MERCY

"Hah… Ah… ….Aah..."

"Is this really all you can take, Ushiromiya Battler?"

"...Ngh… Haah…"

My restless panting, the restraints around my wrists. The way my shoulders were uncomfortably bucked back and how my head hung, drops of sweat trailing down my forehead and falling to the floor. My knees were grinding against the hard floor.

Humiliating…

I tried to swallow the saliva in my mouth, but the feeling that I was going to vomit hindered me. I choked on the fingers that were inserted inside my mouth. Relentlessly playing with my tongue, the slim fingers often poked my uvula; whether it was intentional or not, I had no idea. Every time that happened I coughed and choked, feeling the vomit making its way up my throat.

Forcing my head back, the fingernails digged into the roof of my mouth. Since I couldn't close my mouth, saliva flowed out over my lower lip. I felt it running down my chin before it fell to the floor in splatters.

"Haah… Ah… …Ku…"

My chest heaved up and down. This was humiliating. This didn't suit me at all.

The fingers slipped out of my mouth, pressing against the back of my head instead. Only being supported by the hand's strength to keep me up before, the push sent me straight to the floor. I landed in the pool of my own spit, my back creaking as my bound arms were pushed back.

"Hey, Battlerrrrrr… Why aren't you getting up anymore?"

The unmistakable cackle of the Golden Witch accompanied the sound of my rasping breath as a high-heeled shoe was placed on my back.

"Hey, you're not going to fight back anymore? Heeey, Battlerrrrrr."

Cackle. Cackle.

She was enjoying this. Wretched woman.

My spine creaked under the pressure of her boot.

"You can't even say anything, Ushiromiya Battler?"

Gritting my teeth I grunted out a few syllables. Beatrice became silent, as if pondering what to do.

"I'm sorry, Battler," she said, removing her leg and kneeling down over my laying form. Knees making contact with the floor, she effectively pinned my bound form to the floor by straddling my back.

"I can't let you go yet. I'm not halfway through with you."

I felt her searching fingers through my hair. What was she doing now? Her weight on my wrists… she was sitting on my restrained wrists, making them even more painful. I couldn't move an inch under her menacing presence.

"I have to apologize," she said. I slightly turned my head to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of the witch as she leaned closer to my ear.

"I'm sorry. I won't be killing you just yet."

My eyes were hazy. Blood dripped out between my lips as I raised my head to look at the witch before me. I was on my knees, propped up against a wall with my arms chained above me. Her hands slowly caressed my bruised cheeks and she tilted her head, almost as if she was curious… My breath annoyed her as it hit her face, I could tell by the way she squinted her eyes against the hot wind. I could tell by the disgruntled twist of her mouth as she placed a hand over my mouth.

"Your breath… It truly reeks."

I wondered whether or not I should attempt biting her hand. Maybe I could catch her by surprise… Then again, I'd be getting nowhere at all. My hands were still in restraints, a heavy chain binding me to the wall. Arms pulled up over my head, I couldn't move away from the place.

Breathing heavily through my nose, I stared at the Golden Witch.

"Don't stare at me like that."

I didn't as much as blink. The quiet defiance clearly aggravated her. Removing both the hand covering my mouth and the one still lingering on my cheek, her eyebrows furrowed. I observed every little change in her expression with slight interest; what was she thinking of doing next?

"Stop staring."

I felt my eyes go blurry again and blinked. …Though I kept my gaze fixed at her face when I opened my eyes again. I saw her jaw tensing, and she lifted an arm.

Smack.

She could've done much worse to me. My face was pushed sideways by the impact, and my head bumped the cold wall lightly. Why didn't she do worse?

"Ah… Is that all you've got…...Beatrice?"

I shouldn't provoke her. I really shouldn't. It was dangerous to enrage a witch, no, a woman of her caliber and strength… placing her hands on either side of my exposed waist, her twisted face came closer to mine. Her breath was short and her eyes fierce.

"I'll show you what hell is really like, Ushiromiya Battler."

She said the words in a low, guttural manner that suited her image better than the silky, light voice she usually used.

"I'll show you pain. I'll show you everything."

Her fingernails digged into my sides. I gazed into her eyes, trying to decipher her intentions. She seemed hell-bent on giving me as much misery as she could.

Her frown turned into a snicker. "Interesting," Beatrice mused, and proceeded to stand up. She loosened my restraints and I slumped to a heap on the floor…..however I could not escape, for a flick of her wrist made me unable to move a muscle. Why did she have to be a witch, in addition to just being plain sadistic? Working her magic seamlessly, she effectively kept me in place while contemplating her next move.