World of Io

17. The Song

A/N So, later on there's a song... and I've made a little recording of it. I hope it works and I hope you'll listen to it. Adds to the atmosphere. Don't forget to vote and comment if you like the novel ;) // Avy

Vigilante fought to keep still, she fought while she wanted nothing more than to fight, but she knew better. The Sygins were in control, and there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted to cry out in frustration, but what good would it do? Nothing... She forced her breathing to slow, trying to relax, to submit; but real fear crept within her, barely controlled. When she turned her focus from her mind to the world around her she realized that it was quiet. No one spoke, no one was fighting. Confused, she looked around, and saw that all eyes were locked on Milo, and she didn't like it one bit.

He stared back, unmoving.

A decisive voice broke the silence, "We hold your friends Nyx'gaian, you would do best to cooperate."

Vigilante didn't see which one of them that uttered the words, but it didn't matter.

"What do you want?" he answered, irritation lacing his words. Vigilante didn't hear any fear in his voice, but his tense shoulders were a dead giveaway, and that didn't help her to calm down one bit.

"No one walks through this forest without paying us a visit Nyx..." the voice returned, with the last part veiled in contempt.

"We didn't walk," Milo replied, and Vigilante gasped audibly at his response. Why on earth did he have to make it worse? They were already in deep shit.

To her surprise the Sigyns started to laugh.

"I like you Nyx, but you're still coming with us. We have a party tonight you see..."

Finally Vigilante could make out who was talking, not that she looked very different from the other red heads, but still. The woman must have been one of the older ones as her hair was tinged with grey, and her face bore the mark of years passed.

"I don't know if we'll enjoy your idea of a party, but I seem to have no choice. I beg of you to spare the others, then I will come willingly," Milo replied, and his words coiled around her heart. She knew the meaning of them, he would let them use him. No!

She heard her feral scream as if from far away, and blinded by rage she fought herself free. She had nothing to fight with, but she didn't care. They couldn't have him!

-----

The piercing shriek tore at Vito's frayed nerves, throwing him out of his dazed existence. It was a shrill sound, one of desperation. He automatically turned towards it and almost wished he hadn't, it was as if the forest around him turned darker. Fear of a different kind curled in his stomach, not for himself, but for the assassin. Vigilante was clawing her way out from her captors hold. He watched with terror as she showed him a brutality he wasn't expecting, she used her nails, teeth, her knees and elbows, but they were too many. She wouldn't make it. There was no chance... She fell, slumping to the ground as a staff hit the back of her head with a thud that echoed again and again in his ears.

He watched as they dragged her up again, holding her tightly between them.

"This one seems to be one of us, don't you think girls?" the Sigyn's words had the group laughing again. Vito let out a breath, as long as they didn't continue to hit her, he thought.

Perhaps they would be okay, perhaps they would survive. It was a feeble sort of hope, but a straw to hold nonetheless. He knew what Milo had offered, and he wondered why. He could understand why he would want to spare Qumo, but himself? Suddenly it hit him why Vigilante had reacted as she had done. She must have understood as well. He found himself actually feeling sorry for her, not just for her injury, but her feelings. He knew she cared about the tall Nyx, probably more than she let on.