D E V I N
Pain.
Pain was the first thing that registered in my head as I opened my eyes. The next thing I realized was my arms and legs, able to move on their own again. My vision slowly came back to me, as I took in my surroundings. Everything around me was dark, and cold. The air seemed different, I couldn't explain it. I was in a large room, black covering every inch of it. My heart leaped as I found a door. I thought I was dreaming as it opened without any struggle. I ran out of it, pushing my body as hard as I could. I was running down a dark hallway that never seemed to end. My body collided with something as I fell to the ground. I cried out, as my head slammed into the wall behind me. I titled my head up, meeting the eyes of the body I had collided into.
"You're awake." The voice said.
I blinked, wiping my eyes. They had to be deceiving me. The girl standing in front of me looked as if she was my own twin. My head was pounding as I took in her appearance. The more I looked at her, the more I could see the small differences between us. We were far from identical, but there was no doubt in my mind she was connected to me.
"F-Freya?"
Her eyes were wide, as she grabbed me by the collar. She knew exactly who I was, I could tell. My only thought was Jax, and how all this time she was alive. All the pain he went through, the death of his parents, all of it could've been prevented.
"Don't call me that."
Her words were harsh as she dragged me back to the room I was in. I was too weak for her as she threw me back into the room, binding the door shut. I screamed, pounding against the door until my arms were bleeding. My voice was cracking as I hit the door until I could no longer move my arms. The world around me was a dizzy mess as I collapsed onto the floor, darkness taking over my body.
~*~
My eyes snapped open as a needle slide into my arm. It roughly pierced underneath my skin, sending a sharp pain through me. I winced, trying to pull away. My arms and legs were binded to a chair, my body weak. Locke was in front of me, drawing my blood.
"Not going for the legs this time?"
My voice dripped with sarcasm and hatred as I looked at him. I could hear the exhaustion from my voice as I tried to sit up in the chair. My body quickly gave out, as I slumped forward. The ropes were pulling at my skin, burning my arms as I struggled in them. Locke let out a small laugh as he shook his head.
"The arm is so much easier. You would've noticed if I went for an obvious place."
I lunged for him, only to be held back by the tight ropes around me. He stepped back, smirking at me as I fought the restraints. I could barely feel my body as my head fell forward. Locke approached me again, leaning his hands on either side of the chair. I turned my head away from him in disgust.
"You are a human weapon."
He stroked my hair as he said this. I jolted back, practically growling at him. His fingers felt like ice against my skin.
"Scared?"
I gasped as Freya came into the room. I pulled at my arms and legs as I looked at her with hope in my eyes. She noticed but didn't do anything as Locke backed away from me. She took the needle out of my arm, collecting the small tubes of blood. I shook my head at her, disbelief in my eyes.
"Jax is alive. He hurts for you. He mourns you every day. You're the love of his life, he's gone mad without you. Please, Freya you're my-"
She slapped me, silencing my words. I gasped, staring at her in pure shock. A tear fell from my eyes as I stared at her in horror. This isn't making any sense. All the stories I heard about her, there has to be an explanation. She isn't the Freya I ever pictured in my head.
"I told you not to call me that."
"I don't understand." My voice was quaking, shaking with every word.
"I'm not her. Not anymore. Freya is dead."
She quickly left, shutting the door behind her. I stared at the door in complete terror, feeling betrayal run through my veins. Any hope I had left in me was burnt to ashes. Locke was still in the room, leaning against the wall. I looked between him and the door.
"Are you guys working together?"
He didn't answer as he paced the room. His boots were loud against the hard floor, echoing in the small room. My hands were slowly slipping from the ropes tied around them. My skin was burning, but I ignored it as I slowly pulled them out. I closed my eyes, as a plan formed in my head.
"I'm glad you finally took me away from Graizen."
I put on my best face as I looked over to Locke with hopeful eyes. He perked up as I said this, slowly walking towards me. I gave him a light smile.
"He was too confusing, he could never decide what he wanted. But, not you."
Locke put his hands on my chair, his face inches from mine. I tried to hide the disgust that was on my face as he pressed his lips against mine. He leaned into it, grabbing my face in his hands. I ripped my hands from the rope, as I twisted his neck in my hands. It cracked, as his body fell into my arms. I cringed as I pushed his body off of me, untying my legs from the chair. My legs ran to the door, quickly opening it with my arms. Freya was waiting outside the door for me, as she grabbed me by the arms.
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
"Oh little Devinthia, your moves are too painfully predictable."
She dragged me down the long hallway until we reached a large room. It had red walls, and bookshelves against each one. There was a bed in the corner that looked untouched. I jumped as I noticed a figure standing in the corner of the room. Aphelia threw me to the floor, as I harshly collided with it. The man slowly turned around to face me, a haunting smile across his face. Locke.
"How did you. . . you were just in the other room I-"
"Save the questions for after, my dear." His voice sounded different. Haunting. Confused was an understatement as to what I was feeling right now. I just escaped him, he was out cold. Unless, I didn't. I stared down at my hands, the hands that seemed to be useless after all. The wicked smile didn't leave his face as his body transformed in front of me. I shook my head, not believing what was in front of my eyes. Locke was no longer Locke. He morphed into a completely different person. He was tall, and thin. He had jet black hair that matched his eyes. His skin was pale, mirroring a ghost.
"I don't understand. W-Who are you?"
"Demerith, my darling."
I slowly backed away from him, horror creeping up my body. No.
"What happened to Locke? Why did you look like him?"
"Locke was never real, my sweet Devinthia. He was a character I created, a vison that fooled you all."
He was in all of our heads? In our city, this entire time. Draining me, gaining power.
"You have me. Now, you at least owe me an explanation."
"Of course, my dear." Demerith approached me, stroking my face. I turned away from him, disgust filling me. "When your father was killed, I followed your siblings to Donum. I simply created Locke, and spent my time gaining everyone's trust there. It wasn't hard, I waltzed right into their city. Little miss Freya met her link and decided to finally be happy. Happiness she didn't deserve. It wasn't hard to send the troops from my city to come collect her. We made sure to snap her neck right in front of everyone to see."
"She came back." I cut in, as Demerith gently nodded his head. "She's gifted, isn't she?"
"That she is, and I had to stay in Donum to find out why. I simply had my Principis hold her prisoner here. It took months of torture and mind compulsion to make her stop loving Jax. But, eventually she did. I would travel in and out of Donum as I pleased, without notice of anyone, might I add. Your link isn't as smart as he thinks he is." A wild smirk appeared on his face. I shot him an evil glare.
"Then, they found you. I made sure Graizen and Jax would bring you to Donum, and they did. You can thank me for that little car accident. Little did they know they brought you right into my arms. I started draining you the first night you slept in Donum. I was growing every day."
"How?" I spat out. "How were you able to put up your facade for so long? You had everyone fooled."
"It became such a fun game to me. Henrick was the first to figure it out, he caught me slipping into your room. So, I had to kill him. No skin off my back, he didn't even put up a fight."
"You're sick." I cried out. "You're going to rot in hell."
"Oh darling, you're just mad you and your friends never put it together."
"Why wait? Why wait to bring me here all this time?"
"I was having too much fun with it all, my darling. Part of me thought I could stay Locke forever, and take the title of Rex from Graizen. But you ruined that. I figured it was finally time to bring you here, where all of my troops can drain you each day. Once they've drained every last bit of you, Donum will be as dead as your link is about to be."
I screamed as I launched after him. He simply waved his hand, sending me flying to the ground. My head crashed onto the stone floor, sending pain up my entire body. I cried out as I tried to sit up from the ground. My eyes landed on Freya, who was staring at me with no emotion on her face.
"You're gifted." I quickly said to her. "You're my sister. You have to fight, Freya. Not just for me. For Ryker. For Rayner. For Jax."
Her eyes shifted as I said Jax's name. For a split second, a saw a wave of emotions pass over her. Then, in an instant, it was gone. It went away as quickly as it came as I stared into her lifeless eyes. Demerith approached me, yanking me up from the ground by my hair. I screamed out, pain shooting up my body as he dragged me across the room. My heart stopped as banging loudly filled the air. The noise was coming from the other side of the room, as I heard yelling. I lost all of my breath as I recognized the strained voice.
Graizen.
Demerith pulled me to him, holding me by the neck as the doors caved in. A fuming Graizen emerged from the debris as his silver eyes landed on me. A cry escaped my lips as I reached for him, unable to escape Demerith's deathly grasp. Graizen's eyes were crazed as he saw Demerith's hands around my neck. I could feel Graizen's rage pound against my skull.
"I was wondering when you would show up." Demerith said from behind me.
His grip on my neck tightened as I gasped for air. Graizen hesitantly took a step towards me. The anger running through him was enough to make my vision blur. I could feel the link between us, the air between us begging to disappear.
"You are dead. Remove your hands from her before I end you."
Graizen's words were scarily calm as his eyes didn't leave Demerith. A tear fell from my eyes as his silver eyes fell back on me. Broken. He looked absolutely broken as he shakily wiped a hand through his hair. I closed my eyes, mouthing an I love you to him.
"Graizen!"
I cried out as Freya stabbed a blade into his chest, holding his arms behind his back. I closed my eyes as pain rocketed through my body. I shook my head as pure agony overtook Graizen's features, as Freya brought him in front of me. My knees buckled as Demerith held me up. Graizen's silver eyes fell on me.
"I was going to let him die in battle with his city, but this is even better. Why not die while his link watches?" Demerith whispered into my ear as I fought wildly against him. I screamed out as I felt blood pour from my neck.
"Please. I'll do anything. Anything. Let him live. Let him go and I'll let every one of your fighters drain me."
I pleaded, fighting against him with all the strength I had left. My body was on fire, pain running through every inch of me. Tears were spilling from me as I stared into Graizen's eyes.
"It's okay, Thia." Graizen whispered softly to me, tears falling from his eyes. He was losing his strength, as blood continued to pour out of him. "We're linked, remember? Once I die, you'll absorb my strength. You'll be stronger than ever, you can fight this."
A sob escaped me as I shook my head.
"N-No. If I lose you, I-I can't go on. Don't let them do this. Don't give up, Graizen. Fight. Fight for me!"
Demerith chest laughed, as he clenched his arms around me.
"This is even better. You completed the linking process. So, when you die, they'll be even more power to drain from her. My army will be unstoppable."
I was uncontrollably sobbing at this point, trying my hardest to reach for Graizen. I wanted nothing more than to escape into our world, be back in those moments we had before this. The time we've been together seems too short for the amount of love I have for him.
"I love you, Devinthia. I-I'm sorry I couldn't save you."
I shook my head as my entire body was a trembling mess. Everything around me was crashing, falling apart as I stared into my silver eyes. All of this was for me, to protect me. He was going to die, just to try to save my life one last time. I closed my eyes as memories flashed in my head. From the moment I met Graizen, I knew my life would never be the same. I knew there was something more between us, but I didn't know the extent of it. I didn't know he was going to make me question every belief and moral I was ever taught. I didn't know I was ever going to find a love that consumes every part of me. This isn't how this ends.
I know exactly what I have to do.
"Kill him, Freya. I'm getting bored." Demerith commanded.
"Wait!" I screeched out, my voice hoarse from crying. "Let me kiss him. Just once more."
Demerith instantly let me go, as he leaned his head down to my ear. "Make it count, my darling. This will be the last time his body will ever have blood flowing through it."
I shivered at his words, backing away from him. My arms instantly collapsed to Graizen, holding his neck to me. Freya didn't let him go, as Graizen leaned his head into my touch. I closed my eyes, letting the world around me disappear, as I pressed my lips to his. Time no longer existed as I let myself escape into our world. I had never experienced so much passion, so much euphoria, as our mouths connected. We were both trembling, both a crying mess as I kissed him with everything I had left in me.
"It's my turn to save you." I whispered into his ear as I disconnected our bodies. It was unexplainable the amount of loss that ran through me as I pulled away from my link. His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion at my words. I took a deep breath as I pulled the knife from his chest, piecing it deep into mine. The pain that ran through my body was nothing compared to the relief that filled me as I watched Graizen's chest begin to heal.
"No!" He cried out, following me to the ground. His fierce yell was the only sound that rang through my ears as I felt blood pour from my chest. Everything around me wilted away into darkness as I felt Graizen's arms around me. The last thing I heard were his deep sobs as darkness replaced the world around me.