Joshua arrived at the Noble House of Kaizer with Rowdy unconscious in his arms. His face was expressionless, as if numb to the blood soaking his shredded clothes. Without a word, he walked straight to the healing barracks. The witches and healers stationed there paused mid-motion as Joshua entered, the sight of Rowdy's limp, blood-drenched body stirring alarm and urgency.
He laid Rowdy carefully on the nearest empty bed.
A young healing witch rushed over, her hands glowing faintly gold with preemptive healing energy. Her eyes widened as she took in Rowdy's battered condition, blood soaked through his torn clothes, deep gashes visible across his chest and arms.
"Hey, what happened to him?" she asked, her voice edged with worry as she turned to Joshua.
But Joshua didn't respond. His blank stare remained locked on Rowdy, his chest barely rising and falling. Then, without a word, Joshua turned and walked out of the barracks, his movements slow, dazed, haunted.
The healing witch watched him go, confused and slightly unnerved. "What the hell is wrong with that guy?" she muttered to herself, then quickly focused back on healing Rowdy, her hands glowing brighter.
Joshua wandered down the hallway like a sleepwalker, his mind spiraling deeper into the storm of rage and sorrow brewing within him. Then, thud, he walked straight into someone.
Queen Juliet.
Flanked by two tall noble guards in silver armor, she recoiled, her eyes flashing with indignation.
"How dare you walk into me?" she snapped, and without hesitation, she slapped him across the face.
The sound rang down the marble corridor, and Joshua fell to the ground from the blow. He didn't move. He didn't retaliate. He simply sat there, eyes hidden behind his messy hair, his face tilted toward the floor.
Queen Juliet looked down on him, sneering.
"Yes, know your place," she hissed. "You don't deserve my daughter. You should have stayed in the gutters with low-class whores like Amy... and killed them afterwards."
Something snapped.
Joshua's eyes slowly lifted and glowed a bright, venomous green. He glared at her, and in that moment, Queen Juliet's breath hitched. She instinctively took a step back, her bravado shaken. But the guards saw only a threat.
"How dare you glare at the Queen!" the first shouted, slamming his boot into Joshua's head.
The second joined, kicking Joshua's ribs as he hunched over on the ground. "Scum like you don't even deserve to breathe!"
Queen Juliet regained her poise, straightening her royal gown. "This isn't the slums, monster. There are rules here."
Just then, Captain Percival rounded the corner, his stride casual, until he saw what was happening.
"Excuse me, my lady," Percival said sharply, approaching. His eyes narrowed as he saw Joshua curled on the floor, saliva dripping from his mouth. "What is going on here?" His heart began to race. He's losing control, Percival realized. This is bad.
"The beast walked into me," Queen Juliet began haughtily, "so he's being taught a les..."
Before she could finish, Percival sprang forward, seizing the situation. He shoved the guards aside, grabbed Joshua by the back of his neck, and slammed his head into the floor, forcing him into a bow.
"I apologize for my student's behavior, Your Majesty," Percival said firmly. "I'll discipline him properly in the etiquette expected of nobles."
Queen Juliet smirked. "See that you do. I'll forgive your beast this time."
With that, she turned and walked away, her guards following.
As soon as she disappeared, Percival yanked Joshua up and dragged him down the corridor. Joshua's eyes still glowed, and now he growled, animalistic. His mouth frothed. Percival pulled him through the main doors, across the courtyard, and into the empty training ground. Then he threw him with brutal force.
Joshua hit the ground hard, rolling through the dirt before stopping in a heap. Dust clouded the air.
"Have you lost your mind, Joshua?!" Percival shouted, walking toward him. "You bared your teeth at the Queen!"
Joshua didn't speak. He began to rise, on all fours, growling. His green eyes burned with unstable fury, and saliva poured from his mouth.
Percival's heart panged with guilt and urgency. "Are you an animal, Joshua? Is that what you've become?" He took a breath. "What would Blanchette think of this?"
Those words struck like lightning.
Joshua froze. His body trembled. Then, he began biting into his own arm. Blood sprayed onto the dirt. He didn't stop.
Percival was stunned. "Why is he doing this to himself?" he muttered. Is he... trying to control the bloodlust? But if he continued like this...
"Joshua," Percival whispered. "I'll take the weight. I'll give you something to release it on..."
His voice hardened. "It's your fault Amy died."
Joshua paused, blood still dripping from his shredded arms. His eyes twitched. He trembled more violently.
"Blanchette left because of you," Percival said.
Joshua's mouth opened. A pained grunt escaped, more saliva hitting the ground. But somehow... his wounds stopped bleeding.
Percival noticed. "He's stopping the bleeding at will? At least he won't bleed out. Good... one more push. I'm sorry for this, Joshua..."
He leaned forward. "You're the reason James suffered and died so horribly."
Silence.
Inside Joshua's mind, voices clashed.
My fault...
YES, ALWAYS YOUR FAULT...
No... it can't be...
YOU THINK YOU CAN FIX THIS? BRING AMY BACK? BRING JAMES BACK? YOU DESTROY EVERYTHING!
I... I am a monster...
Outside, his body began to change.
His teeth grew longer, sharper. His muscles bulged. His claws extended. The hair on his head and tail bristled like a wolf ready to maul. His glowing green eyes widened, twitching with madness and sorrow. And then...
A deafening roar tore through the training ground.
It echoed across the sky, carrying his agony, his fury, his transformation. Birds fled the treetops. Guards on the wall froze. Servants dropped what they were holding. The Queen herself turned her head.
Joshua, the half-sane, half-insane, rose from the dust, no longer the broken boy.
But the monster they all feared.