The Grip of Murder

Dropping on the floor, Ryu exclaimed, "Aaaarrrrghhh!" a familiar excruciating pain was coursing through his body, originating from his right arm. The small orbs of fire were pricking through his body ever so slowly, but at an unstoppable pace, until they leave charred gaping holes in it, sizzling and penetrating from inside out. Ryu's spirit dwindled as the powerful incantation conquered deep inside, and the flames of malice were like cancer, grotesquely tearing his life asunder.

A few more moments of agony and then, Ayane's eyes opened from the loud screams of Master Ryu.

She sat up and looked at the direction of the noise.

"Aaaaaarrrrgggh!" a man's voice was tearing through the dark night.

Struggling with her hazy vision, she started to compose herself. 'Ughh..?!' Still groggy but was able to stand up with her wobbly feet, Ayane lousily dashed towards the direction of the cries, while almost falling.

"W-what's wrong?!" She immediately tried to secure the Master Ninja's now weakened body in her arms; the smell of charred flesh was intoxicating to say the least. She caught a whiff of the pink smoke emanating from Ryu's wounds, and it felt surprisingly pleasurable, entering her nostrils.

Instead of being concerned, Ayane felt a sense of lust and hunger towards Ryu, but she did her best to fight it. She closed her eyes to meditate amidst the confusion and hotness overcoming her body.

"This isn't what I'm supposed to feel, Master Ryu needs me now more than ever!" Ayane whispered to herself, trying to break away from the reverberations of the curse. Her years of training under extreme life threatening conditions should have prepared her for this moment, but she was shaking so badly that she didn't know what to do.

Ayane then covered her nose using the back side of her arm, as she tried to assess the situation and think of a way to get out of there. She looked at Ryu's grimacing face.

"EEyyyyaaaagh!" Ryu's bloodshot eyes were now crimson red, he felt his heart was being shred.

Still shaking, Ayane reached for a small container from her pocket. 'I have to do it! This must work!' Ayane thought of an idea.

"Master!" Ayane opened a bottle of elixir of life, and pressed it against Ryu's lips; the glistening water poured into his mouth. As the liquid found its way inside Ryu, Ayane wished that the effects of the healing would counteract the enchantment. Although it was mainly used to treat mortal wounds, Ayane was hoping that the purity of the fluid would somehow dampen the spell. The said elixir was a rare commodity and was to be used only during dire situations. She believed this was the right time to do it. Anything to help her Master Ryu!

Still breathing heavily from the amount of torture just a few seconds ago, Ryu tried his best to calm his nerves and not let Ayane worry. Their eyes met, now unsure of what would happen. Ayane's compassionate eyes were trying to ease Ryu's pain.

"I'm here for you, Master Ryu!" Ayane removed Ryu's mask so that he could breathe better. She also started loosening up his body armor to allow full capacity inhalations. Ayane touched the face of Ryu, aiming to comfort him. It's the least she could do.

Then it dawned on Ryu - he immediately made the connection; there was an eerie resemblance with the curse that was cast on him during his first meeting with an alchemist called the Regent.

The Grip of Murder.

Ryu's vision darkened as his consciousness escaped; the mask of the Regent ghastly came into view, face to face.

Enchanting the curse as his blood escaped – the Regent has summoned Ryu's victims' malice and hate.

Subjected to the curse entailed unbearable pain, rotting the body over and over again.

A bright red glow has taken over, deep red veins of curse flowing hereunder.

Inside the body, the dragon sword dwells; lurking until the final moments of its master's curse.

With the blood if his victims the curse would briefly satiate, death is almost the easiest escape.

There was dead silence; the moon, now in full view, basked the two in an eerie gloomy light. The clouds have parted enough for the stars to peek, looking down on the wasteland. Corpses were still lurking amidst the gory battlefield, thickened mud of blood and corpses sulking, as if threatening for a revenge.

The wind was blowing mildly, though the harsh coldness was slowly taking over the Ninjas who performed a massacre earlier. 'Think Ayane, c'mon... think!' the young lady ninja was not able to contain herself as she was also struggling with the effects of the fumes that she inhaled earlier.

'No, I don't need to think, I HAVE TO remember.' I KNOW the solution but I just need to focus, and recall.' Ayane bit her lip as a sudden loud cry echoed through the darkened silence, interrupting her thoughts for a second time.

After another terrible scream, Ryu coughed and bent forward, then spewed the miracle fluid out of his mouth. It seemed that the elixir was rejected by his body, and now the effects of the hex has doubled in intensity, almost covered his entire body. It seems that he is being transformed into a monster!

"Master!" Ayane was at a loss for anything to say. Tears started to flow as she realized that it was getting hopeless, and she sat there, useless to this man in need.

Ayane was looking around, like lunatic woman, and all she could witness was death. The carcasses were floating like decorations on a garden of blood and guts. She even noticed the head of the previous Commander Bob, perfectly sliced into two halves, partially submerged in the red lake.

Ayane made up her mind. If Ryu's life would end, and she couldn't do anything, she contemplated in taking her own life for she had no one else to live for! Her hand reached for one of her Fuma Kodachi, gripping it tightly as Ryu's heart was almost losing its spark.

But then, out of the blue, Ryu spoke.

"K-kiss...me.." Ryu's mouth opened, his tongue escaping and thrusting into the air. Ayane was startled and moved her head backwards. 'W-why, today of all days?!' she continued to observe Ryu, whose hands were now all of a sudden locked into her hips! He seemed to be hypnotized by an invisible force.

Ayane felt the warmth of Ryu's palms radiating a lustful heat towards her body; she tried to break free, but his grip was too strong, like a possessed demon. His red eyes were glowing, occasionally flashing some shades of pink at Ayanes stare.

Ayane was losing her will power; with dread and hopelessness catching up on her, finally, LUST has consumed her.

Ayane touched both of Ryu's cheeks, the warmth of her palms looked as if they had healing powers that partially soothed Ryu's condition.

Leaning over, Ayane's lips found Ryu's!