But as I let my sadistic impulse run free - it cost me. I stopped paying attention to what the drider was doing, aside from its frantic attempts to back away from me as I drove my arm into its body. My hand and arm were buried almost up to my elbow at this point, and I could feel the hot, sticky flesh around my arm, and the warm rush of blood that was flowing down my side from the abomination’s injury. It was heady - exhilirating me in a way few things ever did. The way it squirmed and tried to get away as I flexed my hand, tearing and gouging at its insides brought a savage gleam to my eye. All that mattered to me right now was this - the pain I was inflicting on it.

Which is why, when the damn thing stabbed me in the stomach, I was not aware, not ready to move, unable to dodge. One of its waving tendril arms had finally wriggled into a position to exact retribution upon me, and the drider did so readily. The thing gouged into my stomach, and I felt the stinger emerge from me back. Blood dribbled from my wound as my eyes went wide in agony. It had torn straight through my guts, and out through my back, but luckily had missed my spine so I wasn’t paralyzed.

The two of us jumped away from each other, agony etched into our features. The burning in my stomach was hellish, and I could feel my head swim as bloodloss affected me. Damn it, damn it. I had gotten arrogant. This thing was a hunter, like me. Of course it could fight through pain. The thing hissed at me, and I snarled back.

“Hah. you will die now, tainted one. You can’t heal from that.” Damn, it could still speak. But it was getting weaker, because the unnatural, brain jarring tone to its words was fainter, less prevalent. Of course, so was its voice in the first place. I shook my head, once. This was a nasty wound, extremely painful, and if I wasn’t careful, might have killed me. But on its own, if nothing else happened - I would heal, in time. I smirked - and saw the anger on the thing’s face. “No!” Ah, it realized I would heal. The black cloud washed out, over me - and for the first time, I could feel it affecting me. My gut burned, the edges of the injury stinging and hurting in a way I had never felt before. It felt like each and every nerve had been set on fire, dipped in acid, then frozen. It let out a wheezing, maniacal cackle - and I leaped back, snatching up the Saw-Spear. The movement sent a fresh wash of pain surging through my body, and it nearly sent me to my knees in agony.

But I pushed through it, pushed on. I had to. If I died - then this thing would eat me. Then it would go after Ri. And my stupid Dawn-Girl would accept that with open fucking arms right now. I couldn’t let that happen.

I.

Could.

Not.