I took a step back, unable to fully comprehend the creature’s words. Did he just call Juktha his bride?
“Justice, why did you do this? Why would you hurt this young man like this?” As Juktha spoke I could see the tears building in her eyes.
“Justice? I hate that name!” The creature howled. His arm lashed out, the blade from his wrist cutting into Andrew’s side. There was no blood. “Call me by my true name. Do you know how long I have waited to hear you speak my true name?”
“Grath...” She flinched as the name left her lips.
The creature, Grath, smiled. “Like music to my ears.”
“Grath, please explain.” Juktha took a step towards him. I wanted to reach out and stop her, but I knew it was pointless.
I was only a spectator in this moment.
“My dear, you did not see the darkness in this young man’s heart.” His voice grew softer. “I am only playing the role that I was given. As much as we, as gods, are the creators, you know full well that we are only puppets to our human masters and the roles they assign us.”
“You need to release him.” Her voice was pleading, begging for Grath to listen.
“There is nothing left of him to release.” He looked back at Andrew’s body. He pulled his blade free from Andrew’s torso. The skin ripped, but there was nothing inside. “Soon this shell will fail me, and I will need to find another to continue on.”
“No!” Juktha screamed. “You need to stop. How many more people can you hurt? How... how many have you already killed?”
He turned his head towards her, his focus so intense that it seemed almost physical.
“As long as there is evil in this world, in the hearts of men like him,” Grath thrust his finger towards Andrew, “then I will continue to cause pain, and I will take joy in my duty.”
I froze when Grath turned his attention to me. He took a step forward, moving much easier then he did in the real world. He smiled, and for a second my heart skipped a beat.
“You chose a man?” He laughed. “How like you, Juktha.”
He stepped closer and stretched out his arm. The tip of the blade that grew out of his wrist pressed against my cheek.
“Does that make you my bride as well?” His voice was mocking me. “I believe it does.”
“I’m... I’m taken.” My voice was shaking so hard I could barely form words.
“Then maybe I shall choose your partner as my next host.” He leaned his head closer to me. “I’ve never been a woman before.”
“Not a she... a he...” I wanted to take a step back, but I just knew that if I moved, even a little bit, he would slit my throat.
“Even better!” He began to laugh, the sound booming through the space.
Juktha stepped in front of me, pushing the blade away from my face. “You will not!”
The laughter stopped.
“How dare you!” Grath raised his hand, as if to strike Juktha. “You are in no position to question me. This is my world.”
Juktha didn’t back down. “And out there, that’s mine. It is my job, my mission, to protect my host, and those close to them. I will kill you before I let you lay a finger on them.”
“I’ll lay more then a finger.” Grath lowered his arm. “If you haven’t noticed my dear, I’m not really restricted to just one host. Not anymore. Threaten me again, and I will take them all from you.”
His smile, that sickening smile, returned to his face. “Now, leave!”
We couldn’t even object. A strong force smacked into my gut, knocking the wind off of me. I could feel it lift me off my feet and start pushing me.
I was flying backwards, out of the mind scape, out of Andrew’s shell, and back into my own body.
The return was so forceful that it actually knocked me off my feet, and sent me sprawling onto the lab floor. I was only able to see the lights of the lab for a brief moment before the strain of my journey took hold, and I passed out.
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