The blood trickling down my chest was warm, a stark contrast to the icy grip of fear that tightened around my heart. But fear was a luxury I could no longer afford.
" Oh...if you think I am afraid of death, then let me tell you, that fear of mine is long gone!" I declared, my voice echoing against the silence. "Let's play a game. A final contest of wills."
His eyes gleamed with amusement. "A game? And what manner of game do you propose, little warrior?"
"A death game," I replied, my voice unwavering. "A contest where the stakes are not merely life or death, but the very essence of our souls."
