Within

15

Warning: This fic contains vore, slash, emotional distress, physical injury, mentions of rape, lots and lots of crying, and is generally for a mature audience. Read at your own discretion.

Once again, this part was greatly inspired by HealerKira's "Alone." Go check it out, and the rest of her stuff too while you're at it!

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15

The dark seemed to surround him from all sides. He was running. He didn't know where he was going, but he couldn't let them catch him. If they caught him, he would go back.

It couldn't happen. It had taken years for him to get this far. He hadn't remembered that he'd had a plan. It had been forgotten as he was broken again and again and again.

Finally, he had had the briefest of moments to find the thread he'd left, and now he struggled to follow it. Every footfall seemed to take an eternity, an infinite number of moments in between each breath. He could hear them behind him.

He felt so weak. He called upon another burst of terror, another blossom of hate to fuel him.

Cold crept down his spine. Dimentio! she was calling.

He had to keep going. He would never get another chance. He would be trapped for all eternity.

The pain! Oh Grambi, the pain!

Dimentio...!

Halt this instant!

No! He refused! He shouldn't be down here! It couldn't be his time yet!

Hatred surged through him. He would escape, and he would kill those who had put him here. They had made the hurt so much worse, and he would make sure they'd suffer for it.

And he hated her, for all her cruelty.

And he hated everyone he'd ever come into contact with, for all their apathy and rejection.

And he hated the whole entire universe, for the fate it had assigned him.

He would destroy it all. He'd find a way.

He stopped suddenly. She was right behind him, alone, her guards left far behind in the dust.

Face me, you bastard.

He did not turn around, back completely stiff.

No.

Face your just punishment, you cowardly man.

You cannot deny death herself.

He knew that. But it wasn't going to stop him from trying. He wouldn't be pushed around. Ever since he'd discovered his powers, he'd sworn he'd never let ANYONE ever bully him again.

He'd found it. He was right there, by the fountain with the healing orange liquid.

All he had to do was put his hand in it...

Don't you dare! she hissed.

He jumped, still stubbornly staying just where he was. His phantom heart pounded desperately, knowing he could be whisked back to the depths of hell at any moment.

He slowly began to extend his arm.

I swear to you...

His fingers were centimeters away from the water.