The rain came down suddenly and steadily, icy droplets that beat down upon all they touched and seeped into the very marrow of his bones, but Iago paid them no heed. Let the Heavens weep, let them roar above him this night; he cared not for the angels' pains, when his own threatened to consume him even now.
The streets of Cyprus, glistening in the freshly fallen rain, were utterly deserted; no one dared walk in this unforeseen squall...no one but he, it seemed. He found it difficult to believe he had come so far, to be within the town already, but...
Well, perhaps it was not so incredible. Time seemed oddly hazy, long moments lost and forgotten, never to be returned or recalled. His legs ached, when he did not think they should even be struggling to carry him; his head whirled and pounded, trapped in the fury of a mind trying to devour itself at his detriment...
Fitting, then, that he should see Emilia before him now, scantily clad in naught but her shift, hair and eyes wild and enraged. Before his bemused eyes she berated him, calling him devil, fool, monster, snake...he had betrayed her, she cried. Wounded her, crushed her soul. Killed her...and now she would haunt him for it, she would, make no mistake...
"God, please, make it stop," he whispered, horrified, knowing, hoping, that his eye saw false; was Emilia not abed? How could she be here? Did he not dream of her haunts, trap himself in a nightmare of his own creation? ...But why, then, would she not leave him be and go?!
Strike her sound! Remove her from your sight! ...Of course. Voice of retribution, back to besiege him once more. But now the voice was not merely that; it took shape before him, looming tall over Emilia's slim form, its features twisted and contorted with rage and madness, its head monstrously bloated with all of its evil sentiments, its hands claws that reached for his oblivious wife, their intent so plain, so terrible to behold, bent on taking her life as penance...
"STOP!" he roared aloud, not caring who heard. "Begone, you devils: both of you!" Then, quieter, ravaged and faint as he fell to his knees, staring into the gaoler's glowing eyes and seeing his own madness reflected within, he whispered, "Please. Leave me, I beg you; you torment me too much."