Becoming a Monster

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Contorted Faces

”Why is the loot and gold less than what we received yesterday? Are the tools not working enough? Are the incentives not good enough? Maybe I need to make another example out of them before they forget their purpose..”

A raspy voice spoke, creepily similar to how Ailetta spoke, with a series of different voices talking all at once. But unlike Ailetta, whose voices came from the many mouths enveloping her, this person only contained one mouth that still contained the voices of many.

If that wasn’t eerie enough, the figure’s face appeared stable, but every minute, his face would contort. His expression would drastically change. His words could be one of anger and yet he would break out into a smile, or tears. The shifts in his expression were so persistently inconsistent that no one batted an eye anymore, lest they would become additional reason for his oddness.

His oddities didn’t stop there. His eyes were more freakish; the hues were constantly changing, each one reflecting an emotion of their own.

These changes weren’t just affecting the man physically, but psychologically, his mind was deteriorating. His thoughts and emotions were becoming more drastic, and the others could see it. But there was a reason no one has done anything about it.

”Edwa-” One of man’s subordinates rose to speak to him, but the moment he was about to mention the man’s name, a glaring stare full of bloodlust descended onto him.

”M-My Lord!” The man quickly kneeled, his palms became excessively sweaty within moments. He quickly addressed the man by a status of royalty, one of the many warped and excessive traits the man harbored. Being addressed as a king wasn’t a sudden calling because of what the man has become but his desire for having the status of a king was over amplified after what he has become.

The ”King’s” eyes continued to stare down onto his subordinate, his face twisting even more than usual, his eyes transitioning into at least seven different colors and expressions within moments. But then, his body relaxed as he sat back into his seat.

The subordinate didn’t want to risk provoking him anymore than he had already as he continued to kneel, looking down onto the carpet, his eyes then closing because of the dried blood stains that reminded him of what would happen if the King were to lose his temper. His hands trembled, eventually clenching into fists to hide the telltale signs of his fear. He even held his breath, not to slight the person in front of him. Seconds passed without the King becoming unhinged, allowing for the subordinate to sigh in relief, believing he avoided something he had to watch over and over before.

His head only was brave enough to raise just enough to before he continued.

”Its’ Jayden....” He paused, and for good reason. Just the mention of the name brought about a subtle yet different atmosphere. ”He’s convincing the others that they shouldn’t follow your orders until they are able to directly meet their loved ones and family members.” The subordinates’ eyes finally directly made contact with the King. ”What should we do?”

The question from an outsiders point of view would find the question rather rhetorical and bewildering at the least. If they simply wanted to see their loved ones, what was the issue? But those in the know understood it wasn’t so simple. Most of the people’s loved ones were either children or women, and the women were living lives worse than the men who were forced to fight for their lives to benefit those who didn’t care if they were to perish. Did the men who followed the King feel guilt for what they had done? The answer was clear, it was because of the ”freedom” they were allowed to do with these women that made them continue to follow their crazed and unpredictable leader.

That begged the question; Why the uncomfortable silence?

No one in the room allowed themselves to look towards their King, everyone there was aware of the past event that passed. Jayden’s loved one, the person being held hostage, the person that he had fought so hard for, his mother, was someone that they all witnessed be killed.

No one but them knew what happened, while the hostages only were aware that Jayden’s mother never returned to their holding area. But they weren’t stupid, those who were close to her understood what was going on, and the ones in the room didn’t question why someone like their King, who would only absorb those with great strength or with useful abilities, would want to absorb someone as weak and feeble as a supposed useful woman.

The mother had an ability that wasn’t useful for combat but had many uses for everyday life, the ability to restore objects back to their purest state. And in a moment of life where electricity was no longer available, how much longer could they preserve their food?

The King’s eyes showed reflection and acknowledgement of Jayden, and the reason for his subordinates’ hesitance and uselessness regarding not being able to handle the revolting tools.

Jayden was useful, one of the biggest contributors out of their other tools. He was even offered to officially join as one of them, but was bluntly refused, wanting to have nothing to do with them, but to gather enough resources they required of them so he could leave elsewhere with his mother.

What the others truly found concerning was that it was only yesterday when Jayden’s mother was killed.

__________

”Jayden, He

wants to speak with you.” Jayden, who looked to only be in his early thirties, looked towards a scrawny man within the group that approached him. Jayden’s eyes scanned over the man, his eyes glinted with a perceptive knowledgeable awareness, almost as if he could read the man’s mind from just his body language.
Accepting the command, Jayden was led up to the last floor of the building. The ascension up the other flights of steps were overwhelmingly uncomfortable, the silence around them was building with each step. The men were aware of Jaydens prowess, and they were also aware of his class ability. A class that was the awakened version of rogue class, called Inquisitive. It made the trek up the stairs even more nerve-wracking, Jayden’s ability to read the room was freakish. It was this ability that led Jayden to perceive that something was wrong with the hostages when he asked to see his mother the day before and was denied.

The men leading him up the steps were wary, their bodies tense, prepared to strike if Jayden was to make a move. Jayden may be strong, but the ”King’s” men weren’t exactly weak either. Majority of them were awakened, but the reasons for their awakenings were different from others. Monsters were only their secondary source of experience, the prey that allowed them to level up faster than the others without having to kill nearly as many, were humans.

Jayden’s gaze didn’t leave the men leading him up the stairs. His hands slightly maneuvers in front of him, using his palm to brush up against a blade poking out from his belt, a blade leathered with blood. His eyes were determined, and yet they lacked something human.

When they reached the final floor, Jayden was led into a large, dimly lit room. And then, there he was. The self proclaimed ”King.” Sitting in that chair, his posture relaxed, his eyes locked onto Jayden as if everything was in his control.

Jayden tried to hide his bloodlust, but the contortions in the ”King’s” face reminded him of what that being was capable of, what he did to his mother, and most likely what he was about to do to him.

The two stood silently, their eyes both assessing one another. Everyone in the room was too tense to speak, neither were they brave enough to move. The King suddenly smiled, finding something about Jayden satisfactory. ”Jayden....” His mouth opened wide, distorting his face in a way that was more unsettling than before. ”Do you want to meet your mother?”

Jayden’s fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, but he forced himself to keep his composure, he couldn’t risk letting his plan fail.

”Where is she?” Jayden spoke, trying hard to keep up with his act.

The King smiled harder, but within moments, an ugly malicious snarled form on his lips before smiling again. Not even he knew that his true intentions had shown at that time.

”Stand in front of me if you want to know.”

Every fiber of Jaydens being screamed for him to strike now, aware of what was going to happen, but he forced himself to move forward, stepping cautiously toward the King’s throne.

”Where is sh-” Jayden’s voice was stumped between words, his eyes widened at the abrupt trauma to his stomach. Looking down, a hand had penetrated deep into his flesh. Blood spurted out from his mouth, spitting onto the King who began to laugh directly in his face.

Jayden was expecting this, but he didn’t expect the sensation to be so painful. The onlookers watched as Jayden’s figure began to diminish. The skin that surrounded the King’s penetrated hand began to merge and sink into his own, Jayden’s body was being absorbed.

The Kings’ menacing smile grew as he relished controlling someone’s life, but as he peered into Jayden’s eyes, expecting to witness his horrified expression, he was instead met with a twisted smile of his own.