woman falling into it!

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Charlie Puente-Duany

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