Mayfair Vol 3 #7: Cruciatu

I tip my fedora once more. A mutated one comes for me. I conjure the magic with ease.

 

Despite the forces being repelled slowly, thanks to us lowering by the shields me and Lucien created, it isn't too much good. The rest are running low on equipment, suffice to say we could be overpowered any moment by Vertex or whoever appears.

 

Luc is getting tired, and my guns are outta bullets.

 

It could be true already. Day of reckoning, something wasn't right...

 

And I blacked out.

 

***

 

We're chained to woods, like we're sinners. The sky is pitch black, and using the wind, I blow it off, revealing that my allies are nothing more at a nearly dead state.

 

I was crucified, our armor and gear gone, so were the weapons. The town was nothing more than a wasteland.

 

Then he appeared, speak of the Devil. Creek himself, out of the shadows. He must have wiped out Korea...or did he not?

 

Creek: "The moment has come--you thought you could win? Very pathetic. Humans are such weak creatures that you indulge in your little fantasies and powers nothing is worth of accomplishment."

Magnus: "What is this? Entrapment?"

Creek: "No...pain. You revel in your dreams, in your victories, but nothing is worth than a loop of memories."

Magnus: "We lost?"

Creek: "I would not define loss until you are seeing it. You are experiencing it right now."

Magnus: "What the..."

 

I feel the burn on my chest, the soreness and numbness all around my body. I look at the others, as they are tortured in different ways. Creek's snake like tail slithers towards Koles, as he reaches with his bony hand, scarring the old man. He is awaken by the grotesque creature himself.

 

Shit, he is even worse than Frankenstein's monster, a mess of a creation; a mix of everything, from winged bats to ghouls...it was frankly disgusting. I really wanted to look away, but I couldn't. Koles proceeds to speak despite the blood dripping on his face, wanting to lash out with his mangled body.

 

Koles: "You think you've achieved victory? You never did. There is no balance."

Creek: "But I have. How many lies have you told, Doctor Valeryvich? How many?"

Koles: "Long enough to sustain my lives. We're not even blood relatives, Creek...you're a horrible piece of shit."

Creek: "But you created me. Here. Indirectly thanks to your friends, who thought I could be a otherworldy, sentient creature to overtake the Black Death, to purge of it."

Koles: "The best intentions were taken over because you were seduced by the power of the Vampire King! You gained awareness..."

Creek: "Yes. But betrayal and suffering is too much, now it is your turn along with yours. My army, shall we?"

 

He raises his other hand, a transparent shape of what seems to be claws, and the moonlight unravels, revealing the judges. They were in cohorts all along, this whole time. And the rest were hooded figures. Seems like the worst type of cult to me. What in the hell was this...

 

And the rest was sprawled, littered with corpses. I identify a body with the neck sliced, presumably died under Wyndham's sword.

 

Nord: "We will bring suffering to you. Unlike Seams, who was unworthy, he had to be gone. Too much humanity in him."

Graybane: "Unlike the rest, we are creatures who will be judge, jury and executioner. We decide your fate as we should."

Thow: "Given the circumstances, we do what we will. Suffer in pain."

Nord: "These weaklings must be cleansed. No purification."

Graybane: "Let it commence."

Thow: "So it begins..."

 

He wasn't joking.

 

Rowena had her guts splattered out, her organs...the torture was feeding on her ability of regeneration, Preston...Sean...everyone else.

 

Koles: "Enough of this, if you wanted to settle it, go after me, not my own team."

Creek: "But I certainly will, regardless. Like the judges say, we decide, not you. The suffering is you watching your team slowly dying from pain, one by one."

Koles: "No--"

Creek: "Obey me Valeryvich, and say no more."

 

I couldn't do much either. My trenchcoat was beyond damage, and even if I could repair it, I needed the right parts conjured from magic. But with one last trick up my sleeve, I needed to act.

A teleportation stone could get me out of here. But it's rare given the fact that highly advanced magic users knew how to use it. I wriggle and try to shake from the chains, but the crucifixion pains me too much....I have to try harder.

 

With one more breath, I tap into the stone, teleporting out of here before I know everything else.

 

I have to survive.

Done