Vengeance by N N B Clarke

Author:N N B Clarke [Clarke, N N B]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

7

The stranger stood at the edge of the clearing, his grey eyes watching Vengeance carefully. Vengeance was still filled with rage, her eyes fixed on the stranger. Very slowly, the stranger lowered his hand and spoke once more, “Who are you?”

Using Renee’s mouth, Vengeance hissed, “Who I am is of no import.”

“On the contrary,” said the man, “It is perhaps the most important thing of all. You should not have been able to enter this place.”

He paused, and fixed Vengeance with a sidelong glance and said softly, “Neither of you.”

Renee felt Vengeance blanch at that and take a step back. By contrast, Renee felt a tingle of hope. Perhaps if this being could sense her, he might be able to free her.

The stranger stepped forward, his eyes narrowing, “It is no possession; that is different. No, this is something stranger – older.”

“You know nothing,” snapped Vengeance.

The stranger smirked, “Is that so? Then have you told your host what you really are?”

Renee was intrigued. She could feel the heat of Vengeance’s rage cool, and felt a new emotion rise in the being – a feeling far more familiar to Renee: fear. Something about the stranger made Vengeance very uncomfortable, and it felt to Renee that Vengeance had encountered him before.

Vengeance screamed and once more unleashed light from her hands. This time, the stranger did not raise his hand, and instead simply walked into the light, allowing it to sink into his body, burning through his clothes, but not even marking his heavily tattooed skin.

He smiled at Vengeance and said, “I honestly expected more of you. I expected that the only one to escape would have been something…better.”

The distaste in his voice as he uttered the final word triggered a new wave of burning hate to rise in Vengeance, making Renee feel ill and forcing her to retreat deeper into her mind, gaining more distance from Vengeance’s intense emotions. Vengeance hissed, “It is impossible. You should not be here. You left.”

The stranger smirked again, flashing his perfect teeth, “Did I? Why would I have done that? You, of all the beings in the universe, should best know the duty I was charged with. Your very existence is why I could not have left. Though I confess, I did think the hunt for you a waste.”

“Then why not move on?” snapped Vengeance, “What threat do I pose?”

“You ask me that,” said the stranger accusingly, “While standing there in the body of another, and hunting for the Furies of the dead Seraphim?”

Vengeance froze, but Renee could feel the being’s mind working, reaching out for something. Suddenly, a wave as cold as ice filled her as Vengeance found what she sought – Octavius’ Fury – and tapped its power. With a grin, Vengeance launched herself at the stranger, gathering the power of the Fury about herself, preparing to unleash it on him.

She halted in mid-air, the stranger’s huge hand around her neck. His other hand already held his sword, drawn so swiftly that Renee had not even seen him move.

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