[84.5] Moni POV: Daddy's Home

[Author's note: This chapter is from Moni's perspective]

Master…

It hurts…

Master-

My eyes fluttered back open.

What happened?

As I groggily looked around, my heart dropped to depths unimaginable.

Around me were several bodies, their skins were unnaturally grey with black veins covering their skin. Their mouths were wide open as if they were screaming. There was no life left in their milky white eyes which stared up at the sky.

I…

I…

My hand was brought to my chest where for the first time in a while, the voices were no longer screaming at me.

Shakily, I reached up to cover the wound that wasn't bleeding. Too afraid to look down at it, I stood up slowly and forced one foot forward. The world felt like it was vibrating as I forced my eyes upwards. Somehow, I managed to walk far enough away and slumped against a tree.

"Master… I…" My throat was closing up as I whispered, "I bet… I bet you're disappointed in me now…"

I grabbed my knees and buried my face into lap desperate to hide from the truth that lay just footsteps away.

I slowly started to chuckle until breaking out into maddened laughter. I held my forehead, "All this time… I tried so hard… I tried so hard not to kill… But as soon as Master left… I did. I killed someone… I bet father would be so proud."

My maddneed laughter turned to sobs as I stared up at the sky with a quivering smile.

I want to die.

Momentarily free from the voices, I drifted off to sleep. I wasn't sure how long I stayed like that, but soon two more people were walking down the road. Peering through the darkness without even raising my head, I recognized one of them. 

I forced myself to stand up and appeared in front of them, "Atta."

As she slowly turned to look at me, her eyes were full of loathing and displeasure. I flinched back from her gaze.

How does she know I was the one responsible for their deaths?

She can't know… Right?

She suddenly jumped at me, fighting with the intent to kill me.

I avoided her using the shadows and stared at her slack-jawed, "Why are you fighting me?"

Do you know?

Her body trembled from rage as she pulled out her board and sloppily wrote: 'You killed Alora!'

"...How do you know that?"

She furiously wrote: 'I found her body! I know you put that curse on her!'

My heart trembled in fury, "That's why you are attacking me?"

She erased her previous words and rewrote another, 'You kill people! You're a murderer!'

My eyes focused on that last word.

My vision grew darker as I felt an uncomfortable numbing sensation in my chest.

She's not wrong…

My voice was low, "You're going to take everyone else's side except for mine? You just assume I am the one responsible?"

She stared me deep into my eyes and wrote: 'Am I wrong?'

I clenched my jaw unable to answer.

She narrowed her eyes at me in a way that showed she acknowledged my guilt.

I forced a smile, "You won't even ask me about what happened first? I can explain what happened."

She furiously wrote: 'There's no excuse'

I broke into laughter as I held my head. My eyes were crazed, "But I'm still your brother. At least listen to me-"

She shook her head and wrote: 'I HATE you.'

My heart froze at those words.

Hate…

Hate?

But Alora was the one who wanted to kill me!!!

ALORA is the one who murdered Master!

She should hate HER! Not me!!!

My expression grew dark, "These people may not have deserved the death I brought to them, but Alora did."

Atta put away her board and readied herself to fight. The woman behind her saw this and unsheathed her sword.

The corners of my lips raised into an ominous smile, "But sister… Have you tried to find Zephyr?"

She flinched and gave me a confused look.

I was filled with the nauseating feeling of betrayal and disappointment, "That's what I thought."

I disappeared into the shadows before she could ever land a single attack.

This entire time…

I gave everything up for my family.

I screamed as I slammed my hand against a tree.

I endured the stench of meat.

I even cooked every meal for them.

Why doesn't Atta see that?!

How come I only messed up once and that's all she sees!?

My fury suddenly gave way to a deep searing pain.

…Does that mean the others will react the same?

I don't think…

I don't think I can stand to see that expression on all of their faces…

Fine.

It doesn't matter.

If Atta, or anyone else for that matter, doesn't want to be family anymore, then I won't force them.

It's one last person I need to be concerned about leaving behind.

This is for the best.

Yes…

That's right.

It's better she hates me.

It's better that they all hate me.

I took a deep breath and ruffled my hair, "Find Zephyr. Bring him to Rose. Maybe after they find out what I've done…"

-They'll hate me too.

My lips trembled as I tried to wear a smile, "That would be better for everyone."

Then they won't be sad.

So…

Let's find Zephyr.

I remember…

There was a cave Alora found him in.

Could he have gone to the cave?

My heart was gripped at the thought of her.

Did she kill him too?

I knew I couldn't trust her!

I knew I was right!

Using my ability, I felt around the mountain using the shadows until I found a cave. When I opened my eyes to peer into the darkness, I was shocked to see a man standing and staring back with an ominous smile.

With his hood down, I could see his skin covered in ominous runes that seemed to crawl under his skin like bugs. He was swinging a sword nonchalantly as he stared directly into my eyes, "Hehehehe."

I stared at his eyes, which felt familiar yet not.

Who was this person?

Instinctually, I knew something was wrong and pulled back from the shadows. As soon as I did, I felt a powerful rush of pain come from my stomach. I tried to use the shadows to go somewhere else, but nothing happened. Instead, I found myself standing before him somehow.

"Who… Who are you?"

"Perrious." His lips raised upwards smugly, "Orphelio. As promised, I found your pup."

I sucked in my breath as my eyes opened wide.

No…

No-

"MY DARLING PUP!" My body was pulled back into the arms of a devilish man with an angelic face, "I missed you so much! I was going CRAZY thinking I would never get to see you again!!! But now you're back in my arms."

I was frozen stiff, too afraid to look at the face that always haunted my dreams.

This…

There's no way…

This has to be a nightmare…

The strange man spoke as he left the cave, "I'll be back at the Palace unless you need anything else."

Orphelio giggled, his happiness showing clearly on his face and in his voice, "Do whatever you'd like!"

I don't…

I don't understand.

Orphelio's arms tightened around me as if to tell me it was all real, "Oh, my darling pup… You have no idea how long I waited for you… I thought that evil b*tch sent you to a place I could never find you. Even though a hundred years is a blink of an eye for me, this time it was unbearable."

A hundred years?

"Ah… Now that I have you back, I won't let you ever leave my side." He rubbed his head on my back, "You're so tall now, my darling pup. You're even taller than me."

"..."

"It's such a shame." He let out a sigh, "I miss the days when you were little and sat on my lap so obediently…. Although I'm sure you still could."

My voice ripped through my throat, "I don't understand you. What satisfaction do you gain from tormenting me!?"

"Tormenting you?" He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. Shivers traveled down my spine as I looked at that sickening smile on his face, "Oh, my cute little pup. I'm simply showering you with love. You've seen how I torment others, can you really say this is tormenting?"

"It isn't love." My fists trembled, "I know… Because I finally had-"

I closed my eyes to suffocate the rushing emotions.

"Don't even mention that b*tch. You're far better off with me!!!"

A dry chuckle escaped, "Better off? You only want to see me suffer. She was the one who wanted the best for me."

"...Darling pup." His voice was like steel cutting through me, "I treated you like that because I knew your potential. I know you can handle it and I know it will make you better. And wasn't I right!? Look at you now! Look how strong you become. Now everyone will fear you! No demon or human on this earth can stand against you."

I grit my teeth, enduring the pain erupting in my chest.

He suddenly took my head and pulled it down. He hugged me so gently that I felt my heart waver. "Darling pup… These past 100 years made me realize I should have been a better father."

I slowly raised my head to look into his eyes. I saw a kind expression reflected in his eyes that I didn't recognize. My heart started beating as a warmth permeated inside. I almost couldn't believe he was the same person.

Is it possible…

Did he really change?

F-For me?

"R-Really?"

He ran his hand over my hair in a petting motion, "Yes, my darling pup. If I had treated you better, I would have never lost you."

Thrill energized my body as I hugged him back, putting my full weight onto him. He was pushed to the ground as I lay on top of him, hugging and rubbing my head against his chest.

I closed my eyes to indulge in his embrace, "Do you mean that?"

Orphelio blinked in confusion before hugging me back, "Of course, my darling pup. I love you." 

"You… You do?"

"It was never in question. I'm your father, did you forget?"

"I would never forget."

Never.

"Father…" Without opening my eyes, I asked in a low voice, "...Where's Zephyr."

"Zeph-who?"

"Zephyr. My little brother."

"He's not your little brother. He's a d*mn parasite." There was annoyance in his voice, "Alora wiped out almost every temple of Vira's all because he was killed. If it wasn't for Alora's disgusting spawn killing her during birth, she would have succeeded."

My voice trembled, "Did you… Kill him?"

"Hm?" He suddenly broke out into hysterical laughter, "No way! I would have kept him alive until I could kill him in front of you."

A nauseating anger started boiling in my chest.

"Oh! But you have other siblings that are still alive, right? What do you say we go find them?"

"..."

"Oh, what's wrong? Ah! I know. You're still that soft little pup I found, aren't you? Hehe! What a relief! I was worried you had hardened living with that woman."

How could I forget this terrible feeling?!

This is the kind of man my father is.

He doesn't change.

Demons…

Humans…

They are all hypocrites.

…And I'm not any better.

I smiled with a low chuckle, "Father is so kind to me…"

"That's right, I-" He suddenly paused, "-Huh? Did you say kind?"

"That's right. Father is kind." I raised my head to look at him, my eyes vibrantly orange, "Because Father still thinks I haven't killed anyone."

He stared at me in shock as my ominous grin reflected in his eyes, "You… Killed someone?"

I gave a small nod, "Five to be exact."

His lips trembled with ecstasy, "M-My precious boy…"

"And…"

"-And?"

I smiled ear to ear, "And now six."

"Six?"

I transformed into a hideous beast with three heads, each of a different predator. On my back, hands were reaching out, desperate for a body.

I opened my mouth and before the man pinned beneath me could escape, I swallowed him whole.

As if I were the living dead, I left that cave and appeared on the edge of a village. There were bags under my eyes as I stared lifelessly.

I chuckled in a low voice as I finally gave in to the darkness in my heart, "Don't worry, Zephyr. I will find you."

No matter what.

Even if I have to suck this world dry.