Reaper's War

Chapter 34: Error

Beyond the horizon in an ungodly place, preparations were being completed with the scheming Queen of Grimm watching over her minions' work. The time for everything to come crumbling down so close yet so far. Salem positively vibrated with anticipation at the prospect of seeing her ex-husband's lifeless eyes.

Unfortunately, she still had some time to wait: her agents were still in place, standing by for everything else to fall into place, thus she had to be patient for what was to come. For now, the immortal Queen had a new plaything to amuse herself with. She would take great pleasure in corrupting another Schnee, especially after the first two had escaped her grasp. She hoped to use the woman in her dungeons for her own gain, meaning she was to be kept alive by any means. Unless of course her plans changed. Besides that, she wanted to use her to ensure the arrogant God's plans shattered before they could come to fruition.

Moving through the desolate halls of her castle at a leisurely pace lost in thought, she soon found herself in the throne room where several eyes of varying terror and curiosity watched her closely and carefully. A simple raise of an eyebrow and glance in each different had those same eyes looking away just as quickly, their trepidation palpable in the air.

A chuckle erupted from the dark depths of her chest and the most evil smile curved her lips upwards, causing those in the room to shudder in horrid terror. It brought her great pleasure to know a simple chuckle could elicit such reactions from the mortals that served her. Those same mortals were the most fortunate that they amused her to no end. If she didn't need their services, they would all be dead by now.

Slowly moving up the steps towards her throne, the unhinged smile still on her face, she spoke. "Bring me the Schnee," her voice seeming to boom around the entire castle even though it was her usual silk-like voice.
The order wasn't intended for any of the mortals scattered along the walls of the room but for the horrifying humanoid Grimm stood either side of the throne. They immediately moved off to fulfil the order, only stopping momentarily when their mistress spoke again as she sat down.
"Ensure she understands she now belongs to me." Both creatures nodded in affirmation, understanding the hidden instructions.
*****
Unconsciousness was blissful, in a sense. Nothing mattered and it felt as though no one could hurt you. There was eerily familiar peace to the silence and the blackness, where only memories of a childhood long since gone could invade the Specialist's mind. For once, however, nothing of the sort flitted across her unconscious mind, thankfully leaving the calm and soundless.
That is until the reverberations of clanging metal electrified Winter's senses, bringing her back into the waking. Ice blue met blood red, her eyes snapping open abruptly, the feelings of dread and danger putting her on high alert. The fear quickly turned to anger, a sneer engulfing her usually stoic features and before she could utter a single sound, pain radiated from her abdomen. Suddenly, she couldn't take a breath, the former Reapers before her effectively taking the air from her lungs with swift punches to her core.

Just as quickly as the onslaught began, it was over and she gasped desperately for a single breath before glaring at the smirking creatures. Said monsters stepped aside then, allowing a small tentacled Grimm into the space between them. It stared into her, seemingly looking for something deep within her. The proud Schnee glared back, still coughing and gasping, unafraid of the strange Grimm. She should have been. That was yet another mistake in her life she would never be able to rectify.

The sting of deathly cold hands seized her wrists but that wasn't what had her eyes widening or a blood-curdling scream to explode out of out her throat. It didn't stop. It seemed it never would: the piercing of her flesh by the small tentacled monster. Over and over a blade etched with barbs slid through her skin and muscles as though they were butter, only struggling its exit as the barbs became stuck in her flesh.
Winter had no idea how many times the Grimm impaled her or how much time had passed since it began. All she knew was the everlasting and beautiful embrace of death was close and that's when it stopped. The monster knowing not to continue but it might be too late by then.
Red. Seemingly all of it. On the floor. On her clothes. Dripping out of her in a steady flow. She was bleeding to death. She couldn't die now. She had people waiting for her.
She didn't see the tentacled creature move away or exit. She didn't see the former Reapers moving closer to undo her chains. She barely even felt the pain of thudding to the hard ground. She couldn't feel being dragged by her limp arms out of the cell and down the winding halls. All she could feel was the frozen arms of death or maybe it was unconsciousness. She didn't know. Maybe she wouldn't ever
know.