Snareel hated being called a mutt — and no one got away with it. With slight frustration painted across his face, he raised an arm. The underlings fell silent instantly.

“This mynah likes to run his mouth,” he noted.

Snareel then bent over and flicked Tim’s mouth. It wasn’t often that Snareel liked to get his paws dirty, but occasionally he relished in taunting his victims personally. Snareel loomed over Tim. “You know, ancient nobles of the *Fiza Kuulte* used blades crafted with cobalt edges to inflict a series of shallow cuts on one another. Cobalt as you know is very toxic to us, it was a test of strength and endurance and honor. You should thank the fact we live in far more civilized times.”

Though his body was still under an immense pressure, Tim tried to remove Snareel’s foot off his chest as he continued to ramble on in an attempt to compare himself with ancient nobility. The other ruags laughed mockingly as Tim looked pathetic in his struggle to remain among the conscious.

“Thanks to your little interference, business has been stalled,” said Snareel, sighing as he spoke. He took his foot off of Tim’s chest and began to pace back and forth. Tim took a deep breath, for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, it was amazing how a near death experience could make someone truly appreciate the little things.

Tim tried to focus through all the sensory information that was waylaying his neural pathways, the amount of information from his pain receptors alone was at risk of burning out his axons. With the weight lifted off his chest Tim rolled over on his side and groaned in intense pain. “No — reaction.” he managed to say between coughing breaths.

Tim then tried to make another verbal jab at Snareel, despite his agony. “Call — that business,” Tim wheezed, wholly unimpressed, Wazp thought he had a death wish. Snareel then kicked Tim on his right side.

Tim’s eyes burst into tears as the levy he had created finally broke and the sensations he had ignored and pushed aside came boiling to the surface all at once. Though it pained him, he could not let his enemies know that they had broken his will just yet.

“I don’t like your tone there,” cautioned Snareel. “It seems we must teach you one last lesson before ending your miserable life,” his frowning jaws twisted into a sinister grin.

“If you — kill me, you’ll —- be declaring war — against the — Creed,” Tim assured him, huffing in the process. “Are — you — sure you — want to risk that?”

“Hmmm … I suppose you are under the Creed’s protection,” said Snareel, rubbing his chin as he pretended to ponder Tim’s question. “But what about your friend over there?” he asked. His eyes gleamed at the thought as he gestured to the unconscious Jenkins.

The underlings all cackled with hisses, buzzes, and clicks. Tim couldn’t help but be reminded of a pack of hyenas. Hyssss was looking especially enthusiastic like a child granted permission to play with a new toy.

Tim’s adrenaline suddenly kicked in as his eyes narrowed with anger. “Touch him – and I’ll freeze you all so fast — your heads will shatter!” he threatened — hoping to make good on that promise. It didn’t sound too convincing; Tim was still lying on the pavement like a turned over turtle.

“Oooh, hooo! You have a sharp tongue! Is that also under the Creed’s protection?” Snareel taunted. “Time to have some fun, boys,” Snareel stepped back. “Raknae, to me,” Tim heard him whisper. The Spider-Blood immediately scurried protectively next to him. His legs had moved so fast that Tim could barely see them.

Creepy-looking bugger. He thought as his goosebumps danced wildly. The rest of the ruags surrounded Tim while snickering. Hyssss looked very unwilling to stay where he was.

Kobre slithered forward while cracking his knuckles. “You Keeperss think you’re all that. Can’t do anything without your fancy gun now, can you?”

This can’t be good. Thought Tim. He tried to hide his worry, but it had managed to slip onto his face. At this point, he knew he’d be unable to save Jenkins nor himself. How much time had passed since he had called for backup? Will they find their dead bodies, or will they become permanent missing persons? No, I just have to stall. He convinced himself.

“Stand up mynah, at least make this more entertaining for us,” commanded Snareel with an almost bored look.

“Here-z, let-z me-z help-z you-z, heh-z heh-z,” said Wazp, forcefully pulling Tim into a standing position by his head, gritting his teeth in pain. The ruags hollered with laughter as he stood in a somewhat hunched position.

“Sso, uh, do I sstill have to hold him?” Hyssss awkwardly chimed in. Everyone looked at Hyssss in disbelief, including Tim.

“Read-sz the-sz mood-sz, *fulu*-sz!” Vezpar barked, buzzing in frustration. He was a yellowy chrome, blotted with dark spots everywhere. His face was long and angular, with cold, hooded light yellow eyes. Dark spikes ran along his head like a mohawk. Similar to Wazp, he tucked away his silver wings.

Chance! Thought Tim. He took this distraction as an opportunity to strike first and dived for his equipment behind Wazp. His leg and his lungs screamed in agony, but he was determined to get a preemptive strike. Wazp quickly noticed and partially stomped on him mid-dive.

“Ack!”

“Heh-z heh-z,” mocked Wazp. “Who-z zquizhed-z who-z now-z?”

Fiza kuulte - Frozen Cruelty

Fulu - Fool