"Sillithias."

The name seemed to transcend a mere word as it resonated like a death knell in the depths of John's mind. At the same time, the thoughts the Void Lord had previously projected made him feel as if he had been dunked into a vat of ice-cold water before being thrown onto a frozen tundra.

After violently shivering, feeling as if his body had turned into a chunk of ice that was moments from shattering, John took an unsteady breath. "Calm down. Fear is death."

[Amusement]

Ignoring the emotion, John was slightly startled to find that his mind hadn't gone blank like it had earlier. Instead, it seemed as if his instincts had given up after accepting that his demise was inevitable. Strangely, instead of inciting fear or panic, this acceptance seemed to lightly clear John's addled mind and gave him the surreal feeling as if he were observing the events happening to someone else yet was still in control of the body.

However, that didn't stop his thoughts pr desire to turn and run. Yet, as each possibility of escape flashed through his head, they were instantly vaporised as he stared into Sillithias' deep, foreboding blue eyes. For some unknown reason, John felt that the moment he showed any hint of retreat or cowardice, he would die.

The more John thought about it, the more he realised that he could only move forward. Despite the intense sensation of being trapped and lead by the nose, his breathing continued to stabilise as he slightly straightened his posture.

The moment he thought about how he had no option than to face death head-on, the image of his father standing bloodied with a crazed smile and eyes that seemed to glow in demonic blue energy appeared in his mind.

"No. I won't die. Not like that."

Pushing the memory away, even though he believed he was heading towards the same fate, John took another deep breath. He understood that it was the fate of those in his bloodline which had been cursed. When pushed to the brink, whether emotional or physical, they would lose their sanity and become devils that cared for nothing other than death and destruction. They would even harm those closest to them without any hesitation to achieve the smallest of irrational goals.

However, after remembering how his father was brutally put down by his loved ones and the pain it caused, John found the will to control the evil yet tempting urges whispering from the recesses of his consciousness. "If I am to die. I want it to be as John. A man. A human. Not some crazed monster."

[Confusion, Irritation, Curiosity, Diminishing Amusement, Impatience]

Emotions that were not his own once again washed over John, distracting him from his dark thoughts. However, in their place came the impression that he was like a small mouse staring into the eyes of a venomous snake that had just woke from hibernation.

While the snake wasn't hungry at the moment, its nature meant that it was only time until he did something that triggered it and was bitten. That or it got bored and decided to end the farce of equality.

Yet, despite having little hope for survival now he finally was face to face with a Void Lord, John couldn't resist the urge to chuckle. While it started weak and lethargic, it still contained a hint of amusement. However, as he continued, he felt his insides began to burn as a feeling that seemed insane started to sprout.

As the sound he made continued to grow in volume, it gained strength and purpose before turning into full-blown laughter.

At the same time, he felt the urge to stand and strike out one last time, no matter how pointless, while roaring his defiance to the world. He wanted to spit in the eyes of his enemies as he brought everyone and everything that he could down with him.

"No!" Though he couldn't completely stop the desire, John quickly restrained his thoughts as he stared at the Void Lord before him. Even though everything seemed hopeless, he still hadn't completely given up.

[Intrest, Affinity]

Sillithias' head tilted to the left as the orbs of her eyes seemed to narrow slightly. "What a... strange human. So much internal conflict, even when you know your doom is near."

"And... there is something else? Something strange." The glow from Sillithias' eyes grew. "I can see why my sister was so upset when she lost track of you."

John stopped laughing and shook his head slightly as he suppressed the peculiar feelings bubbling inside. While Sillithias' voice still caused his skin to prickle, the strange detachment that seemed to be increasing made it bearable.

What surprised John more, was that instead of focusing on the immediate danger before him, he was slightly regretting the actions that lead to this point. Even now, he wondered what would have happened if he had chosen another path or found a place to hide.

However, there was a large part of him that felt that nothing would have changed. Sillithias' reaction when he peeked around the corner wasn't one of surprise. Instead, he felt her impatience, as if she had been waiting for him to 'bump' into her.

The question of why the Void Lord needed him to approach her instead of just attacking appeared in John's mind only for a moment before being crushed by the overwhelming flood of other things he did not understand. He felt that he was on the cusp of answering most of his questions but at the same time, hopelessly lost. It was if all the information was there, yet he couldn't put the final pieces in the right place.

John shook his head again, his posture upright but at ease. Strangely, now that the dread and fear were fading, or at least suppressed by his detachment, he felt a small amount of relief.

As his options and lifespan were seemingly reduced, John weirdly felt more in control and empowered. Not only that but the guilt about leaving his family, clan and loved ones lessened. Even though it felt defeatist, John started to think that if he fell here and there was no afterlife, it would be a good thing. An abrupt end to his life that he could neither care or worry about.

"Nothing is ever easy." After taking a deep breath, the redness that had been tinting his view fading significantly, John pushed the thoughts from his mind and moved away from the wall. After a moment's hesitation, he walked a couple of steps towards Sillithias thinking that if the gut feeling on retreat and cowardness was right, then he needed to appear to be facing this head-on.

As he took the second step, John remembered a strange quote he had once heard. "To seek life by a dance with death..."

Yet, even though he slightly felt like a passenger in his own body, each step was harder than the last.

Just before his final step, it felt as if he were being battered by a typhoon while trying to climb up a vertical slope of ice. Eventually, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't force himself to take another.

[Shock, Confusion, Amusement]

However, as the foreign emotions washed over him, John felt slightly pleased with himself. While he couldn't describe the feeling as a kind of joy, the fact that he had disrupted the enemies tempo and supprised her felt like a small victory. As he dwelled on the fleeting happiness, the corners of his lips to twitch upwards. At the same time, without his knowledge, the faint blue glow in his eyes became more vivid.

[Supprise, Curiosity, Familiarity, Confusion, Cautiousness ]

John didn't know why, but he felt the danger around him lessen significantly as Sillithias' gazed seemed to become warier.

"Sillithias," John spoke with great difficulty, his throat feeling almost as parched as his mouth. This caused him to feel slightly annoyed at his body, feeling as if it were betraying him at a critical moment.

[Amusement, Intrigue]

While still there, the previous emotions seemed to take a back seat as Sillithias' found Johns actions interesting.

However, John struggled to think of what to say next. As the silence progressed and the need to say something grew, he gave up and fell back on the social etiquette that had become almost second nature. Yet, that didn't mean he didn't grimace on the inside as he uttered each word.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Even though the street was already quiet, John felt that he would be able to hear a pin drop a mile away in the silence that extended after he had uttered his greeting. Even Sillithias' smile seemed to freeze as her eyes squinted into what appeared to be a frown. He didn't need to feel her sense of bewilderment to understand that he had thrown her through a metal hoop. "Forget it. Still alive. That's all that matters."

"How... interesting~." After what felt like an eternity, Sillithias voice reappeared in his head as her terrifying smile grew. After staring at John for a while, she slowly moved her head until it was tilting to the other side. To anyone watching, it would seem as if she were trying to work out a great mystery. "Just what are you? Able to stand in my domain and look me in the eye while smiling. Even those heroes and their pet gods struggle?"

"And that greeting... I have to say, its... unique?"

John's smile grew, resisting the urge to say something else cringy. At that moment, he thought of the words he had said as he was teleported from the courtroom. "It said when you are close to death, you think of your past regrets... why are mine so pathetic?"

"And that smell... Why is it so familiar? Why does my body shiver in trepidation and excitement as you get closer? Why do I want to touch you almost as much as I want to shred your flesh and pull out your bones? You smell so delicious, but like something I shouldn't eat at the same time."

While Sillithias' eyes held no details, only revealing a blue glow, John felt as if her focus had blurred somewhat. He could instinctively tell she was deep in thought and not actually speaking to him.

It was at this time the man dangling in her tail showed signs of waking up. However, Sillithias seemed ignorant to that fact as she continued to stare in John's direction, mumbling to herself every now and again.

After repeating this for a minute, the smile on her face grew to an unnatural width. "So many tantalising mysteries~ and no answers. Oh, how you are full of secrets ripe for prying fingers and inquisitive minds. I wonder..."

The smile continued to grow. "... just how long you will you last before telling me everything?"

However, as if she had thought of something, the smile faltered as her projected tone became sullen. ". If only..."

[Irritation, Resentment, Desire, Jealously, Contempt]

While they weren't his own, John felt that the emotions weren't directed at another Void Lord but something else. Something that terrified as well as excited the Void Lord. However, he wasn't given time to dwell on his musings as she continued projecting into his mind.

"Our vigil has become... pretty monotonous. Prisoners, wardens and a meat shield at the same time. Our fates tied to the emotions and whims of another. Its good a mortal like you comes around every now and then. Upsetting the balance and giving us something to play with. A way to forget the spectre of death that eternally looms over us."

Even though she said this, John felt the conflicting emotions radiating from her.

[Irritation, Resentment, Hatred, Longing, Hope]

[... Abandonment]

Little did he know that the only reason John could sense Sillithias' feelings and emotions was that she didn't believe anyone other than a denizen of the void would be able to feel them. That and no one other than her fellow Void Lords would be brave enough to eavesdrop on her moment of self-pity.

The man trapped by Sillithias' tail finally woke up, drawing Johns attention to what seemed to be a mist-like black flame was burning at its tip. It had been hidden in the shadows of the nearby buildings, however now he noticed it, it seemed glaringly obvious. While John was unsure of what it exactly was, he was confident that the black flame was anything but hot.

While the man appeared dazed and confused as the start, as soon as he regained his mind, he began to struggle while releasing painful sounding grunt-like noises. As he fought, blood poured from every visible orifice painting a gruesome sight. It seemed like he didn't want to exhale any air, but due to his exertions, it was forced from his body and the tail around him constricted.

It initially seemed like Sillithias was going to ignore him. However, John noticed that along with the man's increasing struggles, the shape of her eyes changed in what appeared to be a frown. At the same time, the world that had regained some of its natural colours once again started to redden.

After John felt as if he was subconsciously dared to move, Sillithias' gaze slowly travelled to the struggling man's face. After slowly raising her hand, the long, claw-like index finger brushed against his cheek as if she were stroking her lover. "My, my. Impatient aren't we? Well, I guess this is your lucky day. Something much more interesting has fallen into my grasp. If your soul is strong enough for another life, make sure to visit me~."

John took a deep breath, feeling as if he was being suffocated instead of the man. At the same time, his smile turned somewhat manic despite him finding no enjoyment in the current situation.

While he didn't know how strong the Void Lord was, her presence seemingly there and not at the same time, he could roughly gauge by the fluctuations from the man's core that his strength was just below his own.

John's heart, still beating frantically, seemed about to burst from his chest at any moment. He momentarily wondered if this was being done to send him a message, but that thought was thrown away as he remembered who the Void Lords were.

Even if there was no intended message or point to the display, its meaning was evident. John was not her match in any way, shape or form.

Yet, as he watched Sillithias as she stared into the unknown man's eyes, John felt strangely at peace. He knew the man was about to die horribly, and after that, it would probably be his turn. However, instead of terrifying him, this realisation caused the urge to gain some sort of pyrrhic victory to grow. It was as if the more powerful the opponent, the more stubborn he could become.

The man's struggles continued to intensify, becoming increasingly violent as Sillithias gazed into his eyes. At the same time, John had the unnerving sensation that she was almost infatuated with the panic, dread-filled eyes pleading to her for mercy.

John felt the air chill, briefly wondering if it were due to the lack of sunlight or something else, before stopping himself from taking a step back.

Soon, the wheezing, groan-like exhales of the man were accompanied by numerous cracking noises before his chest suddenly collapsed. At the same time, the man's back seemed to bend at strange angles as her tail continued to constrict. Half a second after his body's collapse, blood erupted from the man's mouth as his eyes bulged as if they were going to pop out at any moment.

[Enjoyment]

John shuddered, watching as Sillithias' smile returned to what it had been before. While he knew that this wasn't the worst thing he could have seen, he now understood how she had got her reputation. After feeling her emotions, he realised that she really did enjoy the pain and suffering of others.

As if she knew what he was thinking, Sillithias turned her head extremely slowly until her eyes met John's. The moment their gazes locked, a long red tongue gradually appeared from between her teeth before it swept to the right and ran the length of the dead man's face. After being coated in blood, she slowly sucked it back in as if teasing her lover.

"I normally try not to play with my food." Sillithias' voice, as if it were trying to be coquettish, appeared in John's head again. "Tends to spoil the flavour and make the meat tough. But in your case, I'm willing to take the risk. After all~ they say foreplay is the prerequisite to a good meal."

Without knowing why John snorted as he ignored the faint blue hue that had steadily grown in his peripheral and the urge to charge forth and smash her face with his fist. "You want to eat me? Make sure you don't regret it. If I don't break a tooth, I'm sure I'll give you the shits."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

He knew it wasn't the most elegant rebuttal, but seeing as she didn't appear to be joking, John didn't waste much time thinking about it. Yet, even though he said the first thing that had popped into his head, John was caught by surprise by Sillithias' reaction.

It looked like Sillithias blinked in confusion as her movements froze. After a few seconds, it looked as if she had shivered and moved back slightly. However, just as he got the impression that she feared him, John sensed Sillithias' competitive spirit, concern, anxiety, and a strange feeling of familiarity explode forth.

The sudden change shocked John, causing him to momentarily frown. The feeling that he had almost grasped the method of his escape, but lost it at the last moment caused a surge of irritation. However, he couldn't dwell on it any further as her reply, though the tone not as alluring as earlier, scattered his thoughts.

"Oh~. It's been some time since someone was able to talk dirty to me. The fun I am going to have with you, little human. Try not to break too fast~."

Sillithias seemed to chuckle as hiss-like sounds escaped her throat. "What a lucky girl I am. I nearly lost out on such an interesting toy~. Akarhia is going to regret losing you for a long, long time."

"Girl?" Strangely, even though he knew he should have been more worried about his survival or the rest of her sentence, John focused on Sillithias' haunting, predatory smile as he thought about how she referred to herself.

Her teeth were the only feature visible apart from her glowing, orb-like eyes, due to the swirling, mist-like fog that covered her head and upper neck. Though he couldn't see much, John somehow knew that underneath the camouflage, there was the face of a hideous creature. Hardly something that he would call a beast, let alone girl.

Sillithias, as if she knew where he was looking but not the contents of his thoughts, lifted her chin proudly. However, instead of being appealing, John felt the protracted bottom jaw and the curve of the top, with no sign of a bump for a nose, was almost the perfect definition for a monster.

The hiss-like sound of chuckling returned as Silithias lazily threw the man's crumpled corpse to the side, revealing just how long her thin, snake-like tail was. As she did, her body turned and caught the light of the planets and stars above.

While her body was still shrouded in shadow, his eyes subconsciously travelled downwards. Strangely, against all John's training, he had been so focused on her face that he had only glimpsed at Sillithias' body out of his peripheral to make sure she wasn't about to launch an attack or had any weapons.

After passing the smooth, velvety black skin of her lower neck, he discovered the torso of what could have belonged to an extremely athletic woman. That was if they ignored the areas of black snake-like scales, over her chest, sides, back and hips, or the lighter grey area that ran down her stomach and between her legs.

John's eyes lingered on the muscles, which seemed to be akin to a seven or eight pack before a rouge thought crossed his mind. While he resisted at first, realising the situation he was in and that nobody would care, John lowered his gaze further. Though it was concealed by the shadow of her body and legs, John was able to make out the silhouette of what he assumed to be a female human's genitalia.

The stray thought that Sillithias' flirtatious remarks had some meaning only existed for a few moments before John ruthlessly crushed them. After being perplexed for a moment, he internally cursing himself for being distracted by something so frivolous, before his eyes continued to move down to Sillithias' legs.

John wasn't sure if he felt relief or frustration when he discovered that Sillithias' sex was where the human-like features ended. Her legs appeared extremely demonic, seemingly having three joints. Even though they were bent, John could almost imagen how she would tower over him if she stretched to her full height.

As she was angled slightly away from him, John was able to see what appeared to be three spikes sticking out from behind her. In his mind's eye, he imagined the three protrusions coming out from her spine as they ran down her back.

[Shock, Irritation, Confusion, Anger, Hatred, A hint of desire, Reluctance, Fear]

Once again, John felt strange and conflicting emotions start to infect his own.

"You certainly are brave human. Not even Baros dares to look at me with such eyes." Sillithias' tail flickered back and forth behind her as John continued to feel the complexity of emotions and conflict masked within.

The desire to inflict pain, torment, sate her curiosity and now fuck, seemed to battle inside Sillithias for poll position. However, without needing to think about it, John knew that all of them ended the same way.

In his gruesome death.

Slowly, feeling that he couldn't let her see any weakness, John returned his gaze to Sillithias' mist-covered head. As he locked eyes with her, he had the notion that his stalling was coming to an end.

At the same time, he wasn't exactly sure how he had got into this situation. John felt as if he were living through the mind and body of someone else. However, he couldn't make an excuse like he hadn't been in control.

Unlike when his instincts took over, he had known precisely what he was doing and saying. Yet, even though he didn't like some parts, he didn't exactly hate the feeling. It was like, in the face of death, he was finally starting to be his true self.

John was slightly surprised that he had even reached this point. He half expected to be killed on the spot when he walked from behind the wall and towards Sillithias. Yet, not only was he still alive, but even with the dulling of his emotions, he was able to feel a significant amount of awkwardness.

He had, after being banished to the Voidlands, not only stood in front of a Void Lord and declared he would give them the shits before blatantly checking them out.

"The fuck am I thinking? In the throws of life and death and feeling awkward because of a bloody monster. Instead of this shit, I need to think about how I am going to live." Even as John internally berated himself, he couldn't think of any means of efficient resistance. He was somehow instinctively buying time, but against overwhelming strength, it seemed somewhat pointless.

John felt like he was just delaying the inevitable, yet he couldn't stop. Not if he wanted to keep up the illusion that he could survive somehow.

After sighing loudly, he decided to gamble after quickly thinking back over his encounter with Sillithias. While he could feel the bloodlust oozing from her, he had the strange suspicion that not only did she like supprises and things that pleasantly went against her expectations, but she might want to argue more than fight.

At the same time, he felt that if he was wrong, at least he would enrage her and suffer a quick death. A dark thought but one that John considered a win, win.

It was at this point that John realised that the more they interacted, the more he felt he understood the Void Lord. It was an odd feeling. As if she couldn't hide anything from him and with every subtle action, thought, or emotion, he got closer to knowing Sillithias better than herself.

A haunting notion that triggered a few memories of the past slander used against his family. After thinking for a moment, hardening his resolve, John's eyes darted downwards.

This time, his gaze stopped briefly at Sillithias' medium-sized breasts. After realising his stare had been noticed, and the discovery that he couldn't see any protrusions for feeding young, his eyes returned to hers before he revealed a smug grin.

Even though he tried his best, John felt his chest tightened as he tried to make his sigh sound as natural as possible. "What a shame..."

While he knew it was a weak attempt, John couldn't think of anything else that might irritate or confuse the Void Lord. He was relying on the fact that Sillithias' words and actions could have been interpreted as suggestive, and the theory that the mist covering her head was because she was sensitive about her looks. John also felt that it might also explain why she was the most active of the Void Lords, a behaviour he had experienced first hand when he wanted to avoid thinking or doing something.

"If it weren't for your face and legs, you could be somewhat attractive." Even to John's ears, it sounded as if the words had come from a man requesting his own execution. Yet, just as he was preparing himself to fight, Sillithias hiss-like laughter caused waves of shivers to assault John's body.

[Pain, Sorrow, Loneliness]

"Amusing human. You have bought yourself a little more time, but the cost will be the opposite of what you hoped. The suffering you shall receive will last a long, long time."

While still extraordinarily unnatural and disturbing, John suddenly felt that Sillithias' smile wasn't so terrifying. For some reason, he also felt a trace of pity.

It was almost the same feeling that John felt when he escaped, who now he knew to be if Sillithias' words were to be trusted, Akarhia.

If John were to liken the sensation to anything, it would have been the guilt felt when he had been unjustly harsh to someone close to him. A pain that seemed to cut both ways.

Just as he was thinking this, Sillithias' laughter seemed to choke. After staring at John for a few moments, she chuckled again. However, this time John could feel a hint of sadness.

"What a strange human you are. You are the first to feel that way about my smile. And only my brother and sister have any form of affection towards me."

Sillithias seemed to hesitate for a moment.

"Just what are you? Why do you feel so strange, yet so familiar? Why do you carry the essence of the abyss without being one of us? How..."

As John felt a chill at the implied meaning behind what Sillithias' words meant, something that he couldn't quite understand at the moment, her gaze seemed to intensify as she studied his face.

"Fine. Seeing as you are so honest, I guess I will be too. Even if it is just to prolong my enjoyment."

John felt the sincerity of her words and felt a cold shiver down his spine. It seemed that, no matter what he said or did, Sillithias had already made up her mind.

"The fact that you appreciated my scales, tail and 'other' areas is one of the only reasons you are still breathing. A girl, even a monster like me, needs to feel desired sometimes. Even if it is from a weak human that has been sent here to die."

John's thoughts turned sluggish, almost not believing what he was hearing. It was only at this point that he realised that the Void Lords were not mindless monsters but intelligent beings that hated, loved and felt just like any other. As he continued to reflect, he realised how stupid he was to even think this way. The fact that three Void Lords considered slightly inferior to a hero in terms of strength, were able to maintain their hold on the Voidlands against the known universe and its many dimensions was a testament to their intelligence and endurance.

"Though..." Sillithias' words destroyed John's train of thought as her eyes narrowed into slits and her projected voice took on an icy edge. "How can you, a mortal who has only just met me, know my weaknesses so well? Not even the other two have worked out so much. Just who are you~."

"Fuck."

Suddenly, John realised what had been troubling him for so long. While he had said a few words to provoke Sillithias, she had mentioned much more than he had revealed. The memory of earlier, when he had been tracked through the streets, suddenly reappeared in John's mind.

At one point, due to the emotions felt at the actions he performed, John had thought that the one following him might be able to read his mind. Now he was confronted by the terrifying smile and ominous glow coming from Sillithias' eyes, John suddenly believed his theory.

"Shit."

Sillithias' smile could now only be described as a monster's. Her head tilted to one side. "Very smart... It took those eight fools many cycles to work that out. Even then, to keep the morale of the souls they send here to perish, they keep it a secret. However, there is something else... something I can't see from your thoughts~."

After licking her lips, seemingly enjoying the various expressions playing out on John's face, Sillithias' body leaned forward as if she were about to charge.

"Such a shame..." Sillithias repeated the words John spoke earlier. "I wanted to play with you more, but it seems like you are too dangerous. If there is one thing we have gleaned from Mother's dreams, it's never to take a chance with such a strange unknown. "

Her eyes seemed to shine. "Basically, if in doubt, kill."

Sensing that she wasn't joking, even though he knew that any resistance he could give would be pitiful, John revealed a manic grin as he gathered his essence.

However, though it appeared that he looked forward to the confrontation on the outside, he was drenched in a cold sweat as he racked his brains for a solution. Deep down, he knew he was going to die if he fought Sillithias, and it was going to be a miserable death at that.

Also, while from what she had said that it seemed as if Sillithias had decided to end him quickly, John could tell from her emotions that his ending would be anything but.

John finally took a step back as he franticly thought of ways to delay Sillithias. However, he had nothing other than what had apparently worked before. Antagonising her into an argument where she felt she needed to have the last word. At least that way, if Sillithias killed him before she felt like she had the upper hand, she would feel regret.

"Oh, is the foreplay over already? I thought we were just getting started?"

John chuckled mirthlessly as he poured his essence into the sword hilt in his hand, resulting in a black blade with golden flecks appearing. However, he quickly noticed that apart from looking at the essence blade strangely, Sillithias didn't seem affected by his words.

Irrational anger momentarily burst forth from the depths of John's soul as he felt the exasperation of being on the back foot.

"I wonder... Did I hear you Void Lord's mate with each other? I won't mention the inbreeding as you call them brother and sister but does Baros make you wear a bag, or does he just destroy your head and fuck your corpse? Or maybe he just ignores you and chases Akarhia."

John's muscles seemed to hum as he waited for Sillithias' attack. Yet, it never came. Instead, he felt waves of curiosity and fear wash over him as Sillithias squinted "You... Your soul... Why?"

"Is it the madness? But that's impossible?" Sillithias seemed to completely ignore John's attempt at goading her as her muscles relaxed slightly, and she tilted her head to one side before scratching it.

"Madness?" However, instead of feeling calmer, the dread John had suppressed started to return. It wasn't the dread of drying, or even how brutal it would be, but something far more fundamental. When Sillithias had mentioned the madness, John had realised where his actions were leading him. They weren't to salvation, but to destruction.

Seemingly not hearing his words, Sillithias appeared to be examining John's body from head to toe as she crouched lower. "It's the same. I can feel it inside the human, squirming, trying to escape, to break out. To destroy everything in spite. Pain, anger, despair, hope, love. All wrapped up in a swirling tempest, a house built on sand, One that will devour existence when it inevitably collapses."

"You..." John shivered. While her words weren't exactly what he had experienced or felt, without a doubt, they were related to the curse his family had.

"Curse? That's not a terrible way to phrase it." Sillithus slowly raised her clawed hand, her statement revealing that she really could read his mind, before scratching the back of her neck. The sound that resulted was like metal nails scratching against impossibly hard leather. "Like me, you can see and feel the end of all things. The pointlessness and eventually of life and all actions. Why we must laugh in the face of the inevitable."

"So..." John spoke out loud. His voice was shaky, but he didn't hesitate for long. The numb, cold feeling seemed to be drastically taking over, still letting him think somewhat clearly.

While he still hadn't worked out a way to save his life or inflict injury in his last moments, the fact that he might be able to get some answers tempted him to give up and find out what he could. "What..."

John paused. "What is the curse?"

Sillithias chuckled, however this time it didn't sound as carefree. "My brother and sister inherited our mothers... more manageable characteristics. We seem to have received her... dark side."

"We? And who is your mother? I thought you were born directly from the void." John frowned, the length of his essence blade slightly decreasing due to the distracting thoughts.

The shadows warped as Sithilias frowned slightly. Her orb-like eyes squinted as she seemingly thought about something. "We? We..."

John felt extreme danger. However, the temptation of getting some answers, ones that his ancestors failed to come close to, was too much. "Is my families curse if related to the void?"

"Abyss..." The remaining playfulness, even if it was chilling, vanished from Sillithias' smile and eyes. "We come from the abyss, not the void. Do not mistake them."

"We?" John repeated his earlier question, almost dreading the answer before continuing. "Am I... a descendant of the void? Maybe from one of the Void Lords or a high-level voidling?"

"We are not of the void, nor will any of our souls ever be tainted by such a place." John felt the waves of anger rising from Sillithias. At the same time, almost precisely when her eyes narrowed, John sensed that she had made her decision as a chill ran down his spine.

"I don't like this." The smile had now completely vanished from Sillithias face as her glowing blue eyes became slits. "And what I don't like, I kill."

John watched, time feeling as if it had slowed to a fraction of its potential, as Sillithias' body exploded forth. However, even as he focused on her razor-sharp claws and terrifying teeth, a small part of his mind noticed that her hips still strangely managed to sway as she charged forth despite the strange structure of her legs.

"Fuck." John's thoughts felt as if they were almost instantaneous as he started to close his eyes. "My last moments and all I realise is that I'm a fucking pervert."

However, Just as John's eyes were about to close and accept his fate, Sillithias' body seemed to blur as she was catapulted to the side and blasted into a building. In her place, a hulking behemoth, seemingly formed of muscle covered in black fur, stood on all fours. Unlike Sillithias, who appeared more human, the creature before him seemed more like a cross between a gorilla and a feline.

John couldn't see the monster's face or features, but could clearly make out the double line of thick, tooth-like spikes sticking out from each side of its spine before converging and running down the top of its tail. John instinctively thought that the creature before him was built for one purpose only, to exert his dominance over everything.

John took a step back, feeling as insignificant as an ant before the new arrival. He was considered a large and bulky for a human, but he was at least one fourth the size.

"Sillithias."

A deep, booming voice ricocheted around John's head as he felt an enormous pressure decent upon him. It was the same feeling he had felt earlier, the one he associated with the strongest Void Lord, Barros.

"I warned you. That is Akarhia's prey. You can play, but you cannot touch."

John staggered backwards as his vision seemed to flicker. However, even though his body and senses were in disarray, he knew that this was the best opportunity to escape. No, he felt that it was his last chance.

[Rage, Competitiveness, Hurt, Spite, Envy]

Instead of responding, a shriek-like roar resonated from the hole in the building that Sillithias had created as she crashed into it.

"Run." Instinctively John knew that his prayers had been answered. While he had only just met Sillithias, he believed that she would not forgive what had just happened without receiving her pound of flesh.

Without thinking any further, John turned and sprinted towards the nearby desert. He didn't even look back as the ground shook and Baros' enraged roar, followed a deafening crack, caused his chest to vibrate and the tangy sweetness of blood to rise in his throat.

After what felt like a millisecond and eternity at the same time, John had passed the last building on the town's outskirts and shot into the sandy wasteland.

It appeared that he wasn't a moment too soon as what felt like a blast wave sent him crashing into the ground before rolling multiple times before coming to a stop.

The outskirts of the town he had just left had almost been obliterated. The debris and sand rose into the sky, blocking John's sight of the frantic fight that seemed to be happening within.

Coughing out the mouthful of sand he had unintentionally inhaled, John quickly picked up the yellow crystal he had almost overlooked in his haste before sprinting away.

By the time his silhouette had become nothing more than a spec on the horizon, and the sounds of battle had become increasingly strange, the air seemed to shimmer just above where he had fallen.

As if she were birthed by a mirage, Akarhia's figure slowly became visible. The tiny, blue flame from her tail was different from the other two's black, causing it to be extremely noticeable in the dark wasteland. She was slightly bigger than Sillithias but far smaller than Barros. Her aura was also much weaker than the other two Void Lords, yet it still managed to give off the untamable, uncontrollable sensation of a feline predator.

After sniffing the sand that John had spit out, her draconic-like head slowly lifted and glanced in his direction. While her eyes were much smaller than Sillithas', the glow that radiated from them seemed far more intense.

After appearing to think for a moment and lifting herself onto her hindlegs with her unnaturally long forearms, Akarhia released a small, somewhat disgruntled growl. As she did, the faint black mist that hovered over he body making it hard to tell if her skin was covered in scales or fur, rippled.

After looking over her shoulder at the town, Akarhia lightly snorted before her form once again vanished from sight. However, every now and then a footprint of mirage-like blur would appear heading in John's direction.