By the time I closed the door behind me. Ash and I patiently waited with the little time we had left in the study. Few words were said, only what was necessary, as the time came.

We both passed through the hellish turmoil of trapped souls and screams until we were here again. The room became nothing like its former self.

I took a few steps towards her as she got herself up.

"More supplies for them?" I asked as I watched Ash carried several enormous bags strapped to her shoulders.

"Yes, you already know, why do you ask?" she responded, her eyes not meeting mine but her tone said a lot.

"I thought we would be sticking together more often, but we don't at all."

"You're welcome to join me. I could use additional help to bring more stuff," she said, as she walked slowly towards the opening in the wall.

"Have you forgotten what happened or the death of your mom? I saw her body tense, it was a quick yet sudden motion at the mention, "We have to---"

"I have to go," she said, as she quickly, yet nimbly burst off into the direction of where I presumed was the location of their base.

It felt as though I was talking to a brick wall with her. I had even told her about my dream but she just laughed it off, yet it felt so real.

With all that is going on, shouldn't she have taken this more seriously?

Was it the age gap that she couldn't understand the seriousness of the situation? Or had she just believed because the monster was after me that everything was fine for her?

It did attack her mother, though, and came after her, something did.

If Zora was really after me then she wouldn't be considered a target. It would only be me, I thought.

The only way that Zora knew about that incident and could become like this was from Samael. Does that mean she is here too? Somewhere in this forsaken city? Could she be hurt or just like how I was? I pondered.

There were loud screams in the distance. Nothing new at all for me, but the noises made me ponder more on the possibility of her being in danger. Should I just wait here and sit it out? Or watch the time run out like I normally do?

It wasn't like I could find her.

There was no noise coming from my basement, all my original experiments had died from either exhaustion, starvation, or turned into a lesser looking monster. They all looked so different.

Monster or Demon, I was unsure? Honestly, what the hell was the difference? Everything wanted to kill you either way.

It was boring just waiting here and my thoughts were eating me alive; listening to this hot rattling wind.

Even if I found her, I pictured her that day, she would still want my head.

"Should I take a walk?" I asked out loud as I jumped through the cracked wall, landing on the ground outside. I looked back at the house.

It looked like shit.

I listened to the waves in the background, at least in my mind that's what it was. I closed my eyes and tried to perceive it to be.

Well, then I guess I will start that walk.

I turn my body around, I felt the windbreak first before the impact to my stomach. It knocked the wind out of me as the hit sent me flying backward. I crashed with a loud thud through the bricks as I slide on the floor, barely cushioning my fall. It took a while before the agonizing pain sank in and vibrated over my body. I screamed, piercing the walls in my agony. I shouted sounds that made no sense. Blood ran to the tip of my tongue in a short time before it filled my mouth. I clenched my hand into a fist as I curled my body in. Oh God, it hurts, it hurts.

"Domenic, Domenic, ready or not, here I come," the voice said.

Red eyes greeted me yet again as a beast-like figure made its presence known. I struggled to mentally get myself to my feet. Although, I felt so much pain my body responded normally, as if I had not gone through a brick wall. An uneasy calmness took my body. I no longer worried about the pain, only what was in front of me.

How was I going to fight him alone? Maybe I just needed to pass the time.

It rushed me not giving me time to really think. I reacted quickly by jumping to the next floor. I could stall it. All I had to do was pass the time. I watched it below, looking at me, but not moving. The distance between us seemed safe. If he came up, I would just jump down and keep that up maintaining the distance.

Yes, that is what I will do, I thought that would be the best plan. Until the wall on the second-floor came tumbling down as something large crashed into it. I jumped back to dodge the kicked up debris. Not sure what to make of it. I could not sense anything.

Had Ash come back?

All hope, however, was lost when I saw the four pairs of red eyes that shone upon me. Fuck, there was even more. They carried a sick laugh. As the one at the bottom said, "Domenic, here is where you die."

I was now surrounded by a wall to my back, two monsters in front of me and one below. All of them looked the same, how?

On the chessboard, I was in check.

How do I position myself from here, the king had to move?

The two at the top rushed me together. There was nowhere left for me, but forward. I would have to make it through the hole they left.

I hoped that my rushing them would catch them by surprise.

I barely missed the first attack as it whizzed by my head. The second, however, I paid the price, with its claw it branded a mark on my back. It exposed my flesh to the elements leaving a deep wound. The blood dripped on to the ground, the scorching air irritated it further, adding insult to injury.

"Arghh, fuck," I shouted as I made it through the hole landing on the ground. I felt safe, but I had forgotten about the other one. The safety of getting away made me complacent.

It was eagerly waiting for me at the bottom.

If I ran there was no Ralph to help me. If I stayed I would surely die. Could I fight and win, was it even possible?

I had no choice, so I stood my ground. I would have to defeat this one first before the others join in and time was against me.

"I can win this because I am the greatest. Whatever I put my mind to, I can achieve. The likes of you cannot best me," I shouted like a fierce lion as I rushed head on towards it.

He mirrored my movements.

My goal was simply to stop it from moving. I had seen Ash fought it a few times and I got an idea of where its weakness would be, it's the legs. I channeled all my efforts into taking it out. To close this distance, I had to take the pain. It was like running onto one's own sword. I felt its claw upon my shoulder. My hand collided with its leg, unleashing a devastating power that I did not even know I had. Its leg flew away almost as if it had been blown off by a high powered gun. There was a shock in its face as its body flew from the impact it felt.

Although there was pain in my shoulder I felt strong. The mark on my back burnt and I felt a looming sense of arrogance take me as the other two creatures landed on the ground behind me.

"I thought you were going to kill me? I laughed, You kill me? Me, you could never defeat me. I am not even in the same league as you. You're mere puppet things. You are nothing to me. You should beg me for your life. Maybe I might spare you."

I couldn't help myself. I babbled more and more. I enjoyed it. I felt great. I taunted it. The anguish I saw on its face as I hit and killed the other two, again it was not without a cost. Blood ran down my body. I was drenched in it, yet somehow I was still able to stand. It almost didn't feel as if it was mine.

I walked towards the dominant beast with no fear and no rage, just calm as a gentle stroll. Despite all that had happened, it still laughed as I approach.

"I guess the game is over now," I said, as I stood over it, towering it with my presence, "this is where you stand in relation to me beast."

"No, I am surprised Domenic, I didn't think you were so strong. It doesn't matter, anyway. I told you tonight is when you die. We can never be defeated."

The last words it said to me before I brought my foot quickly crashing down upon it, breaking every bone and flesh to dust.

"I guess that's it," I said, as I laughed out loud.

"You guess that is what? The night has only just begun," a voice replied.

I turned to find a small army of these beasts waiting for me. For a second, I couldn't believe it.

My arrogance, my overconfidence caused me to fight and not to flee. The more I killed, the bigger the price I paid. It wasn't long before I was overwhelmed. My left arm went flying first. It had been ripped off and before I could even grasp the situation, my right foot was taken too. I watched the creature holding it in its mouth as my body fell backward. I was losing, I was dying, me, a man who was on the verge of conquering the world. I couldn't die here. I didn't want to die.

Rainbow please help me.

Domenic, a voice called me as my vision failed. I heard them closing in on me. Would they tear me apart now?

I heard a cracking noise coming from above. The ominous volcanic looking sky seemed to part as I saw something shooting forth in my direction.

It looked like a winged Valkyrie that I had read about when I was young. The surrounding air blew deadly, strong like cuts as it created a crater on impact to the ground. All I heard was screams, screams, and more screams. Ripping flesh, growls, taunts and curses as the chaotic wind blew.

Then there was nothing but silence as my eyes still remained upon the sky. I felt a touch upon my body. It was soft, cold upon my skin, which burnt in pain. I, however, had no strength to express this feeling. I just closed my eyes and waited for my end.

"Domenic," the voice said to me, I didn't recognize it, as I drifted off.

***

I heard shouts and loud screams as my eyes slowly opened. There was a banging noise upon a door. My vision was blurred, but I could make out two shapes. They both looked like women. What was going? I slowly remembered my predicament. I felt for my arm and it was there. I wiggled my feet and found it there. The noise from the door grew louder; a battle seemed to rage on before me. It took my eyes a while to adjust.

Rainbow and Ash were in a deadlock between each other, the banging was coming from the study door. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Ashes' body signified a threatening motion. Shit, this was bad, the police were also downstairs.

Was that them banging on the door? What the hell is she thinking and why the hell is Rainbow here?

"Stop!" I shouted, as I adjusted myself. "Everyone stop." I slammed my hand onto the shelf that was beside me.

The banging on the door ceased and it looked like they had stopped as well, at least Rainbow had. Ash was still quite on the defensive as Rainbow came to my side.

"What happened?" I asked her in my mind.

"When I appeared here, she tried to attack me. Rainbow pointed to the hole in the wall. I deflected her attack, but even though I made none in return she did not trust me."

Now it made sense why the police were banging on the door.

"Are you okay, sir," Ralph's voice called.

"There is nothing to be concerned about," I said, looking at the damn hole in the wall, "there was an accident, and it seems the wall came falling down. Return downstairs and I will speak to you all when I have the chance."

The three of us waited quietly in the room at least that is how it would seem to the outside.

"How did I end up here? I remembered losing my arm and my leg."

"You forgot Domenic, you called me. I told you before if you ever needed my help, all you had to do was call."

"I did? I couldn't remember."

"Yes, you did. I couldn't let my precious Domenic die after you have come so far."

"What do you mean and what happened to my wounds?"

"We are invested in each other. I healed them because you were so hurt don't worry, I made you far stronger."

"Domenic, explain to me what this thing is doing here? You are working for them in the end, aren't you?"

"She saved me."

"Saved you?"

"When you came here, you didn't have an arm or leg, she did something to you. It's not normal...I."

"Where were you when he needed your help?" Rainbow asked, "He was over run when I came. If I did not show up, he would have died. How then would you feed those precious life stocks of yours?"

"I was..."

"Daddy," I heard a voice outside piquing the interest of Rainbow.

"Its fine," I said, "I don't care what she did. I don't want to know. I don't need to know as long as I am well and safe."

I got up from off the bed, not feeling a shred of pain. "Excuse me, please don't kill each other, I have to go."

"There is one last thing I should say before you go, Domenic. Zora was there. She brought those things to kill you. Don't worry, I didn't kill her. She fled when she realized it wasn't going her way. Whether you want to or not, you will have to kill her."

"When or if it reaches that time I would know what best to do."

"We will see."

I gripped my fist as I gave them both one last glance before I slide open the door.