Becoming a Monster

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: The ’Devils’ Plan

Gasps rippled through the group, and Neal’s face drained of color. ”What? You can’t be serious!” he sputtered, backing away slightly.

Noah took a step forward, his gaze akin to someone looking at a deadman. ”Oh, but I am...” With a warning look, Noah glanced towards the others, specifically Mark and the others. ”Do I need to even bother explaining myself?”

The others cast wary glances towards each other before their gazes shifted to Neal, each gaze reflecting the uniformed agreement that what Noah said wasn’t unfounded. Despite the glaring obvious, they all couldn’t agree that Neal’s actions warranted such extreme consequences.

Jasmine was a part of the few who felt the need to step in. ”But....killing him in cold blood, isn’t that too extreme? Besides, leaving him to fend for himself is still the same as killing him.” She tried to reason, gathering the sympathy from the others who all subconsciously nodded their heads in agreement.

Their reaction wasn’t that far different than what Noah expected. Out of everyone there, there wasn’t anyone whose opinion he was really concerned about. His eyes only drifted towards the reason he was still putting up with the charade. In the back of his mind, a doubt lingered, one where Ailetta would once again side with them. He was unsure how he would feel if she were to do the same in this situation, what he was sure of was that their relationship would probably never be the same.

Aietta felt the weight of Noah’s gaze, sensing the intensity of his unspoken question. She took a deep breath, knowing her next words would carry significant consequences.

”Neal, just know that I hate you....but even though I think you deserve everything that is happening to you, I still don’t feel that killing you is the answer...”

Hearing the supposed mercy in her verdict, Jasmine and the others let out a sigh of relief. Despite the fear that Ailetta was being manipulated by her love for Noah, they were glad that she still held empathy within her heart for others; more importantly, they were relieved to know that Ailetta had the independence to be used as Noah’s ”leash”.

Noah’s expression dangerously narrowed, his pupils radiating a subtle rage within, his ears hanging on every word that followed next.

Ailetta met Noah’s gaze, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. ”Neal will leave the group. We’ll give him supplies to survive on his own for a while, but he won’t be our problem anymore.”

Neal’s eyes widened in panic. ”You can’t do this! I’ll die out there alone!” Without wasting a beat, he turned to everyone else. ”Are you all going to allow this?? Right now it’s me, but next it could be you! And why would he stop there? Sooner or later he will kill anyone who challenges him!” His frantic panic, combined with his fear induced warnings were slowly gaining the effects he wanted. With his life on the line, Neal’s manipulating mind worked twice as hard; he needed a bigger push.

”Don’t forget about Lucas!” His head snapped towards Fenrir, his arms raised, shaking in his intense emotions as he pointed at the massive beast. ”We already know that ’beast’ used to be a human, someone that we all went to school with. Now look, that ’MONSTER’ turned Lucas into a monster just like him, only to use it as a tool.” Neal’s deranged demeanor grew even wilder as he then pointed to the abominations corpse. ”And now the beast is able to create monsters of its own, a monster that he created as a tool for that bitch in human skin! Can’t you see? You imbeciles are next, he just hasn’t found a purpose to use you yet, but in time, you’ll realize it, but by then it’ll be too late.”

Digging deep within, Neal aimed his sword towards Noah. ”What are we waiting for? Stand with me! Don’t let this monster decide our fate!”

The group hesitated, their eyes flickering between Neal and Noah, uncertainty creeping into their expressions. Their gaze then proceeded to pander over Fenrir before resting on the abomination corpse. Everyone was filled with inner conflict, there was a chance that Neal was lying, that he was attempting to divide them mixing lies with the truth. But his truth was too horrifying to not consider. The abomination alone was enough for them to believe Neal’s foreboding premonition, while others who were there to witness Lucas’ mutation gripped their weapons firmly in their hands.

Looking at the group being swayed by Neal, the ones who have dealt with Noah the longest felt the need to intervene, lest the ”person” they had convinced to lead them for protection would become their reaper. Mark was the biggest believer of the fact that Noah could end them all. He had experienced the tentacle zombie first hand, he had a vivid comparison of monsters that had evolved. And if both of Noah’s creatures were even stronger than that certain undead, the same undead that reaped the lives of numerous armed forces, the same undead that was going to kill everyone just the night prior; then they might as well offer their lives without resistance.

Mark caught his sister wanting to intervene, worried that his sister might make the mistake of involving them in Neal’s conspiracy, he quickly reacted, placing his arm in front of her as he rebuked. ”Jas,” Mark muttered, his expression the most serious it’s ever been. ”We shouldn’t involve ourselves in this. In fact....” His gaze went to everyone else, his voice booming across the street so everyone could hear.

”Noah! We do not agree with what he said. We knew what you were before we came here. Don’t judge our intentions based on Neal’s actions.”

Neal wasn’t too surprised about Mark’s outburst, he was aware that the people closest to Ailetta wouldn’t be swayed. But Mark wasn’t done, turning towards everyone else, he made it clear where he stood.

”If any of you still decide to follow Neal, then I’ll only warn you once. Noah is not your enemy, nor is he someone you want as your enemy. If you go through with this, we will not help you.”

listening to Mark, Noah casually looked in his direction before observing everyone else. His expression was unreadable, but the ominous aura still surrounding him was a clear indication that he was determined to take action. He waited, judging the others to view their stance. Instead of killing Neal, he was inspired with a different plan in mind, but if the others intervened, he didn’t mind accepting free cores.

As the silence hung heavily in the air, Noah finally spoke. ”Mark is right, I’m not your enemy unless you make me one. Neal has already made his choice, but I’ll be more than happy to allow you all to share in the experience.” Noah looked on with amusement, he then looked over to the eager beast by his side. ”Fenrir, bring him to me....alive.”

As soon as the order was given, Fenrir lunged at Neal. Seeing the towering figure of death. Neal, terrified for his life, aimed his hand towards the encroaching beast. Re-enacting the scene from the cafeteria, he shot out a sphere composed of poisonous acidic gas.

With fear pumping him full of adrenaline, he had forgotten that his ability wasn’t able to sufficiently harm Fenrir the last time he attempted the spell. Although Neal had grown by two levels during the prior altercations, the fact was obvious, the disparity between their strengths were much greater than before.

Noticing the gaseous substance, Fenrir grunted in disdain as he continued to run through it. At the moment of contact, a potent, searing sensation sounded as the acid attempted to burn through Fenrir’s face. Small clumps of fur dropped from his hide, leaving a slight balding within a small area, but when the corrosive reached Fenrir’s skin; his regeneration proved to heal faster than the poison could corrode.

With Fenrir’s approach undisturb, it’s massive form now looming directly over him; Neal squealed, his high pitched voice threatening to burst the ear lobes of those nearby.

”Nooo! Get away from me, Beast!” Neal screamed, wanting to turn away to make a run for it. Right behind him stood Regina and his old entourage. Seeing them, Neal’s expression turned from horror to desperation. With his last frantic attempt, he burst with all the strength he had so that he could incriminate the rest, giving him a chance to save his own hide.

”AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHGHHHH!” An agonizing roar abruptly surged from his lips, his attempt to run thwarted under the scrutiny of the pain digging into his arm. Giant ”blades” pierced into his arm. Looking back, All Neal could see was Fenrir’s terrifying face blocking the rest of his view. Fenrir’s pupil dilated as he focused on Neal’s face, getting a good look at the person that brought out his master’s ire.

Securing his objective, Fenrir began to turn back, taking his time so that he wouldn’t kill his master’s prey. The motion of Neal being dragged made Neal refocus on the danger he was in. Hysterical, he once again looked towards Regina, his supposed partner in crime who had the backing of armed guards at her side.

”Regina! Help me, help me please!” He wailed, digging deep down to plead one more time for aid. Regina watched Neal struggle, though feeling uneasy, she never turned away from his suffering, nor did she turn away from his gaze. She feared that looking away could be used as an indication for her support for Neal’s cause. All she could think of was the assurance that it wasn’t her that was being sent to their death.

———

”Noah....” Ailetta called out to him, warily making her way to his side. She feared what he was about to do, no....She feared what he would lose if he proceeded to what he was about to do. She could accept that Noah’s physical qualities changed to that of a monster. What she wanted to prevent was the corruption of Noah’s mind, she wanted Noah to maintain the balance between human and monster. There was a deep rooted fear in her heart, that if he were to coldly kill Neal, then that would become the trigger for Noah to lose the little bit of humanity he has left.

Noah’s eyes flickered briefly toward Ailetta as she approached, sensing her hesitation and concern. His frigid expression softened as he noticed her scrunched face, conflicted with trying to accept what he wanted to do.

”Does it really have to come to this?” She murmured, her voice barely audible over the distant growls and Neal’s cries.

Noah shook his head slightly, his gaze hardening again as he saw Fenrir almost upon him with Neal. ”Le, there will come a time where you will find something in life that you would give everything for, and when you find that something, you wouldn’t let anyone threaten to take that from you.” He responded, his gaze staring ahead, but his sight was distant.

”What I desire is to live my life the way I want, to have the freedom that I never had. People like Neal are a threat to my freedom, and I’ll do everything in my power to put down that threat.”