Death was an inescapable facet of existence, its shadow lengthening over me. Each step my adversaries took felt like a countdown to the dominus, a word that reverberated with the finality of death itself.
A harsh force constricted around me, binding my hands behind my back while Tigrani's hair ensnared my feet. The air grew thin as I struggled to breathe, my legs swollen, my back aflame with agony.
I was dragged across the earth like a savage, the pain a symphony of torment. Tears mixed with sweat as they traced salty paths down my battered cheeks. To my captors, I must have appeared a wretched spectacle.
Leading the procession was Tigrani, her every step exuding triumph. The ominous figure of Brugour trailed behind, his presence as foreboding as his silence. Following closely were Killan and Lanuza, two shadows cast by the misfortune of their alliance.
"Perhaps, Tigrani, carrying her would be prudent. Dragging her only intensifies her suffering," Killan's voice reached me near my feet, an attempt to temper my ordeal. Was it sympathy or mere pragmatism guiding his words?
Tigrani's growl preceded her retort. "Red mask, your concern is misplaced. She's my captive, my rules."
"Grouaarr!"
"The dominus will relish her agony, a prelude to her demise," Lanuza's voice dripped like venom.
I mustered an attempt to speak, but fresh pain surged through me as Tigrani's hair yanked me once again. Tears mingled with dirt on my bruised cheeks.
A wave of agony crashed over me as Tigrani's hair flung me, my body scraping against unforgiving ground. Tears flowed freely, merging with the dirt caking my battered face.
"I-I can't breathe..." I gasped, my voice stifled by the vice-like grip around my chest.
"For the dominus' sake, Tigrani, carry her! You're causing more harm than necessary," Killan's urgency echoed, his strides approaching Tigrani's.
"She'll bleed before she dies, a fitting tribute to the dominus," Lanuza's cruel laughter resonated.
Before I could protest, a fresh surge of pain coursed through me as Tigrani's hair tossed me aside like a discarded puppet. Pain ignited anew, the world ablaze with torment, my bones cracking and flesh tearing. Agony swallowed me whole, my tormentor's laughter a symphony of sadism.
As the pain continued, the world turned red and I screamed. The pain penetrated my very core, splintering my being, my bones screaming in protest. The pain grew deeper, a malevolent seed embedding itself within me, taking root in my marrow.
Tigrani's laughter echoed through the air, her sadistic enjoyment evident. "The dominus will find her irresistible, intoxicated by her scent of suffering."
Another voice, Killan's voice, cut through the torment. Tigrani's hair slackened, releasing me, my body crumpling to the ground. Silence enveloped me, broken only by the sound of my ragged breathing.
"We're here!" Tigrani announced, her tone shifting. The torment faded, replaced by an eerie stillness that enveloped the dense forest. Pain still echoed within me, but my senses began to return.
The forest, shrouded in shadows, offered no solace. The scent of damp earth and decay filled the air, suffocating and oppressive. An oppressive quietude reigned, the only sounds the stifled cries of pain and the labored rasp of my breath.
Death's specter loomed, and I found myself paralyzed in its presence. Panic and despair intermingled, squeezing my chest tight. There was so much I hadn't experienced—Cali's wedding, Poras' triumphant march, the truth about Killan, the gauntlet, the queens.
The abyss beckoned, but I was not ready. Tigrani's gaze bore into me, her words chilling to the bone. "Ready to face your end, Idrish? Your death will bring me gold from The Miss. You're special, you know—special enough to fetch a fortune with your demise."
"We must press on. Let's cast her into the well before the dominus senses her blood and turns on us," Lanuza's chilling logic carried a sense of urgency.
"R-Red mask, we should... go. Staying is perilous. The scent of blood could attract the dominus," Killan's voice wavered, the weight of my suffering evident in his tone.
As the others moved, Killan lingered, his masked face hovering over me. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, silent tributes to his pain. I extended a trembling hand, my voice a fragile whisper. "Killan..."
Killan's breath hitched, his eyes shimmering behind the mask. He offered something to my trembling hand, an object ice-cold against my palm.
"Sshh... Keep this hidden," he murmured, the object unknown but precious. Despite the agony that surged through me, the promise of the hidden object offered a glimmer of hope.
The fragile connection between us shattered as my strength waned, darkness sweeping in.
"Don't let go," he said urgently before swiftly departing, leaving only his presence behind.
I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to the cold object he had given me. I was resolved not to release it. Though I remained unsure of what it was, there was little doubt that Killan had offered it for a purpose. It might very well be my lifeline.
The thudding of my heart grew louder as a powerful force jerked me upright. The sensation of electric currents coursed through my body as I was lifted from the ground. Brugour's grip. I realized, my mind racing to comprehend the situation.
"Groarrr!" A roar, emanating from a creature I still couldn't see, reverberated around me.
The invisible monster tossed me to the side, and I clung tighter to Killan's gift. The world spun as I was flung by Brugour's immense strength, the chill wind grazing my battered form.
Cali... Poras... As I hung suspended in the air, the faces of my siblings danced before my mind's eye.
Then, a bone-jarring impact against my back. It felt as if my bones were shattering from the force of the beating my body had endured.
I could now see the gaping maw of the deep pit before me. It was a cavity that seemed to have existed since the dawn of time. Gasping for air, I lay motionless, my body quivering with the aftershocks of Brugour's attack. I shivered uncontrollably, every inch of my skin crawling with a chill that burrowed deep into my bones. The mingled scent of blood and sweat hung heavy in the air, reminiscent of the tang of iron.
Gradually, I sensed a faint rumble emanating from the pit. The earth seemed to tremble as the stomping of colossal feet drew nearer. The tremors grew in intensity with each resounding thud, a percussion of impending doom. Then, with a tremendous force, the ground shook and a monstrous presence emerged from the abyss. It was the dominus they had spoken of.
Before me stood a behemoth serpent, adorned with dark and silver scales that gleamed in the feeble light. Two massive, ram-like horns adorned its head, accompanied by four pairs of smaller horns that crowned its serpentine form. Its fiery eyes bore into me as it circled my prone body, causing a fresh wave of tremors to rack my form. Fear seized me, plunging me into a shivering abyss. Cold gripped me, gnawing at my very core. My sweat-slicked skin prickled with goosebumps, and the smell of blood mixed with sweat clung to me like a macabre perfume.
The dominus hissed, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. Its fiery eyes remained locked on my face as it slowly opened its monstrous maw, allowing a viscous, foul-smelling liquid to drip onto my cheeks. The scent of decay and death mingled with the hot, sticky substance, making my stomach churn.
The serpent's gaping maw filled my vision. Its breath was hot and rank, the stench of its previous victims enveloping me. The creature's jaws opened wider, revealing rows of sharp, glistening teeth. My heart pounded, and I felt as though I were staring into the abyss of my own demise.
I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what was to come. The hot, cavernous mouth of the dominus drew closer to my prone body. I could feel its heat radiating toward me, the stench of its breath overwhelming my senses. A rush of air, then a suffocating sensation as the serpent's jaws closed around me.
As the dominus swallowed, I felt a surreal mix of sensations. The creature's slimy membranes brushed against me, the interior of its throat constricting around me. The gurgling of its digestive system echoed in my ears, a grotesque symphony of impending doom. My body was enveloped in darkness, the walls of the dominus's throat pressing in on all sides.
But then, in that darkest of moments, Killan's words echoed in my mind once more: "Don't let go."
With a newfound determination, I clung to the object he had given me. It was my tether to life, my connection to hope. The dominus's throat continued to contract around me, but I held on, refusing to succumb to the consuming darkness.