Fear was just malice, a feeling of failure, a sweet tangerine taste that had been ripped away with lies wrapped around dressed like beautiful truth I never knew I needed to survive.

I just stood there, watching in pure startlement, as Dante rolled over in pain, his hands already wrapped around his head as he groaned in agonizing pain. The hit was fatal, the nerve Silas had hit was just above the nape, inflicting certain severe damage.

My legs moved on their own as Silas motioned me towards him. My breathing was no more normal but a shattered breath leaving now and then. My brain was far too gone to...