The Thorn That Pierces Me Novels & Stories

The thorns seemed to pulsate with a dark energy, as if they were alive, waiting to ensnare their next victim. The thorns were a warning to any who entered the dungeon - a warning that this was a place of pain and suffering, a place where only the strongest could survive. Bree shivered as she looked around the dungeon, feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that she was in for a long and brutal punishment, and that the thorns would be her constant companions throughout her time in the dungeon.

Every step felt like fire. It was like someone was hitting my feet with a hammer, right through my old sneakers. The elevator in our building has been broken for weeks now. So climbing five floors of stairs is just my life. I struggled with my keys, my hands hurt from carrying heavy grocery bags. When will I ever catch a break? I thought. I could hear music blasting through our door before I even opened it. Some happy pop song. I pushed the door open with my shoulder.

-Karen- My knees throbbed with pain as I watched her take a few steps towards me. She had a twisted smile on her face as our gazes locked. “Acrid Shadow Thorns!” I was stabbed by a thorny spike that shot off a couple thorny branches through me in different directions. I yelled from the pain but that was only the beginning as I found out. She snapped her fingers and I felt searing pain race through me as I screamed louder from the pain. I writhed from the pain, falling against the ground while the chains tightened up against me. I cried out from the agony I felt all over. I could feel her eyes on me as I lay there panting trying to catch my breath. It hurts so badly! It was worse than demon’s

“If I wanted a lecture, child, I’d have raised someone.” Ash bristled but didn’t move. My attention was fixed on the rift—still open, still shimmering like a wound in reality. Every pulse of silver felt like a heartbeat. Hers. Faint and frantic. I stepped toward it instinctively. Thorn’s hand shot out again—faster than any mortal man could move—and slammed against my chest. “You set foot in there now,” he hissed, “and the Veil will flay you alive. It will peel your magic off bone by bone. You’ll die before you even reach her breath.”

I let out a cry as the pain intensified. I called it. I knew that thorn was poisonous. The eerie noise from before sounded again but this time, it was more intense. I tried to stand but I fell back to the ground. A cold breeze blew past me and I shivered. I began to hear a loud thump. It sounded like the footsteps of a giant. Oh shit! This is bad. Very bad.

It was lighter than expected, but colder than death. Her hands trembled as she brought them closer to her head. The room leaned in, breath caught, hunger gleaming in a hundred eyes. She inhaled. Exhaled. Then lowered the Crown of Thorns onto her brow. For a single heartbeat, nothing happened. And then, Pain. White-hot. A thorn pierced her scalp. Another. Then a third, digging deep into the base of her skull. Blood welled along her temples, trickling in twin rivers past her cheeks.

I gasped as the thorn pierced deep into my hand. Blood spurted, dripping down my wrist. I pulled, but it was as though the thorn had grown into my flesh, embedding itself deeper the more I tried. Pain shot through my arm until my vision blurred. Suddenly, I heard a voice. It was too raw, harsh. It shook the mountain itself. “Who dares?” My heart racing as I turned, trying to see who had spoken, but before I could, something struck me hard across the back. My body flew.

Thorns grew from the petals of roses around, forming a spiral shape. The air, husky and aggressive. Lana, clothed in white linen that stopped around her knees, barefoot walked the straight path to where she could see brightness. Jerked out of her trance, she whined in pain, reaching for her feet. They were bleeding, having been pricked countless times by the thorns on the path she wasn't conscious of.

They were being bled again, not for a debt, but for sport. I fell to my knees, my forehead pressed against the iron bars. I could hear Kai roaring my name between his screams, a sound of such feral, desperate love that it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. "Hold on," I sobbed, my voice lost in the stones. "Please, just hold on." Thorne thought he had me. He thought he had won. He thought that by breaking the men I loved, he would make me crawl. He was wrong.

All I could really feel in this expanse of thorns was pain. That was bearable. I was used to pain. It’s been my companion longer than I can remember. Pain I can bear. Vera was still crouched in front of me, her creepy smile etched on her face. Taking a moment to steady myself, I gathered all of the strength I could muster and immediately threw my hand out, gritting my teeth as the thorns tore through my skin all the way until they were out. Catching her by the side of the head, I pulled with all of my power and slammed her face-first into the thorns.