3 more level 500s, 43 more 400s, and an angel. Then I can evolve.
I walked back to the bridge. Deep in thought, FEAR leveled to 2… I then had full mental control of it…
Both me and Luma recognized what that meant… I ate Damien of my own will. No hunger, no need, just fury…
[Luma?]
[What is it?]
[Am I evil?]
[… I don't understand good or evil. I was never taught… but… no, I don't think you are.]
[Okay…]
I wasn't convinced.
I walked through the gate and moved quietly.
"Rose!"
I ignored him.
"Hey, Rose!"
I walked faster.
"ROSE!!!"
Jalad started yelling, but I simply moved faster.
He noticed my hands and stopped yelling, but I could feel his concern.
I continued walking to the guild hall. When I entered it I saw him.
"Rose, are you o- Oomph."
"Dallel?"
"W- what is it, Rose?"
"Am… am I evil?"
It was then that they noticed my hands and face.
"What happened?"
"Damien came to kill me…"
Dallel looked at me calmly then gave a sad smile.
"You used FEAR, right?"
"Yes."
"You can't blame yourself for th-"
"But I can…"
"What?"
I stepped back, I was now crying.
"FEAR leveled; I had full control over my movements. I- I did it of my own will."
Dallel's eyes shone in understanding.
"They were right, I am a monster."
I began hyperventilating.
"I'm a monster, a monster, a mo-oomph."
Dallel hugged me.
"Rose. Shut up."
"What?"
"Shut up. You are not a monster. You are not evil. You are a good person."
"But…"
"No buts. Calm down, I understand your fear, but calm down."
"But I…"
"Shh. Rose."
"Yes?"
"If you were a monster, if you were evil… then you wouldn't be in this state."
I kept crying, but Dallel just held on.
He held on until I fell asleep.
_
She fell asleep in my arms. I picked her up.
"Silas, I'm going to bring her to her room."
"Understood."
I walked up stairs and opened her door. I sat her on a chair and got a cloth. I cleaned her face and hands before laying her on her bed.
I smiled sadly. I wanted to… no. I walked back to the door.
"Stay…"
"Rose?"
"Please."
She was looking at me.
"Okay."
I sat in the chair next to her bed. We both fell back asleep at the same time.
_
Jalad POV
"Hey, I saw Rose head this way, is she okay?"
Silas sighed.
"She was worried that she was evil, so Dallel basically told her that she was good, then she hugged him until she fell asleep and then he took her to her room."
"So, she's okay now?"
"I hope so."
"What was… you know."
"Damien is no longer a threat."
I flinched.
"I… see. Good. Why was she worried?"
"Because she leveled FEAR and was able to control her actions, but she did it anyways."
"That was just rage though. Everyone has it."
"Yes, but since hers involves eating… she thinks she's a monster."
"… That's dumb."
"That's basically what Dallel said."
"… Is he going to come down?"
"I don't know."
"I'm going to check on them."
"Be my guest."
I walked up the stairs and opened the door whispering.
"Dallel, are you here?"
No response.
"Dall-oh… Oh… well I should probably go before they wake up."
Dallel was asleep, half draped on the bed, one leg still over a chair, and Rose was holding onto him like he was a stuffed animal.
It was adorable. Rose stole him from the chair.
I snuck out with a smirk. I went to the bottom of the stairs and looked at Silas who saw my look.
"What did you see?"
"Something adorable."
"… Gonna explain?"
"Nah…"
I left the hall with a smile on my face. At least she was okay.
_
Luma POV
Why are you trying to read my perspective? That's weird. Is this what happens with everyone else? Do they narrate their own story without even realizing it?
Oh well, I may as well humor you. I mean you got through a lot to get here.
After Jalad left the guild hall, I decided to follow him.
"Jalad."
"Yes?"
"Could we talk?"
"About what?"
"Rose."
"… Sure… what about her?"
"Her… power."
"FEAR?"
"Yes, it concerns me…"
"Why?"
"Because I've looked at it every way I know how, but it just doesn't make sense. It looks like a combination of draconic shift and devour, but it's not a shift at all. If anything, it's almost like…"
It couldn't be that, could it?
"What is it almost like, Luma?"
Jalad's face was serious, and his voice was too. He was close.
"Ahm, as I was saying, it's almost like she is removing a shift whenever she does it."
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
"Exactly, that's why it's weird."
"What?"
"Because I can feel whenever someone uses a skill, and I am telling you, whenever Rose uses FEAR, it feels like an unshift."
"And when it disables?"
"I… I just can't feel it."
"So… could it slowly be hurting her?"
"I… don't know."
"Luma, if FEAR is hurting her, then we need to stop her from using it."
"I don't know if it is though. That's the thing. This is the first time in millions of years that I've been stumped. I want to help, but I don't know what to do.
Jalad sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"I came on too harsh. I know you want to help. Just… please keep me updated."
"Of course."
_
I wasn't awake… this wasn't real. I was still sleeping on my bed with Dallel next to me. I could feel that.
No… it was real, just my body was dormant. I knew this place, and I knew the person in front of me.
"Hello Gabriel…"