Light

14. Tenebrous

I run to the headquarters. I can't teleport and I can't see like I could before. It's night time and everything is dark. But I've been here before, I know where to run. "The headquarters is too far away. You can't make it there in time, Archon," Canopus says to me. I speed up, running as fast as I can. Canopus is right, but the best I can do is try.

I step into the headquarters, flinching as I hear a slamming sound coming from further into it. "Guys!" I yell, unsure if it was them working on the building or what. My steps echo through the hallway, a noise loud enough for them to hear. The sound happens again, then I see a shadow in a doorway. The board room doorway. "Onyx, Onyx, Onyx. Was wondering when I'd see you again."

I make it closer to the headquarters. I'm just now inside the Vega forest. The lightflies seem to be trying to lead me, following me and going in the exact direction that the headquarters is. But they could just be following me. I'm sweating so much. "You're not going to make it Archon," Canopus says again. It's almost like he's trying to keep me from making it there, trying to get me to stop.

I take a step back once I see the figure emerge from the board room. "Eudokeo..." I say under my breath. He looks at me, his face bruised and completely messed up. "Did you miss me?" He clenches a fist, almost ready to charge at me. I'm not ready. "No, Eudo–" He charges at me. I try to move out of the way but it's too late.

I can finally see the headquarters. I'm not too far away now, just a little longer until I get there, until I get to Onyx. I can feel my light pulsing in my body as it tries to restore itself, as I try to restore it. But I'm too weak. The light is too weak to use, to teleport, to save Onyx.

Eudokeo pins me down onto the floor, cracking his knuckles. "I want to do to you what you did to me," he whispers. Eudokeo raises his fist, his eyes never leaving mine. He brings his fist down, letting it collide with my face. He repeats this. Over, and over, and over, and over, and over.

Eudokeo stands up, looking satisfied with what he's done to me. I look up at him, unable to look away. My vision is blurry. I can't use my light. I shouldn't have left Archon. I knew Vega didn't want me to leave yet, but I... Why did I leave? My vision starts to fade to black as Eudokeo crouches back down to me. Then I'm gone.

I'm finally here. At the backside. I push the backdoor open, rushing through the building. I look inside every room. It's too silent in here. Something's off. I can see a flickering light far away, near the front entrance, so I run there. But nothing's here. Just the light. And blood. Where is Onyx?

"Onyx!" I yell out. "Onyx!" My voice is weak and shaky. I can't do anything. "Erah!" I ran out the backside, back to where I saw Erah last, where I woke up last. She has to help, she's the only one that can help. "What would Canopus say? You're so weak," Vega insults me. I know he's right.

My mind is running all over the place. I can't keep my thoughts still as I run, almost tripping over a rock, Onyx is probably scared out of his mind. Or did he even ever make it? Was Canopus lying to me? Is Onyx really safe?

What would Veil think of me when he sees how pathetic I am?

My eye slowly opens. Just one of them. I can feel a cold breeze against my body. I try to sit up, but can't. My body feels numb. I look around, unable to turn my head fully but I can still move my eyes. I'm in a dark room filled with concrete. There's a fan blowing directly at me. I look down and see my body, completely naked. The fan is there just to torture me, I know it.

There's leather straps holding me down onto the ground, looking like they were built into it. They're strapped almost tight enough to make me lose circulation. But besides the fan, I see a door. There's no lock to it, but I know it's deadbolted on the other side. All I can hear is the fan. It's unpleasant. I try to use my light to escape, but it's no use. So I close my eyes.

I can't hear Vega. I can't hear anything but the fan. My body aches and I'm starving. I can see Archon beneath my eyelids, and I try to create a scenario where I'm with him again. But it only makes the situation worse as I start to tear up. I miss him, I miss Erah, I miss my mom. My mom wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for Archon... No.

I can't think like that. I'd be dead if it wasn't for Archon. He got me out of that village, he gave me a purpose. He helped me find love. My thoughts are interrupted by the loud sound of the door unlocking and creaking wide open. I look down, seeing someone walk in. "Oh, you're awake. Just in time," the male figure says. I have no idea who he is.

"Who are you?" I ask, my voice weak. The man pulls a syringe out of his pocket, sliding off the plastic cap. He approaches me, flicking the needle as he squirts out a little bit, getting the bubbles out. "Eudo told me not to reveal anything to you, but you could call me a friend," he grabs my arm and slowly penetrates the crook of it.

I can feel the cold needle penetrating all three layers of my skin and sliding into a vein, thick fluid being shot inside. I try to pull away which just causes me more pain. I'm not numb anymore.