Mutagen

Despite how the sun was shining in the clear sky, for some reason, everything was dark. It was not only the brightness of the surroundings but as if the world became devoided of its color.

That sensation continued to spread, enveloping not only the whole memorial park but extended for more than two hundred meters diameter with the cursed tree at the center.

Not knowing the effects of these changes in the surroundings, Mark decided to be cautious. Carrying Elise and pulling Mei with him, he tried to flee as fast as he could.

Unfortunately, despite using the strengthening of his blood, the spread of the dark aura was faster. It was as if the whole area changed in an instant.

Mark could only stop at the boundary where the spread ended. It was because there was a misty distortion of space that felt too dangerous to cross. To make sure, Mark let go of Mei and used the nail of his index finger to touch the boundary. The tip of his nail was cut off as if it was sliced off with a very sharp blade.

"We\'re trapped."

Mark frowned.

Without any other choice, they faced the direction they fled from.

There, they could see the cursed tree growing for about seven meters in height, enveloping a large area under its shadow and covering the small peninsula with its trunk and roots.

In front of the tree, they could see Ellse, floating like a ghost. However, the aura he had before while he was with Elise was all gone. It was replaced with a menacing sensation that could make anyone that looked into his eyes shiver.

An evil spirit born from a cursed object, that was one of the most dangerous things on Earth. Old paintings, dolls, houses, humans, and even a family\'s bloodline. Many things could become cursed in many different ways.

Most of the time, the curse was caused by the resentment that the owner of the object had when they were alive. Somethings, it was caused by the anger of a person towards another.

Many people dared try to face these things just for fun. While some ended in a boring fake event, some did not end up very well.

Despite the existence of these things, most people were skeptical. They believed their religion but did not acknowledge the truth about the creatures being taught by their holy books.

As for the most dangerous things about curse objects, it was those that could grow. It was at the expense of many lives and sacrifices. The souls of people that died with the involvement of the curse would be absorbed by the object.

With the deaths that were suspected to involve the tree in front of them, it was not surprising that it became this strong. Furthermore, two more factors brought the curse to this point. It was the existence of Mutagen and Elise.

"Ellse!"

Elise called out. She might be surprised that the man she shared her troubles to was the spirit of her twin brother. However, they still experienced a good time together. That was something that she would not forget.

"Don\'t bother calling. That thing is not the person you knew he is."

Mark said, reprimanding Elise.

"What do you know?!" Elise shouted. "You are just someone that Felicia brought here. As if you knew anything!"

Mark turned to Elise with a glare.

"I might not know your circumstances, but at least, I know more about that thing in front. Tell me. Did you get in contact with that tree before?"

"I-I did." Mark\'s scary glare surely pushed Elise in a passive stance.

"Then, when did you meet that Ellse for the first time? Before or after you got in contact with the tree?" Mark\'s voice was rather serene. "If you met him after you got in contact with the tree, then the entire time, you are not speaking with Ellse but the evil spirit of the tree that swallowed him."

The eyes of Elise turned wide while she fell silent. What Mark said shook her to the core as it was the truth. She met Ellse not long after she tried to hang herself on that same tree.

Tears started to appear at the corner of her eyes. What Mark had said had just proven that everything thing she had in these past years was nothing but lies.

Elise wanted to cry out loud. She wanted to refute everything in front of her. However, even if Elise closed her eyes and ears, there was no going back. In the least, she did not want to cry while being carried by a man she did not even know.

"Please, put me down."

That was all she could request. However, Mark\'s reply was nothing but a blatant...

"No."

Elise could not help but raise her head to look at him. There, she could see him pointing below.

When she turned her head to where he was pointing, she could see a lot of infected. However, there was something strange about them. Their eyes were glowing red and were all staring at them that was flying in the air.

It was a strange and unsettling scene.

"Don\'t think that I\'m just carrying you because I want to. The energy being released by that can make any human without proper resistance insane. If I let you go even a second and you got exposed to it, you will become one of those infected."

"This..."

Elise\'s mind was in turmoil, she could not process everything that was happening right now, and her thoughts started to become chaotic.

"Ugh..."

Suddenly, Mark released a painful voice.

"Gege?"

Mei was surprised as she suddenly saw Mark\'s complexion pale. It seemed like his head was in pain.

Gritting his teeth, Mark raised his free hand.

PAK!

Elise fainted as Mark hit her nape.

As soon as Elise lost consciousness, Mark\'s complexion started to recover.

"This..."

Mei was surprised. It was not hard for her to realize that Mark\'s sudden pain was connected to Elise.

"Gege, what happened?"

Mei asked.

"I\'ll tell you later," Mark replied. "Can you hold her for now? I still have to fight that guy in front."

"Okay."

Mei nodded and received Elise from Mark.

"Even the infected are affected, why are we still fine?"

Mei asked, looking at the infected below.

"We\'re already demons rather than humans, so that should give us more resistance. Besides, you have your physique, and we are wearing this."

Mark then pulled out the Trinket he took from the gangsters back on his date with Mei from his chest.

"Remember, these protect their wearers from mental attacks."

Mei remembered. She was also wearing hers.

"But this energy..."

Mei spoke, sensing the energy in the surroundings.

"I know. It\'s some kind of Miasma. The one that affects the consciousness of people."

Mark said, knowing what Mei was pointing to. The energy from the cursed tree was not that different from the Miasma that the Deity of Bloodshed used to control the infected and animals back then.

The only difference was that the Miasma from the cursed tree could not control those that were affected directly but cause them to attack those that were not.

And since in this area, there was only Mark, Mei, and Elise that was protected from the effects. Thus, all the ones affected were currently looking at them from the ground.

"Gege, should we attack now? He\'s still powering up."

Mei suggested as the tree was still slowly growing.

"Let\'s wait until he starts moving."

Mark said with a smile.

Mei was quite confused as to why, but then, Mark raised his right hand and slightly moved the bracer covering it. Mei finally understood why he did not want to take action immediately.

The [PsyCrystal] was absorbing the Miasma in the surroundings. Its glow was pulsating brightly but was being covered by the bracer that Mark was wearing.

***

Day 129 - 12:02 PM - Audubon High School, Audubon, Camden County, New Jersey, United States of America

At the same time, the Mutators, the Infected, and some other people noticed the commotion.

With the sudden appearance of abundant energy from the cursed tree, all the infected in the area started rushing towards the location.

At Audubon High School, the lookouts were alarmed as they saw a large horde coming towards the direction of the school. But then, they were all flabbergasted when they saw that the infected were just passing by, ignoring the school and everyone ready to fight them.

It was while they finally noticed the strange phenomenon happening in the north, about two kilometers from the school. They were all alarmed as almost everyone in the school rushed towards the roof to see what was happening.

They were all shocked to see the unsettling darkness in that area, along with the towering tree that was even higher than the building they were currently on.

"What in the world is happening now?"

Captain Morrison voiced out as he started at the even in front of his eyes.

"Sir, what are your orders."

One of his soldiers asked. At this point, none of them knew what they should do. The only thing they could do was to follow the Captain\'s orders.

"Gather everyone inside the gymnasium." The Captain ordered. "We don\'t know what is happening. It\'s better to gather everyone in a single area. That way, it will be easier to protect them. GO!"

"Yes Sir!"

The soldiers saluted and went to fulfill the orders given to them.

Inside the third floor clinic, Felicia and her parents could not see what was happening. However, for some reason, they had an unsettling feeling in their hearts.

Everyone was already panicking as if it was the second coming of the end of the world. Nevertheless, the only thing that the old couple wanted was the safe return of their youngest child.

***

Day 129 - 12:03 PM - Browning Square, Bellmawr, Camden County, New Jersey, United States of America

Almost everyone in this place was Mutators. Thus, they were all standing in high places, peering towards the north.

It was not surprising that they were all alarmed. The hair on their napes and arms were all standing up as they felt the sinister energy from miles away.

At the roof of the main building, the Kind and Queen of this place stood.

"Tch."

Seeing what was happening, the Queen clicked her tongue, unbefitting of her current role.

"Do you know what is happening?"

The King asked, seeing the frown on his Queen\'s eyebrows.

"It\'s that damn Ellse." The Queen cursed. "No, something must have happened for him to be too riled up to the point of waking up that tree prematurely."

As she said that, the Queen turned to the King.

"Let\'s go see what is happening."

The Queen was surely pissed off. Thus, the King could only shrug his shoulders.

"On your lead, My Queen."

The Kind replied.

At that moment, the Queen transformed.

Two curved horns sprouted from above her ears, and a pair of large, bat wings came out of her back. A long red tail grew from her tailbone, it was a tail with a spade-like end. That was not the end. As those features fully appeared, red tattoo-like markings started to show on her skin, especially on her wrists, neck, chest, and below her umbilical region.

On the other hand, the King had no physical changes in his body. Instead, there was strong magical energy around him that caused the air to fluctuate. And as he willed, his body started to float steadily.

With the preparations, ready, The King and Queen flew towards the location of the cursed tree.

***

Day 129 - 12:05 PM - ACME Markets, Haddon Township, Camden County, New Jersey, United States of America

In another location, another group was alarmed by the sudden event. The leader of the group had some worries as he looked at the changing color of the sky.

"Everyone! Hurry up! We are returning!"

The leader commanded as their members rushed to their vehicles.

As everyone was ready to leave the market, the leader suddenly commanded.

"All of you return quickly! I\'ll check out what is happening!"

With those words, he jumped into his motorbike and left.

"SIR ROAN!"

Shouting was the only thing their members could do as their leader rushed away.