So many of the great horror characters of the ages are tragic figures, blessed with supernatural powers, but at the price of their humanity.  Vampires, werewolves, warlocks, all have paid a price for the dangerous abilities they possess.

Today, see if you can create your own tragic monster, a creature has paid the price for their power.  

Gerald held the red gem in his hand.  It pulsed with life, a vibrant crimson that bathed the magic circle beneath his feet in the light of life.  His hand shook as he gripped the warm gem tightly.  A blood gem, holding the power of a demon, a dangerous thing, all but illegal in the Trivita Empire.  “Well get on with it,” Prince Rupert said as he slouched in his chair, grey eyes lazily taking in Gerald’s shaking form.  The crown prince might have the handsome face of royalty but he so rarely exuded the dignity of his lineage.  “This is your experiment after all.  I want to see what results it can truly bring about.”

Face pail Gerald tightened his grip on the blood gem.  His experiment.  Yes.  He was the one who had proposed using the blood gem’s to gain strength.  He was the one that had posited that the deficits of the blood gem, namely it depositing the seeds of a demon in its user, could be side-stepped by using a protection magic circle and controlling the amount of mana that one fed to the gem.  But the priests had shut down Gerald’s experiments.  At first Gerald had been furious, but after some time and a little more research Gerald had come to concede the priest’s had probably been right.

The crown prince, his backer, had not been able to so graciously concede.  Of course he wouldn’t just back down, Gerald thought.  The crown prince was teetering on a knife’s edge, one step away from losing his position to his younger brother.  Rupert needed power.    

“Well, get on with it,”  Rupert said.  “Or do you perhaps need some motivation.”  Rupert motioned with one hand and the maid standing by opened the door.  From without a soldier came, carrying a large something over his shoulder.  The soldier deposited his squirming burden at the prince’s feet.  The little girl sprang to her feet before the prince’s hand came down heavy on her shoulder stopping her from moving.  “Gerry?” Gerald’s six year old sister asked, voice wavering with the uncertainty that only a child has in a new and strange situation. 

“Lilly,” Gerald said.  “What are you going to do to her?” 

“Nothing,” Rupert said as he stroked the little girl’s head.  “As long as you finalize your experiment.  Show me the fruit’s of your labor.” 

Gerald looked from the magic circle he had been forced to prepare to his sisters round green eyes.  One misstep and he would cease to exist.  But those green eyes stared into his soul, unwavering.  His sister truly believed he could save her.  And he was never one to disappoint his sister.  Turning back to the gem Gerald sent a pulse of his meager mana into it.  The stone drank it greedily.  

When nothing happened Gerald scowled and sent more of his mana to the stone.  It pulsed, drinking up the power of his soul.  Then it pulsed again and a wave of fire ran through Gerald’s veins.  He could feel the strength of this dark power.  It tore through his body, ripping it apart piece by piece and putting it back together again.  When the fire died down Gerald flexed his hand.  He could feel it.  The new strength that lay under his skin.  

Rupert tossed a piece of stone to Gerald.  “Show me.”  Gerald clenched his fist and the stone crumbled to dust, no more difficult than crumpling paper.  A wicked grin spread over Gerald’s face and lit his eyes.  This, this was wonderful.  What could he do with this much strength?  What could he do with more?

A need for more opened in Gerald’s stomach, a need that had to be filled. He had to have more.  Turning back to the stone he pushed all of his mana into it now, eager for power, uncaring for what, if any, consequence might come.  A scream ripped through the room and Gerald fell to the floor.  

He was on fire, no not on fire he was immolating from the inside out.  His body writhed as every cell in his body was warped, changed, and restructured.  Screams echoed off the walls one after another.  Lilly cowered behind the prince’s chair, little hands covering her ears.  Rupert stood eye’s fixed on Gerald.  Finally the thrashing ceased and silence reigned once again.  Frowning, the prince approached the still body.  The once fine young man was no more.  Wicked horns sprouted from Gerald’s forehead, his hair had turned white, his skin deathly pale with pointed ears.  With a booted foot Rupert poked at the body.  There was no movement.  So Rupert kicked Gerald.  When the man still lay unmoving Rupert grumbled, “Figures.  He really couldn’t do it.”

Pulling his leg back for one last kick Rupert froze.  Gerald’s hand grabbed his ankle.  The hand was warm, too warm, warm enough that Rupert could feel it through the leather.  Looking down Rupert saw two black and red eyes staring up at him.  In those eyes there was no humanity, only madness.  The warmth at Rupert’s ankle grew, it became uncomfortable.  “Get off me,” he said, trying to pull away.  Gerald grinned revealing fangs.  “Get off,” Rupert yelled, terror gripping his throat.  The heat on his ankle intensified, turning into a raging inferno.  

Rupert tried to throw up a mana shield but as soon as he called forth his magic it was sucked away.  He felt the fire crawl through his body consuming every fleck of mana that it could and when there was no more it fed on his strength, his life, his blood.  Only moment’s later the once crown prince fell to the floor, a husk.  Gerald staggered to his feet.  “You should have listened to the priests, you fool,” he growled.  Staggering, still getting used to his new body, Gerald crossed the room and knelt in front of Lilly.  “There there,” he said, gently lowering her hand’s.  “No need to be scared now.”  

Lilly opened her eyes.  Her green eyes met his red.  “Gerry?”  

“Yes, little flower.  Do you want to come with me?”  Lilly said nothing, only held out her arm’s for her big brother to pick her up.  As Gerald held her close a warmth settled over her.  She felt a tremor of fear and then it passed as she opened her little round red eyes.  Her little hands fumbled at the short little horns on her head.   

“Do you like them?” Gerald asked.

“Yes,” Lilly said.  Her eyes fell on the trembling form of the maid cowering in the far corner.  “I’m hungry.”  

“Go on,” Gerald said, setting his sister down.  “Once you’re done we can go find mom and dad.  We have so much to do.”

“Okay,” Lilly said as her hands clamped down on the maid’s wrist.  She did not flinch at the screams that passed the maid’s lips, after all it was just food and mom and dad would be waiting.  Waiting to receive the gift Gerry would bring them.