TW: Death, Metions of Genocide, Gore, Metions of Rape
(I will make a summary for this chapter in the next chapter so don't worry if you need to skip this for the preservation of your mental health. I'll see you then :3)
"Welcome to the underground kid!"
I gaped at the size of the underground base. People dressed in all different styles of worn earthy tone clothing sported the same blue and red tattoos of a sword piercing a dainty bare woman in the heart on different parts of their bodies. Their faces lined in blue, red, and yellow body paint as they chatted and did business with one another.
The little boy giggled at my open mouth before running off with some other kids around his age. This...this is paradise. A reminisce of what life could have been if the elites didn't take over. No one was scared or looked as if they were dancing on eggshells. No...there was a smile on everyone's face. Laughter and small talk reigned the area, no one was bound in chains or collars.
Men and women alike were for once...getting along. I was in utter awe as I spun around slowly trying to take in every aspect of this life I had only seen in my dreams.
"Aye, kid. Pick up your jaw. You still haven't met our leader yet. If you're gonna become one of us you will need his approval and the mark of the rebel."
The mark of the rebel? He must be referring to the tattoos. That is the only thing everyone seems to have in common here...well that and their hate for the elites.
I blinked before nodding as I quickly followed him through the underground town of people, markets, and homes. Eventually, we get to the very far end of the base. The noise of the people has long since become distant as we enter this temple-like home.
The man came to a stop before turning to me.
"Welcome to the leader's domain. I won't be able to take you any further than this. Those who want this must go in alone to show their courage and commitment to the rebellion. Those who back down are killed and seen as elite worshippers. I wish you luck, kid."
With that, he tips his head slightly as if he is tipping his hat to me and begins to stroll off. I gulp before looking towards the temple.
"Here goes nothing."
I whisper under my breath before walking into the house. The place was clean and quite homey with warm lighting illuminating the place. It looks more scary outside than the inside. I shake my head before wandering further inside only to be stopped by a voice.
"Who enters my home?"
I jump slightly startled before turning sharply on my heel. Is that-
"Mr. Lovell?"
His eyes widened as he walked towards me. He has aged over the years. His black goatee was now a full-fledged beard with greys showing through. His once slicked-down back black hair was now messy and overgrown. His brown eyes, once bright, have now dimmed with age. Wrinkles caressed his face and his once muscular body has now slightly crumbled as he holds tightly to a cane. The only thing remaining of his young self was the scar gracing his right eye due to Valerie's jealousy.
"Y/n?"
I hesitantly nodded as he slowly made his way to me before collapsing into me and giving me a tight embrace. Although his physical isn't the same his strength hasn't changed a bit. I hug him back before we separate.
"I'm glad you're still alive. Wow, you have grown. I remember when you were but a tot running around with Aimiah, Diara, and Chantel. Now look at you."
He gave a mighty laugh as he patted me on the back with a heavy hand. I nearly fell over with the amount of strength he applied but I still laughed in the end.
"Yes well, I'm no longer a kid. I- I thought you died."
He gave me a sad smile.
"Yes well, it's going to take more than those old hags to take me down. How's your parents? Do they know you are here?"
My smile falls as I think of my parents. That's right he wasn't there when they...passed. He furrows his brow at my saddened face before getting the hint and looking on in worry.
"They- they aren't with us anymore Mr. Lovell...a-and it's all m-my fault."
My voice cracked as I looked down in regret. I feel a large hand resting on my shoulder before I look up.
"Vence. Just call me Vence and I'm sorry about what happened but don't go blaming yourself. No matter if it was your fault or not, they wouldn't have wanted you to beat yourself up like this."
I look up to him with a slow nod. He smiles before giving me a more gentle pat on the back.
"Now what brings you here?"
I opened my mouth only to freeze at the sounds of screams from the town part of the base. Vence looks to the door of his home before scrambling to see what the commotion is about. He pulls open the door only to come face to torso with the one and only Tati.
She looks down at him in disgust before looking towards me. A sparkle of twinkling white stars sparked in her black void eyes as the stars in her hair turned pink.
"I've been looking all over for you. You had us all so worried."
She feigns care as she ducks through the door and levitates past Vence who is frozen in fear. Tati reaches me and places her hand gently on my face. Her long finger strokes my cheek as she cranes my neck up to look at her.
"It can't be...yo-you shouldn't know about this place."
Vence spoke in a shaky voice. Tati's twinkling stars die out as if she's remembering there is more than just me and her in the room. I shook in fear as she stared back at him emotionless without letting go of my face.
"Yes well, you have Tony to thank for that. He was oh so ready to rat you out when it came to saving his own skin. Poor thing. He truly believed Evelyn loved him enough to save him."
Me and Vence froze. Tony....is dead. No that can't be. Although Evelyn isn't the kindest she was shown to have an unhealthy obsession for that man. She couldn't have just gotten bored...could she? Tati sighed as she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
"Alas, mortals are such fools when put in front of a woman. Especially one as godly as we."
With that Tati swiftly grabs Vence before crushing him in her hand slowly. He cried and yelled as his face turned red from the pressure. Tati lifts her upper lip before letting him go. Right as his frail back goes to connect with the floor he evaporates into a black smoke with no trace.
My breath quickens as Tati slowly turns her head towards me.
"Oh don't fret little one...you are in great hands."
With that, black smoke consumes me as Tati's giggles taunt me. I squeezed my eyes shut as the world darkened around me.
Murmurs rang in my ears as I slowly peeled my eyes open only to see a crowd of people....upside down? I look up only to realize that I'm being hanged upside down by my feet. My heart and breath quicken as I slowly understand what had happened. I struggle against the restraints around my wrist as I swing slightly from the chains holding me up.
I hear restrained crying and humming before looking to my side. My eyes widened in horror as every person from the rebellion base along with Vence was restrained naked in small cages. I go to speak but it's drowned out by the crowd of people gazing at us like we were wild animals in need of punishment. A bell rings as the crowd goes silent and the elites show themselves with a smile gracing each of their lips. All but Evelyn sits in their thrones before Evelyn clears her throat.
"We are all gathered here today to watch the execution of a rebellion."
The crowd gasps as they hang on to Evelyn's every word.
"I know, I know. Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that some don't appreciate the way we rule and wish to dethrone us...like that was ever going to be possible. Now that I know some people wish to rebel I have decided to make an example out of these so-called rebels."
The night is filled with silence as we all await what she is to say next.
"For the women, they will be raped and mutilated beyond repair before being stripped of their cleavage and sent to the breeding farms where they will stay for the rest of their miserable lives."
I can hear the rebel woman choke out sobs as their cages get loaded onto a truck. Women in the crowd cheer while others cat calls and whistles while calling dibs. It...it's disgusting. It's funny how we behave like the very men we punish and despise. I clenched my jaw everyone waited for what Evelyn had to say next.
"As for the men...."
Evelyn smiles before picking up Vence's cage. Before opening it and dumping him onto her other hand as if she were opening a mere packet of candy. She grips her thumb and index finger onto his head and holds him up for the crowd to see. He struggles and groans as his skull seems to be getting compressed between her two fingers.
"The men will die a slow and painful death for all to see before having their dead bodies paraded across the streets for all who have missed this to remember."
She yells out with more venom in her voice as Vence shouts in pain. He struggles to remove her freshly sharpened nails from his skull. His blood seeped out as it trailed down his body and dripped onto the floor with some blood staining Evelyn's once pristine white nails.
Evelyn turns towards one of the large torches used to illuminate the stage before holding Vence over the fire. The flames lick at Vence's naked body as he screams in terror. Before he could plead for forgiveness Evelyn used her other thumb and index finger to grab a hold of his unclothed groin before ripping it clean off of his body.
The crowd gasps as they back up in fear while Vence releases a high-pitched scream. Blood leaked from where his manhood once was as tears pooled from his bloodied face. Blisters began to form on his feet and ankles as the fire seemed closer than ever before.
"This is what happens when you disrespect a God!"
At this point, the rebel men were shaking in their cages. Their hope deflated as their leader slowly succumbed to his wounds. Before we knew it Vence's body stilled as he dangled between Evelyn's nails. She scoffs as she releases his body into the fire causing the fire to grow bigger and brighter in hunger. Burning flesh and smoke clouded the starry night as silence reigned the streets.
Evelyn gave a toothy grin as she licked the blood from her painted claws before looking me dead in the eyes.
"I hope my example has finally come across."
I shivered as the crowd of people quickly bowed to their knees. My eyes closed with tears streaming from my face through my hair and to the ground as more screams could be heard throughout the rest of the night. This....this will be a memory that no one will forget....that...that is for certain.