Ebony's POV:

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't Fear. This was a monster. It had grown taller, its claws sharpening, its teeth forming into more jagged and sharp shapes. Another pair of eyes had formed on its head, and another neck sprouted from its chest. The neck then bloomed into a new head, looking the same as the original head. Instead of a tongue, the second head had a tentacle. 

I scrambled forward, trying to reach Ripper, when I suddenly realized that my other leg had faded. I was desperate; trying to to hop towards Ripper, but was unsuccessful. I turned my head towards the creature and saw that it had sprouted insect-like limbs from its back. Its flesh ripped open, blood spilling down its rough skin. Another pair sprouted from the neck this time, and the sound of flesh ripping in disgusting ways echoed around me. Blood spattered onto the floor, and the creature roared in pain and anger. 

Ripper growled in frustration. "Dammit!" He yowled. He then grabbed the horn sticking through his chest, his lips curling back. He clenched his teeth.

I narrowed my eyes. "Ripper, what are you doi--" I was cut off with a pain-filled screeched as something extremely sharp dug into my back. I could feel it dig all through my flesh... all through my muscle, tissue, bone... The sharp point struck through my chest and I saw my blood spatter on the ground. It quickly turned black, and my vision began to turn gray. Everything became a blurred mess around me. I was being pulled backwards, my limbless body dragging across the slick floor. I left a bloody trail in front of me and I clenched my teeth.

Ripper yowled with aggression. He pulled his arm down, yanking the bloody horn with all his strength. A crack echoed around the room, and part of the horn ripped off. Ripper held the sharp-pointed bone in his forepaw in a human-like way. He was holding it like some sort of spear. 

I yowled with disbelief as the creature pulled me closer, skidding my body under it. Both heads roared, their saliva-coated teeth shimmering as their jaws hinged open like a snake. I roared back, my heart pounding in fear.

The creature seemed to be smiling. "Now Death can finally take yo-" Suddenly, a quick blur of motion crossed the room in the blink of an eye. A long, sharp and bloody object impaled the mutated creature in the neck. It was just long enough to go all the way through. The other head growled in disbelief and surprise. It seemed that it couldn't live without its other counterpart, and it was dying.

With the second head dead, and with the main head impaled in the throat, the creature stumbled, its stomps shaking the ground. 

I felt my torso fading, and fear was crawling in my stomach. Everything seemed to be gray, black, and white for me. The only color I could see was red. I saw the blood spray from the exit wound as the horn went through the throat of the creature. I couldn't move. I could only stare as the large creature died in front of me.

Blood streamed from the creature's throat, dripping onto the floor and forming a scarlet pool. The creature growled, lifting its forepaw to the jagged horn. Its fingers and claws wrapped around the horn's thin cylinder shape, and the creature began to tug the horn out of its throat.

I watched in horror, my eyes widening. Suddenly, I heard another snap behind me. I turned my head, my body shaking. Ripper had snapped the other horn off, and his claws were covered in blood. He easily slithered off the skull, the jagged holes in his body leaking blood. He gave me a look, his eyes distant with no emotion, and he then slashed at my face, drawing blood.

I glared at Ripper. "What was that for?" I hissed in rage, wishing I could lash my tail. Suddenly, my vision began to regain color, and my eyes were able to focus more. I stared Ripper in the eyes, and could feel myself beginning to regain my body. My arms were beginning to come back slowly, and for the first moment in my life, I wasn't scared.

Ripper, on the other hand, was beginning to fade. Blood spilled from his jaws, as well as the wounds he had. He stumbled, his eyes brightening. His tail slapped the ground as he made contact with the floor, his jaws moving slightly. He lay there, in a pool of his own blood. 

"Ripper? What's happening to you? What.. wha-?" I gasped, my eyes widening. I noticed his color, and how it looked as though it was getting lighter. "R-Ripper?!"

Ripper smiled, the blood on his teeth reflecting the moonlight. "Heh," he cackled softly. "Didn't you listen to me earlier?" He asked with a raspy voice.

I searched his face, desperate to see if he was feeling pain. "W-what? I don't think I..." 

Ripper looked at me, his amber-red eyes shimmering. "Stupid," he joked. His smile faded, blood smearing on his lips and pooling under his head. "I told you that I would-" Ripper was cut off as a blood-gurgling cough choked his throat. He spat out blood, shaking violently. "I told y-you that if I gave my life for you, I wouldn't be here anymore. I want to help you, and the best way is for me to not be here."

"N-No!" I yowled. "You've helped me so many times-- I-I can't even count-- so let me help you this time!" I growled. I was desperate this time. With my arms finally back, I dug my claws into the floor with frustration. "H-how about we... trade souls or something??? I can take your place here in this nowhere void, and you can take my place! Y'know, live a life of freedom?!"

Ripper smiled softly. "I didn't think you'd care about me," he mumbled. He lay still, blood still flowing from his body. He was still fading, and I was still regaining my faded body back. His eyes filled with grief. "You were dying, and I decided that I would help. You don't need to have your life taken early- not like mine. I had to give you chance," Ripper mumbled, his voice raspy. 

"Please stay," I moaned with grief. "You can't just go like this! I-" Suddenly, I realized how pointless it was. This decision couldn't be reversed. Ripper would die, and I would live. It was somewhat of a life for a life. I dug my shaking claws into the floor, feeling sick and dizzy. Ripper then began to convulse, his eyes widening in fear. I could see the shadow of death consuming his vision... choking him... filling his lungs with poisonous air...

Ripper's limbs twitched a few more times before he finally went still. He didn't move anymore, and his eyes were dull and lifeless, staring up at the sky. Ripper's body then faded faster and faster, until he was gone. The only thing he left behind was a pool of blood. 

Then, I stumbled, convulsing on the ground, my vision blurring. Then, everything went black.