There was a rose within the heart of a girl.

Given to her by the devil. A parting gift that would stay with her no matter what. It was a feeble little thing, that demanded tender attention at least once a day. The thumping would start to grow unbearable. With an intensity akin to a drum, about to signal an execution. Then the vines would burrow their way into her veins, struggling to fit without causing the girl to reel. Though when they began to slither through… that’s when the thorns would scrape along her insides. Very slowly, as if they struggled to seam through her flesh. The irritation would make its way up to her skin, causing an eternal itch. She would keep trying to scratch away until her nails were covered in dead skin. Even then the sensation wouldn’t stop.

That’s when the blood would seep through.

It was a deep shade of purple, like the needy flower in her chest. It burned violently when exposed to the elements outside, causing the girl's skin to melt into itself. The layers between her body would slowly start to reveal themselves, as her shell began to crack.

The further her skin sunk the more her body released an irresistible scent for the creatures around her. A dizzying pheromone that beckoned them to feast. They were all different shapes and sizes, born in the same catacombs as the girl had been trapped in. They considered her family in the cases of some, but to others, less… intelligent ones, they were only interested in one thing. The sweet purple nectar that dripped from the girl’s body. Insects in particular couldn’t seem to get enough. Their spindly legs would dance along, in a quick race to see who could feed first.

Their fangs, subtle suckers, irregular mouths would sink in just deep enough to get the most devil’s blood they could. The smallest of them wouldn’t even signal a nerve response. Just a gentle prick and they were gone. For some others, the girl could feel their mouths burrow into her tender insides. The protective layer that would normally keep those things hidden away were long gone now. She could feel every bit of their haste. The itching she felt would be replaced by a constant feeling of suction. Her blood was gradually being taken away, though oddly enough, it brought more relief than anything. The burning felt far worse than whatever this was.

Generally, they’d all like to rest on her arms, though sometimes the larger centipede-like creatures would coil around her back to get any residue from beneath her neck. Their numerous legs almost felt like cold steel. They were thicker than normal and had a much stronger grip than their smaller kin. Besides them, the arachnids, many eight-legged ones — they preferred her legs much more than the rest. Though they didn’t show up often. Even rarer than them were the humanoid ones. They were massive in stature and didn’t behave like the rest.. Most likely because they weren’t born in these depths. They had come from the outside — to a place where no one would find them. It was difficult to tell where exactly they came from. Their features were so different, most likely following the environments they were raised. Nonetheless, the girl was thankful they were the patient types.

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They had quite an effect on the rest of the insects. They would shudder away immediately when these bigger ones showed up. Perhaps it was their innate sense of danger. Inferiority, fear. Whatever feeling it was always hit without a moment's notice, and once they left, the girl would extend out her arm and these insectoids would gently take whatever blood was left. It would generally take quite a long time since they were adept at being thorough, but eventually, they would make their exit too. Then the girl would lie still. Slumped against the cracked bricks she called “home.”

The pain had finally gone.

The rose had been satisfied, and her heart was calm once again.

Her body could now rest in blissful peace. The Void would take care of the rest. It would fill in the holes across her shell — with shadows that mimicked the life around them. The missing flesh beneath her skin would be no longer. Replaced with a dark essence that slowly shifted into the real thing. Even her protective casing, skin, would be woven back together. Akin to the silk that lines the cocoons of butterflies. This too would eventually transform back into what it was. Before the devil’s blood melted it all away.

It was a blessing in disguise that the insects loved it so much.

They would take every last drop, which allowed the girl’s body to heal properly. It was a two-way street — no matter if it terrified her once upon a time. Those days were no longer. If anything it was a comfort, a relief, to know that the pain would stop soon. Even if it was a daily battle, at least she knew the burning would come to an end; and that the Void would stitch her back together.

Somehow someway it found a way to do so seemingly effortlessly.

The girl could hardly understand it. She had spent practically her entire life trying to wrap her head around whatever it was. A force, kind of magic, essence, beast… beyond reality. It gifted her many things, like being able to satiate herself with just about anything. The thing in question just needed to have some kind of energy attached to it. Perhaps it could be life force, present within all living things; or the magic ridden with their blood. It could even be inanimate objects like stone. The subtle chaos within their structure would be more than enough to eat.

Her gluttony could consume it all in theory, all she had to do was reach out her hand.

And so, that’s how she lived out her days. Occasionally some of the more intelligent creatures would sneak off to the outside world; eventually bringing back different gifts to the girl. The purple goblin in particular gave her the best of presents — things she loved nearly to death. Tearing into them the moment her hands felt the coarse paper. Books. They were the only way she could read into life outside her little home. Fictional or not, the writing on those pages were the only source of mental stimulation she could get. Her insight into how people thought. Into how humans thought. They gave her the groundwork to build something: a way of fulfilling her dream. Something that could never happen within these enclosed walls. The only way to get what she truly wanted laid on the outside. Where her favorite books were born.

The only way to achieve freedom

Would be to hunt for it.