Chapter 15: Time to Die - Painfully

Down in the dungeon, Hiryu made up his mind.

“Demon.” He said. When that failed to get a response, he said sharply, “Eigis!”

The demon’s orange ears pricked. He glanced up. “What is it, human?”

“I refuse to hang around here for the next few days and watch you devour me. Slash me up instead. Make me bleed until I lose consciousness, and finish eating me up.” As the demon sniffed and promptly ignored his request, bending down to eat more, he added, “You said you hate noisy and flailing prey. Well, if you don’t kill me off quick, I’ll start screaming and thrashing.”

Eigis froze. His ears flattened, an annoyed look crinkling his face. “You wouldn’t dare.” he hissed.

“I would.” Hiryu answered. Sweat ran down his face from the effort of forcing himself to speak in a normal tone and not start screaming or crying. “Considering the amount of pain I’m feeling right now, it wouldn’t be difficult to start.” His voice trembled at the end. Just the thought of letting his control go and scream as much as he wanted was tempting.

“I could rip out your tongue.” The demon offered.

The young warrior hesitated. He hadn’t thought of that. But then he said, “That’s true, you could. But if I can’t speak, why keep me around?”

Eigis frowned, but he had a point. Having his prey unable to speak would be boring. Still, he refused to give way. “You really do hate the idea of living only as my entertainment, don’t you?” He asked. A corner of his mouth quirked, amused. “Still, you’re my prey. I’m not going to let you dictate how you are going to die. That takes away the whole enjoyment of killing you. Hmm.” He broke off, thinking, idily tapping his talons against his bloody mouth.

“So, what are you going to do?” Hiryu asked, after a minute or two. He wanted to get this over with quickly. Death was feeling more wonderful by the second.

Slowly a malicious grin spread across the demon’s face, and he dropped his hand. The excited glimmer in his gold eyes made Hiryu go cold. Eigis let his chewed up arm drop, licking the blood off his face with his long blue tongue. Hiryu moaned. “I have it.” He said with obvious delight. “Yes, I almost forgot. I haven’t done it for a while.”

“Done what?” Hiryu asked wearily. “It had better be quick.”

“Oh, I think it is,” The demon replied. He licked his lips again. “I’m going to devour your soul.”

Hiryu’s eyes opened wide. “My soul?” he repeated. He’d heard of demons that did such things, but he’d never thought he’d end up having that done to him. Dying in battle, even eaten, certainly, but not his soul.

“Yes. It’s quite simple, really,” The demon rested his talons lightly on the young man’s bare chest, just above his breast bone. “All I do is rip out your heart and tear it apart with my talons.” Hiryu gasped in shock, and flinched. Underneath the demon’s hand his heart beat sped up, wild with fear, as the demon continued. “When that happens, your soul will leave your body and I’ll be able to see it for a few brief moments. If I catch it, I’ll eat it. They are quite tasty, although you get the nasty side effect of experiencing your prey’s thoughts and memories. I don’t do it often. Most prey isn’t worth it.”