by Ash Masters
*
‘Don’t stop me!’ Ayumi screamed. ‘I can still fight!’
‘You’re insane!’ Sayuri retorted, stepping in front of Ayumi to inspect her wounds and making a disapproving face as noted all the cuts.
‘RARGH!’ Ayumi screamed in protest, eyeing Sayuri furiously.
‘Don’t try that one me, missy! Listen, you’re not thinking straight – I’m surprised you can even stand. Let me take care of this while you regain your strength.’
Ayumi stung all over and the pain was driving her mad. This madness however was pushing her on, dragging her back down into insanity where she had once lived, where she was at her strongest. She barged past Sayuri, ignoring the cries for her to stop, heading for the Nightmare some ways down the road – so small now that she could crush it in the palm of her hand.
In time Ayumi caught up and when she did she circled around, placing herself in front of Yamato so that she could be the one to beat the monster. Her irises in their enhanced form transformed again, the pattern of shattered glass spreading to cover her eyes to look liker her eyes had cracked. ‘Look at me, monster!’ She demanded, hand bared like claws before her face.
Immediately, the Nightmare staggered, tripping over its foot to crash into a building, collapsing easily like it was made from building blocks. When it righted itself, Yamato jumped high to punch it in the face, sending the Nightmare back by a couple of steps.
‘I SAID! LOOK AT ME!’ Ayumi commanded more forcefully. ‘Your kind thinks it can just come here and hurt us! I am your master now! I want you to look at me!’
The Nightmare suddenly stopped, rotating its hulking head to gaze down at Ayumi, glowing, purple eyes focused on her. Its last step echoed across the enclosed area and though it was clear that remarkably it wasn’t going to attack, Yamato was still on-edge.
‘I wonder what your brutish mind is thinking.’ Ayumi sniggered. ‘I’m going to kill you. You understand me, beast? I’m going to kill you. Do you understand what I am saying?’
The Nightmare began to groan, the sound rising from the pit of its stomach up into its throat where it seeped out of its closed, fanged mouth.
‘I’m going to rip you apart! No, I’m going your body rip itself apart!’
As she spoke the words, cuts ripped across the Nightmares’ body as if struck by many invisible blades. The Nightmare cried out loudly through its sealed mouth, its howls flooding the streets. The sight startled Yamato along with Sayuri and her daughter Asuka who had only just made their way to them.
Sayuri covered her mouth, gaping with shock as the Nightmare in the blink of an eye had its body ravaged. H-How cruel...
With ground-shaking force the Nightmare dropped onto it’s knees, hunching over Yamato and Ayumi, raining down inky blood onto them. ‘I suggest you leave and find the other.’ Ayumi advised as the Nightmares groans intensified, more cuts ravaging its body.
Still stunned, Yamato didn’t respond right away. However, realizing what Ayumi had said he turned and left, heading down the long road.
Ayumi watched in awe as the force of her evolved mind-control slowly destroyed the pitiful creature at her mercy, hacking away at its flesh with her mere thoughts. A smile stretched across her face, enjoying the exhilarating feeling that her cruelty was giving her. It’s like getting high...
Sayuri felt sorry for Ayumi, thinking that only a person who had faced hardship could enjoy such mindless violence. However, she more sorry for the Nightmare whose sounds were like crying now rather than moans in pain. She covered her daughter’s ears passed the Nightmare and Ayumi, following Yamato.
Sayuri just couldn’t watch the madness.
TRUTH
