The screams of pain and sacrifice echoed through the tidal pitch-black sky, there were no stars that one night. No tiny little shimmer of hope. Following the sound of the sorrowful screams and blood gurgling gasps there was a crowd. A young girl tried to escape and bail the beatings and threatening behavior of the putrid bandits. The attire she wore, a white simple dress with white decorative roses, was now rags torn and stained with black-red blood. The flowers were no longer peace white, but rather scarlet red. Her gleaming olive green hues were crystalline and flowing with anger tears; her crimson hair was taken hold of and pulled with force making her feel another surge of stinging pain.

“You magic-users belong here no more!” the one blonde man roared as he released her scalp abruptly.

There were three other men, two whose features could never be remembered, never seen with detail. The one other had blue hair tied in a formal ponytail, perhaps one of the royal knights. The so called ‘magic-user’ coughed drooling a tiny amount of blood with some of the now stained saliva. She never spoke in this beating, never uttered a word because there was no use trying to make these ignorant fools understand. Her pale toned skin was darkened by the tall trees of the outskirts of town, but the fires of the night lamps gave her skin a very penetrating color. As she started to use her arms to stand up, that sapphire-haired man clutched her throat and lifted her.

A rather cynical smiling crept to his dry lips as he directed the young girl with a death stare, “Show us your magic, why do you try to hide? We know what you are.” He pressed harder letting the digits of his mark her neck and at this she grunted. This action caused the mage to struggle and send droplets of painful blood on the glamorous knight's clothes. He shook his head and glanced towards the two unknown figures, “Damascus! Siegfried! Just take her misery away.”

At that moment the two came accompanied by the howls of the night animals and the forests long winds. The girl was released and she kneeled on the hard earth bleeding from her arms and lips… She closed her eyes, she was feeling very tired and weak, and then she felt the stabbing cluster of aching. Several slashes of clawing weapons struck her here and there. The dark oozing blood splashed and became the entire surrounding, the smell was strong and the girl wondered if she was dying. Her magic could be used, but at the moment she was running out of life by the minute. A sharp lance hit her chest and her loud yell reverberated across the land, it was a roar of extreme anger and sadness and pain.

It did not take long to realize that the young one was indeed me, and I could still feel the pain of that night every time I woke up to that nightmare that would forever haunt me. Many of my memories have been lost, but that specific one refuses to leave me and perhaps it tries to let me know of something.

I was crept out of my sleeping place, a lonely tower that had been abandoned for many centuries or so I heard. Having a tendency to wear the same clothes for my midnight's run, I dressed in my rags that held part of my lost memories and deaths of the victims. For every night I must take the life of at least one man in this world, yet sometimes I cannot control the urge and more end up being sacrificed. The flesh beast within me is far too strong and must be fed.

Stepping outside into a vast dark place I could feel a familiar aura at a distance, but not so far. With the dark blue top I blended in the night, the tan rags for a skirt were the notable part of the whole wear. As I walked towards the sleeping town I saw the gleaming fires of the candles in the alleys and carving decorated streets. My hand was lifted in order to put on the blue rag around my wrist and then the same action fell to the other hand. That warming aura was still close by.

"Taking off with no warning, Saiyo?" a familiar boyish voice called after me closing in with rapid walking. My apprentice, who I dearly care for, had a tendency to act as my leech, but I knew his intentions of doing so were an act of kindness.

"I had the idea you had to accomplish a job tonight," I mentioned without slowing down my pace nor bothering to even see what direction he was coming from. My voice remained monotone with no natural emotion, most of it had gone away and it was painful to even try and smile now.

"I did, except I happen to meet Maverich along the way," he said uttering a light sigh of anger.

My apprentice referred to my mentor, Lord Maverich, but he never did like my teacher. It was a little mutual feeling between them that remained discreet and civilized overall. For me? Maverich was a high model figure who had a noble heart, but a greedy mind; he was a good man though. He also suffers from the same devastating curse as I do, except his is just a trace since I am the one who hold the beast now.

"Give no excuses, Rashad. Can you not do your task at this moment? There is still enough time until morning comes," I said noticing he had already caught up to me and was now walking besides me.

We both stepped inside the town passing by the open gates and the snoozing guards. In the light I took a better look at Rashad, he looked as if he had indeed a unique encounter with my mentor... Perhaps that is why the flesh beast seemed so calm within me, it was haunting Maverich. It is ironic how my apprentice is older than me, I believe by 8 years or so, and yet it does not feel like it. He is tall and that night he was wearing the one outfit that allowed him fast pacing. He wore there green and brown arm bands and his tan golden cape was attached to him by the leather straps across his chest. As he walked before me his black boots decorated by beasts' fur created the slightest noise; his pants were brown, perhaps also from wild leathers.

He remained quiet after my statement, but perhaps he did not even listen to it. Rashad usually just ignored what he did not like to hear, a selective listener. But I did realize that it was deeper than just a random silence, he looked tired and somewhat devastated, and perhaps Maverich's doing? His luscious, brown hair tied in a ponytail remained still, the wind had died. I walked after Rashad and took grasp of his tensing wrist.

"What happened when you met Maverich?" I could feel myself worry, but I could not manage to speak all my feeling out.

He tried to loose my grasp off his wrist, but to no avail because I just pressed harder letting my black claws tap his flesh as a warning. His tight skin seemed so much when it was compared to my almost lifeless tone. I glanced up at him and I forced him to face me by tugging at him with just enough force. He faced me, but his golden hues refused to look at me directly, like a child in denial.

"Rashad! Do not turn away, speak to me!" I commanded, not with a harsh yell, but just a superior voice.

"What is there to speak of? I do not wish to speak of your dear mentor," Rashad said still avoiding my gaze, but he was not finished, perhaps he did have the need to be heard, "There is nothing to say, Maverich has done nothing more than be himself..."

I knew that if Maverich and Rashad had confronted each other, then my apprentice would not be standing here. Not with soul and life that is. My thinking and contemplation took me to the conclusion that Rashad was paying a visit to Maverich since this one hardly ever steps out. If I was right then it was more than likely that Maverich had just allowed the flesh beast take over him to try and rid the world of my apprentice.

I slowly let go of his wrist, the warmth rapidly left my hand. He did not move away because he knew I was still expecting something more. I do believe he knew that I had already come to a final decision about the situation. "Maverich," I whispered as my hand was raised to slowly touch Rashad's collarbone, "he did this to you. Maverich just allowed that beast to attack you." As those words escaped my lips in the softest voice the illusions that the brown-haired mage played upon me vanished.

My black claw traced an invisible pattern through his chest and he quickly clenched his flawless teeth in pain. It was true, Maverich indeed tried to kill my valuable asset; Rashad's flesh from part of his neck and arm and chest took a darker tone, bleeding's color tone. Rashad perhaps had not taken notice that Maverich had hurt him a lot more than it seemed, that is why it was called sorcery. He started to kneel as his hand grasped at his shoulder that was now erupting blood from many tiny and slim cuts. The little wounds started from his left shoulder and came down all the way to his torso.

"Argh! Saiyo. What -"

"...did he do to you?" I finished for him as I watch him struggle with the pain. My green gaze was very dark now and I could see his eyes reflected so much emotion, he was hurting and he was regretting. His hair started to gleam and shimmer, taking a silver shade and color. It only happens when Rashad uses magic, I believe is like a side effect for having no curse. Perhaps, the mage was trying to self-heal, but it was all in vain since the restorative spell would not be enough.

I did not like to see him like this, but somehow it felt like he deserved as much for trying to fetch answers from Maverich. Rashad could have died, but I am far to powerful for not being able to heal such a simple destruction spell.

"Are you... enjoying this?" Rashad asked with a great effort to cynically smile. He could barely open one of his eyes, but yet he was still optimistic about things. "I am sure... you can get me out... of this one, Lady Saiyo."

He was still smiling at me with such a sarcastic attitude, even in such anger and pain. His whole arm drenched in blood and his covering hand too... I could smell the bitter scent, but also did the hungry beast. Quickly I crouched to be at his position; one of my hands took hold of his hand covering the millions of cuts while my other hand pressed against his torso.

"I am just Lady Saiyo when we are in this kind of situation..." I mention as a white glowing aura wrapped my hand and passed through the little wounds sealing them clean, but leaving the already shed of blood behind. I pulled my hands away as I stood up, I was now stained with Rashad's blood and I was also falling within the beast's grasp since I had not taken a victim yet.

Rashad smiled at me with a thankful thought, but deep inside I knew he was furious and raged at my mentor. I suppose I would have been too, but at the moment I had the primal urge to kill, my horrible need. He also took notice of it when I started down at the floor trembling and my arms slowly wrapping myself. It was unfair and cruel how my poor apprentice had to encounter this horrid and evil spirit twice this night. I tried and tried to fight it without commotions so he would not worry, but that just lead to failure of containment.

I was closing my eyes, but that thing was already out, I was trapped in a cage deep inside the black abyss of my heart. A monster circled me in that nightmare while I scream to go out. In this place I was no magician or mage, I was a crying child, full of fear and pain.

Rashad
She had done it once again; my mentor had aided me this time. I was grateful, but I did not like the fact that I was never meant to have her power. I smiled at her, but that expression left my face quickly when Saiyo started to step back. Tiny steps in trembling actions told me that she was struggling to keep that monster inside, but that was not good for her. Once again I was going to meet the dreaded creature who curses this line of mages.

I was about to grasp at her shoulder knowing that it could not be good for her to fight the thing alone, but when I my digits were about to touch her pale skin she snapped. Her arms fell to the sides and her hands clenched slowly as her mouth opened wide facing the dark sky; a roar and scream were let out from her throat. I took a step back and while doing I was tightly grasped by Saiyo’s clawing hands. My golden gaze met my mentor’s own, her eyes were dilated and full of madness at the moment.

Her grasp was not caring, it was abrupt. The black claws started to dig into me very slowly and the pain was starting to become unbearable. As I gave a light grunt when my teeth clenched and my eyes closed I heard my mentor’s voice, “You are getting in my way, fool.” The monster fangs of my mentor flashed constantly with the beast speaking.

The voice was touched with little anger; a voice that surely belonged to my mentor, but with a rather sensual and emotion-bearing tone. The beast would try to fool me, it always did so. My hues opened wide when the beast dug the claws completely onto my arm and for that moment I refused to give in to the pain it would enjoy watching. I was about to speak my words of curses and blasphemies, yet the beast grasped at my open mouth and pulled me forward.

“Maybe you can be the victim tonight, Rashad!” her voice was so real, so different, but that was indeed how her real voice would sound like if she was to have all those abstract things she lost. The flesh beast pressed my tongue with just a single digit, and I could feel the tip of the claw at the back. A grunt was given followed by a chuckle as it released my jaw.

“Perhaps another time; I want to be here today,” I said trying my very best to keep from flinching about the pain. I also kept my voice calm and my tone sarcastic, “You know you will not kill me. I keep her alive! And you want that…”

Her little green hues and almost invisible pupil just stared at me, the beast was angry, but what I had said was true. He slowly turned to my arm, were he had dug the claws and had not let go even then. The expression on Saiyo’s face was malevolent; the beast could smell the blood staining the green fabric of the sleeve. Dripping little by little to the ground, my blood oozed out of my arm, also drenching my mentor’s delicate hand. The beast slowly closed the little distance between me and Saiyo. Her digits that had just been halfway through my mouth clutched at my neck, just by the collarbone.

No more would I take from this evil spirit. I tried to move my hand in order to materialize a blade of wind and earth, but to no avail, my magic was abandoning me for the time the beast was around. The beast smiled at me with such pleasure, he was also far to strong physically for me to break loose with no pillar magic.

“Fight me no more, novice,” it said as the crimson hair swirled and slowly swung with the breezes the wind created.

The flesh beast within was in control and surely was enjoying the torture and situation. Was the demon genderless? It was indeed more than likely therefore there was no weakness between being sentimental and having a great ego. There was no way to make this demon vanish by just talking to it. My arm was raised with force and rapidly the motion stopped in front of Saiyo's young face. That smile of divine satisfaction was still haunting her lips, slowly she moved her head to my wounds upon my arm.

I tried to tug my arm away, but the claws had been dug deep inside my flesh and the force this thing had was far more than amazing. The beast reached my blood it took little time to take in the scent before her fangs were revealed just slightly as it spoke gently and quietly, "I don't need to kill you, but I can assure to you that someday you are going to wish otherwise." The flesh pink tongue of Saiyo slipped like that of a snakes, except it was very much human; The beast tasted the blood with caution and quite a lot more delicacy that I expected.

I was not mesmerized by the beast nor the situation itself, but I felt some kind of melancholy inside revolting for some reason. Slowly, her hand started to loose grip, her green and possessed gaze glared at me when the beast stopped. There was no blood coming from me anymore, the wound had healed because of the beast more than likely. That sadness was still with me and when the grasp of Saiyo had let go I did not move away or rushed in anger trying to bring her back. Maybe for once I was not sure of what action to take next.

The village was dead, a man was sleeping in the dark corner between two cheap houses. The perfect time for the mages to move around. The beast did not stain my mentor's face with my carmine, red blood, a flawless event. The thing was still there looking at me through her eyes and then her fangs clenched with force as her hair red fire hair fluttered about in the air. An energy revelation.

"Stop this, demon! Have you not made her suffer enough for the night?"

I received no response. Not until Saiyo was stepping towards me again and embraced me with a soulless feeling. I was somewhat debating the situation being that the beast was still on top of things. It wanted something.

"The mage legacy most live on so let the flesh beast within you..." her voice, but not herself, the beast whispered with just pretend emotion and feeling.

"What are you talking about?" I was confused at the time.

"Just allow me inside..." the whisper lower and vanishing in the air, "She will not allow the rite upon you, but I can take her place for the event..."

"You mean, posses-"

I could not continue the statement since the beast had quiet me down by pressing that index digit before my lips and hushed.

There was nothing abrupt or deadly about that embrace the beast had locked me on, but it was not normal. I wanted to move away, but I just did not seem to have the will. I do not think I was being enticed by the whole thing, but I suppose I just wanted to hear more. I wanted to know what the beast knew about the rite since there was perhaps no other way for me to find out. The beast raised her hand gently brushed the side of my face with the blood stained knuckles. A beautiful smile took the place of that demon's expression one. I stood still, I wanted to know what the beast knew, it would reveal the secret to me.

But such was fate not to let me know about this mysterious mage ritual. I believe I was not prepared to hear about it then anyways. When the beast had raised that other hand and was about to mark my flesh on my collarbone, it flinched and took a struggling steps backward while grunting loudly.

Saiyo shook her head and her hands grasped wildly at the strands of hair closer to the scalp. The green eyes were agonizing and the beast was having a hard time taking control over my mentor. Another scream erupted from her mouth and also rapid reflex movements attacked her body. I could do nothing, not because I did not want to, but because it was not meant to be my fight. Suddenly, the grunts and growls and painful screams stopped and Saiyo dropped to the ground in that half-kneeling sitting position.

There was only silence in the night for now that the whole event came to an end. I could not see Saiyo's facial features well since her head swung low and steady. I came closer with careful steps.

"Saiyo?"

It was interesting how I had to make sure that it was her... It was strange the fact that there is two beings living in the same body. I recieved no response to my question, but I still came even closer and slowly started to crouch in front of my mentor. There was no action from either of us for a moment and that told me that Saiyo was indeed in control at the moment. She was limp and still, almost lifeless, but to my surprise she did do something. Her hand was raised quickly for the backside of her hand to meet my cheek. A painful slap I must admit since she was using more force than what she can originally contain.

My face turned as a response and I remained still because I was afraid to find the reason why she did such thing. Saiyo would never do any action if there was no reason to.

My mentor had no soul anymore, but when she spoke to me this one time I felt her surge of pain and agony. "Rashad!" She snapped and grasped my shoulders with force, "You are an idiot and an incompetent! Do you realize what rights you granted to the beast? Listen to me! Rashad!"

She shook me since I was still not looking at her and it did seem like I was not paying mind to her words. It was true, in a way I had betrayed her for not fighting that devil away, but it was my lack of knowledge that had lead me to such action. Perhaps my dear crimson haired mentor should sometime speak to me about the rite. And so I finally looked at her with my golden hues as my hair drifted position with my movement. For a second she seemed helpless, for a second she seemed afraid and worried.

Saiyo
I could not tell if I was angered or devastated at the actions that Rashad had displayed. My feelings and emotions were far to unrecognizable now, at least for me, but sometimes the idea that my apprentice could see the difference sprout in my mind. Maybe that is why I do not bother to have him around even with his jester gibberish, but for now I held him with force and glared into his sorrowful sight. He had done something infamous towards my rules as a master and mentor; a burning slap was nothing in comparism to what Maverich, my mentor, would have done to me in such an event.

He finally came to his senses and looked at me, but still with an evasive glance. When we both met gazes he closed his eyes and softly spoke a few words.

"I know that asking for forgiveness is not enough, but I cannot offer anything else, Saiyo."

"But there is." I said letting him go and taking my stand, "There is something else you can offer."

He simply looked at me with his wondrous golden hues in question. His hand touching the wrist that the beast had mangled, and healed.

"Assure to me that this will never happen again. I will only say it one more time," my voice was gentle and paced in order to let him know the seriousness of the act, "In doing such action again I will bring you to an end."

Rashad got up and took composure, his hair, back to brown color, a little messed around and flowing with the wind. I waited for his reply with a blank gaze and mind; I knew he would never betray me again. It was not his nature. He slowly raised his hand to grasp my own. Little by little his dark hair color melted into a brilliant moon-kissed tone of silver. His hand clasped to mine gave a slight green gleam and quickly he retrieved. Now his hand was marked with an invisible seal in order to bind his word to me. For sure, he was never to let the beast incident happen again or he would suffer the spell's binding punishment.

He gave a smile that represented the forgiveness he was asking for. I turned away from him finally and started to walk again across the town. I was to go and look for my mentor to see what was it that Rashad had heard from him. I despised the fact that both these to dear persons around me kept a foolish antagonism for each other. I urged Rashad to come with me; he obediently followed me and soon he came to a halt little by little. I ignored his stop, but soon I had gained far too much distance away from him.

"Rashad." I started, but he motioned me to keep quiet.

His golden gaze searched for something that his ears might have heard. "We are not traveling alone," Rashad mentioned and stepped through another path away from me.

I was not to stay knowing that whatever it was my apprentice should have no trouble with. A long time had passed since there was anyone who could remember the mages. So I just whispered to the winds to let Rashad know where it that I would be at was. A tiny murmur, in a forgotten language, that would only come to Rashad's ears. With that done, I started to walk once again; my feet tapping at the cold floor without making a single sound. Master Maverich needed to explain several things tonight.

At that same calmed and slow pace I finally managed to find my way through the empty burnt plantations and abandoned houses. I could already see Maverich's lonely place at a small distance. As I walked my hands slowly ripped the blood wristbands on my arms away, and then drop them on the vast earth ground. Closer I got noticing how this placed had not changed at all; it never changed no matter how many times and would come back and forth. It was a large house with a lot of space, made of gray blocks of concrete and painted with burnt marks and blood of the warriors. It was a creepy place filled with my memories and my mentor's cursed life. I stopped in front of the wooden half-door and just waited for Maverich's permision since he could sense my presence.

His voice was unheard because he was not speaking out loud, but rather within my mind. Maverich ordered me to step in instead of just giving me permission. Apparently he was joyful that Rashad was not with me. When I stepped inside the empty creaking sound filled the room that was pitch black for exception of that fireplace, across the door on the next room. I started to walk towards that one room glancing over to the old, rustic rolling chair, but my mentor was not there. My green hues slowly peek to one side as quiet and slow movement was caught. I was sure it was my dear mentor, and therefore, I remained staring at the flames of the fireplace.

"You came earlier, child," Maverich's voice purred in the air with a noble and calm tone.

"I was not planning to visit, but I am sure you know the reason I came for," I stated without turning to face him.

"Is it for Rashad's incident?" He was smiling with no emotion behind it, but I knew it was there. "You have to worry less about his health, that makes you weak."

My silence spoke a greater meaning that what any words would have. Yes. Rashad was someone I had bled several times for and that was to be considered foolish. Maverich never did like that because for him everyone had to fend for themselves and learn to live; only the strongest survive in the cold land we live in, he says.

"Oh, do not worry much about this incident," Maverich said with little care as he tapped a loosely hanged dreamcatcher in his way towards me, "I was only teaching that mutt a lesson."

"You taught Rashad nothing! You almost made his soul detach from him and go to Oblivion!" I snapped back with little conscience of it until I felt the tight grasp of my mentor's fingers holding my face.

The claws pressed slight to my skin, just with enough force in order not to puncture me. My green hues met the crimson, devil gaze of Maverich as he glared at me with supreme authority. The he softly spoke, "Don't challenge me, Saiyo." His words melted in the wind slowly since he was referring to my raise of voice towards him. I nodded once very cautiously, but my mentor's grasp did not let go of me yet. His lips close to my ear when he whispered me a teaching he had given to me ever so long ago: "I cannot change the past, nor you can change the future." What he meant was awfully simple; Maverich stated that I could do nothing about what had happened and he would not assure it was not to occur again.

His words angered me because I knew he would try once again to diminish Rashad several more times until he either died or had the beast. It was not the fault of Rashad to have no beast within his heart, but Maverich always blamed my little tender side upon my apprentice since I chose not to make him suffer with the burden of the flesh beast. My mentor gave a slight and silent snort as he moved away from me with grace; the smell of blood had filled my nostrils and that must have been the reason he had backed away. The drying blood of my apprentice in my garments had a very good chance of arousing the flesh beast from the depths of the black heart Maverich had. He was not in the mood to deal with such things at the moment, he never did like to allow the beast to take control of him when I was around.

“…” I was to speak, but my voice just faded into nothingness because I had no argument to compete with his last spoken sentence.

The fireplace roared every now and then allowing the flames of the fire to wrap in the air and vanish. Now Maverich took a sit on his old chair and slowly glanced towards the dancing fire before offering me his right hand. I wanted to let him know much more of the anguish he had made me felt tonight when I had seen Rashad in so much pain, but the agony was not too great since the beast inside of both me and him was consuming those emotions. So I took his hand and stepped towards him submissively. We both said nothing for some time and on the meantime I sat besides him on the floor laying my head on his side.

“I believe we have come to an agreement, Saiyo.” He stated while he moved those dark violet of his away from his sight; his black and long claws carefully tipping at his forehead afterwards.

I gave an invisible nod and just closed my eyes to rest with him because I desired no more arguments. No more raging energies flowing between my mentor and me, because Maverich is the only family I had and that was something I never wanted to loose, at least not again.

We both remained still with our eyes closed almost sleeping, only just resting letting our silence be the forgiveness for our quarrel. Time was passing by slowly and with the gentlest pace until a stinging pain clutched at the veins on my arms and then heart. My green hues opened with shock and dilated pupils as I grasped the closest artifact and stood up with little balance. My fangs screeched as they clenched with extreme force until the hurting started to fade, but I was still half crouched trying to gain back my breath. When I glanced up, Maverich was standing besides me with no reaction to what happened because he knew exactly what it was. His gaze was dark and slightly full of disappointed rage.

“You cast a bonding spell?!” His demon, red eyes glowed with the reflection of the fire. When I had whispered to the winds I had sent a message to Rashad, but also a gift known as a Soul Binding, which allows me to take the wounds for him just as if I were in a battle. Surely, my mentor knew I had cast such spell on my apprentice and he was obviously disgusted at that idea. My shaded skin in this place slightly ripped in little scratches, the fire would reflect them into invisibility for the eyes of Maverich, but not his mind.

“How could you trust such bonding spell on that retched rat of an apprentice?!” He roared and then clenched his own fangs shaking his head. His hands became fists, but I was not to allow him to continue this anymore. I had to go and find Rashad in order to see what it was getting in his way. Our foes were just a few, but they made up for one whole army.

“My apprentice is wise, Maverich, perhaps you just need to take that blindfold of your narrow mind,” I said calmly to my mentor as I pointed at his eyes and then headed for the door. Behind me he did not reply because that statement he was not expecting from me.

When I stepped outside of the small, darkened place I gave a sigh and headed of with lightning speed. The ground was cold and dusty now, and there was mist heading to the village, perhaps a storm was to come. As I came closer to the place and away from the hideout of my mentor I could smell the scent of bitter blood in the watery mist. I closed my eyes and thought about a direction. I could feel some presences nearby, but it was human beings and though Rashad was still a humane mage, he had a special aura to himself. I stepped within the village limits to come across the one place were the flesh beast had decided to take over me. The blood stains left behind were still there, but with no more scent or life.

At last, my feet moved carefully to the next intersection of the village, towards the woods exit. My black claw-nails clicking lightly to the sides of the alleyway I was going through. Closer and closer I could feel the aura coming, but with that also, more wounds continued to slice on me and now they became deeper and deeper letting blood drip out of my mouth. My left hand was raised to touch my lips just slightly to try and wipe the blood away; to no avail, the blood just smeared staining the side of my face and my neck. Rushing I had to go and find Rashad before the wounds connecting me to him increased severely into more internal injuries.