Moonlight's Guidance

CH37: When a Bull See's Red

Adam was standing in the center of the Crimson Forest. Red leaves blew throughout the wind around him. The world was deathly quiet. No birds chirping. No trees rustling. All that accompanied Adam's senses were a deafening ring in his ear. The type of sharp noise that wanted him to remove his own ears. Adam looked around, trying to find something to take his attention away from the vile sound rattling his head.

"Adam."

Blake's voice called out to him. That small, miniscule comment was enough to take his mind away from the noise. He sprinted in the direction he thought he heard her voice. Leaves blew into his face, and that's when he realized that he didn't have his mask on. However, when he felt his face to check, the ringing returned. His mind started to split in two once more.

"Adam!"

Her voice again, this time more aggressive. Adam stumbled upon himself, looking in every direction the sound could have possibly come from. The ringing ramped up, until he started to run. Adam ran so fast he thought his knees would shatter with each stride. His throat felt as if someone had scratched it with sandpaper. A red leaf landed on his face. More specifically, the scar on his eye. It burned to the touch, so Adam halted to pry it from his face.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a clearing. The forest had seemingly parted while his eyes were closed. Adam slowly walked to the center, breath heavy and legs shaken. The ringing began to dissipate, and his mind found some sense of clarity in the eery  silence.

"Adam?"

He turned. There she was, that all too familiar book in her hand. Blake's yellow eyes gazed into Adam's soul with a look of fear and uncertainty. Adam opened his mouth to speak, but no words left. He wanted to call out to her. He wanted to understand what was happening to him.

Another red leaf blowed past her face. Blake's expression changed as quickly as the leaf had left. Fear and uncertainty was replaced by anger and destain.

Blake: All of this- the bloodshed and violence- for what? You escaped the mines. You could have retreated to Menagerie. But no, you wanted revenge. You needed revenge. Was it worth it, Adam? The hundreds you've killed because of the handful that wronged you?

The red leaves picked up in speed. Around him, he saw glimpse of him slaughtering resistance to the White Fang. They were all pleading for their lives. The longer they screamed, the more the ringing returned to his ears. Now, Blake's voice, the screams, and the ringing were all overlapping. Adam fell to his knees, clutching his head for dear life.

Adam: Stop...

None of it did.

Blake: All of this, and your shield is your bullshit cause! It's for the Fang, it's a necessary evil, all of it is just a lie so that you don't have the burden of the innocent on your shoulders!

Adam screamed. Or at least, he wanted to. He tried to belt out how none of those people that met his blade were good people. Maybe he was speaking, and it simply couldn't overpower the horrific concoction of sounds in his ears.

Blake: Tell me Adam, did you become the Blade of Cruel Justice for the Fang, or yourself? Because the way I see it, you're just a monster that thinks the world must suffer for what it did to you!

Adam was beginning to have enough. He felt his eardrums start to bleed. Slowly, he got up and started to walk towards the still yelling Blake. Her voice hurt more than the screams or the ringing. He reached for his waist, but Wilt and Blush weren't there. His weapons were gone. In a fit of anger, Adam leaped towards Blake to strike her down.

However, his fist ceased just inches away.

Adam couldn't move his arm forward. It was seemingly stopped by an invisible barrier. He cocked his arm back again, and again his hand stopped before contact. Blake's eyes widened with rage.