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Sam Pravus

No one deserves anything from life- it simply happens.

0 · 886 views · located in Sam's Puzzle

a character in “The Human Puzzle”, as played by Shané

Description

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BASICS


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{ AGE }
27

{ GENDER }
Male

{ ROLE }
Facility Manager



SKILLS:


{ Psychology }
Sam has a diploma in Psychology, and uses his knowledge to gain exceptional results for the facilities owner. He's always been fascinated by the human mind, hence his decision to facilitate his own personal human puzzle. His interest and almost addiction in this field has allowed him to become extremely good at using his knowledge to his advantage. He also has some unique knowledge in the field due to the almost non-existent ethical restrictions that are normally placed on other scientists in his field. Sam understands people extremely well, and his acknowledgment that the Anomalies are in fact human allows him to understand and use them to the best of his ability.

{ Torture }
Through the facilities training he has also learnt the skill of torture. He has four years of experience in this field. He particularly loves the medieval techniques, though rarely gets to use these due to their debilitating results. Sam has a sick fascination for the way humans deal with pain and the way the body is knit together. Using a balanced mix of both psychological and physical torture he has become one of the those with the highest status in this field. Human pain has always been a curiosity to Sam and he indulges in playing with the limits of those beneath him.

{ Strength }
In order to be the best he possibly can be at his job, Sam uses a strict fitness routine. He uses it for the sense of peace and purpose it gives him, for a possible need of combat and also because of the evidence supporting it's help in mental strength. He has an incredibly strong upper body, and his endurance ranks fairly high even amongst the guards.



PERSONALITY:



{ Past Personality }
Sam was somewhat simliar to how he is now, however far less of a split personality. He was more moderate in his rather distasteful interest in psychology and pain. He was more like his home life as described below and even his more sadistic side was tamed down and hadn't fully developed. He was also more aware of the danger of delving in too far into his unwholesome interests, or at least not revealing that they fascinated him.

{ Present Personality }
Sam is a strange character. He almost has two personalities. To the world he's a friendly, gentle guy, if not a little reserved. He's cheery, has a good sense of humour and enjoys late nights out with his friends. He's a brilliant listener and often becomes a counsellor for those he is close to. He's known for his trustworthy nature and also known as a good keeper of secrets. More than one wonder at what his job really entails as he is very smooth at avoiding talking about specifics.
At the facility however he is downright sadistic. He enjoys playing with the anomalies minds and loves the satisfaction of breaking another. Deep down he's a little concerned about his own lack of concern for these people, however with enough logic and reasoning he's convinced himself that it's necessary. He believes strongly that in order for some to enjoy life, others must suffer. It's luck of the draw. As a result he's not one to go for revenge nor does he hold grudges. He accepts whatever his lot is in life, which he expects others to do also. He's always calculating and enjoys a sense of status when he's at the facility. Power is something he has become accustomed to and he loves wielding it. While mostly he can justify the various experimentation going on in the facility, it's taken him a lot longer to become accustomed to the idea of simply using them for fun. He's always wanted to have a few to have a little fun with for his own amusement, however there never seemed to be a good enough reason to overstep that boundary. However he's gradually stepped closer and closer to his moral line and finally he's managed to step over it with the explanation that they were to be killed anyway, so technically he is offering them life.


{ Passions }
~Psychology~
~Puzzles~
~Anatomy~
~Power~
~Order~


{ Dislikes }
~Anything out of place~
~When things do not go to plan~
~Mistakes~
~Ignorance~
~Compliance~


{ Weaknesses }
1. Arrogance
Sam is completely proud of his achievements and status. Once he has finished analysing a situation, he normally assumes that things will go to plan. Since he has always been a high achiever he is unaccustomed to failure and will not deal with it very well.

2. Organisation
While it seems like a strength, Sam is meticulous to a fault. Everything must be in order, and he has a particular quirk in regards to having everything even and in patterns. In the rather messy job at the facility sometimes it can bother him as things do not always remain scheduled.


{ Fears }
1. Making a mistake- It's not that he merely dislikes errors, but in his situation some mistakes could cost him his life and a lot of pain. Working with Anomalies with deadly abilities has not been easy and he's watched many colleagues fall due to unforeseen flaws in their plans. He's not a fool, he's acutely aware of human error and has no delusion about his fallibility.

2. To some extent Sam does fear the Anomalies he's testing. He's not really concerned with them at the moment, however it is more the fear that someday they may gain the upper hand. While he would have to accept it as a twist of fate, it won't mean he'll like it any more. Considering the damage he's done to them both on an institutional and personal level he's certain they won't kill him quickly- he wouldn't if the roles were reversed.

3. His work life becoming known- At the moment he lives a very tidy lifestyle. Spend time at work feeding the less socially accepted side of himself and then return home to normality. If ever his work life leaked to his personal life it would completely destroy all his relationships and the simple lifestyle he's attained.





APPEARANCE:


His most distinguishable features are his piercing blue eyes. They are a dark cobalt, and seem to stare through most people. His dark black hair is dead straight and is long enough to reach the top of his eyes. It sticks up around the sides and never seems to sit the same way. He has a narrow face with quite delicate features and his skin is quite an unhealthy pallor as it rarely sees the sun. Sam's upper arms are heavily muscled and his trunk is well defined. For clothing he prefers the neutral black and whites, though on special occasions wears blue to match his eyes. He's very fond of turned up collars and smart casual dress. When he's busy at the facility however he normally has shirts with the sleeves ripped off in order to avoid ruining nice shirts but also to remain intimidatingly well dressed.

{ Defining Features }
He has a few thin scars on his hands from incidents where he's nicked his hands with his

{ Weight }
80kg

{ Build }
On the slight side, but with well-defined muscular tone.




THOUGHTS ON OTHERS:



{ Damion & Ember }
He's been working with these two now for many years. He's particularly had fun toying with Ember's emotions playing the sincere, confident psychologist for her for her first two years. When he watched the relationship between her and Damion forming further possibilities of use for the pair came up. He spent his time patiently waiting for a sign that he could break her trust and use the couple for his own devices. Once Ember killed her first victim he had his opportunity. His plans particularly grew watching Damion reveal the true nature of his abilities to remain with her, and it was then he realised how easily he could make them obey him. He has taken particular pride in breaking the pair of them and completely twisting their personalities. It couldn't have worked out better from his perspective; to have them both renounce everything of their former selves resulting in their own kind hating them for it. He's a little frustrated that for his plans to work the pair have to be reunited, however he's sure that he can overcome the initial joy with his future plans.

{ Whispers & Delirium }
Of all the pairs, these two are the ones that simultaneously frustrate and cause him to thrive on the challenge of beating them. From the get-go both had separately continued to be an irritation to his otherwise perfect reign at the facility. At first he was certain he could break Whispers by causing him to destroy his sister. To both his fascination and annoyance it did no such thing. After watching Ember and Damion, Sam made one of his few large errors; he put the pair together hoping to create a new weakness. The plan failed rather miserably and infuriated Sam no end. The pair became a united force against him and refused to let him use their new friendship as a weakness. The two were not supposed to be part of his experiment as the facility deemed them far too valuable simply for his amusement. However with a new update in creating Anomalies, both of their powers have been replicated and therefore there was no need to keep the rebels alive. Therefore Sam bought them both thinking it would perhaps result in an entertaining bloodbath with the dark ones due to their less then desirable last encounter.

{ Pair Two }
Sam hates these two. They bore him. Due to their co-operation Sam has been unable to gain any fun from them at all, beside in the usual experimentation. As a result he's mostly left them in the hands of the white coats lest he lose his temper and cause them to be less compliant. Once both were up for execution due to their usefulness expiring Sam finally had the opportunity to pay them back for failing to entertain him. The nature of his puzzle will result in them having to do something, as compliance will no longer result in safety. Either they choose his wrath or their fellow anomalies- as long as it ends on blood, Sam isn't particularly bothered by which.





HISTORY:


After receiving his diploma, Sam got a job at as an assistant psychologist within the facility, mainly in the less secure areas in animal testing. Within a year he showed much promise and gradually he worked his way into the behavioural department with the Anomalies themselves. The next three years he gradually learnt the best way to gain information and to remove the fight from most Anomalies. He was then promoted and now holds the highest field job within the department. Technically the owner was considering putting him in charge of the department, but seeing Sam's skill in the field the promotion has not come. While Sam would enjoy having the high status position, not getting the job is life so he accepts it without complaint. After working for so long at the facility he's currently taken long service leave and is using it to create his own human puzzle.




OTHER



{ FACE CLAIM }
Unknown

{ COLOR }
#941313

So begins...

Sam Pravus's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Katherine Delirium Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sarah Winters
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Stephen Winters | The Rebel | Neural Disruption | #F70D1A


Rezia's eyes lit with a euphoria unlike anything Whispers had seen--save for Sam's sadistic pleasures. Gaiety, lust, thrill, they all contrasted the gray male's normally dead irises. He was sure the man had never felt anything close to that since he'd arrived at the facility.

Yet, there was Katherine. Dead in spirit and now soul? He couldn't tell what was and wasn't an illusion anymore. He wanted to think that maybe, just maybe she and Rezia thought up a plan. They had something of an agreement before so how was this different? Surely Katherine, with all of her grit and practicality had thought of something. With each event that transpired he felt himself clinging on tighter and tighter to the past iterations of his friend, forged from circumstance and shared belief in escaping. They were supposed to be the ones who would make it out over anyone else, if not for Stephen then for Sarah.

"Just to make sure this isn't some sort of trick…you can come over and say hi. I'm not a fool Whispers, make one move that I don't like and you can rest assured this time I will make a point of actually killing your sister."

In honesty Whispers wasn't sure why Sam was worried. All he had were ghosts. Katherine's dull eyes reflected her motionless body while Sarah, devoid of personality stood by Sam. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, hoping that amidst all of the silence he would find some evidence of it being an illusion. Katherine always used to ask permission. Even if that didn't seem to be the case anymore he wanted to think that he could find something to tip him off.

"Go on. I want to make sure she's as empty as she appears."

No such luck.

Instead the guards released their choke hold and removed the knife from his throat (though not without leaving a tiny cut) before stepping back. Stephen rubbed his neck and wiped it on his shirt as he approached Katherine. He grabbed her hand, relieved by the warmth but simultaneously alarmed by the lack of response.

"Katherine?" he whispered, almost inaudible, "are you still here?"

His hand trailed from her hand to her shoulder, stopping at her cheek. The lump in his throat swelled but he swallowed hard to prevent Sam from relishing in his pain.

"Please, just say something!" he yelled, there's no way that you would die so easily from just that"-he gestured to Rezia-right?"

Her next words would decide his fate because if it really were the case that she was dead then there would be no one to stop him from taking down Sam. He'd have nothing else to live for after all.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Katherine Delirium Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sarah Winters
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Rezia couldn’t stop staring at Delirum and her limp body. Even when Sam pushed him out of the way to reach the lifeless Delirum. Rezia winced when Sam slapped the girl but there really was no reason to at this point. Delirum was far from the point of feeling anything happening in the world around her or to her person directly. She was gone and it was all because of Rezia, because of him. The sinking feeling grew and he blinked away his tears rapidly. He had cared for Katherine and he hated that he did this to her but a part of him wondered if it was better this way. At least now he wouldn’t have to try and gut her with the blade which he was certain would have taken longer and been very painful for the girl. This had been a quick rip. Or so he hoped.
And now that Sam knew he could do this, he was sure the bastard would perform more trials and get him to do it again and again and… he’d be just like Damien and Ember. The debate that he and Damien had just hours before came back to his mind. Would it have been better to remain powerless or to have the power to both save and to destroy?

”Now Rezia that is dark, even for me. Goodness me that will be fun to toy with.”

Damn it. Of course Sam would love this outcome. He glanced back as Whispers was released to come forward and regardless of his pleas, Delirium did not stir. Rezia glanced over at Sam and swallowed hard. He was really going to become a tool like Damien and Ember now. He was going to be forced to do this to others to save Lydia. Lydia!

Rezia’s eyes widened and he glanced over at his sister, afraid of what he would see on her face. She wasn’t looking at him but Rezia felt the emotions swirling around her. She was sick and horrified. Rezia didn’t blame her. He didn’t feel hate coming towards him but it would only be a matter of time before she hated him. Fresh tears filled his eyes and he looked away from his sister. He raised a shaky hand to grip his own arm to try and focus on the physical pain but it didn’t stop the disgust and sorrow and confusion in his own mind. And for once, he felt utterly alone. Even before when he pushed Lydia away and suffered in silence, he still felt connected and close to her but now he felt the rift between them. He was alone and the only person he cared about was disgusted by him. And he wouldn’t be able to talk to her about any of the feelings he had about this. She wouldn’t understand. He was alone.

Rezia stared at the ground in front of him, ignoring the others now. He wasn’t going to get any sympathy from them and he didn’t deserve it anyway. He was vaguely aware that Whispers had gestured to him, but he didn’t look up. He didn’t want to see Katherine’s body standing there, staring. He wanted all of this to be over. He wanted to run away. He didn’t want to be here and he didn’t want to face his sister. Why was Sam just prolonging all of this? What more did he want? The deed was done. He had got what he wanted.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Katherine Delirium Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sarah Winters Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Stephen Winters | The Rebel | Neural Disruption | #F70D1A


Dead air filled the room and carried with it the scent of decaying hope.

Her blank eyes only confirmed what he knew to be true and shattered the little restraint that he had for fear of consequence. Even if air came steadily from her mouth, they held no breaths. Her skin became porcelain against his hands and the vibrant hues of her hair dulled to a rusty red. What remained of the woman was no longer a mind or soul, but a shell. Sure, Sam might have added "Katherine Delirium" to his body count, but this was no longer Katherine. It was a doll in human form.

Whispers stood up, turning over to face her killer.

"Are you happy now?" he asked, temper unusually cold, "you save your sister and even get a fucking high out of it! And all you needed was to sacrifice the one person in this room who threw herself in front of you."

He narrowed his eyes.

"You really are a piece of shit aren't you? You pretend to be selfless with your power, but you can't even turn to face the shit you had to do because of it--" he raised his voice further--"'I was doing it to save my sister. I love her so much. She doesn't deserve this.' Drop your bullshit. I don't know who I hate more: you for doing the deed, me for even believing there was good in here, or--"

There was always an "or" in these situations because they all had one common factor: Sam. He assigned them these tasks in the first place. He made the rules. He made the game. No, he was the game. So long as everyone continued playing, that sadist would hold all the cards and as it stood, everyone danced in the palm of his hand. He didn't dare leave anything to chance because he wanted everything. It wasn't enough that nobody sided with him. Now, he had Rezia killing Whispers's one and only friend.

Sam was as greedy as he was controlling.

Stephen turned toward Sam, his hands balled into fists. He cared little about whether guards were at the ready or however many devices they wanted to strap to his throat. If they wanted to beat him silly that was fine. If they wanted to cut out his vocal cords and feed them to the dogs that was fine. If they wanted to treat him like Katherine that was fine too. No matter what he wanted this battle to be on his own terms and not Sam's.

'That's not happening so you make due with what you have.'

At least that's what you told me once, right Sarah?

He launched himself toward Sam, his power coming out more of a strained yelp than a full-fledged scream. With nothing in the tank, he threw a few punches toward Sam's face and followed up with a good kick. The only thing he could do was hope that he caught the man off-guard.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sarah Winters Character Portrait: Damion
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#, as written by Shané
SAM

Sam folded his hands over his chest as Whispers approached the body that had once held the essence of the boys friend. Obviously Whispers wasn't too pleased about being forced over to experiment with the shell, but his feelings about it were none of Sam's concern. He needed to know this was real. The man watched as the red-heads hand gently touched Delirium. The choked whisper was enough to confirm to Sam that he hurt Stephen badly. Despite his obvious attempts to hide his pain he wasn't fooling anyone. Especially when he opened his mouth to rail at Rezia.

Sam barely held back a laugh at this, enjoying the abuse thrown in Rezia's direction. Now the weak, passive kid would have to learn to live in a predators world where the prey didn't enjoy being attacked. Sam was a little perturbed by the venom and ease at which Whispers flung all his hatred at the silver haired youth. He'd expected more anger directed at himself actually…

That was when Whispers tirade broke off and he stared at Sam. So the penny had finally dropped-

Just as Sam was thinking this through the red-head let out a strangled yell with no power behind it, and then came the fist. Sam hadn't expected physical violence, too busy reading the body language and enjoying the scene he had set up. As a result Whispers first hit smashed straight into Sam's face. A sudden wave of shock ran through Sam at the unexpected pain before his instincts kicked in. Years of physical training had not allowed Sam to be beaten so easily. The amateurs blow that had hit home was quickly followed by another flailing attempt to hit Sam. It was fuelled by anger, but not directed by any skill and it didn't take much effort to duck under it. Then Whispers made his final mistake, taking one foot to kick Sam leaving a much smaller base of support to keep him upright. Sam smashed a well-placed punch straight into the boys stomach as his foot left the ground, knocking the red head the floor.

Blood dripping from his nose, Sam didn't bother to wait for Stephen to have any chance to recover. He slammed his heel down hard onto Stephen's hand, crushing it into the concrete before ploughing his fist into the boys chest to keep him down. By that point three of the guards had rushed forward, but upon seeing Sam quickly overcoming his victim, they had left off, staying back a little and watching the show. With a snap of Sam's fingers they dragged Whispers upright.

The anger in Sam's eyes was almost palpable, the air around him shimmering with it. He dragged the back of his hand across his nose, flicking his wrist to shake the droplets of blood to the floor.

"You're are going to live to regret that." His tone was low, and the words were spat through clenched teeth and sheeted in ice.

There was a silent pause as Sam made his way closer to Whispers, wiping his bloodied hand down the red-heads shirt. He took a few moments to gather himself before beginning to lecture Whispers as he might a child who had become reckless and disruptive in a classroom environment.

"You started on the right track boy. Rezia was the fool that did that to her. I was actually the one that gave you a way to prevent all this. Really you have three options of people to blame for this little incident. Rezia for completely tearing apart her soul and leaving her the broken shell, Ember for refusing to be compliant or to consider the life she could have saved or, and really we both know this is the truth; yourself. If you hadn't spent so much time dawdling and putting off your task Delirium would still be here in a more lifelike state. But now, as a result of your tardiness everyone else seems to have managed to pull their tasks off except for you. After that pathetic attempt to do some damage, I think it is only right and fair that you pay the price so many others have before you."

Now he looked up at the guards holding Whispers at bay.

"Take him downstairs to one of the room. Hang him up by his wrists and secure his ankles."

Then he turned to the rest of the room.

"The rest of you had better take note, unless you feel like experiencing what Whispers has and will go through. As for your tasks, they are all complete. Damion, you may eat. And nurse you can release Lydia for her paralysis- the serum should have found the wounds by now and kept them locked in position until they heal. Rezia you will be coming with me to watch Ember deal with Whispers-"

He cut off for a moment as he looked over at the dark haired girl sprawled on the floor. For a mere second his head cocked to the side and he looked tired as he sighed before he straightened himself out and crossed the floor to go to her.

"Rezia it looks like you will have to use some of that energy you stole from Delirium to fix this one up before she'll be any use to us."

In one movement he picked Ember up off the floor and began to carry her over to the elevator. The girl remained glassy eyed and limp merely flicking her fingers in the same rhythm she'd been clicking onto the floor.

"Guards leave once Rezia and I reach the bottom floor. Delirium can stay where she is for now until I make up my mind what to do with her."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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#, as written by Shané
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Ember was vaguely away that she was being moved. For a minute her senses sharpened and she began to be a little more aware her surroundings- she could feel she was being carried, there was the sound of shoes clicking on the floor, the sound of an elevator-

Immediately her mind shied away from the thought and dived hard and deeper into her own mind. Everything dulled again. Everything was safe. It felt like her head was underwater. From the distant land above she could hear a harsh voice bellowing out orders, but here it was relatively quiet. The tactile sensation of her nail drawing across the pad of her index finger before flicking out helped her keep focus, to remain secluded and distant to whatever horrors were occurring in the outside word.

Suddenly there was new sensation. Something warm wrapped around her fingers, her anchor to this safer state of mind. She tried to keep the constant pulsed flicking going, but the pressure strangled the movement out of her hands.

"Noooooo."

She was half aware of her groaned protest before more pressure could be felt hard against her jaw. She fought it, but as she did so she was forced to become more aware of her own body to get away. She tried to jerk her head out of the constricting grip.

"Ember!"

The snapping voice tore through her cacoon of thought like a knife. She felt herself whimper slightly as her eyes focused to look into cold blue ones. Sam. That word made her choke.

"Ember." Her name was said in a growl. "You're going to come out of this do you hear me? Or you are seriously going to regret it."

The terror of staying in the real world took the edge off the voices threat. No, it was better to slip back into the other world. Immediately she tried to move her hand to find the floor, that constant base of support to anchor herself. Instead the pressure increased dramatically, crushing her hand. She cried out in pain, but somehow she managed to retreat deeper into herself. Immediately the pressure was gone and she could feel the floor….no this was vertical. The wall. Her finger started to tap into it again, the steady rhythm lulling her into a false net of temporary security.

***

Sam dropped Embers hand in disgust as the girl failed to respond. Aside from barely audible protests, she had gone back into her empty depressive states. This would take a few days to come out of Sam was sure. A few days he didn't want to waste. He released her chin and watched her moodily as her hand slipped over to the wall to keep tapping. She'd unconsciously curled herself into the corner of the tiny room he'd taken her into.

He'd have to resort to Rezia's ability.

This did not please him. There were a few unwanted risks of going down that path….but he wasn't a patient man.

"Rezia- you're going to heal her." One positive of this was the amount of physical pain Rezia would possibly get from trying to partially fix such a damaged mind as Embers. "But-"

At this his voice hardened considerably and he gave the boy a furious glare.

"You will only do so much as to bring her out of this state, do you hear me? I will not have her healed any further than that. If you do both of you will be in no better a state than Whispers, understand?"

He did not want Ember to be healed so far as to struggle to maim again. God forbid he was not going to have to re-break her again.

"Once you're done, both of you are to come to the room across from this one to deal with Whispers."

Sam started to leave the pair, before quickly poking his head around the door again.

"Oh and I'd be careful if I were you. When she's frightened she tends to kill rather quickly."


That would be an interesting turn of events.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Rezia was brought out of his mental musings when he heard Whispers angry voice directed towards him. Rezia looked up, careful to keep his gaze on the other man's lips and not his eyes. He didn't want to risk hurting Whispers or healing him. He didn't know how any of this was going to affect him and his abilities and he'd rather not do something else he'd regret by mistake because emotions were high. Whispers words however, were a burning brand against him. Whispers was accusing him of being a monster, condemning him for saving his sister. Rezia's hand tightened and his jaw locked, anger beginning to rise inside; his own anger for once. He hadn't wanted to kill Delirium! Delirium had been the only person who had reached out as a friend to help him and Lydia, he knew that! He hadn't wanted this! He hadn't wanted to hurt her! Whispers would have done the same to protect Delirium. For him, if it was a choice between Lydia and Delirium, Lydia would always win. But really, Rezia knew his anger at Whispers was more out of the fear he felt at the accusations.

The fact that he had felt the exhilaration, the strength in killing Delirium... he didn't know what that meant. He didn't want to think about it or dwell on it but he knew he was going to have to face the truth at one point. He had torn apart his friend's mind. And he laughed at the exhilaration of it. He had laughed. It had felt better than healing someone ever did.

And he had enjoyed it.

Rezia shook his head and brought his gaze back down to the floor. He wasn't all that relieved when Whisper stopped yelling at him and instead lunged at Sam. He knew what that outcome would be. You never attacked Sam. Sam would just have you back down on your back and then show you more horror than you ever thought you could bear. This was no different. He didn't bat an eyelash when Sam beat Whispers and the guards brought him back to his feet. And of course Sam had to go and tell Whispers to direct his anger elsewhere. He didn't doubt that Whispers would take up Sam's offer and he would turn on himself or him for killing Delirium. He was going to have to be very careful around Whispers. He figured at this point, the scene was over. Sam had enough for one day and they could all return to their rooms and rest. They'd finally be free and Rezia could go hide somewhere and sort though everything. He was not that lucky however. Just as he was about to turn away from the scene, Sam called him forward. He wasn't done with him yet.

The healer, if he could really call himself that, looked up startled. He and Ember had to go to the basement to punish Whispers? Trepidation fluttered inside his chest. He felt his stomach tie itself in knots and his heart was louder than any music in his ears. The mix of anticipation and down right fear made him nauseous. There was nothing he could do except obey. That was all any of them could do. He had hoped that continuing to obey would make things easier for himself and Lydia and for a time that had been true but ever since they were brought here, obeying had brought nothing but pain. He supposed even this was lesser than what Delirium and now Whispers had to go through. Rezia sighed and closed his eyes a moment to try and get ready for whatever was about to happen next.

Rezia chanced a glance at his sister who was laying on the floor like a heap of potatoes. She was broken and bloody but he didn't have time to check on her and her wounds. He didn't think she'd let him touch her anyway. He swallowed hard and turned away from her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and followed Sam and Ember into the elevator. He stood against the corner furthest from Sam and he tried to just stare at the metal wall but Sam's interaction with Ember brought his attention over to her and he watched her struggle with her mental instability. He could feel the almost emptiness she was trying to hide away in, numbing herself. At this rate she would become a doll like Delirium, but by her own hand.

Rezia stiffened when Sam called to him and instructed him to help Ember lift the fog she was under. He swallowed hard and gave a nod. Since Rezia was going to lift her numbness, there was a small hope that that was all he was going to get from Ember. If he became emotionally numb for a little while, Rezia would count it a blessing. Then he could think about everything logically without his own emotions getting in the way. He never thought that he'd be happy to take someone else's pain to get rid of his own. Through all of the tests, Rezia had wanted the reverse; to feel himself and no one else. Funny how things changed. And maybe this would play into what Sam wanted to. Whenever he took someone's pain, his personality changed to reflect the negativity he received and the pain he endured. Maybe Sam wanted that to.

The young man watched as Sam left the elevator, leaving him alone with Ember. Rezia watched him a moment before he slowly moved over to Ember and knelt down in front of her. He reached out and with gentle hands, he lifted her face so that their eyes would meet. He had wanted to heal her mind before but doing it now felt very wrong. He was healing her only because Sam wanted to use her. He really did so hate his power sometimes. He created their mind link quickly and he began to draw the negative energy out of the broken mind. As before, everything inside him screamed to heal all of the shattered bits but Sam's warning kept his power in check. Rezia felt some of the good feeling slip out of himself and the thick numbness coat his emotions till he felt muggy as if he were dragging himself through oil. Some of his pain did lessen but the emptiness did more than that. It made everything dull and indifferent.

Once he was done taking away just enough of the negative energy to let Ember function normally again, Rezia pulled away. The old headache came back then, making it feel like his head was splitting open again. He hadn't even realized that his headache had gone away until now. Rezia wiped away his drying tears and pulled away from Ember as if nothing had happened. He shoved his hands into his pockets again.

"Sam is waiting for us. We should go," he said simply and stepped out of the elevator and waited.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Katherine Delirium Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sarah Winters
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Sadness. It was an emotion Sarah wasn’t used to feeling. Frankly she wasn’t used to feeling much of anything, but to feel like a knife was slowly twisting inside her was somewhat disconcerting. She felt like she had walked in on something very personal, an outsider. She did not know these people. Stephen supposedly was her brother, but yet she did not know him. This knowledge tickled the back of her mind, kept drifting in and out of her knowledge, but she held on to it desperately.

Sarah was shattering from the inside out. Her own personal walls of confusion were breaking, emotion seeping in and crashing down the floodgates. Sam was a fool. A fool to think they could leash her. She was a mass of confusion with little emotion, but she knew deep down that Sam was not right. She knew that this hollowed out girl before her was not benefitting science, it was benefitting some sick fantasy.

In one day, this person Sam had built her to be had broken. A sick part of her wondered if maybe Sam was testing her too, to see when she would break, when she would find out her past. She would not give him the satisfaction.

So even though her heart wept for Stephen as he approached the broken Delirium, she watched the scene blank-faced. She did not flinch as he yelled at Rezia, then turned his fists on Sam. She did not move a muscle as Ember, Rezia, and Stephen were taken from the room. When finally only Damion and Lydia were left, she moved.

She moved straight for Delirium, for this poor shattered girl. Because this girl was not dead.

She could hear Delirium’s frail and fragmented thoughts angrily tormenting this unmoving body. Sarah knelt down in front of Delirium and touched her hand to Delirium’s cold face.

Rezia had thoroughly ravaged Delirium’s mind, yes. On a physiological level, Delirium’s brain functions that controlled things like motor movement, communication, pain, the senses and emotion were broken. She couldn’t move, couldn’t talk, couldn’t feel, couldn’t see, all of it, were broken. Basically she was in a coma of sorts. Her body was paralyzed. She could breath, barely, and her heart was beating. But Delirium was still thinking, strange, jumbled thoughts, terrible thoughts, as Rezia had taken all the good ones. Her memory was in tatters though.

This wasn’t something that could be fixed by Lydia though. Although this was Sarah’s understanding of what likely happened, it’s impossible to heal a mind that’s been so thoroughly torn apart like this. Rezia likely wouldn’t even be able to fix this. You can’t put back together what isn’t there.

Sarah drew back from Delirium. This girl was genuinely dying. Her brain could not handle the physical demands of staying alive. Sarah only wished she had known the girl that had saved her life when she was younger.




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Death. Save me. Kill me. Please Help.

Falling down, spiraling into darkness darkness taking hold taking all taking and taking and taking and taking and and and

Light

Sarah

Sarah in my head ssaraha Sarah was dead. Stepehen killed Sarah. Illusions. Sarah Hi Sarah. In my head. Get OUT of my head Sarah. Save me Sarah.

Please kill me Sarah. Sarah. Sarah Sarah. I can’t feel. My memories opened and robbed. Sarah takes my memories. She is kind. Do not want them anyway.
Help me
Want to find my way back. I need to see again.
Illusions.
Delirium.
I am in a state of Delirium.

I am dying. Can't move. Can't see. Can't breath.

Stephen. You were the only good thing that ever happened to me. Love is foolish. It is what killed me.





”She… she died. She’s not breathing anymore. Her heart gave up. I think her mind just couldn’t keep up.” Sarah said. Her hand dropped from the pulse on her that she had moved her hand to. Delirium was deathly cold, and now slumped into the ground at an awkward angle. No one had likely even heard her.

Somehow it felt right that she was the one to witness her death, and her final thoughts to Stephen.

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Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Rezia was actually enjoying this new found numbness that he had taken from Ember. It made all the emotions he had been experiencing previously more manageable. Even the giddiness he had felt had subsided and the pain, the anger, the distress was just barely there. Rezia gave a sigh of relief. He didn't so much mind the headache thanks to the numbness of everything else. He'd have to thank Ember later for that. Now when Sam was done with the next 'lesson' he was planning, Rezia would be able to actually sift through his memories and think about how this was all changing and affecting him in a rational manner instead of sniveling in a corner. Anyone who looked at the healer now could see an almost bored indifference playing on his features. To those who knew him, it was an odd expression on the normally sympathetic Rezia

Rezia heard Ember behind him but didn't turn towards her. He simply assumed she was hurrying to catch up to him and get this ordeal over with. He was taken by surprise when she grabbed at his head of all things to turn him around. Since he hadn't been expecting the contact, nor the forceful tug, Rezia's eyes instinctively went up to Ember's eyes, trapping them a moment in Rezia's healing stare. Rezia heard her plead him to heal her before the two were immobilized and he naturally began to take in more of her negativity, her frantic need. He got the surface emotions first. Once those were out of the way, he saw the main source of pain, what Ember really wanted him to fix. A small bit of him wanted to drive right in and start pulling the shattered pieces back to gather like a surgeon slowly putting back the pieces of a shattered bone, but he stopped himself before he did anything. Once he started, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop until it was finished or someone outside of him and Ember pulled him away. That was one of the problems with his power. He couldn't always readily stop himself and if he didn't and he pulled too much, he could die from the energy exhaustion.

With a bit of will power, he forced the connection closed with a series of blinks and stumbled back. A little bit of the numbness had faded away to be replaced with Ember's desperation for healing. It made him sad. He had wanted to keep more of that numbness for later. The healer raised a hand up then to rub his forehead where the pain was currently centering. He felt something leaking down his nose and reached up with his free hand to see he was bleeding now to. "Damn it..." he grumbled and raised a sleeve to his nose and glanced at Ember, careful to keep his gaze on her throat, not her face, least she try and get him to look up again. He'd never had someone jump him before for his healing ability. Rezia couldn't help the tiny ironic smirk that touched the edge of his lips. Go figure that the entire time he had wanted to help Ember with her pain she had refused. The time when he was forbidden to heal her and frankly didn't want to form any sort of mental link, Ember was clinging to him and begging for it. Well, hindsight is 20-20, isn't it Ember?

"I can't heal you like you want. Sam would be furious. He's already instructed me not to heal you too much, least we end up like Whispers, or worse, Delirium. You missed your chance. You'll have to try again later," he answered her and readjusted his clothes and continued to walk towards Sam. His words had been cold thanks to the emotions he had pulled from Ember. His personality was always discordant after healing, cold and distance as his sister could attest to, but Ember didn't know that. The personality shift probably seemed far more alien to her. She'd only ever seen the meek little healer.

"Hurry up. Let's get this over with so we can get on with our day, go back upstairs and get away from Sam, or do you not want to see Damion?" he called to her, looking over his shoulder at the other anomaly. "You know Sam isn't a patient person. If we dally much longer, he will take out his anger on Lydia and Damion or we'll have to face each other."

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Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Relief. Sweet, almost tangible relief. Her surface level terror began to seep away replaced with a determination to get through, to work it out and-

She felt she had been slapped. Just as she had felt the next layer of her dangerously scarred mind come to the surface the relief had been cut off. Rezia let out an exclamation of shock and pulled away from her physically and emotionally. Ember noticed in a distant, sort of stunned way that blood was seeping from the boys nose. Instantly she felt a tinge of regret. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. There was one thing to be regretful over every step that had lead her to what ever one might call her existence, however to feel personal regret for hurting another so mildly had been foreign for a long time. Without thinking she opened her mouth of apologise except the words never came.

Rezia's cold analysis of the situation stopped her short. Her mouth clamped shut again. This was not the Rezia she had come to know. This was what the beginning of a killer looked like. He had responded how she had learnt to; coldly.

"…or do you not want to see Damion?"

Her head immediately snapped up at this provocative statement. Damion. She needed to get back….but there was Sam to deal with first. A new wave of nausea ran over her at the thought of going through any session with him. She dallied a little in the hall, not willing to follow Rezia and trying to sort out her jumbled thoughts. There was nothing she could do about having to go in to Sam now…and everything would return to before. She'd be just as, if not more, broken then before.

You need to get out.

Her whole body went rigid at the thought, and immediately she started to glancing around herself as though she'd said the dreaded words out loud. That thought had been shut down long ago. It wasn't worth it… However now she wasn't so sure. What was going to change? She was tortured for doing Sam's will, and beaten for failing to. Damned if she did, and damned if she didn't. She tried to dissuade herself from the idea, but now it had lodged itself in her mind- there was no other option. She died painfully here doing Sam's will, or she died trying to get out-

"Ember!"

Sam's voice boomed out the door and instinct kicked in, she ran terrified to his bidding.

She couldn't look at his face when she entered, instead opting to look at his feet. However her eyes had a mind of their own and they dragged her gaze unwillingly to the wall. Her heart rose into her mouth as she found Whispers with his arms chained above his head. That position….she knew what Sam wanted her to do.

"Ember you will show Rezia how I've taught you to create real pain through your relatively painless abilities."

Sam's voice was cold and matter-of-fact. Ember almost pleaded with him not to make her do it again, but thought better of it and kept her panic in check.

"I'm not sure the person is in a well enough condition to survive the procedure." She forced herself to look at Sam as neutrally as possible while delivering her words. She kept her voice level, but inside her heart was pounding. Suddenly she noticed the bruising. The sight took off guard. Someone had hurt Sam. Her eyes slid over to Whispers. That must be why the man was here. Sam, the man she had unconsciously associated with inhumane ability to manipulate and terrorise without consequence, had been injured.

Sam's eyes narrowed. He'd always encouraged Ember and the others trained in his methods to process instructions and ensure they wouldn't lose a person prematurely before commencing. However Ember rarely spoke up about such things and while that very well may be the case if it went too long, Sam thought the risk was fairly low. Instead of addressing Ember he turned over to Rezia.

"How much did you heal her?" His voice was deceptively calm.

Embers breath hitched at the words. Before Rezia could reply she managed to stammer out a reply.

"If that is not a concern I will do it."

Sam's cold eyes returned to her, considering whether to press the question further. After a tense few seconds he indicated for Ember to start.

Her stomach felt like lead. However she didn't dare make any sign of her intense urge to ignore his instructions entirely. Instead she forced herself into her calm persona, picked out a knife and walked up to Whispers. She looked doggedly ahead at his chest, refusing to look at his eyes or respond to anything other than the task at hand. With practiced ease she slid the knife through the mans shirt so she could get to the skin and without wasting her time made a sharp, short incision along his upper left rib. She forced her hands to remain steady as she repeated it on the right, digging the blade in deep into the intercostal muscles between the ribs.

She started to reach for Whispers chin, when Sam stopped her.

"Wait."

She clenched her teeth together and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to move or bring on Sam's wrath while he started to commentate matter-of-factly on her actions to Rezia.

"If you slice the intercostal muscles, the person is forced to use the damaged tissue anyway for every breath. As a result, he'll start breathing shallowly to avoid aggravating the afflicted wound. And this is where Ember so kindly takes away that option. She'll rip the air out of his lungs allowing him a nice period of time where his lungs will completely collapse. As a result, he's going to get a little breathless and desperate for air. Instinctively his body will force him to take deeper and therefore more painful breaths in causing his own body to rip open the small, short incisions to long, ragged tears along his side. Even once she returns his air to him, this need for air will remain for a few minutes afterward ensuring a long painful episode of torn flesh and panicked breaths. Continue Ember."

The colour had drained from her face after hearing Sam's perfectly calm description of the horrors she was forced to inflict. But she could not wait now. If she did Sam would inflict just as much pain upon herself, Rezia and worst of all Damion. Whispers had to be harmed to keep them safe. Without any more hesitation, she grabbed his chin and forced his head forward, nearer to her own. For a moment her eyes locked with his and all her regret and reluctance welled up before she opened her mouth and forcefully dragged the air out of his lungs.

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Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Stephen Winters | The Rebel | Neural Disruption | #F70D1A


"I'm not sure the person is in a well enough condition to survive the procedure."

Whispers hitches a breath as he feels the blade draw blood from his left ribs. It's close to his heart, he thinks. Too much experience with torture has left him familiar with the kinesthetics of his body and it is knowledge that leaves him almost detached from the pain. In his mind's eye it isn't really him being cut and it isn't really Ember slicing every muscle fiber. His body is a mere vessel now for Sam to vent his frustrations and Ember, his hand. The sensations might have been new, but the principle was the same.

"Can't brea-," his voice cracks as Sam directs the black-haired woman-the broken woman-to continue.

He isn't really sure what's keeping him conscious. Sam's voice? Ember's touch? Rezia's hypocrisy? In his subconsciousness nothing stirs anymore. The fiery, red passion dulled into a gray field of concrete bars and muzzles. The image doesn't make sense when verbalized so he doesn't so much think it as picture the empty space where his family might have been. He doesn't care anymore for flashbacks and "whatif"s because they only serve as a cold reminder of his inability to compromise.

He won't stop, his thinks, because you won't either.

Before his lungs even fold, he locks eyes with Ember because he can't summon anymore anger toward his tormentor. The tearful wheezing that follows only serves to show him (and Ember) that he hadn't completely died yet. Unlike Katherine, everything creeps by slowly, painfully rather than a rush of emotion. Unlike Sarah, he is fully aware of everything happening. Every forceful breath brings a new wave of pain that his atrophied muscles can barely heal and as much as he hates to admit it: it brings him back to Earth.

And for a brief second he is scared, scared to live because it means more cuts and more attempts to break him. It means seeing this fucked version of Sarah while Sam watches them fight. It means they-any of them-can kill him.

But it also means he isn't just another vessel. Sam needs him living, breathing, and feeling for his sick game. With Katherine dead Whispers is the only spark of defiance left in the facility. Perhaps it's the air returning to him or his body acclimating to the pain, but he realizes that-even for a brief second-he can do something that not even Sam can stop.

His eyes well up as he watches Ember cut incisions along his chest, but quickly shifts forward, forcing her knife deep into his heart*.

"Don't need to breathe if I'm dead don't you know that Sam?" he coughs.

Blood pours from his chest but Stephen's eyes light up more than ever.

"The thing is, Sam, I'm done with all these big speeches trying to convince everyone that they're bad people for trying to survive and I'm tired of playing your stupid game. If I'm going to die, it's going to be on my own terms and I'm going to scar your darling while doing it. I'm not Rezia. I'm not enough to protect my sister anymore. I don't even have a sister anymore. She's yours, like how Katherine became yours after Rezia ruined her. I only have myself now so I don't have to deal with being caring anymore or fighting for a cause. I'm the last holdout and I'm going to die a rebel."

He laughs for a second before spitting out a mouthful of blood toward his captor. He seems to glance in the air before addressing Ember (though his eyes appeared to be scattered).

"Protect yourself, Ember. Don't let my stupidity go to waste."

He gives the knife a final push and waits for the life to fade from his eyes despite the noise.

_______________________
*Highlighted in red

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Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Ember flinches as Whispers gasps out, only to have Sam snap at her to continue. She's trying so hard not to look at the man she's tearing apart, instead focusing on the small details. The knife dragging along it's pre-determined path and red seeping into the rut she's created. But she can't ignore him when she goes back for the air in his lungs.

She's expecting the usual anger, the reproach in his eyes as she grabs his chin but instead he looks empty. This scares her far more than the anger and her stomach twists harder despite her best efforts to remain indifferent and detached. Nevertheless she continues, no longer even a force of will, but rather mechanical and practiced actions. She holds his breath just out of his reach until he almost losses consciousness and then cruelly drives it back into him how Sam has taught her. Even after the air is returned Whispers can't control the painful wheezing. His whole body goes into shock from Ember's unnatural talents. His eyes start filling up with tears from the pain, but he can't express it verbally. Ember tears her eyes away from his face, trying to ignore the silent gasping. Somehow the absence of vocalised pain makes her feel even worse- like even that ability she has taken from him.

Once the desperate breaths begin to slow again she returns her attention to the ribs. She begins her task again clinically, refusing to look at his face until his whole torso is thrust forward and her knife plunges far deeper than it was intended. She's frozen, stunned for a second.

"Don't need to breathe if I'm dead don't you know that Sam?"

The words bounce around like a pointless echo in her head until she hears a roar of anger from Sam. Her hand feels warm and she looks down to find it covered in blood, a torrent pouring down Whisper chest. Instinctively she starts putting pressure onto the wound, trying pointlessly to staunch the blooding.

No.

Whispers is saying something to Sam but Ember's only half listening. Panic is setting in again. She can't fix this. This has gone too far. She starts to back up before a harsh hand on her back prevents her going any further.

"If he dies you can be damn well sure you will pay for it." Sam's voice is an uncontrolled shout of anger. He shoves her forward before Whispers spits out a mouthful of blood at him.

Frantic Ember snatches up the keys on the table and with shaking, bloodied hands starts to unlock Whispers wrists. As soon as they're free the whole weight of his body crashes into her. She half-helps him and half lets him fall onto the floor on his back.

"Please don't do this. You can't-" She's half-sobbing half pleading with him now, one hand trying to stop the blood and the other on the knife trying to make sure it stays in place acting like a plug in the wound. Automatically she cries out for help. There's no hope of aid from Sam, so Rezia is her only option.

"Rezia! Please. You have to help-"

"Protect yourself, Ember. Don't let my stupidity go to waste."

He pushes his body up, plunging the knife up to the hilt in his chest. Ember lets out a scream abandoning her efforts to stop the blood flow instead leaning over to cradle his head.

"I'm sorry." It's a barely audible whisper as she senses his breath leave him for the last time.

The room went deathly silent.

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Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Whispers Character Portrait: Damion Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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Rezia entered the room where Sam was waiting for them. His eyes quickly settled on Whispers who was restrained much the same way as Delirium had been. This time though, he was calmer. He told himself it was because there wasn't an audience and though that might have been part of the reason, Rezia knew it was Ember's fog that still dimmed his emotions. The part of him that was still Rezia didn't want any part of this but there was no running away from the events that were about to transpire. He was going to have to embrace and find a way to live with it later.

A small smile twitched his lips at the irony of this. Just moments ago, he had told Sam that he wanted to kill Whispers to spare Lydia. Well, Whispers was here now. Sam had told him he wasn't going to get his way and that Whispers was going to live for a while yet. Had blatantly told Whispers that Rezia had wanted to kill him. He had feared that Whispered would retaliate and kill him later. By stringing Whispers up instead, Sam was making the game safer for him and Lydia. A killer now, he had Ember and Damien on his side. He had felt Damien's sympathy for him after all. He didn't have to worry about an impulsive attack that could immobilize them all. And the other red head didn't seem like much of a threat if they all banded against her. So long Whispers.
he mused.

A small frown touched his lips then. What was wrong with him? He should have felt far more remorse for Whispers than he did. Whispers didn't deserve this.

His gaze settled on Ember when Sam gave her the blade and instructed her to gut Whispers slowly. A queasy sensation registered in the back of his mind and he glanced away, not wanting to see how Ember tortured Whispers. His gaze returned however when Sam began to detail the procedure. It made him sick. At least he still detested the idea of torture. Could he really call that a saving grace? He was horrible. It should be him strapped down. Not Whispers. Whispers at least had spirit.

Then Whispers gave a speech. He hadn't expected that. Even when he was about to go out, he had mustered enough rebellion to die on his own terms and even warn Ember not to follow in his mistakes. It was honorable. Noble. Whisper forced Ember's hand and the blade by consequence, deeper into his body. The blood that oozed from the wound absorbed Rezia's attention. There was so much blood. It was... it was pouring like rain. Even when his sister healed someone there was never this much blood.

"If he dies you can be damn well sure you will pay for it," Rezia vaguely registered Sam saying. Maybe this fog wasn't such a good thing after all. He was so detached from everything and he was getting distracted.

"Rezia! Please. You have to help-" Ember was begging. He blinked and watched her struggle with a dying Whispers. Help? How was he going to help? That gushing wound was far too deep to stop. Only Lydia could stop that and in her state, she'd die before she closed the wound. There was no way to heal that with Whispers so close to death as it was. And just like that, Whispers's light was gone. The silence was deafening. Rezia moved forward slowly and knelt down beside a shocked Ember and Whisper's still body. He closed Whispers eyes and sighed. He wondered what consequence Sam would dish out now. Would they have to kill Damien? That seemed to be the trend.

"He's gone," he confirmed. Might as well get this over with.


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Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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For a while the silence settles on the room like a blanket. Ember knelt frozen in shock staring listlessly at the blank faced Whispers. Dimly she registers that Rezia has knelt beside her. He closes the rebels eyes for the last time and the movement draws her out of her stunned pause. She shudders as she looks down at herself. Her clothes are covered in blood, but her red hands scare her the most. Fitting really that she should have the blood of the man she has just unintentionally killed on her hands.

"How dare you!" The words are spat out through clenched teeth and filled with hatred.

Like a deer in headlights Ember freezes, not daring to turn around, though her irises blanch to white. A few seconds later sharp pain explodes from the back of her head as Sam grabs a fist full of her hair and drags her back. She lets out a cry of pain and fear, grasping behind herself instinctively to reach at his hands. Abruptly he drops his hold on her and she falls back on her elbows at the released tension. Sam steps into her view and his whole frame is trembling with contained rage. She shrinks away from him, but the movement breaks his momentary control and his hand strikes forward with tremendous speed crashing into her head. With a crack sharp pain spreads from her temple. Flashes of light goes across her vision before her view rushes back with painful clarity as she lets out a gasp.

"I didn't mean-" she tries to breath out a sentence but Sam shoves a grey garment at her. Her eyes widen with realisation, her face losing its colour.

"Get changed."

Without warning his hand snakes out and grabs her wrist with bruising strength. The force with which he drags her forward causes her head to snap back before she starts to stumble forward in a half-hearted attempt to follow. He stops before a door to the back of the room, wrenching it open and shoving her hard into the cupboard-like space within. She feels her head ricochet off the back wall.

"Sam-" she starts before he cuts her off.

"20 seconds."

Then the door is slammed shut. In the pitch black with her heart pounding against her ribcage her bloodied hands scrabble madly against the back of her black clothing. It seems like forever before the catch releases allowing her to pull herself free from it. Shaking uncontrollably now she manages to pull on the thin grey shift dress. She knows what it means. Now Sam will butcher her as he sees fit. She shivers acutely aware of her exposed back, allowing him easy access to his 'canvas' as he likes to put it. Outside she can hear Sam lecturing Rezia and asking whether her earlier demonstration of slicing up Whispers would allow him to do a good enough job on her. Unconsciously she backs herself up as far as she can into the corner feeling like she might pass out from the strength of her terror. Fervently she wishes her mind would collapse on itself giving her the bliss of darkness, but it stubbornly refuses her pleas.

Light abruptly pours back into the space again as Sam throws open the door. Her face bloodless she pads out barefoot with her eyes fixed on the floor. She crosses her thin bare arms protectively across her chest feeling incredibly vulnerable. She tries to swallow past the large lump growing in her throat. Her last stores of strength seem to have been sapped by Sam's plans for her and she's left standing looking much smaller and more fragile than she had appeared before.

"Turn around."

Ember hesitates, looking up at Sam for a second, pleading with her eyes for any mercy. Sam's countenance visibly hardens and without a word she obeys. As soon as she does so Sam grabs her hair and dumps it over her shoulder revealing the numerous scars scattered all over her thin frame. Barely any of her flesh remains unscathed from the various criss-crossed patterned whip marks and ugly red burns. However all of the smaller white scars pale in comparison to the long puckered mass reaching from shoulder to hip. Sam takes up a knife off one of the table and places the cold metal between her shoulder blades.

"I've left you a nice pattern you can simply trace and carve out to start with." He muses and starts to dig the point into one of the thin white whip marks.

Embers clenches her teeth hard and her hands form into fists before she forces herself to take a deep shuddering breath in to release the tension, to minimise the pain. Without warning Sam drives the knife in hard and drags it down sharply. She lets out a shriek of pain her hand clamping over her mouth to try and contain it her whole body going rigid. Unbidden the tears have risen to her eyes. Keep one hand clamped over to her mouth she brushes them away, Whispers blood staining her cheeks.

"You're pathetic Ember." Sam snaps. "You've just butchered a man far worse than that and you can't even manage to keep your mouth shut."

He grabs both her shoulders, twists her around and shoves her straight into Rezia before holding out the knife hilt first to him.

"You show her what real pain feels like."

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Rezia looked up from Whispers's limp body when he heard Ember cry out in pain. Sam was dragging her back by the hair. The way the man trembled, narrowed eyes and flaring nostrils, it was easy to tell that he was down right livid. This wasn't going to end well for Embers. And since he was down here still, he was sure that the cause of her demise would be delivered by none other than himself. The fog of apathy still rested on his shoulders but there was still a small part of himself beneath it all, dreading what was to come but he couldn't quite pin-point the feeling. It was fleeting.

Rezia got to his feet and watched Sam throw Ember into the tiny cupboard before turning to him asking if he could slice into Ember from the meager lesson he'd witnessed. All you had to do was press the blade against soft skin and drag it down. He knew enough about that. He'd tried to kill himself many times before with the sharp end of objects until Lydia refused to stop healing him when he did it. There was no point then. She wouldn't let him die and he didn't want to see his marks on her wrists and arms. Rezia pulled himself from his reverie when Ember was pulled out of the cupboard once more and presented to him.

"I've left you a nice pattern you can simply trace and carve out to start with." Sam was saying as he pressed the tip of the dagger against Ember's scarred skin. There really wasn't any skin left without a mark. It reminded him briefly of Lydia and how she looked after she'd been forced to heal several people in one sitting. Sam was saying something else to Ember but he really wasn't paying attention to it. Without thinking he reached out to touch the long scar that ran from shoulder blade to hip. It was quite the injury and scar. Rezia pulled away only when Same offered the knife to him, hilt first.

"You show her what real pain feels like."

Rezia accepted the dagger and looked up briefly, eyes settling on the man's lips to avoid direct eye contact as he usually did to ensure his power didn't trigger. Speaking of power, how had he ripped Katherine's mind? It would be so easy to do it with Sam if he knew exactly how he'd done it. Sam was right there, facing him. He was angry, but that anger was focused on Ember currently. Sam was looking down at her, but there were occasions where he looked directly at him. His gaze-lock would be faster than any of Sam's physical actions. Hell, if he could just lock their gazes, Ember would have the moment to drive the knife into Sam since Sam wouldn't be able to move or be aware of how Ember was moving. If it failed, Sam could kill him but he didn't really fear that. He could go after Lydia, but if he did that, he wouldn't have anything to lord over him. Rezia wouldn't care anymore and he would attack without abandon. Choices, choices. Oh how did he do it to Katherine? It had all happened so fast.

No. Not yet. If he failed, Rezia wouldn't get another chance. If he waited, Sam may eventually drop his guard just a little around him, giving Rezia a better chance to follow through with his plans. And considering he didn't know how he'd managed to destroy Katherine's mind, he'd have to rely on Ember to finish Sam off and considering her whimpering form in front of him, he doubted she'd have the strength or inclination to do it and he'd be back to square one. He'd wait until Sam managed to help him figure out his new found power.

So with that in mind, he pressed the knife against Ember's flesh just enough to make it bleed before he drew it across one of the many scars that crisscrossed there. It really was a good thing his emotions were lost to him. He didn't flinch as Ember cried out against her hands or paid any attention to the quivering form in front of him as he repeated his action against another scar and another until her white skin was stained with blood as it seeped free of the freshly opened wounds. The movement of the blade was almost hypnotic, the give of the skin as the knife entered. It reminded him of the high he'd felt when he'd cut himself, the release of tension, the numbness. His other hand twitched at the thought, almost wanting him to turn the blade on himself.

Rezia pulled his hand and the knife away and just watched the blood. He'd opened up quite a few of the old scars. How much more did Sam want? He didn't want him to kill Ember yet, did he? He hadn't told him to kill Ember, just show her pain. Considering her shaking and crying, he'd consider that mission accomplished. "Keep going?" he asked then.

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Character Portrait: Lydia Character Portrait: Ember Character Portrait: Rezia Character Portrait: Damion Character Portrait: Sam Pravus
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The faint, curious touch of a hand on her twisted, damaged shoulder felt alien and intrusive. No one touched her unless they planned on causing harm…this apparently followed the same pattern as Sam passed on his knife and intentions to Rezia. The momentary contact was removed and instead replaced with the cold, unfeeling touch of the blade. It bit in shallowly and branded a familiar line of pain into her back. Ember kept her hand clamped firmly over her mouth, determined to attempt to remain silent. There was no reprieve between incisions, instead of more and more of her old scars were re-opened allowing the cold air to bite into the stinging wounds. She tried to remind herself that Sam had been far worse; unpredictable and deep savage cuts, yet in the moment it was hard to remain rational and every now and then she couldn't help but cry out through clenched teeth.

Dimly she noticed Sam move into her line of view, casually leaning against the wall, his arms folded lazily across chest as he watched with an inscrutable expression. She fixed her gaze squarely on the floor after that. The numerous cuts began to ache with growing intensity as more scars were reopened and less of her already marred skin remained intact. The floor swam a little as the loss of blood began to increase along with the mounting pain. Finally a pause. She didn't dare move; not wanting to ruin the momentary interval.

"Keep going?"

The thought of an affirmative answer made Ember's knees go weak and she had to stumble forward to keep herself upright. Immediately Sam was in front of her holding her upper arms tightly to keep her upright. Wearily she let her head fall forward, entirely spent.

"If I'd know how easy it would be to get you to follow orders without breaking down, I'd have had you destroy her years ago. Do you know how long it took me to get her to follow simple instructions without losing her nerve?"

Sam had an expression of calm satisfaction, before a slight frown wiped it away.

"Though I must say your efficiency is truly lacking. I am sure you are entirely aware that incisions to the bone would be a far more accurate way of obeying my orders. Your sister would have an acute understanding of that after her little visit with Ember earlier. No matter. Your small mercy won't help for much longer.

Ember. Due to your continual inability to fulfil what I ask, I will be forced to punish you accordingly. And this time I will be unable to show the mercy I gave you last time."


Uncertain confusion swept over Ember's features at his words. She remembered no mercy from last time. He'd even admitted he had gone further than intended after she'd spent weeks recovering in the infirmary when he had nearly killed her.

A cruel smile lifted the corners of Sam's mouth at her evident bewilderment. With that he bent forward over Ember, inclining his head towards her as he whispered in her ear.

"I'm going to get Damion.

The words fell like lead in Embers ears. A sharp ringing followed soon after and her legs collapsed underneath her. Sam let her fall from his grasp. All the slits in her back tore open further from the movement, her skin feeling like it was on fire.

"No." The word was almost an inaudible groan, before it was repeated again and again, louder and with more urgency.

"Sam please!"

All her previous reasoning started to scream at her to stop begging. To stop giving Sam what he wanted, even as the gleeful malice lit up his eyes. Pleading was futile. She knew this. She'd seen it so many times; even inwardly mocked her victims for not accepting fate quietly, but now her despair was all encompassing and wisdom and caution were thrown to the wind. Her pleas for any kind of mercy fell from her mouth in a desperate frenzy.

"I will do absolutely anything. Please. Don't do this. Do anything you like with me, please don't touch him…"

He listened for a while. His expression unreadable except for the evident pleasure in his eyes. Then he turned and started to leave, and in a last attempt to change his mind she lunged forward and grabbed onto his hand, cowering at his feet.

"He's the only thing I have left. Please. I can't lose him. I can't-" She couldn't speak anymore, instead finding herself hyperventilating as she sobbed.

Sam tried shaking her off, but she dug in her nails, refusing to release her hold. He was forced to grab her wrist with his other hand to tear himself free.

"For goodness sake Rezia restrain her." he snarled as she weakly attempted to follow him. As soon as he left the room he heard her let out an ear piercing scream. He shook his head in faint amusement. He really should have done this a long time ago.


He sent a group of guards ahead of him to immobilise Damion and Lydia before he entered.

"Whispers is dead. Ember decided to kill him against my wishes. As such I think both of you need to come with me. Lydia, doubtlessly your brother deserved a reward after all the work Ember's forced him to do. And Damion…surely you know what the punishment was if either you or Ember rebelled."

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"If I'd know how easy it would be to get you to follow orders without breaking down, I'd have had you destroy her years ago. Do you know how long it took me to get her to follow simple instructions without losing her nerve?"

Rezia just looked over at Sam, his eyes resting on the man's chest to avoid his gaze. He found Sam's words strange. The man had raised him and Lydia. How did he not know? He and his sister always followed orders. They never raised a fuss. And even if that wasn't the case, Sam should know about the numbness Rezia felt most often after draining the pain from another. This was nothing new. Had he been himself, Rezia would have broke down, just in private. As it was, his own emotions were not at the fore of his mind. Just the darkness, the pain, the anger Ember had given him. She was the cold blooded killer after all. He was just emulating her. Sometimes he wondered just how much Sam knew about what went on in their minds, the limits of their power.

Rezia thought that all of this was finally over and he could go back to his room at this point but with Sam, it was never over.
He was threatening Ember and the woman broke down into hysterics. Damion. Sam was going to have him kill Damion, wasn't he? Had he finally grown bored of them all that he was killing them off one by one at last? A part of him wanted to give a sigh of relief. With them dead, the pain and decisions would bleed away. Still, there was a part of him beneath the haze that still wanted to somehow find a better life for Lydia. She at least deserved to die far away from here, in the nice grass and flower meadow or something. Something peaceful, beautiful.

Sam's word of restraining Ember brought him back to reality and he moved forward to pull the distraught woman away from Sam and pinned her again his chest, arms at her side. It was difficult holding on to her, with all of her flailing but he managed to keep her off of Sam until the man had vanished to collection Damion. Rezia's mind was racing through options. They had to somehow kill Sam. He was well aware that if they killed Sam, they would probably all end up dying anyway but in his estimation, killing Sam ensured a quick death, or at least a choice of their own deaths.

Ember was going to be no use in her current state. Rezia hated to lose the empty fog, but if he bled away some of her fear,
she would be able to think straight. Hopefully. So, he forcefully turned Ember's gaze towards him and locked their eyes. He let out a slow breath as he began to draw out her fear and despair. It was hard to cut off the flow but eventually he managed to blink and turn away, immediately gaining a migraine for his trouble. His body shook as the fear enveloped him. He started to hyperventilate a little and he let Ember go. He raised a hand to his head and swallowed hard. He hadn't missed this headache. He wiped his nose as more blood began to leak.

"Ember, I n-need you to focus. When Sam comes back in here, we might have a fighting chance. Sam will look at me at some point. When he looks at me, I'll connect to his mind. When I do that, he'll be immobilized. I will try to do what I did to Katherine to him but I may fail. I don't know how exactly I did it. If you are seeing me wither away, that is your chance to take this knife and slit his throat," he explained and displayed the knife Sam hadn't taken back. Rezia had never been connected to a person who was dying and that scared him. He most likely would feel the pain of their death as his own but he would accept that if they could finally be rid of Sam and his horror. "You can't freeze up, do you understand me? We won't get another chance like this. Damion will be tortured if you don't."

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Damion blinked shocked at the girl, but slowly took away his hand, returning the glove to it's rightful place."Thank you for the assistance. But don't give your life away to me. Give it to someone that actually deserves it."

Taking a moment to compose himself he stood up, eyes centered on the elevator that would deliver him below. He would do it. He would go down there and kill the monster. He moved towards the elevator only to be swarmed by dozens of Sam's guards before moving even two steps away. As Sam walked up he looked at Damion looked at the man with the same cold, heartless eyes he once stared at his countless victims with. Only now he was smiling a wicked grin.

"Whispers is dead. Ember decided to kill him against my wishes. As such I think both of you need to come with me. Lydia, doubtlessly your brother deserved a reward after all the work Ember's forced him to do. And Damion…surely you know what the punishment was if either you or Ember rebelled."

Damion did nothing, said nothing, his face betrayed nothing. Whispers was gone, and for a moment he felt an ache deep within. They were enemies, but they shouldn't have been. His name, his name and Katherine's would be among the hundreds that Damion would dedicate Sam's death too. Damion was sure there was more to it than what Sam had said, Ember would never put his life at risk, he knew this as fact. But whatever had transpired, transpired in Damion's favor. Sam was here inches away. Surrounded by guards but he was close, he just needed to do away with them, and then he could kill Sam. As brutally as possible, and save Ember from his wraith. This was the only way. Damion steeled himself for what would come next, whatever that may be.

Damion wasn't sure how many guards were restraining the fragile Lydia but the poisoned man himself had three guards all to himself. One pinning him down to the ground with a hard kick and a lead foot. Two placed firm hands upon his shoulders, being sure to keep added pressure on his wound. The man wondered if these three men had expected to return home tonight.

Death, and pain were heralded only by a faint sizzling sound. First fabric, then skin were subjected to the acid Damion had released spreading out, oozing all from his upper body, his clothes and his gloves were soon eaten away, their scattered remains sprawled across the floor. The guards tasked with restraining him screamed as their flesh followed in much the same fate as Damion's garments, their skin blistering,melting away, bits of them fell from the bone, and quickly they crumpled to the floor writhing in agony.

Wasting no time the man sprung to his feet, almost lunging at the guard that held Lydia at bay. Shoving the entirety of his palm into the man's face, his death was swift but no less painful as the corpse with it's unrecognizable face fell to the ground with a lifeless thud. Lydia was the key. She was needed by both Sam and by Damion. With perhaps too much force Damion grabbed the girl by the hair, pulling her closer, setting the girl into the space between his elbow and forearm. His bare skin pushed against the girl, his palm placed upon her face.

"It's over Sam. Have your men drop their weapons and leave. The three of us have much to discuss."AS he spoke Damion inched over to the guards on the ground Lydia in tow, letting his acid fall casually on to the men below with his free hand, he kept his cold eyes on Sam all the while, paying no mind to their agonized screams. "Do as I say Sam or I'll kill her. And don't try to play dumb with me, you may have lost all need for me or my sweet Ember but you still need Lydia. Without her you have no leverage and Rezia has no leash. He and I have much in common. Without Lydia he won't do a damn thing you say. This ends Sam. Send them away."

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ImageLydia had moved to follow Damion towards the elevator, wringing her hands, when suddenly there were guards everywhere. They pushed Damion to the ground, and one grabbed her by the arms, holding them firmly behind her. What was going on? Oh. It was Sam. Whispers was dead. Dead. Had Rezia killed him? Probably. No, Ember had. Where was Rezia? Her eyes cast about, looking for him. He wasn't there. Where was he? Oh, her name. A reward? Rezia was okay. He was downstairs. She felt relieved that he was fine, but empty at the same time. Everything that had happened. Was it still Rezia down there, or someone else? What had Sam done to Rezia? Was Sam going to make him kill Damion too? Her heart tightened in her chest. Ember and Damion...she didn't want them to die. But it seemed like that was what Sam wanted. If they could do something before it got to that point. But what could they do with all these guards here? Lydia looked around for ideas. She couldn't even break free from her single guard. She was useless.

Absently, thoughtfully, Lydia stood, staring at the floor with worry on her face. What should she do? She wanted to be helpful. But she couldn't see any safe moves to make that would result in any kind of sucess for them. Should they wait to be reunited with the others before striking? How was Ember? Suddenly Damion started to move. His guards crumbled to the ground, and then she was being jostled, grabbed by the hair. What was going on? She let out a choked cry as she was jerked closer to Damion, his hand pressing against her face. Pain seared through her torn and broken body. She was being used as a hostage. What should she do in this situation. She didn't...didn't really care whether he killed her or not...though from the agonized sounds of his other victims in the room, it would probably be painful...but she really did want to help him take down Sam. Even if she didn't see the end game of this.

So Lydia cried. Her eyes open so wide the whites showed on all sides, almost bugged out, she let out faint, terrified sobs that weren't fake in the least. Just...redirected. She struggled weakly, trying to grapple the hand holding her to little avail. " Please, no," she cried, her voice muffled by Damion's hand. This was as close as she'd ever been to a male that wasn't Rezia. It was strange and hostile and she didn't like it, even though she knew this was...probably a bluff. It was a bluff, right? What would happen if he really did melt her face off? Sam would just kill him. Would Sam even care about him threatening her? They were all expendable pawns, after all. They had become expendable upon entering this place. He could tick them off one by one when he got bored. Goodbye Delirium. Goodbye Whispers. Goodbye Damion, Ember, Lydia, Rezia. Did any of this even mean anything to him? As her mind wandered, retreating into the relative safety of her thoughts, she went mostly limp, the cries dying in her throat, though her wild eyes were still darting. There was too much going on for her to handle, and she was just a helpless onlooker, even as Damion gripped her by the face. At least she was being useful, right?

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Arms closed around her pulling her back from Sam. She refused to give up, instead straining against Rezia even as she felt him draw her tightly against his chest. Her torn back smashed into his body, and the effort to try and free her pinned back arms tore open the wounds. She hated Rezia in that moment. She attempted to twist around not entirely conscious of whether she wanted to drag the life out of him or merely hurt him enough to force him to release her but the searing pain on her back prevented her from completing the action. The door slammed shut, locking into place. There was no point now. She let out a scream filled with all her pain, fear and despair.

Then the room went silent and Rezia released her. She tottered forward a few paces before her fatigue and grief dragged her onto the floor. She tried to draw her knees to her chest in a foetal position yet the movement only aggravated her back so she lay as she had collapsed staring at the wall. Hands grabbed her faced and started to turn her head. She hit him then, slamming her small fist hard into his chest as she attempted to struggle weakly against his hands, but it wasn't enough to prevent Rezia from locking gaze with her. All at once her fear began to drain away and when there was nothing left her head was released and Rezia looked away. Blood was streaming from his nose again and his complexion was ashen, his face twisted in pain. His frame shook and he looked terrified. Her terror.

Carefully Ember forced herself to sit up, facing Rezia. Despite the lack of fear, the anticipation of future events still kept her on edge. Now there was just anger and grief.

"Why did you do that?" Her question came out stilted and distracted, as a secondary concern.

The explanation that came soon drew all of her attention. Her brow furrowed with concentration, though her expression gave nothing away. Then Rezia displayed the knife, still stained with her blood. Instantly her expression changed to a scowl. He threatened her then. As if she didn't know the cost of failure.

"How the hell do you think Sam will react when he sees a knife in my hand? Where am I supposed to hide it?" She gestured down to the grey shift dress. "I have no hope Rezia. The only desirable outcome of that is he might be angry enough to kill me quickly…but Sam doesn't make mistakes like that."

She stared at the floor, then slowly her hand curled into a fist. Her head jerked up, her gaze accusatory.

"Why would you do this? Why risk Sam's wrath upon yourself and Lydia when at the moment it is directed elsewhere?"




SAM
Sam watched Damion's heroics with the appearance of half-hearted interest. A desperate and foolish action, that's all it was. There were still enough guards to come in and detain the man if he needed it, but they held back unsure of this new threat. Or attempted one Sam thought mildly. He wasn't quite following the killers line of thought. He enjoyed have Lydia and Rezia for his use of course, but they were entirely disposable.

"Go ahead Damion. Melt her face away, see if I care." His tone was flippant followed by a gestured flick of the wrist. "Don't be a fool. I don't need her or Rezia. Sure they are useful for now, but I'm hardly putting my life in your poisoned hands to save them. Beside you won't save Ember." At this he gave Damion a sadistic smile. "If anything happens to me I have men down there that would be more than happy to finish the job off for me."

He paused and let the words sink in for a moment.

"Really you have two options. Follow through with your pathetic threat. Kill Lydia, I'll have my men take you down before you get to me, you'll never see Ember again and I'll have her flesh stripped from her until she's begging for me to kill her. Or you can release Lydia and both of you can follow me and face the consequences of what your little witch, Ember did. What will it be Damion?"

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"Really you have two options. Follow through with your pathetic threat. Kill Lydia, I'll have my men take you down before you get to me, you'll never see Ember again and I'll have her flesh stripped from her until she's begging for me to kill her. Or you can release Lydia and both of you can follow me and face the consequences of what your little witch, Ember did. What will it be Damion?"

Damion glared at the man, his grip clutching harder into Lydia's flesh, far more than he intended. He didn't care. Sam didn't care at all. Of course this was a long shot, there was no guarantee it would work, but. Sam was far more blase and uncaring about the situation than the poisoned man had expected. There was a point to this game wasn't there? A twisted, cruel hellish point, but Sam had to have had a goal beyond simply causing suffering for cruel amusement? But as Damion locked eyes with the man he saw no soul there. No heart, not even a black one behind that smile. In the end everyone here was nothing more than a toy. Entertainment, like some warped reality TV show. And yet here he was already bored with them. They've been here less than a week and he had already began killing them off one by one.

With great difficulty Damion tore his eyes away from Sam and let them land on his captive Lydia. She was pressed against his bare skin, his palm on her face, she was already being exposed to his toxins flowing through her system in small but continuous doses. In her fragility Damion was sure she couldn't survive exposure for very long. He had to make a choice and soon, then again did he even have a choice? If Lydia dies then Sam would kill him easily, he'd never reach the devil, his powers enabled for very little range, but he would be gunned down in seconds if he moved another inch. Then, then his Ember would suffer. Suffer not just die he was sure, Sam wouldn't make it quick that was certain. He closed his eyes tight, desperatly trying not to think of the image he had just inadvertently called into his own head.

Ember was there on a table, strapped down like an animal. Blood poured from near every inch and her skin, no longer a pale white, nor was it even there leaving only a hideous blot of red where once stood the most beautiful girl in the world.

The very thought was enough to loosen his dead grip on the girl and push her away. As she went falling away from his person he tossed her what he hoped was an apologetic look. She didn't deserve to be pulled into a desperate tactice for survival, especially not one so poorly thought out. If she was going to die she deserved to die insuring Sam soon followed her to the grave.

"Fine. Do your worst Sam. I'm not afraid of you"