Fateless [2]

The room was dimly lit, its walls draped in shadows that clung to every surface. In the corner, four figures stood near the door, their eyes locked on my unconscious form.

But I wasn't. I already regained my consciousness minutes ago.

The faint glow from the open doorway illuminated their silhouettes. I lay slumped in a broken chair, barely moving, my clothes ragged, and the faint rise and fall of my chest was the only sign that I was still alive.

A low voice murmured from the doorway. "Do you think he'll wake up soon?" 

"Eventually." 

The taller one responded. He stood slightly apart from the others, watching me with a clinical curiosity. 

"But I'm not worried. Fateless ones always wake up. It's just a matter of when."

"You're pushing it, Zero. This is not stated in the mission."

The tall figure wrapped in shadows, snorted. He shrugged, his hands twitching as he absentmindedly stroked the edge of the doorway. 

"You saw it yourself. The crystal doesn't lie. He's one of them."

"And what if he's not? What if it's a mistake?" 

The third figure interjected, his voice tinged with skepticism. He stood against the wall, arms crossed, his mask concealing most of his face. He was the one who wanted to hit me before I lost my consciousness.

The taller figure turned his head slightly, and his eyes seemed to gleamed behind his mask. 

"Mistake? Oh, there are no mistakes in fate. There are only outcomes. And this boy's fate is… entertaining, to say the least."

The taller figure grunted. 

"Really, he's entertaining…"

The word 'entertaining' made my stomach churn. For a moment, I thought he was Neo, but his voice sounded way too far for it to be him.

"Bet or no bet! I say we kill him now. We've waited long enough."

"Patience, Fifth. He'll wake up. And when he does, we'll see just what the fates have in store for him." 

"But hey!"

"Patience. Don't you have an understanding of that word? I'm curious myself either. I've never met someone like him before."

The prophet, whom he called Fifth, sighed, clearly growing tired of waiting. 

"I'll take you up on that bet. If I win, I get to do whatever I want with him, agreed?"

"Agreed. But you won't win."

"Bullshit! If I lose, we'll let him go then."

"Sounds right."

Suddenly, a low groan escaped my lips, and I shifted in the broken chair. The faintest sign of consciousness began to stir within me.

"Ah, looks like our guest is finally waking up." 

I blinked slowly, my head pounding. The room swam in and out of focus as I tried to gather my bearings. I groaned, as my body felt like lead and every fiber of my muscle felt like being torn apart.

"He should be. It's been a week."

A week…? 

That hit me harder than I expected. How could I have been unconscious for so long? I tried to speak, but my throat was dry and the words barely croak. 

"Surprised? You've been out for a while, fateless."

Her words were almost playful, but there was something sinister lurking beneath. Fateless. That word again. It echoed in my mind, tugging at something deep inside me, but I didn't understand.

Before I could ask, she straightened up, brushing off her hands like she had just finished some trivial task. Her scaled tail swayed lazily behind her as she turned to the tallest figure called Zero, 

"Alright, Zero, it's time to play. And remember, if I win… well, you know the rules."

Zero gave a slow nod, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door. 

"Do what you want. But don't die."

"Die? He won't even be able to land an attack."

"Shut your yapping. I wasn't talking about you, but him."

"..."

The prophet cracked her knuckles as a wide grin spread across her face. 

"Aight. We're going to have so much fun, aren't we?" 

I was still trying to piece together what was happening, my mind sluggish from the days I'd spent unconscious. I wanted to move, to escape, but my body was slow to respond, and before I could react, the prophet lunged at me. 

Her claws gleamed in the dim light, and as she ducked down, her tail whipped forward with frightening speed.

I threw myself to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. The chair I'd been sitting in shattered into splinters as her tail slammed into it with bone-crushing force. I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath, but there was no time to recover. She was on me again in an instant, her claws swiping down toward my head.

Left.

I rolled, barely dodging the strike. Her claws scraped the floor where I had been, sparks flying as they cut into the concrete.

"Not bad for someone who's been out cold for a week, but let's see how long you can keep dodging."

I forced a grin. "Clown. If so, why can't you hit me."

It wasn't ideal, but it was necessary. I needed to taunt her.

She moved like lightning, her scaled legs carrying her with unnatural speed. Every attack she threw at me was precise, calculated, leaving me no time to think, only to react. 

Urghkk!

A kick flew toward my ribs, and I barely twisted away in time. Her tail lashed out again, aiming for my legs, but I jumped back and barely avoided it.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my lungs burning with the effort to keep up. My body was weak, but something was keeping me going—some strange energy that wouldn't let me collapse.

Urgh…

Her claws struck me again, the sharp edges ripping through my shirt and into my skin. Blood ran down my side, warm and slick, but there was no time to feel the pain. Her claws came down again, then again, each hit sending shockwaves through my body. 

I stumbled, trying to find my footing, but her next attack caught me off guard. A vicious kick to my chest that sent me flying backward.

I crashed into the ground hard, my back slamming against the cold stone floor. The force of it knocked the air from my lungs, and I gasped, struggling to breathe. But she wasn't done. She lunged forward, her claws flashing in the dim light.

I scrambled back, desperate to put some distance between us, but her tail lashed out like a whip, wrapping around my body. 

The rough scales dug into my skin, tightening with every passing second until I could hardly move. My arms were pinned to my sides, and my legs were useless. 

'It hurts…'

The pain was unbearable, like a thousand needles piercing my flesh at once. I could feel the bruises forming already.

She loomed over me, and her twisted grin widened as she leaned in close, her breath hot against my face. 

"Fateless, fate interrupted and lengthened your lifespan for a week, but now the Grim Reaper stands before you."

She tilted her head back and laughed.

"Kekeke."

The sound high-pitched and grating, like nails on glass. It echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls, filling the space with its maddening pitch. I grit my teeth, trying to block it out, trying to focus on anything but that sound.

'It really hurts…'

I groaned in pain, but despite it all, I…

Smiled. 

It was a weak, broken smile, but a smile nonetheless. 

I could feel the gazes of the three figures in the room—watching, waiting. They didn't move, and didn't interfere. They were just... waiting. And that's what I was counting on.

To confirm if they're going to jump in or not.

The woman was too lost in her own madness to notice. She kept laughing, her head thrown back, her tail tightening around me, crushing the life from my body. 

And in that moment, I knew this was my chance. I created this opportunity by letting myself get caught. If I didn't act now, I wouldn't get another opportunity. 

There was no other way to win. 

I had to catch her off guard.

I sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the jagged edges of her tail pressing into my ribs. I opened my mouth wide and bit down—hard—on the thickest part of her tail.

"Arghkkk!!!"

The scream that tore from her throat was raw. Her body jerked violently, and the tail loosened its hold on me as she staggered backward. Blood poured from the wound where I bit her, thick and dark, pooling on the floor between us.

But blood also dripped from my own mouth. I spat it out, along with a chunk of something hard. A scale.

Fuck. 

I think my tooth cracked from the force of the bite, but it didn't matter. I did what I needed to do.

The woman clutched her bleeding tail, her eyes wild with rage and pain. 

"You... bastard! You… You dare... bite me?! My beautiful…"

I smirked through the blood, still trying to catch my breath. I needed to create another opening.

"Guess... I've got more bite than bark after all."

"Bastard!"

She lunged at me again, but this time I was ready. I ducked low, letting her claws swipe harmlessly over my head, and rolled to the side. My body screamed as my every movement sent fresh waves of pain through me, but I didn't care. I couldn't stop now. Not with her so close to losing control.

She spun around, her tail thrashing behind her, slashing at the air. 

"I'll rip you apart! I'll tear you limb from limb!"

But her movements were slower now, more erratic. The blood dripping from her tail weakened her. She was getting desperate.

Good.

I dodged another wild swipe, barely keeping my balance. My legs felt like they were about to give out any second, but I couldn't afford to fall. Not with her claws still aiming for my throat.

The three figures in the background were still watching, silent, their gazes heavy on me. I could feel the weight of their judgment and their expectation. 

I need to survive this. 

I need to show this world that I wasn't just some toy to be played with.

"You're weak!" 

She screamed, her eyes wide and frantic. 

"You're nothing but a worthless, fateless insect!"

I clenched my fists. 

"If I am, what are you…?"

She lunged at me again, her claws aimed for my chest. I sidestepped at the last second, and her momentum carried her forward, crashing into the pillar I blocked from her vision with a sickening thud.

Now. 

This was my chance.

I grabbed a broken piece of the chair. I chose the most jagged and sharp and rushed toward her before she could recover. With all the strength I had left, I drove the wooden shard into her side.

"ARGHHH!!"

She screamed again, a sound that was more animal than human, and fell to her knees, clutching the wound. Blood poured from the gash, mixing with the dirt on the floor, staining everything red.

I staggered back, barely able to stand. 

I was done. 

I couldn't fight anymore. 

She glared up at me from the ground, her eyes burning with hatred. 

"You... You think this is over? This is far from over, fateless. You can't escape your fate."

I didn't have the strength to respond. My legs finally gave out, and I collapsed to the floor, panting, the cold stone against my back the only thing keeping me grounded.

She pushed herself up on trembling legs, blood still dripping from her side, but the tall figure suddenly appeared beside her and hit the back of her neck, making her unconscious.

The room fell silent.

I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, gasping for breath, my body trembling from the strain. The fight was over—for now—but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

Footsteps echoed in the room. The three figures finally moved, but those other two who watched only walked towards the door, not towards my direction.

The only one near me was the tallest one, carrying the prophet on his shoulder.

"That was a great entertainment, boy."