The branch I was perched on creaks as I shift my weight, climbing down the tree and back to the ground. That was already a super close call with Lukas, and when they reentered my room, I prayed that wouldn't look for me. I would have to run, and not only am I tired, but I would feel awful doing that.

A sad smile rests on my face as my inhuman feet hit the ground, I suppose I got what I wanted but that doesn't make it a good thing. If only I could control my monster enough not to hurt them. I've gotten better with it, able to handle it better, but that's all thrown out when other people enter the picture.

I shake my head, I can be sad and depressed later when I have a full stomach. I just need something to tear my teeth into then perhaps I can leave a message for my friends.

Nodding to myself, I set off. Just walking with no destination and only wanting to put some distance between me and the Order Hall. Although I doubt I'll be able to make a permanent shelter, maybe I could-

The soft bleat of a sheep ensnares my attention, and at once I'm running at it. All thoughts gone as the trees blur, and I break out into a clearing. The sheep rearing back and giving a cry before I pounce on it, claws cleanly cutting its neck.

I pay no mind to all the scampering and alarmed screeches of other animals, I only needed one. With the sheep now dead in front of me, I begin to eat. Savoring all the different organs and the delight of my stomach filling, and I'm even careful not to get blood on my shirt. I do get some on the broken chains clamped to my wrists, but that doesn't matter.

Once I'm done I leave the carcass to the wolves. I stroll away, a satisfied burp escaping me. Finally, after who knows how long, I'm able to finish my meal. I'm sure in that cage all those people wanted me to starve.

My monster growls viciously at me, new life back into it with the food. I can feel the rage boiling quietly inside of me, mostly my monster's but part of it mine. What those people are doing is vile and downright evil. They need to be stopped. Mark my words they will be, I'll put down their whole operation.

The thought of that devil man seeps into mind, and I snarl. The rage bursting out and I claw at the tree next to me, deep cut marks embedded into the trunk.

Taking a deep breath, I shimmer it back down. The monster becoming prickly at that, growling and seething in its rage against that devil man. It's purely mad due to what he did to me, and I'm mad to what he did to my friends and so many innocent people.

He needs to be taken down, there's no other way around it. All the rage warps into the thought of revenge, my monster almost viciously grinning inside me.

I tuck that thought away though, as I'm starting to get a wee bit thirsty. Which is kinda of puzzling, I haven't had any water for who knows how long. I suppose half of me is undead, so I guess I just don't need much water anymore? Or maybe somehow the demons were getting me to drink? It doesn't really matter now.

Shrugging it off and begin to look for signs of water. The monster, satisfied with my decisions I guess, slinks off. A smile slips onto my face at the insanity at it all. I consider it normal now, but if I ever mention that I communicate with a monster that only lives inside of me through emotions... well I get the feeling there would be a look of weird looks thrown my way.

My smile drips down into a frown, I wonder if my friends have monsters of their own. Since they're all together and seem to not have any problem with it, maybe they just have animals instead of monsters.

I groan, tilting my head back to the sky. I finally get to see my friends again and I couldn't even think about their well being. I suppose I was in a way, only because I was seriously scared I would kill them if I was too close. Which isn't exactly a good thing, quite the opposite.

Not even the gentle splashing of water running can get me out of my grumpy mood, and I end up trudging my feet through the grass towards it. I wonder if my monster is going to try and slap me out of this depression, I don't think my monster can be depressed.

Grumbling quietly, I wince when I hear not the deep human tones that I used to produce, but instead a soft high pitched moaning.

I couldn't even spit out anything coherent to Lukas! If I could still talk and someone did see me in my retched form, I would be at least able to say something like 'Don't worry, I'll go very far away from you now' or something. But now people are only going to hear the terrifying wails of a Wither. All first impressions are officially ruined. And second impressions... and third... and all of them for all eternity.

Bringing my hand up, I stare at it. A broken chain still clasped around the black skin that can become thicker than iron, so unnatural next to my white sleeve. My fingers, if they can be called that anymore, long and pointed. I give my pity to whoever is unfortunate to shake hands with me. The deadly sharp edges such a bitter reminder of the weapon I was turned into.

Sighing, I use those terrible talons I now have to break apart the chain's cuff. It takes only mere seconds to break all of them. Which kinda me makes feel worse, a human wouldn't have been able to do that so easily.

The stream flows calmly under me, neutral to the fact a half living and half dead mistake is about to taint it. I quickly collapse onto my knees, plunging my head into the water as if that could drown my thoughts.

Swallowing as much of the fresh water I can before I bring my head back up to breathe. Only to shove my head underneath the surface yet again. Desperately doing that over again despite the fact I'm still not really thirsty.

When I finally get tired of it, I flop down onto the grass with a sigh. Panting ever so slightly simply out of habit, but not necessarily because I'm a bit breathless.

Half living and half dead mistake... what the heck where those idiot demons thinking? That's just so twisted and wrong! Animals are different for a reason, I might not know that reason, but there is one. Since when do two completely opposite species ever mix?! It's just wrong!

The cold thought of revenge wisps around me again, enticing me. I let it entertain me, purging the worlds of that parasite and ending their cruel experiments, but ultimately send it back down.

I'll get my revenge. But not so soon, not until I have a grantee to completely annihilate them forever.

But in order to do that, I might need some help. My friends were dragged into that hell too, and I know that none of them want these demons to keep performing their experiments. Whether we're animals or not, we are still the Order of the Stone. The Order who has been defeated yet.

However, that's going to take some communication skills. Since I doubt we will all be able to do sign language, I better figure out how to speak again. And it's not like I'm mute, so surely I can just practice it?

I open my mouth to say something simple, like hello, when a soft wail resonates from my parted lips. I do catch myself from groaning though, I don't need to hear more failures.

Again, another wail that bears no resemblance to a human. The next one still incomprehensible, but less screechy. Every other one after that making a tad bit of progress, yet painstakingly slow. Shadows slowly crawling across the ground.

"Ra-ro." I blink, that's the closest I've gotten to a 'hello' yet. I've probably said the word a billion times, but it feels so weird and strange in my mouth though. Foreign and unnatural, like it isn't meant for me.

Just another reason to get my revenge.

I try a few more times, getting the same "Ra-ro" "Ra-ro" "Ra-ro" "Ra-ro" again and again. For someone who's outsmarted a giant thinking computer and the Old Builders, I sound awfully like a toddler.

"'Ello."

I burst out into a grin when I say it, when I FINALLY say it! Sure, the 'h' sound was basically invisible and it still sounded like a terrifying screech but that's fine. I was actually able to say the word! Progress! I just need to keep practicing pronouncing syllables instead of shrieking every time I open my mouth.

"'Ello."

"'Ello."

"'Ello."

A gleeful laugh, one in an octave way above human standards, bubbles from my lips. A shard of happiness, of pride, cutting into the anger and sadness. But just the fact it's been so rare, that those demons robbed me of so much, it makes revenge that much more demanding.

Taking a deep breath, I think of what I want to be able to say next. It's probably really important to learn how to say something like 'don't panic' when I look like, and half am, one of the worst monsters there is.

However, I want to be able to say my friend's names. Is that the most practical thing to do right now? No, probably not. But I don't care. I'll probably be by myself for a long time until I feel ready to rejoin the others.

Olivia's name will maybe be the easiest to do, since it has a lot of soft syllables. Shouldn't be too hard.

"Ra-virra." Okay, note to self, 'o' and 'l'  together like that are a lot harder to pronounce than what I suspected. Of course it wouldn't be easy. I swear those demons are going to wither.

After butchering Olivia's name a few more times, I still struggle forming the first syllable. If I thought hello felt weird in my mouth then this is just completely unnatural. Even though, again, this is another word I've probably said over a billion times.

"Oh-lie-vah." Closer, closer. I just have to worry about all the other syllables I'm shrieking out.

"Oh-lif-vee-ah." That one actually sounded almost there, if again, someone could hear the syllable through the wail.

"Olifvea." While that's still not spot on, it's recognizable. Hopefully as I keep working on this, her name will eventually sound the way it's suppose to. Although all the practice in the world won't be enough if my monster fights for control.

I sigh, that was quite a bit of effort to simply pronounce one of my friend's name. There's still Petra, Lukas, Axel, and Ivor who's names I definitely want to get. Yet now there's also Gabriel, Ellegaard, Soren, and Harper too, so I suppose I'll have to work on their names too. Ugh, my monster is going to die of boredom.

"PRaaa..." I growl and shake my head, that explosive wail is exactly what I'm practicing what not to when trying to talk.

I continue to butcher her name, the shadows continuing to crawl across the ground. Wherever my screeches don't shake the leaves, the stream gently laps against the banks. I try at it so long that my ears begin to hurt.

"Pehtra."

I sigh, feeling as if I'm learning an entirely different language. Which doesn't really make sense, I'm thinking in this language. If only it could just come out of my mouth the way it used to. But no, thanks to that vile devil man, I have to deal with this.

"Olifvea. Pehtra. Olifvea. Pehtra." Two down, seven to go. This is going to be a long day.

Speaking of day, I scan the sky for the sun. Humming quietly, at least I can do that still, when I see it get pretty close to the horizon. I guess I was so focused on trying to be human again I forgot the time.

I stand up and begin to look for a cave to get into. I know I can see in the dark just fine and nothing stands a chance at hurting me, but I don't think I would feel good sleeping out in the open. Monster or not, I don't like it.

It would also be best to sleep now, so I don't accidentally wail and terrify anyone unlucky enough to camp near me. That just asking for problems, problems I quite frankly don't want.

Spotting a nice small cave entrance off to the side, I head towards it. If it turns out to be a pretty deep cave I'll just have to grab some dirt then. Although if I thought dirt under my human fingernails was terrible, now I'm on a new level. Now I have 'nails' that are longer than my human fingers, much more opportunities for dirt to cramp its way through.

To my pleasure, I learn I won't have to do that as I walk in. It's a small little cave, similar to the one when rested in when the Formidi-Bomb failed.

With a yawn, I lay down on the stone and relax almost instantly. As terrible as it sounds, sleep on stone is nothing new and this is actually a better environment than my pervious one. At least I'm not falling asleep drugged, or broken down into tears, or chained, or starving...

Man, it is going to feel so good when I get my revenge.

...

...

...

I crack my eyes open, smiling when I see the sunlight shining into the cave. Getting up with no chains around my limbs anymore, able to walk out freely with nothing stopping me. No need to worry about potions raining from the sky either.

My stomach grumbles lightly, causing a light- still inhuman- chuckle. It seems my appetite as already learned and plans to take full advantage of the surplus of food around here. It's time to find something to eat.

Strolling out of the cave, my smile gets even wider when I breathe in the fresh air and gaze out on all the green life bursting around me.

Only for that smile to falter, when I remember that I'm black and undead. When I remember I'm enjoying this freedom alone, still deprived of my friends. When I see Beacontown not far in the distance, knowing that I'll scare the crap out of anyone despite once being their hero.

Sighing, since my stomach doesn't care about these thoughts. I aimlessly trudge through the forest, keeping my senses open for any food.

That's when I smell it, carrots. Wild carrots growing around here, not that it makes my stomach very happy. Yet I follow the scent, ignoring my monster too when it grumbles that carrots aren't good enough.

Seeing them, I get punched in the gut before everything numbs out. Blinking rapidly, I stumble to them. Collapsing down, trying so hard to pull them out delicately with my trembling talons. My loud heartbeat pulsing in my fingers as I do so.

I stare at them, the simple vegetables. The all too familiar orange tint with the faint rings going up them, the bushy fluff of grass at the top.

Rueben's favorite treat. He would spend hours in the morning looking for just one, and would almost do anything I asked if a carrot was on the line.

My eyes flicker over to my hands, hands that once carried that piglet around, now black and the perfect weapons for cutting out life. My fingers, that would pet and scratch Rueben, now are too sharp and deadly for anything so caring.

How would Rueben react if he saw me like this today? Would he run away scared? Would he still see me beneath my undead skin? Would I even allow him to be with me or, like all my other friends, push him away so I can't hurt him?

I'm sorry Rueben. I continue to stare at the carrots, wishing that everything could just be undone and that I could actually speak, say the words aloud. I'm so sorry...

My head hangs, the numbness falling away only to leave an overwhelming ache in my chest. My stomach, long gone are the grumblings of hungry, pounds in mourning. Phantom pain of tears burning in my eyes, but yet no real ones to fall.

How could I let this happen? How! I'm suppose to protect my team from anything and what happens? I'm completely oblivious to one of the biggest threats there is to us! Just strolling down the portal hallway thinking everything's great until BAM! All of our lives officially ruined at that moment.

Why didn't Harper know about this? Or Otto? They built they portal network, they acted like they were the smartest people to ever exist. But they didn't know about this! They didn't know the demons lurking in the shadows and snatching people up!

My monster growls at me, and I ignore it. I don't want it, I've lived my entire life without it and I wish it would just go away. If I didn't have this thing inside then I would be in the Order Hall with my friends, not worried whether or not I would be eating them.

Even so, I can't completely ignore the monster. The way I eat is a stark reminder of that. It's absolutely disgusting, just sends shivers down any normal person's back. But I eat raw meat and organs as if it's the tastiest thing ever.

Again my monster growls at me, and I scream out against it. The inhuman wail resonating through the trees. As I'm sure any wildlife within hundred blocks or more of me has surely scampered away by now. But I'm not really hungry anymore.

Fury boils in my veins, at first at the monster, but then to those demons again. They were the ones who did this! They're the ones who's warped me so that I can't even mourn correctly! And they will be the ones I'll take all my enraged grief out on!

I was hero! I had friends that I would protect with my life! Heck, I was even a vegetarian! But now, look what those vile soulless people have done to me! My skin is dark and coarse, and despite that fact I'm wearing my normal clothes again, I look like a monster. I can't be around my friends because I'm scared I'll kill them and eat them! How's that for a former vegetarian?

"Jesse?" Everything freezes, all my rage coming to a dead halt. "Is that really you Jesse?"

I don't recognize the voice, must be some hiker or something. Why didn't my screams scare him away? This just can't be happening! I can't handle this too!

"Oh my gosh, are you alright Jesse?" The person begins to run towards me, and my monster springs to life. Whether because it's still hungry or threatened, I don't know, I'm still shell-shocked.

I wipe around and face them, firmly on my wolffish feet. I manage to hold back the warning screech fostering in my throat. Completely unnecessary, since upon sight of me, the hiker slams to a halt. Face pallid, eyes wide, and trembles shaking his limbs.

"Wha- What are you?" His voice shakes more than his body, the fear radiating off of him so potent. The emptiness in my stomach begs to be filled, the monster already very irritated at this man.

Go, you have to run.

Instead of saying that, faint wails and shrieks float from my throat. Scaring the man even more. My heart begins to pound, the monster gaining control bit by bit as panic starts to break me down. I don't want to scare this man into running away, I don't actually want to be a monster, but I can't let myself kill him.

Charades? Would that work? Are either of us in the mental state to be able to do that?

I point at him, and then make the shooing gesture. It takes a couple times, mainly because he was starring at my razor sharp fingers, but he finally gets what I'm trying to say and bolts.

Instantly, I want to chase him. Hunt him down because I am SO much faster than he is, his fear calling out to me and enticing me as he sprints away. My muscles and heart completely ready for it.

But I glance down at the carrots, and my heart becomes sadden instead. My muscles deflating and my energy fading away. Even my monster understands there is no pushing me on this, and retreats.

I look back up to where the man was running, towards Beacontown. By the end today, the town that once cheered my name will fear me. Everyone will know the hero has become a monster.

I'm so sorry Rueben.