Pulling with all his might, Veikh's foot tore free of the black pile as fast as it had been caught; strands snapping back to the mass akin to the string of a bow as he cut them with his blade. Tripping towards the canine beast due to the sudden release of pressure, the gleeful grin plastered across the lupine's face grew in anticipation; yet was gone just as easily upon meeting the front of his shield.
Staggered by the force of the blow and dazed from having it's snout smashed in by iron, the beast stumbled back before collapsing into a pile of more barrels; barrels that were to his relief, clearly filled with wine and not more of the black sludge. Although it still raised questions around why there was sludge inside some of the barrels and not all.
With the canine beast writhing in a pile of wine and smashed wood, Veikh's gaze snapped to the remnants of the tan-skinned man; now a reptilian beast crushing the other man in its grip. Desperately attempting to pry himself free from the slime beast's unusually strong grip, a burst of adrenaline seemed to fuel the man's strength; the arm holding his sword breaking free and rising, before plunging straight into the reptile's left eye.
Despite the hastiness surrounding the blade's craft and the fluid nature of the beast, it served to cause enough damage to warrant throwing the man away in its agony as it collapsed to the floor with its claws grabbing at its eye.
Mugs and other displayed pieces of silverware clattered to the floor as the man flew into a table, wood splintering about. At his side in an instant to help him back to his feet, Veikh froze at the sight of evident black stains across the man's tunic alongside the darkening skin on his neck.
"L-Leave... me behind…"
The angered growls of the two beasts behind him, combined with the resolve in the man's eyes and desperation in his voice, Veikh nodded silently. He certainly had a bit more of a spine than his appearance let on.
"I owe you one."
Another solemn nod, and the blonde sprinted to the entrance of the wine cellar and retreated into the small hallway, door slamming shut behind him. Taking a few precious seconds to catch his breath as he neared the middle of the corridor, Veikh was completely ignorant of the growth that had occurred on his left foot, oblivious to the clawed black prints left behind with each step.
If there was any hope of undoing it now, saving those two Maidens would be his only hope.