Remnya

Eerie silence preluded a nightmare, like the calm before the storm. Remnya leaned against her bed, gripping the mattress not to fall, her lifeless legs bending. Her eyes locked on an unrecognizable Skado, who returned an empty stare through veiny eyes. Remnya’s worst nightmare in a rotten human vessel, standing under the doorframe.

Skado smirked, his deformed lips twisting awkwardly. His skin was pale pink, peeling like paper layers. His hairless head gleamed under the fluorescent light, and her ears and nose were gone. Scars covered his shirtless torso with a pattern of burned skin, displaying different tones of red.

He had become death itself.

“Mr. Skado, this is a mistake!” Sagan shouted, wiping the blood from his nose. “Plus, you’re still convalescent, the treatment has barely started. You can’t do this!”

“Shut the fuck up! I’m not gonna spend my days lying on a fucking bed!” Skado roared, his voice dry and raspy, almost unrecognizable. His eyes scanned Remnya from head to toe, freezing her bones. “I will make this bitch pay for all the pain she has caused me.”

Remnya’s pupils dilated at the sound of his words, and a cold shiver ran down her back until the tip of her tail.

She tried to summon her fire in her left hand.

A white flash lit the room, and a gunshot rumbled in Remnya’s ears.

Electric pain paralyzed her left arm as a bullet penetrated her skin, destroying her bone and exploding against the wall behind her.

Blood splattered the bed, and Remnya lost balance, slamming her body against the floor. She shrieked in pain as a red stream flowed from the hole in her forearm. Tears formed in her eyes, and the intense pain made her dizzy.

Skado shoved his revolver in his waistband and stomped to Remnya. He jerked her arms against her back and used a metallic device to lock her hands together, immobilizing her fingers and restraining all her moves.

Lifting Remnya’s head by the hair, Skado whispered in her ear. “Did you believe I’d make the same mistake twice?” He chuckled and slammed her face against the ground, almost breaking her nose. Remnya let out a groan of pain and a few tears.

“That device will keep you from using your fire, and that bullet has an anesthetic that will paralyze your muscles for a while.” Skado seized her tail and dragged her toward a corner, leaving a trail of blood behind. “Wanna know what’s the best thing about it, though? You will still be able to feel pain!” He guffawed, his disgusting voice echoing throughout the room.

“Mr. Skado, this is a mistake!” Sagan stepped into the room and held his hands together, begging. “She’s useful for our mission. Hurting her won’t bring us anything good!”

Skado gave the doctor a contemptuous glance. “I don’t give a shit. We already have the Netomics. We need no more.”

“The treatment is not even complete, sir! What if that batch of Netomics is not enough to fully heal your body?”

“I don’t care.” Skado shrugged and grabbed Remnya’s shirt, tearing it apart with a violent yank.

Remnya twisted her upper body in a futile attempt to break free and tried to summon her fire, but none of her limbs responded. All her senses seemed to have disconnected from her brain. Dizziness and pain invaded her whole self, and hatred filled her heart, kicking violently against her ribs.

Skado removed her shirt and tried to pull her pants down, but Sagan snatched his arm.

“Stop it!” The doctor raised his voice. This time, he wasn’t pleading; it was an order.

Skado turned to him, surprise and disbelief across his deformed face. “Do you have a death wish, dog?”

“How can you be doing this when your brother is out there, fighting for you?” Sagan asked sharply, his words full of disgust.

“My brother?” Skado sneered. “Cassius protected this fucking Nephilim and the maid, all while I was dying in a bed.”

“And he saved your life.” Sagan narrowed his eyes in an intent look. “He preferred to use the Netomics to save your life, instead of enhancing his own abilities. And this is how you repay him? Taking revenge on a little girl?”

The veins in Skado’s hairless head bulged with increasing anger. “Do you expect me to go out there and die like an idiot? Cassius chose his fate,” He lifted his fist and smashed it on the old man’s jaw, “and I chose mine.”

Sagan crashed into the floor tiles and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Remnya took advantage of the distraction to drag herself toward a knife gleaming under her bed. Perhaps Brisa had left it there?

Coughing, Sagan lifted his eyes to glare at Skado. “Coward,” he murmured with clenched teeth.

Skado froze for a moment, processing those words. He turned to face the doctor and took one step forward. “What did you say?”

Skado lifted Sagan by the collar of his torn suit. “Big words for a dog who runs after my brother’s tail.” He charged an electric arc between his fingers and aimed it at Sagan’s face, the electricity reflecting in his glasses.

“If you kill me, who is going to heal you, uh? You don’t know how to use the Netomics.” Sagan trembled like a scared puppy, but a smile forced its way across his face.

Skado stared deep into his eyes for a moment and then nodded. He released Sagan, dropping him onto the ground.

As the doctor tried to stand, Skado struck him in the face with a kick that sent him like a flesh doll against the wall.

“You’ll live,” Skado sniggered, strolling toward him. He reached for a rusty steel beam sticking out from the ceiling and snapped it in half. “But a painful life.” He caressed his new weapon and smirked at Sagan.

“What are you—”

Skado smashed Sagan’s legs with the thick metal, crushing his knees with several vicious strikes. The old man pleaded and screamed in pain as his bones cracked with every hit.

Ignoring the horrific sight, Remnya stretched her neck, grabbing the knife from the floor with her teeth.

When Skado finished, Sagan’s legs were bleeding and twisting awkwardly. Tears rolled down the doctor’s eyes as he trembled and drooled on the floor.

“I’ll leave your arms intact for now. You should be grateful!” Skado chuckled and spat in Sagan’s face. He turned to Remnya and strolled in her direction. “Now, it’s your turn, Nephilim.”

Hiding the knife between her lips, Remnya shot a glare from the corner of her eyes at him. Skado grabbed her hair to lift her from the ground.

Remnya reacted by whirling her body against him, and with a furious jerk of her neck, she buried the knife into Skado’s chest.

He let out a roar of pain and punched Remnya across the face.

Skado rushed to pull the knife out of his chest. A bloodstream flowed from the hole between his ribs. Unfortunately, Remnya’s attempt hadn’t been enough to reach his heart.

The veins in Skado’s head bulged as if about to explode, his eyes turning red with fury. Yet he smiled, cauterizing the hole in his chest with his electricity.

“No matter what you do, little bitch. You won’t get away from me again.” Skado snatched Remnya’s neck, lifting her body, and smashed her head against the wall, breaking her nose.

Remnya clenched her teeth, suppressing her screams as Skado shoved her skull against the concrete over and over again. Blood spurted from her nose and mouth. Skado released all his anger and frustration on her until the concrete cracked with the shape of Remnya’s head.

When satisfied, he released her neck, allowing Remnya’s body to fall on the floor, but before she could process the pain, a sudden kick almost shattered her ribs. Remnya screamed in agony as the air left her lungs.

“Hell! You’re way more resilient than I thought!” he sneered, burying his boot in Remnya’s back, crushing her against the cold tiles.

Remnya glared at him as multiple crimson streams trailed down her forehead and between her eyes, dripping from her nose to stain her chest. Her body was too weak to break the shackles restraining her arms and suppressing her fire.

If only she had a bit more strength.

Skado was panting and trembling, his eyes dilated, and his skin covered in Remnya’s blood. He crouched over her and tried to whisper in her ear.

Using her last bits of energy, Remnya head-butted him twice, breaking his nose on the second try.

He winced and flinched away. His nose and exposed flesh began bleeding. “Little whore! No matter what you do, I’ll finish what my fucking father started!” he yelled in her ear and crushed her body against the floor. Grabbing the same knife Remnya used on him, he cut through her pants, slicing her thighs, and then tore the thread apart.

As he reached out for her underwear, Remnya whirled against him. Using the same metal restraining her wrists, she slammed Skado’s face with a powerful strike. He fell to the ground, stunned, with Remnya on top of him.

“You’ll have to kill me first, disgusting bastard!” Remnya yelled and bit Skado’s neck with all her remaining strength, taking a chunk of his rotten flesh.

He wailed in pain and landed a clumsy fist against her head, pushing her away.

Remnya tried to retaliate, but her body didn’t respond anymore. It was slowly shutting down, her energy draining out of her in a pond of crimson blood.

“I’ll fuck you and then kill you,” Skado spat, wrapping his arms around her. He tore apart her underwear with a vicious yank.

Remnya’s mind trailed off for a moment, the idea of giving up invading her mind. Why was she still fighting? She had already given her all and would die soon; Remnya knew it. What difference would it make for her body to get tainted when she died, anyway?

Two tears trailed down her cheeks, turning red as they merged with her blood. She closed her eyes and let out a sob of resignation.

Skado stood up, looming over her naked body. He was breathing heavily, and a smirk slithered across his deformed jaw. He unfastened his belt.

Remnya glanced over her shoulder at him. The blood and tears in her eyes blurred the monstrous figure behind her. “You can do anything to me . . . “ Remnya mumbled, “but please, don’t touch my friends.”

Skado guffawed as he pulled his pants down. “Dumb bitch, once I am done with you, your Anglish boyfriend will be next.”

Remnya’s whole body trembled as she dragged herself forward, tears racing down her cheeks. “You won’t touch Zeo . . . “

“Oh, hell I will! When I find him, I’ll give him the most painful death.” Skado snatched her ankle and yanked her toward him.

Remnya began to doze off as a gelid sensation traveled throughout her body like ice.

But her soul still burned. Even if it was over, she couldn’t leave that world without fighting. Zeo would be disappointed.

“I love you, Zeo . . . “ Remnya murmured as her heart raced, pumping boiling blood through her chest. “And I love you, Brisa . . . “

Skado sprawled over her and bent over, trying to reach for her lower body with his dirty hands.

The fluorescent lamp flickering on the ceiling blew up.

A crimson flash blinded Skado, and the room turned hot like an oven.

Remnya glared at his attacker, and a stream of fire shot from her eyes, exploding against Skado’s face into a massive fireball.

The explosion pushed the monster away, his head engulfed by flames, and his back whipped the floor.

“That was my last bit of energy . . . “ Remnya smiled while peace filled her soul. “Now, do whatever you want with me . . . “ Finally, she closed her eyes, and everything turned into darkness. An endless dream to escape her nightmare forever.

Skado howled in pain, grabbing bedsheets and cloth to put out the blaze roasting his skin. “I’ll destroy you, Nephilim! I will destroy you!” He rolled on the ground until the last flames died on his face, leaving deep smoking scars on his melted skin. He stood up and staggered toward Remnya, stumbling and falling on his side, half-blind. His left eye had imploded due to the intense heat.

He crouched and crawled over Remnya, decided to finish what he had started, even if that was the last despicable deed in his life. He pulled Remnya’s unconscious body toward him.

A smirk drew across his burned face. “I’m gonna destroy you, slut, I’m gonna do it . . . “

His bloody fingers stretched, trying to touch her body.

. . .

But something stopped him.

A monstrous roar blared in Skado’s ears.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!”

As he tried to react, arms as strong as steel wrapped around his neck, yanking him away from Remnya.

Skado gasped for air and jolted his head, trying to recognize his attacker.

Zeo was behind him, growling with fury, crushing his neck with both arms. He didn’t look like a kid anymore. He was a furious beast.

Zeo

“Don’t you ever touch her again, fucking bastard!” Zeo’s voice had turned into a demonic bellow, his eyes were red with hatred and bloodlust, and his vectors whistled through the air uncontrollably, slicing everything in their way.

Running out of oxygen, Skado head-butted Zeo, cracking his nose. Blood spurted out of his nostrils, but Zeo didn’t let go of him. His grip became stronger; he would murder that wicked monster no matter what.

Skado managed to snatch Zeo’s arm, and using his electricity, he released a powerful shock into his body.

Zeo got kicked away from him, and his body slammed against the wall. Numb pain filled his whole self, and cramps twisted every one of his muscles. But Zeo didn’t give a shit. He stood up, his skin smoking. The pain was meaningless; he was ready to fight until death for her.

Before Skado could stand up, Zeo charged at him like an enraged bull and crushed his jaw with a powerful punch, releasing a cascade of blood. As Skado hit the wall with his nose, Zeo darted at him again and kicked his head.

Skado went to the floor, and Zeo sprawled over him to release a flurry of vicious strikes.

One, two, four, six punches landed on Skado’s face, drawing a torrent of blood, skin, and teeth. Zeo’s eyes began glowing in an emerald tone, and his irises turned into two lines resembling the stare of a wild tiger trying to tear his prey apart.

Skado stopped the tenth punch and retaliated with a solid hit to Zeo’s nose, drawing a stream of blood.

Zeo flinched away, and Skado sat up, shoving him away. He charged an electric arc in his right hand.

“Die, fucking Anglish!”

Skado lifted his arm, ready to release a massive lightning bolt against Zeo’s chest.

Zeo’s eyes flickered in the darkness like green flames.

He smiled.

A vector cut through the air, whistling like a whip of death.

In a quick swift, it sliced Skado’s right arm.

The electricity vanished into sparks as his forearm landed on the floor, splashing the cracked tiles with blood and broken bones. Wide-eyed, Skado witnessed his severed limb contorting on the ground, his fingers clenching and stopping.

Zeo didn’t give him time to contemplate his life choices. His vectors grabbed his neck and shoved him against the wall in a violent thrust, burying his body into concrete and steel, which bent under the monstrous strength.

Skado gasped and groaned in pain while Zeo glared at him with a smirk, his eyes two spectral orbs from hell.

Unable to break free, Skado’s deformed face gaped with terror.

“Don’t do it,” Skado murmured, gripping the vectors with his remaining hand. “You’re not a murderer . . . “

Zeo was deaf and blind. He strolled toward Skado until his face was right in front of the disgusting monster who had caused Remnya so much pain.

“You’re not . . . a murderer . . . “

“Am I not a murderer?” Zeo asked coldly.

“I had no choice . . . “ Skado whispered, his voice thin like a thread, barely escaping his crushed neck. He gazed into Zeo’s eyes with only one eye half-closed and filled with blood. “I was wrong. I allowed hatred to consume my soul . . . “

“Forgive me.”

Zeo snickered. “Why are you pleading for mercy now?”

“Forgive me, kid . . . this is not you . . . “ Skado’s voice vanished as his skin turned purple.

. . .

Zeo released his neck.

Skado’s body fell to the floor as he cradled his neck and coughed blood.

Silence.

Skado smirked. “You’re a dead man.” A magnetic field engulfed his body, shooting lightning and sparks across the room.

Zeo realized his intentions. He was trying to use his energy to blow up, killing himself and everyone in the room. The same cowardice he had tried in the mansion.

No.

The air whistled and vibrated as if a thousand furious wasps were released into a hurricane.

Skado’s eyes glimmered in the shadows while two spectral vectors glowed and approached his neck.

He tried to attack Zeo, but his time had come to an end.

A short whistle. A clean-cut.

The electricity turned into silver sparks and smoke, and Skado’s head slowly detached from his body.

It hit the floor, rolled down, leaving a red trail behind, and stopped against the tip of Zeo’s shoe.

Zeo stared into Skado’s eye, blinking like crazy, and his tongue sticking out of his broken jaw. He seemed to be looking back at him. His lips twisted as if trying to say something, but words never came out, only a spurt of blood.

A heavy silence fell in the room.

The vectors disappeared, and Zeo’s eyes returned to normal. He felt nothing, not even hatred anymore.

Stumbling, Zeo rushed to Remnya’s side. He removed his blood-stained shirt and snatched a ragged bedsheet to cover her naked body. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up.

A dying Sagan watched from a corner. Zeo ignored him as he ran past him, heading to the door.

He halted under the doorframe to glance over his shoulder at his deed.

Skado’s body still convulsed on the ground, and his head spurted blood from his mouth, nose, and ears.

Zeo blinked and whirled to face the light, and then he ran with all his strength with the girl he loved in his arms.

Nothing else mattered.

*°*°*