I stood my ground, though the fear swirling inside me made my body tremble and my temperature rise. He smiled at me wickedly and I could see the image begin to blur. I fixated, refusing to slip into an episode. I was the only one now; I had to protect them now.
Jedric drew closer, eyeing me closely and curiously. "You are a strange, sickly little Torian, aren't you?" he questioned, but I remained silent with my hand still pressed against the laser gun inside my jacket. It would be foolish to reveal it so hastily. Whatever I did next, would have to be well planned.
Suddenly, he grabbed my face harshly and turned it to the side. His finger scanned my ear, tapping the bud that allowed me to understand language. A grunt of realization escaped him as he roughly drew my face forward now, peering into my eyes intently before letting out a knowing laugh. He pushed me back harshly and I stumbled to the ground next to Xan. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, but he didn't stir at all. I wished desperately he would. I had never felt so alone.
"I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. You're not a Torian at all," Jedric continued.
I scowled at him as he drew closer and bent down to look at me dead on. "You're that rumored ancient one who escaped! Those fake silver lenses don't fool me."
He stood up straight and grinned to himself. "My master was pleased to hear of a living Torian exposed to X147, but now, an ancient one? This is better than I could have hoped for."
His gaze fell back to me with a menacing glint. "He will be very happy to get his hands on you," he rejoiced, approaching me again.
I hastily stood up and pulled Xan's gun from my jacket and held it towards Jedric with quivering hands, cursing myself for letting my fear be so obvious.
An evil smirk drew across his face like he was feeding off my anxiety.
"What do you think you're gonna do with that?" He snickered.
I tried to hold it still and stop the trembling but the combination of fright and adrenaline only made me shake more.
His eyes drew to the side, looking at a slumped over Xan, passed out on the floor.
"What a pack of fools you all are," he sneered, eyes drawing back to me. "As if you could so easily traipse inside this establishment and I wouldn't see through you in an instant."
He drew closer to me and my hands continued to shake. I could feel the heat rising again, but I forced my mind to stay focused. I was the only one now; I had to protect them now.
He stepped closer now with a strange look in his eyes. "You don't have it in you, do you, you pitiful little human."
A hungry grin drew across his face as the fear swirled stronger inside me like a furious hurricane. His image was beginning to blur, but still I fixated.
He leaned towards me and in my panic, I shot the laser passed him; a warning shot.
He merely laughed. "Do you think you can scare me?" He taunted, a disturbing fury now showing in his eyes. "Go ahead, sweetheart. Take the shot."
My hands trembled. What was he doing?
"Take the shot!" he yelled and I tried to stay focus. It was a trick, it had to be.
"Do it!" He yelled, now lunging for me. My finger drew the trigger in my fright and the laser hit him in the chest just as he grabbed me by the neck and threw me against the wall.
He never even flinched as he pinned me to the wall by my neck and a burning sensation enveloped where he held me.
His face drew close to mine, relishing my panic. "You don't know about Belans, do you?" he laughed. "You can't hurt me. Belans have nearly impenetrable skin, that's how we live in this climate."
The burning intensified and I flailed and whimpered, feeling my own mind blur with this agony.
"And not only that," he continued with a sick chuckle, "We are able to manipulate the temperature of our own skin, so much as to burn whatever we touch."
The pain was excruciating. He looked right into my eyes and though he was close, it was too fuzzy for me to see details. I was on the verge of passing out.
"That includes you," he laughed, finally releasing me and I fell to the ground feeling the piercing burn on my neck.
I stared at my hands, trying to refocus my vision and get a grip of reality. I took a few deep breathes, hoping to calm enough to stop an episode from coming on.
My gaze drew up to Jedric. While unclear, I could still see the smug smirk on his face while he watched my struggle.
"Pathetic," he sneered before tapping his wristband. The door way converted back to the blue forcefield that was there before. "Don't worry, I'll be back for you," he threatened before walking through the door and it returned to steel again.
Sitting on the floor, I looked around me. Xan's laser gun lay next to me. He didn't even find it threatening enough to take it away. I grabbed it and returned it under my jacket even though I knew how powerless I remained.
I looked over at Xan, Neron, and Trish, all passed out of the floor lifelessly. I couldn't even save them. I really was pathetic.
I held my head in my hands. It felt like lava was running through my veins and my skin scorched by the sun. My neck hurt and I didn't even want to imagine what the handprint burn looked like. I wanted to cry, but I felt so hot that the tears probably would have just evaporated. I wanted to fight. I wanted to save them and get us all out of this place, but the reality was I couldn't. There was nothing I could do. I really was a useless human.
Hot tears now began to stream down my cheeks and I found myself sobbing. Had I reached the end? Was this as far as any of us were going to make it? I hated myself for carrying these feelings of doubt, but what hope did I have?
Soft high pitched beeps caught my attention and I looked around, wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Neron?" the muffled voice said.
My gaze drew to Neron now and I noticed a red blinking light on his wristband.
"Neron, can you hear me?" the voice said again and I scrambled over to him.
I grabbed his limp arm and looked at the wristband. With no idea what to do, I tapped the screen hoping for a connection. "Hello?" I begged.
"Aeris?" the voice said and I quickly realized it was Teo.
"Teo? Is that you? Teo we need help!" I pleaded.
"Neron never checked in like he said. I figured something went wrong. Tell me what's happening. Where are you?"
"At the Black Hole," I ran off quickly. "Jedric has us locked in a room in the back. He used some orange gas that made Neron, Trish and Xan pass out. I'm the only conscious one right now. Jedric's coming back soon and I don't know what he's going to do with us. I don't know what to do, Teo."
"Aeris, it's okay," his voice comforted through the wristband. "We are going to get you guys out of there, I promise. Just be strong."
Be strong. That felt like the last thing I could be.
Suddenly the door turned into the blue force field.
"Teo, he's coming back, please hurry!" I whispered urgently before pulling myself away from Neron.
Jedric walked inside followed by three more Belan males. "Here's the cargo," he announced tapping his wristband and a new door appeared on the other side of the room. Two men started to grab Trish and Neron, dragging them toward an exit while the other grabbed Xan. I felt a seething rage inside of me and I ran to the Belan, pounding my fist into his back.
"Don't touch him," I screamed. This blinding rage took over as I realized I had no idea where they were going to take him and what they were going to do to him. I tried to tear his arms off Xan, but suddenly I felt someone yank my hair and throw me backwards.
"That's enough!" Jedric hissed, restraining me tightly. I kicked and flailed against him to get away, but to no avail. He out-powered me in every way.
"Where we takin' 'em, boss?" The Belan dragging Neron asked.
"To the ice caverns," he answered, irritated by my nuisance.
Suddenly, I felt a needle in my neck. My body became heavy and started to go limp as I watched helpless while they dragged Xan away. I was slipping out of Jedric's grasp and my vision began to go black.
"Don't worry, you little brat, you're going there with them," Jedric sneered as I fell to the ground.
"Raeland's waiting for you."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey everyone! Sorry for such a looooooong wait for this update. This was one of those chapters where I knew where it was going, but just couldn't decide how to get there! Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know your thoughts! What do you think about Jedric? And what's going to happen when we meet Raeland? Thanks for reading! :)