He Who Controls the Flame (001 fanfic)

Chapter Thirty Seven- Controlling the Flame

I sucked in a breath, revulsion making acid build up my throat and I desperately swallowed it down, not wanting to vomit in Max's head. Or memory? I didn't really know how that all worked or what the etiquette was, but I couldn't really focus on that now with the being standing before me.

He emerged seemingly out of nowhere. It was the creature Max had described. It had flesh-like tones for skin, pinks and dark reds, but its skin...its skin was moving, writhing, like veins over its arms and legs.

It looked like a thing of nightmares, the type of monster entire religions were built against to ward off.

"Juliette Brenner" the monster said, an amused lilt to his voice. It was an unnaturally low one, like it came from the deepest, darkest abyss. "Are you the weapon they brought to take me on?" He tilted his head to the side. "You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Shut up!" I spat. I surged my power forward and set his arm on fire. He let out a roar as fire encapsulated him.

His power released me and I ran towards Max who was slowly picking herself up off the ground.

"You have to go," I said. "You have to get out of here and-" My words were cut off as something yanked me backwards. I screamed as I soared through the air and crashed into the bleachers. My head collided into something hard and sent sparks of white across my vision. I groaned, reaching my fingers up to the back of my skull. They came back covered in a warm wetness. Blood.

I opened my eyes to see the world tilting around me, focusing in and out. Oh, that wasn't good. I was suddenly lifted again, my body floating upwards, limp like a ragdoll.

"It was foolish sending you," Vecna said. "But I will enjoy playing with you." He suddenly cocked his head and I was sent careening forward, right for his outstretched hand. I gasped, waiting for the collision, but it never came.

My body froze and I realized I was hovering a couple feet away from him. An awful pressure had gathered around me, but I found the strength to turn my head. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Eleven with her own hand outstretched, fingers splayed, blood dripping from her nose.

"Let. Her. Go," Eleven said.

"Alright." Pressure gave way and I was dropped downwards. My body smacked into the wood floor and I cursed as more pain flared through me.

"Dick," I panted.

I pushed myself onto my hands and knees to see Eleven's brows furrowing, her forehead crinkling. Then she was pushed backwards, slamming into the wall. Vecna had outdone her. He was too strong.

I screamed her name, but it was too late, something was gripping my hair and pulling me to my feet. I hissed as my scalp burned with the effort and blinked tears from my eyes. I would not let him see me cry. I wouldn't.

I was pinned to his body and I gagged, feeling the roughness of his skin, the sliminess of it.

"You're scared," he said.

"I'm not," I said, my voice coming out a firmer than I had expected.

"And a liar." The world around me suddenly blurred and I was getting slammed against something hard. It took me a moment to realize we had moved from the center of the gym floor to the wall next to the bleachers.

The monster was standing before me, his eyes narrowed, taking me in. I fought against his grip but it was like fighting against an iron statue.

"You're trembling against me," he said, his voice low, quiet. I suddenly felt something coil around my torso, sliding up my arm and up to my collarbone. "If I checked your pulse, it'd be racing, wouldn't it?"