His skin was still a mass of molten eruptions but, not fearing he could damage her, he did the only thing he could when his voice went unheard. Sinking to his knees, he wrapped his terrifying arms around her, bringing her into his embrace as he called her name. The contact was excruciating, the worst agony he had ever endured, and yet nothing compared to how he knew he would feel should he lose her. He held her close, hoping the sound of his desperate pleas would somehow wake her enough to drive back the berserker fury. If not, he could think of far worse ways to die than with her in his arms.
Emily stood statue-still, a quizzical expression upon her face as the unfamiliar figure she had been looking at began to melt before her gaze. The electric blue clothes seemed to bubble upon the figure and, for a moment, she thought her dreams had turned to nightmares once again as horrific growths appeared upon the person’s flesh, distorting their gaunt features into ghastly disfigurements. Seconds later, a splintering crack pierced her ears as the world around her shattered into nothingness. Silver rain cascaded around her, its touch like razorblades upon her skin. But when its downfall ended, reality had been made anew, becoming an open space littered with miniature worlds trapped within the mirrored fragments and lit by fire. She remained still, her gaze focusing ahead just as the master had asked. She was to wait until her new master made themselves known, and serve them in any way they desired. Covering her mouth, she heard herself cry out as her coughs caused pain to swell through her torso.
Her hand rose to the throbbing pain in her side, causing her to suck a breath through bared teeth as her touch caused it to burn and the flow of the warm, sticky fluid to quicken. She dared a glance down, and hoped the master would not be too disappointed that one of the mirrored fragments had buried itself within her flesh. She looked down upon herself carefully. The Master had said she needed to look appealing, yet the red scratches oozing ruby fluid across her skin were ruining the pretty clothes she had been given. She tried to wipe them, succeeding only in worsening the smears.
She glanced around, hoping to find help, hoping she could fix the damage before her new master came for her. Through the smoke, she saw a figure emerging, and tried her best to straighten up despite the intense pain in her side. Behind him were five other shadows. She marvelled as the smoke appeared to part for him, as if he had the right to pass. Before he could reach her, she grasped the fragment, hoping to remove the imperfection, but merely touching it sent her crumpling to her knees, where further shards sunk deep into her legs.
She cried in pain and frustration. The Master would be so disappointed in her. She flinched, expecting punishment when the hand of the man reached down towards her.
“Come, you are mine now,” he whispered. She looked at his hand again, lifting hers into his. His gentleness stirred warmth within her as he lifted her to her feet and the oppressive heat surrounded her lessened just a fracture.
“I’m sorry, Master,” she whispered, doubling over as the pain from her side caused darkened spots to swim before her gaze. She gasped as his arm encircled her waist, helping to support her as they walked. Glancing behind her, she saw the world behind her being devoured, the floor sinking into a gaping mouth of nothingness.
“We need to move faster!” he commanded, and a string of voices, including her own, all echoed their obedience.
Rubble rained down from above, the ceiling parting to send plumes of billowing smoke into the darkened sky as the groans and complaints of overburdened supports sought release from their load. Emily felt herself become weightless, gasping as she was lifted into her new master’s arms, his pace increasing as the collapsed rubble of the enormous doorway came into sight. She clung to him tightly as he guided her and the others outside into the cold, refreshing air.
Breathing deeply, she cringed at the burning pain, but the air tasted so fresh, so rejuvenating, that she just had to do it again. The coolness on her flesh, the openness of the sky, it was all so large, so overwhelming. She felt herself begin to tremble as people rushed forwards to greet them as her feet once more found the floor. It was soft, cushioning her feet as her heels sank into the earthy texture of the grass. Her hand clutched her side firmly as coughs escaped her sore throat. She backed away from the approaching swarm, their shouts and voices too loud, too many. Without thinking, she grasped her master’s arm as they tried to take her, praying he wouldn’t punish her as she choked out her words, “I’m sorry,”
“It’s okay, go with them. You are free now, they will help you,” he encouraged, gently removing her tight grip from his arm. The words seemed strange to her ears. How could she be free when it was her duty to serve him? She felt the hands of a medic upon her. Her gaze turned back to her new master and she was just in time to see his sad smile as he gave an encouraging nod, before sinking to his knees and becoming lost in the swarm of medics.
Ashley had known who stood before her the instant she had seen the
