Oh here we go guys... Btw thank you so much for 4K reads!!! I have a goal of getting to 10K in the next month or two! I'm sorry for not updating in so long, I've had also of school projects going on and couldent get to this chapter till now but I'm really exited about this chapter because of the plot twi--
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Nvm you'll just have to read to find out. ;D
Sophie was dead.
Well not yet, but she was pretty sure she was going to be soon.
As soon as they leaped back to the hideout Gethen punched her, hard, in the mouth. She was jerked back to consciousness from the crack that rang through her jaw. She stumbled and slammed the wall, already drained from the fight. She cried out in pain as her ribs jostled and her still bleeding shoulder hit the wall. Blood coated her arm as she crumpled to the ground. She griped her shoulder with one hand and watched warily as Gethen moved closer to her.
"STOP! STOP IT! Please dont hurt her!" Grady shouted desperately. He stumbled around, scrambling to get to her. Alvar punched him and Grady stepped back and adjusted his jaw. A sickening pop had sounded when he finished. Alvar stalked over to Sophie menacingly with a dagger ready. He slashed her hand that was sporting her wounded shoulder.
With a gasp of pain she released it and he roughly grabbed her wrist. She screamed in pain. Everything was on fire. It felt like she was being crushed and ripped apart at the same time. Her flesh tore as Alvar hauled her up and her ribs jostled again, making her double over in pain. Her breath caught through the tears as she remembered the heartbroken faces of her friends. Fintan was the first up followed by Gisela and then Ruy.
"Well that worked really well didn't it!?" Fintan said. he shot Grady a murderous glare. Grady flinched and looked away, not daring to move from his position.
"And yet I think it was a success." Gisela said, massaging her head. "I think we have finally showed Sophie's little friends our threats aren't empty. Why dont you say we show her the same?" Gisela asked with a devious grin.
Fintan, Gethen, and Alvar nodded but Ruy stepped away. "Sorry. I would love to participate but I have a feeling we should set up some... new... rooms for them..." He said with a smirk.
Gisela smiled, "Alright. Get them ready." She said.
Ruy raced down one of the hallways before disappearing into the dark. The dark. Her echos stirred, as if just noticing the fear that was laced through every one of her nerves. A headache started and she tried reaching up to stop it but Alvar jerked her into an uncomfortable position. She winced as all her pain receptors seemed to explode. Her breath caught again, not helping with her headache and panic. Fintan started to pace ominously. He finally looked up at Sophie then Grady and tsked. "How are we going to resolve this? Obviously a proper punishment is in order but how can we make it the worst possible...?" He said.
He stopped after a few more seconds and smiled. Sophie shivered. Goosebumps shot up her arms and spine. Her chest ached and her arm throbbed, the small cuts on her face were quickly forgotten. He slowly circled them with a crazy look in his eyes. "Oh I know..." He said.
Suddenly he lunged at Sophie. He ripped her from Alvar's death grip and set his hands on fire. She screamed as a searing pain crawled up her arms and chest. Flames licked her neck as a white hot pain erupted on her. She felt it all extremely hot, so hot it seemed to become cold. She screamed with her hoarse voice before she crumpled to the ground. When her vision cleared she saw Fintan kneeling above her. he let out a small laugh when she winced. Her arms felt tingly and hot, her nerves shocked from the extreme burns.
He lit his pointer finger on fire and let it dance across his palm. Sophie visibly shrank away but winced and doubled over when pain shook through her again and again. It crashed on her in awful waves, each worse than the last. Grady begged for Fintan to stop. Fintan's head snapped up at this. He pressed his lit finger to her neck. More fire clawed through her, burning away the rest of her determination along with it. Her skin boiled and blistered from the burn. She let out a guttural cry as the pain clouded her senses again.
"OK STOP! STOP PLEASE!" Grady begged. Fintan gave a maniacal grin and stopped. He looked at Sophie's terrified expression. He quickly brushed away her hair and whispered, "Now it his turn..." Her expression changed from fear to worry. Anger started to build up in her as Fintan stood and strolled over to Grady.
"All you two have to do is listen to us... If not..." He continued. As he trailed off again he lunged and Punched Grady with a burning fist. Grady grunted and stumbled, a fist sized burn appeared on his cheek. He stepped back but was stopped by Alvar. Fintan Swung at Grady again with a hard blow to the gut.
No!
Grady doubled over in pain. Fintan continued and summoned a trail of bright orange fire. It burned over to Grady and curled around him. He screamed and fell to the floor in pain.
no no no!!! Tears dripped off Sophie's cheeks as she screamed for him to stop.
They were hurting him...
They were hurting her dad...
Fintan finally stooped the flames. Grady squeezed his eyes shut and clinched his jaw when Fintan started kicking at him. Each crack sent a stab of pain in Sophie heart.
NO!! SHE HAD TO STOP THIS! But she... couldn't...
Her echo roared and thrashed in its prison.
Her headache spiked again. She gasped and her hands shot up to her temples. She squeezed, trying to get rid of the throbbing pain behind her eyes.
That was all she was now. She was consumed in pain, so deep and afraid. It couldent get worse right?
Wrong
Ruy came storming back in with Alina behind him.
Oh no
"Ready?" Gethen asked. His voice made Sophie flinch but she reluctantly nodded and she was hauled up again. Soreness shot up hjer ribs and arms, burning needles pressed on her burns, and a cold throbbing resumed behind her eyes and shoulder. Grady was roughly hauled up as well by Ruy and Alvar. He clinched his teeth through the pain and let out a soft hiss when the grabbed him. Alina snickered and turned down the hall.
They were led through a long dark hallway. Sophie could hardly see straight through the pain, much less focus on things. She tried to memorize where they were going but every time she tried her nerves exploded with a shock of exhaustion and ache that seemed to say HEY PAY MORE ATTENTION TO US!!!
Finally they stopped at a door in the deepest corner and they swung the door open. Sophie slammed the wall as she stumbled in. She quickly cried out as her nerves were struck with what felt like electricity. A web of awful ache and burning twisted around her as she crumple to the ground again. Grady stumbled over to her and crashed to the ground next to her. He curled up around her until they were in a tight embrace.
Gethen stalked over to them and pulled at Sophie hair, snapping her head toward him. She hissed in pain as a pounding ache flew through her head down her neck into her chest. Gtehen made eye contact with her and grinned. She shivered and flinched in fear. "Oh dont worry Sophie... There's worse coming... far, far worse coming..." He said, trailing off ominously. She nodded slightly.
"You wont be disobeying us again will you?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Good. Now you better rest before the physician comes. And if you ever cross me like that again... If either of you do... I will kill your friends. They wont be getting away next time if you dont listen." He said. His words dripped with venom and anger. She could see the disdain in his eyes... The horrible truth crawled up Sophie's throat. He would Hurt her friends because of what she did. She knew he would.
"Let me make myself a little bit more... Clear." He said and lunged for Grady. Grady screamed sad he was yanked into a position that put pressure on his burns. No no no please no... Gethen draged his sword down Grady's arm. Grady screamed as the cold sword cut his flesh. Sophie's vision tunneled. No no no no... Not because of her. It was her fault. Grady was getting hurt because of her...
"STOP!!" She screamed hoarsely. Gethen stopped. Grady was panting from the strain, pain written all over his face. Her fault... "That's right Sophie. And I can do much much worse..." Gethen said, leaving the threat hang in the air. He threw Grady back over to her. Grady curled up next to hurt again and they clung to each other.
Gethen stalked out of the room with a small laugh before closing the door to their dark cell behind him.
Sophie sat there and wondered what would have happened if she never found the lost cities... None of this may have happened.
She felt so helpless and vulnerable...
What good was the POWERFUL PERFECT MOONLARK if she was... Powerless... Unable to do what she was made to do...
She was...
Useless...
Ok guys! There you go! I hope you enjoyed and that you understand it might be awhile till the next chapter. Sorry about that!
Happy reading!
Word count: 1658