Chapter 26 - The Return (2/2)
”Great...he?...return.”
”...Persephone...deal…”
”...the Hunter…”
The conversation continued, but I couldn't tell what was being said. The voices approached me
before stopping. I tried to open my eyes, but I could bȧrėly move them.
”He is awake.” The words seemed to bounce around in my head. I jerked awake.
My eyes fluttered open and I could see two hooded figures in front of me. Their faces covered by a white mask. A mask was emblazoned on their robes.
One of them crouched and looked at my face. ”How do you feel, dead one?”
Dead one? What did he mean? I looked around the room for answers until I saw it. In the corner off the room was a mirror. The sight made me vomit, but all that came out was blood.
Where I was supposed to be was instead a rotting corpse. My flesh had greenish tint and was loosely hanging off my bones. My disintegrating flesh revealed pale yellow bones in several places. My face was marred by blood and pus. My cheeks had sunken in, and my nose was missing. That was just the beginning. Right at the center of my stomach was a gaping hole, black blood slowly trickling out and some already splattered on the floor. My intestines were spilled out like soggy noodles. My hands were black and blue from the lack of blood. The flesh of my fingers were only held together only by a few strands of ligaments and tendons. I screamed in horror.
”Shhh, shhhh. You will be just fine. Our lord has given you a great gift. You will be the host. He will heal you.”
I felt lightheaded for a moment as I realized what he said. My lord. The Kings. Ash. I snarled at the robed man. ”Where is that slimy piece of filth? I'll kill him!”
Silently, another figure stepped into the room, carrying a bow. Wrapped in a ragged hunter's cloak, he gazed at my rotting corpse of a body, his eyes filled with pity and regret. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. He quickly closed his mouth, his hands clenched tightly into a fist. He walked out again with a loud slam of the door. On his hand was a tattoo of a skull.