Chapter 3: The Monster within

Claws extended out of Clara's hands. A curse escaped her mouth as she glared at her companion. "I had it under control!"

"He was invading my personal space!" Terrell answered.

Clara was about to argue with him when her eyes widened, "Watch out!"

Right after her warning, Ethan's figure shot from the rubble and reappeared before Terrell.

Terrell tried to attack him again, but Ethan was well prepared. He leisurely ducked the claw strike aimed at his face and slapped the man to the ground.

"Shit!" Clara cursed and launched herself at him, aiming for his back.

Ethan weaved her attack and kicked her feet throwing her off balance. Clara, however, seemed to know she was no match, so she hastily grabbed Terrell by the collar and dragged him back.

"They don't pay me enough for this," Terrell groaned in pain.

"Shut up, he's still confused, so we have a chance," Clara replied.

True to her words, Ethan did not follow up with another attack. Instead, he stood in the middle of the living room with a blank look. The shadowy aura emitting out of his body had plunged the entire room into darkness.

"Why is he just standing there?" Terrell whispered.

"I told you, he's confused. His rational mind is still in there."

Taking a deep breath, Clara raised her hands to show she meant no harm, "Calm down, kid. I know how you feel, but you have to control your emotions. Don't let them control you," she said.

Ethan turned and faced her. His head was in so much pain. His entire body felt like It wasn't his. He tried to focus, but everything was murky. He could feel himself moving, but It felt like he was on autopilot. He could barely make out what was happening.

The man attacked him. Who was he? Then the woman, why was she staring at him like that? Her Golden eyes emitted a soft glow. It was strangely soothing.

"That's right, calm down. We are not your enemies," Clara added.

The shadowy aura stopped swirling as he stared at her eyes. Ethan tried to open his mouth to speak, but he couldn't. He felt like a spectator in his own body. It didn't help that everything was soo murky, and the headache- The damn headache.

"That's it," Clara said and continued to approach him.

Just when she was at arm's length, the window suddenly exploded behind them, and three figures jumped in. The door burst open as well, and three more rushed inside.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Fuck..." Clara muttered right before she was sent flying. Her body collided with Terrell sending both of them to the ground.

Ethan’s roar echoed through the small apartment, his features contorting into something otherworldly. His teeth elongated, resembling sharp fangs, while his sunken cheeks gave him a ghastly appearance. His eyes now glowed an eerie white. Two figures lunged at him from behind. Clad in obsidian black, their faces concealed by stark white masks, they were relentless in their assault.

Just before they reached him, the previously tranquil shadows surged forward like blades, launching an attack. The first assailant was instantly cleaved in half, the gory sight driving Ethan into a frenzy.

His mind was screaming at him to tear, and kill!

Undisturbed by their companion's death, the remaining five assailants rushed him all at once. A savage grin made its way across Ethan's face. He relished in the feeling.

His body moved like a blur, leaving after images as he jumped to the ceiling. He used both his hands and feet to stick to the wall before he launched himself at one of his assailants.

The masked assailant recoiled, momentarily surprised. With a swift motion, they brandished a short sword, aiming to slash at Ethan. But Ethan’s response defied the laws of physics—his body twisted at an impossible angle. His hand shot forward, fingers closing around the attacker’s arm. In a gruesome display of raw strength, he wrenched it out, sinew and bone yielding to his relentless force.

Ethan’s hand moved with lightning speed, silencing his attacker’s cries as his head was severed cleanly from his body.

Witnessing the brutal scene, Terrell cursed and pulled Clara back towards the entrance. “Hurry up and stand, damn it, or we’re both going to die!”

“Easy for you to say, asshole. That kick nearly caved my chest in,” she gasped, struggling to catch her breath.

Terrell ignored her complaints, his eyes wide with fear as he watched Ethan decimate their backup. “We might need to get the hell out of here.”

“We can’t just leave like this, the council—” Her words were abruptly cut off as she saw Ethan twist the last attacker’s head off his body.

"Ah shit," Terrell muttered, dropping Clara and raising his hand in a protective stance. Claws extended from his fingers as he nervously gulped.

“This is the last time I follow you into a job,” he gritted his teeth.

“Now’s not the time, Terrell,” Clara retorted, struggling to her feet.

Her eyes seemed to glow slightly as Ethan turned his attention to them.

“Brace yourself,” she tensed— when suddenly;

Thud.

“Huh?” Terrell couldn’t help but mutter as he stared at the unconscious Ethan on the floor.

“What just happened?”

Clara released a long sigh of relief before collapsing. “Thank all heavens and hell, he finally tired himself out.”

Terrell turned to her and asked, “We live?”

She looked back and smiled, “We live.”

The duo then burst into laughter.

*

Ethan had a long, strange dream. He dreamt of a beautiful yet eerie silver-haired lady, her crimson eyes appearing as if they could pierce his soul. In his dream, he became a monster that tore through people with ease.

Even as he fought in his dream, those crimson eyes were everywhere, staring at him, watching him. He dreamt of himself changing, his body no longer the same as before.

The dream swiftly ended with the strange lady’s wide-open mouth, full of razor-sharp teeth, approaching him. That’s when he awoke with a gasp.

It took him a moment to come to his senses as he clutched his chest. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Ethan scanned his surroundings in shock. He wasn't in his tiny one-bedroom apartment no he appeared to be locked inside a cage in a basement somewhere.

'Kidnapped? But why me?'

That was his immediate thought before a massive headache caused him to curl in pain, and with it came the unpleasant memories.

It took Ethan a few minutes before he managed to sit back up and lean against the wall, his mind in turmoil. His hand slowly moved to his chest and rested over his heart, but he no longer felt it beat. A wave of fear and disbelief washed over him. It was true! He was no longer human!

'How could this be?'

He thought back to the men that attacked him back in his house. He killed them, all of them. Ethan placed his head between his knees and clutched it with his hands. He had killed people! He was a murderer!

'Were they humans or monsters?' a small voice whispered in his mind.

'They attacked us, they deserved to die!' The voice continued.

Ethan shook his head, 'No, no! I'm not a murderer."

'Haha! No, you are not— you are something far worse... You are a monster!'

'No! I'm not!' Ethan continued to shake his head.

'Embrace it, accept me! Together we can do anything we want!' The voice continued.

'Get out of my head!'

'Heh,' The voice snickered, 'Face it, you don't feel bad for what you did. Quite the opposite, you enjoyed it."

'I didn't! I'm not a murderer! I'm not a monster!'

'Then why are you smiling?'

Hearing that question, Ethan paused, his hands slowly moving to touch his lips only to find them curved upwards.

'Ah—'