Fallen Haven [Baneful] Book 1

A Lining Victim

"You got that serum from the tree... that damned tree." Williams hands the empty syringe off the one of the surviving guards.

"I had to come prepared to deal with you. Death made you from that tree, so when I researched you, I had come to the conclusion that something within that tree had to do some harm to you as a way to contain you should you ever, and I quote, "lose control"" he says with a smirk. "I'm pretty glad that worked. I wasn't sure it would, considering you're a five-thousand-year-old entity.

"Using that serum was a cheap undercut play." Nyx could feel her body sweating. The serum gave her a hard time, and she couldn't fight it off.

"Well, I don't appreciate you killing off half my men, even if they were just useless pawns. I keep them around to do the work I don't feel like doing, and now I'll have to go and recruit more. I should thank someone for getting me the serum."

"What? You didn't get it yourself." William motions for someone to come in, and the little girl from earlier walks in, holding a chest. "You..." Nyx had a feeling something was off about that girl, especially after she had given her the money in exchange for flowers. "You got a little elf of light to do that for you. How much did you pay them? Light and dark elves hardly get involved in trivial matters like this."

"I didn't have to pay them at all," William says. "In fact, they were quite willing to see you die. You weren't supposed to be created, but Death went against the rules, so they would love nothing more than to see you gone eventually." Nyx scoffs.

"Do they know your actual plans? To bring the world to your feet, both human and supernatural?" William chuckles.

"Of course not, and why should I tell them? They all will be working for me eventually, so it doesn't matter whether they know or not. They wouldn't be able to stop me anyways." Nyx coughs blood onto the floor, the blood running down her mouth and dripping off her chin.

"Give me the antidote," she says, finding it hard to breathe. "I need the antidote, William." William opens the chest and takes out another syringe.

"I can give it to you, but you know my aim, Nyx. I'm not going to just give you this serum without some kind of deal." Nyx's eyes narrowed, her breathing becoming shaky. She wanted to refuse for as long as possible, but her body was growing weaker by the minute, and Nicolette's soul was still in danger. William had backed her into a corner, betting on her outburst and taking advantage of it. She was foolish to fall into his trap. "Come on, Nyx, surely you don't want both you and the girl to die, right? Would be quite a shame."

"If we die, your plans are foiled." She mutters.

"Oh, not entirely. I know how to bring you specifically back from the dead." What? How did he...

"That's not possible... that's just... that would require the souls of at least five hundred people." William cleans off the needle of the syringe.

"You think i care? A measly five hundred people in exchange for you within my grasp is fair." Her jaw clenches, her blood boiling. She holds onto a railing within the chamber, putting all her body weight on it to keep herself standing. She was really at a dead end.

"What do you want from me?" She asks, wanting to get the whole picture.

"I want you to train; I want you to be my puppet like you should be. The only satisfaction you'll get is knowing you did this of your own "free" will"

"Don't, Nyx, we can figure something out." Nicolette's soul tries to convince her otherwise. Nyx closes her eyes, allowing herself to appear within Nicolette's core. "Nyx..." Nicolette stands nearby and walks up to her, placing her hands on her shoulder.