Chapter 21
Luz couldn't help but feel a tinge of satisfaction as her plan to turn everyone against Belos seemed to have worked. Though she had expected it to take longer, within a day, everyone in the house was avoiding him like the plague. Her mother had informed the others that Belos had messed up badly during the puzzle activity, and Hunter had finally had enough. All the pent-up anger and sadness the boy had held through his life had burst out before throwing in the towel; he was done with Belos.
Luz and the rest of the girls didn't catch Hunter's outburst as they were engrossed in Vee's K-pop obsession. But from what Luz could tell, Hunter was serious and actually seemed to be doing better the past three days after he gave up with the man. He was spending more time with Gus, watching their favorite TV show with a light in his eyes, and even was talking to Willow more than usual, who Luz couldn't help but notice how the two started sitting together in the backyard a lot. Luz and Amity would often spy on them through the window in her mother's room, wondering if there was something more going on between the two. The thought of them possibly having a romantic interested in one another made both girls giddy. They thought the two looked perfect together. Then again, they were probably just assuming too much since Willow and Hunter just seemed to be having serious conversations together. Well, it was mostly Hunter talking and Willow listening to him.
But either way, since Hunter decided to cut ties with Belos, Gus was also avoiding the man without explanation. Luz didn't press him for details, but she could tell Gus was disappointed in him. Even her mother refused to acknowledge Belos' existence, and no one in the house would spare him a glance as they walked past the living room where he often sat with the tablet, focused on the task of creating the portal.
Luz couldn't deny that she felt relieved that no one was trying to defend Belos or convince the rest of the house that he wasn't a monster. However, she still couldn't shake the feeling that he was up to something evil, especially now that he didn't have anyone's attention.
At times, he would leave the house without a word, often at night. Hunter and Amity had gone out to make sure he wasn't doing something terrible, but found him back by the river, digging holes again. They all assumed he was trying to find Titan's blood, which was alright she supposes…
Other than that, everything seemed so quiet… maybe too quiet, which caused her to feel unease, especially by the way the palisman continued to hide in fear, as if they could sense a danger they couldn't. Though, she wasn't sure why the palisman would be afraid, since she had noticed Belos wasn't losing control of the curse. Yes, half of his body was consumed by the green substance and his horns still were sticking out of his skull, but… he hadn't had any of his random anger outbursts.
Now that she thought about it as she was washing dishes with Amity, she couldn't help but think about the way Belos was eerily silent… The way he seemed to avoid everyone in a way, and of course the fact he was fine with being sealed…
She asked herself, what if… Belos actually wanted everyone to stop talking to him…?
The fact he had agreed with her to do the puzzle with Hunter was already strange, even though she wanted to believe she had done a good job of forcing him to do it against his will. But what if he wanted to anger everyone so he could be left alone so he could scheme properly…
Luz turned off the faucet of the water faucet after handing Amity the last plate for her to dry off with a towel. Both walked out of the kitchen and couldn't help but glance for a moment at Belos, who was writing something down on a piece of paper, the tablet on the side.
As the two girls walked upstairs, Luz tried to fight the urge to confront Belos. Her thoughts were interrupted when she came face to face with everyone, except for her mother, gathered in the room, looking at her and Amity as they walked in.
"We need to talk," Hunter said, his voice serious and stern.
Luz and Amity exchanged a quick glance to one another before joining the rest of the group, gathered in a circle. Vee, who was still lingering on the top bunk, was texting Masha, letting them know they were about to have the conversation that Hunter wanted the group to have.
Masha: Is this about Philip?
Vee: Yep.
Masha: I see…
Vee: Don't worry, I'll let you know everything we say : ).
Masha: Yessss
Masha: Tell me everything!
"Flapjack finally spoke to me," Hunter revealed, making everyone stare at him in anticipation.
"Well?" Luz asked, her eyebrows furrowing together.
Hunter's eyes darkened for a moment before he spoke, "He says the power inside Belos, the 'curse', is getting stronger… more… vile…"
"How?" Luz asked. "He looks the same since he came back. He doesn't seem like he's losing control."
"He's probably holding it back somehow," Willow suggested.
"But why would it be losing control?" Amity questioned. "We haven't angered him in any way."
"The day after he came back, he did seem to have lost some his senses," Gus admitted. "He was sleeping when I woke him up, and his eyes were glowing completely blue and he was just staring at me before I called out to him. Eventually, he slowly came back to himself… even though he seemed to have struggled to do so."
The group looked at each other with confused and worried expressions at the thought of Belos losing control and attacking them while they slept. "But it hasn't happened again, I think," Hunter said, though he wasn't convinced in his own words since he hasn't paid attention to Belos at all.
"Do you guys think that maybe he learned to handle the curse?" Luz asked, wondering about the possibility. "Back at the Titan's skull, before we left the Boiling Isles, he seemed to have control over it."
"Maybe… and somehow he found a way to grow stronger with it?" Willow suggested. "Maybe that's why Flapjack said it's getting stronger?"
"I don't think… that's it," Gus admitted, feeling uneasy about his friends' assumptions.
"Let's be honest here," Amity spoke up. "Philip has been completely off since he came back."
"Well, yeah, that I agree with you, but-" Gus started, but Luz cut him off.
"Maybe once he's finished with giving us the new list for those materials we have to use, we should finish what we started in the basement of his house," Luz said coldly.
Gus felt sick to his stomach as he vividly remembered that night, the desperation Philip had.
"Oh, right," Vee waved to the group, a stack of papers in her hands. "I think he's done," she said. Hunter got up and quickly grabbed them and looked through them. There were the updated instructions on how to make the portal, showing what human items they could use instead of the ones they originally would have needed. "I think he left the instructions at the dining table this morning," Vee said, which confused Luz since she saw him writing things down still before coming to her room.
Hunter handed Luz the stack of papers and saw how Belos had also listed instructions on the possible ways they could retrieve some of the human materials.
"This is good," Luz said, flipping through the pages, considering her next move. "Then, I guess we should do 'it' tomorrow morning then," she said, her tone firm.
"You really just… want to do that…?" Gus asked, looking at her skeptically.
"Why not?" Luz looked up at him with a frown.
"It just doesn't feel right," Amity was the one to say this time, which shocked Luz.
"What's the difference to keep him 'sealed' here in our own way till we go back to the Boiling Isles?" she asked.
Hunter nodded in agreement. "I think we should do it, so we don't have to worry about him until we go back to the Boiling Isles. We can definitely find the Titan's blood without him."
"Well… guys, we do have a problem with that idea," Willow spoke up. "The eternal oath we agreed to stated Belos could stay in the house until the portal to the Boiling Isles was completed," she reminded them.
Luz frowned, mentally slapping herself for forgetting about that condition. She swore under her breath, convinced Philip had purposely added that term for a reason…
"And even if that was not one of the terms, I don't think we should just bury him like that," Gus said, making everyone turn to him. "Like Amity says, it feels wrong."
Luz couldn't help but let out a sigh. She should have known that Gus still somewhat felt sympathetic to that monster.
Meanwhile, Vee sat quietly, her fingers flying over her phone as she texted Masha about the ongoing argument between her sister and friends. She couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the whole situation. She was hoping her friends didn't end up mad at one another.
Masha: I would ask if you guys have tried talking to him, but I guess that's a dumb question to ask, lol
Masha: I mean, I don't blame everyone for thinking he's planning something, but… the man basically handed you guys his life in a way, to do anything with it once you guys were back. Do you guys really think he's trying to kill you guys right now since, well, he can't?
Vee: Honestly, Idk what to think about the whole situation. I just want to watch a movie with everyone, eat some snacks, and call it a day x.x
Masha: lolol, you aren't so worried like the others, huh?
Vee: Nah. I can handle myself : ).
Vee: And I know we can take him down if work together as well.
Masha: I believe it too!
Masha: So, he just works on perfecting the portal's instructions then he goes off at night to look for titan's blood?
Vee: Pretty much.
Masha: so weird…
Masha: Where does he go to look for that?
Vee: By the river. Last time I heard he was by the devil's waterfall that you showed me once a few months ago.
Masha: I see…
Masha continued to talk to Vee and couldn't help but also not like the idea that Luz and Hunter wanted to really seal the man up after he was helping them make the portal. The idea of him being buried alive was dark to Masha. From what Vee had told them, Philip appeared to be keeping to himself, and wasn't causing any issues with anyone in the past days, so imprisoning him right now just felt unfair.
The way Philip had changed around them was pretty strange and Masha couldn't help but think about it a lot in the past few days. Even during school, they couldn't stray away from the countless theories they have thought of which now made Masha have the urge to investigate things themselves.
Now that they thought about it… Philip was alone in that forest…
With a mischievous smile, Masha made a last minute decision.
They spent the evening packing everything they needed in their backpack, after, of course, making dinner for themselves, put on a winter jacket, and then headed out late that night.
Yes, others might call them crazy for leaving their house and getting inside their car to drive down the road as they headed to the forest, alone - it was a good thing their guardians were out of town - but they still went for it. Masha drove down the path that would take them close enough to walk along the trail to their desired destination.
Eventually, they parked their car, off the side of the road, by the forest. They stepped out of their car and immediately turned on their flashlight, finding the trail that led them deep into the woods.
If someone were to ask if they were afraid to walk alone on the trail, they would say no. They had done it plenty of times, though… they usually did it with at least one friend. But they had no choice that night but to go alone. They couldn't tell Vee, as she would probably just ruin their attempts to talk to Philip. They also couldn't tell their own close friends since they would have to explain everything about Vee and how magic is real, and Masha didn't want to out Vee like that. The fewer people knew about Vee and everyone else, the better.
Also, they felt they could handle themselves just fine in the forest. They had a flashlight; they were warm enough with their winter coat, wore nice boots, had pepper spray, and had a taser - a gift from one of their older friends. Masha had also brought along other miscellaneous items that could come in handy in the event of an emergency.
Masha had checked their phone and noticed that it was close to 10 degrees Celsius, leading them to believe that it was unlikely for people to be out and about at such a late hour in the freezing cold.
Though, they couldn't help but wonder how Vee would react if she found out they were out looking for Philip at the moment.
Oh well, Masha just continued to walk down the path, trusting their sixth sense - they liked to imagine they had one - to lead them to what mission they had given themselves.
The mission was to talk to Philip, since no one wanted to right now.
Masha believed that they were the best candidate for the job since they were not directly connected to any of Philip's previous misdeeds, and therefore, assured him that they didn't have such hostility towards him. Of course, being an atypical individual, to Philip's old view standards, might make it a challenge for Masha to talk to him. But, they hoped since they were Samuel's descendant maybe would put them on Philip's tolerant side. At least, the last time they interacted, Philip did seem he was okay with them…
Masha followed the familiar trail of about a mile until they finally arrived at the clearing within the forest, their flashlight illuminating the dark terrain. They were met with the air biting at their nose as they breathed in the chilly winter night since there were less trees to block the cold, dry wind that whipped at their hair, which made them pull their coat tighter around their body. The usual small waterfall was now reduced to a mere trickle, the water slightly frozen and motionless. The river also stood still and the rocks surrounding the falls and river were slick with ice. Despite the frigid temperatures, Masha couldn't help but be drawn in by the mesmerizing sight.
When they turned to their right, they couldn't help but notice countless covered-up holes in the terrain, none of which had been there before.
Leave it to Philip to change the landscape.
After scanning through the area, they found a mountain of dirt next to a hole that was still open. They could hear someone digging inside that hole and assumed it was Philip.
With their heart pounded with anticipation, they made their way towards the hole. The soft crunch of ice beneath their boots seemed to be loud, especially when the sounds coming from the hole fell dead silent.
They froze as the air immediately grew thick. Their stomach dropped and their instincts were telling them to run. But Masha wasn't stupid. They knew better than to turn and flee, as they would only provoke an attack.
Instead, they mustered up the courage to call out to Philip, hoping they didn't catch him when he wasn't in control of his curse.
"It's just me, Masha!" they said with a slightly nervous smile. "You know, the hum… Vee's friend, the descendant of Samuel Hale?"
Their words seemed to have worked as immediately the tension dissipated from the air, making Masha relax.
"I'm here alone," they said loudly. "I'm going to come up, so please don't attack me, okay?" They took a deep breath and started to approach the hole, but then stopped. "Actually, throw some dirt out if you're about to lose control and attack," they added as a precaution.
The light from their flashlight hovered by the hole, and they saw no dirt being thrown out. They waited for a reasonable amount of time just in case too.
"I will take the lack of dirt throwing as an okay for me," they said with amusement before continuing till they stopped by the edge of the hole. They flashed their light down but quickly diverted it away when they saw Philip flinch at the sudden brightness. "Oops, my bad," they said, trying to lighten the mood. They crouched down to get a better look at Philip, who had dug up a very deep hole. It looked like it was about 9 feet down. The man was on his knees, covered in dirt.
They noticed that his left eye was a glowing blue orb with no emotion, while his right eye was staring at them with complete confusion. Both of his arms were slightly longer with claws at the end of his fingers, completely green, and his feet were bare and cursed as well. His beard and mustache have grown more too. But what stood out the most to Masha was the mess of hair around his horns.
"Your hair!" Masha exclaimed in dismay. "What happened to your beautiful hair?!"
Philip, at first, was completely caught off guard when he saw the teenager approaching. He didn't believe them when they said they were alone, but as he stared at them, no one else showed their faces.
That's when he realized the child was indeed alone…
Were they… crazy…?
It was the middle of the night…
He continued to stare at Masha, puzzled. Though, when they heard their question, he couldn't help but glance away, so he could go back to digging. His claws tearing away the ground.
Masha blinked to see Philip had just brushed them off.
"You know, it's pretty rude to ignore someone when they're asking you a question," they teased.
"You shouldn't be here," Philip said, his voice cold, as he continued digging.
"Oh? Why not?" Masha asked with amusement.
Philip didn't respond this time.
"I take it you haven't found the Titan's blood yet," they said, and again, no response.
Well… things weren't going as they hoped, but Masha kind of expected it to start up a bit difficult at first, so they didn't mind.
"How long have you been at this?" They asked and waited for a moment of his silence to continue. "I think it's about time you take a break. Why don't you come up here and sit by the river with me for a bit? I even brought some tasty chocolate bars that you should definitely try."
Philip ignored Masha.
The man was indeed stubborn… which made Masha decide to let their 'mean' side out.
They rarely liked using that part of them unless they had to, and they had a feeling with Philip, they had to for sure be more assertive.
"If you don't come up, I'll throw the pile of dirt back into the hole," they threatened, but with some playfulness in their tone. Philip still didn't react to them, still focused on loosening the dirt on a certain area of the ground, which was no big deal for Masha.
They went over to the mountain of dirt, and, with one swift motion of their boot, they slid a half of bucket size of dirt down. It landed on Philip's back, which made him finally look up at them with annoyance.
Masha couldn't help but give him their usual casual smile, crossing their arms on their chest, proving to him they were serious with their threat.
Philip would be lying if he didn't admit he was annoyed, but… he was just too exhausted to argue… He had barely slept or rested, so maybe taking a small break was okay… even though he felt guilty about taking one…
He scrubbed his face, not caring that he was getting some dirt and mud on it, before climbing out of the hole with a little bit of struggle. His muscles ached so much… from the cold and from lack of rest.
Masha smiled wider and motioned for him to follow them to some rocks by the river. They were grateful that their boots were waterproof as they submerged in the ice-cold water to sit properly. Philip sat next to Masha on their left side. He didn't want them sitting on his cursed side. He also made sure to leave some space between them, as he didn't feel comfortable sitting too close to them. Masha respected his personal space and resisted the urge to scoot closer.
The two sat in silence, with only the occasional icy breeze brushing past them. Masha barely felt the chill through their winter jacket, but they could tell Philip was tense from it. He was wearing only a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. Masha regretted not bringing their blanket from the trunk of their car to offer him some warmth.
They wondered if anyone in Luz's house had offered Philip a jacket or something warmer to wear while he was out there digging holes. If no one had bothered, well, it annoyed them..
"How come you agreed to be sealed when you guys go back to the Boiling Isles?" they asked, cutting straight to the point which actually caught Philip off guard, causing his shoulders to tense up and his jaw to clench. "Yeah, sorry, Vee told me everything," they said sheepishly. "She also told me that you've been acting differently since you came back."
Philip did not respond, nor did he show any hint he was about to, which left Masha to stare at him, taking in the state of his hair, which was tangled and covered with mud and dirt. They remembered the first time they saw him. He looked battered, but his hair wasn't so bad, and he still had a menacing look about him, as if he was ready to attack anyone who angered him. But now, he looked utterly exhausted and defeated, especially with that facial hair of his. Though, Masha kind of liked the facial hair on him.
They couldn't help but wonder about the plausible reasons for Philip's change in behavior. Vee had explained to them how Philip hadn't antagonized anyone since he had angered Hunter, but other than that, he seemed to have isolated himself. He was like a drifting ghost in their house, at least that's how Vee described him.
Before he left, over a week ago, he had a huge screaming match with Luz, and Luz had said certain things that may have affected him. Luz had told him that his brother never loved him, and perhaps Philip believed her words and was now in severe depression.
Masha pondered these thoughts for a moment. But even then, why would he be acting differently towards the rest of them? Maybe Luz's other words, the ones that basically were calling him out for being evil, had struck a chord in Philip, and maybe he finally realized he was wrong this whole time? Well… that thought seemed super unlikely… Or maybe he realized he couldn't beat the witches and finally gave up on killing them.
Masha decided to test one of their theories.
What was the worst thing that could happen?
Okay… there were many things that could go wrong, but… Masha just chose to ignore them.
"So, want to talk to me about how great my ancestor was?" they dared to ask. Instantly, they saw the look on Philip's face. He had a look of guilt and anguish, a complete contrast to the pride he had shown when talking about the minister a while ago.
Masha felt something in their chest, something twisted painfully as they saw Philip's human eye glaze over, looking more tired than before.
They waited for a while before speaking again, listening to the branches of the trees that rattle in the gust of wind, as they started to realize that maybe, just maybe, one of their theories was probably not so far fetched after all…
"Philip…?" they finally said, their voice gentle, hoping with all their might his change of demeanor was what they hoped for in recent days. "Do you… still want to kill all witches…?"
Philip closed his eyes and pressed a palm against his human eye. He tried to hold back the emotions that were stirring with him again, to hold back the tears that wished to escape.
He said nothing, not even responding with a nod. Instead, he just focused on his breathing, trying to grow numb.
Meanwhile… Masha now felt guilty, assuming he was holding back from crying. They hoped he would cry since holding back such emotions was not healthy. They decided to continue, keeping their kind tone.
"You can talk to me," they said. "No one is here. It's just the two of us."
Masha didn't expect Philip to answer, but when he did, they assumed the man's exhaustion had a lot to do with him finally giving in to talking to them.
"I'm a monster," Philip confessed, his voice barely above a whisper, his arm falling limply into his lap. His gaze fixed on the river, which reflected the half-moon above them. "There were moments when I felt something was wrong. When we gathered those accused of being witches, especially those with good reputations… many of them denied practicing witchcraft until their last breath." He scrubbed his face, his eyes squeezed shut as he relived the horror of his days in Gravesfield. "There was a woman named Susan. She was popular among the men in town. She was beautiful, and kind," he said as he remembered how her face had looked so gentle and tender compared to the rest. "I was tasked with getting a confession out of her after she was accused by another girl named Elizabeth. And… I did certain things to her…"
He shook his head with regret, feeling so angry at himself for ruining her so badly that she was not the same even after a few years had passed. "At first, I didn't care when she screamed or begged. I told myself she was a witch and that she'd eventually admit to it, just like the Minister said she would. But the more I pushed, the more uncertain I became that she was one…"
"What happened to her?" Masha asked when Philip went silent for a moment.
"I went to the minister and told him that I didn't believe she was a witch," Philip said. "There was word in town that Elizabeth was just envious of Susan and wanted her gone, especially since Susan had attracted the one man that Elizabeth wanted. The minister decided we would just release Susan and just execute Elizabeth instead because the minister declared Elizabeth had strayed away from God's path too much. Just like that… he decided who would die… No hesitation… He didn't even take a day or two to think about it. For him, people's lives were disposable as livestock."
Masha mentally shuddered, grateful they didn't live in the time of old Gravesfield.
"I remember feeling dread when he decided to execute Elizabeth," Philip said, his fists clenching in anger. "The minister told me that I would grow used to it. I still felt sick when the rest of the hangings took place during my time in Gravesfield. But I pushed those feelings away, thinking that maybe a witch was trying to brainwash me with a spell or something, and just forced a smile on my face. I told myself what we were doing was for the good of humanity. There were times I did feel like I was some sort of hero, even though I could see the fear that people held in their eyes when they looked at me. Almost everyone avoided me…"
Then a young man's face appeared in his head, one who used to sit against a tree, drawing, before he would look up at him with a kind smile. But Philip quickly shoved that memory aside.
"I took so many lives, and with each one, I felt a piece of myself slip away. At first, I tried to ignore it, but as time went on, I became consumed by the mission. Killing became easier for me, especially on the Boiling Isles. I remember feeling a twinge of guilt when I first took the lives of those witches on the island, but eventually, I learned to bury those feelings deep down. I made countless clones of my brother, just to dispose of them as easily as the Minister did with others. And every time I did it, I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. I thought that by suppressing that dread I felt, I had become stronger. But now, looking back, I realize that those feelings were the last bit of humanity I had left…" he said with a sad smile on his face.
"I should have listened to the doubts I had when I hurt Susan and the others. I should have realized those that the lives in the Boiling Isles were also living beings that mattered… Especially as many of them looked as terrified as Susan did when I hurt them or before I killed them. I shouldn't have believed that I was under some sort of spell. I shouldn't have let the Minister's lies cloud my judgment. But I was weak, a coward. I was afraid of disappointing him, afraid of the consequences. Even when I left for the Boiling Isles, I clung to his words because it was easier to blame the witches because it was just convenient for me. It was easier to just blame them for everything that I went through. I was such a fool…"
Masha sat there in silence. Everything Philip had said was a lot to take in, though there was a portion that they had the urge to tackle.
"Philip… what the minister did to you… is not your fault…" Masha said in a serious tone. "You were not a coward by listening to him, you were just a kid."
"I was just slightly younger than you," he said as if that made a huge difference.
"Yeah, and I'm still a kid!" Masha argued. "Heck, my brain is still developing. Do you know how many dumb things or mistakes my friends and I do sometimes? I'm still growing and learning. But, yeah, the things you did later, is not really all on you, well, let me make it clear, I'm not trying to excuse what you have done," they quickly added. "But… What I'm trying to say is… what you have done is also the Minister's fault as well… and the people from Gravesfield for installing such terrible beliefs into you. And yes, you could have realized during your time in the Boiling Isles what you were doing was wrong, but… sometimes it's not as simple as that. People don't just change so easily."
"It doesn't matter," Philip said quietly. "I still took the lives of so many. And… even now I'm still a danger to others."
"Is that why you agreed to be sealed…?" Masha's voice became quieter. "Because you think you're still going to hurt people?"
"I cannot die, so the only option there is for me to protect the rest of the world and to pay for what I have done is to lock me up forever."
"Forever… sounds… very harsh…" Masha said, and at the same time was afraid to know how Philip knew he couldn't die…
"I deserve far worse…" Philip said, with some bitterness in his tone. He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a paper that was folded up. He handed it to Masha.
Masha was confused, but due to their curiosity, they unfolded it to see there was a list.
Masha blinked and read the following: Malefic, Mass murder, Attempted genocide, Fratricide, Assault, Fearmongering, Terrorism, Abuse of power, Grand theft animarum, Animal cruelty, Arson, Conspiracy, Sacrifice (implied), Unethical experimentation, Execution, Psychological and physical abuse, Child abuse, Torture, Murder, Attempted murder, Fraud, Child Endangerment, Destruction of Property, Artificial creation of sentient beings, First degree battery, Destruction of knowledge/art, Manipulation, Grave robbery, Hunting of endangered species, Corruption, Genocide, Forgery of historical documents, Possession, Bone hoarding, Treating sentient beings as possessions, Various acts of colonization (branding, alteration of history, cultural genocide, etc.).
"I'm not finished with it yet…" Philip admitted quietly.
Masha stared at the list.
The man had actually taken the time to… write what he had done and what would be considered as a crime in their country…
"Yeah… this… is not healthy…" they mumbled before folding the paper and stuffing it into their own pants pocket, not planning to give it back to Philip any time soon. Especially if the man was using it to remind himself how terrible he was.
Honestly though… the man for sure had the most extensive criminal 'record' probably known to man in human history.
It was pretty horrific that he was worse than even certain human beings responsible for many atrocities done on earth.
But… from the looks of it, he clearly seemed to regret what he has done…
Masha asked themselves, when was it too late for someone to have another chance to turn into a new leaf…?
Masha was wracked with uncertainty about how to proceed at the moment. Their once-optimistic belief that Philip could redeem himself, akin to their favorite villains in their favorite shows, had faded into something like dread.
They were not in a fictional story… This was the real world and Philip had committed unspeakable acts against many lives…
But of course, like they had told him, he wasn't solely at fault for everything he has done. At least, that's what they believed. Masha always hated that someone would corrupt someone else, especially someone so young, and that young person would grow up, act upon what they learned while the one that corrupted them was not held responsible for 'staining' their soul. Philip had been corrupted since he was young, and the minister played a significant role in shaping his life up to this point. Now, Philip was facing the consequences and guilt alone after realizing what he was taught to believe was a lie, while the minister just wiped his hands off from responsibility. The minister had created a monster, and in a way, he had the last laugh, especially if Philip was successful with destroying all of Boiling Isles. Despite the overwhelming situation, Masha was determined to find a way to handle it. A way to end the minister's evil legacy once and for all, so he couldn't continue to laugh in his grave.
"I take it that the others don't know that you feel guilty for everything you've done, huh?" they asked.
"Why would it matter if they knew…?" Philip asked, tiredly. "It wouldn't change anything what I've done."
"Well, yeah, it wouldn't change anything in the past," Masha said. "But it would change some things in the present. Of course, I'm not exactly sure what that would be, but… I don't know… I just feel it does matter. I do think they should know."
"I don't want them to know," Philip said, his tone now growing stern.
"Why not…?" Masha asked, completely lost, why the man didn't want Luz and her friends to know that Philip felt guilty. They wondered if maybe Philip was probably too prideful to admit he was wrong…?
"Everything would just be easier, if they see me for what I truly am…" Philip said coldly. "A monster…"
"But Philip… you're human…" Masha dared to say.
Philip's expression turned fierce as he got up to his feet, towering over them. "Does this look like a human to you?!" He extended his arms to them, showing off the claws that extended at the ends of his fingertips. "No human has horns sticking out of their skulls, no humans have devoured the souls of others like I have. I stopped being a human a long time ago, especially… when…" He shut his eyes hard, his voice struggling to form the rest of his words. "When… I killed my brother…"
Masha stared at him with pity, and quickly Philip felt bad for raising his voice at the child and turned away from them, his face scrunching up with guilt.
"I think… the others have the right to know that you don't see them as a threat anymore," Masha said, breaking the tense silence. "I think they deserve at least an apology."
"An apology would be meaningless to them," Philip said quietly. "I've manipulated others too much for anyone to believe what I have to say."
Masha crossed their arms. "So, you're just going to manipulate them into believing you're the same old evil tyrant?"
Philip felt sick at the thought of him still manipulating others, and… he realized that's exactly what he was doing even now. And it was exactly what he had done the other day with Hunter, when he manipulated the boy into lashing out at him.
"I…" he struggled to say, his voice shaking as he couldn't help but want to bash his head against a rock for the fact, he was still trying to move things according to what he wanted.
"Philip, do you think you can't change…?"
"It's too late for me to change," Philip replied, defeated.
Masha's furrowed their brows in concern. "Is that really what you believe? Or are you just giving up because it's just easier that way?"
Philip pulled away from the river and walked back to the hole.
He was done with the conversation.
Masha trailed after him, frowning that he was 'running' away.
"Philip," they began, trying to get through to him, especially when he just jumped back into the hole. "There's still good in you, even if you can't see it…"
Philip's teeth clenched as he began to dig his claws into the dirt. But Masha refused to let him retreat into himself, keeping the flashlight directed slightly off to the side of him.
"You feel terrible for what you've done," they continued, their voice louder now. "That shows empathy, Philip. You're not a lost cause. A truly evil person wouldn't care about the harm they caused, but you do. An evil person wouldn't desperately seek to be locked up forever. You strongly believe you don't deserve another chance and that's why you want everyone else to think you're still a terrible person, right? So, it is easier for everyone to not feel bad when they lock you up. Philip… that just shows you're not a lost cause…"
Philip's claws dug deep into the ground before he pressed his forehead against the dirt wall. Still trying to hold back the anguish that was tearing through his chest.
"Please… just… leave me alone," he pleaded, his voice breaking, which made Masha's own eyes begin to water as they watched Philip's distress.
"Philip…" they said softly. "Do you want to be a better person?"
"It doesn't matter what I want," Philip let out, quietly.
"Do you or do you not want to be a better person?" Masha pushed on, even though Philip's shoulders began to shake.
Philip didn't respond right away.
"I…" he struggled to say, as he couldn't help but recall the way he knifed some of the grimwalkers, just like he did to his brother. "I'm not capable of being a better person…"
Masha felt their heart clench.
"Everyone is capable of it, if they put effort into it," they said, softly. "You know… someone I loved said those exact words you just said, years ago." Masha took this time to sit down on the edge of the hole. "I'm a foster kid, which, of course you probably don't know what that is. Hum… so, basically a foster kid is a child placed in a temporary care of adults who are not their biological parents due to various reasons, in order to provide a 'safe' and 'stable' home for them, till of course they hit the age of 18 then they're kicked out in the streets," they explained. "Anyways, I never met my parents. They died from a drug overdose together, and I ended up with my grandmother 'till she died when I was six.."
They stopped for a moment, and noticed Philip's shoulders weren't shaking any longer and assumed they were listening to them, so they continued. "I was placed with these foster parents, the same ones I'm currently with. They're… alright I guess… they're barely home though. Anyways, when I was taken in, there was another boy, named Alan under their care, and I guess that was his eleventh placement ever since he was taken away from his parents. He was seven years older than me. He was… a very angry boy, prone to break things, but I guess he was like that because his parents were terrible people…" Masha said as they remembered some of the stuff Alan had admitted to them that they endured under his parents. "He couldn't control his anger, and he tended to think everyone was against him even though some people did seem like they wanted to help him, though… majority of them did think he was a lost cause… People would just say 'that Alan kid, is just like his mom, just like his dad, he's never going to change,' as if… it was his fault he was the way he was…"
"But Alan loved me," they said with a smile. "He said I was his only family. He loved to boost my ego up when I got good grades. He would say, 'Masha, you're going to become a doctor someday with those grades, or a lawyer. You better go to college, cause you got the brains for that, unlike me'. And he was always so supportive, especially when I hesitantly told him how I just didn't feel like a girl nor like a boy. I remember how I thought he would just push me away and call me a freak when I admitted to him how I didn't like being called a she or a he, but he just stared at me and told me 'That's alright. You are you, and you're still going to make someone of yourself. You're going to be better than the rest of us useless people. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise'. And yeah… for me, he was the only family I had too during those years, while we stayed under the same roof," they slightly thumped the flashlight against their knee, reminiscing the good old days when they had a brother.
"He did his best to behave, he would say, cause he didn't want to be separated from me, but… as he was getting close to turning 18, he was acting out again," they said. "He would steal from stores, do certain drugs with some adults behind some buildings, would assault some people, and I would beg him to try not to those things so he wouldn't be taken from me, but… he would tell me… he was not capable of being a better person, that he couldn't be good like me…" Masha felt tears trail down their face as they remembered Alan's face when he looked at them sadly, as he also had shed tears. "He would tell me, he was just so angry… and how he didn't want to turn 18 cause he couldn't make it out in the world by himself… that he was just not good…"
They brushed their tears away with their sleeved arm.
"Before he turned 18… he was found… dead… in some warehouse overdosed," Masha shook their head at the memory when they were delivered the news of Alan's death. How devastated they felt, how angry and sad they felt. "And even now… I hate how no one did enough to help him believe he could be great, to show him to be better, to show him he had so much to offer. He was smart, even though he didn't believe it. I even feel like I didn't do enough to help him see that he wasn't a lost cause…"
"You were just… a child…" Philip let out, quietly.
Masha smiled at him, feeling warm in their chest at the fact Philip felt he had to comfort them. It was proof that he could be better…
"I didn't bring that story up to make you feel bad for me," Masha said. "I brought it up cause, like Alan, you think you can't be better, but in reality, you can."
Philip had a feeling where Masha was going with things.
"Your brother didn't commit mass murder or do everything else I've done…" Philip said, a bit coldly.
"Philip, can you look at me?" Masha asked.
Philip clenched his teeth, determined not to do what they wanted, but… after a moment he eventually glanced up at them, silently.
"Philip, do you want to be better?" they asked, which made Philip look away, now looking like a sad kicked puppy.
"No, don't look away," Masha said, a bit desperate, debating about jumping down into the hole and hold on to one of his hands, but wasn't sure if that would be too much for him. "Do you want to be a better person?" they asked again. "And please be honest with me, Philip. I can tell if you're lying."
"You think by helping me… you're helping your brother…" he mumbled.
Masha shook their head. "No, that's not why I'm helping you. What happened to my brother made me realize nothing is black and white. People aren't born evil or good. Nothing is that simple, and if I see someone who wants to be better and is willing to put in the effort, then I can't help but feel like I need to help them. My ancestor did terrible things, especially to you. It's partly thanks to him that you took the path to become what you became. And yeah, I know, the sins of his are not my sins and I'm not responsible to fix them, but… I can't help but want to do something about it. Maybe we're destined to meet, maybe I'm destined to fix what he has done. Then again, nothing is really written in stone, but… I'll decide to believe that this is what I'm supposed to do, that I'm supposed to be here, helping you. Helping you see that it's not too late for you. You have so much to offer, Philip. Of course, you have so much to fix as well and it's going to be tough to be better, but you're not just someone who is just a monster… you didn't destroy all your humanity yet."
Philip stayed silent, which made Masha believe he didn't believe their words.
"You created Hunter, right? You created life… and I have to say, Hunter is pretty cool and such a nice guy," Masha said with a smile. "You also made it possible for Vee and her kind to come back after they were extinct. Vee told me you invented so many things in the Boiling Isles. See? You're capable of creating, even though… yeah you made them for an evil purpose, but you still made something beautiful. You didn't just destroy. You don't have to be the monster you've been if you don't want to," Masha said. "You have to talk to Luz and the others. You have to tell them how you feel, that you realized you were wrong, that you want to do whatever you can to fix what you've done. Don't play the villain anymore. Don't make them hate you on purpose. Doing that is just terrible for everyone… Let them help you to be better."
"I… I don't deserve another chance…" Philip managed to say, barely above a whisper.
"What if they do want to give you another chance…?" Masha challenged. "Are you really going to take that decision away from them?"
"I'll just mess up somehow…"
"Well, maybe," Masha admitted. "But… of course, learning to be a better person is not easy for anyone. Sometimes you will take two steps forward and sometimes a step backward, but you won't be alone in this. You are capable of being better, and yes, it's going to take tons of work. But as long as you try to put effort, I'll be there and others as well to help you cause of course you won't be able to do it alone. Accept our help. Please… don't just give up. At least… Give yourself a chance, okay?"
"Why… do you care so much…?" he dared to ask, completely lost at their determination.
"Because…" Masha smiled at him. "Helping anyone, especially those who are lost and seek help, is the right thing to do…"
Philip looked up to stare at them, as if Masha was… more than just a mere human, as if… they were… something so pure that shouldn't even exist. Someone who shouldn't be wasting their time with a monster like him, yet… here they were, trying so hard to help him be someone he knew he couldn't be…
Philip wanted to claw at his insides, but…
Was that the right thing to do?
Philip didn't believe he could be better… he wanted to just be sealed away, and was planning on doing so, but… what if…
'You don't deserve another chance…'
Philip felt desperate to run from Masha, or better yet, figure out how to bury himself in that hole, suffocate there till he passed out, forgotten by anyone…
But then his racing thoughts stopped when the light from the flashlight vanished from the hole suddenly, and Philip glanced up with confusion when he saw Masha directing the light into the forest.
Masha had heard something hitting the branches a bit too roughly. They moved the light around before they ended up staring at a flying machine between a couple of trees across the river.
They felt their body freeze as they stared at it.
Their expression immediately got Philip to sprang out of the hole and quickly caught the sight of the machine that attempted to flee. He lunged into the forest without a moment's hesitation, his arm shooting out towards the machine that attempted to escape at that instant. He seized it in his grip, slamming it down to the ground hard before he landed beside it.
Masha stood frozen in astonishment at what they had witnessed. However, they quickly regained their senses, chasing after Philip by hopping across the scattered rocks that bridged the river, making sure they didn't slip since it was a bit slippery. Eventually, they stumbled upon Philip clutching a shattered obsidian drone. Judging from its intricate design, it was undoubtedly a state-of-the-art piece of technology.
Suddenly, Masha remembered Vee's warning about Philip's run-in with a dangerous group of individuals who might be affiliated with the government.
Their heart sank.
They had completely forgotten about those people…
Philip proceeded to destroy the innards of the drone before rising to scan their surroundings with his glowing blue eyes, his demeanor drastically shifting to someone who was ready to strike. This transformation was in stark contrast to the defeated and hopeless individual Masha had been trying to console, somehow making them feel safe…
"I don't think we're safe here," Masha whispered. "We need to leave. My car is parked near the entrance," they grabbed and tugged at Philip's arm, coaxing him to follow them. Philip slightly tensed up from their touch, and was hesitant to follow them, but… he couldn't just let them go back to their car alone…
Philip wasn't sure if whoever was in the forest could pose a threat to Masha and he rather not let them out of their sight just in case…
After doing a quick glance around their surroundings, and seeing nothing, he gave in and followed Masha across the river. They then broke into a run along the trail.
Masha wasn't sure if returning to the car was the right decision, but it was the only option they had.
Philip's blue glowing eyes remained fixated on their surroundings, poised to attack anyone who dared to approach. Though he still couldn't sense any imminent danger, but of course he refused to let his guard down.
The two eventually arrived at Masha's car.
"Um, I guess get in," Masha offered as they opened the door for Philip. He stared at them for a moment before speaking.
"You should go," he said firmly.
Masha blinked. "I'm not leaving you behind," they replied with a frown. "Especially after I literally just told you I was going to be there for you, to help you to be a better person. I don't go back on my word. And, just so you know, I'm also in danger now too, since, if it is the government going after you, they probably already know who I am by watching us through that drone and will make sure I 'disappear' since they won't want any witnesses alive."
Philip looked at them with a mixture of concern and guilt. He couldn't help but blame himself for putting them in a dangerous situation, even though they didn't ask them to come looking for them at night.
"This isn't your fault," Masha assured him, hoping to stop him from spiraling back to his self-loathing state of mind. "Let's get in the car and figure out our next move."
With reluctance, Philip climbed into the car. Masha shut the door and quickly got into the driver's seat, starting the engine, and driving back towards Gravesfield.
"Alright… I'm not sure if they're tracking us, so we can't really go to Luz's house right now since I don't want to lead them there," Masha said, breaking the silence. "Now, I've seen many movies, and one of the first things we should do is to go into a more populated area near us, which sadly… I guess it is Gravesfield. I really wish we lived near a huge city…"
Philip's eyes scanned the area as they drove past, as he waited for any sign of danger. Masha grabbed their phone and swiftly turned it off for now, paranoid that they were tracked by their phone. Though, now they wondered if they should have contacted Vee. What if the government had tracked their messages to Vee? Luz and the others could be in trouble!
"We need to find somewhere to hide," Masha said, debating whether to contact Vee or not now.
"The church," Philip said, making Masha look at them with confusion. "We can hide there, inside the church, the one with the single tower and bell."
"I think we need to find somewhere vacant," they said. "We don't want anyone calling the police on two people just breaking into a building."
"They will keep us hidden," Philip assured them, though he still looked hesitant as he spoke. "Especially if they see you with me..."
The way Philip said those words made Masha think that… Philip knew the people in the church building. But… how…?
Masha didn't waste any time questioning things as they continued their focus on the road, hoping no random cars came out of nowhere and slammed into them because they would definitely lose control of the steering wheel and crash into the forest. They had just got their driver license less than a year ago, there was no way they could avoid some sort of chase down.
They felt relieved when they arrived in town. They parked their car by the side of a coffee shop that was closed since it was late at night, since they had to make sure they weren't completely tracked down in case.
No one seemed to be wandering outside, which made things easier for the two to get out of the car and dash down the street and between buildings, not really worrying that someone would spot Philip.
Philip led the two to the side door of the church, but then just stopped there, looking hesitant.
"What's wrong?" Masha asked.
Philip didn't say anything. He felt guilty for wrecking the room Father Francis had offered him to stay in and for leaving without saying a word…
He felt he was probably just going to bring problems to them, but… when he looked at Masha, seeing them looking at their surroundings with a bit of nervousness, made him put the safety of the teenager before his own feelings. So, without a word, he tried to open the door without breaking it like last time. Of course, the doorknob wouldn't budge…
He was about to slam his body against it when Masha grabbed his arm. "I got this," they said, pulling two hairpins from their backpack. Well, they were both bent in certain ways that made Philip see them as some sort of tools, especially as they started to pick the lock of the door. "My brother Alan taught me how to do this," they said with amusement. "He said it would come in handy one day." And without ease, they were able to unlock the door. "And I guess he was right," they said, feeling proud that they used one of the skills that Alan had taught them. They also hoped Alan could see how, even now, he was helping Masha.
Philip opened the door and quickly nudged Masha inside before he shut the door behind them.
The building was completely silent. Philip assumed everyone was asleep.
Philip grabbed on to Masha's shoulder and led them down the hallway, so they could walk into the chapel, but then he froze to see someone attending to the candles that were lit up on the side of the room. The last person he wanted to see right away from the church, especially when they turned around to look slightly in shock at first before glaring at him with annoyance and judgment.
Sister Margaret…
"You shouldn't have come back," Sister Margaret said with a steely, cold tone as she approached the two before looking at Masha with confusion then looked worried before glaring at Philip, assuming the worst of him. "And who's this child? I swear, Philip, you better not have harmed them in anyway or I swear to God that-"
Sister Margaret was cut off by a loud clunk that echoed through the walls. The three turned towards the main doors, as the heavy wooden doors creaked open. Two men stepped into the room, with bulky weapons at the ready.
The guns they carried were like nothing Masha had ever seen before – they seemed to hum with an ominous energy, and their glowing red barrels made them take one step back. The men were dressed in dark armor, their faces hidden behind full face helmets, which made them look like faceless automatons.
As sister Margaret narrowed her eyes on them, a blonde-haired woman stepped through the door, her high-heeled boots clicking on the wooden floor as she positioned herself between the two-armed men. She was wearing a massive black fur coat that seemed to swallow her up, kind of looking out of place compared to the other two men. Her blue eyes were dark and piercing, and a sly smile played at the corner of her lips.
Masha's whole body tensed as the woman's gaze settled on Philip, not liking the way her eyes lightened up, as if he was her target.
As the woman spoke, her voice was silky yet filled with a chill that sent shivers down Philip's spine, a feeling he had never felt in his life before.
"Finally, we meet at long last, my lovely beast…"