Attacked

Haisley

In the corner of the room, something is moving.

My blood runs cold as I focus on the dark shape shifting in the shadows. The scratching continues, louder now, like claws scraping against stone. The air feels thicker, darker, and the room itself seems to warp under the weight of whatever is creeping toward us.

None of us know what to do. Panic surges through me like ice in my veins as the creature crawls closer. It's nothing like the demons—there's something far more twisted, more unnatural about it. My heart pounds in my chest as I clutch the mirror in my trembling hands, desperate for Zyraxiel to appear. But I'm terrified to look away from the creature for too long.

What if it jumps at me? My mind races with the thought. If I don't see it coming, then what? I keep my back pressed against the cold wall, my breath shallow as I flick my gaze between the mirror and the creature, my hands shaking more with every second. The mirror becomes to darken and I instantly start rambling.

"Is this thing supposed to be here with us?" I cry out, my voice shaking. My eyes dart toward the others, my panic spilling over. "It's making that scratching noise, and it's getting closer!"

The sound—the harsh, grating scrape of its limbs against the floor—sends chills down my spine. Slowly, I move closer to the other women, my body trembling with fear. The creature moves like smoke, a dark, twisting mass that blurs and shifts, as though it's barely held together. But beneath the smoke, I can make out its form, barely.

Its eyes—cold, empty pits of blackness—pierce through us, unblinking. Its body is a sickly grey, with limbs that are grotesquely twisted, bent in unnatural angles. It looks like something pulled from a nightmare, a creature that shouldn't exist. It's the most terrifying thing I've seen so far, and none of us dares to move or speak.

Suddenly, it lunges forward.

Screams erupt around me, and I watch in horror as the creature claws at Olivia's leg, its jagged fingers digging deep into her flesh. Blood splatters across the floor as Olivia shrieks, stumbling backward, but the thing won't let go.

The other women run, their screams echoing off the walls as they scramble away in terror. But I can't leave. I'm frozen, my heart pounding in my chest, my gaze locked on Olivia as she writhes in pain. I rush forward, my hands trembling as I try to pull her free, grabbing at the creature's twisted limbs, desperately trying to pry it off her.

It turns on me.

The moment its claws scrape against my skin, a searing pain rips through me, and I'm hit with a vision so vivid it feels like I've been thrown back in time. I see my father standing over my mother, the knife in his hand glinting in the dim light as he stabs her again and again. Her screams fill my ears, her blood pooling beneath her, and I can't breathe. I can't move. I'm trapped in that moment, reliving the nightmare I've buried for so long.

The creature's bite sinks into my arm, and another wave of pain crashes over me. Another vision—my mother's lifeless eyes staring up at me, her body cold, her blood staining my hands. I scream, but the sound is drowned out by the horror clawing at my mind.

I keep fighting, my body trembling as I try to pull the creature off, but every time it touches me, another vision, another memory of that horrible night floods my mind. I'm losing myself in the pain and in the memories.

Suddenly, a deafening roar shakes the room.

I fall to the floor, my vision swimming as I lose my grip on Olivia. I can't see anything—there's darkness all around me, but I know. I know Zyraxiel is here. His presence fills the room, heavy and oppressive, and I hear the sound of fighting, the clash of something monstrous against something far more powerful.

A loud screech pierces the air, the sound sharp enough to make me wince, and then—silence.

Slowly, I force myself to look up, my vision blurred from pain and exhaustion. The creature lies lifeless on the floor, its twisted body crumpled in a heap of grey flesh and smoke. And then, I see him—Zyraxiel, his towering form standing over the dead creature, his red eyes glowing with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine.

He turns toward me, his eyes softening as he walks over and scoops me into his arms. I feel the warmth of him seeping into my skin, a stark contrast to the cold terror that's been gripping me for so long. He looks down at me, his gaze shifting to the wounds on my arms where the creature had bitten and clawed at me.

"Why didn't you call for me sooner?" he growls, his voice low but filled with concern as he examines the gashes on my skin.

I can barely speak, my body trembling from the pain and the memories that still linger. But in that moment, all I can feel is relief. Zyraxiel saved me—again.

I give in, and let the darkness consume me, needing to res