The Demon Knows My Vice

As she plunged into the seemingly infinite darkness, fear clawed at her insides, gnawing at her with a relentless ferocity that made her want to throw up. She could feel Moros's amusement slithering through the darkness after her like an insidious fog, curling around her ankles and brushing against her fur with a chilling caress. Each booming laugh that echoed from behind sent shockwaves of terror through her frame, feeding her adrenaline and spurring her to run faster. But as hard as she pushed herself, it made very little difference. The black abyss around her was just as oppressive as the malevolent brute himself, yet mirrored the emptiness she felt within. Each slow galloping stride seemed to get her nowhere, distance and time losing all sense in this nightmarish realm. Her lungs ached for air and her muscles screamed in protest, yet she forced herself to continue, the horrifying laughter of Moros ringing relentlessly in her ears.

Just as Maria thought she had a semblance of distance between them, her heart sank as she heard his voice echo across the void, joined with the terrifying sound of his footfalls growing louder. The hair bristled on her nape and instinct screamed hurry. But her already gaunt frame was already pushed to its limits, and she could feel her fatigue beginning to take its toll on her. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the obsidian void slipping past her at a dizzying pace as she pushed herself to keep running. Keep running. Don’t stop running.

The terror that clung to her was a tangible thing; it tasted like blood and bile on her tongue. The scent of Moros, a sickly-sweet amalgamation of decay and dread, invaded her senses, and then suddenly, he appeared before her. His towering figure materialized from the darkness, his obsidian eyes gleaming with a predatory anticipation that sent an icy shiver down her spine. The demon’s unexpected manifestation sent Mariah skidding to a halt as she tried to scream- but of course, couldn’t. As Moros hurled himself toward her, Mariah's instincts screamed at her to dodge, to fight back, but the tendrils of fear had wrapped around her limbs like icy chains. And she was already exhausted trying to escape him. With a gasp that echoed in the silent abyss, she was sent sprawling on the cold, unforgiving ground that she could touch but couldn’t see. Her silver eyes flashed with defiance as fierce as it was desperate as she spent her last bit of energy writhing beneath him.

"Mariah Mendacium"