The Deathly Nothing

Chapter 7

It was darker than I could have ever imagined. Raging skies of obsidian black greeted my eyes as I stared up at the sky from where I lay, ensnared in the clutches of my captor. My whole body throbbed and ached, I felt more than dead. Frozen with a deathly chill inside and out as I coughed up grimy water that ran down my chest. I was smeared in thick, heavy layers of black sludge that stained my skin with it's dark pigment. What looked like weeds clung to my hair as my body shook from the lethal cold that squeezed me tight. My clothes were torn in places, especially my left trouser leg where huge claw marks ran down my skin.

Blood continued to trickle like a waterfall down my legs, pain shot through me endlessly. I believed this was where I'd die, lost to the Underneath like so many others. It's darkness was like nothing I'd felt before, it was alive and breathing as it choked and strangled me. Darkness that clung in the air permanently, that watched every movement, that read every fragile mind. This darkness would torture me before it killed me and then I'd become a part of it.

I lifted my head from the ground, hauling my body up onto my elbows, where I met the eyes of a monster crouched in front of me. It's face was partially hidden by it's shaggy hair that snaked onto the ground. Through it's strands, those eldritch eyes investigated mine and I looked back. My breathing began to quicken, my heart awakened as I looked into those empty orbs. Those silver pools of ghosts, glimmering through the dark. It's lips were small and remained sewn shut as only it's eyes moved. My throat wheezed as I began to crawl backwards, my one leg numb with pain as it remained outstretched.

Bursting into movement, the monster began to crawl forwards with it's bladed nails slicing through the ground. Within moments my back hit against a wall of stone, I could retreat no further, as it prowled closer hissing and spitting with hostility. Gritting my teeth and digging my nails into the earth below, I awaited death. Those butchering claws extended out to me, glinting in the darkness as it let out a horrific scream, the sound of souls being tortured filled the smokey air. I leant into the wall, hoping I could simply melt into the stone and escape this horror story. The monster lifted one of it's slender arms, nails splaying open wide as they reached for me. One last hiss penetrated my ears as it launched into a jump, those long limbs carrying it through the air and then-

It was dead.

Impaled upon the rock above me, two daggers through it's bony back. Oozing from it's broken flesh were streams of black liquid which I presumed to be it's blood. Blood as silky smooth as ink as it ran down it's skin into a pool on the floor, some splattered onto my face. I could only stare at the corpse above my head, my eyes widened, my lips parted slightly. I felt my ability to speak drifted away. My body had become still despite the fear that ate at me from within.

Slowly I began to look down from the dead monster, my eyes scanning for my savior- it would not be Zarek this time that was for sure. Meters away from me stood a young woman, dressed fully in black and flanked by two men. Out of the three she radiated the most power, she sent a chill down my spine- almost making the other two look like gentle giants. An offspring of the darkness as she blended into it with ease, so they became one.

Heavy boots rose up her legs where she wore tight trousers that hugged her body perfectly. A body made of lean muscle, not stocky like an ox but stealthy and powerful like a jaguar. A predator that could scale the most treacherous cliff face or sprint at unimaginable speeds across harsh terrain. A force to be reckoned with, that was for sure. A black chest plate with small silver details on the shoulders and down to her waist that carried an abundance of weapons. They were tightly secured to a thick belt, small knives and then others that were much much bigger...Over the top, a large cloak, including a hood that draped over her head. It was clear that she was unclear. Unclear to understand from the outside, so obscure that she'd survive Zarek's reading with flying colors. Once again, only a pair of eyes met me as the women wore a face mask that came up to her nostrils.

Striding forwards without a hint of hesitation she stopped at my feet, the rest of her company remained back. It seemed only she did the intimidating around here and that no fear ran through her veins. Her eyes dropped down to me as I sat upright on the ground, clutching my leg. The woman did not remove her mask when she said,

"Get up."

That voice was sharp and stern, her words quick and snappy. I looked up to her, noticing her arms were scattered with scars. Scars of a warrior was my best guess, she definitely fit the stereotype. Terror lay in the pit of my stomach but before I could think or strategize, I blurted in response,

"I can't."

As soon as the words slipped from my lips, I believed death from the impaled monster above my head could have been a less painful way to end things. I believed each of those knives on her belt would be pointed at me. My hand brushed over my leg, revealing the wound that burned into my skin. I gulped as I looked up to her, meeting a dark and unmoving face. After a few moments she raised one of her gloved hands, ushering the two men forwards. My chest rose once more, a joint effort to kill me would be a miserable end.

They trudged forwards, the pair of them armored from head to foot like two huge battle tanks, their muscular arms lifted me up to my feet with ease. They held me there as their leader remained still. Finally, she pulled down her face covering, presenting a scar that ran down her cheek. It looked as if a knife had carved through her skin, I believed it was an encounter one would wish to forget. My eyes must have dwelled on that spot of her face a second too long as she fisted the front of my shirt, pulling me close so we were only inches away from each other. I grunted slightly as I now looked into her eyes. The deepest brown as they stared into me, not subjecting to a single blink.

"How did you get here?" she asked slowly. Her voice was careful in question, she'd play the game to retrieve what she needed from me. I inhaled quickly in attempt to compose myself, the pounding in my head and the stabbing in my leg. Block the pain out to survive..."I suggest you answer me while you still can," she demanded, her eyes narrowed as she gripped my shirt more forcefully- somehow.

"That- that monster, it dragged me down here, well no it didn't start there- it was the bird that led me to the lake. I was in the forest and then I saw the bird, so I followed it and, uh, then I fell and that thing, well, it grabbed my leg and then I went under water-"

"Shut it!" she snarled, her bottom lip curled as she looked at my dirty face up and down, nostrils flaring slightly. Reaching for her belt she gripped one of the smallest knives, small but not any less scary. She trailed it over my body before resting it directly over my pounding heart. I gazed down, my filthy hair falling onto my face. "Not just anyone welcomes themselves into this world, especially piteous village boys like you. How did someone like yourself slip through to the Underneath?" she inquired at a whisper; a voice so cunning as she calculated every selected word. Those slitted eyes widened as she awaited my response. My breathing was winded and lost, I was clueless myself in how the monster brought me here. After my head went under the black lake, everything was foggy and confusing. I saw nothing.

"I don't know how it happened, I don't and-and I'm sorry for coming here it wasn't my intention-"

"Don't apologize to me, you should feel sorry for yourself. This world can kill you in many ways, but I could do it most efficiently. A shame really don't you think?" she purred with a slight grin, but her face still held a serious look. I felt as if I was already fading away and becoming forgotten. "You have a story to tell, I'd like to hear it...but not as much as the Queen will, you're coming with us."