“Don’t try anything, Lisiandra.”
She emits the image of a demure lady and I can’t help but wonder what she’s done to cause his warning. He then looks at me, the same expression written on his face, like he’s been imposed on by having to come this far up to talk to us.
“Alora, I’ve been sent to collect you. Come willingly or else I’ll be forced to bring you to his majesty by other means.”
I bare my teeth, really wishing I had my dagger in this moment so I could fling it in his face.
“You won’t lay a finger on my friend, Orlin.” Lis moves stealthily, getting within feet of him before he even takes notice.
Meanwhile, I’m still reeling over the fact she considers me a friend. But I feel similarly, suddenly equally protective of her.
“You’re such a creepy bitch. You know that, Lisiandra?”
I’m about to send more mental daggers his way but Lis moves too quickly to see, and suddenly she has her hand wrapped around his throat, her hand glowing even with culling bands on her wrists.
Good gods, she’s powerful.
My eyes widen at the scene, it shouldn’t be possible and yet here it is, her magic is strong enough to overcome whatever ancient magic is used to create the inhibiting bands.
The Nightmare snarls and shoves her back with both of his hands. He snaps at her with his teeth as if he were a dog biting after a cat’s tail. This doesn’t dissuade her, if anything the glimmer in her eyes glows brighter.
“Come now, pet, let’s not do this today,” The Nightmare trills out.
He still stands in the doorway, blocking my escape, and if anything, I couldn’t leave her here anyways, no matter if she is more than capable of handling him.
“It’s okay, I’ll be fine Lis,” I call out in an attempt to save her from his wrath.
She looks at me and plastered on her face is a wicked smile, as if she likes to fight The Nightmare. She stalks towards him again and his face pales for a mere second before he raises his hand to his temple and focuses on Lis.
She is on the floor, writhing in seconds of him directing his magic at her.
Rage bubbles in my chest and I pounce in his direction, eager to make him stop.
He simply looks at me with the same salacious grin I’d seen written on Lord Velroy’s face and my body shudders as he turns his magic on me before I slam into the wall nearest him, my balance thrown off by the sudden onslaught of the torture.
My shoulder radiates pain so intense I clench my teeth in an effort to not cry out. But gods does it hurt.
The Nightmare steps over to me, while still trapping Lis in the submissive stance her body has crumbled into.
Visions of those I once considered dear rattle against the cages of my mind, blinding me by sorrow and unfound terror in between glimpses of The Nightmare bringing his fists down upon Lis.
It’s more than the horror of the mind though, it’s a needling that prods in the darkest trenches of your brain, once locating it’s target then piercing repeatedly until your brain threatens to turn to mush.
The claws sink further into my brain, ripping and shredding away layers until it finds the core.
I roll, trying desperately to break free from his magic while he assaults her blow after blow.
It’s like a cacophony of shredded reality as I battle my own false memories that are injected by the use of thenyghmargh.
His magic drops momentarily, allowing me a small reprieve from his torment. I lift my head towards Lis and see she’s on her feet. She spits blood onto the dark floor, the bright red contrasting in the expanse of elegance.
He staggers to his feet and wipes the trickle that’s begun to flow from his nose on his sleeve, smearing the fabric with the ichor.
“Why must we always brawl Lis? I grow fucking tired of this every time I’m sent up here you feral bitch.” He edges closer to her, his eyes vibrant with fight.
I roll back to my knees and catch my bearings while my mind fights the disorienting feeling of being torn between two realities.
A scream tears through the space and I snap my head towards her. She closes the distance between them, throwing him off balance and sending both of their bodies rocketing towards the marble pedestal that crashes with the force of their impact.
