Chapter 216 (1/2)

Book 2, Chapter 73 – A Dark Personality

The gallant youngs about his face – from his eyebrows to his eyes to hisHe was the very picture of a friendly boy next door

But it didn't blend at all with the dried blood and stringyto the rest of him

“What are you doing?! Hurry up!”

The Butcher didn't kno strong his companion really was, but he had to have some skill if Frost de Winter chose him for this erous, but the guy was si his time like there wasn't a care in the world

“I do want to help you, honestly” The young man offered a sheepish sh he said, “But he wouldn't agree You're exactly the kind of person he hates, and I've worked so very hard to keep hi you up to now I really hope you understand”

His partner's confounding words sent the Butcher in a rage “What 'he'?! What the fuck are you on about!”

“He…” The first thing to change were the young man's eyes Their sentiht rose behind his pupils like a ghostly fire had been lit deep within Next was his expression, the contours of his face, his ed almost immediately The man was the sarew hard Friendly eyes becah a bloodthirsty deed hied, too, and noas grating to the ear – coarse and savage “He is me”

So fast!

The Butcher's two-hundred pound body was flung into the air by a kick he hardly saw He still wasn't sure as happening when a bone spear pierced right through his chest, pinning him to a tree

He gaped, absolutely at a loss at the changing circue so suddenly, so dramatically? Why would he attack his cootten Frost de Winter's orders?

“Ah! Free at last!” He looked down at his blood-soaked hands and a sinister chuckle rolled from his throat He stretched and took several deep breaths, as though he'd been locked in a box for days and only just let out He stopped over to pick up a dagger and began to play with it, tossing it from hand to hand He sloalked toward the Butcher “You know, every tier to lick the Gods' boot heels, I can't help but feel… inspired Artistic expression just fillsto burst free It's a compulsion to create”

The Butcher had no idea what he was talking about He grabbed the spear jutting from his chest and winced and he tried to pull it free “I don't give a fuck what sort of freak you are! You just signed your fuckin' death warrant! Frost de Winter will see you hanged!”

The blonde er deftly cut a path along the Butcher's face He carved a circle – not deep, not large, but just right The dagger split the bigger man's flesh and traced a path until a patch of it fell away An ear-piercing scream of pain served as musical backdrop “Let me introduceis my specialty”

The Butcher continued to screale

Naberius' dagger continued its gruesome tour of the Butcher's body Like a skilled artisan he continued his work, absorbed in the process, inch by bloody inch As flesh and muscle fell away his twisted expression was alround was covered in blood and meat

The process was surprisingly quick, though the pieces were small Still there was no crueler punishment

In a testament to theso he could feel every bite of the dagger Agonizing torment ensued and he would not permit for the release of death Not yet He would keep his plaything alive so long as he was 'inspired', for as long as three days and three nights Even when they were nothing but bone and organ his toys still lived

An artist needed an audience, after all Who better to appreciate his work than the source material?

Naberius liked to show his victims his masterful ith a mirror when he finished The more they wailed, the shriller their cries, the more satisfied he became

The Butcher earned his name, certainly But this one… he was a true demon

As he neared the two-hundredth pass of his knife Naberius shuddered, as though a shock had run through hi an artery Furious, he shouted at the wind “Gabriel! [2] What are you doing? I haven't coel of Bone' Don't even think of interrupting my work!”

Gabriel's as inside hi for control

Naberius could play for days, so what recourse did Gabriel have? They didn't have ti because they were supposed to go to hell's Valley If they were eliminated and returned home with their mission incomplete, the result would be their execution

Two led over control of their shared body

Cloudhaatched the exchange fro, froles of the blonde haireda freak, but the ones he sent after him were just as insane

The ugly one was htforward

The handsome one was a entle, even shy, but deep inside lurked a pitiless and foul spirit It was hts, too, for when one or the other came out their abilities were different

The dark one was er than the normal man

By hi, and paired with the power of the darkness he was a fearsome foe His perception and psychic poas also formidable, without a doubt If he had any relics Cloudhaouldn't stand a chance

He was a true monster