Damsel to the Demon

5. Mercedes

5

MERCEDES

T he door slams shut behind me, the sound echoing through the small room. My fists pound against the wood, raw and bleeding. Each impact sends shockwaves of pain up my arms, but I welcome it. Pain means I'm alive. Pain means I can still fight.

"Let me out! I'll kill you all!"

My voice cracks, hoarse from screaming. The taste of copper lingers on my tongue, metallic and bitter. Rage boils in my veins, replacing the despair that consumed me moments ago. I can still see Thomas's face, his eyes wide with shock as the life drained from them. The memory fuels my fury.

I rattle the doorknob furiously. It doesn't budge. My nails scrape against the metal, leaving behind flecks of skin. The sting barely registers through my anger.

"Cowards! Face me!"

Silence answers. The guards' footsteps fade down the hall, each receding step a mockery of my captivity. I slam my shoulder into the door. Pain shoots through my arm, radiating down to my fingertips, but I don't care. I do it again. And again. The impact reverberates through my body, but I channel every ounce of my grief and rage into each blow.

The door gives way with a sudden creak, swinging open as I throw my weight against it one last time. I stumble forward, catching myself on the frame. My heart pounds in my chest, a frantic drumbeat of fear and hope.

What just happened?

I peer into the dimly lit corridor, half-expecting to see guards waiting. But it's empty. Silence hangs heavy in the air, broken only by my ragged breathing. The hallway stretches before me, shadows dancing on the walls from flickering torchlight.

This can't be right. Did they forget to lock it? Or is this some kind of sick game?

I take a tentative step out, my bare feet cold against the stone floor. Every muscle in my body screams at me to run, but caution holds me back. I scan the hallway, searching for any sign of movement or danger. The air is thick with the scent of damp stone and fear.

Nothing.

It has to be a trap. They wouldn't just leave me unguarded. Would they?

But then I think of Thomas. Of my papa. Of everyone I've lost. Their faces flash before my eyes - smiling, laughing, full of life. Now gone forever.

What do I have left to lose?

I clench my fists, steeling myself.

Trap or not, this might be my only chance. I have to take it. For them. For me.

With a deep breath, I slip out of the room. I hug the wall, moving as quietly as I can. Every shadow makes me flinch, every creak of the floorboards sends my heart racing. The torn fabric of my wedding dress catches on rough stone, a cruel reminder of the joy that was stolen from me.

But no one comes. No alarms sound. It's as if the entire barracks has been abandoned. The emptiness is eerie, unnatural. It sets my teeth on edge.

My heart races as I sprint through the empty corridors.

Where are the guards? This can't be real.

But I don't have time to question it. Freedom beckons, a siren call I can't resist.

I burst through a side door, cool night air hitting my face. The sudden rush of fresh air is dizzying after the stale confines of the barracks. The moon casts an eerie glow over the landscape, bathing everything in silvery light. I don't stop to savor it. I run.

My bare feet slap against the ground, twigs and stones cutting into my skin. Each step sends jolts of pain up my legs, but it's a small price to pay.

Damn this hurts… But pain is better than captivity. Better than what awaits me if I'm caught.

The memory of the captain's leering face spurs me on.

Trees whip past as I plunge into the forest. Branches claw at my face and arms, leaving stinging scratches. My lungs burn, each breath a struggle. But I can't stop. Won't stop. The forest is alive around me, filled with the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of night creatures.

Then I hear it. Angry shouts. The pounding of feet. The hunters have become aware of their escaped prey.

"There she is!"

Terror grips me, icy fingers of fear clutching at my heart. I push harder, legs pumping furiously. They're gaining. I can hear them getting closer, their heavy footfalls and harsh breathing growing louder.

Suddenly, the ground disappears beneath me. I tumble, the world spinning in a dizzying whirl of shadows and moonlight. My hands grasp wildly, finding purchase on a thick root. I dangle, heart in my throat, fingers burning with the strain of holding my weight.

Below me there’s a sheer drop. Rocks and mist shroud the bottom of the cliff, an abyss that promises either escape or oblivion.

Behind me, heavy footsteps and harsh breathing. The hunters have caught up.

"We've got you now, you little bitch!"

I look up and see the dark elven faces leering at me, triumph in their eyes. I look down at the misty abyss. Two choices. Be caught or fall. Neither promises salvation, but one at least offers an end to this nightmare.

A dark shadow materializes beside me, seemingly out of thin air.

God damn it. Another dark elf? My heart sinks. There's no escape.

The newcomer's eyes lock onto mine. Something about his gaze sends a chill down my spine. He's different from the others. Dangerous in a way I can't explain and there's a depth to his eyes, a hunger that both terrifies and intrigues me.

What now? Jump or be locked up again?

The guards are closing in. Their triumphant jeers ring in my ears, a cacophony of cruelty.

I can't go back. I won't. I'd rather die than endure what they have planned for me.

I release my grip on the root.

For a moment, I'm falling. The wind whips through my hair, my tattered dress billowing around me. A strange sense of peace washes over me. It's over. I close my eyes, ready to embrace whatever comes next.

But then... I'm not.

My body hangs suspended in midair. I blink, disbelieving.

Am I dead already? Is this what it feels like?

The mist swirls around me, cool and damp against my skin.

No. I'm still here, hovering above the misty abyss. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Even this choice has been taken from me. A sob catches in my throat, a mixture of frustration and fear.

"What's happening?" I choke out, my voice barely a whisper.

The strange dark elf appears beside me, floating as if it's the most natural thing in the world. His lips curl into a smirk, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Now, now. We can't have you dying just yet."

His voice is smooth, almost hypnotic. I want to scream, to fight, to do something. But I'm paralyzed, trapped in his invisible grip. My body refuses to obey my commands, suspended in this impossible moment.

"Mercedes."

The dark elf's voice rings out, different now. Deeper. Richer. It wraps around me like silk, compelling me to listen. My struggles cease, my body going still in mid-air. There's power in that voice, ancient and terrible.

His form begins to shift, melting and reforming before my eyes. I gasp, unable to look away. The dark elven features blur, giving way to something... else. Something that defies everything I thought I knew about the world.

What the hell is he?

Red veins spider across his skin, pulsing with an otherworldly light. His eyes glow like embers, piercing straight through me. Long, wicked talons extend from his fingers, gleaming in the moonlight. A tail - sharp and jagged like a sword - lashes behind him, cutting through the air with deadly grace.

My heart pounds against my ribs, a frantic rhythm of fear and... something else. Fascination? Awe? I can't quite name the emotion that stirs within me.

"What... what are you?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

He grins, revealing razor-sharp teeth. His tail swishes, cutting through the air with a soft whistle. His eyes roam over me, lingering on my face. There's hunger in that gaze, but also curiosity. As if I'm a puzzle he's eager to solve.

I should be terrified. This creature before me is death incarnate, more dangerous than any dark elf. Yet, as I hang suspended in the air, I feel a spark of something I thought had died with my family.

Possibility.

The world has changed in an instant. The rules I thought I knew no longer apply. In the face of this impossible being, my despair gives way to a tentative hope. If this creature can exist, what else might be possible?

"That, my dear Mercedes, is a very interesting question indeed."

His words hang in the air between us, pregnant with promise and danger. As I stare into his burning eyes, I realize that my journey is far from over. It's only just begun.