Chapter 17: What Lingers In The Dark

I can’t recognize anything around me since the world really is shrouded by darkness. Yet, I find myself continuing to run through these streets with no reason to stop.

Zierel are probably lurking within the shadows around me, waiting for the moment to strike. I don’t really know how I’ll handle any of that just yet.

Fighting is something that I could’ve learned at the academy but I don’t really want to rely on anyone. The kids there would just end up scared of me or would eventually want to fight me like the other ones did.

I’d rather deal with the real monsters of the world.

“Yes, ignore them.” A voice echoes.

I have heard it a few times now and I still have no understanding of where it comes from or why I hear it. My guess still remains the same as it has been.

The infection is causing me to hear things that aren’t actually here.

There is no other logical explanation for it since I have not had any sort of awakening and I am alone.

“Hunger. Yes I can sense it.” The voice echoes once more.

The feeling of something squirming around in my arm is all I can notice as I finally stop running. Everything around me is completely silent as if I’m the only one here.

SCRATCHHHH!!!

Immediately I turn towards the direction of the scratching but I can’t really see a damn thing out here. It is impossible to see where the Zierel is lurking.

“This is why humans bore me. No need to rely on sight at all times.” The voice echoes even louder.

Even if I focus on another sense it doesn’t change that I’m completely defenseless against one of them. I don’t really have a weapon to use in a fight period.

A strange sensation begins to move down my arm and into my left hand, almost like something is forming inside my hand. After a moment I can just barely see something resembling a small knife in my hand.

Did the infection within my arm just form a knife in my hand? I really need to figure out how this whole thing works soon. If it is a mystery like this all the time, I’ll never be able to move forward.

POUNCE!!

THUD!

I found myself on the ground with something dripping onto my face, almost like drool.

“Nice to meet you too,” I say softly with a bit of fear in my voice.

“Screeeeech!!!” It lets out an obnoxious scream in my face as I feel a claw trace along the side of my ribs.

It is very hard for me to put on a brave face when these monsters took everything away from me. I shouldn’t even be here.

I died…

“Kill it,” the voice demands.

The feeling of something slowly tearing into my side is all I can feel as I continue to lay there, frozen with fear.

Tear!

“You just going to lay there and die?”

“Of course he is.”

“Why would he even try to fight it?”

Voices of people echo around me as I look towards my left hand.

What the hell are you doing Liam? Why can’t you swing this blade into this damn things throat?!?!

Do I really want to die!? Is this what my family would want me to do, let it tear me apart!?!?!!

SWING!!!

SLICE!

The sound of something tearing above me immediately takes away all my thoughts as I can hear something splatter onto the ground around me.

Splat! Splat!!

It hit me, the blood from the Zierel is also dripping all over me.

“SCREEC—

It tries to let out another screech but it seems that the knife I used is doing its job. I didn’t think I put enough force into my attack there but somehow it did it.

“Finish it off,” the voice instructs with a sinister voice.

I force myself to stand up and begin to walk towards the sound of the Zierel. I lift the blade and immediately plunge it towards the Zierel.

Pierce!!!

It is easy to tell that it went into the monster, it is just hard to tell where it pierced. Not that I care.

I took the knife out and keep stabbing it back into the Zierel until I finally hear it fall back onto the ground. Even then I don’t think it is enough.

The screech’s have gone silent but yet none of this feels like it is nearly enough for what it took away from me. I hunch over it and begin to plunge my knife into it repeatedly.

Why wasn’t I able to do this when they broke into my home!?!?

“I hate it,” I say while pulling the knife out once again.

They kill without any remorse. Killing one of them isn’t going to change anything in this damn world. I need to purge every single one of them until nothing remains.

Even then… I don’t know if that’ll be enough.

“The first kill is always the hardest, but not for you. More await,” the voice speaks once again.

Alice wants to help people understand their awakenings so they can fight back against the Zierel. I do think it is a good idea but I don’t have time to wait.

That is one thing I couldn’t do if I wanted to. Sitting around in classrooms for however long… no, that isn’t something I want.

Coming out here is the best decision I could possibly make.

I stand up, blood dripping down my hands, the Zierel is definitely not going to move. Probably dead since the third or fourth stab into its chest.

I’ll become one of the strongest people out here, the one that no one will be able to oppose no matter what.

“Yes, become the monarch,” the voice says with a bit of excitement.

I wipe the blood off on my cloak as the knife disappears back into my arm.

“I’ll do it,” I reply while looking down at the dead Zierel.

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