The Seed of Hope

Chapter 32: Stone Body, Cotton Heart

Valac escorted Yenziel and Ariel out of the throne room and down a long hallway. Purple flame torches lined the hallway as the walls became more and more rugged. They stopped at the end where a giant iron door waited in the darkness. It smelt of sulfur and blood. Valac opened the door to reveal a vast room lined completely with cells and iron bars. It was eerily quiet as most prisoners were mentally broken or dead. It was damp and humid. Yenziel thought of Katerina and how she could be kept in such a place. It pained him to think that.

Ariel's holy glow was fading but was just enough to stir some of the monstrosities that were locked up.

"We have to hurry before they cause a riot."- Valac hurried her pace.

They came to a set of cells in the far back of the giant room, one was dimly glowing from within.

-"Hurry, I'll stay and watch."- Valac motioned Yenziel to the cell on the right.

-"Valac, thank you."-

Valac turned her head and scoffed, slightly embarrassed.

He approached the cell to see Kate laying on the wet floor, her eyes half-lidded and glossy. Her hair and clothes were wet and dirty. He also noticed that she was shackled at her wrists and was gagged with a dirty cloth. Her whimpers were faint but clear enough for Yenziel to hear in the dead silence around them.

-"Katerina..."- He called out.

Kate recognized the voice and jolted up. Slightly confused at first she opened and closed her eyes repeatedly as she began breathing erratically.

-"Shh, shh, it's okay! We're here now."- Yenziel tried calming her down as she began to cry.

Kate noticed Ariel in Yenziel's arms.

-"I need you to help her, Katerina. Please..."-

Kate made a noise and showed a shocked expression.

-"I saw what you can do and you have the same healing power as Ariel, please help her before she—"- He trails off at the thought.

Kate sits down and crosses her legs and slightly frowns. Ariel attacked her, she tried to kill her. Just a few hours ago Kate blasted her Divine Beam at her, they were both fierce and angry. Kate didn't want to fight her but that didn't mean she wanted to heal her. Not after what she did. But the fact that it was Yenziel who was begging her, made her heart sink. Kate stretched her arms toward the iron bars but was stopped by the length. The chains were attached to the far back wall and Kate was in the middle. Still pretty far from the entry.

Yenziel turned to Valac. -"She can't reach us, do you think we can go in there?"-

Valac sighed and unlocked the cell, the loud clunking noise from the iron dragged on the wet stone floor.

-"Thank you, Valac, really!"-

Yenziel walked in with Ariel and kneeled before Kate. They towered over her but she still scooted over to Yenziel and pressed her forehead against his arm.

Yenziel lifted her head and took the cloth out of her mouth.

-"I thought...you were a goner."- Kate whispered to Yenziel.

-"So did I...I thought God was going to kill me; but enough about me, Ariel is dying, she tried her hardest to heal herself but used up all her strength. She ended up extending her life just a tad bit but, it's almost to its end. Please, Katerina, help her."-

Kate looked at Ariel's wound. -"To be honest, I healed before but not on command, it just happens."-

-"Just try, please."- Yenziel lay Ariel in front of Kate. -"My hands..."- Kate whispered.

Yenziel noticed Kate's hands were shackled behind her. He turned to Valac who was standing in the entrance, ominously staring at them.

-"No..."-

Yenziel turned back to Kate. -"Can you try without your hands?"-

Kate sighed as she leaned over the wound and stared at it. For a couple of seconds, nothing.