As it turns out, I only blacked out for a moment, barely ten seconds. When I regained consciousness, I saw a familiar face bent over me, with a strange look on his face.
"Raul?" I groaned, "What happened? Where-"
It all came back to me in a rush. The fight, my little episode, and-
"Uncle Salstone! Aunt Meera!" I yelped, trying to scramble to my feet, but I was stopped by an incredible pain in my legs, which were still Morphed like an alpus. Now they were broken, which was confusing, because I couldn't remember breaking my legs at any point. I could feel a weird wetness on my mouth too, but I put it in the back of my mind.
"Raul! We need to help my aunt and uncle! They got hit-"
"They're dead." Raul said bluntly. "And I want to know how you're talking to me."
The tone that I heard from Raul that day was chilling. Turning to look at him, I wasn't sure I was really looking at Raul. His face, normally full of dimples and smile lines was contorted into a scowl. His darkened face was glaring into my eyes, as if looking for something he had just barely missed.
"Raul…?" I hesitated, "What do you mean they're dead? Shouldn't we che-"
SLAP!
The back of Raul's hand slammed into the side of my face. And this was no tap intended to clear my head. It had a weight behind it much stronger than Raul's frame would be able to deliver, and it sent my vision spinning like a top. I felt as if I was stumbling even though I was still sitting on the ground.
"Shut up. I'm thinking." Raul demanded coldly.
My head was spinning, and not just from Raul's backhand. My aunt and uncle were dead? Why is Raul acting like this? How did those men know I was going to be here? And what was that earlier? Why was I acting like that? What the hell was going on?!?
I had so many questions, and I wanted to look at the one person that I had come to rely on. But Raul wasn't acting like his usual self. He was just muttering to himself while staring intently at me. He was standing at the ready, like he thought I was dangerous. Like he thought I was a monster.
"How did this… But he's normal now… No, the eyes, they're darker…" He murmured, barely audibly. "Maybe… Yes, it could still work… in fact…" He started to smile again, and at first I felt relieved.
But this wasn't his typical, happy-go-lucky, childish smile. The smile gave him the features of a villain from a play in the square. As he smiled venomously I felt a chill seep into my spine. I was afraid.
That can't be Raul. I thought frantically, It has to be someone Morphing to look like him, it has to be. Raul would never do this, he wouldn't look at me like that hewasmyfriendandhewouldneverwantmetogethurtortrytoharmmehesalwaysbeenthereformeandtherewasnothing-
"What's going on over here?!" Called out a voice from the crowd. I whipped around to see a man in chainmail armor sporting the insigniam of Rosefelt, an ornate rose head surrounded by a golden vine of thorns. The city guard. These men kept the peace in Rosefelt, apprehending criminals and dispersing rowdy crowds, as well as transporting wounded people to emergency centers. The commotion must have brought them over.
"Please, help!" I cried desperately, "My aunt and uncle! They were hurt! They're right over there!" I pointed desperately to my aunt and uncle, who were as animated as stone. The guards didn't look though. In fact, they barely acknowledged that I had spoken. Instead, they moved straight to Raul.
"Sir! What happened? How did all of this-" He gestured around to the nearly two dozen men who had been downed, "-happen?"
I growled irritatedly. We didn't have time for this nonsense. But I was sure that Raul would set it straight. He may be acting strange, but he was probably just in shock about what happened, and now that action was being taken, he would snap back to himself.
Raul pointed at me. "It was him. The Common did this."
I blinked. What? This wasn't a good time for jokes! I didn't understand what Raul was trying to do.
"He's dangerous, but he should be out of energy now." Raul stated authoritatively. The guards seemed to be taking him very seriously. Maybe they had met him before? "Make sure to restrain him with Morph-resistant cuffs, and take him to the A-4 level."
Maybe this was part of his plan. It had to be. There must be someone there who could help my aunt and uncle, and he would take us there!
"What about all the people here?" The head guard asked Raul, "Looks like most of them are just knocked out, but a few..." He shook his head solemnly, shooting a murderous look at me.
"Yes, very unfortunate." Raul bowed his head in an act of obvious respect and sorrow. "We can return their remains to their next of kin… although these two," he made a gesture towards my family, then smiled at me, and I could see it was so similar to his usual smile, so warm, if a little sad now, "I happen to know that they have no next of kin. So you may burn them here."
He was still smiling.
I was empty. I had no marks left. I could feel it, I was basically at zero. But I had to do something, anything. I had to stop this. I planted my foot under me, straining to stand up despite the incredible pain.
"Oh no you don't," One of the guards who had come up near me said, striking me across the back with a metal baton that they commonly used to deal with violent criminals. My already broken body couldn't take that, and I fell flat on my face.
"Looks like he still has some fight in him." A voice said. "Stupid beast. Hasn't he killed enough today?"
Killed? Did I kill someone? I thought back. It was pretty hazy, but I could remember right after my aunt had been hit, I went out of control. I remembered how the fat man's head felt as it was flattened onto the street, and the other two men… what did I do to them?
With a ton of effort, I turned my head to look at one of the men who was only about 20 feet away. He's so… red. Is that blood? What did I do? It looked like the blood was coming from his neck, and part of it was gone. Like it had been bitten.
My mouth. That wetness I felt before. Looking at the stones in front of my face, I could see it. There was blood coming from my mouth. I had vaguely realized it, but I had thought it was mine, and…
I felt a lurch in my gut, and a moment later a puddle of vomit spewed from my mouth. I didn't want to think about this anymore. I needed help, someone, I needed a friend.
I looked up at Raul one more time.
"Raul… please…" I groaned, with all the strength I could muster, even as my felt myself losing consciousness yet again.
The guard glanced at Raul. "What, do you know him?"
Raul looked down at me.
"Never seen him before in my life."