Page 12 of Garden of Ashes & Hope

Another comes at me with a rusty slab of metal. I dodge and retaliate with a backhand that sends him flying into a crumbling wall. The sickening crunch of breaking bones is music to my demon ears.

Two more rush me simultaneously. In my frenzied state, I welcome the challenge. I duck under their attacks, my demonic speed making their movements seem sluggish. Rising up between them, I grab their heads and slam them together with bone-crushing force.

One by one I slay them.

They try to retreat.

But I’m faster.

Stronger.

What follows is a brutal, savage display of violence. I tear into the attackers with inhuman strength and ferocity. Bones crack under my grip, flesh tears beneath my claws. The rational part of my mind screams at me to stop, to regain control, but the demon within me revels in the carnage.

The last attacker, seeing his comrades fall, turns to run. The demon in me won't allow it. With inhuman speed, I'm on him in an instant. My claws rake across his back, tearing through cloth and flesh alike. He screams in agony as I lift him by his hair, bringing his face close to mine.

"Mercy," he whimpers, but the word means nothing to the beast I've become.

In mere moments, it's over. The attackers lie broken and bloodied at my feet, some moaning in agony, others ominously still. I stand there, chest heaving, the taste of blood in my mouth.

Slowly, the red haze fades from my vision. I feel my body returning to its more human form, the demonic features receding. And then I hear it - a small, frightened whimper.

"Mordakus?" Eve's voice is small, frightened. I turn to see her staring at me, her eyes wide with shock. Vincent is trembling in her arms.

Looking down at my bloodied hands, I suddenly see myself through her eyes.

A monster.

A killer.

Just another one of them…

"Are you hurt?" I ask, my voice rougher than I intend.

She shakes her head mutely.

"Good. We need to move. Now."

“A-are you one of them?”

“Yes. But I have power,” I say, already starting to rummage through their campsite. “And I’m on your side.”

As we hurry away from the scene, I can feel Eve's eyes on me.

The fear and astonishment in her gaze cuts deeper than I want to admit.

But it’s necessary.

She needs to survive when I’m gone.

We find shelter in an abandoned shack, the silence between us heavy and oppressive. As Eve settles down with Vincent, I take up my usual position by the entrance, standing guard.

But my mind is in turmoil. The ease with which I dispatched those survivors, the brutality of my actions - it's a stark reminder of what I am.

And yet... the fear in Eve's eyes haunts me. For the first time in years, I find myself caring what someone else thinks of me.

It's a dangerous feeling, a weakness I can't afford.

As the night wears on, I watch Eve sleep, Vincent curled up beside her. They look so peaceful, so... innocent.

---