Chapter 47: Devils Touch, Malevolent Spirit
What was it, that when faced with such strong conviction, it made men weak?
Was it projected by her words, filled with an indomitable will or was it her actions, which weighed heavily and petrified those around her?
No.
It was only her eyes; A stone cold gaze reflecting her hatred, like a lake reflecting the moon.
"ᴡʜᴀᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʀᴀɴᴅᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ғɪʟʟɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ?"
She looked at me the same way someone would look at a stranger.
The blood flow to my head was interrupted by her merciless hands and my breathing turned shorter and shorter. I felt lightheaded and like I was floating above the clouds in the inked nightsky.
"Did you trick me? You could make a good conman."
ʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴀsʜᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅs ʙᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀssɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢʀᴀʙ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜsʜ ʜɪs ᴛʜʀᴏᴀᴛ ᴜᴘᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sᴏᴜɴᴅ —ᴀs ᴛʜɪɴ ᴀs ᴀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀs sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴀs ᴀ ᴋɴɪғᴇ— ᴡᴀs ᴇsᴄᴏʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪs ᴡɪɴᴅᴘɪᴘᴇ.
ɪ sᴛɪʟʟ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sᴇɴᴛ ᴀᴡᴀʏ, ᴍᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴍʏ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴏᴍʙᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴅ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇsᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴡᴇᴅ. ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪsʟᴇ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴀғғᴏʟᴅ.
ʜᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅs ᴏғ ᴜɴʀᴇʟᴇɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴇʏᴇs ᴘʀᴇssᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀsᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴍᴇ, ᴀs ɪ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʟᴘʀɪᴛ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ, ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴜᴛᴇ sᴛᴀʙs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ. ɪғ ɪ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴜʀᴍᴜʀs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡᴅ, ᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʀɪᴅɪᴄᴜʟᴇ —ʀᴏᴡs ᴏғ ʟᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ʙᴜʀsᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅs— ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ɪ'ᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴛᴀʟɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ.
ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍɪɴɢ sᴇᴠᴇʀɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʜᴀᴅ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇssᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴠᴏɪᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs. ɪ sᴜsᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ, ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ, ʙᴇʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴏʀɴғᴜʟ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴠɪɴɢ ɢᴀᴢᴇs: ᴀ ᴅɪsᴛᴀɪɴғᴜʟ sᴍɪʟᴇ, ғᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ ɪᴛ.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴍᴇ?
"ɴᴏᴡ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ," ɪ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ, "ᴅᴏᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴇᴇᴍ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ?"
"You are so uncute," ʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sǫᴜᴇᴇᴢᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ.
sᴜᴄʜ ᴠᴀɴɪᴛʏ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴜsᴇ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍsᴇʟᴠᴇs. ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀɴ ᴜɢʟʏ ʜᴀɢ, ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏsᴛɪᴛᴜᴛᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛs.
"Does that mean we hadn't gotten closer?"
"ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ɢᴜᴇss."
ʜᴇ ʟᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ, "that's really too bad," ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴅʀᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʜɪs sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴏғ ᴅɪᴢᴢɪɴᴇss.
ʏᴇs ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs. ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ғᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ.
ɪ ғᴏʀ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ ɢᴏɴᴇ. ғᴏʀ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜs sᴀᴋᴇ, ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴋɪʟʟ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ sɪɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠɪᴇsᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀʟʟ. ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴍᴀʀᴋ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴄʀᴇᴘᴛ sʟᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪʀᴏɴʏ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ sᴛᴜᴅɪᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʟᴀsᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏsɪᴛʏ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʟɪғᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ғᴇᴡ ʏᴇᴀʀs. ɪ ᴛʜᴏʀᴏᴜɢʜʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀᴠᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛʜɪʀsᴛ ғᴏʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ǫᴜᴇɴᴄʜᴇᴅ. ᴏʀ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇᴅ.
ʜᴇ ʟᴇᴛ ɢᴏ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍs, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ʜᴇ ғᴏᴜɢʜᴛ sᴏ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛᴏ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ʜɪs ʟɪғᴇ. ᴀᴛ ғɪʀsᴛ, ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɢᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢᴇᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ sᴀᴡ ʜɪs ᴇʏᴇs, ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀᴏɴɢ. ᴏʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴡ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ɪ ᴡᴀs.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ sᴀᴡ ᴡᴀs ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇsᴄʀɪʙᴇ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴄᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ, ᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ɴᴏᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. ʜɪs ɢᴀᴢᴇ, ɪᴛ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ sʜᴜᴅᴅᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀs ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴀ ʙɪᴛᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ғʀᴜɪᴛ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀʙsᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ᴘʜᴀɴᴛᴀsᴍᴀɢᴏʀɪᴄ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇɴᴇss, ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍʏ ᴅᴇsᴄʀɪᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ɪɴᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ— ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴀʟ sᴛᴀʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀᴄᴄᴜᴍᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴀs ʜɪs ᴏᴡɴ.
ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ sᴡᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ʟɪɢʜᴛ? ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙʏss ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ? ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɴᴏᴛ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴀʀᴇᴅ.
ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪ ᴡʜᴏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴘ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʀᴅs sɪɴɢ sᴏɴɢs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛᴀʟᴇ, ᴀs ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ʜɪs ɪᴄᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ᴇʏᴇs.
ᴀs sᴜɴʟɪɢʜᴛ sᴜʀᴇʟʏ ᴅʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛs, sᴏ ʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ sᴇɴᴅ sʜɪᴠᴇʀs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴍʏ sᴘɪɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ᴏʀᴄʜᴇsᴛʀᴀ.
ɪ ᴛʀᴇᴍʙʟᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ɢʀɪᴘ ʟᴇssᴇɴᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ғᴀᴛᴀʟ.
"Remember, you are not the only one willing to take a life," ʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ, ʜɪs ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ғʟᴜᴄᴛᴜᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ. ʜɪs ᴅᴏʟʟғᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴʟᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ɪɴ ᴀʟʟ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʏ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜɪs ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ.
ʟᴇᴛ ᴜs ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ. ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴇɴᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛs, ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀɪʟɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴀ ɢʜᴏsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴅᴀɪɴᴛʏ sʟᴏᴡɴᴇss ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴇɴᴀᴄᴛ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ, sʜᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍs. sᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ᴜs ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ.
"I will."ʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ.
ᴅᴏᴜʙᴛʟᴇssʟʏ, ʜᴇ ʙɪᴛ ᴍʏ ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏɴᴇ. ᴅɪᴅ ɪᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ? ɴᴏ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɴᴏᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ғʟɪɴᴄʜ ᴜᴘᴏɴ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ sᴜᴄʜ ɢʀᴜᴇsᴏᴍᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇ, ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴅʀɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ғʟᴇsʜʏ ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ʟᴀɪᴅ ʟɪғᴇʟᴇssʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ?
ʜᴇ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ.
ʜᴇ ʙɪᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ sᴇɴsᴇs, ᴏᴜʀ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇʀsᴇᴅ. sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴏᴘʟᴇᴛs ᴏғ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ʙʏ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴡʜᴀᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇssᴏʀʏ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs. ʟɪᴋᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʀᴏsᴇ ᴘᴇᴛᴀʟs ɪɴ ᴀ ᴠɪʙʀᴀɴᴛ ɢᴀʀᴅᴇɴ.
ʜᴇ ɢʀᴀʙʙᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅs, ɪɴᴛᴇʀʟᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴍᴇᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴜᴄʜ sᴇʟғ ᴄᴏɴғɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴋɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴍʏ ᴇʟʙᴏᴡ; ᴀ ᴅᴜʟʟ sɴᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ sᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ʙᴏɴᴇ, ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀɪʀ, ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀʟʟ. ɪ sǫᴜɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇs ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ sᴀᴡ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍ, ʙᴇɴᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ sᴍɪʟᴇ.
"Don't get carried away, child," ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜᴇ, ʜɪs sɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ ʜᴜɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ɢʟᴀss ᴇʏᴇs ᴅᴇᴄᴏʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ sʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴɪᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴘᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ɢʀɪɴ, ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪs ɪɴʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴍᴀsᴋ.
I really didn't want to resort to such measures.
I quite liked that girl, she had a passion for something I could agree on. Such cases were rare for me. When I saw her arms which were bend out of shape, and her dripping fingers, my heart ached for her. But if I didn't fight back would people come to think I was a joke? I wouldn't like that either.
This time, it was me who pressed her towards the ground, and I sat right on top of her, giving her no chance of escaping.
"ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʀɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ," she said bitterly, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴛᴇʀʀɪғʏɪɴɢ."
Her strength faded away and her arm fell to the ground, followed by tiny droplets of blood. A splash, and the red splattered.
"It was never my intention to hide it."
She stared at me with unbound hatred, but when I did the same, she tossed her head.
"ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴋɪʟʟ ᴍᴇ."
"What?"
She watched the distance, her brows furrowed and she didn't repeat herself. I moved closer and forcefully pulled her head towards me by grabbing her hair.
"I don't mind, if I have to," I caressed her cheek while holding her neck tightly.
"ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ," she muttered, "ɪ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs. ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɴᴏᴡ, ʏᴏᴜ ɢʀᴏᴛᴇsǫᴜᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ."
"You know, but you still want me to do it?"
She bursted into harsh laughter, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪ'ᴍ sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ," the girl looked at me with determination, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏғ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ, ʜᴜʜ?"
I was silent at her voice that seemed to shake my foundation. I only sighed and moved my fingers towards her eye, "that's the spirit," I said.
She closed them, as if the flimsy skin of her eyelid could protect them; or maybe she just didn't want to face the truth, as she prepared for whatever she imagined would come.
But, lucky for her, it wouldn't.
I moved my finger around her face, and she trembled, her breathing turned disorderly. And when she turned away, twisting her head around, my hand would follow her. And when I pulled her towards me, she would face away, her eyes still shut, and stay silent.
I faced her ear, and gently whispered, "I won't kill you."
Her eyes stayed closed, and she didn't say anything, but she quivered slightly.
"I don't want to kill you," I repeated myself and kissed her forehead, "didn't I tell you that I would help you get revenge? You should believe me a bit more. It will be fun, I tell you. Fun."
I traced her skin with my lips, and she shook. Her own lips turned white as she bit them and her face would twitch.
"ɪ'ᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀ ғᴏᴏʟ ɪғ ɪ ᴅɪᴅ."
"It is the truth, you know. I sympathize with your situation. I lived as you, after all. Even if that time was short."
Her velvet cheek would move, every time she thought. And her chest rose so alluringly every time she thought.
I understood her well, even if not well enough. But I had a disposition that'd make me feel drawn to those who follow the darkness. Was it sixth sense, or was it the magic this world prized itself to have, I didn't know.
The faded lights from the afternoon came bobbing down her face and she squinted her eyes, even though they were already closed.
"ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ɴᴏᴡ. ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴɴᴇᴅ."
I didn't say anything but I replied with a hug. She groaned, as if in pain, and pushed me away with her arm that was unhurt.
"Good girl," I patted her head, her dewy hair entangled my hand.
"ᴄʜᴇ," she clicked her tongue.
As I let her go, she quickly moved away, and curled into a little ball. I wanted to embrace her, but before I could, the light around her distorted, and her figure was slowly torn apart like fissures.
Her body disappeared, fading into the surroundings, and when she returned again, her wounds were nowhere to be seen.
Her fingers that she had lost, turned back into the five they were, and her arm had straightened itself. The black and blue discoloration vanished without a trace.
"That is quite the healing capability," I exclaimed in wonder.
"ɪ ᴏɴʟʏ ʀᴇᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ғʀᴇᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ."
"Great, then we have gone back to how we were before," I clasped my hands, "now everyone is happy."
"ɴᴏ, ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴇᴛ," she interrupted me.
She raised her hands, grasping the air and again, the light surrounding her churned. It was like a hallucination and her body seemed to wobble as ripples left her skin and dissipated around her.
Like small tornadoes, black fabric wrapped her up, first concealing her breast and then slithering around her thighs, squeezing them softly.
A dark nightgown was formed. It was still loose, and seemed to be a bit too big for her, but was a lot better than wearing nothing at all
"Eh, I don't want you wearing clothes," I felt her waist with my hands and pouted.
"sᴛᴏᴘ ᴍᴇssɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴀᴍɴ ᴇxʜɪʙɪᴛɪᴏɴɪsᴛ."
She pushed me away, while I moved closer. Every time I did, she grew more irritated and used just a bit more strength to fight back.
"Nobody can see you anyways, don't you think that it is good for you to return to the primal state. It would be liberating."
"ɴᴏ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ," she shouted, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʟ ᴡʜᴏ sᴘʟɪᴛs ʜᴇʀ ʟᴇɢs ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ ᴅɪᴍᴇs?"
I tired convincing her, but she didn't listen. Instead, she held her ears and shoved me away with her feet.
Ultimately, it was a knocking sound, coming from the door leading to the hallways, which made us stop our actions, while her fingers pulled my mouth apart and I reached for her arms.
"Pardon me, Agnes," a feminine voice said.
"Who?"
"It is me, Celestia. May I enter?"
I let go of the original Agnes and straightened my dress. She too, floated away and removed her hands from my mouth, "sure."
Celestia opened the door carefully with both hands holding the handle and leaned her head in. Her hair hung down her small face and she observed the situation in the room.
Seeing that I was alone, she entered without worries.
"I wanted to talk about yesterday. The promise you made me."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone