In the Name of Justice: Chapter XVIII
I'm back from Madrid! As an apology for my absence, I've managed to get the next two chapters ready, so I'll be posting them both today. From now on, I'll probably be working on editing and finishing this story for Christmas, which means that I'll probably be posting a lot more. Plus, I've started to write the sequel, Dark Wings, though it might be a while before I start posting. ^^
Anyway, this chapter marks the official introduction of the last major character in this book. I can't say anything at the moment, but I hope you see how he has been fitting into the background so far. And leave a comment telling me what you think!
Chapter XVIII
The Last Night Falls…
The smell of earth hung heavy in the forest air, released at last after so many days of rain. With each footstep, the man could feel the dirty water welling up between his toes, but he paid no attention to it. Panic pushed him onwards, drove him at a constant pace until his throat was raw from each pained breath, and his ankles and legs were splashed with mud.
“Your Majesty!”
His voice ripped through the forest like an arrow from a bow. It received no answer, though it was not as if he had been expecting any. No. the man would have to rely on his senses, as well as speed to reach his goal; yet it seemed that even those were slipping away from him now. With each step came a new pain, each movement adding confirmation to the fact that he was probably too late after all.
No, wait… There! Finally, he was able to sense something else moving nearby, even if the motion itself was worryingly slow. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head and concentrated on directing every part of his being towards the source of his attention.
Then, at last, it came into vision, a lingering figure amongst the trees. It cast a darkness against the night, black on black, a shadow barely visible even to the enhanced eye. There was no denying that it was the shape of a man, though - bent, weak and broken as he made his way clumsily forward.
“Your Majesty.” The figure stopped a yard or two behind the king, frenzied breaths shaking his shoulders.
Slowly, Dreizehn turned his head around just enough that he could fix his eyes upon the other. It was only then that the man was able to see just how much his condition had deteriorated over a mere few hours: unnaturally pale fingers gripped the bark of the nearest tree; his body slumped slightly, as if suffering from heavy exhaustion; and the one visible red eye was framed with a deep black, suggesting it had not seen rest in several days.
He looked away before their gazes could properly meet. “Go home, Carbuncle - you have no business out here.”
“But Your Majesty-”
“Are you deaf? Did you not just hear me?” Dreizehn snapped, suddenly taken by anger. It did not last though, and shortly after he let out a sigh. Slowly, he ran his eyes over the form of the young vampire in front of him pausing when he reached his mud-drenched lower legs and ankles.
“Carbuncle…”
---
Like a candle flickering to life, Justice’s eyes opened.
He had been slipping in and out of sleep for a while now, unable to embrace one state of being before the other took a hold of him. How long he had been trapped in this cycle for exactly he didn’t know, but he doubted it could possibly be less than an hour. Outside, the moonlight cut through the gap in the earth like a knife, though it was fading, ready to give way to dawn.
Justice was just working out what had cause him to awake, when all of a sudden, he heard it again, a faint rustling above his head. At first, he merely dismissed it as a rat or other small animal ,yet the more it persisted, the more he began to doubt even that.
Eventually, he allowed his curiosity to take a hold of him and eased himself to his feet. There was little room to stand up, and so he found himself half-crouching, half-crawling across the floor to the opening. At one point, it took nearly all of his strength to avoid crushing someone’s outstretched arm beneath his foot, yet in the end, he was able to remain silent until he broke through into the open.
The slightest of breezes pulled at Justice as he surfaced, lifting one or two ebony strands from his face. A quick look to the east told him that dawn was an hour or so away at the most - perhaps sooner. He wasn’t planning on remaining out here for long though, so it didn’t pose an issue.
Slowly, he ran his fingers over the back of his neck and straightened up to his full height, allowing his senses to unravel. A dry earthy smell lingered in the air, combined with ash from the fire to create a unique odour. The man paused for a few seconds to take it in before turning his attention to the source of the sound, though from what he could see there was nothing there.
He frowned. Had he simply imagined it? Further investigation of the area returned nothing leading him to wonder whether he had allowed himself to be awoken by nothing. Perhaps there had indeed been a small animal, but if that was the case then it had long since fled.
He was just about to return to the sleeping area when it sounded a third time, an unmistakeable rustle against the grass. With instantaneous speed, Justice spun around drew his dagger and held it poised in front of him. His eyes strained in the darkness to identify anything out of place, though surprisingly, there was nothing to be seen - not even through the vision of a vampire.
Before he could stop himself, he had begun to creep forward, a movement which advanced into a walk and then a run. What he was chasing he didn’t know, but there was no ignoring the sense of unease that had come over him all of a sudden - it was as if his subconscious were being drawn onwards.
Just then, the air was split as something raced towards Justice. He managed to dive forward just as an arrow passed over him barely catching the edge of his sleeve. However, the next time was not so fortunate, as a second sliced through the darkness and pierced his shoulder.
Clenching his teeth, he took a hold of it, pulled it free and thrust it to the ground, when a sudden force knocked him backwards. He lashed out at once, kicking and scratching before his body had even reached the grass. An arm brushed against his mouth and he bit down, feeling his fangs sink into flesh. Somewhere nearby, his attacker whimpered and retracted slightly. giving Justice a chance to throw himself backwards and make his escape. It was not a long-lasting freedom, however: the moment he had clawed his way to his feet, a hand clamped down upon his boot, pulling him to the floor again.
A dark figure, like a shadow, passed in front of Justice. At once, he spotted the silver of his dagger on the ground, snatched it up and slid it across the back of the other’s ankle, severing the tendon. The figure collapsed with an agonised roar.
Justice’s heartbeat was in his throat as he slid from the grip on his foot and launched himself forward into a sprint. Despite his efforts to fight them off, the figures were persistent, and far too big a number for him to take on alone - even as he moved he could sense more approaching from the darkness. If he could just reach the Guardians in time for them to help…
A sharp object hit Justices back, burying itself in the area below his shoulder blades. At once, his legs failed beneath him and he fell to the ground, writhing like a fish out of water. The pain spread like poison until it reached a point where it was near unbearable.
“What a letdown.”
Justice’s fingers curled into helpless fists as he looked up and stared, through tear-clouded eyes, at a shape that blocked the moon - a male, by the looks of it. It was almost impossible to tell from the lack of light and dizzying pain what expression his face held, though judging the tone of his voice, Justice guessed that it was closer to a smirk than anything else. Slowly, the figure bent down and wrenched the knife from Justice, who let out an agonised gasp in response.
No sooner had he been freed, two figures descended upon him him, seized a shoulder each and dragged him sharply back. The one standing up raised his blade into the air, as if to examine it - Justice was sickened to see his own blood staining its length.
“You know I really didn’t think you’d be lured into the open so easily, but, well… I suppose that’s how animals are usually drawn from their lairs.” He turned his eyes lazily to the black-haired man. “Curiosity’s a burden - am I right?”
Justice’s expression was a combination of fury and pain as he growled “Who are you?”
The man chuckled then lowered his dagger and fell into a crouch in front of him. A snarl - a warning to stay away - ripped through Justice’s bared teeth, but the other paid no regard. Instead he pushed his face close and spoke in a low voice: “Who am I you ask?” He smirked softly. “My name’s Gideon. And you must be Justice - am I correct? That’s a pretty name…”
Justice said nothing, bound to his own silence. The man in front of him was young - perhaps midway through his twenties in human years - with a head of blonde almost silver-coloured hair, and eyes that carried a confidence far beyond his age. His was a face Justice was certain he had never encountered before - so how could he possibly know his name?
The realisation hit him like two forces colliding.
“You!” Justice spat between gritted teeth. “You’re with Judas!”
Gideon smiled. “Clever.”
Before he could even finish speaking the black-haired man had leapt into a struggle, thrashing violently in an attempt to free himself. His usual calm demeanour lay shattered, only to be replaced with an overpowering hatred, a desire to tear apart the face in front of him. Maybe he would even have succeeded if it were not for the agony that continued to scorch his body, and the ones holding him down on either side.
Gideon frowned and straightened to his full height. His boot swung forward with dizzying speed and force, connected with Justice’s face and sent him crashing back onto his shoulders.
Pain racked Justice’s head; he didn’t have to raise a hand to realise that his nose was broken and a thin stream of blood was sliding down his cheek. The two by his side had released their grips and allowed him to fall back. It was his chance to run, to take advantage of his momentary freedom - so why didn’t he? Perhaps in the end, the fault lay in himself. It was as if his body had detached itself from his consciousness, unable to do anything but bear itself against the anguish for a few seconds.
He was barely able to struggle when Gideon crouched over him, brandishing the same blood-moistened dagger. “Please don’t try to fight me - I assure you it will only end badly.”
The way he spoke reminded Justice of a patronising teacher - one may have thought he was addressing a naughty child as opposed to someone of the same standing.
The black-haired man’s eyes remained fixed upon the dagger in the other’s hand, watching with an unwavering terror as he twirled it around and around. like some sort of toy. It was a few seconds before he caught his gaze and chuckled. “You’re interested in my blade, I see,” he said holding it in front of the other’s face. “Her name’s Vaana - I feel you may find her rather… Unusual.”
As he spoke, Gideon ran the tip along Justice’s face, tracing a line from the top of his cheek to the base of his chin; yet it was only when he reached his jaw that he allowed it to break the skin. The blade slid over his pale neck, leaving behind a thin thread of crimson and and only lifting when it reached the collarbone.
Justice didn’t move. Every cell in his mind was screaming at him, urging him to fight back, but he was beyond listening to them. What good would it do now? Even if he did manage to pull himself to his feet, he would be knocked down again, and that would only bring more pain… The spot where his back had been pierced still singed - evidently, his body had not yet initiated the healing process. Was that what Gideon meant when he had said ‘unusual’? The wound on his back was agony - he would have even gone so far as to liken it to the sun’s burning rays.
“You killed Kircheis’ men… And Rakina…” The words were little above a mumble on Justice’s lips. It was all so obvious now; maybe if it were not for the circumstances, he would have felt the need to laugh. Judas, it seemed, was even more of a coward than he had originally been led to believe in enrolling someone to carry out his practical work for him. Indeed, it fit his personality: Judas had always been one to look for an excuse not to dirty his own hands; though how he had managed to come across someone - a vampire, judging from his strength - so willing to bend to his will Justice would never know. Gideon appeared to be the kind of individual who prized his values above all else, one who controlled others as opposed to allowing himself to be manipulated - so why was he serving Judas?
Perhaps Justice would find out the answer to that question in time, but now was clearly not the time to ponder, for there were far more pressing matters at hand.
For a moment, he was able to blot out the pain from his mind and summon a small spark of energy from within him. With the speed and fury of a wildcat, he threw the silver-haired man from him and sprang forward, pinning him to the ground. The situation brought back memories of his fight with Wilderness earlier that evening, though this time there was no holding back, no hesitation: this time every inch of his body was programmed to rip, tear, shred, claw and slash at the one beneath him. If Gideon resisted, then it did little to protect him.
A hand wound in Justice’s hair and dragged him away, but still he fought violently, twisting around to swipe at the one holding him. The figure jumped back to evade his nails, but returned with a sharp kick to the chest. At once, the others came rushing forth to restrain the vampire, and Justice found himself having to struggle against three or four pairs of arms. However, it was a wasted effort on his behalf - he was overpowered within seconds.
Gideon stood before him, a deep web of red staining his neck and left shoulder. The skin was raw and bleeding, as if it had been raked by the claws of a lion or bear. No words passed his lips for a moment as he stared, stunned, at the wounds that showed through his torn garments. Then he looked back.
“You… You bastard…” he spat.
Justice flinched, expecting some kind of blow, but none came. Somewhat shocked, he followed Gideon’s gaze to the east, where his heart missed a beat to see the unmistakeable faint pink glow on the horizon.
Dawn.
The sun was rising.
Gideon’s expression melted into a smirk, the anger having faded. “Well, it seems that this may just turn out easier than I anticipated.” Then, to the others, “Tie him down.”
Before he’d even finished speaking, the men had begun to move. They were like a swarm, working together behind Justice’s back whilst the silver-haired vampire caressed the marks on his chest. Desperately, he struggled, but it was to little effect: the rope, obviously pulled from someone’s pocket, was thick enough to make escape an impossible option.
Once Justice’s hands and knees were restrained at last, the men stepped back, as if to admire their work. Gideon too, it seemed, was satisfied with what he saw, though his pace appeared more rushed now that a time limit had been placed on him.
“I shall leave you to enjoy the sun then, Justice, ” he taunted. “It’s too bad I can’t watch you burn, but, well…”
He turned away without finishing his sentence and had begun to move forward, when he was approached by one of his men; Justice strained to head their muttered words over his own frantic heartbeats.
“Don’t you think we should kill him here? What if he manages to escape?”
Gideon paused and glanced back at the black-haired man. “There’s no chance of that - leave him.”
“But shouldn’t we-”
There was an irritated sigh. “If it worries you that much, then break his legs. But be quick about it.”
Needless to say, it was done: Justice knew it was pointless to try and resist, so merely watched as his first knee was snapped backwards under the hard sole of someone’s boot as easily as if it were made of dry wood. The second proved more of a challenge, but eventually it, too, gave way with a sickening crack, like that of a branch being split.
The pain was indescribable. Justice’s breath came in short, agonised gasps, his eyes searing as the tears swelled and befogged his vision. He was barely able to make out the disappearing figures in the darkness, let alone hear their footsteps over the sound of his own sobbing. and when he tried to move his body, it only intensified the pain. He didn’t need to glance down at his legs to know that they were most likely twisted out of shape from where they’d been broken. He could even feel the edge of a jagged piece of bone piercing his skin.
The rope around Justice’s wrists bit into the flesh, but he paid little attention to it. Consciousness was like a flame in the wind: teetering, flickering, constantly fluctuating - how long would it be before it faded completely? Surely he couldn’t withstand this torture much longer… For his body to buckle and slip into unconsciousness now would have been a blessing.
As his eyes grew ever-heavier, he realised that his wish may just be granted after all.
Overhead, the sun continued to rise.
Next Chapter →
Anyway, this chapter marks the official introduction of the last major character in this book. I can't say anything at the moment, but I hope you see how he has been fitting into the background so far. And leave a comment telling me what you think!
Chapter XVIII
The Last Night Falls…
The smell of earth hung heavy in the forest air, released at last after so many days of rain. With each footstep, the man could feel the dirty water welling up between his toes, but he paid no attention to it. Panic pushed him onwards, drove him at a constant pace until his throat was raw from each pained breath, and his ankles and legs were splashed with mud.
“Your Majesty!”
His voice ripped through the forest like an arrow from a bow. It received no answer, though it was not as if he had been expecting any. No. the man would have to rely on his senses, as well as speed to reach his goal; yet it seemed that even those were slipping away from him now. With each step came a new pain, each movement adding confirmation to the fact that he was probably too late after all.
No, wait… There! Finally, he was able to sense something else moving nearby, even if the motion itself was worryingly slow. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head and concentrated on directing every part of his being towards the source of his attention.
Then, at last, it came into vision, a lingering figure amongst the trees. It cast a darkness against the night, black on black, a shadow barely visible even to the enhanced eye. There was no denying that it was the shape of a man, though - bent, weak and broken as he made his way clumsily forward.
“Your Majesty.” The figure stopped a yard or two behind the king, frenzied breaths shaking his shoulders.
Slowly, Dreizehn turned his head around just enough that he could fix his eyes upon the other. It was only then that the man was able to see just how much his condition had deteriorated over a mere few hours: unnaturally pale fingers gripped the bark of the nearest tree; his body slumped slightly, as if suffering from heavy exhaustion; and the one visible red eye was framed with a deep black, suggesting it had not seen rest in several days.
He looked away before their gazes could properly meet. “Go home, Carbuncle - you have no business out here.”
“But Your Majesty-”
“Are you deaf? Did you not just hear me?” Dreizehn snapped, suddenly taken by anger. It did not last though, and shortly after he let out a sigh. Slowly, he ran his eyes over the form of the young vampire in front of him pausing when he reached his mud-drenched lower legs and ankles.
“Carbuncle…”
---
Like a candle flickering to life, Justice’s eyes opened.
He had been slipping in and out of sleep for a while now, unable to embrace one state of being before the other took a hold of him. How long he had been trapped in this cycle for exactly he didn’t know, but he doubted it could possibly be less than an hour. Outside, the moonlight cut through the gap in the earth like a knife, though it was fading, ready to give way to dawn.
Justice was just working out what had cause him to awake, when all of a sudden, he heard it again, a faint rustling above his head. At first, he merely dismissed it as a rat or other small animal ,yet the more it persisted, the more he began to doubt even that.
Eventually, he allowed his curiosity to take a hold of him and eased himself to his feet. There was little room to stand up, and so he found himself half-crouching, half-crawling across the floor to the opening. At one point, it took nearly all of his strength to avoid crushing someone’s outstretched arm beneath his foot, yet in the end, he was able to remain silent until he broke through into the open.
The slightest of breezes pulled at Justice as he surfaced, lifting one or two ebony strands from his face. A quick look to the east told him that dawn was an hour or so away at the most - perhaps sooner. He wasn’t planning on remaining out here for long though, so it didn’t pose an issue.
Slowly, he ran his fingers over the back of his neck and straightened up to his full height, allowing his senses to unravel. A dry earthy smell lingered in the air, combined with ash from the fire to create a unique odour. The man paused for a few seconds to take it in before turning his attention to the source of the sound, though from what he could see there was nothing there.
He frowned. Had he simply imagined it? Further investigation of the area returned nothing leading him to wonder whether he had allowed himself to be awoken by nothing. Perhaps there had indeed been a small animal, but if that was the case then it had long since fled.
He was just about to return to the sleeping area when it sounded a third time, an unmistakeable rustle against the grass. With instantaneous speed, Justice spun around drew his dagger and held it poised in front of him. His eyes strained in the darkness to identify anything out of place, though surprisingly, there was nothing to be seen - not even through the vision of a vampire.
Before he could stop himself, he had begun to creep forward, a movement which advanced into a walk and then a run. What he was chasing he didn’t know, but there was no ignoring the sense of unease that had come over him all of a sudden - it was as if his subconscious were being drawn onwards.
Just then, the air was split as something raced towards Justice. He managed to dive forward just as an arrow passed over him barely catching the edge of his sleeve. However, the next time was not so fortunate, as a second sliced through the darkness and pierced his shoulder.
Clenching his teeth, he took a hold of it, pulled it free and thrust it to the ground, when a sudden force knocked him backwards. He lashed out at once, kicking and scratching before his body had even reached the grass. An arm brushed against his mouth and he bit down, feeling his fangs sink into flesh. Somewhere nearby, his attacker whimpered and retracted slightly. giving Justice a chance to throw himself backwards and make his escape. It was not a long-lasting freedom, however: the moment he had clawed his way to his feet, a hand clamped down upon his boot, pulling him to the floor again.
A dark figure, like a shadow, passed in front of Justice. At once, he spotted the silver of his dagger on the ground, snatched it up and slid it across the back of the other’s ankle, severing the tendon. The figure collapsed with an agonised roar.
Justice’s heartbeat was in his throat as he slid from the grip on his foot and launched himself forward into a sprint. Despite his efforts to fight them off, the figures were persistent, and far too big a number for him to take on alone - even as he moved he could sense more approaching from the darkness. If he could just reach the Guardians in time for them to help…
A sharp object hit Justices back, burying itself in the area below his shoulder blades. At once, his legs failed beneath him and he fell to the ground, writhing like a fish out of water. The pain spread like poison until it reached a point where it was near unbearable.
“What a letdown.”
Justice’s fingers curled into helpless fists as he looked up and stared, through tear-clouded eyes, at a shape that blocked the moon - a male, by the looks of it. It was almost impossible to tell from the lack of light and dizzying pain what expression his face held, though judging the tone of his voice, Justice guessed that it was closer to a smirk than anything else. Slowly, the figure bent down and wrenched the knife from Justice, who let out an agonised gasp in response.
No sooner had he been freed, two figures descended upon him him, seized a shoulder each and dragged him sharply back. The one standing up raised his blade into the air, as if to examine it - Justice was sickened to see his own blood staining its length.
“You know I really didn’t think you’d be lured into the open so easily, but, well… I suppose that’s how animals are usually drawn from their lairs.” He turned his eyes lazily to the black-haired man. “Curiosity’s a burden - am I right?”
Justice’s expression was a combination of fury and pain as he growled “Who are you?”
The man chuckled then lowered his dagger and fell into a crouch in front of him. A snarl - a warning to stay away - ripped through Justice’s bared teeth, but the other paid no regard. Instead he pushed his face close and spoke in a low voice: “Who am I you ask?” He smirked softly. “My name’s Gideon. And you must be Justice - am I correct? That’s a pretty name…”
Justice said nothing, bound to his own silence. The man in front of him was young - perhaps midway through his twenties in human years - with a head of blonde almost silver-coloured hair, and eyes that carried a confidence far beyond his age. His was a face Justice was certain he had never encountered before - so how could he possibly know his name?
The realisation hit him like two forces colliding.
“You!” Justice spat between gritted teeth. “You’re with Judas!”
Gideon smiled. “Clever.”
Before he could even finish speaking the black-haired man had leapt into a struggle, thrashing violently in an attempt to free himself. His usual calm demeanour lay shattered, only to be replaced with an overpowering hatred, a desire to tear apart the face in front of him. Maybe he would even have succeeded if it were not for the agony that continued to scorch his body, and the ones holding him down on either side.
Gideon frowned and straightened to his full height. His boot swung forward with dizzying speed and force, connected with Justice’s face and sent him crashing back onto his shoulders.
Pain racked Justice’s head; he didn’t have to raise a hand to realise that his nose was broken and a thin stream of blood was sliding down his cheek. The two by his side had released their grips and allowed him to fall back. It was his chance to run, to take advantage of his momentary freedom - so why didn’t he? Perhaps in the end, the fault lay in himself. It was as if his body had detached itself from his consciousness, unable to do anything but bear itself against the anguish for a few seconds.
He was barely able to struggle when Gideon crouched over him, brandishing the same blood-moistened dagger. “Please don’t try to fight me - I assure you it will only end badly.”
The way he spoke reminded Justice of a patronising teacher - one may have thought he was addressing a naughty child as opposed to someone of the same standing.
The black-haired man’s eyes remained fixed upon the dagger in the other’s hand, watching with an unwavering terror as he twirled it around and around. like some sort of toy. It was a few seconds before he caught his gaze and chuckled. “You’re interested in my blade, I see,” he said holding it in front of the other’s face. “Her name’s Vaana - I feel you may find her rather… Unusual.”
As he spoke, Gideon ran the tip along Justice’s face, tracing a line from the top of his cheek to the base of his chin; yet it was only when he reached his jaw that he allowed it to break the skin. The blade slid over his pale neck, leaving behind a thin thread of crimson and and only lifting when it reached the collarbone.
Justice didn’t move. Every cell in his mind was screaming at him, urging him to fight back, but he was beyond listening to them. What good would it do now? Even if he did manage to pull himself to his feet, he would be knocked down again, and that would only bring more pain… The spot where his back had been pierced still singed - evidently, his body had not yet initiated the healing process. Was that what Gideon meant when he had said ‘unusual’? The wound on his back was agony - he would have even gone so far as to liken it to the sun’s burning rays.
“You killed Kircheis’ men… And Rakina…” The words were little above a mumble on Justice’s lips. It was all so obvious now; maybe if it were not for the circumstances, he would have felt the need to laugh. Judas, it seemed, was even more of a coward than he had originally been led to believe in enrolling someone to carry out his practical work for him. Indeed, it fit his personality: Judas had always been one to look for an excuse not to dirty his own hands; though how he had managed to come across someone - a vampire, judging from his strength - so willing to bend to his will Justice would never know. Gideon appeared to be the kind of individual who prized his values above all else, one who controlled others as opposed to allowing himself to be manipulated - so why was he serving Judas?
Perhaps Justice would find out the answer to that question in time, but now was clearly not the time to ponder, for there were far more pressing matters at hand.
For a moment, he was able to blot out the pain from his mind and summon a small spark of energy from within him. With the speed and fury of a wildcat, he threw the silver-haired man from him and sprang forward, pinning him to the ground. The situation brought back memories of his fight with Wilderness earlier that evening, though this time there was no holding back, no hesitation: this time every inch of his body was programmed to rip, tear, shred, claw and slash at the one beneath him. If Gideon resisted, then it did little to protect him.
A hand wound in Justice’s hair and dragged him away, but still he fought violently, twisting around to swipe at the one holding him. The figure jumped back to evade his nails, but returned with a sharp kick to the chest. At once, the others came rushing forth to restrain the vampire, and Justice found himself having to struggle against three or four pairs of arms. However, it was a wasted effort on his behalf - he was overpowered within seconds.
Gideon stood before him, a deep web of red staining his neck and left shoulder. The skin was raw and bleeding, as if it had been raked by the claws of a lion or bear. No words passed his lips for a moment as he stared, stunned, at the wounds that showed through his torn garments. Then he looked back.
“You… You bastard…” he spat.
Justice flinched, expecting some kind of blow, but none came. Somewhat shocked, he followed Gideon’s gaze to the east, where his heart missed a beat to see the unmistakeable faint pink glow on the horizon.
Dawn.
The sun was rising.
Gideon’s expression melted into a smirk, the anger having faded. “Well, it seems that this may just turn out easier than I anticipated.” Then, to the others, “Tie him down.”
Before he’d even finished speaking, the men had begun to move. They were like a swarm, working together behind Justice’s back whilst the silver-haired vampire caressed the marks on his chest. Desperately, he struggled, but it was to little effect: the rope, obviously pulled from someone’s pocket, was thick enough to make escape an impossible option.
Once Justice’s hands and knees were restrained at last, the men stepped back, as if to admire their work. Gideon too, it seemed, was satisfied with what he saw, though his pace appeared more rushed now that a time limit had been placed on him.
“I shall leave you to enjoy the sun then, Justice, ” he taunted. “It’s too bad I can’t watch you burn, but, well…”
He turned away without finishing his sentence and had begun to move forward, when he was approached by one of his men; Justice strained to head their muttered words over his own frantic heartbeats.
“Don’t you think we should kill him here? What if he manages to escape?”
Gideon paused and glanced back at the black-haired man. “There’s no chance of that - leave him.”
“But shouldn’t we-”
There was an irritated sigh. “If it worries you that much, then break his legs. But be quick about it.”
Needless to say, it was done: Justice knew it was pointless to try and resist, so merely watched as his first knee was snapped backwards under the hard sole of someone’s boot as easily as if it were made of dry wood. The second proved more of a challenge, but eventually it, too, gave way with a sickening crack, like that of a branch being split.
The pain was indescribable. Justice’s breath came in short, agonised gasps, his eyes searing as the tears swelled and befogged his vision. He was barely able to make out the disappearing figures in the darkness, let alone hear their footsteps over the sound of his own sobbing. and when he tried to move his body, it only intensified the pain. He didn’t need to glance down at his legs to know that they were most likely twisted out of shape from where they’d been broken. He could even feel the edge of a jagged piece of bone piercing his skin.
The rope around Justice’s wrists bit into the flesh, but he paid little attention to it. Consciousness was like a flame in the wind: teetering, flickering, constantly fluctuating - how long would it be before it faded completely? Surely he couldn’t withstand this torture much longer… For his body to buckle and slip into unconsciousness now would have been a blessing.
As his eyes grew ever-heavier, he realised that his wish may just be granted after all.
Overhead, the sun continued to rise.
Next Chapter →