As the Deathmist continued flowing out of its body, the phantom's confidence finally began to crack.
For all its earlier declarations about enduring torture and embracing death, the reality proved very different when its existence was truly being stripped away. Deathmist wasn't merely power. It wasn't some expendable resource that could be replenished with time.
It was its vitality. Its essence. The very thing anchoring it to existence.
The creature's body trembled violently.
"Wait..." it whispered.
The word barely escaped its lips. Then its eyes widened as more Deathmist streamed from its body.
"Wait..."
Its voice rose in panic.
"No... stop..."
I looked down at it calmly.
"No. I don't see any reason to."
The phantom stared at me.
"There are plenty of others like you that I can interrogate."
For a moment it simply froze. Then genuine terror appeared in its eyes.
"No..."
Its voice cracked.
"Wait... I... I don't want to die."
