Demons

8. Soultaker

Sara's eyes flutter open as she starts to become conscious. Sara realizes that she is chained to a wall at her wrists, elbows, neck, forehead, chest, waist, thighs, knees, and ankles. Nyssa made it impossible for Sara to escape.

Nyssa stares at her as she comes to.

"Finally, you awaken."

"Nyssa...what are you doing?" Sara asks, slightly slurring her words.

"You are lucky. I have thought about torturing you, but alas, I realized that it would bring me no joy."

"Why?"

"I plunged a sword through your chest and watched the life drain from your eyes. I felt nothing then, I would feel nothing now."

"What are you doing with me then?"

"I know you've been talking with Giovanni."

"No I haven't."

"Do you take me as a fool?"

"I take you as someone I love."

Nyssa walks up to Sara and stares into her eyes. "You are the bane of my existence. Not even the Lazarus pit can rid me of your grasp on my soul. I am plagued by a disease that the Lazarus Pit cannot remedy."

"Love. You love me still. I knew it. Nyssa don't you see? It's a sign. Love is more powerful than anything, even the Lazarus Pit. Love is not a disease, it's power."

"I will remove you from my heart soon enough."

At that moment, Sara realizes what Nyssa was planning. "Soultaker."

Nyssa smiles. "You haven't spoken with Giovanni?"

"Nyssa. You want the Soultaker sword to what? Remove your own soul? Are you fucking crazy?"

"Soultaker is only the first step. The rest will unfold when the time comes, although, you won't be alive to see it."

"So you're going to kill yourself with Soultaker and be revived with the Pit? Then what? You'll just be a mindless monster like I was when I was revived."

Nyssa strokes Sara's hair. "You have no idea."

"Nyssa, don't do this. You don't have to remove your soul to stop loving me."

"Removing you from me is a requirement for a much larger goal. This is not about you."

"Then what's your big plan?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Because I love you."

"Even if that were true, it matters not."

Suddenly, Giovanni appears next to Nyssa.

"I have pleasing news, Ra's. I've located and obtained Soultaker," he says as he presents her the sword.

Nyssa's eyes light up as she takes the sword from Giovanni. She smiles as she unsheathes it. She watches it glisten in the low torchlight. She hears a few whispers from the captured souls then sheathes it immediately.

"You've done well, Giovanni. Now for your next task," she says as she pulls an old piece of paper from her pocket.

Giovanni looks at it then looks at Sara for a moment.

"You are not to tell her anything about this one. Do you understand?"

"Of course. But Ra's, this may prove to be difficult to retrieve."

"You're a sorcerer. Figure it out."

"Giovanni quickly glances back at Sara with disdain then vanishes once more."