Bastian had just one trick up his sleeve. Just one more ace, and as the opponent might have had pulled a joker on him, he had to make do with what he had now.
Dissociation.
He had read so much about psychiatry and psychopathology, having dissociated a lot in his youth himself, that he could induce such a state in a second when pressed hard enough.
He blanked out, and out of the nothingness in front of him came a woman's face.
It was not Amanda, even though he loved her the most.
It was Anasta, with her unnaturally colored beautiful hair flowing in the sea wind.
"Love is the key," she mouthed.
By now, Bastian was delirious from the lack of oxygen. However, he was as impulsive as he was wordy, and this had allowed him to develop insanely strong neck muscles for blurting out words even while he was literally being strangled to death.
