Star Wars: Tears of Fire (Book II)

Chapter 32 - Into the Void

Jolis...Jolis...

From within the prisoner containment unit, Jolis heard his name being called. Initially unsure if the sound was coming from within his own consciousness or from an external source, he tried his best to recount the previous events which led to his current situation but over and over again, his mind betrayed him.

Slowly opening his eyes, his blurred vision was a mix of spinning and whirling in various directions. The dizzying effect was sickening even as his body was numb in several places while a blazing internal heat seemed to have a burning effect on others.

Rapidly blinking, Jolis allowed his eyesight to adjust to at least a somewhat discernible level. In front of him, he saw Decius staring into the viewport of the containment unit; a smug grin on his face as he tapped on the small window at Jolis.

"I'd hoped you hadn't faded off just yet," Decius mocked. "Before you get too settled in, there's something I wanted you to see."

Stepping along side the containment unit, Decius activated the lift components which caused the unit to rise off the ground.

Decius grabbed onto the side and began to move the entire unit closer to the viewport at the rear of the ship.

"You are but one man, Jolis," uttered Decius as he walked, the containment unit at his side. "You command no armies and those closest to you scatter like animals once their loyalty is tested. You are a rogue; a wild beast needing to either be tamed or put down."

Seeming to slip in and out of consciousness, Jolis could hear the words from Decius but wasn't truly able to comprehend them.

That is, until the containment unit came to a stop at the rear viewport of the ship.

Looking out, Jolis was met with the full sight of Atophis from high above the surface. The various shades of green and blue were accented by the numerous mountain ranges and streaks of cloud which stretched across the planet. From this vantage point, Jolis could make out key features such as the vast salt plains and the eastern wastelands. Even in his current state of mind, the sight was beautiful to behold as Jolis' heart felt the briefest moment of peace.

As his eyes continued to adjust, however, bright spots of orange and red could be seen on the planet's surface. More and more, the colors began to change as a terrible fear began to strangle Jolis from within.

Fear gripped Jolis' heart as a sudden sense of panic took hold. Shaking his head rapidly, his eyes adjusted and were suddenly met with the sight of his world engulfed in flames.

No.

Jolis uttered the word but he wasn't even sure if it had come out clearly or not. Trying to free himself, he suddenly became aware of the metal restraints which held his arms and legs in place within the confined space of the containment unit. It seemed that the more he struggled, the more he felt foreign chemicals entering his body.

Even so, the warm tears which fell from his eyes told him he was indeed fully comprehending what was unfolding before him.

"Remember what I told you, Jolis," Decius calmly spoke. Turning towards Jolis he uttered, "We are enemies, you and I."

Taking one step closer towards Jolis, Decius leaned in close to the viewport separating he and Jolis.

"You were just a boy when your village was attacked, your mother and father killed before your very eyes. You fled back then, hiding in the woods and trees to escape capture but it was all for naught."

His next words were almost a whisper as they were slowly spoken to Jolis.

"Now, you will watch as your world weeps tears of fire."