Skiels ✔[Complete]

Part 10

I burst out laughing when he shows me his disguise. The shirt is oversized and the hat is covering half his face. The pants are rolled up more than five times and they are still too big for him. "You look hilarious!" I laugh.

"Shut up," he grumbles and looks at my disguise. My hair, which had been chopped off, is pulled back and a sunhat is covering it. My clothes are black and I am wearing sunglasses. I remember the day the Zima had introduced these things in case we needed them on a mission. Not that I had ever used them. "Who are these even meant for? An oversized person whose size is Penta-large?

I chortle. "It was a little too big for grandfather as well."

"Wow."

"Right. The moment we get there, avoid eye contact with everyone. Stay a few feet away from me. I think Verity would be alone right now. Her partner leaves early every day. Take the weapon from her and cut the shackles. Then, I'll teleport us to earth. Okay?"

"Yeah. I don't have another plan..so it's all we have," he smiles.

Touching his arm lightly, I snap my fingers and we are at the entrance of the foyers. It is not a very stable structure, but it hasn't collapsed in years. I step inside, gesturing Heros to follow. The shackles binding us are hidden but they still make noise everytime we move. We are trying our best to reduce it. "It's so hot in here!" He whispers.

"I know! Just....shush!"

A Skiel walks past us, his head lowered. I breathe a sigh of relief the moment he passes us. I turn corners as fast as I can, Heros trudging behind me.

"Hold on!" He exclaims. His bounces of the walls and I worry that someone will find us.

"Heros!" I snap my head back and hiss at him.

"Sorry!" He squeaks. "It's just...you teleported us here...but you flew from the...prison. Why?"

"I....was too weak," I blatantly lied.  I couldn't possibly tell him that I just wanted to hold him and show him what it was like to fly?

"Oh."

Fortunately, no one comes and we quietly make our way to Verity's chambers. She is standing near the fire, tending to something. I hesitate before tapping on her shoulder. She spins around and the words get caught in her throat. I take my hat and sunglasses off and she gasps. "Azura? Did they let you out?"

"Um...no. I just want that weapon. Please, Verity!"

"What?" I push the cloth back and show her the shackles restraining me to Heros. "You snuck out? But...that's impossible! How?"

"Verity! We don't have time. They are going to come after us. They'll come here straight away. The weapon's with you, isn't it?" She agrees. "It's the only weapon that can cut these. No weapon on earth can do this! You know that. I know that and they know that." I glance back at Heros, who has water on his forehead, which I recall is called perspiration. As for me, I am impervious to the heat.

"But...I don't want to get in trouble."

"Then don't give it to me! Show it to me."

She stands still, considering her options. Then, she weakly points on the workbench. I run to it, Heros pulled behind me, and throw open the doors. There lies the weapon, in its black glory. Without wasting time, I give it to Heros, who cuts them in one swift motion. Before they even touch the ground, they vanish into thin air. I sigh, relived and find Heros rubbing his wrist. It has red circular lines on them.

"Do you have that-"

"FOUND THEM!" All three of us look up at the guards. 

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Verity yells and pushes us forward. I look back, betrayal in my eyes.

"I....cannot believe you," I say to her. The guards grip my hands and Heros's, which still hold the weapon. "Run! Heros!" We bolt out, avoiding the guards. Heros is slower than before because of the weight of the weapon. He is also looking terribly exhausted. I suddenly see myself in him. Ordered around, told what to do, constantly being nagged for being different, challenges set. All my life, I had been trying to impress others, the Zima, all to get a place in the Throng. I feel like I hadn't lived till I met Heros. Because of him, I am doing what I wouldn't have dared to before. I feel happier with him around. I feel like he...is my saviour. I understand how broken our place is. I couldn't see it before. I was blind. I felt proud of myself for standing up and fighting, even if I had got tortured for it.              

Our breathing is ragged and we make it out of the foyers. Outside, there are at least a dozen more guards situated so that I cannot run or fly out. I consider teleporting, but just as I reach for Heros, the Zima appears beside me and pushes me to the ground. Heros squeaks and jumps back as she glares at me. I have never seen her this angry before. I cower in fear and try to move away, but she pulls me up by my hair. "You-I--" She is so enraged, she is having trouble forming proper sentences.

"It hurt!" I spat at her. "What you did was not right! I had done nothing wrong! Noir was tortured, she got her punishment anyways! If he was reluctant to do it, who am I, who are we, to force him?"

She glares at me. If looks could kill, I would be burning in hell by now. I want to run and teleport, but that would leave Heros here to die. I cannot do that. He....was something else. I see the guards coming to us from the foyers, Verity behind them. She is stoic, but her eyes are asking for forgiveness.

"Verity! Take Heros away from here! Please! Find him and I-" My words are eaten up by my surprised gasp. A searing pain starts from my lower back and takes over my body. I turn my head and see Heros, a determined face and his hand raised as if he were throwing a weapon. I collapse face-first and hyperventilate. This pain is so much worse and is it really caused by Heros? I hear screams and shouts, but only one stands out. Heros's. He is yelling my name over and over, like a chant. His voice is getting closer. Suddenly, the weapon is yanked out from my back and the pain spreads. I can't breathe properly. And it hurts so bad, I can't....

"PLEASE! HEAL, AZURA! GET WATER, SOMEONE! DO SOMETHING!" He has still not reached me and I close my eyes. A fatal mistake it was. One should never attempt to throw a weapon if one did not possess the proper skills. What have you done Heros? My life flashes before my eyes. It's too late now. I see myself as a young Skiel, jumping up and down, my mother holding my arm. I see myself learning in the little cave they had built. I see Verity...the white hair. She was my first friend. I see myself in my grandfather's arms, crying and calling for my grandmother and mother to come back. I see myself doing missions to please the Zima and everyone else. I see Noir and the kehes...my home, and all the hearts and at last, I see Heros laughing. Had I seen him do that? Or did I imagine it? I realize that I have created a ripple in our Realm. I fought against the Zima. Something no one had dared to do in years. I feel pride in knowing that my life wasn't completely useless.

Someone grips my hand. It's sweaty but I realize it's Heros. Why did I think it would be Verity? She didn't even feel anything. "NO! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! NO! No! Please, god no!" He starts praying in his language.

"Heros," I rasp. "It's not safe. Verity will take you away from here." I hope. I want him to escape, I want him to be safe. Darkness envelopes me as I hear him wailing. 

"No! My house, Azura. Please! Don't die on me. Please! GOD, FORGIVE ME! Look, I'll take you to my house! We would have fun!" A smile rests on my lips. I want to hold on, so badly....but I can't.

"I'd like that very much," I manage. I feel myself drifting away from everything. I no longer feel the pain. I feel...nothing.

***

Dedicated to  @SmolSpaceGem for reading, commenting and voting!