AN: Ok, new chapter time! This one will come with a minor WARNING, so take note. There will be quite a bit of David torture/torment in this one, and I hope I explained it clearly enough just why David is nearly terrified out of his skin in this one. Do not complain that he is OOC without taking into account that we never really see him truly scared in the game, and then place yourself in his position in this chapter. Ask questions and I shall answer, either in a pm for signed reviews or on my profile for anon reviews.
February 2013 – rewrite complete!
Previously
Spreading out, it began the process of rejoining with its other half, feeling positively giddy with its new freedom before searching for the one that had disturbed it. It couldn't let this intrusion go unexploited and for the first time in it's life, it felt the deep stirrings of an insatiable hunger, a primal instinct to consume everything not claimed by it, to rectify it's own shameful weakness with the fount of life giving energy that soul contained.
That stumbling animal had no idea how unlucky it was, to be so close and utterly defenceless when the creature had such need it ached for a taste...
That ill fated human would be the one that would help to sate the raging hunger that grew within it. It wouldn't be enough, yet it would be wasteful to finish it in one bite, when it could draw things out a bit and savour the experience...
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Unaware of any of this, David had finally noticed that he wasn't being pulled along or bombarded by foreign emotions or images. Uneasiness coiling in his gut, he looked around, noting the growing darkness with mixed relief and suspicion.
Reaching tentatively into the recesses of his throbbing mind, he felt for the familiar form of Kellendros, wanting the reassurance of her powerful presence now that he was clear headed enough to do so. Finding she had retreated to the depths of his mind radiating defensive wariness left him more than a little shocked. She was usually an overpowering presence, a being of mocking laughter and overflowing confidence in her own ability. To see her so uneasy and cowed shook him to the core.
Before he could reach out to her, something hit him with all the force of a charging colossus. Shocked and winded, David gasped for breath as he floundered in the stagnant energy that still surrounded him. Looking around wildly David could see nothing in the dim light, but after a moment he realised he could certainly sense something. A feeling of menace, of excitement, anticipation and hunger rolling off an unseen presence in waves as it stalked closer.
Like a hungry wolf with a young rabbit it circled him, eager to devour the tiny creature that had intruded on it's domain. Unable to get away from it and unable to even see it, David couldn't suppress his mounting fear as he felt it close in around him.
That was the worst part, he knew he wouldn't normally be this afraid, but mentally battered as he was, he couldn't fight off the influence of the creature, whose suffocating presence was tugging at that base instinct that made him shake with fear. The emotions inspired by it were nothing like the echoes of emotion he had felt before. Indeed, they were weak and flimsy in comparison.
The feelings pounding at him were overwhelming, stronger than anything he had ever experienced… No, he had actually seen one thing that had frightened him this badly before.
He had been ten years old, and visiting Nagapur with his father. While they were there, a terrible storm had formed some miles off the coast, and had made landfall near Nagapur on their last day there.
People had called it a hurricane, and he could remember seeing it from a distance, enormous black clouds boiling upwards and outwards in a huge spiral, tremendous winds tearing everything they touched apart, even ripping up the very earth. The sound had been unbelievable, a deafening howl even from miles away, and he remembered shaking with fear and awe that something that powerful could exist outside of the Remnants.
The feeling of power coming off the presence was the same, though it lacked the sense of unfocused rage that the storm had inspired. If anything, that focus made it all the more frightening, knowing that something that strong, that vastly powerful and deadly was only interested in him, and that he was helpless against it.
The thing that made him truly fear for his life was how it perceived him. He could feel that to it he was a very welcome intruder, one that sparked excitement and hunger akin to a starved cat finding a wounded bird. It's desire was like a palpable thing, ravenous gaze raking over his body. He was a juicy mouse to be hunted down and caught, an interesting morsel to be devoured at leisure.
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Though all people fear death, for some reason the idea of becoming prey to another creature, to be killed and eaten by another being is an altogether abhorrent and terror inspiring thought.
It is an instinctual throwback to the time when people were little more than beasts, and hunted as food by many creatures. Being eaten alive is even worse, and an all too real danger when pitted against huge beasts such as dragons, wyverns and even the larger spiritlords.
In the wake of defeat, lying beaten and bloodied but still alive, it is the utter helplessness to prevent the act which torments you with your weakness, and poor David honestly didn't know which the creature intended, leaving the young man trembling as he desperately fought the terror that welled up in his soul.
Feeling small eddies in the power around him, David saw the light surrounding him grow even darker, a green tinge bleeding through it. Shaking, the frightened soul literally felt the creature studying him, pulling him in all directions at once before pressing even closer and moving over his form, sifting through his hair and stroking down his back, exploring him with rough excitement.
Lashing out wildly David felt his arm meet resistance, striking something firm within the dimness. For the first time since he noticed it, he saw something shifting beyond himself. He couldn't make out much, but he could tell it was huge in comparison to his own small form, a vast dark shadow that seemed to boil like thunder clouds, constantly shifting and changing, vague outlines that one moment looked like feathers, another scales then fur. Like it couldn't decide what it wanted to be so it kept shifting, a kaleidoscope of creatures flickering over it's surface.
Sensing it's irritation at his feeble resistance, he was almost expecting the crushing force as it surrounded him completely, the dim light vanishing into utter blackness. The eerie feeling of thick fur-covered muscle (that did not change to feathers or anything else) pinned his limbs with laughable ease as he strained to make out anything in the darkness, struggling against it and getting nowhere.
What was even stranger was that though he felt it's strength bearing down on him, as real as any beast one might encounter in the wild, he felt no warmth from it and heard no heartbeat. Indeed touching it chilled him to the core, leaching the warmth from him as he struggled.
For all his combat experience, all his training from the best fighters Athlum had to offer, he was weak and powerless before this beast. He didn't know what to do, didn't know if there was anything he could do, and that frightened him even more.
One of the things he had relied on most in his life was the control he had over himself and most other situations. He always kept a cool head in trying situations, always had a plan and had his generals to be his support when facing any danger.
Right now he had none of that. He had no idea where he was or how he got there, no weapon at hand and no people to call on for help.
His mind was in shambles, he was at the mercy of a creature that he could barely see, only really feel and all he could do was lie trapped and shaking with cold and fear as it examined him, tasted him.
Terrified beyond reason David shuddered when he felt scorching, humid breath gusting over his body (a startling contrast to the cold it seemed to radiate), the horribly real feeling of knife-like predatory teeth scraping over his back and chest with bruising force, the flat planes and sharp ridges leaving reddened skin and bloody scrapes behind.
The heat seemed to engulf him, reminding him vividly of a sauna, the damp air making his hair stick uncomfortably to his face, while David struggled to control his own breathing, his eyes wide, the pupils dilated in fear.
The invisible teeth shifted from his chest, drifting down, gripping and pulling at his legs before moving back up his body and teasingly nipping at the skin of his throat with remarkable delicacy.
His arm was seized next and pulled taut, wrist slowly squeezed between two ridged edges to the point where he thought it would break. While this was happening one dagger pointed tooth was digging painfully into the soft skin above his collarbone, piercing through skin and flesh with agonising slowness. Unable to keep silent any longer, David let out a tiny moan of fear, swallowing a whimper as his arm was released, teeth sliding free of his torn skin.
Several precious seconds of reprieve passed before they returned, the razor edges ghosting across his neck, light as a feather, not even a twinge of pain left by their passing. Almost caressing, the inner curve of one long canine glided softly against the side of his throat before vanishing, the gentleness even more terrifying than the previous painful force.
Praying it was over yet knowing the worst was yet to come, David tried to turn, and was awarded for his effort by blistering heat edged with sharpened teeth engulfing most of his body. The edges sliced painfully into his shoulders and the tops of his legs as a deep unearthly growl vibrated through his whole body.
Freezing, terror shot down his spine like a lightning bolt, electrifying his nerves and sending his heart racing so fast it felt it might burst. Feeling physically sick at the mind-numbing fear that raged through his body, he forced himself to go limp, knowing nothing good could come from struggling.
Finally the growl tapered off, the creature slowly relaxed it's jaws, releasing him from their punishing grip. Pressed against soft fur once more, David sought to calm the terror that still sang through his blood, to slow the great heaving gulps of air his body demanded as he shook and strived to regain control of his fear riddled psyche.
His effort was wasted as the creature accosted him again, nudging David onto his front before what felt like warm damp sandpaper rasped painfully over torn skin.
A single swipe from that impossibly rough tongue covered the entire surface of his back and legs, reinforcing the idea that this thing was more than large enough to eat him in one bite. Feeling ill and lightheaded, David was just waiting for the rough exploration to end, expecting at any moment for the unseen creature to bite down with lethal force on his fragile form, or to just swallow him whole.
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Review please! ;)