Her inside twisted and turned, it felt like she was being shredded into millions of pieces.

"Enya, bring out the soundproof barrier Koa gave us." she rasped.

Enya set the device. "Should I go now?" Neri nodded, "Hurry!"

Enya left through the balcony, seeing her disappear into the forest. Neri fell to her knees and brought her hand to her chest. She didn't fight the poison and let it flow. She screamed in pain as the venom coursed through her veins.

So this was the power of Gehenna. She gritted her teeth and slowly stood up, she turned and saw her reflection in the mirror staring back at her. Her veins had become black, she touched her face as tears fell silently. 

Another wave of pain stronger than the last hit her bringing her to her hands and knees. "It hurts... " She whispered. "It really hurts." 

She could only endure the pain by herself. She recalled the days when her teacher would lock her in a cold concrete room after giving her poison.

 She would cry for help, but her teacher would just stand there and watch.

 "Get up Nyssa, fight me." He would demand. 

She soon realized no one would help her, she would stand there and mask her pain as she fought her teacher. 

One day her teacher stopped locking her away after poisoning. 

She walked freely throughout the guild, people would avoid her and call her 'Monster' or 'Demon'.

She passed by a mirror and was horrified to see a monster with black veins coursing like lightning visible on its pale skin, their eyes were empty as if it had no life. 

She realized it was her own reflection.

She began to lock herself in the training room, focusing on infusing her pain into power. 

As time passed, she became stronger than anyone in the guild and even formed new abilities. 

She became on par with her teacher and people no longer looked down on her. 

She became 'Nyssa weapon of the shadows'. 

She sighed shakly, "I suppose I never had a choice. I either died or survived." 

All she ever had was Koa. They were taken in by the guild together. 

The doctor there saw potential in Koa and took him under his care. 

He took care of her during and after every poisoning and treated her wounds after a mission. 

Although she had never gotten seriously injured, today was the first time she had gotten injured to this extent.

"Koa..." she whispered. "Nyssa!" she turned to see Koa jumping onto the balcony.  

He ran towards her  "I brought Althaia. Swallow it quickly." she swallowed the pill. 

"Brace yourself." she heard Koa tell Enya.

She could see in the mirror her veins becoming gold, her eyes also glowed golden. She clenched her fists preparing herself for the effect of the pill, "Enya wait outside the door and keep watch." 

"Yes, Master." as soon as Enya closed the door behind her, she fell to the floor. 

"Koa, how long?" she growled as the effect began to take place. 

"Give it 15 minutes, you've lost too much blood so the healing process won't be as fast."

Her vision blurred and her eyes stung, she took a deep breath and tried to steady herself but it was to no avail.

Koa watched as Nyssa tried to stand but failed. 

She looked up at him, he could see the torment in her eyes.

Althaia was very painful but it quickened the healing process, he felt a pang of guilt. 

If only he could make a medicine with no side effects.

"It's not your fault," Nyssa interrupted his thoughts. "Nothing comes free in this world.

Everything comes with a price," she added as she stumbled to her feet. 

"How'd you..." she stopped him mid-sentence. "It's written all over your face." she chuckled weakly.

He watched as she looked at herself in the mirror, "Nyssa, you aren't a monster. Believe it or not, you look pretty cool.  It looks like there's lighting flowing through you and your eyes are glowing. You're unique."

Nyssa scoffed, "Sure, thanks for trying to comfort me." 

Koa shrugged, "I'm only stating facts."

She stared at Koa, "What? Don't look at me like that." Nyssa tilted her head, "Like what?"

Before Koa could say anything Nyssa fell to her hands and knees, she began to cough up blood.

"Nyssa! You're in the most painful stage, why didn't you say anything? 

Why do you always keep it to yourself?" he muttered angrily.

"I didn't want you to worry or feel guilty," she answered weakly.

Neri looked Koa in the eyes, "It's my fault that I'm like this. So stop worrying and looking so guilty."

Koa sighed, he gently picked her up and tucked her into bed. "No matter what I'll always worry about you."

Neri chuckled weakly, "I'm the last person you should be worried about." 

Koa lifted a brow, "I believe quite the opposite." They both chuckled.

Neri winced, "How much longer?"

"Fifty seconds," Koa replied. She sighed in relief, "Just a while ago it felt like an eternity."

Koa stayed until Nyssa drifted to sleep. He stood up and slightly opened the door signaling for Enya to come in.

"Nyssa is asleep now." 

Enya nodded, "I figured, she's been through a lot today. It must be harder for her since she can't act freely."

"Why did she use her ability and how did she get injured?" he demanded.

Enya sighed, "I wasn't there. Master said she had to use her body to protect Lord Lucien. 

Nyx couldn't find me so Master had to handle it herself. She made Lord Ikar lose consciousness, she didn't have time to use martial arts so she used her abilities."

Koa thought for a moment, "Assassination attempt. There aren't many guilds who are willing to go against the Shadows. Seeing her wounds on her side it looks like an animal's doing... No way... was it the Arlo guild?"

Enya watched as Koa disappeared over the edge of the balcony. She went around and picked up the sound barrier devices. She put them in their box, she then proceeded to clean the room. 

"Perfect." she complimented herself.

 A light tap coming from the door startled her. She walked to the door and opened it slightly, 

"Forgive me, but the lady is currently resting, Please come back tomorrow-" 

Before she could comprehend what was happening the person quickly pushed their way in and pinned her against the door. She was about to fight back but then recognized who it was. She had never met him but she knew it was him. His red eyes shown from under his hood. He released her and walked toward Master Nyssa's bed. 

"You must be-" 

He glared at her before she could finish her question. She sighed 'Like teacher, like student' She thought to herself.