178 I Am The Monster...
[Third Person View]
Cecelia stood there, still in shock from the whirlwind of events that had unfolded. Her thoughts raced, trying to process everything. First, she had been slapped by Aron, the first prince, in front of everyone. Then, a younger junior had asked her out on a date, leaving her both surprised and confused.
She couldn't help but wonder about this mysterious junior who seemed to appear out of nowhere, not bothering to introduce himself. His confidence and attractiveness had left her intrigued, even though her initial instinct was to push him away.
"Hey!!"
-But now, Aron's voice shattered her thoughts. The door to the infirmary had closed behind her,
A few moments ago when she realized that Aron was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had vanished. The next time she had seen him, he was lying under a tree with that same junior nearby.
Without thinking, Cecelia had rushed to confront the junior, convinced he was doing something to the first prince. However, to her astonishment, the junior had effortlessly bested her in combat, avoiding her every move as if he had known her attacks in advance.
"Bitch! Come inside!"
Cecelia entered the infirmary, the metallic tang of blood immediately assaulting her senses. Her heart raced as she took in the gruesome scene that lay before her.
Aron stood there, his normally pristine attire stained crimson, a grotesque tableau of violence. The lifeless body of the nurse sprawled on the cold, sterile floor, a gruesome piece of brutality. The woman's clothing was torn and discarded carelessly, leaving her exposed in a disturbing display.
Blood painted the walls and floor, a macabre mosaic that seemed to pulse with an eerie energy. It dripped from Aron's hands like a macabre art form, his fingers stained as if he had plunged them into a crimson sea.
The nurse's face bore the unmistakable marks of a savage struggle, her features twisted in a horrifying rictus of pain and terror. The room seemed to close in on Cecelia, the walls pressing in as if they held the secrets of this gruesome act.
Yet, amidst this horror, Aron's gaze remained fixed on the ceiling, as if he were contemplating something far removed from the gruesome scene that surrounded him.
Aron's voice broke through the suffocating silence, his words chilling in their detachment. "Call someone to clean up this."
Cecelia could only stand there, her mind reeling from the grotesque scene that had unfolded before her. She had stepped into a nightmare, one that would haunt her for years to come... again.
Cecelia's body felt like a statue, frozen in place by Aron's chilling voice. His words cut through the air like shards of ice, each one sharper and more biting than the last.
"Call someone to clean this up!" Aron's voice rang out, filled with a cold fury that seemed to seep into the very walls of the infirmary. His eyes bore into her, his gaze unwavering, as if daring her to defy his orders. "And make sure they cover it up. The Royal Palace will handle the conversation with the school board."
The room seemed to close in on her, and Cecelia couldn't tear her eyes away from the gruesome sight before her.
She nodded frantically, her thoughts a chaotic jumble as she turned and fled from the room.
Her footsteps echoed loudly in the corridor, each one a desperate attempt to escape the nightmare that had just become her reality. Panic gnawed at her, and her heart raced as she hurried to find the chief butler, the one responsible for managing the Aron's darkest secrets.
The weight of what she had witnessed pressed down on her, and Cecelia couldn't shake the feeling that she had just been ensnared in a web of darkness from which there might be no escape.
Thud*
Cecelia burst out of the infirmary building, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The academy grounds sprawled around her, a mixture of grandeur and elegance.
Towering buildings made of stone and marble loomed overhead, their architecture a testament to the academy's prestigious history. Cobblestone paths wound their way through manicured gardens and lush green lawns, creating a picturesque setting that belied the horrors she had just witnessed.
As she sprinted towards the nobles' dormitory, her steps echoed off the walls of the buildings, and curious glances followed her. Cecelia couldn't spare a thought for the onlookers; her mind was consumed by the gruesome scene she had left behind.
Reaching the common restroom, she hurried inside, desperate to rid herself of the overwhelming nausea that had gripped her. Her body trembled as she doubled over a sink, retching until there was nothing left but a bitter taste in her mouth.
"He's... nothing but a monster," she whispered to herself, her voice quivering. With shaky hands, she splashed water on her face, trying to wash away the horror that clung to her like a suffocating shroud. Each drop of water felt like a futile attempt to cleanse herself of the darkness that had tainted her world.
Cecelia knew that the person she had once considered ..... someone close was now a creature of unspeakable cruelty.
...
In the dimly lit infirmary, Aron remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the half-closed door through which Cecelia had fled. The room felt eerily silent, broken only by the soft fluttering of curtains stirred by the cool breeze that swept through the open window. The wind's caress was unwelcome, making Aron shiver as it brushed past his skin, adding a layer of cold discomfort to his already troubled state.
As he stared down at the lifeless nurse, the blood that had once flowed now drying into a grotesque tableau, Aron's emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He remembered the kindness she had shown him, her unwavering dedication to her profession, even when she had known him. She had persisted, not casting him aside like others might have. Now, all her hopes and dreams were extinguished, and it was his fault.
Thud.
Aron's body gave out, collapsing to his knees in front of the nurse's corpse. His eyes remained narrowed, tears welling up and spilling down his cheeks. Trembling hands struggled to reach out, as if he intended to gather both their lifeless forms together. He clasped his own hands in front of him, a gesture of desperate mourning.
"I... I'm sorry," his voice wavered with sadness, reduced to nothing more than the cries of a helpless child. He could only repeat the words, a litany of apology to the one he had taken from this world.
"I'm a monster," he confessed, his palm shaking as he removed the mask that concealed the burned left half of his face. The disfigurement bore witness to his inner torment.
With a clunk, he placed the mask on a nearby surface. His other hand moved to his neck, tracing a delicate, inkling design etched into his skin. It was an intricate tattoo of a coiling snake, and he traced its pattern as if seeking solace. Then, abruptly, he thrust his nails into the flesh of his neck, biting his lower lip to stifle any sounds of pain that threatened to escape.
Stab.
His fingers dug deeper, tearing at his own flesh. It was as if he were trying to physically rip away the torment within him, the monstrous darkness that had claimed him. The room bore witness to his torment, a place of despair and agony that no one else could fathom.
"..."Amidst the darkness that had engulfed him, a sudden, radiant golden hue descended, casting its glow not on Aron but on his wounded neck. The torn flesh began to knit itself back together, and Aron's desperate, self-inflicted violence ceased.
He knew better than to defy the will of the goddess. The room seemed to come alive as the wind circled and danced, fluttering the curtains in a ghostly ballet. From the ethereal currents of the air, a delicate figure emerged, coalescing into the form of a woman. Her presence was as gentle as a whisper yet as powerful as a storm.
"It's time," the ethereal voice resonated through the room, and while it echoed, Aron's eyes never strayed from the lifeless nurse lying before him.
Her voice was filled with the anguish of those she left behind, the family awaiting her return but-
"Go learn," the voice urged, its tone carrying an irrevocable command. With those words, the ethereal figure gradually faded from sight, leaving Aron alone in the infirmary.
"Beast Mastery huh.." and all of a sudden his demeanor was back to.... usual.
Aron's cold and distant demeanor returned like a shroud as he picked up his mask from the floor as he heard footsteps.
He knew that the outside world would never understand....him. With a heavy sigh, he whispered to the silent room, "This is all for the curse."
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[A/N: Let me share something about me.... I like pizza,cola and massages and one day I'd like to live in a big castle with lots of treasure and a super car.]
