Chapter 11

As Zoey left her apartment room and closed the door behind her. She dug her phone in her bag and started dialing Dawn's number.

"That's funny, is Dawn sleeping in?" She dialed it again only to get the same empty response. "I should have asked where she lived for times like this. Aren't I just the best?" She sighed. "Maybe she's already gone to school and just forgot her phone?" She thought. "This is bad."

Zoey hurriedly trudged down the stairs and pondered. She decided to just leave her a message in hopes she might get a reply from her.

She breathed in deeply and tried to exhale her anxiety out. This day will decide her fate. With Will leaving for an appointment, she only has this chance for her revenge. She had endured ten years of painful waiting just for this day and now she was hoping to finally get the things she deserved.

She tapped her white school blouse and skirt as she ran through the mission in her head once more.

She knew Williams has four henchman he relies on, the same four henchman who were with him when he massacred her village.

The first is Johnny, the devil with the bulky built and powerful arms. He was the most lunatic out of the four with his twitching eyes and greasy laugh. It wasn't a question, Zoey vowed to kill him first for he had killed Zoey's mother. He had scourged the basketball team's head coach and was now leisurely working as the team's varsity coach. She despised him so much.

The second one is Steve, the devil with the most sturdy body. He was the biggest of the four but because of this he was also the slowest. But he was not to be underestimated. He packed powerful punches strong enough to destroy concrete walls. He had scourged the head janitor and is now disguised perfectly as the head of the social service room.

Third is Karen Blake, the spectacled lady with silver blue hair. She was one of the most mysterious devil she knew. Zoey barely knew anything about her even within those ten years she spent with the group. Karen was always with Will that was all Zoey knew about her. She had scourged the secretary and had been with Will's side ever since they had started the plan of running the school. Seeing how close Karen was with Will, they seem to have a relationship beyond this whole neo army operation.

Zoey guessed that she wasn't the combat type, but more of an intel gathering type. Or she could be wrong. Something was telling Zoey that Karen was something more than just that.

And finally, the leader of the group who Zoey haven't seen yet. He was with the group when they raided her village but ever since that event, Will has been assigning him a lot of tasks outside this mission.

Zoey never got the chance to see him, not that she cared.

Will was going away with Karen and their leader, leaving only Steve and Johnny. This made her mission advantageous.

Zoey passed through the huge school gates. Even though it was still early, the school had that uncanny silence. Zoey shrugged it off and continued forward.

She walked briskly to the right wing of the university. She pushed her back against the cold concrete wall. She breathed in deeply before sneaking inside and trudged down the stairs to their clubroom, the burrow of her mother's murderer.

The hallway was dark and silent, but Zoey went on. She touched the knob and felt the coldness slowly die with her warmth.

However, the room was silent. Nobody was inside.

"That's unusual. Johnny rarely leaves this place." She was baffled. Something was wrong and she could feel it.

The far end of the dark hallway was the huge door to the gymnasium. The glow underneath the door caught her attention. She walked towards it cautiously but stopped midway. She could hear faint noises. Her curiosity swelled as she pushed the door open slowly.

A bright light punched her in the face. She closed her eyes in disdain. And then she could hear yelling. Everywhere. She shaded her eyes with her left hand and slowly made out of her surroundings.

"And there you have her boys and girls!" Zoey recognized the voice. "The main star of the show!" Zoey's eyes slowly grew accustomed to the brightness.

What laid before her was horrifying.

She was all alone on the court. The upper benches were filled with scourged students and faculty members. It was a sea of red sick eyes. They were all yelling and screaming as if a huge sick carnival was going on. She looked to her side and saw a few more students locked in a cage, they were all crying.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked herself.

"Now now children, as you all know this girl here is Zoey McMillan." Zoey turned her head towards a small floating platform. "This girl here is your role model, strong and independent. A devil worthy of praise."

Zoey felt her ears popped by the thunderous yell that followed.

Zoey couldn't see who the speaker was, the blinding light of the spotlight made it impossible. But just the voice was enough for her to recognize who it was. She had miscalculated her plan.

A grave mistake.

"Wasn't he supposed to be back at Netherworld?"

The platform slowly leveled down. "And after years of training her, nurturing her like my own precious daughter." The figure slowly came to the light. "She's now here thinking she could kill me!" The audiences roared. "Isn't it funny? Not only she's an ungrateful spoiled brat but she's also apparently disgustingly stupid!" The figure laughed followed by another uproar of the audience. "Always chasing after revenge!"

Zoey gritted her teeth.

"Zoey here is very welcome to show you all what betrayal means." The floating platform lowered and landed on the cemented court. A familiar figure got off and walked towards her. "And it's going to give you all a very important lesson about betrayal."

The black edge of his mask reflected light to her as a powerful blow suddenly hit her on her side. She was sent crashing to the cage with the remaining human students. Her body dented the bars of the cage as she fell on the ground. Zoey painfully groaned.

The students inside cried out to her.

"Please help us.." One teacher cried, hugging an unconscious female student within her arms.

Zoey cursed under her breath and slowly stood up. "Shit." Her side throbbed. She placed a hand over the purple area.

"Death!" Will hissed with his poisonous voice.

"But of course dying wouldn't be fun without suffering." He pulled the white gloves of his hands as another platform above slowly lowered to the ground beside him. As the platform landed, it showed another cage. "As Sinnoh's Hearthome Academy's 20th Anniversary, you shall entertain us in this grandiose carnage!"

The whole gymnasium rocked with everyone's holler.

"Oh no..." Zoey's jaw dropped open when she saw two unconscious bodies inside the cage.

"Aren't you going to thank me? Haven't you been looking for this guy for years?" Will amusedly clipped his hips and laughed.

"Kenny..." Zoey gave a tearful gasp. "You're alive... I, I can't believe it."

She narrowed her vision to get a clearer view of the person lying next to him.

"And Dawn?" Zoey cupped her mouth. "Dawn!" She started frantically running towards them only to be hit back again by another powerful force hitting her in the chest this time. She flew back and rolled backwards painfully on the ground.

Zoey struggled to her feet.

"Let them go you monster!" She screamed. Her knees trembled from the impact.

"Now now." Will made a tch sound as he walked towards her. "Do you think I didn't know what you were planning all along? You are so naïve that it hurts."

Zoey looked up and saw Karen at the top most bench with her arms crossed. She couldn't see her eyes for her glasses were reflecting light.

Zoey cussed.

Will got close and cupped her chin. "I know this is not the kind of reunion you were planning but this also works right?" He chuckled right beside her ears. "Lose one or lose booth." He laughed haughtily. "You are going to make it fun for us."

Zoey glared at him without fear "Fuck. You." She spat bitterly.

"I see." Will harshly slapped her face and stood back. "So you really want to die that badly."

Will made a motion with his fingers and a huge figure dropped from above. The impact caused a slight tremor shaking up everyone inside the gymnasium.

"AHA-HAHA-AHAHAHA!"

Zoey bit her lips and made a fist with her palms at the huge figure in front of her.

"Johnny, show this ungrateful brat some discipline."

"CRUSH! BONE! CRUSH! CONSUME! HAHAHA-AHA!"

Will climbed back up on the platform. "And entertain us all while you're at it." He said as the platform he was on and the platform with Kenny and Dawn rose back up.

"As ugly as ever." Zoey spat out blood.

"And still as annoying as ever!" Johnny retorted. "This. I SHALL ENJOY!"

"HERE I COME INSECT!!"

Zoey stood in a defensive stance as Johnny came stampeding towards her. The audience roared in excitement.

"How did it even come to this? Failure."

She partly admitted to herself that she won't likely survive. As Karen stated, she had been living in borrowed time for ten years. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She opened her eyes red, her teeth turned into fangs and her nails turned pointed.

"But no matter I will save you both. Kenny and Dawn. We will make it out of this. Or at least you both will. And while we are at it I'll have my revenge."

She screamed as she charged full-speed towards the monstrosity coming at her.

"I WILL BREAK YOUR BONES!" Johnny charged at Zoey in his bulky devil form, running on all fours. "JUST LIKE WHAT I DID TO YOUR MOTHER! AHA-HAHA!"

Nothing changed ever since she last saw his metamorphosis. He still has that unruly beard and crazy twitching eyes. His pale blue skin had scars of a darker shade like tattoos. Hairs stood all over his body like tendrils. He had those thick huge predatory claws that could rip her teenage body with a single swing. His mouth curved open in a frightening way showing an array of outward-pointing teeth. His long snake tongue drooped over the side of his mouth. His twisted broken horn had now recovered and now grew again backwards reaching his lower back.

And most of all, he still had those sick red eyes always glowing for insatiable carnage.

"Come and get some you ugly fucker!" Zoey suddenly flipped up when they were about to butt heads. She took hold of his horn and rode on his back. "How do you like this ha?!" She pushed her weight down on the back of his shoulder.

The action caught Johnny off guard and the sudden push of her weight got him smothering his own face across the floor. He grunted in agony as his face destroyed cement along the way. Zoey gave him another powerful kick on his back destroying the ground as it hit Johnny's body. Dust clouded over the area.

As the dust slowly settled down Johnny was no longer seen on the ground. This surprised Zoey. She twisted her head looking for him. He was completely gone. She stood cautiously and kept her guard up. Johnny was never one of the agile kinds of devil.

Cheers and screaming of the audience were distracting her and the blow Will had done on her side still throbbed.

When the dust cleared up, it was then she realized that the kick she did on Johnny created a hole. No, Johnny created the hole. She was too late to realize that and before she could jump off away from the ground where she stood, the ground beneath her erupted and Johnny resurfaced and took hold of her left leg and brought her in midair.

Zoey cried out in pain. His muscular monstrous grip crushed her left tibia.

"Not too smart now huh insect?!" Johnny raised her up with his arm and threw her to the ground in brutal speed. "HAHA-AHA-HAHA!"

Zoey sped down like a bullet. She made a piercing cry as her body crashed to the ground. The fall was violent. Zoey's body bounced like a ball after it hit the floor. She coughed up blood and stayed on the ground inanimately.

The crowd instantly went wild.

Johnny landed with a heavy thud and walked towards her. "What's the matter insect?" His greasy voice asked. "You are an imp devil. Show me your metamorphosis! Where's your devil form?! An imp is useless without his devil form. You'll be just like any other faerie devils. Weaklings!"

She picked Zoey up by the hair. Her white school blouse and skirt were now tattered, torn and bloody over her limp half-dead body. She had so much injuries over her body that she could no longer feel it. All she could feel was crippling pain.

"Is this all you got insect?!" He gnarled behind her ear as he lifted her up. "PATHETIC!" He sent one solid punch on her face. He then sent consecutive punches. "PATHETIC! PATHETIC! PATHETIC! PATHETIC! PATHETIC!"

Zoey felt each punch clobbering and destroying her jaw line, nose bridge, and whatever else on her face. Her head dripped blood like they were sweat. It traced the frames of her cheeks down to her neck and all the way to her chest and arms. Her white uniform was barely recognizable from the bloody mess. Her consciousness was slipping away and the roar of the audiences and the cries of the caged humans slowly died.

"PATHETIC! PATHETIC! PATHETIC! PATHETIC!"

Johnny kept on pounding mercilessly, laughing in complete hysteria.

"JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER!"

And with one powerful throw, he casually threw Zoey across the gymnasium. Her body rolled on the ground before banging against the wall. Her body kissed the ground.

All she saw was darkness, she wasn't hearing anything and she wasn't feeling anything. It only meant one thing to her – death. And if she was going to die she was dying in a very horrible way. She died because her plan failed. She died because she got overconfident. She died to the monster who killed her mother. She died without getting her revenge. And most of all, she got Dawn in danger and Kenny in danger for a second time. She was too weak and pathetic that it was disgusting.

Johnny was right.

"I..I'm...t-th-the...w-wo-wors-worst..."

Tears dropped from her bloodstained eyes as Zoey's consciousness faded away.

...

"Watch your left!" Will commanded as he launched a kick to her side. Zoey knocked back from the hit but regained balance afterwards.

"We've been over this for a few days already McMillan." Will reprimanded her. "Never close your eyes during hand to hand combat. You'll lose quickly that way." He scratched his head in an annoyed manner.

"Sorry." Zoey bowed immediately. "Can we practice again?"

Will didn't respond. She looked up and saw his irritated expression.

"Listen. You're supposed to be an Imp, not a Faerie. Your kind is very skilled at hand to hand combat and mobility. You're supposed to have a metamorphosis which doubles or triples your attributes!" He raised his hands in exasperation. "But none! We've been practicing for two years and you still don't know your metamorphosis! You can't even fight properly!"

Zoey bowed her head in disdain and bit her lips. She wanted to deny but what Will said was nothing but the truth. All she could do was bitterly absorb it all.

"And you are even supposed to be her daughter." Will murmured as he began walking away from the open grass field where they practiced since morning. "What a disappointment." And as an idea sparked in Will's head, he swiftly turned around and maniacally grinned at Zoey.

"McMillan." He began as Zoey looked up at him, her tattered shirt and skirt swayed with the late afternoon breeze. "I won't train you again until you have your metamorphosis ready." He added. He cupped his chin as the setting sun behind him made his shadow loomed over Zoey's nine year old body. "Plus, I will tell you something about your mother that I'm very sure she hadn't told you about."

As soon as Will mentioned her mother Zoey sprang from her ground and clung to him. "What did you say about mother?! Tell me!" She held on his purple slacks and begged. "Tell me please!"

Will sighed and felt his head. "You really are such a stubborn girl."

He grunted and flicked her away from his leg. Zoey landed on her back that got her crying out in pain.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" He menacingly glared at her. "Not until you'll have your metamorphosis." He hissed before walking away. "Until then you'll either be training by yourself or under those four. I don't care. I can't waste more time with a failure like you."

"And oh spoiler." Will quickly turned around and looked at her. "You're nothing like your mother." He laughed haughtily and resumed walking ahead.

Zoey slowly got up. She arced her aching back as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Metamorphosis." She murmured to herself. "And something I didn't know about mother. I must learn it."

"I must learn it, I must learn it, I must learn it!" Zoey pounded the ground in utter frustration. "I must learn it, I must learn it, I must!"

...

The audiences of devils continued cheering for Johnny. They were all shouting for him to rip Zoey apart. At the top-most bench,Karen and Steve gave a disappointed look at her. After ten years of excruciating training, Zoey didn't improve greatly.

Will merely let a sigh breeze past his lips. He clapped his gloved hands once as the platform he was on slowly lowered down.

"KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL HER!" The audience cheered.

Johnny looked at Will before Will gave him a look of approval. Johnny sadistically grinned as he launched himself on the air and landed in front of the brutally battered redhead.

"BYE BYE INSECT! HA-AHA-HAHA!"

He picked her up by her hair again.

"DIIIIIIIEEEEE-" Johnny gasped when he saw her face. He was so surprised that he dropped her immediately and backed away a few meters.

He suddenly got frightened.

Zoey stood up shakily. She heaved heavy breaths of air.

"You may call me pathetic.." She limped and walked towards him. "But I can never forgive you for ridiculing my mother.."

She looked at him with fiery eyes. The pupils of her eyes turned into slits like cat's eyes. Her canine tooth enlarged that they were visible even from Johnny's distance. Her ears got pointy and she grew flaming red fur on both of her forearms and legs including one big red furry tail. She grew two minute horns barely visible by her now shaggy longer red hair. All injuries on her body released smoke and soon she was completely healed. Her face grew fiercer and her expression more menacing.

"Take back what you said..." She snarled.

For some unknown reason, Johnny was afraid of her.

"I see.." She followed. She looked at him with raging merciless eyes. Her slit pupils contracted. "THEN I SHALL RIP YOU TO PIECES!" She growled as she came running to him at frightening speed.

"N-N-NO! STAY BACK!" Johnny tried to run away but Zoey got hold of his horn. She pulled him back with her two hands and kneed his back. She easily broke his horns and bent his spine. The crackling of his spine was heard throughout the gymnasium. He screamed in pain. He wailed and writhed on the ground in agony.

"You son of a bitch!" Johnny screamed as he tried to kick her. But Zoey got ahead and crossed her arms as shield. Johnny barely moved her. The scratches on her arms smoked and healed immediately.

"Take back what you said. And maybe, just maybe. I'll think about letting you live."

"Y-y-yo-your mo-mmo-moth-mother.." Johnny trembled as he backed away slowly. "Y-you-your mother wa-wasn-wasn't path-"

A sharp piercing noise stopped Johnny midsentence.

The nail of Zoey's forefinger lengthened and pierced Johnny through his skull. He died immediately. His heavy muscular lifeless body collapsed on the dusty floor.

"Too late. I was never going to let you live anyway." She said as her blood stained nail retracted back to normal size. "That's what you get for killing my mother."

The gymnasium went silent.

Johnny Marco, Will's henchman. One of the most powerful and feared devils in the school was killed. Everyone was shocked, including Steve and Karen.

Then a series of clapping broke the tensioned silence.

"Bravo! Magnificent! Outstanding!" Will applauded and got off the platform. "Excellent performance McMillan!"

"You bastard!" She charged at him only to be blown back by an invisible force. She flipped in midair and used her tail and cushioned her fall. "Shit. You and your fucking ability."

"Don't get cocky child. You may have powered up but I am on a complete higher pedestal from the likes of you. But for a half-metamorphosis, you're impressive." He smiled devilishly. "Just like your mother."

"Half-metamorphosis?" She asked.

"Your metamorphosis is still incomplete, a juvenile." He stated casually. "You see, powerful metamorphosis takes time to mature. That is how powers work in devils. The stronger it is the more time it needs to mature and the more sacrifice you have to do to complete it. And you just woke it up. That is the beginning."

"This is honestly exciting!" Will applauded again clapping his hands. "Now this is something worth seeing for the event!"

"Fuck you and your metamorphosis bullshit!" She followed immediately. Her body was on crazy fire. Blood rushed throughout her body like speeding cars. She wanted to kill in order to stay calm. No, she needed to kill. She thirst blood like never before. She crazed for murder. She was barely controlling herself. Her body gave menacing barbaric seizures.

She breathed noticeably and heavily, clawing the floor beneath her in attempt to control her thirst. Her claws punctured the ground easily like it was made of clay.

"So how does it feel now that you had your revenge?" The edge of Will's mask glinted light from the spotlight above. "Or hadn't you?" He scoffed and laughed like a total lunatic, clutching his abdomen as his hysterical laughter filled the gymnasium.

Zoey's eyebrows creased.

"Say what?" She snarled at his mockery. "What did you fucking say?!"

"Poor Johnny." He wiped a tear and slowly stopped laughing. "Did you see his face? He was pissing himself! Your mother really had done him well."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Zoey's breathing got heavier. She was ready any second to pounce and claw Will's eyes out. "Stop laughing you bastard!"

"Remember what I promised you eight years ago?" Will questioned. "I'll tell you."

The gymnasium with over four hundred individuals got silent.

"The dark past your mother hid from you. How we used to work together. How she betrayed the higher council. How she got your poor little village in danger. " Will paused. He mockingly smiled at the look of confusion and disbelief on Zoey's face. He sapped pleasure from her confusion.

"And how I killed your mother. The feared Marilyn 'Red Nightmare' McMillan."

The gymnasium was filled with Will's crazed and frenzied fits of laughter.

"NOW THIS IS ONE GRANDIOSE ENTERTAINMENT!"

Chapter 11 End: Anniversary of Carnage