Chapter 113 A Bloody Bath (1/2)

Rassa had returned immediately to the apartment. He couldn't help but feel so dirty, so disgusted by himself and his actions. He needed a bath, a bath would help.

At least he hoped it would.

The apartment was still empty, no doubt Ebony and Aegin were out eating their dinner. Thanks to his speed, it only took a short time for Rassa to cart the required water up and into the large tub, heating it took longer though, and he found himself climbing into the cold water in a desperate attempt to rid himself of what he was feeling.

He took the bar of soap that Ebony had brought. She'd insisted despite Rassa and Aegin informing her it wasn't needed. Now he was glad she'd done so as he used it to start scrubbing at his skin.

He scrubbed and scrubbed at every part of his body, but the feeling of uncleanliness, of disgust, it never faded. He rubbed his skin raw and it was still there. He growled in annoyance, throwing the soap at the wall where is splattered and Rassa watched as it turned to blood. Instead of a wall it was the boy Aaron as he was skewered with the sword Rassa had parried. Then it was his father then his mother, then his friends.

”Aarggh!”

Rassa yelled, covering his eyes and rubbing them.

Your fault, it was your fault. The blood is on your hands, it always was and it always will be.

His eyes opened, and he found his hands covered in blood, the bath tub filled with the stuff. His breathing accelerated as he panicking, wiping at his hands, trying to get it off.

He didn't mean it. It wasn't on purpose. He was just protecting them.

But you enjoyed it.

I didn't.

You did.

I-

You did and you know. You enjoyed it just as much as you enjoyed slaughtering those in the cave, at Fountain Ridge, in Cordon. You enjoy it every time yet you continue to deny it.

I don't, I don't enjoy it. It's not me.

His movements became desperate as he rubbed at the blood on his hands, his claws extending in his panic and shredding at his skin.

Denial.

It laughed at him, that dark and chilling voice. He scrubbed harder.

”It's not me. I didn't do it. It's not my fault”.

His words repeated desperately as he willed them into existence. He felt someone grab at his arm and he registered another set of hands there, but he threw them off, his claws recklessly slashing at flesh that was far easier to cut through.

”Get it off, get it off, get it off!”

”Rassa!” shouted a voice that cut through Rassa's desperation in seconds. He froze, and the hands once again fell onto his own arms, desperately trying to stop Rassa's actions. Rassa registered the smell of blood, blood that wasn't his own. the reality sunk in. The blood hadn't been there before. He'd imagined it. But now...

Rassa looked up at Aegin's violet eyes as they looked at Rassa desperately.

”Calm down, Rassa, you need to stop hurting yourself,” Aegin said clearly.

Rassa looked for a long time at Aegin. Why was he insisting that? Didn't Rassa deserve it? After what he'd done? He was a plague on this world. If he was allowed to roam free then...his eyes glanced down at Aegin's arms where long gashes had cut into the back of his hands and forearms. no doubt caused by Rassa's claws.

”I hurt you...” Rassa said, ”Just like I hurt everyone. You should leave, Aegin. You and Ebony both. You'll just end up dead if you stay beside me”.