Applacrabus

The Tale of The Applacrabus
 

      In the heart of an ancient, enchanted forest known as Eldergrove, there existed a peculiar creature that the villagers had come to fear: Applacrabus. This monster, with the bright, shiny body of a perfectly ripe apple, was a sight to behold under the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. But what made it truly terrifying were its eight formidable legs, resembling those of a giant crab, which scuttled over the forest floor with swift, unpredictable movements.

Legend has it that Applacrabus was once a kind-hearted guardian spirit of the orchard, tasked with protecting the fruit trees from blight and disease. The villagers revered this spirit, leaving offerings of the finest apples at its base, ensuring a bountiful harvest each year. However, as time passed, greed took root in the hearts of the villagers. They began to harvest the apples in excess, caring little for the spirit’s well-being or the balance of nature.
In response to the villagers’ disregard, the guardian spirit was transformed by the curse of the forest. The vibrant red skin of the apple morphed into a durable, hardened shell, making it resemble that of a crab, while its legs grew long and pincers sharp, turning it into a creature to be feared. Now, the Applacrabus wandered the forest, protecting the lands not just from blight, but from those who dared to seek its fruit without gratitude.

It was said that Applacrabus would scuttle silently through the underbrush, its bright body camouflaged against the apples that littered the forest floor. Should any villager venture too close with ill intentions, the creature would emerge unexpectedly, its crab legs clicking ominously as it approached. Those who tried to pick apples from the trees without permission found themselves ensnared in its powerful pincers, forever marked with a crimson stain, a reminder of their greed, eventually turning the marked individual into a mindless apple human hybrid monster cursed for eternity to become the monsters they once feared.