Pet

It was loud and shrill and it just didn't seem to be stopping. He shot upright, a feeling of dread coming over him. It wasn't just one person screaming, it seemed to be multiple.

He threw his covers off, rushing to his feet and reaching for the door. As his hand grasped the knob, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He paused, as he felt someone's hot breathe on the back of his neck.

“Go back to sleep, little brother.”

“Bi-Han?” He questioned, about to turn back before he heard another scream from beyond his door. He went to turn the knob, only to find a shadowy hand grab his wrist. He pulled back stumbling only to find another shadowy hand on his other wrist.

He closed his fists and summoned a shield of ice around him, the hands releasing their grip on him and he jumped backwards. No sooner had the ice shattered however, he soon found himself surrounded by shadows, all of whom were trying to grasp hold of him.

Baring his teeth, determined to not go down without a fight, he summoned a sword and started to fight against the assailants. With every slice they melted into nothing, only for more to take it's place. Soon he could not see through the sea of shadow men attempting to subdue him.

A boot hit him square in the face, and he found himself stumbling backward in pain. Then a hand grabbed one of his wrists, and another got to his other wrist, then several more took hold of the rest of his arms and yanked them behind his back. A kick to the back of his knee sent him tumbling to the floor. The hands holding his arms hauled him back upward until he was on his knees, before several more hands came from shadowy puddles on the floor to hold down his legs.

He tried to fight against the grip, but the more he tried, the more hands were added, until finally he found a sickle being pushed to his throat. He stilled, gazing up at his brother.

“If you are here to kill me, then make it fast, Bi-Han.” He managed to spit out, surprised when the sickle was pulled away and Bi-Han instead ran a finger down the scar on Kuai's face.

“I am not here to kill you, Kuai Liang,” Bi-Han spoke in a regretful tone. “I am here to save you.”

“Save me? From what?” He felt a sinking feeling, knowing whatever the answer was he wouldn't like it. A distant scream reiterating the point for him.

“Yourself,” Bi-Han snarled, hooking the tips of his fingers under Kuai's chin and tilting his face upwards. “I'll keep you safe from pain and truth and choice, and other poison devils.”

Kuai struggled once more against the hands holding him, “What are you talking about?”

“You ally yourself with people who do not care about you, not like I do.” Kuai attempted to turn his face away, only for Bi-Han to grip his chin instead, firmly forcing him to look at his brother. “The Shirai Ryu, Hanzo Hasashi, The Special Forces...” Bi-Han shook his head. “No, they don't give a fuck about you.”

“We ally ourselves for the protection of Earthrealm,” Kuai tried to reason. “For the good of all, not just one.”

“Oh little brother, you are still so naïve.” Bi-Han pulled away, slipping his hand away and freeing Kuai's head. Somewhere in the distance, he heard yet another scream. “You always did need me to protect you. I will isolate you, and save you from yourself.”

Bi-Han lifted his hand, giving his shadow clones some silent command that Kuai did not understand. That was until he felt the shadows grip loosen, and what felt like something wet seeping into the skin of his arms. Finally able to free himself from the hands, he stumbled to his feet, looking at his forearms where the sensation was coming from.

He stopped breathing at what he saw.

His skin tarnished by large black marks, slowly flowing along his arms like ink soaking into paper. He watched in silent horror as his hands were engulfed in the black, while it slowly started to crawl up his arms like tendrils. He could see the way his hands shook, panic setting in at just what Bi-Han had done to him.

“What did you do?” He looked up at Bi-Han, who even behind the mask seemed to be pleased with his work. “What have you done to me, Bi-Han?”

“I've already told you, I'm saving you,” Bi-Han replied, stepping forward. Kuai went to take a step himself, only to find himself stumbling. Bi-Han caught him in his arms. “It's okay, this is for your own good.”

“What... What are you...” Kuai watched as the darkness claimed his arms, before he noticed a how his lower torso was in a similar shape, the darkness meeting up with that which effected his arms. And when he realised it was slowly climbing up his neck, hysteria hit as he desperately grasped at his neck. “No. No, what have you done?”

And then, it hit his mind, and the searing pain it cause managed to draw a raw terrified scream from his throat. It was agony, somehow like his mind was both on fire and freezing at the same time. He started to claw at his face, as if he could peal away his skin and flesh and just grab his own brain and tear it from his body. Bi-Han grabbed his wrists, holding him tightly as Kuai trashed, the pain too much for even him to take.

Just as he felt like he was about to black out from the pain, it stopped suddenly. He briefly lost control of himself, going completely limp. He stayed for a few seconds, his head propped against Bi-Han's shoulder as he tried to understand what had just happened. Every time he tried to think, it was like there was a static in his mind, almost like something was blocking him from his own thoughts. The more he tried to push against the block, the more it hurt. He stopped trying.

He slowly regained control of his limbs, slow and unsure he pushed himself away from his brother slightly. He blinked a few times, there was some part of him that knew Bi-Han had done something to him, something that was causing him to struggle with producing his own thoughts, yet somehow despite that his brother's presence was comforting. And that thought didn't hurt, neither did the thoughts that maybe his brother had been right, and whatever had been done to him really was for the best.

The part of his mind that was still consciously aware screamed to be freed, but it was drowned out by the static.

“See?” Bi-Han started, helping to lift Kuai Liang back to his feet. “Doesn't it feel better to not have the weight of choice on your mind?”

“I...” Kuai wanted to ask what had happened but he winced in pain merely considering asking it. There was something compelling him to simply agree with his brother instead. “Yes... it does.”

“I knew it would,” Bi-Han whispered almost fondly. “I've missed you little brother.”

“I've missed you too,” Kuai agreed, maybe the only genuine thought he had, the only thing even the part of his mind imprisoned actually agreed with. It didn't last long, as that part once more attempted to demand answers, and was quickly silenced once more.

“Come, we have work to do Kuai Liang,” Bi-Han announced, turned away walking towards the door of Kuai Liang's room. Kuai followed him, once more compelled to follow his brother's wants.

Outside the room, the bodies of the Lin Kuei lay slaughtered, the copper smell of blood filling Kuai's nostrils as they made their way through the carnage. He should have felt something, should have felt crushing despair and grief but was unable to. The best he could do, as he looked on with no emotion, was allowing a single tear to roll down his cheek.

Something was wrong, but he couldn't come to a conclusion as to what it was.

“Do not cry for them Kuai Liang,” Bi-Han comforted, placing a hand on Kuai's shoulder. “They would not have cried for you.” Bi-Han signalled for Kuai to follow him once more. “We have much to prepare for, so count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums.”

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