The Darkest Place

Dreamwalkers

Hello...long time no see...I'm really sorry. I was super busy with stuff, but this chapter is finally here! I hope it's worth it...
P. S. It's the longest one yet!

Mon-El dreamt he was standing in that field again, like so many times while he was in the future. The red sun shone, the distant shape of Saturn adorning the sky, and the tall plants waved in the breeze.
It was beautiful, but one thing was missing. Kara. As though his thoughts had conjured it, the sun darkened and the field disappeared. Mon-El caught glimpses of horrible creatures with sunken eyes and hungry mouths, screeching like sirens. Dark clouds swirled through the air, and in the center of the storm stood Kara. Mon-El! She tried to yell, but all he heard was the screeching of the creatures surrounding them.
"Kara!" he yelled "Kara!" She reached forward desperately, trying to reach him. He attempted to grasp her hand, their fingers inches apart. Just before they reached each other, the ground rumbled and opened up, and he fell into the chasm, wrenched back into the waking world.
Mon-El looked around wildly, trying to calm his pounding heart. He was safe, in the apartment he'd managed to rent a few weeks ago. There were no screeching creatures or swirling inky clouds.
But Kara was gone too, and that alone made it more of a nightmare than anything his mind could conjure up.

***

Kara's hands couldn't stop shaking. She and Jix-Til had set out almost an hour ago, and no Phantoms had found them. Far from comforting, the fact only drove her insane with dread, waiting for the moment the creatures would strike. To make matters worse, the horrible visions from the Phantoms kept flashing through her mind, a persistent reminder that even if they found out she was alive, her family would probably die trying before they even got close to her. They were truly on their own.
"You said your mother built this place," Jix-Til said, breaking the silence. "And that there's a way out. What exactly are we looking for?"
"I think it's called the Anchor," Kara said, trying to stop her voice from shaking. Obviously Jix-Til was far more used to this place than her, as he seemed much calmer. She continued, "It was a way for the guards to portal in and out without the prisoners escaping."
Her friend frowned. "But we are prisoners, technically."
Kara shook her head. "It'll be easier to explain when we're there. Just trust me, okay?"
Jix-Til nodded. "I do." She smiled in response, then jerked her head as a faint screeching reached her ears. Phantoms. Jix-Til evidently heard it too, as he wasted no time in pulling Kara behind a stalagmite.
Peering around the edge, Kara saw one of the Phantoms seemingly conjure a portal out of thin air and travel through it, disappearing completely.
"Look," she breathed. "How did it do that?"
"Phantoms have the ability to portal anywhere through the Phantom Zone," Jix-Til whispered back.
Kara blinked. "Do you think we could follow them? It would be faster than wandering around aimlessly."
Jix-Til seemed to be debating in his head. "I suppose. We'll have to be careful."
Kara's mouth twitched. "Always am."
Gripping his hand, she sprinted towards the group of ghostly creatures and managed to grab onto the sleeve of the last one just before it disappeared into the portal. It was uncomfortable to say the least, the darkness and silence pressing into Kara from all directions. The brief memory of a small, dark pod and an exploding planet flashed through her mind and she held onto Jix-Til's hand a little tighter. She could have sworn he gave a reassuring squeeze in return.
Just when Kara felt like she was going to suffocate, the black hole they were falling through opened and they were free-falling. The ground rushed up too fast, and before Kara could even attempt to catch herself she slammed into the rocky ground.
The first thing her brain registered was that her leg was probably not supposed to bend that way. Then the pain set in.
Even the time Rhea stabbed her with a kryptonite dagger didn't come close to this. Her leg was on fire, waves of agony emanating from the broken bone.
Kara groaned as her vision grew blurry, trying to fight off the wave of nausea sweeping over her. She heard Jix-Til saying her name, but couldn't focus on his voice.
"Take him."
"No! No! Kara!"
What was happening? Kara opened her eyes. Through a haze of pain she saw an unfamiliar man, roughly dragging Jix-Til away.
"Stop!" she managed to scream. "Let him go!"
"Quiet!" Suddenly a different man was right in front of Kara, leering at her. There was a jagged scar running down the right side of his face, marring his features. "It'll hear you," he hissed.
"Who'll hear me?" she demanded, clutching her leg. "Where are they taking him?"
"Same place we're taking you," he answered, a sadistic gleam in his eyes.
"Don't touch me!" Kara tried to back away, but she couldn't get far. Two of the men grabbed her arms, dragging her after Jix-Til.
Finally, the pain became too much, and she went limp in their hold, sinking back into darkness.