The Red

Her body is extremely sore. All the twisting she’s been doing is scraping the armour and pulling every muscle it possibly can. A low snarl leaves her as she slowly exhales. A little more pain won’t hurt any; she is close now. So very close…

The slack in her bonds is considerably greater than it was before. Now she can move her body, if only a little. It’s far more than she’s had in a long time. Before she can continue, a figure enters this room. She jerks her head to face it, lip curling. Her fingers curve. With the armour, they resemble talons. It’s the creature from yesterday and the day before.  He clinks together some new tools. When he sees her, he offers a cruel smile.

“Well, my dear,” he hisses as he approaches. “Let us continue where we left off a few hours ago.”

She lunges, a half-screech leaving her. The creature slithers backwards, smile gone and replaced with something close to fear. She has gotten closer than ever before. He realises this. When her binds pull her back, he recovers and swings one of the tools. Pain shoots through her, a flash of light crosses her vision. Quickly, it ebbs and she lunges again. This time, he swings again, connecting with her head. A ringing, high-pitched, then. He gets in a few more blows before he thinks she’s done. She settles. Again, that red vision. Again, the burning want.

The creature gives her a wary look then looks back to call someone in. Two more enter, dragging a third. Another figure of light. Its beautiful flower pink wings barely move. When it’s propped up, she can see it’s another female. The creature backhands her and she flails in surprise, looking around wildly.

Then the newcomer sees her.

“…” the newcomer tries to move but can’t.  Her captors push her back down and wrap chains around her. As she’s restrained, the newcomers gaze never leaves hers.

The creature grins at her again. “I will let you two get reacquainted. Then the fun shall begin.”

The look she gives him must have scared him. He leaves faster than he came in. When he is gone, taking his minions with him, the newcomer weakly tries to speak.

“Sari… they told us you were dead,” she whispers. Her voice comes through fuzzy and warped.  “How?”

She would like to know ‘how’ too.

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The newest victim is dying slowly. Her arms hang limp at her sides, broken femurs and dislocated shoulder. Pink light oozes from where armour had taken skin as it had been pulled from her thin body. One of her lovely wings has been partly pulled away as well, hanging only by a small strip of armour. It leans lopsidedly and throws off her balance even further. Her anguished screaming has now become ragged breaths and gasps.  She doesn’t glow has bright as she did.

How long has it been? Hours at least. She had tried to get free, to help her. Instinct said to help, to protect, but the accursed binds wouldn’t let her. No amount of straining helped. The burning want is extreme now.  Her own breaths are rugged, harsh and unnatural strength burns through her limbs. Everything is red, so red that even the other woman’s pink has been drowned in it. A loud buzzing rings in her ears. She strains again as the creature slithers into view.

“Are we angry?” he asks her, amused. “Look at her. She can’t hold on much longer. What will you do next? Hm? You can’t save her.”

She growls at him. How dare he.

Through the haze, she sees him raises a blade of some sort. He winds his way back to the other woman and runs the blade across her cheek. He shoots her a look. Amused.

“Come on, dear,” he coos. “Come help her.”

The blade is swiped across the woman’s face. A whimper escapes and he laughs. More liquid light is shed. He swipes again, nearly succeeded in removing her jaw.

She lunges, hoping to get him. This time, a loud groan comes from the metal  as her bindings are torn from the wall, landing with clanks on the ground. For a minute, she flails as she falls to her knees. Her limbs are incredibly heavy and tingle lightly as she tries to stand but somehow she does it. Unsteadily she steps toward, a vicious snarl warping her face. She can see only outlines of her tormentor and his victim.

The creature raises the blade at her. “Stay back. As your master-”

That is all he gets to say. Quicker than she remembers ever being, she darts forward. Her hands wrap around his throat and squeeze. His weapon drops from his now lifeless talons and his ugly eyes become glassy, lifeless. Far too quickly, his raspy breaths cease. It only makes her yearn more. She lets go of the corpse and turns to face those he had brought with them.

No one but her hears their horrified screams.