100+ Writing Contest Entry (6)

Instructions

“I didn’t expect to find you here.” Even the chuckle that was released from those dead, cold lips was enough to send shivers down his spine, “We were actually looking for someone else,” a wide eerie smirk, “but this…” It clicked its tongue, chuckling, “this is so much better.” Kyshiro’s nerves tensed together, but he met the shadow’s gaze. He steadied his breathing, stealing a glance at the other shadow who was dragging itself across the floor. He shuddered, wondering why they were both so… Disembodied. His shadow wasn’t like that at all. Shaking it out of his mind, he took another step forward, tailcoat swishing around his ankles. “Release both of them from your control,” he said as steadily as he could. His eyes flashed coldly, the vibrant purple gleaming, “Then, we’ll talk.” The shadow on the ceiling cocked its head, its neck twisting horribly. One of its legs drifted towards the ground, the dismembered foot gently touching the floor. “We don’t like that idea much, Sam,” it said, whispery soft, like spiders crawling across ice. And before anyone could even react, the head of the shadow split in two. Its hair flung up and outwards, tips sharpening and lengthening. Time slowed around Kyshiro as one of them burst forward at a frightening speed. Everything around Kyshiro turned a shade of red, the stream of pointed darkness darting directly towards his face. He was able to hear his heart beating in his chest, a slow but panicked pattern. The point of the sharp tip drew even closer, the shadows within wriggling. Kyshiro’s hand shot out on its own, palm facing forward. He looked at it, teeth gritting together. No, no, no. This couldn’t happen here. Shadowy dark links appeared around his fingers, encasing them in a freezing coat of darkness. The tips sharpened and curled inwards, blinking red. His heart twirled and twisting, soft giggling ringing through his head. He couldn’t move at all, his hand wouldn’t move away, no matter how hard he tried. “Let me handle this, darling,” it giggled inside of his mind, “you know you can’t do anything against him.” Kyshiro grinded his teeth, his free hand twitching, “C’mon,” it coaxed, “just cut yourself and I’ll handle everything…” His shadowy fingers wrigged suggestively, twirling around and around. Kyshrio ground his teeth again, glancing upwards at the pulsing sharpened shadow vein coming directly towards his chest. “C’mon Emperor, c’mon…” Kyshiro’s eyes flashed, forcing all of his will into his hand. “No,” he growled. He yanked his hand backwards, then jerked it forward, the shadowy claws gripping into the darting vein. The red all around him vanished in a flash, a sudden searing of pain rushing through his arm. Kyshiro gritted his teeth quietly, then squeezed even further into the vein. His fingers returned to normal in a heartbeat, the twirling in his chest getting even more aggressive. His shadow had gripped onto the surface of his heart, tiny little teeth scraping against it. Kyshiro winced, then ground his teeth together, squeezing his aching outstretched hand into the shadowy vein even harder. It let out the most stomach turning squelch he had ever heard, then burst into pieces, littering the floor. Bits and pieces of dark shadowy liquid burst onto his bare arm and his face, spattering near his eyes. Hot white pain burst from his fingertips and spread to his arm. It flared in his shoulder, agony bursting outwards like soundwaves. He exclaimed in anguish, grabbing his wrist with his other hand. The remaining of the destroyed vein spun in a circle and then fell loosely to the ground, shattering like glass. Kyshiro hastily shook out his hand, wincing inwardly as he ground his feet to face the shadows once more, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. There had to be a smarter way to do this.