Chapter 10

Marcus was rising climber of the Tower he and his party had just reached the 7th floor and walking through The Southern Catacombs. This party was a group of childhood friends who had grown up together in the tower and they idolized all the powerful and wanted to be just like them. Marcus, Rory, Maria, Zachariah, and Johnny. When they decided to climb the Tower together very quickly it was Marcus who was in the spotlight proving to be the best combatant in the group but he was always the leader even when they were kids he was the parent of the group. It didn't matter to them in the beginning that Marcus was mainly in the spotlight and they were in his shadow they thought it was natural as he was the leader but that all changed when Zachariah and Marcus got into a heated argument over the fact that Zachariah believed that he was better than Marcus and began to become jealous of Marcus and the attention he was garnering. Zachariah challenged Marcus to a fight and then it was a one-sided beat down. Rory and Maria tried to calm the situation down but Zachariah wouldn't listen. He even accused them of looking at him as if he was lesser than Marcus. Rory and Maria denied this but Zachariah still wouldn't listen. Marcus accepted Zachariah's challenge. In the early stages of the fight, Zachariah was finding it extremely difficult to even land a single blow on Marcus because Marcus was just dodging Zachariah's axes and being on the defensive only after Zachariah screamed at him calling him a coward to fight him like a man. Marcus sighed and thought " When did it become like this with us? Zach and I were like brothers". He obliged Zachariah and took the offensive and what occurred was horrifying for Zachariah as he wasn't able to take 5 strikes from Marcus' sword. Embarrassed Zachariah laid there on the floor in anger crying wondering why did he always come in second place when compared to Marcus. He was strong just not as strong as Marcus, he was smart just not as smart as Marcus, he was good-looking but not as good-looking as Marcus. Even as the group began to get more famous they only mentioned Marcus and when they did mention Zachariah he was called Marcus' sidekick. Marcus seeing his friend in anguish went to him to help him up Zachariah pushed him away with snot coming out of his nose and tears rolling down his face and screamed " Get the fuck off me I don't want your pity. You must think that you're better than me and that you're superior to me. One day I'll come back and I'll make you pay I'll show all of you ". Zachariah ran off into the forest outside the Southern Catacombs and inwardly cursing himself for being weaker than Marcus and trying to think of any way to get revenge on him. He had run what felt like hours and by the time he stopped, it was night. The moon was peaking through the forest trees and stars were sparkling in the night sky and Zachariah stood there and screamed at the top of his lungs "Marcus I get my revenge and I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger than you". After he said that the wind began to howl and it gave him a response "Do you really mean that mortal, will you really do whatever it takes to gain more strength?". The wind asked. Zachariah was shocked that he didn't know who or what responded to him but he didn't care. " Yes, I am I don't care if you're a god or demon or a devil. I just need to become more powerful". Zachariah responded. " Ok mortal you've somewhat piqued my interest but you might regret doing that. I'll give you what you but there's a price you'll have to pay". The voice said while cackling. " Stop fucking around with me, I don't care about the price I'll have to pay just give me more". Zachariah demanded. " So you wish it, so it shall be". The voice said before fading away laughing. Immediately after Zachariah felt a rush of power coursing through his body. " Yes, yes with this strength I will make Marcus regret every looking down on me". Zachariah set off looking for his old party members. Marcus, Rory, and Maria after discussing at length what had happened decided that they'd go find Zachariah and talk to him or at least attempt to but they didn't need it as he found them. Immediately they knew something was off Zachariah was oozing this very dark and evil energy, his aura was as if he was a demon in human skin just waiting to let loose. " Zachariah what happened to you?". Rory asked. Rory had known Zachariah the longest and while she knew he's short-tempered and arrogant and a bit reckless she never thought he'd resort to something like this. " Easy I made a deal with a being in exchange for more power all I have to do is pay a price". He said with a sinister smile. " You idiot, only devils deal in the dark price why would make a deal with a devil?" Maria yelled. " Shut the fuck I don't care what price I have to pay as long as I can beat Marcus it'll be worth it". He responded. " Not this kind of power Zach, nothing is worth dealing with the devils," said Marcus trying to talk sense into Zachariah. " And who are any of you to judge me? Do you know how it feels to constantly hear that you're lesser than someone else? To always be compared to someone else just have people tell you to your face that you fall short compared to them. To always be in their shadow? That whatever you do no one will ever give you the recognition that you deserve. Always come in second place no matter how much you try. No, none of you do". Zachariah screamed. " Now I have the power to finally get everything I want and no one will stop me". He added. " Fine if this is what you want then let's go" Marcus said drawing his sword. Marcus dashed towards Zachariah intending to end the fight as fast as possible but just as his sword slash was about to land it stopped. Zachariah had stopped Marcus' sword with one hand. " No, I'm going to enjoy embarrassing you the same way you embarrassed me". Zachariah said smiling sinisterly. Still holding onto Marcus' sword Zachariah kicked Marcus in the stomach and sent him flying back a few feet then tossed him back his sword. Marcus got up quickly raising his guard and dashed again launching multiple attacks against Zachariah. Zachariah didn't do anything but dodge or parry all the attacks with his bare hands. Marcus used a downward slash only have Zachariah to sidestep and spin kick Marcus right in the jaw and send him flying crashing into a tree dazed. "Now it's my turn," Zachariah said grinning. Marcus got up slowly still in a daze again raised his guard. "I forgot how resilient you are good because now it's my turn," Zachariah said grinning. Zachariah dashed towards him and began assaulting him with devastating clubbing blows. Every punch Zachariah threw was rocking Marcus even if he managed to block it. Even when he dodged he'd feel the force of the punch as it barely missed his face. He couldn't do anything every time he tried to launch a counter Zachariah stifled it. His face was battered his nose was broken, there was a big welt on his forehead, his right eye was closed shut, his mouth was busted open, and his arms were bruising from blocking Zachariah's blows. "Is this the great Marcus that I've been following for so long? I never knew you were nothing more than a punching bag". Zachariah said mockingly while laughing. Zachariah threw a kick right into Marcus' ribs in the same spot as before breaking them and sending him flying for the third time! Zachariah wasn't finished with him. Seeing Marcus on the floor Zachariah went wild throwing kicks and punches all while laughing and smiling and saying " this is what you deserve Marcus". He just kept hitting him and hitting him. He finally was getting that feeling, that he was better than Marcus. [Kill Him]. a voice whispered in Zachariah's head. " What," Zachariah said shocked. [Remember how you felt, remember how he made you feel. Kill Him]. the voice continued. " Yes you're right he deserves it" Zachariah muttered. Zachariah's hands began to transform breaking and growing again and again. His nails grew into claws as sharp as knives, and his arms' hair began growing non-stop. With his claws, he began slashing Marcus apart. Blood and sinew flew everywhere and still, Zachariah never stopped smiling and laughing say "This is what you deserve Marcus". " Zachariah,!" Maria yelled breaking Zachariah out of his blood-crazed trance. He looked at Marcus horrified. He saw what his hands had transformed into. " What have I done, I'm a monster". Zachariah said lamenting. He had turned Marcus into meat paste and he was covered in his blood. " N-n-no…. Th-this isn't what I what wanted to happen. I just wanted to beat him I didn't want to kill him". Zachariah said crying. " Now, now my funny little mortal we both know that was all a lie," said a mysterious voice coming towards them all. Maria and Rory jumped and immediately grabbed their weapons and pointed at him. Rory especially got an uneasy feeling from him. He was about 6'0 and was wearing a black tuxedo with gold trimming and was wearing a bowler cap. " We both know that you wanted to kill him so that all the fame and attention he was receiving would all come to you and not only that but her as well". The mysterious man said pointing at Maria. "Wait me? What the hell are you talking about". Maria asked in confusion. " No… No that's not what I wanted at all". Zachariah said pleading. " Oh sweetheart don't play coy with me you mortals and your silly games. You were fucking Marcus and you knew that little Zach over here liked you". The mysterious man. " Hold up, Maria you and Marcus were fucking? And Zach you had a crush on Maria?" Rory said confused. Maria stood there flustered and wondering how did the random stranger find out that she and Marcus were sleeping together. "Yeah, I have and we've been a couple for the last 6 months and yes I knew that Zachariah liked me but I told him that I only viewed him as a friend". Maria said trying to explain. " Damn Zach you always do come in second place when compared to Marcus. Also you really did a number on Marcus like damn you were holding in a lot of anger," The man said jokingly. " Wait a minute your that devil that Zach made a deal with". Rory said. " Malerix at your service". The man said before bowing in front of them. "You.. you killed Marcus". Zachariah said in rage. " No, I didn't that was you. It was YOU who asked the power to beat Marcus. It was YOU who accepted the deal with me regardless of what the price was and knowing that I was a devil. It was YOU that killed Marcus not me". Malerix said calmly. " And it's not just Marcus that you want dead is it? You want her dead as well don't you?". Malerix asked. " No I don't want her dead I love her". Zachariah said pleading. " Bullshit, I can see your true desires mortal even if you don't admit it in your heart you want her dead. And since I'm here to collect my price it's even better". Malerix said with a malevolent grin. " I, Malerix have come to collect on the Dark Price and the price I will make you pay is your humanity." Malerix said. After that black fog erupted from the ground and surrounded Zachariah and he began to transform. His bones began to break and grow and break and grow and his screams echoed throughout the forest. His teeth began to become as sharp as daggers, and his ears grew fur and elongated to a point. His body grew massive. He had turned into a werewolf. " You should've listened to me when I said you'd regret catching my attention now kill your friends and go down to lower floors and cause absolute chaos so I won't be bored". Malerix said while smiling. " Oh, and you too might want to start running". Zachariah had finished transforming and his eyes glowed a blood red and let out this huge feral roar causing Maria and Rory to be paralyzed with fear. " Are you two dumb, I said run you stupid fucks". Malerix said. But they couldn't, they wanted to get as far away as possible but their legs just wouldn't move. Zachariah devoured Rory first pouncing on him and ripping him to shreds with his teeth and eating his heart. Maria stood there crying still unable to make her legs move looked up at Zachariah who had blood dripping from his fur and little pieces of flesh in between his teeth. " Am I really going to die"? Maria thought in her last moments. Zachariah grabbed her by the face and chomped her head off.