The vypnyr ripped up into the air, fading away the moment she told him to go.
She didn't understand how she had known, but this was her place. Somewhere just for her. And she had most of the power here.
Her and it.
The thing approached, steady in its writhing gait, even closer now.
She matched its waltz, heart hammering in her chest.
And then they were face to hole swirling with teeth and eyes. Its arms and legs dangling around like some grotesque man turned into a red squid. Its eyes popped forwards and faded away in rhythmic cycles that matched the pounding of her heart. All intently staring at her.
She could hear gross shucking sounds as if the mist were flesh and blood, and it blooped and bubbled and cracked.
And Kohryn shook like a leaf. Caught in a wild storm, trembling but standing strong, she stayed in place.
A crackling rasp of wind wound from the hole followed by a voice that had the hair on her body rising.
"Are.. you. affrrraid of-me?" It was her voice, hollow and deep and parroted back to her.
Her teeth clacked together. Just like everything in her dreams had been familiar, so was it, and the fear it incited. Brushes of forgotten memories and distant screams paced the outer edges of her psyche. Eager to be remembered.
It remained silent, patiently awaiting an answer.
"Ye-yes." She finally sputtered, words said on a shaky breath she'd be holding.
"Goood," it drawled out and its eyes rolled in loose sockets. A sucking sound followed as it drew in air, "Ahhhh, I haave-not.. had one likkke.. you in lifetimessss."
"Like me?"
"Yesssss." It remained still, towering over her. "You and I…will do. great thingssss together."
Her mind immediately went to the illusionist. Unspoken vengeance like cool metal on the tip of her tongue. She didn't know about 'great things' but she knew the desire to break apart the tower and gag the man with the chains that bound her. She'd thought of at least twelve ways to kill him.
"Yessss."
She flinched and her eyes widened.
"And sooo-much more.. You do-not even knooow–" Its voice cracked and hissed along, "-all that you are.. ca-aapable of. Let me sshow you.. and you sshhall have… hisss blooood."
The thing did not move and she spared a look at the sky, still ugly and sweltering crimson.
It had come but she still heard no song.
A choked laugh rippled the above, little wisps of red funneling down to lick the top of the things head. "He sssingsss his ssongsss, listenn cll-losssely.." countless hands pointed to the sky and its head tilted to the side. As if it were lending the world an ear it did not possess.
Her own head tilted, stiff and skeptic. But she listened.
Quite a time passed before a low horn came from above. Growing and clarifying. The rattle of a tambourine on its heels leading way for a cacophony of sounds
And a thundering symphony fell upon them.
Its arms fell back to its sides and sighed again, eyeballs twirling.
Kohryn waited, breath held, heart no steadier. She tried to cover her ears but found the sound strangely louder.
"Nothings happening."
"Hisss songs…aarree weak. He iss dy-ying." It cackled.
A greater fear filled her. The fear of never leaving the prison.
One of its hands broke away from the mass, attempted to stabilize, its fingers just a little too long with chipped nails. Its palm rolled up. "Itsss up to. y-you to…aid hisss spell…"
Her hand rose.
She paused.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest.
Screams and sinister promises on the horizon.
The great song thundering all around them.
"It isss.. your turn tooo-oo hurrrry." It choked. "The illusionissst watchesss-us asss we ssspeeeak."
A damp chill swept up her spine, and in a swift movement she plunged her hand into the mist.
It took hold, a hundred arms pulling her in, fingers pinching and digging into her. Gooey eyes squished across her skin followed by the first tooth. It plunged into the top of her head, fresh blood squirting across her face.
Realizations and those promised memories assaulted her mind.
And then more teeth sunk in as it lifted her, shoving her head first into the hole.
A high pitch shriek funneled from her throat, absorbed and cut short by the mist.