"Where has your fear gone?" The Creature straightened. The clawed fingertips of one hand curled where it was outstretched in front of him.
The remaining brother-self flattened itself to the ground in an amorphous tangle of energy.
Ciprian held the Creature's gaze. His voice was even. "I've decided I don't need it anymore."
"More lies. It has to still be in there somewhere. That's what you're hiding from me, isn't it? I'll pull it from you eventually."
Ciprian's gaze drifted like snow to the Creature's hand. The human-like skin that it had just created on its fingers had shriveled back, exposing more of its natural form beneath.
A shadow of something resembling a satisfaction curved the usually immovable line of Ciprian's mouth. Then it was gone.
"What's the matter, son? You seem…discouraged."
"Shut up." The Creature forced the skin on its hands back into place. "I'm not discouraged. I'm impatient. And I am starting to hate you even more than I already did."
