Monique
As she stepped into the arena, she felt a presence she was never quite happy with. A presence she was all too familiar with. One that would make the curse, that is scarred onto her back, burn. As the arena began to ready itself for her sparring match, memories of her past life began to trinkle in. She recalled the first time she had ever fought a beast. She was eight, fresh out of testing and method training. Before the Doctor had ever found the others, there was just her, Annabelle, and Angelica. The latter two could never fully understand their “Father’s” obsession with Monique. To them, she was just a new edition to the family, a newbie who still needed to earn her place. But to him, she was his everything. His pet project. His little death goddess. That’s what he always called her in front of everyone else. That’s what he would do to push her to greater lengths, to force her to do unspeakable things. So, on that day, when she was just eight years of age, he would gently nudge her inside of an empty, dark, room…the same dark room he’d use to punish her years later. He would place his hands on her small shoulders and repeat like a mantra:
Dr. B: Wreak havoc and destruction my little death goddess.
Words that would soon echo throughout her subconscious, that would pressure her to commit atrocities. That would cause her to believe that this was the only way she could ever receive love and affection as she knew that if she did everything right, she would be praised. She would be loved. But when he suddenly stopped praising her, when he pried for her to give more, do more, be more, be more, she began asking herself why wasn’t she enough? Thoughts would spiral around her, constantly screaming You’re a failure. No one would ever love you. Why aren’t you better than this? No one would ever love you. You’ll be abandoned again. And no matter how hard she tried, no matter what she did, she was never good enough for “Father”.
As she glanced back at the crowd, she thought to herself When did I start pulling away? She then caught Lee’s gaze, smiling softly while giving a thumbs up. She had also noticed Ken simultaneously keeping watch while texting. She wondered if he was, as she heard of it a few times, live tweeting the situation to Terra.
Refocusing her attentions ahead, she blocked out needless whispers and sneers from her peers and concentrated. She recalled the days she spent in libraries trying to escape the rain and recalled how essential elements such as iron were needed for proper plant development. With one hand on the grip of the wooden sword she hovered the other towards the tip. In one fell swoop, the properties changed, morphing the wooden sword into a saber. Sensei Guillermo took that as a sign that she was ready to begin. Glass doors closed as symbols appeared on the opposite side. And as the symbols shined, growling rumbled throughout the arena.
Lee
He watched as the battle leisurely began. Thoughts began to spiral in his head, worrying over and over what he saw not too long ago.
Ken: You okay?
As if attuned to how he felt.
Lee: Y-yeah.
Ken: You sure?
Lee: Just…something…feels…off.
He watched as the aura emitting from Monique, presumably where he first saw her curse. He directed Ken’s attention towards
Lee: Can you see that?
Ken: Yeah. Think we should do something about it?
Lee: No, not yet.
Ken: You sure?
Lee: Last time I left it alone, things turned out fine.
Ken: Yeah, but last time it was just you two in the house.
Ken had glanced curiously at the crowd behind. Each attendee had cheered on the beasts that are about to make its presence. They cared little for Monique, who stood tall and proud, who’s aura gave them sickening glances. He could only imagine what kind of thoughts occurred in their pea sized minds. Lee raised his eyebrow in curiosity, closely observing the crowd. It was a moment of disbelief. He couldn’t fathom that the school whose students surrounded him with endless questions and curiosity would sour and sulk in her presence.
Monique
Reality began to twist as the first few monsters made their way from summoning circles. Though she took them down with ease, something felt off. Voices from a distant time echoed throughout her subconscious. She felt as if she had slipped away from the present, finding herself in a time where she had spent most of her days in complete darkness. Where she would beg to be released. Where she would shriek for help, pleading to the same man over, and over again.
Dr B: You have failed me, yet again.
Monique: Please. I’m-I’m…I’m sorry! I-I-I-I’ll try h-h-h-harder!
Dr B: This is your punishment.
Monique: P-p-p-please!!! I-I-I- d-d-don’t – I’m scared.
Dr B: Perhaps this will be a lesson.
Monique: Father please!!
Dr B: Do not bring me such dissatisfying results. Become the Goddess of Death I’ve made you to be.
Those words reverbed all around her mind. Slowly, yet surely, she started to succumb to the malicious aura. And all at once, she strayed from all reasoning.
Lee
As the monsters started pouring in, she slightly tilted her head to one side. Her lips widened to an unnerving smile. And all at once, she disappeared from sight. Whispers turned rumors as their pondering of her whereabouts became theories on her leaving. And when they least expected it, she appeared closer to the hoard, striking down a couple of fiendish chimeras that were at the front lines. Neither their contorted defenses nor attacks could ever protect them from the storm she had brought upon them. She was much more of a graceful dancer in the academy’s training room than she was in the training room at Castle Faustus. However, something felt…off…as if the aura she was emitting was daunting. Ken shuttered.
Lee: What’s wrong?
Ken: She looks…like one of those predators just toying with their prey. Was this how she acted?
Lee: No.
The dark, ominous energy that had poured out from her started surrounding her being. Never quite blinding her view but becoming obvious that she was no longer timid nor afraid. It was as if she needed something. Satisfaction? Glory? Or was it to prove something? She then uttered something under her breath and a unnatural phenomena had occur. Never in the history of Eiridelium had something as darkened clouds ever appear anywhere at any magicians’ will. Thought to be a lost art, she had conjured a storm. Droplets of rain soon became a thundering storm. The unruly sounds of pain and fear bellowed throughout as the creatures caught up in the hailing thunder were heavily damaged. Then, she uttered another incantation, this time something that echoed throughout the arena fulgur. A cold chaotic thunder bolt struck multiple enemies at once, causing them to falter. The storm passed as a new enemy archetype appeared. It stood roughly feet taller than her, covered in old rusty armor that seemed to break at the mere thought of having pressure added onto it. It wielded an elongated long sword. Without warning, it charged towards her. She did not leave her spot, nor did she move to block. As it swung at her, her body quickly absorbed the element it was made out of, covering it all around her bare skin and reinforcing it. The word snapped and broke.
Monique: My turn.
The arm that was once covered in a hard metallic substance then reformed itself into a medieval rapier. A series of slashes surrounded the dusty knight.
Monique
As she prepared to strike once more, a voice echoed from the distance. The knight collapsed where it stood, and she pondered for a moment where the voice was echoing from. As if forgotten, a memory unlocked from the abyss finally resurfacing. It bellowed across her mind while pieces of the arena were replaced with a familiar place. A 50’s diner with black and white checkered floors, sticky diner tables that never seemed to stop applying itself, and a woman with afro locks who looked at her with such compassion in her eyes. She knelt down to her level, gently whispering to her words of encouragement.
: You are so much more than death and chaos.
Monique: But, all I do is destroy things. All I do is cause havoc wherever I go. I-I–
: But you can do so much more than that. I’ve seen you bring rain to the driest of deserts, shine the sun when it was a sea of dusty old clouds, and when adsas asked to see the snow on a hot summer’s day, you created quite the spectacle. Destruction and creation are one of the same coin…
Monique’s eyes widened as she slashed through her last enemy, causing the entire arena to flourish in a snowy florals. It was as springtime erupted.
Lee
A mixture of awe and confusion mustered itself. Like a shockwave that could not quite comprehend how to stabilize itself. Sensei Guillermo stared in disbelief, as if looking at Monique in a strange familiarity. While everyone had their attentions on Monique, Ken nudged Lee, pointing at a moving person. The person swooped left and right, bobbing himself all around to get inside the arena.
Connor: Like hell this is over!
Sensei Guillermo: What do you think you are doing, Mr. Falloway?
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Summoning circles appeared all around the arena, letting out a bunch of high-level monsters loose. Sensei Guillermo’s rage hit new levels as they tried to control the situation.
Connor: You’re just some broad who got lucky!!
Monique: You really want to do this?
Connor: What, you scared?
Monique: No. But I’m not disrespecting the instructor by putting up with this farce.
Connor: Awh, what? You afraid I’m gonna leave a mark on your precious porcelain body?
Monique quivered in rage. Is he seriously thinking I’m that fucking fragile?
Monique: I’m not going to repeat myself, and if you seriously go through with this, I won’t hesitate to end this. Regardless of if you lose a limb.
Connor smirked as he ignored Monique’s “empty” threats and proceeded to attack. As he lunged at her with an iron sword, she parried effortlessly.
Connor: Ugh—
Before he could comment, the screeches of harpies echoed throughout the arena followed by the charming lulling of the sirens. Although Monique was tempted to delude herself in their lustrous calls, she swiftly snapped herself out of it.
Monique: You idiot.
Connor looked back to see that the monsters emerging from the summoning circles were ganging up on the two of them. Yet this did not deter him from the seething rage that boiled over when looking at Monique. While Sensei Guillermo was able to stop anymore cretins being summoned, a handful of them made their way to the scene. Monique carefully analyzed all ten creatures, noting: three serpents, two sirens, four harpies, and one basilisk.
Connor: Gonna cry?
He muttered a spell, causing the monsters to follow his every command.
Lee: Uncalled for!
Connor: I’ll show you that she’s not all that special!
Monique
Familiarity rose. She felt as if she once again, was battling Ezekiel. The similarities pained her. The same gawdy looks, the same arrogance screeching from his persona. It was as if she had never left Earth at all. Darkness coursed throughout her entire being. This isn’t Earth. This isn’t Earth. You’re not there. You’re not th-he- As she silently stood, having an inner war with herself, one of the harpies came and slashed at Monique with its talons. Cornered by the others, panicked by the thought of going berserk, she couldn’t defend herself in time and was slashed in her arms, blood being drawn. Clothes were tattered and ripped apart thus revealing a long stream of scars that riddled her arms. This was a first for her in a long while. She was drilled for so long on how to protect herself, she could hear the doctors screaming at her you’re better than this. Don’t be useless. What are you doing? You let blood get drawn? Do you want to be punished!? Monique violently retaliated. She glared at the harpy and muttered something in a foreign ancient tongue. A fiery vortexed emerged, burning the harpy. It shrieked in pain. She then teleported behind it, piercing its throat. Connor tried getting the nearing monsters to retaliate but was too slow to react as she pushed herself back and targeted the serpent that nestled itself next to the bleeding harpy, preparing itself to attack, and a siren attempting to strike with its claws. She surrounded the field in a cold, icy aura, spawning ice shards. She flung it at the serpent, piercing its body. The ice shattered ending the miserable harpy’s life and damaging the nearby siren.
Sparks of flames surrounded her palms. She let out devastating fire balls at the nearby siren, causing it to burn. Futile retaliations from the opposing team were attempted, yet she knocked them down. She muttered out a string of words in an unfamiliar raspy tone, this time, catching the attention of Lee, Ken, and Sensei Guillermo. Crackling noises surged all around her. A dark beam of energy formed and fired off twice: one towards the remaining harpy, another towards the siren, ending them both instantly.
Lee
He looked in horror. It no longer seemed that she was doing this in the original purposes she had but rather as an instinct survival. As if she was back at Twilight Baleful. He was stuck with wanting to interfere with the battle, pull her aside and aide her back to sanity and knowing that if he tried to do so, would he still be playing the role of the hero? I have to stop her, she’ll hurt herself. But as these thoughts rummaged around his mind, he heard the demon speak Don’t. And for the first time at all, he listened
Monique
She continued to apprehend each and every creature that went her way. Each time she had down one, power stirred all around till she was annihilating one without breaking so much of a sweat. And when they had all become nothing but frozen carcasses, Connor emerged. In his pointless endeavors he had hoped that they would have tired her out enough for him to claim victory, yet he would find his ego deflated as she countered every move he made and continued to parry at him, backing him into a corner. The match felt too one sided. It was almost laughable. She pointed a sword so sharp, in one fell swoop she could decapitate him. However, all it did was destroy his weapon to the extent that it was no longer repairable and damaged both his physical body and his pride. He coughed out blood.
Monique: You’re seriously the greatest? What kind of joke is this?
Her voice sounded so threatening; it was as if a stranger were talking.
Connor: You’re fucking insane.
Monique: I warned you, yet you still continued to pursue this futile cause.
She raised her sword, preparing to end him.
Lee: Don’t! He’s not wroth it.
She halted before she could arch her swing. All at once, she let out a sigh of exhaustion, dropped her sword, and walked away.
Monique: You’re nothing more than joke and disgrace to the instructor who wasted their time teaching you.
Connor rose up, gritting his teeth. As he tried to make an effort to attack her from behind, a loud clap echoed throughout.
Lee
Everyone chimed to the bellowing sounds that came from across the arena. For everyone, this was a rare sight indeed. As the cohead master never made his appearance in these minor squabbles. He never once cared what went on in the arena yet, today of all days something intrigued him to come along. Whispers of “The headmaster is here! He’s here!” echoed throughout. Lee quickened his pace towards Monique the second he got the chance. As he appeared right at her side, with Ken tailing behind, something seemed off. Normally when Monique met a new person, she would anxiously shiver. Her thoughts would constantly bounce all around her as she over thought every possible scenario she had in newer interactions. Yet, upon seeing Kingdra, two things caught him off guard. One: The vibrations at which she was shaking and two: the seething anger that followed when she uttered his name.
Monique
Voices of despicable resentment swirled throughout her head. She knew his name. His oh so familiar Greek apparel as he sported his spartan sandals. His hair still the same amber hue she recalled from the memory she once shared with Lee. His sage eyes stared directly at her, this was something she couldn’t have forgotten, but why? Why did he make her feel so…dirty?
Kingdra: It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Monique.
Why did her name that uttered from his lips boil her blood cells to the point of bursting?
Kingdra: I do apologize for Mr. Falloway’s actions.
She knew this feeling was not hers. How could she hate someone she’s only seen in Lee’s memories?
Kingdra: I’ll be sure he’s reprimanded.
Memories that never should suggest this kind of visceral reaction. Yet, voices swirled all around. Voices that sounded so much like her own, yet it brought her tears. So much sorrow and bitter misery that she couldn’t tell if this was hers. But the voice echoed from such a distant past, it was as if it screamed in agony. Bringing her core to an unnerving shiver.
Murderer!!
Monster!!
I should have
Never saved you!
You
Took her
Took them
I’ll
Never forgive
You.
She took steps back as he approached her. His foul smile all too familiar. His atrocious gaze, almost freezing her movements. Before Kingdra could even speak another word, Lee interjected.
Lee: Hey, I don’t think Monique is feeling too good.
Ken: Yeah, its best that she goes to the infirmary. Lee should take her. And I’ll take Connor to the other one.
When did they get here? Her thoughts panicked.
No. no no no no no nonononono no no no no no no no no on ono no noo no no no no nonnonon no NO NO ! NO
THIS
UNACCEPTABLE
HE
NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED
HE NEEDS TOO –
Please. She pleaded with the voice that bellowed out in her subconscious I-I-p-p-p-please just ju-st let me go. I don’t want to be here. The voices quelled down, respecting her wishes. Lee proceeded to guide her away from the arena and to the infirmary. She couldn’t muster gratitude. Her vision became blurry as did most of her senses. Yet, instead of another Barkamsted event, the only thing she could tell herself constantly was It’s okay. It’s okay. Lee is helping you. It’s okay.
Lee: You okay?
Words reached her ears but couldn’t find a way to voice out of her mouth. She silently followed. He halted, causing her to bump into him. She gripped onto what she thinks is his shirt.
Monique: I-I-c-c-c-an’t s-s-s-sseee.
She felt his hands holding hers.
Lee: It’s okay. I’m here.
I’m here. I’m here…