Cloaked In Shadows

Rise or Fall

Nymeria sat quietly on the edge of her bed, her silver hair falling over her shoulder as she stared out the small window. The night was unusually quiet, a calm that made her feel uneasy. She had sent Kaelan a message earlier, waiting for his reply, though knowing him, he could be anywhere by now. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she glanced at her armor, neatly placed off to the side, her twin daggers resting beside it. She felt vulnerable without them, but Kaelan's presence always made her feel safe, even from a distance.

That sense of safety shattered in an instant.

The door to her room burst open with a deafening crash, and before she could react, a massive hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her off the ground and slamming her hard against the wall. The force of the blow knocked the air from her lungs, leaving her momentarily stunned. Her eyes widened as she recognized her attacker—Ash. His massive frame filled the room, his eyes cold and predatory as he tightened his grip around her neck.

"Didn't expect me, did you?" Ash growled, his voice low and mocking. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her skin. "You've been running for too long, little wolf."

Nymeria gasped for air, her fingers clawing at his wrist, but his strength was overwhelming. Her daggers, her armor—everything she needed—was just out of reach, resting in the corner. She cursed silently for having let her guard down.

"You won't make it out of this alive," Ash sneered, slamming her into the wall again, causing her vision to blur for a moment. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, the room spinning, but she forced herself to focus.

With a surge of adrenaline, Nymeria's knee shot up, catching Ash in the side. He grunted but didn't release her. Instead, he squeezed harder, clearly enjoying the struggle. Her mind raced—she needed to get to her daggers. She couldn't afford to wait for Kaelan's help; this was her fight.

With every ounce of strength she had, Nymeria twisted her body, kicking off the wall to break free from Ash's hold. She fell to the floor, gasping for air as she rolled away, her eyes locked on her daggers. She scrambled towards them, her fingertips just brushing the hilt before Ash's boot came down on her hand, pinning it painfully to the floor.

"Going somewhere?" Ash's grin widened as he leaned down, his weight pressing heavily against her hand. Nymeria bit back a cry of pain, her eyes blazing with fury.

Her mind raced, calculating her next move. She couldn't reach her weapons, and Ash was too strong to take head-on without them. But she was never one to give up easily.

As Ash loomed over her, Nymeria's eyes darted toward the door, praying Kaelan would appear soon. She just needed to buy herself time—if Kaelan was anywhere nearby, he'd feel the shift, the danger.

But she couldn't rely on that alone. Gritting her teeth, Nymeria kicked out hard, sweeping Ash's legs from under him. He staggered, just enough for her to roll free, her hand finally closing around one of her daggers.

"I've faced worse than you," she growled, eyes blazing with defiance, even as she fought through the pain.

Ash's grin faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Then I'll make sure you remember this as your last."

Ash regained his balance with a snarl, his bulk towering over Nymeria as she clutched her dagger, still on the floor. His eyes burned with cruel amusement as he watched her struggle to rise, his footfalls heavy as he advanced. Each step sent a tremor through the floor, his confidence unshaken.

"You think that little knife is going to save you, Nymeria?" he taunted, his deep voice vibrating in the tight space of the room. He lunged forward, too fast for someone his size, and before she could react, his massive hand gripped her wrist, twisting it painfully. Her dagger clattered to the ground, useless now.

Nymeria gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out as her arm was pinned behind her back, her body slammed against the wall once more. Ash pressed his weight against her, making it impossible for her to move. His strength was overwhelming, far beyond anything she could handle without her armor or a weapon in hand.

"You've always been slippery," Ash muttered, his voice dark with satisfaction. "But not tonight."

Nymeria struggled, her free hand clawing at the wall, trying to gain any leverage, but Ash's crushing hold kept her pinned. Every movement seemed futile. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, his oppressive presence looming over her, making her heart race faster.

For a moment, panic flickered in her chest. Her mind raced, but she was running out of options. Her body ached from the impact of his blows, her strength waning with every second she spent trapped beneath his power. She was fighting an opponent she hadn't prepared for, and the disadvantage was brutally clear.

"Look at you," Ash's voice oozed satisfaction, his grip tightening until she could barely breathe. "The infamous assassin, helpless and cornered. I thought you'd put up more of a fight."

Nymeria's vision swam with the pressure, but her fury burned hotter than her fear. She had faced death before, endured betrayal, survived the worst humanity had to offer. She wasn't going to give Ash the satisfaction of seeing her break.

Gathering her remaining strength, Nymeria kicked her foot backward, striking Ash in the knee. It wasn't enough to cripple him, but it caused him to grunt in surprise. His grip loosened slightly, and Nymeria seized the opening, twisting violently to free herself, though Ash's size made it nearly impossible.

He gripped her again, dragging her across the room, slamming her into the floor with a force that rattled her bones. She gasped in pain, her body protesting as she tried to move, but Ash was relentless. He knelt over her, pinning her down with his weight, his cold eyes locked onto hers.

"You were never a match for me, wolf," he growled, his voice a low rumble. "You should have known better than to think you could survive this."

Nymeria's chest heaved as she glared up at him, defiant even now. Her hands were pinned, her body bruised and aching. She was completely outmatched, and Ash knew it. The air felt thick with tension, and her thoughts desperately screamed for Kaelan, for any sign of escape.

But all she had was the will to keep fighting, even if her body was nearly broken.

Nymeria's breath came in ragged bursts as she lay pinned beneath Ash's crushing weight, her back pressed harshly against the cold floor. His massive hand wrapped tightly around her throat, the sheer force of his grip cutting off her air, making it impossible for her to move or fight back.

She tried to twist beneath him, to buck his weight off of her, but Ash was too strong, his knee pressing down painfully on her ribs. Every breath was a struggle, and the world around her started to blur at the edges. The room felt far too small, far too dark, with her daggers scattered out of reach. Her armor, so often her shield, was lying uselessly off to the side. She had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable.

Above her, Ash's face twisted into a sneer, his dark eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her skin, making her muscles tense in disgust.

"Look at you now, little wolf," he taunted, his voice low and dripping with malice. "Caught off guard... like prey. You thought you were untouchable. But here you are."

Nymeria glared up at him, her eyes burning with defiance despite the panic rising in her chest. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break, even as her body screamed for air, even as the walls seemed to close in around her. Her mind raced, frantically searching for a way out, but she was outmatched, outmaneuvered.

She gritted her teeth, fury mixing with the pain, but the edges of her vision began to darken, her strength slipping away as Ash's grip tightened. She needed to move, needed to find an opening, but her limbs felt heavy, her lungs burning.

And then, in the midst of her struggle, she thought of Kaelan. She had been waiting for his reply, hoping to hear from him, but now, more than ever, she needed him. She cursed under her breath, wishing she had been more prepared, more alert.

Ash's cruel grin widened as he sensed her fading resistance. "No one's coming for you," he murmured, his voice a harsh whisper, his eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.

But unbeknownst to Ash, Kaelan was already close. And his fury was a storm about to break.