Reborn As An Evolving Monster

The Fire Spirit seemed highly interested in Mark's actions.

'She's a liability.'

Mark took a step forward, and the ground below cracked.

'She's unpredictable. Unstable. She'll cause nothing but trouble. And I can't find one good reason not to end this right here, right now.'

Step-

'The Corruption will keep spreading anyways. I might as well devour her as quickly as possible.'

Step-

'This... Just like the rest... Is a test.'

Step-

'These deceptive feelings I hate... Aren't mine. The inconsistencies created by my past...'

Step-

'I'll crush them, and finally be freed by that past.'

Step-

Elisa hadn't moved a finger.

But her trembling has ceased completely.

'Those feelings I can't explain from my past are screaming at me... The thing they want me to do the least is this...'

In front of him, was a true damsel in distress.

And part of him wanted nothing more than to protect her.

To save her.

'Which is exactly why I need to do it.'

The rest, however, wanted to choke that part of him until it left his body.

The part that wavered. The part that felt for others because they had a thing in common.

The part that cared. The weak part of him.

Step-

'With this... With you... With your blood...' Mark's claws shined like well-polished blades. 'I'll be reborn again. Truly, this time.'

He stood over Elisa.

'I need to do this... To become someone... Something... That can act this way... Otherwise, in this world, I won't be able to...'

Despite Mark walking towards her with the full intent to kill, she hadn't moved a muscle.

And he understood her perfectly.

She was slowly losing herself.

There was no doubt in her mind that the Corruption would, at one point, make the person known as "Elisa" disappear.

That's what she was afraid of most.

And dying as "Elisa" seemed like a much better option than living as something else.

Mark slowly pulled his arm back.

And Elisa closed her teary eyes.

Depending on how her future would have turned out, Mark could have been doing her a favor. Of course, neither had any way of knowing what the future held. Which is why each one simply thought of it in a way that suited them.

But despite what he told himself, his body froze.

A lamb.

He couldn't do it.

He couldn't.

Not this way.

Mark took a step back.

And Elisa opened her eyes.

A confused and, perhaps, disappointed expression on her face.

Mark raised his arm to the side.

Elisa's whole body trembled.

She got on her feet and jumped back before she could even process what was happening.

A dark javelin appeared in Mark's hand.

And the expression on her face changed.

Elisa unsheathed the Timeworn Elven Daggers hanging around her waist.

"I'm not letting you... Not again... You won't..." Her voice was shaking. And her head was killing her.

Sweat covered her face as she repeatedly took hurried breaths.

A purple vein appeared on her neck.

"I'm not... You fucker... Not... Not again... I won't..."

Her unstable breathing became worse. She was hyperventilating.

Elisa felt as if her skull was being smashed to smithereens.

And Mark was glad it was happening now, not in front of the Final Guardian.

"She's delirious..." The Fire Spirit commented with a whisper.

Elisa clenched her teeth and raised her Timeworn Elven Daggers.

And Mark tightened his grip against his Corrupting Javelin.

'Struggle... And fight with all you have.'

The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment.

Both leaped towards one another at the exact same time.

And both stopped at the same time, as something interfered.

Elisa's heavy breathing started to calm down.

'Don't stand in my way.'

The Moonlit Feline took a seat halfway between the two and stared at Mark.

'Move.' He ordered.

But Krista didn't move.

All she did was stare with those crystal clear eyes.

Mark thought he hated those eyes.

'You're... Protecting her?'

The Moonlit Feline did not react in any way.

Mark's eyes moved from Krista to Elisa and back.

'I was... About to take it out on her. About to take the easy way out, by blaming it on the Corruption but... No. It's not her. It's you.'

His hands started twitching.

'It was you. From the beginning. Ever since I came across you, my past became a curse. Ever since I came across you, this... Feeling... Just won't leave.'

Mark's shaking leg stepped forward.

'You're the one I should... You're... The problem... You're...'

His shaking got much more intense.

'What's wrong with me... From the beginning... It was all going perfectly before you...'

It wasn't.

'You're the first one... To make me question myself and my actions...'

She wasn't.

'You're the first to awaken these past feelings... These relics of a past I despise and want to get rid of so much...'

She wasn't.

'You're the one...' The Moonlit Feline was at his feet. 'I have to get rid of.'

Mark stared into Krista's eyes for a moment which felt oh so long.

But all he could see, was the reflection of his monstrous face and body.

A body he had meticulously designed.

'I know that to be the case. I know that I should get rid of you. I know that it would set everything back to how it was...'

Would it?

'I know that it set me free from...'

Would it?

'Then why...'

Mark clenched his fist.

'WHY? WHY CAN'T I DO IT?' He growled loudly as his fist hit the floor below.

Mark's eyes were glued to the ground.

While Krista's turned away.

Elisa fell to her knees, and the Moonlit Feline slowly walked towards her.

She pet Krista's fur, and her trembling ceased.

'So... You're choosing her side?'

Krista stared impassively.

Mark's thoughts started racing.

'Her side...? Why would she choose mine when I was about to...? Why do I care... I need to... But I want to... Is it me that wants it or... Why do I feel this way... My past... Why should I even fight my past... I need to... I can't remember... I need to...'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is looking at you.]

[Your Title "Devourer" is looking at you.]

Mark raised his gaze towards those messages.

'What... Should I do...?'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is smiling at you.]

[Your Title "Devourer" reluctantly pats you on the back.]

'Huh? Haha... What is...?'

[Your Title "Devourer" argues that swallowing your Past might be a deed too gluttonous.]

'Swallow my past?'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" argues that the Past is important for it is what drives and leads Evolution.]

'Am I seriously getting a lecture from... Whatever this is? I can't believe it.'

He chuckled, at a loss for words.

'So what the hell should I do?'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" says that you should reconcile your Past with your Present.]

'Well, wouldn't that be nice. Except I have no idea what the fuck that Past looked like-'

[Your Title "Devourer" sneers at you.]

[Your Title "Devourer" says that your Past has been swallowed and that it's time to spit it out.]

'Ha. What are you even talking about-'

Before Mark could finish his thought, two paws gently pushed against his leg.

'I hate your eyes, you know that?'

Stare-

'It's like you're judging me or something.'

Mark shook his head.

'Can't believe I'm holding even that against you. After all this... All this time... Why wouldn't you be judging me?'

He looked at Elisa for a moment.

'Tsk. After I talked about her being unstable too...'

Mark scratched his head.

'Let alone who I was. I can't even tell who I am. Seriously...'

He raised his gaze to the sky.

'I'm a mess.'