Author's Note: So, this is a Thrayne ONLY chapter, but their interactions in this are quite different from the ones we've seen so far. Before we start though, I feel like I should warn you that the second half of this chapter might literally be the goriest thing I have ever written in my life. There are scenes included which are considered (at least by me) very brutal and if you are not into gore please read until the first ellipsis appears and contact me so I can give you a brief explanation of what happened next without the gore-ish points. For those of you who enjoy reading gore though, I hope you enjoy the whole chapter!

"We have a deal."

Those words were ringing in her ears as she reminsced the past night's events. She could feel highlights of her whole life pass before her eyes, playing like a movie on the blank wall she was staring at. She knew all those memories would forcefully leave her subconscious sooner or later, for she agreed to forfeit everything in order to protect the one she truly loves. Even if it meant she'd never get to see him again.

The only sound in the mansion was that of the two people occupying the dungeon below her. As she imagined, Thresh probably went down to the basement to report -or rather tell a made up story- to Syndra after the deal has been settled. She could still hear their voices from below and the unmistakable sensation of black magic that hit her senses came to warn her that the ritual has begun. Putting down the pen she's been holding for so long, she folded the paper in front of her and took it down to the dungeon with her. She peeked through the door and noticed Syndra was finally alone holding a small green orb in her hands. Careful not to disturb the peace inside the room, she walked towards the mage throwing the piece of paper in front of her. Syndra looked up to her with a rather curious expression her gaze shifting between Vayne and the piece of paper on the table.
"Please make sure Lucian receives this." was all she said before rushing upstairs to Thresh's chambers where he requested to meet her. Her heart was pounding with each step she was taking as she was climbing up the stairs. She tried to memorise every feeling, every image, every heartbeat; for it could be her last. She didn't bother knocking on his door and simply walked in taking a seat on the armchair opposite of him. He smiled wickedly as he sensed her presence and opened his eyes to look at her.

"Seeing no hesitation in your eyes would be considered foolish if I didn't know you well enough, Shauna Vayne."

She remained silent choosing to only offer him a small smile in response. It was pointless to argue with him after all. What more was there for her to hold on? Everything she stood for, everything she used to say; it all seemed like smoke and mirrors now. She was throwing everything she has accomplished as a Night Hunter away to become the kind of person she hated the most. But it was all for his sake, wasn't it?

"It is all for his sake..."

Noticing the sly grin on his face she realised she probably thought out loud. It didn't matter to her but watching his expression she knew he'd grip onto this to start a conversation for the sole purpose of pissing her off. She wouldn't let him have it though. She has decided to spend her last moments of sanity in peace and that wouldn't change.

"All for his sake you say. So human-like. I expected far more from you, Night Hunter. But it is like I said before. Nature aside, you are just a mere human and you should be dealt like one."

Her reaction was not something he expected but he welcomed it anyway. He watched her as she laughed holding her stomach with one hand not even turning to look at him. To him, it was definitely a sign that this woman had long left her old pathetic self behind. No, this woman's mind has undoubtedly started to embrace the welcoming insanity of the book. But it wasn't complete yet, he could see it. A small ray of radiant white light piercing through her soul, the last thread of hope she was holding onto. This certainly had to be dealt with, he thought.

"What are you zoning off about? Is my willpower such a surprise to you, Chain Warden?" she said and stood up from her chair walking towards him. She stopped inches away from his face removing her bright red glasses and piercing her gaze into his.

"Don't forget who you are dealing with. I will fight this book with all my might. I will overcome its demands and make it submit to me without losing my humanity or my sanity. That's just how powerful I am, so I suggest you don't underestimate me. It is funny how you possibly thought I would hold onto the feelings I had for you after everything you did. You think you know me well enough to judge but trust me, you haven't seen anything of the true Night Hunter yet. I know I have promised Eleanor to stand by your side but that promise means nothing to me now and neither does she...or you. I truly pity her for still believing in you and I wish her fate was different but that doesn't change the fact that since her soul still belongs to me, it will do anything I please in order to achieve my goal. Don't mistake my intentions, I will honour our deal and give myself to the book. But I will win this battle and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

He closed his eyes smiling as he stood up on his full height. His hand ghosted through her hair in a rather alluring way which would have normally had a huge impact on her; but not anymore. She has somehow managed to shut down her feelings when it came to him. Confident about having her mental strength back, she stared at him as he continued to stroke her hair. His hand suddenly stopped, gripping a handful of her hair and tugging on it tightly. The sudden gesture caused her to tilt her hair back in pain and instinctively take one step back, but his tight grip wouldn't let her go any further. Her piercing glare burned holes into his eyes the moment they made eye contact and it was then she could see the bemused look on his face.

"I admire your character development, Vayne. In a rather short amount of time you managed to escape your little overly-attached pathetic world and return into work-mode. How impressive, exactly what I have been expecting from a Night Hunter. But believe me when I say this. I will cut down that final thread of hope you are holding on from and I will make you surrender to your true nature. You talked about how I know nothing of you before, and that might be true. But let me make something clear. You don't know me either. This is why I plan on a small demonstration of what I can truly do." he said forcing her back to the armchair.

Her eyes scanned the room for any possible exit while she struggled under his grip. A snap of his fingers was all it needed to immobilise her as green steel chains held her arms and legs tightly tied to the armchair. When her momentary panic subdued, she turned to him with her eyebrows raised.

"Seriously? And there I thought you had something new in store for me. You know I have gotten immune to your torture methods since that day on the Institute. It is a waste of time."

He maniacally grinned at her turning off every light in the mansion except for one small lamp above her head and the familiar green glow of his lantern resting on a table a few feet away from her.

"Only a few seconds in the session and you have already created an 'atmosphere'. I am flattered. Am I truly that special?" she joked in an attempt to keep her composure. She knew that he would be able to take advantage of even a minor display of weakness and she'd give him none. She wouldn't falter. She'd stay strong like she always was.

"Special? Oh yes, I couldn't agree more. I don't normally go that far with common souls but I figured you deserve some special treatment. Now answer me this; what is ten minus one?"

She furrowed her brows in question glancing around the room before looking up to him.

"Huh? What kind of question is th-aaahhhh!"

She winced biting her lip as the glowing green scythe tore through her palm instantly cutting off her index finger. Her blood was flowing in rivers from the wound and her palm has soon been consumed by numbness. She looked up to him again to be met with the scythe right to the side of her neck. He smirked devilishly closing the distance between them, leaving a gap of a few inches.

"Don't make me ask twice. What is ten minus one?"

She scowled at him lifting her shoulders in response.

"Like I'd answer that."

His smile only broadened at her words twirling the hook on his hands before rapidly cutting a deep line from her collarbones down to where her stomach was. She screamed in pain as he tore the flesh open with his bare hands exposing her vital organs before him.

"Let me teach you a few things about nature here in the Shadow Islands." he said grabbing a small jar from the top of his shelves and bringing it close to her.

"You see, there are these little insects that are very rare on the Islands. The only reason that these species are in danger of extinction is that they cannot find food resources here. That is because they feed with something nobody here possesses. Human flesh."

Her eyes widened in terror as he opened the jar and released the flesh-eating insects inside her body spreading them through every vital organ of hers. She could already feel the surface of her muscles fade and with it her consciousness. But she would not give him the satisfaction of passing out. No, she'd remain strong like she promised herself she'd do.

"Now tell me, what is ten minus one?"

Her voice was desperately trying to come out of her mouth but her half missing lungs and weak vocal chords were doing little justice to her at that moment.

"Nine..." she managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. She could feel her senses abandoning her and the world around her fading to black but she clung onto the last of her consciousness and looked at him dead in the eye.

"I can't hear you Vayne." he replied in an almost singing tone as he played with the muscles of her heart squeezing them between his fingers.

"I said nine damn it." she growled harshly, her stare never faltering.

He smiled content by her answer and gathered up the small insects that still lay inside her body devouring her to the bone. He closed the jar and put it up on the shelf before grabbing another box in his hands. Vayne recognised the emblem of the box as the one of the Institute's and immediately got curious. He sensed her conflict and simultaneously let the box on the table and lowered his torso enough for them to be on the same eye level.

"Looks like you are sane enough to still think rationally after all. Don't worry, this will not last long. By the time I am done with you, rational thinking will be something unfamiliar to you. So tell me, what is one hundred minus one?"

She frowned at his question regarding him in disbelief. Was he mocking her with a childlike game like this? What was his purpose anyway?

"I grew tired of that game already. Be more original." she managed to mouth between hot and rusty breaths. She lowered her head momentarily trying to regain as much of her composure as she could muster. She immediately regretted that decision as she felt the sharp end of the scythe tearing through the bones of her hand, dispatching it from the rest of her arm completely. She let out a cry of anguish as she stared at her right hand rolling on the base of her feet creating a pool of blood beneath her. Her gaze was now on him again as she mouthed the words he's been waiting to hear.

"Ninety fucking nine."

He only shook his head in approval opening the box in front of him and taking out a small red flask. Her eyes followed his every move warily trying to understand what he was up to but narrowed immediately as soon as she realised what he was holding. He seemed to read her mind due to her vulnerable condition and proceeded on explaining.

"Drink this and hope it has fully healed you by the time I get back. Like you correctly mentioned, there are still ninety nine of them. Let's find out what happens when all those one hundred health potions end."

She couldn't believe in her ears. He took one hundred health potions from the Institute so he could torture her, then heal and then torture her another ninety nine times? This was something beyond her imagination but here it was, actually happening. But she decided against following his orders. It may cost her one more hand, or worse, but she was sure he wouldn't let her die. At least not yet.

"I refuse. If you are done here just kill me already. Kill me and get your goddamn revenge. Isn't that what you want anyway?"

He laughed shaking his head and took the potion of her hand opening her mouth and forcefully making her swallow the healing liquid. He kept her head up by her hair until he made sure she downed the last drop of it before releasing her and exiting the room. As soon as he was gone she hung her head down completely losing the composure she'd been trying to maintain. She let her tears flow down her cheeks cursing at the lack of her strength as she saw the last bit of her consciousness washing away turning her vision into a pitch black colour.

[…]

Looking out of the window she could tell by the position of the moon that it was one or two hours past midnight. The wooden box in front of her feet also indicated that there were still five health potions left. Five health potions meaning five more times of ruthless torture. But she didn't care anymore. Even if her limbs were numb, even if she was on the verge of death; she didn't care. She wasn't even sure if he'd actually let her die after the number of healing potions came down to zero. He must have found a way to unlink Eleanor from her by now, so killing her was likely enough to be an option. Gathering up all of her thoughts together, she felt almost terrified by herself when she realised the lack of consistency and logic in them. What was she even thinking about when she decided she doesn't care? Was this really her? She tried to remind herself once again of the mental promise she has given. The promise to fight and not let Thresh, that book or anyone else distinguish the real Vayne. She looked outside the window once more and noticed two feminine silhouettes running towards the teleportation gate of the Institute. She recognised one of them as Syndra who led the way for the other female. A wave of relief crashed upon her as she noticed the dark chocolate skin and fierce green eyes of the woman next to the mage. She smiled to herself watching the two women leaving the Islands and found herself murmuring under her breath.

"Go Senna. Go offer him the life he deserves. Go and never come back."

She didn't even notice the slow steps of another person inside the room until he stood next to her placing a hand on her shoulder.

" I highly doubt that."

Her eyes were on him the moment she heard him saying those words. She glared at him before lowering her head thinking.

"Why would you say that?"

He mockingly laughed before sitting at the edge of the window gazing at the scenery outside.

"I am delighted to see that I have gradually made you lose your faith in your loved ones. You truly believe Lucian will not come, don't you? Even after he reads that heartbreaking goodbye letter you wrote him? No, he will come and I bet his so called wife will be with him. Isn't this exciting? We'll be writing history all over again. I can't wait to fight those two again."

Her eyes shot open in realisation and images of him would occasionally pop up inside her head before fading away once again. She looked at the man standing right next to her and she addressed him with as much courage as she could muster.

"Don't hurt him. I don't care what you will do to anyone else or me. Just don't hurt him. Heck, I'll even count down from one hundred again if you promise me you will not hurt him."

He looked at her with a hint of interest in his eyes. It was obvious to him that the transformation was finally starting. Now, all he had to do was speed it up.

"Anyone else you say? What if something happened to your other friends of the Institute, like Kennen? Or even Senna?"

She lost no time on speaking up, determination evident in her eyes. What surprised him the most though was the lack of hesitation she had in her voice.

"Let me put this straight. I don't care what happens to them. The only person I care about is him. Promise me you will not hurt him if he is proven foolish enough to come to my rescue."

Ah, there it is. The last ray of hope, he thought. It was now time for him to proceed with one last test before the serious stuff began. With a snap of his fingers two green orbs flew outside his lantern into each of his hands. He turned his attention to his prisoner, addressing her in a rather cheerful way.

"So, you claim you don't care about the others anymore, huh? Then it will be easy for you to participate into the next game."

She looked back at him confused before noticing the two green orbs in his hands changing their shape and transforming into human beings with bones and flesh. Her eyes filled with terror when she witnessed the two souls taking the form of two children. She immediately rushed to protest but he cut her off before she managed to speak.

"The game is quite simple, Vayne. I decided to let you use your initiative this one time. You see, these two lads are brother and sister and one of them has to die. You have sixty seconds to choose which one will be. If you haven't made a choice when the time is over, I will just kill them both. And by kill them I mean I will destroy their souls completely and send them to oblivion so they won't have the power to regenerate. So, which one is going to be? The boy or the girl?"

Vayne remained frozen in her chair not able to voice a single word. She had so much to tell him; she had to convince him otherwise. But nothing seemed to come out of her mouth. The boy's loud but shaky voice shook her out of her trance immediately getting her attention.

"Choose me, please! Tell him to kill me and don't let my sister die. Please lady, I am begging you. Be fast!"

The boy's words did little to help Vayne find her voice again as she remained frozen staring at the two children in front of her.

"Please, save her!" the boy kept saying raising his voice each time before a loud snap was heard from a few meters away. Vayne's eyes darted to Thresh's right hand where she stared at the sight in terror. The girl's neck was completely broken, snapped in two as her body was engulfed in spectral blue flames turning to ashes.

"Time's up." the spectre mocked before repeating his actions with the boy, throwing his burning body next to the ashes of his sister.

Hot tears found their way up to Vayne's eyes as she realised what her lack of determination caused. She had failed. She had failed as a Night Hunter, as a person and as a human. She had failed them all.

"Tell me, Vayne. What was the main reason you became a Night Hunter?"

She raised her head to look at him, the tears still present in her eyes.

"To protect my people from creatures like yourself."

"Did you do that just now?"

She shivered at his question realising what truly happened a few moments ago. Not only did she fail herself and everyone else but she also failed her purpose, the only thing she was living for. She failed to keep the promise she gave to herself. She was supposed to fight this; to fight him. But what happened now? She found herself losing everything she stood for, everything she fought for. She found herself being consumed by darkness. And the worst part was that she didn't mind.

"Who cares if I did? One of them would die anyway so what is the point? What is truly the point anymore?" she half whispered more to herself than to him looking down at the ashes of the two dead children.

"Kill me already, Thresh. Kill me before this gets too far. I can't watch anymore of this."

He paced around the room picking up the ashes from the floor and holding them in his right hand. After a few moments he stood in front of her forcing her to lift her head up by her hair before slowly spreading the ashes over the inner part of her eyes. She yelped in pain as she felt the remaining sparks of the fire burning the inside of her eye.

"I'll be generous enough to prevent you from watching then." he said forcing two clawed fingers inside each of her eyes ripping the substances apart. The pain and the anguish was too much for her to bear but she didn't dare scream this time. She could only feel her vision instantly turning black as unlimited "tears" of blood rolled down her cheeks. She remained silent trying to heighten her other senses in an effort to understand his next move. She could feel him closer now, his voice as low as a whisper in her ear.

"So, what is one hundred minus ninety six?"

Author's Note Vol 2: Reading this once again I find myself still shaking due to the suspense and the tension between the two. Ah, such a great pair! Next chapter will be THE BOMB because as you may imagine, Lucian won't just sit back and watch Vayne's self destruction. And he probably won't be alone this time *wink wink*! So, let's see your reviews from the past chapter:

crazyLatern: Well, I have to agree. This is totally like him! Vayne acting under the influence of her human side is something reasonable but I don't think we'll see much of that human side anymore, especially after this chapter *winks*! Jhin and Arwen might take some time since my total of words for their first chapter is 200 xD But I guess I will upload it by the end of February (I hope). :D

NightBoosted3: TA-DAAAAA!

DarkStarVarus: To be honest, I came up with this idea when writing chapter 4 (the Thresh debut on the story). I was giving small hints inside several chapters though. :D The interactions completely changed, I'd like to believe and they'll be even ore tense on 29!

iHookGirls: Aw :D

Glowing Doom: Same, my friend. Same.

AndHisNameIsCena: Oh well, that's how she is. Am I right?

Cupcake Girl: Oh, come on! "Mean" is such a poor word for Thresh. This guy deserves much richer adjectives. :D

Soooo, that was it for today! See you on Monday with chapter 29 and a very very angry Lucian. :D xoxoxo