Fighting Blind [Published]

Chapter 19: Kei Valancia

Color Manual

Red - anger

Dark Gray - sadness

Dark Lavender - happiness

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This is the last time I'll let you have control for a while, I griped grouchily at Rei.

Didn't I say I was sorry? Besides, he has a right to know. I just sighed one more time before starting story time once again.

"The man's name is Leon Grayson, a rather ruthless man. I remember the night when he had 'rescued' me," sarcasm leaked from my words and I smiled without showing any teeth. "He waited until dark to ambush one of the patrollers on duty. Killed both wolves without much of a fight. He infiltrated the rogues' hideout without much trouble and found me cowering in a corner after slaughtering the whole pack.

"You should have been there to witness it. They were all so scared I swear they peed their pants." I chuckled without emotion. "And then when I noticed I wasn't getting butchered, I fell to my knees and cried. Leon didn't do anything but just stand there until I finally quit. After I was done, I was taught a lesson," I heard my voice become more distant, getting caught up in the memories.

"Leon hated to see weakness, much less tears and I found out just how much he hated it." I leaned my head back and stared blankly into the darkness. "He was so angry, saying how I should already be used to such things. But he had the wrong idea. I wasn't scared - I was hopeful. The burning ember in my heart that had nearly gone out suddenly flared to life, telling me that I was going to be free. But no. Instead I was sucked into another hellish world and that's when those flames became extinguished almost immediately, my wishful thinking dying in an instant.

"And you should have seen it," I murmured, "The way his energy seemed to infect those around him. It bubbled grotesquely, the color a sickly yellow. It was like his own energy was sick." I covered half of my face with my right palm, a grimace adorning my features.

"You can't even imagine what it felt like to have his hands touch me. It felt as my very own being was becoming ill from breathing the same air as him," I couldn't help but growl lowly. "It just makes me so furious that I can't see his face so I could rip it off." I stood abruptly and began pacing.

"I did corner him once. Got this close to killing him." I pinched my thumb and index finger close together, leaving them just a centimeter apart. "But then his lackeys came. Another man, a wizard, that worked for him came and nearly killed me. " I ran a hand through my hair roughly, ignoring the sharp tugs on my scalp.

"After that I began to truly notice how much Leon favored me. As the wizard was about to finish me off, Leon attacked the man, killing him in seconds. I didn't see it, thank Goddess for being blind for once, but I did hear it. And it was..." I trailed off, remembering the snarls mixed in with the fleshy tears of flesh and the cracking of bones. I shivered.

"Anyway, that's when it started to dawn on me that I was something that he found sick interest in and for years I was almost treated like a little pet. And I hated it," I could feel my eyes become full of unshed tears, trying to push their way out but I didn't let them. "But then I was rescued a third time, this one being more positive than the others." I smiled faintly at nothing.

"It was a man and a woman. Both vampires. They were just passing through but heard my screams one day. I was being punished for breaking a dish," I explained vaguely before continuing, "So they came to investigate out of curiosity and saw Leon... Doing things." I decided to leave out the details being as how Ryker was already furious enough and anymore he might explode.