Separated From One Another

Chapter Five: Strings of Fate

Warning: Torture

You had been on King Cold's ship for several months working as a ship hand, now that you thought about it your birthday had probably already passed by. Your lips turned down at the thought, of yet another year away from home. That freedom you felt, planet-hopping with your crew, and committing intergalactic felonies; that freedom was gone. Ripped away from you with a single click of a shackle, and there was nothing you could feasibly do about it.

You glared at your feet as you shuffled along, your arms aching at the weight of the box you carried. There was no break for your sore muscles, only an endless cycle of sleep, barely enough food, and work. What you would not do to at least catch a glimpse of Finë, just to make sure they were still alive. Images of Bay and Chavs plagued your mind, in your dreams they screamed at you for not saving them. You always begged for forgiveness they would not give.

A sharp pain in your toe tore you from your thoughts, you were sent sprawling across the ground with a grunt. The pain in your back flared up again, they only allowed you to be inside of the healing tank long enough to scab over your wounds. Nearly every day the cuts would be reopened because you messed up one way or another. Now you had once again messed up, and would face the punishment.

No words were spoken as you were once again chained to the flogging post, no one else got beaten nearly as much as you did. The head guard did not waste a moment before she started whipping you, reopening the wounds on your back. Your head spun with every crack of the whip, already you could feel her start to slow down with your punishment.

"Is that all you got?" You goaded, pushing her buttons.

"Insolent brat," The head guard bellowed, striking you with the whip in rapid succession. Finally, you were about to be freed, the edges of your vision grew darker as the beating continued.

"What is the meaning of this?" A strange voice spoke, and every movement inside the room stilled.

"Your Lordship," The head guard spoke quickly, fumbling over her words, "I am merely beating this prisoner for its insolence."

A single pair of footsteps approached from behind, "If I remember correctly your position is to merely dole out punishment, not execution."

"I would nev—"

"Lying to me is a federal offense, need I remind you?"

"My apologies your Lordship, I simply got carried away."

The apparent Lord hummed to himself before responding, "For your lack of care I am demoting you back to a regular guard for the foreseeable future."

Her voice dropped as she seethed, "Of course, your Lordship."

"Good, I will be taking everything from here onward."

You blinked when the chains holding you upright disappeared, a ki blast going straight through the metal post. Without the chain keeping you upright you began to fall, your body weakened from the months of torture. A hand fell on your clothed shoulder keeping you upright, you tiled your head up to look at the person.

Now that you could see the Lord you recognised him, or at least parts of him. It was the same person you saw all those months ago after your first visit to the medical wing. Although this time around he was pieced together with plates of metal, if anything he was more circuits than Frost Demon. Plates of metal seamlessly integrated with his body, and visible circuits pulsed beneath the artificial covering.

His hand left your shoulder once you steadied yourself, and you watched as he started walking away. You tilted your head curiously when he turned to look at you, heat grew in your cheeks once you realized you were supposed to follow. Hastily you moved to catch up to him, stumbling over your aching feet. Each step you took was a struggle against the ever-present weakness from months of torture.

It took a moment for you to realize he was taking you to the medical ward, which was probably a good thing since you were still woozy from the blood loss. Your back was still slick with blood from new and reopened wounds. You were barely standing when you reached the medical ward, by the time you were placed in the healing pod, the Lord was long gone.