Star Crossed In Time

How is indeed the question... I nervously look around the nightmarish room and lick my lips before saying "It's gonna hurt..." The man slowly nods his head in understanding. I lift my shaky hands and use my power to help lift the man off the hooks but they're... they're really in him. 

My horror and anger spike as the man struggles to keep from screaming. I push a little harder with my power and watch as the man comes free. Warm blood flows down my arms and splatters all over my silvery-white dress. 

I stumble back and struggle to keep the man from hitting the ground as I ease him down with my wind power. The man gasps for air as blood seeps out of him in so many different places, I have no idea how to help. 

He suddenly grasps my hand and stares at me in the eyes, gasping as he says "Th.. thank you" My heart pounds in my ċhėst with fear and guilt as the man suddenly stops breathing. His warm blood seeps into my dress as I hold the man in my shaking arms.

"You always did have a soft heart," Eli says, suddenly a few feet in front of me. He's watching everything with a satisfied smile as I continue to stare at the dead man. I slowly turn to look at Eli for the first time in years and instantly lock onto his ice-blue eyes. 

His smile grows as he says "We finally meet again... I've missed you, Nova." I take a slow, shallow breath and say "Really? It looks like you've been plenty busy and entertained without me." His smile falters as he asks "Is this about that woman Xia? Don't worry, I was never with her. She was just delusional."

I smile tugs at my lips but it lacks warmth as I ask "Why have you done this? Why are you here, Eli?" Eli's smile is suddenly back in full force as he lifts his arms and slightly turns as if he were showing off his room of horrors and says "This? Isn't it beautiful? I came to this world for you but what I found here was so much more."

"These people are nothing but lowlifes. They're nobodies so I used them to become stronger. I knew that If I wanted to save you from that Deity, I'd have to become stronger." He says turning back to look at me with a serious face.

"Save me? You? Hah... We're over Eli and that Deity is someone I love." I say slowly laying the dead man down onto the cold ground. I slowly stand up and come face to face with my nightmare. I force my hands to stop shaking and force myself to hold his gaze.  

"Someone you love? Hmmm... it looks like we need to have a serious talk. If you leave the Deity and come to me, I'll forgive you." He says staring me down. I lock my knees to keep from shaking and say "That's not gonna happen, Eli. I didn't come here to get back with you. You and I both know that."

Eli's eyes narrow on me as he asks "Then why did you come?" I point up to the bodies and say "To stop you. You were a monster before but this? This is so much worse." Eli's eyes flash with a dangerous light but he gives me a ċȯċky grin as he slowly takes a step closer saying "You? You're gonna stop me? Hahaha... Nova, darling. We both know who's in charge here." 

He stops right before me and leans into me, taking a deep breath as he says "I can smell your fear and it's everything I remember and more." I clench my fists to stop my shaking hands but keep my eyes hard and cold as I stare him down saying "I can still kick your ȧss and be terrified."

He reaches out to touch my cheek but I quickly step back and say "I don't want you to touch me with those dirty hands." Rage rolls off him in waves, causing the air around us to suddenly change. The air becomes harder to breathe as his power stings my skin in an unpleasant way.

I step back further and quickly glance at the hanging bodies before turning back to him saying "So you feed off them to get the nasty power you currently have? I didn't ever think of you as a parasite but this... this is an all-new low." 

Eli's anger grows as his narrowed eyes watch my every move before saying "Beg me for forgiveness and get on your knees before I punish you, Nova." My heart rate picks up as my old fear comes rushing back up to the surface but when the faces of my loved ones suddenly pop up in my head, my heart calms down again. 

I come to a stop and say "No. This time it'll be you on your knees, begging for forgiveness before I kill you and rid the world of your toxic ȧss." He snarls at me and within the blink of an eye, he's before me and reaching for my neck.

I quickly backhand his hand away and take several steps back but he matches me step for step. He slams me up against the stone wall and pins me with the weight of his own body as he leans in saying "I'm gonna enjoy punishing you again." 

I sneer at him and say "One of us is definitely gonna enjoy this but it won't be you!" I slam my head into his face, smiling when I hear his nose crunch. He stumbles back and I use my power to quickly appear behind him. 

I lift my leg and kick him in the side of the head but my heart sinks when I realize my foot didn't hit his head. He lifted his hand just in time and caught my foot! He grips my ankle in a painful hold and pulls me forward, face-first into the stone wall I was just pinned to.