Humbled ((Undertaker X Reader))

Act Twenty-One: Fear

I truly found it on the bookshelf, I could easily recognize it! That dreary wedding day would be burned into my mind for a long time to come, I couldn't forget seeing the book in his hands.
I tucked the bookmark between the pages and grabbed a sweater for which I could pocket the grave gun.
As I ran for the door, it suddenly slammed open, forcing me to halt in my tracks before I ran into the dark, looming shadow in the doorway.
I didn't have time to react when a hand reached down and harshly grabbed my arm.
The bright light of the outside faded, allowing Nicholas to fade into view.
No, that wasn't possible! How?!

He glared me down without an expression to note before turning behind him,
"Go, you have your orders."
I tried to pull away, holding the book close to my chest still, but his strength easily overpowered mine and I was forced back into the room. When he released, my back hit against one of the coffins along the wall, and the grave gun fell from my pocket, shattering upon the floor as delicate as it was.

Servants and guards rushed into the shop like an angry swarm. No matter how loud my pleading voice cried out, they ignored my attempts.
With my very eyes, I could only watch as the parlor was upturned in front of me.
Damn it, I was so useless! So weak!

I moved without thinking, reaching out to one of the guards passing me as though grabbing a hold of one would stop the needless destruction, but Nicholas was right there to push me back once more,
"Did you think it was over? I have the money and power to do anything I please. A weekend behind a few wretched prison bars wouldn't stop me from finding you. I should've expected you'd be here, where's the man?"

The man... How horrible could he be?
How did he get out so soon? Even a noble couldn't have paid their way out of a serial killing case so quickly! Did he come right here, how did he find me?
My thoughts suddenly flashed back to that mysterious girl and her words. No... She couldn't have possibly been hired to make sure I was here before running in? So then running into William had to have been a coincidence, and Nicholas had no idea The Undertaker was gone!
No chance would I inform him of that though. Nicholas had already seen the reaper's power, he would be a fool to hurt me while assuming I was under his protection. How would I get out of this before he found out though?
This feeling deep in my gut was familiar.
Undoubtedly, it was the feeling that only Nicholas could give me.
The racing of my heart combined with my chest clenching up, and a bile deep in my stomach that effectively made it difficult to breathe.
A feeling that once upon a time, I was accustomed to so well that it was odd to be without it.

Rage.

With so many guards, I couldn't fight back without a plan, even if I might've felt the adrenaline that could push him off.
My feminine hands had held a blade before in a duel, what was it they told me that day? It had been so long ago, that I'd nearly forgotten.
Soma said something about playing into my strengths, and the one thing I had above Nicholas is that I was absolutely, positively sure I hated him more than he could've possibly hated me in this lifetime.
His arm pinned me back, and in turn, I clutched his arm tight, and then tighter, Both hands digging into his forearm as I met his eyes.
Who was more angry?
Who carried more hate?
The man's eyes were glazed and insane, he scarcely appeared all there mentally. Getting outed for your crimes would do that, I was sure.
"Do you plan to kill me today?"
"No," The noble's voice hushed, "Not yet. I still need you, but you already knew that."

A crashing sound thundered from below the floor as the echo of a fallen coffin shook the wooden boards below our feet. It distracted the man long enough for me to force all my anger into a single striking movement.

The church trembled and shook with life, the walls falling apart around the men. The paned glass windows cracked with the threat of shattering, but it was the last thing on either of their minds.
William's scythe retracted, the candles within glistening upon the sharp metal as it withdrew back together. The reaper exhaled in frustration as he fixed his glasses,
"Is this a game to you? I'm not playing tag. It would be less paperwork if you simply returned with me, but I know it wouldn't be that easy. Fight back."
The mortician stood tall once again, carrying only a grin,
"Oh, but I'm having so much fun. Is this what they're teaching at the association these days?"
The taunting clearly ruffled William's feathers, but he kept his composure. Almost admirable considering the number of subtle taunts he'd been told thus far. With only a sigh, the scythe shot out once again like a bullet toward The Undertaker.
As swift as a younger man, he darted to one side once more, but rather than letting it pull away again, he took a tight hold and yanked the gardening prune tool as hard as his strength could manage.
The reaper's long nails dug into his own palms with the pull, but it was enough to take the opposing reaper off his feet and force him into the air. A moment later, William was shot into the back wall of the church, smashing a hole into the back office through the wall.

The sharply dressed man vanished into the smoke for a long moment, and The Undertaker simply watched. Would he stand again?
Could their battle truly be over before he could even take his scythe back? It was unlikely a simple toss would take down a grim reaper at any rate, The Undertaker took more hits than that when he was in active service and stood back up.
Ah, there we go.
As the dust began to settle, the figure slowly began to rise from the rubble, staggering with disorientation. How disappointing. If something so simple could knock him down so easily, it would hardly be a fight! The Undertaker was a legendary reaper by title, but he was rather rusty when it came to direct combat. Not that he couldn't fight, those were skills not so easily forgotten once learned, but it was simply the principle.
Well then, it was time to get serious!
With that room opened it would only be a matter of time before the dust settled and his scythe was noticed. Of all the places he chose to stash it to keep it away from the shop too, it was a shame even the church wasn't reliable. Bodies at the graveyard were already reaped, it felt so perfect at the moment when people were getting too comfortable around the shop.
Before William had a chance to see, The Undertaker charged in and thrust all his weight against the other man.

There was one thing he had an advantage of above other reapers.
They all wore their spectacles because unfortunately, reapers were ever so prone to terrible eyesight. Yet The Undertaker himself was far beyond the need of such things. He was given them at the association, but he would lose them so easily every time he got a new pair.
It was so formidable to remember where he placed them when they felt so pointless to have. Even at the association, the need for sight wasn't a priority. If a legendary reaper couldn't be efficient without his eyes, then what sort of legend would he be, anyhow?
A sharp grin spread across his pale face as the Satoba piece was plucked from the ground amidst the thick dust cloud, only to whip it around and block an oncoming swipe from below.
William's leg jolted up for a kick to move his enemy away, which The Undertaker did happily. This little tool was all he needed, William was ever so helpful opening that room up. Now it would be an even playing ground, how exciting.

Nicholas staggered off, clearly bewildered from the sudden strike. He caught himself on unsteady legs and wiped his face. It wasn't my intention, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't pleased to see his perfect white gloves stained with the blood of a scratch.
While he was still gathering himself, I plucked the grave gun from the ground. It shattered apart at the fall, making it unlikely to properly shoot, even if it were connected to a cable as intended, but I could still use it.
Firstly, noticing a few of the guards turning my way with a glaring caution.
With a deep inhale, I stood up tall.
I couldn't save the value of the shop from all the armed men, but I just had to save myself, so I could find the person I cared for.

"Sir!"
A guard suddenly ran in from the hallway, his eyes glistening in fear and shock.
The noble was like a rabid animal when he snapped his neck to face him,
"What?" He spat a growl through gritted teeth as he brushed his hair back again, "Did you find him?"

The guard hesitated before hanging his head in defeat,
"No sir, but we might've found something to incriminate him, send him to jail."
Nicholas' eyes lit up curiously, but I felt my heart sink. Was there something like that? The Undertaker said he might not have been a good person, but...
No, I wouldn't think like that, I believed in him!
"It's a body. You... Should see this, sir."
"It's a damned funeral parlor, do you dare say I should see a cloud in the sky as well?" With a hiss, Nicholas turned back to me, only giving me a short glare before looking back to the guard, who looked uncomfortable,
"Of course not, but this body is... Of someone important."

Despite all my rage, my curiosity was piqued. Were we in possession of an important corpse? I did not recall any special arrivals recently.
The nobleman paused for a moment, then finally, his attention was back on me,
"This isn't over. I'm checking it out and you're coming with. Next to me, now."
Was I a bloody dog?
Patience... He was testing it, but I needed to maintain it. I could run now, but he could just as easily catch up. Nicholas didn't look to notice me holding the grave gun, which made it easy to hide back in the pocket of my sweater as I slowly moved to his side.
I just needed a moment to put his guard down. If I got a good hit, maybe it would startle the guards as well and let me flee.

It was the only plan I had, but walking next to Nicholas still felt terrifying. My entire life was wrapped around him, I couldn't escape it and it was almost enough to make me cry. An arranged marriage only on the convenience of birth timing, and now I'm under lock and chain. Or... Have I always been and simply never noticed?
I wanted to continue feeling angry at him, but I was more angry at the situation if anything the moment I stepped to his side. It was too exhausting to hold onto it when my desire to break down was growing. It was easy when I was facing him, but beside him, it was mere fear.
"Now doesn't this feel nostalgic..." Nicholas suddenly began to speak, although I had no intent to speak back, "Man and woman walking down a carpet. None of it had to be complicated, did you truly care that much I was lying with other women? I was never yours like that. I still remember that face you gave me, (Y/N)... It was pathetic. Your parents forgot to tell you the value of a woman's purity, that wasn't my problem. We could've kept having a normal engagement, get married, have an heir. But your mother had the great idea to try to soothe your impulsive tendencies with a job like a mere commoner. Then you went along and gave away your purity to an inhuman beast. You're more vile than I am."

I noticed an eyebrow twitch across his face as he frowned, then flicked his attention to me with a thoughtful carefulness,
"It can be salvaged," He continued, "As long as you're not pregnant, I can still make use of your uterus before you're disposed of. Your parents were going to get in the way, but you're still here to take responsibility."
Heavens, this again?
He had no idea what he was talking about. How convenient he left out the promise of killing me after bearing a child being the primary reason I wanted him dead. Forget what I said to The Undertaker before, I wouldn't use it just to make sure I spite Nicholas and his creepy interest in my uterus. He genuinely had no idea I was still a virgin either, not that it was any of his business, but he could keep believing whatever he wished.
"How..." I finally had to crack a question that was beginning to plague me, "How are you free?"
My words were short and minimal, the least I could conceivably say to the wretch of a man. The noble sighed with annoyance and fixed the cuff of his sleeve,
"I didn't have to pay for my freedom. I just had to pay someone to open the door. Commoners would do anything for a bit of extra sovereign, even lifting a key or two for the stranger whispering from the window. You forget, I know how to get what I want. That includes you. I'm just as stubborn as you are."
So then he broke out, that was... Entirely unsurprising.
The door to the basement was forced open already, barely on the hinges anymore from the men that shoved their way downstairs. I... Didn't think I wanted to go down there.
I was down there all the time, but if it was something The Undertaker was trying to keep private, then it was a secret only he should let me know. Whatever it was, there had to be a reason for it.
Nicholas started down, and I could feel my heart jolt in the panic.
No, I couldn't wait anymore, I had to do it now or I would lose my chance altogether!
The grave gun moved from my pocket, and while he had his back to me, I swung as hard as I could into the noble's head.