Heaven's Empress ||COMPLETE||

|6| Night Terrors

Updating because I'm very glad Hisoka is fine and I can breathe easy.

|First Person POV|

The welcoming spray of lukewarm water splashed messily against my bare skin; blood flew onto the curtains and dripped down the drain - there wasn't really any part of me that wasn't covered by either filth or death.

The price of victory, I guess. I lowered my head so that the water could hit the nape of my neck when I felt an ominous presence in my room. I held still in that awkward position, silently hiding away my nen.

Whoever it was wasn't very interested in my room I guess, they left after scrummaging around for a bit. I power-washed the grit out of my hair and wrapped it in a towel. Grabbing another fluffy towel to cover myself with, I ventured into my room.

The masks were slightly out of place, but everything seemed to remain untouched. I got dressed in another nightgown laid on the bed, and headed towards the medication that stood behind a picture of a sphinx. That's when I flinched - when I left this morning the picture in front of the cabinet was most definitely a phoenix.

I turned to the right, to see the flaming bird staring at me with vivid orange eyes; taunting me - yeah, someone found out your secret, what are you going to do about it? I glared at the offending bird and with a sweep of my hand sent it flying to the corner of the room.

I opened the shelf to see that the pill containers were all still there - all there, and all emptied of their contents. There was a lonely purple pill sitting in the dusty corners of the cabinet, but other than that, the intruder must've taken everything else.

I gulped uneasily. Whoever did this must really have it out for me. But how did they get in? Only I have the keys... Did they steal a spare from management? I narrowed my eyes at the front door, then dragged a chair against it.

I huffed, and sat back down on my steel bed - they didn't even bother folding my sheets, figures. Someone downstairs was going to die tomorrow. I pursed my lips, deciding if it'd be worth it to make a huge show out of it.

Shaking my head, I flopped onto my stomach and stared with empty eyes out the window - another cloudless night; the stars twinkled at me, as if they knew something I didn't. Below, the city was bustling with life - the night clubs were at their peak business hours, and all those who didn't have a room to themselves yet were probably wandering the streets or partying away.

Here I was - the presumed most powerful person in the entire Arena - trapped like a bird in a cage. A very beautiful cage, but a cage nonetheless. Most nights, I would be allowed to wander the streets - browsing the brightly lit streets with merchants and their exotic wear. But, most nights I didn't meet anyone worth fighting. Today, I decided to conserve my energy.

I was a little skeptical about going to bed without taking my pills, but I couldn't contact my supplier without raising the alarm that someone had entered my room. Knowing the agency, they'd probably shift me down to the basement or something. I decided I liked this cell of a room, and that I would hunt down this burglar. They would suffer; this wasn't the first time someone took something precious to me.

My eyes closed as I laid down on the cold steel frame. There used to be a nice soft mattress, but I had to give that up when someone tried to sneak themselves in with the bedding. The buzzing of city life outside was dulling my senses, and I felt my breathing slow. Moments later, I was asleep.

That's when they begun - the night terrors. Nightmares that carried into my waking world; they sent me into sniveling messes of tears and screams, swiping with pointed nails at invisible foes. Usually the medication was enough to take care of them, but tonight... I was on my own.

Eyes still closed, I stood up from my bed - In my dream I was back in the Pit. This was the scene that still plagued me to no end. I'm standing there, in the middle of the cheers and shouts and jeers. Then, I would be facing my opponent, and all of a sudden the chaos clears and I see his face.

Father. His eyes twinkled. His face morphed. Mother. Her lips opened in deafening agony, and the face changed again. It was him - the one who caused this whole thing to happen. His dark eyes brimmed with malicious intent as his lips turned up in a smile.

"Miss me, Zel?"

My mouth was stitched closed, I could not speak. My eyes hardened into a glare, as I struggled to tell him to fuck off. I didn't need him in my dreams, I already abandoned him in reality. Must he haunt my dreams too, from beyond the grave of my heart?

He walked towards me and tilted my chin up.

"I can see that all that time alone hasn't quelled your hatred towards me." He chuckled, a low bass sound that echoed in my dimly-lit room. He walked towards the door.

"I guess I'll see you later then, I hope you enjoy your time until we meet again." He walked out of the door, and a moment later, the vicious invisible hounds returned with full vigor. My heart was heavy tonight, so I let myself go - surrendering to the tearing and slashing of my flesh, I didn't flinch as the stench of blood entered my nose.

The hounds had ripped me into ribbons, and they left. Serves me right, I supposed - I did kill one of theirs today. The silence was suffocating, but there was nothing I could do.

I laid there, in a death-like sleep, until the sun rose outside. My alarm clock of a scream rung, and it was me again. The pain was real - the scars on my back burned with flashes of bright red scorching pain as I slipped my nightgown off to shower.

Another day. I sighed, looking out the window at the city full of strife. Another chance at life.

My mask secured, I wandered off to continue my matches, and to monitor my new hope - Hisoka.

|::|

Hype for these cuties entering the arena!