164 Worthy

Liam jolted upright, as though he had awoken from a horrible dream, breathing raggedly and sweating all over.

He found himself amidst a shadowy domain, with umbral darkness neither his King's Eye nor senses could pierce through. 

The floor beneath him was a viscous red liquid, rippling with the slightest movement.

Liam looked at his right arm.

It was gone… but there was no pain or blood. Just a phantom limb that he couldn't control or move. 

'It was no dream.'

Another assessing look over his marred body revealed the missing chunks of flesh. Liam was in a much worse state than he realized.

"Would you have liked it to be a dream?"

Raast's mocking voice rang out amidst the darkness. It was still terrifying and deep as ever.

Liam grimaced… but any fear he might have had was drowned out by the bitter taste of defeat.