Thank you so much for your support! Prewarning about some gore in this chapter.
There was a searing pain over every inch of her skin. Her body was throbbing with an intense agony that matched the rhythm of her panicked heartbeat. She wanted to scream, but her throat was raw and felt as though it was burning.
It took her a moment to realize she was moving, running, at a gait that was alien to her own. Every time one of her feet hit the ground a sharp surge of pain swelled through her legs. Her movement and the pain was dizzying, but this nauseating feeling grew when jarring images flashed across her eyes.
There was blood, so much blood, seas of it, ebbing and flowing in a sicking typhon. Gnarled bodies came in with the tide, they were caught in the gnashing jaws of hellish creatures that rose from the red waters, masses of bones, teeth and flesh. Her eyes were then tossed onto images of carrion, timelapses of rotting prey animals between flashes of demons and and disasters. Her heartbeat quickened, and her breathing grew frantic. She felt something hot, like a branding iron, press into her forehead. It scorched deep, more than just her skin, it burned into her skull and bore into her mind. Finally, Tara's throat gave in, and she screamed.
Her eyes flew open, a flow of red flicking over her eyelashes and onto the corners of her eyes, her heart pounded like a raving madman, and she was still screaming. She was awake, but her pain didn't subside, it intensified as more red liquid trickled around her eyes. Tara couldn't move, her mouth simply hung agape, her lungs emptied in cries of pain, as her body shuddered violently.
She then regained control of her eyes, she franticly blinked away the crimson blood flowing down from her head. Her eyes darted across her person. Tara was still laying in the same bed she had fallen asleep in, still comfortably tucked under the covers. But there was a new contrast, rather than cream on plain white sheets, a bold grey was outlined on the bed.
Tara jolted to her feet, violently tossing herself into a fit of panicked movement. She frantically paced, unable to control her body, mind, or breathing. The former exorcist was still screaming all the while, as the pain along her body remained agonizingly stagnant. Her hands shifted to her burning forehead, instinctively clawing and scratching at the bleeding flesh. There was a sharp spike in pain and Tara's legs crumbled under her, still screaming and wildly grasping at her forehead, she fell to the ground, slumping to the side.
There was a loud rap against her door, to which Tara did not reply. She simply repainted in her partially collapsed posture on the ground, screaming, scratching, and bleeding. However, she managed to lift her eyes as she heard the door swing open. Through the red film that stung her eyes, she watched as the forms of Tyki and Road rush into the room.
" I told you Tyki~pon," Road smiled, looking over Tara's pained form, "Ulrica was going to come out any day now."
Tyki didn't respond for a moment, looking as if he was in a daze. But he seemed to quickly shake the feeling off.
"I there anything we need to do?" Tyki spoke simply, averting his gaze to Road.
" Not really." The petite Noah shrugged, leaning down a bit to address the still screaming Tara, "Unless you need something in particular."
Tara's gaze still remained locked on Road, despite all of the air empting from her lungs as she continued to cry out and claw at her forehead.
"Oh dear, that won't do you any good." Road scolded, moving to pull Tara's hands away from her face.
Tyki tensed as the young Noah grabbed the former exorcists bloodied hands and yanked them down.
"Road, I'm not sur-" Tyki began,shifting down to stop Road.
She gave him an annoyed look as a small semi-clear and dice-like box enclosed Tara's hands before returning her attention to Tyki.
"Ulrica's hosts always have problems like this during their initial change. though not nearly as bad as Wrath hosts, I'd rather not have Tara rip herself to ribbons." Road explained in an oddly cheerful tone.
Tyki nodded, and Tara's screaming began to lessen, before becoming more of a trembling pant.
"I didn't realize it was that angry of a memory." Tyki spoke with a hint of discomfort.
"It's not angry Tyki~" Road giggled, " It's scared." Road shifted her hand onto Tara's head, patting it softly, like a child would do a pet. Tyki gazed at her with some confusion, " Especially in the early stages hosts of Ulrica, from what I've seen, have always had trouble controlling their… actions. I supose. They're driven by their own whims and a need for survival."
"I suppose that makes sense," Tyki replied, still looking over Tara with hints concern and uncertainty in his expression.
Unexpectedly Tyki felt Road's hand slap against his back with a giggle from the petite girl.
"Ulrica hosts have also been known to have some history with particular memories." Road grinned wickedly, " In fact, I don't think you'd be too surprised to find out how those relationships played out with how you've been acting."
Tyki groaned and turned away, clearly annoyed by the younger Noah.
"Is there anything else I should help with?" He said simply, not meeting Road's humored gaze.
"Well, you can always get her off the floor." Road smiled, innocently holding her hands behind her back.
Tyki rolled his eyes and leaned down before sliding his arms under Tara's still trembling form. Her body tensed up as Tyki lifted her, and remained in a frozen state when he placed her back onto the bed. He let out a sigh and turned back to Road.
"Anything else?"
Road shook her head, a cheery smile still spread across her face. "Nope! I'm sure Tara will manage."
Tyki glanced back at the box that still contained Tara's hands.
"I'll be by to take that off later Tyki~pon! Don't worry!"
"I'll trust you with that." Tyki replied as he padded over to the door, with Road trailing close behind him. Before he moved to exit, he looked back for a moment, noting Tara had yet to move from the spot he'd left her in.
"We'll be back."
