The safehouse stank of mildew and desperation, its decaying walls as much a tomb as a sanctuary. The flickering bulb above cast shadows that danced like phantoms, elongating the horrors Liora had etched into her memory. The metallic tang of blood was still fresh in her nostrils, mingling with the damp air. The rusted knife on the table gleamed faintly under the weak light, still slick with the remnants of Irene's tortured truth.
Liora's hands trembled. She wasn't sure if it was from the exhaustion or the abyss clawing at her sanity. Every moment felt like sinking further into a nightmare orchestrated by a sadistic god. Lucius's games were no longer just mind games—they were transformations, trials meant to unmake her humanity piece by agonizing piece.
She had barely scrubbed Irene's blood from her fingers when a loud, sickening thud echoed through the walls. Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing, her hand reflexively reaching for the revolver at her side.
Another thud. This time, louder.
The safehouse door shuddered on its hinges.
"Thomas," she whispered, voice sharp and hushed.
Thomas Holt, her partner, was slumped on the cot across the room, nursing a deep gash across his ribs. His trench coat hung open, revealing the blood-soaked shirt beneath. "What now?" he rasped, dragging himself upright.
The next sound wasn't a knock. It was an explosion.
The door flew off its hinges, shattering into splinters. A wave of heat and debris roared into the room, sending Liora tumbling back. The table flipped, scattering maps and documents across the floor like a blizzard of damning evidence.
Through the haze of smoke, a figure stepped into view.
It was a man—or what was left of one. His body was grotesquely twisted, muscles unnaturally bulging beneath charred skin. His eyes burned with a crimson glow, devoid of humanity, filled only with blind devotion to Lucius's dark purpose.
"The Herald of Sin sends his regards," the abomination snarled, its voice guttural and broken, like glass scraping against metal.
Liora fired before it could take another step. The bullet struck its shoulder, but the creature didn't flinch. Instead, it lunged, faster than any human should be able to move.
"Liora, move!" Thomas shouted, grabbing his gun and firing. The bullets tore into the beast, chunks of flesh and blood spraying onto the walls, but it only seemed to fuel its rage.
Liora rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the creature's clawed hand. She grabbed the knife from the floor and plunged it into its side, twisting with all her strength.
The creature let out a guttural roar, backhanding her across the room. She slammed into the wall, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. Stars danced in her vision as she struggled to get up, her fingers slipping on the blood-slick floor.
Thomas fired again, this time aiming for the head. The bullet struck true, shattering the creature's skull. It collapsed in a heap, twitching violently before finally going still.
For a moment, there was silence, broken only by their ragged breathing.
"What the hell was that?" Thomas panted, his eyes wide with horror.
"Something Lucius sent," Liora spat, wiping blood from her mouth. "He's not just manipulating people. He's turning them into monsters."
She staggered to her feet, her body screaming in protest. The knife was still clutched in her hand, its blade now cracked from the force of her attack.
"We need to get out of here," Thomas said, limping toward the door. "There's no telling how many more of those things are out there."
But before they could make it to the exit, a low, mocking laugh filled the room. It was faint at first, but it grew louder, reverberating off the walls.
Liora froze, her blood turning to ice. She knew that voice.
"Leaving so soon?"
Lucius's voice dripped with venomous amusement, the sound wrapping around her like a noose. A crackling sound followed, and suddenly, the creature's body twitched violently. Its flesh began to bubble and sizzle, the scent of burning meat filling the air.
Liora and Thomas watched in horror as the abomination rose to its feet, its shattered skull reforming, its eyes blazing brighter than before.
"Do you see now?" Lucius's voice echoed. "Do you see the beauty of sin? The inevitability of fate? You can kill it, break it, burn it—and yet, it will always rise again. Just like me."
The creature lunged again, faster and more ferocious than before.
This time, it wasn't just rage driving it. It was purpose.
Liora fought with everything she had, slashing, shooting, dodging. Blood sprayed in every direction, coating the walls, the floor, her face. The room became a hellish battlefield, the air thick with the stench of death and the sounds of violence.
Thomas wasn't so lucky. The creature caught him mid-dodge, slamming him into the ground with a sickening crunch. He let out a choked gasp, blood pouring from his mouth as the monster's claws dug into his chest.
"No!" Liora screamed, driving her knife into the creature's back.
It didn't even flinch.
"Run…" Thomas gurgled, his voice barely audible.
Liora hesitated, tears streaming down her face.
"Run!" he roared, using the last of his strength to shove the creature off balance.
She didn't have a choice. Clutching her knife, she turned and fled into the storm, Lucius's laughter echoing in her ears.