I tried, not a single soul could ever say I didn’t. I was giving it my all, I was aiming to kill, my claws and tail slashing forward and…
“Bwhaha!”
Vanessa just laughed at me. Loudly, one hand holding her stomach, another covering her face. And yet still, she managed to dodge every swing I managed to throw. Every flick of my tail and every attack I threw out. I was trying damn it! But… well, effort was only as good as the method. And my methods were…
“Have you ever fought a day in your life?! This is hilarious!”
“Twice.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve fought. Two days. In my life.” I grunted out between swings. The Baron’s men and today. I wasn’t counting the battle with Riary, that was a straight forward annihilation I got lucky to survive.
Vanessa just laughed harder, going into straight up guffaws at this point. That was fine. I was no soldier or warrior, I had never trained a day in my life. Compared to a Vampire with centuries of experience, who was faster, stronger, and had way, way more battle preparation? I wasn’t even a child facing off against a trained adult, I was an ant attacking a boot.
Luckily, people with far more grit, power, and skill soon joined me. Tyler looked half dead but he joined in, still swinging his sword and deflecting with what was left of his shield. The only reason that was working was because of Konahora.
Konahora wasn’t a berserker and she wasn’t stupid. Ever since we had been attacked by the ‘forcefields’ she had been trying to find a weakness to exploit. I hadn’t been able to think of any way to deal with Vanessa’s main ‘power’ but apparently Konahora had.
Namely, her staff was now covered in Riary’s blue fire. And exclusively aimed for Vanessa’s face.
That got her to frown for the first time I had seen yet. Even if the flames wouldn’t exactly be a problem like this, and she could nullify the force, she still had eyes. Having a burning piece of wood aim for them seemed to annoy her. Which was bad.
She spun and moved so fast that I only saw a blur. The next second, I swear I saw a boot imprint come out the back of Konahora as she was kicked clear across the room.
Tyler seemed to take particular offense to that, rushing in to attack. Vanessa just spun, kicking what was left of Tyler’s shield and breaking it.
I- I couldn’t keep up. It felt like half my battle was just trying to get close to the damn woman! I would feel my claws cleave through air, would send my tail slashing out at her, only for her to dodge it all and then vanish to go back and hit Tyler.
As I ran towards them, I saw the end of Tyler’s fight. His shield was gone, his body nearly ruined, and in both hands he held his sword. A sword which now gleamed blue. If anything, her smile got wider and her laughter deeper.
Tyler swung, roaring as he did, and a massive wave of what seemed like pure sword energy swept outwards. An Aura blade!
It rushed towards Vanessa, who looked shocked. My heart skipped a beat for a moment, hope burgeoning. Was it going to work?!
Closer, closer, time seemed to slow down, closer.
Black fog. Bats.
I blinked, my mind not able to process what just happened fast enough, before Tyler was punched so hard that he was embedded into the wall like a cannonball.
My mouth dropped open, replaying what had happened. Tyler’s slash was just about to hit her, when she suddenly turned into a black fog that seemed to be made of bats. My despair grew.
Vanessa paused in the middle of the room, looking over everything. Blue fire was everywhere, the mansion burning down. Konahora’s staff was snapped in two and on fire, she herself looking punch drunk, barely able to stand. Tyler looked dead, body crumpled into a hole in the wall. Riary… Riary was busy.
And that just left me and her.
“You do know it won’t work right?” Pointedly looking at Riary, who was gathering as much of her power, into as small a container as possible. By now, the small arrow she was forming had gone from a blue flame, to a blinding white light.
“Well, no one will ever be able to say I didn’t give it my best shot.”
I ran forward again, focusing. I needed to buy more time. We had a chance. A small, impossible, slim chance. That meant being a distraction, no. No, not a distraction. Entertainment. That was fine, Vanessa could have her fun. She could have so much of it that hopefully she would choke on it and die.
I came up to her and slashed, claws aiming for her stomach. She dodged, stepping next to me. I didn’t give up. I brought my hands up in a swipe, aiming for her head. Another step, another dodge. Head, she leaned out of the way. Tail from her blindspot, lightly hopped over. A tackle, small sidestep.
Again and again and again. I swung, I tried, I gave it 110% feeling sweat pour down my body. And not a single time, did I manage to hit her. Did I manage to even get close to hitting her.
Eventually, she sighed and just stopped. I understood, I knew, but I attacked anyway. We needed more time.
My claws finally connected with her face… and all momentum stopped. They didn’t even leave marks on her skin. I swung again and again, my hands raking across her body, my tail cutting across her skin. Again and again and again and again!
And yet she didn’t move. Not a muscle, not once.
And not a mark was left on her. All my momentum came to stop a every time. It looked like I was attacking a wall more than a living person. One that was impervious to damage at that. I aimed for her eyes, my claws poking forward. They made contact… and still left no marks.
“Are you really just this weak? You weren’t joking before huh?” Vanessa said, disappointed.
“We all can’t be strong.”
“Too bad.”
In a flash, she reached out and grabbed me by the neck. Instantly, I felt her power invade me and shivered uncontrollably. Till it was controlled but not by me. T-This feeling… it sucked. I could feel her, feel her down to my singular cells. Feel how she had total control of me, how she was everywhere in my body. How every single piece of me was now her’s to do with as she pleased. I felt pieces of me, parts of me, expand and stretch. As if in exploration. My organs, my wings, my claws and tail. My dick.
It wasn’t painful, but I had a very hard time imagining anything more invasive than-
Smack.
Teeth flew out of my face as she smacked me.
“It’s rude to ignore a lady like that.”
“You didn’t. Say anything.” I said between gasps of air. Air that was allowed to me.
Vanessa rose an eyebrow.
“Do you believe I can’t notice when someone is withdrawing into themself? I have lived far too long to not recognize it. I want you here and present.”
She smiled, she smiled a sadistic smile and I felt the urge to shiver and the knowledge that I wasn’t going to be allowed to.
“Yes, yes. That’s it. Hear the roar of the flames, the smell of the ashes, the beat of your heart as blood pulses through your veins. Come back to reality. The mind is such a safe place Derek the Demon. But you aren’t safe.”
Her words, no. No, not her words.
Ashes, ashes on my skin. Smoke filling my lungs. Blood pumping through my body, my heart, my heart thumping in my chest. Racing, faster and faster and faster. Blood pouring from body from a dozen injuries I hadn’t noticed. My tail was broken, I couldn’t feel my right arm, my chest, my chest was caved in. My legs, oh god my legs. I couldn’t feel my legs.
“Ah! There it is. I was getting worried. You attacked like such a little berserker and didn’t react to anything. I was starting to worry you had lost your mind.” Vanessa casually said, before raising my arm with her power.
Before my very eyes, my skin and muscle was torn off, my arm flayed right in front of my eyes. The gore floated for the small instant it was still connected to me, before dropping down, as blood began pouring out the large gash in my arm.
My eyes shook.
“You don’t feel pain do you? I must say, I was worried I’d accidentally kill you. No pain and a tendency to ignore reality? Did you even notice your face was on fire half our ‘fight’?”
I tried to touch my face, but I couldn’t move.
“What a dangerous man you are Derek. Fully focused on the fight and immune to pain? Those are excellent qualities. Sadly, pain is there for a reason. Did you even notice yourself get slower when I broke your legs?”
My mind shook, fear coursed through my veins. It wasn’t a rhetorical question.
“I-I-I… I thought-”
I- I couldn’t keep up.
“I just thought I couldn’t keep up.” My own horrified voice left me.
I had been, I had been being destroyed and I hadn’t even noticed?
“Tsk. Sadly, Derek the Demon, no strength and no pain makes for a dull boy. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It is delightful to watch your realization and despair. But torturing and punishing you would be so boring in the future. What am I suppose to do if you try to escape, cut off your legs? You’d get used to it within a few days. And sad to say, you really aren’t my type.”
There was a note of finality in her voice and I tried to scramble to grab her arm, to escape her grasp.
But I couldn’t move.
“Goodbye Derek. You were amusing.”
I felt it this time. I felt it… and I saw it. I saw it as Vanessa pushed forth her other arm, and torn into my chest. Slowly, achingly slowly, she removed it. Not just her arm, but something that was mine. Something that was never suppose to leave me.
My vision narrowed and my heart, my heart, my heart beat like a drum. Beat hard and fast in terror. I knew it to be true.
Because I could see it in her grasp.
My own beating heart.
She squeezed and crushed it. The blood splattered onto my cheek and I felt myself falling, released from her grasp, as my vision went dark.
The last thing I saw was a vampire’s smile, as I began to die.
I tried, not a single soul could ever say I didn’t. I was giving it my all, I was aiming to kill, my claws and tail slashing forward and…
“Bwhaha!”
Vanessa just laughed at me. Loudly, one hand holding her stomach, another covering her face. And yet still, she managed to dodge every swing I managed to throw. Every flick of my tail and every attack I threw out. I was trying damn it! But… well, effort was only as good as the method. And my methods were…
“Have you ever fought a day in your life?! This is hilarious!”
“Twice.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve fought. Two days. In my life.” I grunted out between swings. The Baron’s men and today. I wasn’t counting the battle with Riary, that was a straight forward annihilation I got lucky to survive.
Vanessa just laughed harder, going into straight up guffaws at this point. That was fine. I was no soldier or warrior, I had never trained a day in my life. Compared to a Vampire with centuries of experience, who was faster, stronger, and had way, way more battle preparation? I wasn’t even a child facing off against a trained adult, I was an ant attacking a boot.
Luckily, people with far more grit, power, and skill soon joined me. Tyler looked half dead but he joined in, still swinging his sword and deflecting with what was left of his shield. The only reason that was working was because of Konahora.
Konahora wasn’t a berserker and she wasn’t stupid. Ever since we had been attacked by the ‘forcefields’ she had been trying to find a weakness to exploit. I hadn’t been able to think of any way to deal with Vanessa’s main ‘power’ but apparently Konahora had.
Namely, her staff was now covered in Riary’s blue fire. And exclusively aimed for Vanessa’s face.
That got her to frown for the first time I had seen yet. Even if the flames wouldn’t exactly be a problem like this, and she could nullify the force, she still had eyes. Having a burning piece of wood aim for them seemed to annoy her. Which was bad.
She spun and moved so fast that I only saw a blur. The next second, I swear I saw a boot imprint come out the back of Konahora as she was kicked clear across the room.
Tyler seemed to take particular offense to that, rushing in to attack. Vanessa just spun, kicking what was left of Tyler’s shield and breaking it.
I- I couldn’t keep up. It felt like half my battle was just trying to get close to the damn woman! I would feel my claws cleave through air, would send my tail slashing out at her, only for her to dodge it all and then vanish to go back and hit Tyler.
As I ran towards them, I saw the end of Tyler’s fight. His shield was gone, his body nearly ruined, and in both hands he held his sword. A sword which now gleamed blue. If anything, her smile got wider and her laughter deeper.
Tyler swung, roaring as he did, and a massive wave of what seemed like pure sword energy swept outwards. An Aura blade!
It rushed towards Vanessa, who looked shocked. My heart skipped a beat for a moment, hope burgeoning. Was it going to work?!
Closer, closer, time seemed to slow down, closer.
Black fog. Bats.
I blinked, my mind not able to process what just happened fast enough, before Tyler was punched so hard that he was embedded into the wall like a cannonball.
My mouth dropped open, replaying what had happened. Tyler’s slash was just about to hit her, when she suddenly turned into a black fog that seemed to be made of bats. My despair grew.
Vanessa paused in the middle of the room, looking over everything. Blue fire was everywhere, the mansion burning down. Konahora’s staff was snapped in two and on fire, she herself looking punch drunk, barely able to stand. Tyler looked dead, body crumpled into a hole in the wall. Riary… Riary was busy.
And that just left me and her.
“You do know it won’t work right?” Pointedly looking at Riary, who was gathering as much of her power, into as small a container as possible. By now, the small arrow she was forming had gone from a blue flame, to a blinding white light.
“Well, no one will ever be able to say I didn’t give it my best shot.”
I ran forward again, focusing. I needed to buy more time. We had a chance. A small, impossible, slim chance. That meant being a distraction, no. No, not a distraction. Entertainment. That was fine, Vanessa could have her fun. She could have so much of it that hopefully she would choke on it and die.
I came up to her and slashed, claws aiming for her stomach. She dodged, stepping next to me. I didn’t give up. I brought my hands up in a swipe, aiming for her head. Another step, another dodge. Head, she leaned out of the way. Tail from her blindspot, lightly hopped over. A tackle, small sidestep.
Again and again and again. I swung, I tried, I gave it 110% feeling sweat pour down my body. And not a single time, did I manage to hit her. Did I manage to even get close to hitting her.
Eventually, she sighed and just stopped. I understood, I knew, but I attacked anyway. We needed more time.
My claws finally connected with her face… and all momentum stopped. They didn’t even leave marks on her skin. I swung again and again, my hands raking across her body, my tail cutting across her skin. Again and again and again and again!
And yet she didn’t move. Not a muscle, not once.
And not a mark was left on her. All my momentum came to stop a every time. It looked like I was attacking a wall more than a living person. One that was impervious to damage at that. I aimed for her eyes, my claws poking forward. They made contact… and still left no marks.
“Are you really just this weak? You weren’t joking before huh?” Vanessa said, disappointed.
“We all can’t be strong.”
“Too bad.”
In a flash, she reached out and grabbed me by the neck. Instantly, I felt her power invade me and shivered uncontrollably. Till it was controlled but not by me. T-This feeling… it sucked. I could feel her, feel her down to my singular cells. Feel how she had total control of me, how she was everywhere in my body. How every single piece of me was now her’s to do with as she pleased. I felt pieces of me, parts of me, expand and stretch. As if in exploration. My organs, my wings, my claws and tail. My dick.
It wasn’t painful, but I had a very hard time imagining anything more invasive than-
Smack.
Teeth flew out of my face as she smacked me.
“It’s rude to ignore a lady like that.”
“You didn’t. Say anything.” I said between gasps of air. Air that was allowed to me.
Vanessa rose an eyebrow.
“Do you believe I can’t notice when someone is withdrawing into themself? I have lived far too long to not recognize it. I want you here and present.”
She smiled, she smiled a sadistic smile and I felt the urge to shiver and the knowledge that I wasn’t going to be allowed to.
“Yes, yes. That’s it. Hear the roar of the flames, the smell of the ashes, the beat of your heart as blood pulses through your veins. Come back to reality. The mind is such a safe place Derek the Demon. But you aren’t safe.”
Her words, no. No, not her words.
Ashes, ashes on my skin. Smoke filling my lungs. Blood pumping through my body, my heart, my heart thumping in my chest. Racing, faster and faster and faster. Blood pouring from body from a dozen injuries I hadn’t noticed. My tail was broken, I couldn’t feel my right arm, my chest, my chest was caved in. My legs, oh god my legs. I couldn’t feel my legs.
“Ah! There it is. I was getting worried. You attacked like such a little berserker and didn’t react to anything. I was starting to worry you had lost your mind.” Vanessa casually said, before raising my arm with her power.
Before my very eyes, my skin and muscle was torn off, my arm flayed right in front of my eyes. The gore floated for the small instant it was still connected to me, before dropping down, as blood began pouring out the large gash in my arm.
My eyes shook.
“You don’t feel pain do you? I must say, I was worried I’d accidentally kill you. No pain and a tendency to ignore reality? Did you even notice your face was on fire half our ‘fight’?”
I tried to touch my face, but I couldn’t move.
“What a dangerous man you are Derek. Fully focused on the fight and immune to pain? Those are excellent qualities. Sadly, pain is there for a reason. Did you even notice yourself get slower when I broke your legs?”
My mind shook, fear coursed through my veins. It wasn’t a rhetorical question.
“I-I-I… I thought-”
I- I couldn’t keep up.
“I just thought I couldn’t keep up.” My own horrified voice left me.
I had been, I had been being destroyed and I hadn’t even noticed?
“Tsk. Sadly, Derek the Demon, no strength and no pain makes for a dull boy. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It is delightful to watch your realization and despair. But torturing and punishing you would be so boring in the future. What am I suppose to do if you try to escape, cut off your legs? You’d get used to it within a few days. And sad to say, you really aren’t my type.”
There was a note of finality in her voice and I tried to scramble to grab her arm, to escape her grasp.
But I couldn’t move.
“Goodbye Derek. You were amusing.”
I felt it this time. I felt it… and I saw it. I saw it as Vanessa pushed forth her other arm, and torn into my chest. Slowly, achingly slowly, she removed it. Not just her arm, but something that was mine. Something that was never suppose to leave me.
My vision narrowed and my heart, my heart, my heart beat like a drum. Beat hard and fast in terror. I knew it to be true.
Because I could see it in her grasp.
My own beating heart.
She squeezed and crushed it. The blood splattered onto my cheek and I felt myself falling, released from her grasp, as my vision went dark.
The last thing I saw was a vampire’s smile, as I began to die.
