Get up, move your ass damnit.
I curse myself and force my body to stand. My vision swims as I follow the pair that’s now a ball of fists and kicks.
The glint of my culling band almost drags me under with helplessness, but I’ve been here before, useless with magic.
But the gods gave me more than magic.
They presented me with times I had to scrape my way through this world to survive the fates and callousness.
I was forged when they abandoned us, when they forsake humanity.
Fuck the gods.
My vision bleeds to red, tunneling with hatred, and I stalk towards the two locked in on each other.
At first they don’t notice me, not until I wrap my hands around The Nightmare's face and sink my fingernails into his cheeks. His skin peels underneath my grasp, slickening with his blood as I dig them farther into his flesh.
He screams, rage etching the shrill sound.
His fist promptly smashes into my face, right into my cheekbone and I immediately fall backwards with the blow. My skull smacks the hard ground with a thud but I’m too busy watching The Nightmare kick Lis away, her body hitting the floor with a sickening crunch, before turning back to me with rivulets of blood streaming down his face.
My blood pumps rapidly, hot adrenaline causing me to shake as I skitter backwards.
My feet slip along the hard floor as The Nightmare closes in on me. I glance towards Lis, her unmoving form crumpled against the wall.
“You little cunt.” His snarl forces my eyes back to him.
He looks like a daemon of Haldir with the gore hanging off his face. His hand comes up to what is left of his cheek and he smears the sticky crimson between his fingers before running both hands through his greasy hair, coating the strands further with his blood.
If there were a god of malevolence, The Nightmare’s bloody effigy would surely honor them.
I should be afraid, I’d be stupid not to be, but my vision sharpens and an odd sense of peace settles over my body.
In a bout of defiance, I chuckle when he’s merely a few steps away. “I’ve seen men like you before, fragile little worms that you are.”
He stops, mid step, and slowly places his foot down while his brow quirks at me.
“You’ve never met anyone like me before, I can assure you that,” he chides.
Laughter erupts from me and his gaze turns more cruel, if it were possible.
“You dare mock me?” He steps closer again and I scooch away until my back is against the bedframe.
I begin to reconsider toying with him given the way his eyes turn punishing.
“I’ve had to teach others to remain in their place more times than you’d probably even fathom. You’re no different, you little bitch.”
His lip curls upwards as he begins to unbutton his leather vest, stripping away the soiled garment before rolling up his sleeves.
He continues, “Sometimes I find that breaking the mind isn’t enough. Sometimes we have to break the body before we can break the spirit.”
His hands slink to his belt and he rips it off in one swipe. He begins to wrap the belt around his hand, encircling it a few times until his knuckles are wrapped with it.
“Though, oftentimes,” his voice lowers almost to a growl, “it’s possible to accomplish both at the same time. While pleasurable for me, I can promise, it won’t be for you.”
My breath escapes shakily as my skin buzzes with awareness, my skin screams to let my magic slice through though the culling bands keeping it buried.
The Nightmare’s eyes ignite with something more sinister. I trace over the torn flesh and lips turned upwards into a sneer.
