Flames of Hope

Chapter 84-

Oh my God! I'm so so sorry! I haven't had time to write this! Its been a struggle! But it's here! I hope y'all enjoy! Thank you to each and everyone of you! The song above is Save Me by Globus! I'm not sure if I've put  this one in, but its such a good song!

Terrible dread, that's all that people felt when they woke up; a lurking miasma of 'something BAD!' seemed to fall over the world overnight. It pervaded into people's action, the streets were barren, work had all but stopped, nobody had stepped a foot outside in fear of something.

What that something was, however, alluded many.

Green eyes glared in confusion as lightning sparked in a hospital room, Izuku felt as One for All flickered within his veins, the sheer agony that accompanied the lightning was new, and Izuku felt a twinge of fear; was this because of his failing body?

'No...'

Whatever it was, it wasn't because of One for All killing his body, no, it felt as if One for All was an angry creature, blinded by red rage and lashing out with wild abandon. This was One for All, instinct and power without the Vestiges to stem the flow, to control and harness it properly.

Darkness loomed...

Deep in the bowls of All for One's fortress, Toshinori heaved for air, trying in vain to heave as much air into his lungs, greedily drinking in what he could as his head was plunged right back into a bucket of icy cold water.

"Now, now All Might. It's not so bad, you've suffered worse than a little torture."

Toshinori had no idea who was talking to him at this point, he'd all but retreated into his mind at the face of the torture; his mind trying to protect itself the best it can, and it managed that by completely breaking his connection to the conscious world.

For days, he'd drifted through a limbo of foggy actions, never able to remember what was happening to his broken body. At first, he tried to be strong, but the pain was worse than he'd ever felt before, and that included having his entire side torn out by a quirk enhanced fist.

It started small, a beating here and there, maybe some emotional and psychological torture, but All Might could deal with that. It was when the knives, and whips and batons, along with a so-called expert, who knew how to use them effectively that Toshinori felt part of his spirit die.

The man, gods he was an ugly being. He was pudgy and big boned, not necessarily fat but larger than a normal person, his face was clean and those eyes would haunt Toshinori's dreams forever. Pale and milky, they held no life, they were dead, emotionless unless his torturer was using Toshinori as a live cadaver.

Knives, blunt or sharp, were run down Toshinori's skin, with such precision that removed his skin from muscle, and he realised what was going on. He was being flayed alive. This terrible man was so skilled at it, Toshinori felt his guts revolt at the thought; has he done this before?

When Toshinori rasped out his question, finally gaining the strength to do so, he wished he hadn't.