The creature before me turned their head towards me. Shivers ran through my body as, even though their eyes were not visible, I could feel their gaze cut me to the wick.

“So be it,” the creature spoke.

They began to move, edging closer to me. Their movements were strange to me, alien. People didn’t move like that; human joints were not made to bend like that. I remember fixating on that, despite the fear running through me. It was strange, like there were different parts of me; one that couldn’t help but be enthralled by this creature’s alien grace, another that wanted to cry and break and a third, still hoping it was all a dream.

It wasn’t dream. It was all too real.

The creature brought its blade to me skin and…

Sorry… it’s difficult. To talk about it. To remember it. Even now, I’ve grown so much stronger… but those memories…

I did promise you my story though, and I’m not one to go back on my word. Not unless I don’t like you. Or if it’s just easier. I’m rambling.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Anyway, the creature continued with a surgical precision. Sixteen times. That’s how many times their blade broke my skin. My wrists were bent backwards, and the blade was pushed through the base of my palms into my forearms. My elbows were folded and punctured, following the bone in my upper arm. The same for my shoulders, just high enough to avoid either lung. My heels, up into my legs and my knees up into my calves. My hips inwards and four punctures along my spine; the base of my neck, the curve and the dip as well as the base of the tailbone.

It was more pain than I thought possible and I was powerless to stop it. I couldn’t even scream. I may as well have been the pin doll cushion for some sadistic freak.

[Ability Gained: Resist Fear. Resist Fear is a rare skill found in those who have survived extreme fear.]

[Resist Fear lv 1. You have some increased ability to resist non-magical fear]

[Resist Fear increased. Resist Fear lv 2 gained.]

[Ability Gained: Resist Pain. Resist Pain is a rare skill found in those who have survived near life-threatening pain.]

[Resist Pain lv 1. When necessary, your experience of pain will be reduced.]

Those abilities saved me. I don’t doubt it for a moment. I would have died without them. I was still terrified, and I was still in excruciating, indescribable pain. But now my heart was a little calmer. It didn’t feel like it was about to burst in my chest. The taste of blood in my mouth slowly faded. Tears still flowed and I still wanted to scream. But there was a little bit of hope.

I was an idiot.