IGNITION ARC: Served then Ruled

3 months later, after Garvind’s encounter with the strange man, the changes that had happened to Garvind that Ronjun mentioned previously became more apparent.

“I’ve told you more than once—this should’ve been redone after consulting the client’s preference between the three. If you can’t get it right, should I just do it myself? Because if that’s the case, you need to ask yourself: what exactly is the point of you being here as my subordinate?” Garvind slammed the folder on his desk after scolding his female subordinate.

“I'm sorry, Sir Garvind. I’ll redo it right away.” She grabbed the folder on Garvind’s desk and left.

“As you should.”

“Hmp, serves her right,” another female subordinate who works under Garvind mumbled. She stood beside Garvind. “You should take care of your heart, Sir. You seemed tense today.” She smiled at him. This lady is always concerned about Garvind’s health especially after his heart transplant.

Garvind glared at her. “That doesn’t concern you. Have you finished your work? Let me check.”

The woman pouted and handed out her project to him.

After today’s work, Ronjun called Garvind, who is still working at his desk.

“Yoo! Let’s go drinking ‘cause tonight’s Friyay!” Ronjun said excitedly.

“By the way, you owe me from last week. This one will be your treat then.” Windel reminded him.

Ronjun scratched his head. “Okay, okay. Let’s go!”

“I can’t tonight. I’m finishing some tasks that my subordinates failed to do.” Garvind continued working on his laptop. Piled paperwork is on his desk.

“You’re too uptight, Garvs! Leave that to them for next week. Doesn’t mean you’ve been promoted; you should promote your stress levels, too. It must be the opposite. Right, Wils?” Ronjun chuckled.

Windel nodded reluctantly. “It’s his treat tonight. It’s not like he treats us frequently.”

“It’s on me if Garvs will join us!” Ronjun agreed.

“I really can’t. I can’t afford losing the chairman’s trust only to disappoint him.” Garvind said seriously.

Ronjun put his hand on Garvind’s desk. He closed Garvind’s laptop. “But you can afford to dismiss us, huh?” he joked.

Garvind grabbed his laptop and opened it. “Not my fault that I’m competitive enough to earn this position,” Garvind replied while typing on his laptop.

“What did you say?!” Ronjun scowled. “Talking big, aren’t you?”

Garvind looked at Ronjun.

“Hey, stop it.” Windel blocked Ronjun with his body.

Ronjun frowned. “I’ve no idea what’s happening to you lately, but not because you’re now above us, you’ll play down us like you were never our friend!”

“We’ll go now.” Windel bid goodbye to Garvind. He pulled away Ronjun from Garvind.

Ronjun and Windel stepped out of the office.

Garvind stared into nothingness for 15 minutes. He saw his reflection on his laptop. He still looks the old Garvind, but why does he feel something’s off?

He wonders if there’s something wrong with him, why it seems like he’s changing drastically.

After 4 hours of overtime, Garvind decided to go to his apartment. His mother texted him multiple times today but he was too busy to reply. He opened his phone and read her text.

You haven’t talked to us for a while. How’s my junior?

I heard from your friends that you got promoted. You haven’t visited us for months now.

It was your father’s birthday yesterday. Did you greet him?

I’m going today to your apartment, son.

Where are you? It’s past 10 PM. Go home now

He then noticed that he arrived at this apartment with the lights on when he was supposed to live alone. He dropped his bag and went to his room.

“Mom?”

His mother was sitting on his bed, folding his laundry.

“Garvind!” She hugged him and kissed his cheek.

“How did you end up here?” he’s puzzled.

“You gave me spare keys, remember?”

“Ah… yeah”

“I cooked your dinner. Have you eaten yet? Why did you come home late? Oh, it must be your friends. Did you drink tonight?” His mother interrogated him.

“No, Mom. I worked overtime.”

“Again? That’s why you can no longer visit us every weekend. I thought you have a girlfriend, but you married your career instead.”

“How’s Dad?”

“He’s doing good. Just a bit sad we celebrated his birthday without you.”

“I see. ‘Kay, Mom. Gonna shower first.”

“Go, quick, and eat, then take a rest.”

He took a hot shower after work. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and placed his hands on top of the lavatory basin. Garvind is still confused about what the strange man in the hospital garden said. He went straight back to his apartment after the strange man left him. He tried looking for him again, but he had no luck.

The hot water from the shower pours continuously, fogging the area. Garvind stared at his foggy reflection. His muscular build is visible and far from his previous body a year ago.

A second later, his face shifted into someone else’s. He frowned and stared again, but it wasn’t him. It was the face of another man in his mid-30s, with pale skin and stubble. Contrary to his facial features of a late 20s, tanned and clear skin.

“Ahhh!” He gripped his chest tightly.

He is having a hard time breathing, breaking out in a cold sweat. His heart beats faster. He feels lightheaded

“What happened?” his mother knocked on the bathroom door.

He opened it and collapsed.

“Garvind!” his mother shrieked.

He opened his eyes wider. The discomfort he felt left his body instantly.

“Are you alright?”

He looked at his mother intently—with a desire to kill her.

“Son, get up. We’ll take you to the hospital. Can you stand?”

His mother stood up and helped him to stand up. But the next thing he did was unexpected.

He transformed into a creature who has a sleek frame cloaked in dense black fur, with piercing eyes, powerful jaws, and sharp teeth. He became a wolf.

“G-Garvind? H-How? Why?” His mother sat on the floor, eyes widened.

She crawled and ran away, but the wolf jumped and bit her neck. “S-Son…”

He wrung her neck to finish her off.

Minutes after the incident, Garvind lay down on the bathroom floor, naked. The hot water in the shower flows steadily. He woke up and stood up.

He sneaked a peek outside his bathroom door and saw the body of his lifeless, bleeding mother. He noticed there was blood on his mouth when he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He wiped the foggy mirror with his left hand to see his reflection clearly.

He saw Garvind Custavo in the mirror.

He smirked and pressed his hands against his face. “I am me.”

The heart’s real owner invaded and devoured Garvind’s mind and body little by little until he resurfaced in the world. The 12-month reawakening has been completed.

Tonight marks the death of the real Garvind Custavo. The new Garvind in his new shell has been born.