Julius' heart almost leapt from his chest as a disgusting sensation assaulted him. He could feel them, the tiny threads wrapping around his bones, tendons, and veins, slowly depriving him of his movements. To make matters worse, Raynard's hateful spell kept singing in his ears, hastening his fall into slumber.
'Will I lose again? Like I did against Smith?'
His thoughts thundered in his mind as a deep wave of unwillingness rose from his trembling heart. Had he not vowed to never be defeated again on the night he lost his mother? So why?
Why, despite all his training, the thousand gold coins his big brother had given him with so much kindness, his legendary blade, and his unique path, nothing changed?
As his feelings swirled around those questions, creating a chaotic mess threatening to devour his harmonious heart, a single emotion suddenly overwhelmed all the others.
