A Prophecy Fulfilled

No one knew where the legend had come from; only that a beast called the Winged Terror would come one day, and on that day he would eat.

No one took this old prophecy seriously. It was a story used primarily to frighten naughty children. That changed when a red comet streaked across the summer sky like a bleeding gash. As the red glow faded, people murmured that it was reminiscent of that old legend they'd all heard growing up.

Two days later an earthquake struck the kingdom. The damage was minor, but the crystal Tower of Starlight was cracked irreparably, casting shards of rainbow light down the streets.

Two signs in two days? Now people were talking.

Four days after that, the Oaken Forest was stricken with the Violet Scourge. The epidemic was easily cured, but the leaves turned a dark purple, and it was said that the trees would bruise when the Winged Terror was near.

Three blatant signs in less than a week was too much.

Mass hysteria overtook the kingdom. Hundreds fled to the countryside and hundreds more escaped to neighboring nations. The king rallied his army to full battle-readiness. Hordes of zealots prowled the streets and called for the sinful to repent lest they be eaten. Families hid behind barricaded doors and prayed for deliverance while local skeptics shook their heads at the hullabaloo.

Finally, after three days of chaos, the Winged Terror appeared in the center of the city. He arrived in a dramatic burst of flames and smoke, standing nine feet tall with reptilian skin and enormous bat-like wings. People screamed in horror and frantically ran for their lives.

As soon as the king learned that the Beast had materialized, the aging monarch personally led his army to confront the creature. When the Beast saw the king's army approaching, he smiled with enthusiasm... or was it relief?

"Greetings!" the Beast called. "At last I have arrived! Though, I don't quite understand why everyone is panicking." He looked around in vexation.

The king quivered in anger. "You came here to destroy us!"

The Beast looked shocked. Offended, even. "Destroy you? I would never harm innocent people! I was just hoping someone could direct me to a decent lunch spot. A pub, perhaps?"

The king's eyes widened. "Lunch?!"

"Yes," the Beast replied. "I came to eat."