Chapter 9: Monster Vs Human
Theos narrowed his gaze, watching the old man's every move, calculating each faint step backward and each adjustment of his grip. The air around them was thick with tension, a silent warning that neither would back down easily. They circled each other, two forces drawn together yet repelled, neither willing to make the first misstep.
With a sudden burst of speed, Theos lunged, his strikes a furious dance of blades that tested every angle of the old man's defenses. The old man countered, years of battle-hardened reflexes guiding him as he dodged, parried, and returned each blow with unmatched precision. Their attacks collided in a crackling frenzy of power, each movement layered with intent, each blow more brutal than the last.
Theos's Delusion power twisted around them, illusions bleeding into reality as the forest shifted and darkened. Branches seemed to claw out from the trees, shadows pulsing with life as the old man's vision blurred, the line between illusion and truth fracturing. For an instant, he couldn't tell if the path he was retreating to even existed or if it was part of Theos's mind-bending trickery.
Forcing himself to focus, the old man gritted his teeth and launched his own counterattack, rushing toward Theos in a flurry of precise, unrelenting blows. But every swing, every strike, met only air as Theos flickered in and out of his vision, taunting him with deceptive footwork and blinding speed. The forest itself seemed to tremble as their clash escalated, the ground trembling beneath their feet.
Theos pressed forward, feeling a darker energy swelling within him, a bloodlust that felt nearly impossible to control. His movements became sharper, faster, fueled by a need not only to win but to dominate his opponent completely. He twisted his illusions further, turning reality on its head—colors bled together, sounds bent into silence, and the old man's sense of direction collapsed.
Staggered, the old man fought to keep up, his breathing labored, his mind reeling under the assault of impossible sensations. Theos seized his disorientation, darting in with precision strikes that pushed the old man to his absolute limit. A haze of crimson filled the old man's vision as he barely managed to evade a brutal blow, his instincts screaming with an intensity he hadn't felt in decades.
Yet, with a final surge of will, he steadied himself. "I've faced demons," he growled, a steely glint in his eyes, "but you… you're something worse."
But even as he spoke, the world around him twisted once more, shadows creeping along his vision until Theos seemed to multiply, flickering and shifting. The old man, nerves fraying, struck at each illusion, each shade—only to realize Theos hadn't moved at all, his true form standing resolute, his presence oppressive and ominous.
And just as Theos stepped forward, his gaze smoldering, the atmosphere turned deadly still. An overwhelming wave of dread radiated from him, a monstrous energy that clawed at the senses of everyone nearby, freezing them in place. Every creature in the forest cowered as though death itself had entered, and the old man felt a shudder of pure, unadulterated fear, an instinctive knowledge that this fight was not meant for mortals.
Then, from the edge of the battlefield, a student's voice cut through the tension, hoarse with terror.
"Monster! You're a monster!" the words rang out, trembling and raw. The student's wide, terrified eyes locked on Theos, and they stumbled back, horror etched into their face.
Monster. The accusation pierced him, raw and cold. His fists clenched, each knuckle bone-white as the word drove deeper, like a jagged thorn in his heart. This was what he had feared becoming the creature he had promised Roseville he'd protect others from. Yet here he was, surrounded by bloodlust, on the edge of a darkness he couldn't entirely pull away from.
He steadied his breathing, images of Roseville flooding his mind her hand on his shoulder, her final plea for him to guard what he cherished. This power, the darkness within him, threatened everything she'd entrusted him with. He could not let himself fall any further.
Taking a shuddering breath, he quieted the storm within, wrestling down the bloodlust that clawed at him. He would find a way to master it because he wouldn't just lose himself if he failed. He'd become the very demon he had once vowed to destroy. Theos took another shaky breath, feeling the dark energy surging through him, clawing its way to the surface. His fingers trembled, his vision blurred, and the world around him seemed to shift in and out of focus, as though he stood on the edge of two realities. The Delusion power swirled within him like a storm, dark tendrils coiling tighter, feeding on his anger, his grief, his need to protect—and destroy. Every part of him screamed to unleash it, to let go of restraint and give in to the force within. But somewhere, buried beneath the storm, he knew that losing control would only make him what he feared most.
As he fought to steady himself, memories of Roseville came flooding back her gentle, grounding presence, the warmth in her smile, the way she had always believed in him. She had trusted him to protect, to be the shield between the darkness and those he loved. But what was he now? A threat to everyone around him. Even the students, who had once admired him, now stared with nothing but terror. That word—monster—echoed in his mind, twisting his stomach.
The old man's voice cut through the fog. "Are you even still in there, boy?" His voice held a note of challenge, and even though his face was bruised and bloodied from the fight, his eyes were sharp. "If you let that darkness take over, you'll lose yourself and everyone else. Is that what you want?"
The words were like a slap to Theos's face. He took a step back, his breath ragged as he fought against the wave of dark energy coiling within him. His Delusion powers pushed harder, clawing to be unleashed, transforming the forest around them into a nightmare of shifting shadows and twisted shapes. The old man stumbled, his footing faltering as the ground itself seemed to ripple like water, yet he did not retreat.
Theos's heart raced. His vision fractured as his Time Primal flickered to life, distorting his perception. He saw flashes of Roseville, their life together, the home they'd built—and then the ashes, the burning remains of what had once been everything he loved. The Delusion power fed on that memory, pulling him deeper into the abyss. A part of him wanted to release it all, to let go of restraint and obliterate his opponent, his surroundings—everything that made him feel this ache.
But that was the darkness speaking. That demon's whisper.
With a growl, Theos gripped the sides of his head, forcing himself to center his mind. He could almost hear Roseville's voice, calm and unwavering, guiding him back. "Protect them, Theos. Protect what you love."
For a long moment, he stood still, trembling as he fought to wrest control over his own powers. Slowly, deliberately, he took a deep breath and focused, pushing back the storm inside him, one steady heartbeat at a time. The shadows began to recede, and the twisted forest settled, leaving only the silence of the aftermath.
The old man watched him, a glint of reluctant respect in his gaze. "You've got fire in you, boy," he said, nodding. "But if you don't learn to master it, it'll consume you whole."
Theos met his eyes, a newfound resolve hardening within him. He would find a way to control this power, to channel it—not just for himself, but for Roseville, for everything he'd sworn to protect. And he would never let the monster or that demon take over from within.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone