How long had he been here? It was impossible to tell. What about Him?
Was He still here? Again, impossible to tell. Sleep, food, water,
time...taken for granted; that's what they were. Once deprived of them,
even if they're not always necessary, even the most complicated mind slips
and falls. Like his. Like He wanted. It didn't take a genius to realize
that his mind was fracturing, and it was a little bit scary. A little? A
lot. It was strange, he reflected, how the mind understands when it's
breaking down. He wouldn't have thought he'd have been able to tell when
it started, but really he could feel every little chink in the chain
wriggle out of its niche. When that happened, the whole monstrosity of his
brain would unravel like so much yarn.
"And how are we doing this evening?" The voice was from everywhere. Nervous eyes flickered to pinpoint the source, but to no avail. "Is my little songbird ready to sing for me?"
Him. It was Him. A low growl rose unbidden in the back of his throat as he tugged ineffectually at the bonds. How had he gotten into this? How had He managed such a complicated trap? Of course, stupid, irrelevant questions. He was complicated creature, He was.
"Don't we sound like such an animal?"
"Who's the animal, you atrocity?"
"Tsk, tsk...such harsh words."
Another convulsive jerk as he tugged at the iron holding him steadfast in place. It must have been enchanted iron; there was no other way it would hold him. The image of His smile was still ingrained on his mind. Oh, he'd seen Him smile a few times; even once or twice in earnest. But that night - who knew how long ago it had been? Who knew how long he'd been here? - he'd seen the most sinister grin slip across the thin lips. He'd seen, for the first time, the true potential for cruelty this creature possessed. By then it was too late. He was a prisoner in a web even he - pragmatic though he was about his powers - could not escape.
"You think I'm evil." It was a simple statement, but the captive jerked to attention. Could the beast read minds, too? A soft chuckle. "You're so easy to read, like an open book with footnotes. You don't think so? Believe it. I've been watching you. I've been...well...I've been studying you. 'What makes you tick?' That's the question."
He froze. There was no way He was thinking to...
"No, I'm not going to dissect you. I have much more...entertaining things to try to on you for now. Honestly, give me a little credit; I'm still human, after all."
"Bullshit."
"Hm. Well, I deserved that, I suppose. Anyway..." Stepping forward into the circle of light, He flexed black-gloved fingers. In stark contrast to his usual attire, He was draped in a heavy black cloak with a blood-red gem clasping the neck closed. Reaching out, He grabbed a fistful of hair and jerked His captive's head back with a positively vicious grin. "It's time we began, isn't it? I'm not sure how much longer these bonds will hold, and I don't want you walking out on me before I'm completely finished. And don't bother trying to convince me that you aren't immensely enjoying every minute of this... 'open book,' remember?"
Struggling against the grasp on his hair, he only shuddered before giving up, reflexively swallowing a lump in his throat. This wasn't supposed to be...this wasn't supposed to happen. Hazy eyes fluttered briefly and closed as he felt the knife's blade slide tantanizingly against his lips.
"Time to sing, little songbird," Zelgadis hissed with a sinister smile.
"And how are we doing this evening?" The voice was from everywhere. Nervous eyes flickered to pinpoint the source, but to no avail. "Is my little songbird ready to sing for me?"
Him. It was Him. A low growl rose unbidden in the back of his throat as he tugged ineffectually at the bonds. How had he gotten into this? How had He managed such a complicated trap? Of course, stupid, irrelevant questions. He was complicated creature, He was.
"Don't we sound like such an animal?"
"Who's the animal, you atrocity?"
"Tsk, tsk...such harsh words."
Another convulsive jerk as he tugged at the iron holding him steadfast in place. It must have been enchanted iron; there was no other way it would hold him. The image of His smile was still ingrained on his mind. Oh, he'd seen Him smile a few times; even once or twice in earnest. But that night - who knew how long ago it had been? Who knew how long he'd been here? - he'd seen the most sinister grin slip across the thin lips. He'd seen, for the first time, the true potential for cruelty this creature possessed. By then it was too late. He was a prisoner in a web even he - pragmatic though he was about his powers - could not escape.
"You think I'm evil." It was a simple statement, but the captive jerked to attention. Could the beast read minds, too? A soft chuckle. "You're so easy to read, like an open book with footnotes. You don't think so? Believe it. I've been watching you. I've been...well...I've been studying you. 'What makes you tick?' That's the question."
He froze. There was no way He was thinking to...
"No, I'm not going to dissect you. I have much more...entertaining things to try to on you for now. Honestly, give me a little credit; I'm still human, after all."
"Bullshit."
"Hm. Well, I deserved that, I suppose. Anyway..." Stepping forward into the circle of light, He flexed black-gloved fingers. In stark contrast to his usual attire, He was draped in a heavy black cloak with a blood-red gem clasping the neck closed. Reaching out, He grabbed a fistful of hair and jerked His captive's head back with a positively vicious grin. "It's time we began, isn't it? I'm not sure how much longer these bonds will hold, and I don't want you walking out on me before I'm completely finished. And don't bother trying to convince me that you aren't immensely enjoying every minute of this... 'open book,' remember?"
Struggling against the grasp on his hair, he only shuddered before giving up, reflexively swallowing a lump in his throat. This wasn't supposed to be...this wasn't supposed to happen. Hazy eyes fluttered briefly and closed as he felt the knife's blade slide tantanizingly against his lips.
"Time to sing, little songbird," Zelgadis hissed with a sinister smile.
