"You're quite tough for a human," the Domifirt hissed, his voice low and full of cruelty, savoring Rio's suffering as he lay on the floor. "But soon, you will feel a pain beyond your imagination as this purest of poisons creeps into every fiber of your being. I can't wait to see your face as you writhe, begging for a death that will not come." He chuckled, a laugh that sent a shiver down Rio's spine, even through the pain and the fog in his mind.
With terrifying speed, his poisoned claws swung, ready to tear. Rio, though his body still felt like it had been hit by a truck and his consciousness was starting to fade, forced himself up by reflex. He had no time. No room to think. Only the instinct to survive.
He knew that a single touch could mean the end of everything—or the beginning of an eternal agony.
Rio rolled, his limp body creaking against the hard stone floor. He dodged, his head narrowly missing the sweep of the claws. The putrid scent of the poison was so close, stabbing at his nose, making his breath hitch. The Domifirt attacked again, his claws flashing black, aiming for Rio's eyes, then his neck. Rio scrambled backward, his feet dragging across shards of glass and debris, trying to get away from every slash aimed at his vital organs, every hiss of poison that nearly touched his skin. He pushed over a fallen antique statue, blocking the Domifirt for a moment, but the creature simply kicked it aside with ease.
In his desperate scramble, he saw the glint of light on the blade of a fallen sword nearby, a momentary flash of hope, but he knew there was no time to reach it. His blurry eyes glanced toward Dany and Lisa, trapped in a storm of Eaters. They couldn't help him. This was his personal battle against hell.
The Domifirt chuckled, enjoying Rio's desperation. He knew his prey was on its last legs; it was only a matter of time. He grinned, launching a series of swift attacks, no longer to kill, but to incapacitate. He wanted to see Rio on his knees.
SLASH!
It was no longer a brutal kick, no longer a fatal blow. It was a fluid, fast, unavoidable spin. The tip of the Domifirt's claw swept out, no longer aiming for a vital point, but merely seeking contact. A deep gash was carved into Rio's left arm, tearing through the worn material of his jacket and ripping his skin. It felt like a hot blade searing his flesh, but that was only the beginning.
"AARRRGGHH!!!"
Rio's scream exploded, echoing throughout the hall, a mournful roar that went far beyond physical pain. It was the sound of his very soul being ripped apart by the poison. In seconds, the stinging sensation transformed into a thousand fiery needles stabbing into every muscle fiber in his arm, spreading rapidly through his entire body, crawling beneath his skin like a living, writhing thing.
His blood felt like it was boiling, not on the surface, but deep within his veins, as if a thick acid were flowing in place of his life-giving fluids. His bones felt as if they were melting, his marrow burning, and his nerves were being burned away, sending unimaginable signals of pain to his brain. Every joint felt like it was being twisted, every muscle pulled taut to its breaking point.
Rio collapsed, his body convulsing uncontrollably on the floor. His vision darkened, the world spinning into a red and black fog. Cold sweat drenched his forehead, matting his hair to his temples. Tears streamed from his eyes, not because he was weak or afraid to die, but because of the pure torture that had his consciousness swimming on the edge of darkness, a suffering that his sanity could no longer endure. His mouth opened, letting out choked sobs, his body shaking violently, unable to control itself.
In the midst of the storm of pain assaulting Rio, his blurring vision caught a faint image of Lisa and Dany. He saw them both, fighting for their lives against the wave of Eaters.
Dany, with his usually nimble and elegant movements, now looked exhausted. His cloak was torn in several places, revealing long scratches on his arms and legs. Sweat mixed with blood matted his blond hair, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Although he was still throwing pieces of statues and severed Eater limbs to create a distraction, a clear desperation was in his eyes as he continued to fight, to parry, trying to create an opening that never came. Every so often, he would force himself to glance at Rio, his worried gaze piercing, as if he wanted to shout and call out to him, but the sounds of battle swallowed his voice.
Lisa, on the other hand, was in a more dire state. The shoulder she had dislocated when she was thrown into the statue now hung limply, yet she still held her sword with a single, trembling hand. Her pale face was streaked with blood from a gash on her cheek, and her sharp black eyes blazed with an anger that was almost tangible. She was still protecting the small child cowering behind a pillar, but her every slash was now slower, every movement accompanied by a soft groan of pain. She fought with desperation, clearly exhausted, but her will had not broken. She saw Rio, convulsing on the floor, and a profound hopelessness appeared in her eyes.
They're… they're fighting for me, Rio thought, an unbearable wave of sadness flooding him amidst the agony of the poison. They're hurt… because of me. Because I was too weak. I can't… I can't let them die with me here. Not again. Mom was enough…
The Domifirt grinned with satisfaction, raising his clawed right hand, letting the dark blue fluid drip onto the floor beside the convulsing Rio. "It's impressive you've lasted this long," he hissed, his voice low and full of cruelty, enjoying Rio's every sob and roar. "Usually, a human struck by my poison is instantly paralyzed, crying, begging for me to kill them quickly because they can't stand the pain. You… are slightly more entertaining." A condescending chuckle escaped his lips, a laugh that sounded like grinding bones, piercing Rio's ears even through the haze of his suffering.