The Deathly Nothing

Chapter 15

"Are you sure you want to do this my boy?" Devoe rasped, a glint of concern flashed in his slitted eyes.

"Well, it's too late for him to back out now I'm afraid," Doreah replied, delicately taking her weapon from Devoe. Her slender fingers gripped the sword, a touch so soft, yet capable of yielding the most deadliest destruction. The sword was not a necessity, nor were any of the weapons in the room because she was a weapon herself. Her power could twist and bend the metal of any sword, consume the strongest of warriors, tearing apart their minds. Maybe this was just some fun to her, some wicked and cruel fun. The passion of messing with her victims, as if she were a child playing with her dolls.

"From what I could hear through the halls, Rudylin was using you as a personal punchbag," she crooned, examining her sword as it glinted in the streaks of pale light, "maybe my pity for you will let you walk out this room with your heart still beating."

"I think your incapability to find your crystal will be enough of a motive," I replied calmly whilst trying to maintain her unfaltering gaze.

Doreah flashed me a quick grin before it quickly subsided; she was evidently done playing.

"Okay village boy, lets see you move," she ordered quietly. I could sense those dark shadows waiting to pounce from her fingertips. I suddenly broke my position, running at her with full force, my sword clutched tightly in my hands. I lifted it above my head, slamming it towards her. The clash of metal on metal was heard next as she met my every move. I gritted my teeth trying to subdue the building pressure within my arms as I resisted her attack. I was at her mercy.

"It's a shame," she breathed, swinging round to block my next attack, "so much determination, yet you are blind to its futility."

I inhaled sharply, my chest beginning to sieze up as I struggled for breath.

"Everything is futile against something like you," I retaliated, pushing my sword back against hers in an attempt to drive her back, "something so unnatural."

Another smile emerged on her pale face, her eyes glinting as they bore right into my own. I felt her sword's resistance cease unexpectantly, allowing me to drive her backwards towards the wall. Why wasn't she resisting? I grunted as I continued to summon my last remaning source of energy towards her. Then, just as her back was merely inches from slamming into the wall, she was enveloped into her shadows. A whirling, ebony cloud that dissappeared only moments after emerging.

My eyes widened as I continued to stumble forwards, my face making contact with the wall with a large thump. It was then that I felt her presence directly behind me, her icy breath touching the nape of my neck. My hair stood on edge.

"At least you were right about something," she whispered, drawing closer to my face, "I am unnatural in every way your small mind could imagine."

My body stiffened, held firmly against the cold stone wall. I resisted the temptation to peer round at her. "There may be monsters and creatures of the dark hiding in wait for you out there, stranger, " she said softly, "but I can be your worst nightmare. Stop trying to hush away the fear I know you feel for me."

I felt my heart beat begin to fall from its climax as her words filled my ear. I could only breathe steady, shallow breaths as I felt her cold hand entwine with my own. I felt her force it open as she carefully removed my sword that I clutched to me. After a few moments, I turned from the wall expecting to meet her gaze. Yet, she was gone, like a cloud of sand swept away with the wind.