InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chains of Wind ❯ Unwanted and Definitely Unwelcomed Advances ( Chapter 2 )
He never even got a chance to get up as he was enveloped within the vortex and thrown into the air as the ground underneath was suck upward. His body pummeled from all sides as he tried his best to shield himself from the worst of the damage. Rock smashed into him shattering his armor and cracking bones, while branches and other sharp objects sliced and ripped into his cloths and flesh. Finally, after what must have felt like an eternity, Kouga was thrown free of the tornado. Another, larger crater forming as he hit the ground. A sickening snap and pain filled howl were heard as his injured ankle was broken.
There he lay completely unmoving as Kagura slowly approached, her own appearance looking worse for wear. The tattered remains of her kimono were held up by her left arm while her right still held her fan at the ready in case she had need of it. Blood was still freely flowing from the areas that Kouga’s claws had shredded, though she had no worries since the battle seemed over. Besides, after recovering from the Wind Scar as quickly as she did, she estimated she’d be completely healed within the next ten to fifteen minutes.
A hacking cough brought her up short as the ookami finally stirred, spitting out blood that had pooled in his mouth and throat as he tried to breath. Slowly he managed to roll over as he struggled to drag himself to his knees. ‘Damn…’ he tried to stand. ‘My ankle’s broken.’
For the first time in any battle, he removed the sword he kept at his side. Never before using it as a weapon he’d simply kept it at his side as a status symbol, similarly to the Human Samurai he’d had the unfortunate pleasure of running across. In fact his own sword had been one of the spoils he’d taken from his very first encounter. Now just as back then it was all but useless to its wielder, as Kouga used the old weapon as nothing more than a cane as he tried to stand.
“Give up ookami, there’s no way you can possibly continue.” Kagura mocked him. “I mean look at you, you look like you’re about to collapse any second. Hell, you’re having to use that cheap sword as a crutch just to stay up.”
Growling at her mocking, Kouga pulled the sword’s tip out of the ground and leveled the blade parallel to the ground. Glancing at it, he couldn’t help be feel disgust as himself for his current state of weakness as he threw it away. “I already told you,” Kouga managed to evenly growl despite the pain encompassing his whole body. “I’ll never give up my jewel shards. Nor will I lose to a bitch like you!”
With the declaration, Kouga’s eyes began bleeding red as he tapped into what remained of his dwindling strength. His claws began to lengthen as he raised them menacingly as his yoki fluctuated wildly. Despite the state of his broken ankle, he started limping toward, the pain with each step almost unbearable.
Kagura tilted her head in thought as she watched him tap into his beast, wondering if he had the innate ability and necessary power to transform as higher-level demons could. However, it never came to pass as with each step the ookami took, and without the ability to use a more powerful form she knew he never stood a chance.
Half a dozen steps passes and still he advanced. Suddenly his broken ankle buckled as it was completely dislocated, one last scream tearing from the doomed ookami’s throat as it twisted beyond what the joint was ever designed to move. The wind sorceress laughed sadistically as the ookami crashed back into the ground, watching as yoki completely dissipated as he lay there completely immobilized.
“I guess there’ll be no more running for you.” Kouga could do nothing but watch helplessly as Kagura casually walked towards his prone form as she snapped her fan closed. “Now, should I make this quick or as painful as possible as I remove those shards of yours…” She drawled out as she continued, “O, I know! How about I just cut both your legs off and leave you to fend for yourself.
The joke only served to increase the poor ookami’s anxiety, letting off a deep and throaty laugh when she saw the desperation now clearly visible as she reached his side. He watched her hand descend as it was mirrored in reflective pools of both his eyes.
The hand never made it, and suddenly Kagura was flying. Like any wounded animal that has ever been cornered, Kouga’s instincts had taken over as his good foot connected with her torso. The force was strong enough to knock the Wind Sorceress almost half way across the clearing. She hit the ground hard, losing her grip on her weapon as she tumbled an additional 20 or so foot before finally coming to a stop.
The attack never registered in Kouga’s mind, and it took him a few seconds for his mind to piece together the scattered thoughts racing thru his brain. After all, one second the bitch was about to cut into his leg, and the next his foot was in the air and she was gone.
Precious seconds ticked by as he rolled over and half crawled half dragged himself up the rim of the impact crater. Glancing around he spotted Kagura as she finally stood up, noticing she was still slightly dazed from his desperation attack. Without further thought, Kouga turned the other direction as he painfully made his way toward the nearest edge of the clearing, hoping beyond hope that he’d be able to make it into the cover of the trees and hide long enough to heal his critical injuries.
‘Damn that flee bitten cur, he’ll pay for that!’ Still slightly dazed Kagura managed to stand, her hazy vision clearing just as the ookami started his desperate escape. ‘Where the hell is my fan?’ She questioned herself, the weapon unaccounted for. Glancing around for a few seconds she finally located the half-opened object, the pristine white background sharply contrasting against the brown dirt and green grasses of the area. Quickly and purposefully, she strolled over to her weapon and snatched it off the ground.
Kagura rounded on her opponent just as he looked over his shoulder from where he was crawling, their eyes once more locking before the ookami redoubled his pace. “If you’re that desperate to make it to the tree line, then let me help you…” Her laugh was deep and throaty. “Dance of Chains!”
Dust flew upwards, and the grasses fluttered as the attack was launched. The ookami prince barely had time to turn his head as he noticed a small almost invisible gust of wind barreling toward him. Thick bands of wind swiftly encircled his wrists and ankles, an involuntary yelp escaping his throat as all four of his limbs were jerked out from under him as he face planted.
The puppetry was self-evident as Kagura flicked her wrist causing the invisible manacles to pull the stunned ookami into the air. Several more twists had him hovering upright and turned toward his attacker with limbs outstretched. Red eyes locked with cerulean blue just before with one final sweep of her fan, the helpless ookami was thrown backwards. His back slammed into the the trunk of a nearby tree, his vision momentarily going black from the force of his head impacting not even a second later.
Completely dazed and without sight Kouga wasn’t even given a chance to struggle as the Wind Sorceress forced his outstretched arms above his head, effectively chaining his hand to the trunk above his head. His feet were also secured, the overall effect literally stretching his body beyond what was comfortable. There the restrained ookami hung as Kagura slowly approached, only stopping when she was within arm’s reach one more. A growl tore from Kouga’s throat as he thrashed around in desperation as he struggled to free himself as he launched himself at his captor.
“If I were you I’d stop squirming around. The more you struggle, the worse you’ll hurt yourself.” The Wind Sorceress advised the ookami, not that she cared about his wellbeing. Each manacle stung wherever it touched, his skin rubbed raw from the rapidly swirling bands of wind. This time there wasn’t any additional hesitation and with one swift and accrete swing, her fan sliced thru flesh and in seconds both jewel shards were forcibly removed from the bound ookami’s legs.
“Bitch when I get out of this, I won’t just kill you, I make sure that you’ll wish you were never born.” Kouga howled in frustration.
“I’d hold my breath if I were you,” Kagura taunted. “Once used, my Dance of Chains attack is completely passive. Requiring no thought or energy to maintain the restraints. In fact I could die right here right now and it’ take days before you’d be able to break free.” Allowing a smirk to appear on her face she continued. “You know what, I think I’ll leave you here, bound and helpless to any demon that happens to stumble across you.” She raised her hand, further teasing the bound ookami as she lightly ran her claws down his left arm.
“Don’t you touch me bitch!” Her actions caused a snarl to break free as Kouga bared his razor-sharp fangs and thrashed about.
“Who knows…” She continued as she ignored his demands. “Given a few days without food or water and even you’ll be begging me for freedom.”
“Never! I’d die before I’d beg you for anything.” Her hand continued its downward path despite his struggling, and the moment her hand came close to his face he struck. His jaws quickly snapped closed, having just missed her flesh by less than an inch as she jerked her hand away. Retribution was swift and forthcoming. Kagura grabbed his torso with both arms, then used the added leverage to bring her right knee upward between the helpless ookami’s legs.
Kouga’s vision bleared and his body threatened to black out as unimaginable pain quickly traveled thru his groin and abdominal cavity. The powerful blow causing massive debilitating trauma as his pelvic bones were both broken. Worse still was the testicular damage as both his balls were all but crushed, the force of impact almost causing the vulnerable orbs to rupture.
“Believe me I know,” Kagura couldn’t help but admire the pained lines marring the hansom prince’s face as she brought her hand up to stoke his cheek. “Your too pig headed to ever admit defeat.” Letting out an exasperated sigh, her hand fell back to her side. “Personally, I’d rather kill you,” she reached down and picked up the two shards that had been cut out. “But I was ordered to make an example out of you, and I think your pack mates finding you like this couldn’t be a better form of humiliation.” Picking up her two prizes, the Wind Demon turned to leave. “Defeated and bound, left completely helpless and at the mercy of the very person you’d set out to seek revenge on. “I wonder how they’ll take to your leadership now with such a display of weakness.”
‘She right,’ he couldn’t help but think. Some of his pack would consider him weak and unworthy of leadership, even more so than they did before he had acquired the jewel shards. Back then he’d already proven himself as the strongest warrior in the pack, even stronger than his father who was the current alpha. Still, it hadn’t been enough and after his father was killed in battle most of the elders had opposed his appointment. Their pitiful excuses had mostly revolved around his lack of maturity and leadership experience.
That’s when he had happened across his first jewel shard, with its power he had been able to solidify his rights of ascension replacing his fallen father while deterring countless would-be challenger from both within and outside the pack. Without it, the constant power struggle would have crippled the entire tribe and maybe even resulted in the complete annihilation of his pack by the Birds of Paradise. Looking back on that night, the shard had almost been a God sent as it fell from the sky like a shooting star.
‘Still, it won’t end like this...’ Kouga’s vision was still hazy as he raised his head, watching the blurred outline of the Wind Sorceress as she reached to pluck a feather out of her hair. It was then that he noticed something strange, on her back was a large dark spot which would have been mistaken for blood in his condition except he could make out shredded strips of white going back and forth over the same area. Focusing harder his vision cleared enough to make out the shape of a spider mark marring the entirety of her back.
‘So, Kagome was right, she’s spawn of that Naraku character who’s trying to gather all the scattered pieces of the Sacred Jewel.’ Kouga stated laughing out loud causing Kagura to pause for a moment just as her fingers touched the feather. “So, it’s true.”
She was quickly becoming annoyed that the ookami didn’t know when to shut up. “What is?” She asked without even looking.
The ookami poured all the anger and hatred he could muster into his piercing eyes. “That you’re a slave. Only doing your master’s dirty work. After all that’s his mark you wear on your back.” Pausing for a second, he continued. “Tell me, what’s it like being nothing but a dirty whore for that disgusting monster.”
Spinning around Kagura sent several wind blades hurdling toward the ookami causing Kouga to flinch. Expecting and above all else hopping for a quick death, he was completely unprepared as each precisely aimed blade cut through the remaining ties holding his armor to his torso, while others sliced cleanly thru his fur wrappings.
Unlike her earlier wind blades these ones stayed solid. 2 blades specifically were lodged precariously on either side of his throat, the slightest twitch or wiggle of his muscles causing them to nick his skin continuously drawing beads of blood. Once blade had even been precise enough to cut through hit head band, a few black hairs floating downwards in front of his eyes as a demonstration of just how accurate and deadly her attacks can be.
The ookami, realizing that she’d been playing with him the whole time just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. “Bitch if you’re not going get it over with and kill me then tell me what the hell do you want. After all you already have my jewel shards and you are obviously not going to kill me!” Kouga yelled out as vision was momentarily blocked, his headband obscuring his sight as it fell to the ground along with a few hairs.
Giving the obnoxious ookami a smirk, she released control over her last attack, causing each blade to slowly disintegrate. The weight of the now unsupported armor to much of a strain as several of the damaged ties holding the chest plate snapped. Even the shoulder straps weren’t immune as it they too gave way one after the other, causing the broken and damaged pieces to crash into the ground below him.
Eyeing the sweat on the ookami’s glistening chest, her entire demeanor subtly shifted. Her eyes raping every inch of the bound ookami as she sent another small gust toward her target. “O, I think you’ll find out what I’m planning soon enough…” Kagura trailed off, licking her lips, just as he felt a warm gentle breeze caressing his legs as it swirled around him before traveling higher causing goose bumps to spread over his exposed skin. With a slight flick of her wrist, the gentle breeze became more forceful as the Wind Sorceress focused her energy causing the whirling winds to speed-up. Pausing just long enough to smirk at the distressed ookami she directed the gust under his fur wrap, causing his kilt to billow outwards before the final threads snapped and the remains of the garment were blown away. “Mmm…” She thought out loud as her gaze slowly traveled the length of Kouga’s well-toned legs, before hovering oh his firm thighs.
It was like a switch had been thrown, long suppressed instincts and desires surging thru his capture. Kouga knew that look all too well, after all he’d spent his entire life hunting his own kills. The increased heart rate as a predator slowly stocked its prey. He always loved the adrenalin rush that came the moment he struck, killing his unsuspecting prey before it ever saw him. Some wolves, his beast included loved to play with their kills, the noises and struggles combining with the smell of freshly spilt blood always proved to be the strongest of aphrodisiacs. His thoughts drifting as he recalled the feeling.
Hell, he’d personally seen mated pairs literally rip into each other in their mating frenzy without regard to where they were or who was watching. He’d heard stories several times of a couple giving in to their primal urges, only to add preverbal fuel to the fire. The added scents of fresh blood and sex mingling with the visual act itself causing a tailspin, pack mentality taking over as the entire hunting party was dragged into the action until the gathering became nothing more than one large orgy. His mind drifted further still as he recalled being told that his own father had succumb to such an event during the height of mating season, resulting in almost every mated female including his own mother becoming pregnant.
He often fantasized about participating in such an event but wolves mated for life and only mated pairs were allowed to participate and even then, the only physical contact was with one’s mate. He lived for the day that his woman finally accepted his offer and officially become his mate. He’d often spend countless hours dreaming of how he’d display her in front of the entire pack as he took her virginity. He imagined the feeling of having his member swallowed inch by rippling inch by her tight wet sheath as she squeezed his cock almost to the point of pain. His sensitive ears burned to hear her cries of passion as he brought her to climax after climax as he vigorously rutted her, outlasting every one of his brethren before reaching his own peak. Lastly would come his howl of conquest and triumph as his knot locked them together as he shot stream after hot stream of his thick fertile seed deep into her body and strait into her womb.
Reality decided to come crashing down on him as his body was manipulated once more. The sudden movement of his body being pulled toward his captor breaking him out of his self-induced fantasy. The last piece of his armor, pinned between him and the tree, sliding down his back before crashing to the ground, the sound amplified in the unnaturally quiet clearing.
His semi-erect member completely wilted as the Wind Sorceress’s true intentions became blatantly evident as her next words sending a cold chill thru his entire body like an ice-cold bucket of water, banishing his budding arousal…
“So, tell me Prince Koga, are the rumors true?” Kagura mockingly emphasized his title as she wet her lips in anticipation, “are you really the big bad ookami everyone claims you to be?”
There was no confusion about what she was asking and his entire body shuttered in complete revulsion as he watched her lick her lips. The entire time her gaze never moved as she stared hungrily at his covered crotch. Completely helpless he hung there in denial as his mind desperately tried to come up with some merciful alternate meaning.
‘Mercy,’ he almost snorted out loud at the errant thought as his body finally stopped just a meter in front of his captor. ‘After slaughtering hundreds of his fellow wolves without so much as batting an eye, she easily manipulated me into attacking Mutt Face without even lifting a finger.’
‘No…’, his thoughts continued. Deep down he knew he wouldn’t receive any mercy and if events stayed on their current path he was about to have his honor violated, which to any demon male or female was worse than death.
Finally, Kagura looked up as once more lust filled red eyes locked with fear filled blue. “Now we can either do this the easy way or the hard way,” she once more mocked him as she laid out his options. “Either you finish undressing yourself or I’ll do it.” She stepped into the ookami’s personal space as she continued. “The choice is yours, but make no mistake either way your fundoshi along with the rest of your cloths are coming off and you’re helpless to prevent it.” The last part was all but whispered huskily as she closed the remaining distance between them and brought her mouth as close to his pointed ear as she dared.
“Fuck you!” Kouga shouted before he snapped his teeth at her, his struggles beginning anew as he let out a continuously threatening growl.
Kagura started laughing as she took a few steps back, watching the ookami as he thrashed around. “Mark my words Ookami Prince, I fully intend to…” She trailed off.
She momentarily stepped back before a delicate wrist snapped her fan several times across his torso as she started circling her captive. The ookami ‘s desperation increased and his struggles all but doubled as article after article of his remaining clothing was cleanly sliced from his resisting body.
“Bitch, get the hell away from me,” he shouted as his head turned from side to side in a desperate attempt to clearly watch her over his shoulders. Completely ignored, he could only helplessly struggle as one but one the backs of both of his leg raps, or more precisely the remains of them, were also sliced clean through. The unusually soft skins being shredded by the wind bands circling each ankle.
Once again Kagura wet her lips in anticipation as she lightly dragged a clawed hand down his back. The sensation causing the nerves in his back to jump as each of the sharp pointed tips was raked downwards, never breaking the surface layer of skin. Kouga completely froze as he felt fingers slide under both his kilt and fundoshi, her cold fingers drastically contrasting with the warm baby soft skin of his ass. The shock lasted all of two seconds before Kouga tried to wrench her hand out of his only remaining cloths. Still his struggles were pointless as she held tightly to the waistbands as she pulled outwards and inserted her closed fan into the gap she’d created after jerking his waist backwards.
All his struggles were stopped cold the instant he first felt the smooth surface of a large flat object slide under his cloths, it wasn’t until that same object was twisted 90 degrees and the blunt corner of it was digging into his vulnerable backside that he finally realized what it was. Shear dread flood his body the instant he realized just what object was so intimately touching him, his hip muscles straining as he tried to jerk himself out of the Wind Sorceress’s grip and away from the deadly fan that was under his cloths. The instant his body jerked; Kagura released her grip on the waistband.
Suddenly the sound of rendered fabric and animal hide could be heard as the sharpened edge of Kagura’s fan found purchase as it bit into the fabric. The volume almost deafening to Kouga’s sensitive ears as his freed hips suddenly and unexpectedly flexed forward providing all the necessary force required for the unhindered fan to cut cleanly through not only both waistbands but through the entire backside of his cloths as well.
Shear panic set in the instant the loosened materials started to slip down his hips and without thinking he did the only thing he could. Looking down, he curled his tail up between his legs as he used the appendage in a desperate attempt to hold up his cloths against gravity. The implied submissive posturing wasn’t lost on either of them, still to the ookami the benefit of his dignity more than outweighed the interpretations someone might derive from the scene. The unfortunate ookami’s last ditch effort was only partially successful and there was nothing Kouga could do as with every slight movement more and more of his backside became revealed as his clothing slipped further and further down his hips.
The wind stirred, a little breezed passing across Kouga’s exposed ass causing goose bumps to develop causing Kagura to chuckle as she once more circled in front of her prey. The predatory gleam in her eyes was unmistakable as she reached forward and touched his taunt belly. He was utterly helpless as her fingers trailed downwards, following his quivering brown tail from its tip all the way down the flat plains of his abs before gently grasping the hanging kilt.
“Let’s see what we have to work with.” She joked as she tugged, finally freeing her prize as the ookami of the last pieces of his cloths. Stepping back, she once more admired the view as she circled the ookami’s bound form. The pinprick of a single claw caused the ookami to whimper as it was lightly dragged over the highly sensitized nerves of his skin in her wake. The sudden sound catching them both off guard, Kouga’s face turning bright red as blood rushed to the surface of his face either in embarrassment as he was eyed like he was a raw piece of fresh steak or anger over the sound that he had just let out.
“I must say…” The tone of each venomous word coming out was as sweet as honey as she once more stopped in front of him. “…this is exactly how you should be…” Her fingertips grazed one of his nipples, causing his pectoral muscles to reflexively contract. “…completely submissive like the good like cub…” The words and her feathery touch as her hand traveled lower raising his hackles as his tails hairs puffed out. “…with his tail tucked between his legs…” Her hand brushed over said appendage, causing it to twitch as she cupped the section of his tail that was covering his groin. “Now be a good pet and move your tail so I can ‘inspect’ the rest of my property…” The teasingly affectionate pat on his head followed by insinuation that he would ever be someone’s pet, let alone her property was too much.
“Go to Hell!” Kouga snarled after baring his gleaming fangs.
Completely un-phased the Wind Sorceress’s finger firmly gripped his tail and attempted to pull it back, slightly perturbed when instead the muscles of the ookami’s tail clamped down with more force. “I told you to move it…” Throwing his hold body from side to side Kouga desperately tried to pull his left arm free. “Now, now pet, the more you struggle the more you’re only going to hurt yourself. Who knows, if you behave you might just enjoy my touch…
“You must be delusional if you think I’d even let some spawn of Naraku touch me. Hell would freeze over and I’d let the Mutt mount me first.” In another time and place under different circumstances he might have even found the last part of that comment funny.
“For the last time,” an undertone of frustration now evident. “Do as I command and remove your tail or I’ll permanently remove it for you.” She gave one last hard pull before releasing the appendage.
“Go fuck yourself Whore…”
Kouga was cut off less than a moment later as his jaw was knocked violently to the side. ‘She just backhanded me like some unruly bitch.’ His mind tried to make sense of it all, it really did. Still of all the things that could have happened, never was this a reaction he would have imagined. In this time and age no female was ever allowed to raise a hand against a male let alone a prince and he was both. This truth held true for humans as well as demons, the lone exception to this universal rule being the occasional female warrior and even then that was only allowed on the battlefield.
Momentarily he hung there completely limp in shock, his eyes unseeing as the Wind Sorceress moved behind him. His hair was roughly grabbed and his head was yanked backwards as the Wind Sorceress’s voice whispered menacingly into a pointed ear. “Never call me a whore again pet, if you do all muzzle you, and it’ll be the last thing you say for a very long time. Naraku may own me but that doesn’t mean I’d give him the satisfaction of willingly allowing him to use my body!”
Kagura noticed a thin line of blood started trailing from the corner of his mouth where a fang had cut it and without thought ran her tongue along Kouga’s chin collecting his essence. The ookami shivered as the wet appendage touched his face, and his stomach turned from the appreciative mummer as she apparently savored his taste. “Yes, I believe you’ll make a very good slave.” Kagura whispered seductively after licking her lips and kissed the pointed tip of Kouga’s ear, desire lighting her eyes. Yanked his head to the side as Kouga felt the slimy appendage lick up the side of his neck. “Perhaps with the right encouragement…” She bit teasingly into Kouga’s neck, no were near hard enough to pierce the skin, but making her intentions quite clear all the same.
“Back the fuck off!” Kouga yelled while shaking his head in a last second attempt to break free of her grip. “Wolves mate for life and my heart belongs to Kagome.”
“Do you really think that means anything to me? Kagura laughed maniacally; her lips returned to his neck as she slowly kissed her way down the ookami’s tanned neck. “Maybe after I’ve marked you as my slave, you’ll be more docile,” she murmured once she reached the exact spot where every demon instinctively marked each other. “After all, as your owner your instincts will cause you to naturally desire to bend to my every want and desire in an effort to please me…”
Kouga sucked in a breath as she trailed nipping his shoulder one last time. However, before he could voice any further complaints it happened. Fangs sliced into tender flesh as her mouth bit deeply into his neck. An unadulterated scream left the poor ookami’s mouth as foreign Youki was forced into the wound, his body burning as it battled his own weakened energy before overpowering it and permanently branding his flesh with her mark.
Slowly her fangs withdrew, sliding out of his neck as she sucked harshly on the throbbing wound. Drawing forth and ingesting a sample of his life’s essence, enjoying the taste as the hot fluid flowed across her tongue and slide down her throat. Liquid desire began pooling in her belly as she pleasantly noted the slight change to its energy signature, proving that her possession mark and the energy contained within was permanently imbedded. She clenched her legs together against the wetness forming there as she ran her tongue across the wound sealing it closed before licking the last remaining traces of blood from her fangs.
Forcibly turning his head, Kagura’s lips moved hotly across his jaw before roughly claiming his mouth. Her tongue quickly invaded his unresponsive mouth as she enjoyed the multitude of flavors as she tasted his mouth without fear. A slight disappointment passed through her from his lack of response, before she ripped her mouth away from his, a fang catching and then slicing thru his lower lip as she pulled away.
‘In time my young prince, in time…’ He’d eventually respond to her advances. “I own you now ookami and I’ll enjoy taming you.” Her voice dropped an octave as she whispered once more into his ear. “You’ll learn sooner or later that you can’t defy me.” His head slumped forwards as it was released. He hadn’t even noticed when she once more moved behind him. “Let this be your first lesson in obedience…” She spoke up before trailing off after harshly grabbed his now limp tail. The sudden sound of some swift movement was the only warning. In the next instant blinding pain shot up his spine as his mouth opened in a silent scream…