A Void Within the Door

Chapter 9

"You have her?" A shadow creature, named Grimhill, asked as he and another creature walked through the halls of the fortress. 

"Yes sir, our soldiers located and apprehended her on a  dimension they call Earth." the shadow creature reported; just then the two stopped in front of a dungeon door. 

"Leave us alone," Grimhill ordered the lowly creature. 

"But sir, the girl has unlocked her powers. I don't find it wise-" Before the shadow creature could finish, Grimhill gave him a death glare. 

"Yes sir." was all he muttered before scurrying away. 

Grimhill stared intently at the door for a few moments before opening it. 

The sound of sobbing was the first noise he heard when he entered, and as he scanned the room he spotted Eleanor curled up in a dark corner fidgeting. 

Grimhill started to walk over to her, but Eleanor looked up, and pushed herself deeper into the corner. 

The shadow creature sighed, and then morphed into a human with black hair, orange tinted eyes, and milk-white skin. Despite the unnatural pale skin and orange irises, Grimhill looked normal overall. 

After fully morphing, Grimhill walked closer to Eleanor, and kneeled down next to her. 

"Princess Eleanor, it's nice to see you've grown healthy and strong." he said, pushing some of Eleanor's hair behind her ear. 

She flinched at the touch, causing the chain, binding her wrists to the stone wall, to rattle. 

"I've seen your true form; your costume isn't fooling anyone." Eleanor exclaimed, her voice breaking. 

Grimhill sighed once more, and let his hand fall back at his side. "I thought this form might make it easier for us to talk." 

"Talk? After your soldiers break into my home, drag me to that void against my own free-will, and then force me to watch as you kill my mother before bringing me here, and chaining me up; after all that you expect any kind of disguise will make talking easier." Eleanor stated. 

As she spoke, her face turned to Grimhill, and revealed a red, tear-stained face with blood-shot eyes filled with anger. 

"Rose was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her life would have been spared if she didn't intervene." the shadow creature tries saying. 

"Then why don't you kill me so I can see her again? Aren't I the only one left who can destroy you?" Eleanor pointed out, turning away from Grimhill again. 

"I never planned on killing you, Eleanor. I would never have harmed you in any way." Grimhill said, his voice sounding soothing; almost too soothing. 

Eleanor looked at him, scowled, and spat, "Then what would have you done?" 

"I would have raised you right. Un-like Rose, I would have told you the truth, taught you about your powers, and not take you away from the world you were born into." Grimhill listed. 

Eleanor pondered his reasonings, but soon argued back, "Maybe you would have told me the truth, maybe you would have taught me how to use my powers, and not take me from my home world, but I know the real reason you're keeping me alive; you need me to take over my kingdom." 

Grimhill's grin turned into  a frown, as Eleanor continued, "You are still at war with Kririn, and you need my powers  to fully take over. If I'm right, then kill me, because I'm not doing anything for the shadow creature that massacred everyone I loved." 

Eleanor gave a slight smirk as the shadow creature stood up. Grimhill straightened his cloak before saying, "I'm still not going to kill you." 

Eleanor's smirk went scarce, as purple light flickered from is finger-tips. 

"I'm just going to make this easier for the both of us." he finished, before extending his arm in a quick movement. 

Eleanor was harshly thrusted against the wall by an invisible force, resulting in a gasp to escape her lips. 

Her feet were inches off of the stone floor, and the chains were scraping her wrists, as Grimhill made his way to her. 

The shadow creature lifted his hand once again, and a purple flame rose from the palm. 

"Once this flame touches your skin, your mind will be lost, and your free-will disappear into nothingness," he stated. 

As the words escaped his mouth, the flame dispersed from Grimhill's hand and swirled over to a trembling Eleanor. 

With a quick flick of the wrist from Grimhill, the flame separated into five, and made their way to five places: the two shoulders, both legs, and the chest. 

Eleanor didn't have time to process what was happening before a burning sensation exploded throughout her entire body, and she screamed in pain as the flames sunk into her skin. 

She thrashed, and fidgeted, but nothing Eleanor did made the agony go away. 

Grimhill's smile grew as he watched the young girl stop thrashing, and her eyes go blank from emotion. 

However, the door behind him burst open, causing Grimhill to look over his shoulder: Mannix was standing in the door-way, panting, and a magenta=flame sword held tightly in his grip. 

"Mannix!" Grimhill hissed, turning his back on a dazed Eleanor. . 

Without the  attention of Grimhill, the magic keeping Eleanor restrained to the wall, failed, and she harshly collapsed to the cobble-stone floor.

The last thing she saw before she was thrown into a world of nothingness was Mannix bringing his flame-sword down on Grimhill. 

A/N: The villain has been introduced, and Eleanor's journey in this new world begins at long last! Theories? Feedback always welcome!