Mattias's eyes shot open.
The world bled back into focus in slow painful ripples like waking from drowning. His skull throbbed as if something had clawed its way out of his brain. The air tasted stale the ground was still dark and wet and for a long second he couldn't tell if he was breathing or just pretending to.
He groaned, pressing his palm to his head. "...I feel like I got chewed up and spat out."
A low chuckle echoed from his side.
"You did" a voice purred "And you broke my little condition while doing so."
Mattias turned his head eyes settling on the silhouette crouched beside him. Manu's grin stretched too wide too human to be human The air around him shimmered like heat distortion yet it was so cold.
"you again" Mattias said quietly tone flat "I was wondering when you'd show up"
Manu's grin didn't falter though his head tilted just slightly. "You sound different No screaming this time?"
"my head hurts so much to scream right now," Mattias muttered sitting up slowly. The black goo rippled slightly tgen went back into his skin that alone made Manu's smile the more.
"Tsk tsk… You were supposed to stay dead the deal was broken I could've taken your body then"
Mattias looked up with dull amusement as he touched his head to do something about the headache. "Then why didn't you?"
"Because" Manu leaned in, the grin sharpening "I never had a reason too"
Mattias:"Is that so well that didn't seem to be the case"
Manu:"come now that was a little play nothing permanent". he said so patting Mattias on his back
Manu's hand lingered on his back a moment longer than necessary just to see if Mattias would flinch.
Mattias: "Hmph… your hand"
Manu chuckled tilting his head, the air around him quivering like the faint shimmer of a mirage as he removed his hand from his back.
Manu: "touchy... half breed your soul should have been extracted completely so don't mind my comdend but how are you alive right now."
Mattias pressed his palm harder to his temple feeling the lingering pulse of headache.
Mattias: "how am I to know that if I don't even know where I am"
Manu's grin widened impossibly, eyes glinting gold.
Manu: "Bold of you won't you say. But tell me, does not it frighten you? That you came from should have been a sure death?"
Mattias's jaw tightened He could feel the danger depending on his next response "yes The dread of being devoured the terror of losing himself it was and still is there"
Mattias: "Maybe but then again I don't know anything about this place or those things nor what this goo is."
Manu stepped back watching him like a predator inspecting a newly hatched chick
Manu: "Interesting I could just trap you here and erase the experiment entirely or."
Mattias's black eyes flickered briefly at the murderous intent from Manu.
Mattias: "If you wanted to you could as we already saw am not strong to outmatch you"
Manu's grin only widened, amused rather than threatened.
Manu: "not even alittle resistance you have become alot wiser."
Mattias slowly stood his body still unsteady the headache lingering but manageable. He flexed his hands, feeling the fluid motion of the black goo returning to its natural state within him.
Mattias: "Then I take it you had already chosen the second option "
Manu tilted his head, mockingly considering the statement.
Manu: "Alittle too observant half breed "
Mattias: "My name is Mattias Astoria not half breed."
Manu's laugh was soft, almost approving.
Manu: "Ah… very well half breed as I saying before being so rudely i interrupted I could trap you here for the rest of eternity or you could serve as my apostle this time properly"