The Deadly Art of Den

The air in the room was thick, like the atmosphere right before a storm. Eno sat on the edge of the bed, his stomach twisted into knots, his pulse pounding in his ears. Something was wrong with Den again today, deeply, terrifyingly wrong. The woman he had once loved, a dazzling magician who could charm anyone with a wink and a smile, had turned into something else entirely.

And tonight, Den seemed... different. More menacing than ever. The aura around her changed, her body emanating a purple flame as if she were on fire. 

The apartment was dim, with only a few flickering candles casting long shadows across the walls. Den appeared in front of the window, her back to Eno, staring out at the dark city below. She hadn't said much since she arrived, but the silence was suffocating. It was as if the walls themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the inevitable.

"Den," Eno said softly, his voice shaking. "What's going on with you?"

Den didn't turn around, but Eno saw her shoulders tense. For a long moment, the only sound was the faint hum of the city outside. Then, slowly, Den turned to face him, her expression cold, and detached, her eyes glowed to a deep purple, and then she smiled.

"What's going on with me?" Den repeated, her voice low and dangerous. She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "I think the real question, Eno, is what's going on with you."

Eno swallowed hard, trying to hold his ground. "You are acting in peculiar ways"

Den chuckled, a low, sinister sound that made Eno's blood run cold. "You think I haven't noticed? The way you've been watching me, questioning me? You think I don't know what's going on inside that little head of yours?"

Eno's heart raced, fear creeping into his veins. "I'm not... Den, I haven't done anything. I just want to help you."

Den's face twisted into a cruel smile. "Help me?" she mocked, stepping closer. "Oh, Eno, you have no idea how helpless you really are."

Suddenly, Den lunged forward, grabbing Eno by the collar and yanking him to his feet. Eno gasped, his hands instinctively going to Den's wrists, trying to pull her off, but Den's grip was ironclad. Her eyes, once playful and full of life, were now cold, gleaming with a sadistic thrill.

"Den, stop!" Eno pleaded, his voice cracking with fear. "Please—" 'And why is the so strong...?'

But Den wasn't listening. She was too far gone. Her lips curled into a twisted grin as she leaned in, her breath hot against Eno's face. "You know what's funny?" Den whispered, her voice dripping with malice. "I always thought you'd be more of a challenge. Too feeble for a man a magician if I do say so myself."

Eno's stomach lurched as Den shoved him hard against the wall, his head snapping back with a sickening thud. The room spun, and for a moment, Eno thought he might pass out. But then he heard it—a faint creak, barely audible, coming from the hallway.

Someone was there.

Before Eno could fully process it, the door to the apartment swung open, and standing in the doorway was their neighbor, Mrs. Eta, her eyes wide with shock.

"What on Earth is going on in here?" she demanded, her voice trembling with both fear and anger.

Den's head snapped toward her, her eyes amethyst, narrowing dangerously. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Mrs. Eta, an old, nosy woman who lived down the hall, had a habit of sticking her nose where it didn't belong. But tonight, she had walked in on something far worse than a lover's quarrel.

"Get out," Den hissed, her voice low, seething with rage.

Mrs. Eta didn't move. "I heard a commotion, and I'm not leaving until I know that what's going on."

Den's grin widened, a twisted, sadistic smile spreading across her face. "Safe? Oh, Mrs. Eta, you really should've stayed out of this."

Without warning, Den released Eno and turned her full attention to her. Eno stumbled back, his head still throbbing, but his mind racing. Mrs. Eta had no idea what kind of danger she was in. Den wasn't just angry. She was something else entirely, something unhinged.

"Den, don't," Eno managed to gasp, trying to pull himself together. "Please, don't hurt her."

But Den was already advancing, her eyes locked onto the old woman like a predator stalking its prey. Mrs. Eta's face paled as Den approached, her movements slow and deliberate, like she was savoring the moment.

"I really didn't want an audience for this," Den said, her voice eerily calm. "But I suppose we'll have to make do, won't we?"

Mrs. Eta backed away, her hands trembling. "I'll...I'll call the p-police," she stammered. "Don't come any c-closer!"

Den just laughed, a cold, joyless sound that echoed through the room. "The police? Oh, dearest, by the time they get here, it'll be far too late for you."

In one fluid motion, Den lunged at Mrs. Eta, her hand reaching out as if to strike her throat. But in that split second, Eno's instincts kicked in. He grabbed the nearest object, a heavy candleholder from the table, and swung it with all his might.

It connected with the back of Den's head with a sickening crack.

Den staggered, her body collapsing to the floor in a heap. The room fell deathly silent, the only sound the ragged breathing of both Eno and Mrs. Eta.

For a moment, neither of them moved, both staring at Den's motionless body in shock and disbelief.

Eno's hands shook violently as he dropped the candleholder, his chest heaving. "I... I didn't mean to..." he stammered, unable to tear his eyes away from Den's limp form.

Mrs. Eta, still pale and trembling, took a shaky step forward. "You... you saved my life," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What is happening to Den? I've never seen her like this."

But Eno didn't feel like a hero, nor did he have an answer to her question. All he could do was stare at Den, lying unconscious on the floor, and wonder how everything had gone so terribly, horribly wrong, and why her tiny body could summon such amount of strength to lift him off the ground.

"I don't know," Eno muttered, more to himself than to her. "I really don't know."