The Book of Gemma VOL. 2

36: WIN LOSE PRISON

The guards begin to push us towards the cave but halt the lizard and cyclops, I whip back to them as they are placed on their knees, guns pushed against their head.

"No!" I scream, elbowing the guard next to me and running to their side.

"They still climbed the wall! They still climbed the wall!"

The other prisoners halt what they are doing and stare at them as I take my shackles and wrap them around one of the guns. I twist my leg backwards and kick the other gun from the cyclops temple. The guards fall backwards and I leap after one, twisting my chains around his neck and pulling until I hear it snap. I summersalt to the next and grip my thighs around the others neck, helmet popping off and rip his head from his body. The other guards come charging towards me and I throw the head to them.

"Enough! They climbed the wall! They passed your stupid test! Punish me for helping! Not them!"

I beg. Surrendering myself in front of them and they waste no time to beat me senseless in front of the others. The lizard cried out to me, "No! Please stop!" But they paid no attention to him, kicking in my ribs and lashing my face. Silver blood gushing from my cheekbone and the lash across the bridge of my nose.

The guards relatch the cyclops and lizards chain to the line, telling them they get no food for the day and must finish out their shifts with the rest. A guard grabs the chain from the shackle on my ankle and drags me to the cave, throwing my body into it and leaving me to bleed all over the dirt ground.

I couldn't even speak, labored breathing as my vision blurs, staring out of the cave as the prisoners in the line pass by. My eyes finally shut as my body tries to heal the wounds, taking me to a dream.

TRITON:

"She... she is carrying a lizard and a cyclops on her back as she scales the wall."

Cane tells all of us, hands clasped as he sits at the wooden table, eyes tightly shut as he tries to focus. He has found a mind he could stroll through on Paradise, it took him days to find a crack in one of the guards minds. Gemini's mind is far too shut tight to see into.

I sit across from him, writing down everything he relays. I didn't need to but keeping track of everything, every detail that could help us figure out her plan felt needed.

Gemini has been gone for a couple of days now, all of us stir crazy as we fiddle our thumbs, waiting for anything Gemini could give us to come rescue her. Did she indeed have a plan to get information and flee from that cage? Or has she realized that she is in way over her head with that pendant in her chest? Did she already know the way out? Or did she wait for us to come save her? The questions leave me working all night, staring up at the ceiling and going mad.

"She has made it to the top.. The guards don't look too happy to see the crowds gathering before her.. She is showing them hope that they don't need to fight alone.. Something Vyx would not approve. They.. Oh God's they have guns to the heads of the creatures she saved.. She-" He pounds his fist on the table, Tori startled to the right of him. "She what?" I ask, worry in my voice.

He continues, veins starting to pop through his temple. "She snapped the guard's neck to protect the creatures.. They are-.. Beating her to a bloody pulp in front of everyone-"

His jaw clenched as he sees the images but then a smile tugs at his face, "She is looking at the creatures she saved.. She's smiling."

My heart begins to slow, "Will she be okay?"

Cane nods to me, finally opening his eyes, "Yes, that tree creature from earlier is sitting beside her."

I hear Lib behind me, "Thank the stars." She breathes, finally unclenching her chest. Tori rubs Cane's back as he tries to shake off the headache that creeps in from the strain of power. Aries pats my shoulder, "Come on, it's time to ready dinner for the soldiers."