Skiels ✔[Complete]

Part 7

It's so dark. My bodily glow has dimmed drastically. My abdomen hurts every time I move. My lungs feel like they are on fire the moment I suspire. I am constantly drifting off to sleep then waking up with a start. Heros is still missing and it's killing me. What have they done to him? How long has he been gone? Where is he? The questions swim around in my head as I gather all my strength up to stand. My legs give out and I fall to my knees, gasping. It hurts so bad. Not able to go further, I lie down and drift off again.

I am pulled up with such force, I think I would lose my arms. I cry out in pain as I am taken somewhere. It's bright. I can hear chatter. I can feel Skiels around me. My hair falls over my face, creating a barrier from all. It feels safe and nice. I feel a little better. The pain is subsiding and I am feeling a bit more energetic. Which means that I am out of the kehes. I am pushed to the clouded ground, but I feel no pain. I'm healing. The hair is pushed back from my face and my head suddenly feels lighter. Something falls around me like rain would. It's black, the colour of my hair and I scream. They cut my hair. They cut my hair. I punch and punch until I hit something hard. Stopping myself, I look up and see that I am punching a wall.

Glancing around, I observe that I am in the place where all Skiels assemble. Everyone is staring straight ahead and I follow their gaze. My breath gets caught in my throat when I see him. He is chained to something that is hidden from my sight. In his hands, lies a weapon. His face-oh no. It's all bloody. He has gashes on them. His lip is swollen and his cheeks are dark red; the colour of dried blood. He has a black eye and he spits out blood. He has a slight limp in his right foot. The Zima holds a whip, made specially by the weapons crafter, Verity. I had watched her make it that day. She had said that it is one of her best works.

I see the Zima's lips move and her eyebrow arch up questionably. Heros mumbles something in reply and she raises her hand and brings the whip down on him. It creates a long gash on his cheek and he falls back. I can almost hear his laboured breaths as he struggles to get up on his feet. I fly to him and help him up. "Say yes, Heros. Please." He slaps me hard across the face and I move back in surprise, but I don't feel any pain. I am too shocked. The Zima laughs.

"Azura, did you have a good nap?" Without waiting for my reply, she hands me the whip. "My hand is getting tired. Why don't you help?" I look at the whip clenched in my hand and then back at her. "Do you think I am joking? I'm not, really. I do need your help." I glare at her. She dismisses it. "That simply won't do! I informed you that if he didn't listen, I would have to torture him."

"Why? Noir has had her share of punishment in the kehes. Let her fade." I sound like I had been screaming in an empty field for a long time. Cries of protests rise up from the Skiels.

"No way! She killed my young ones!"

"She doesn't deserve to fade!"

"This is for the best!"

"Tell that wimp to man up and kill her already! We don't have all day, and neither does she!"

The Zima's eyes harden. "Did you hear? I am doing what's best. I am not evil, Azura. What you did was wrong. You got your punishment. But he would not listen. There is no other way to convince the human."

"Why are you torturing a poor human for that? If he says he won't do it, he won't. Find another way to kill her, if you have to!" My knuckles have turned white because of my grip on the whip. Heros is silently listening. At least, as silent, as he can be.

"There is no other way. We aren't handing her over to the other creatures and there isn't enough time to find another human. We can't even hold the human's hand and make him kill her. He has to do it himself."

"He said he won't do it!" I say through gritted teeth.

"This is your fast pass of getting into the Throng. You succeed, you earn respect. Right now, you aren't going anywhere." She has switched from threats to blackmail. How I wish they were empty and fake. I give Heros a sideways glance and my heart melts. He is looking down at his bare feet, tears marking his face. He is muttering something under his breath. I can't hit him nor can I make him do something he doesn't have the heart to do. The picture of the old, brave Skiel floats into my head.

"I'll do it. I'll say the name..and profession." A collective gasp is heard from the assembly and Heros gives me a weary look. He doesn't know what I'm talking about.

The Zima chuckles. Then she's laughing. "You are so stupid, sacrificing everything for a dumb human. Listen to yourself. You sound pathetic. Just make him kill her. How hard is it? Bring the whip down till he abides. The simplest task till now." I start to cry and drop the whip. She makes a clucking sound and shakes her head. "Truly pathetic." She bends down and picks up the whip. She raises her hand to bring it down on Heros when the Skiels start yelling and screeching. They are all pointing at Noir, who is slowly fading away. First, her legs disappear, then her arms and the shackles binding her fall to the ground with a clang. The floating head of Noir remains and she is staring straight at me. She gives a nod of acknowledgement and mouths 'thank you' before fading away, the wind taking her with it.

A pin drop silence and no one moves. Everyone is in shock. Then slowly they start to comprehend and hatred fills them. They all rush up to the platform, no one bothering to stop them. Suddenly, they are all around me, showering me with punches, slaps, and hits everywhere. I cry harder and try to curl up into a ball. I see Heros trying to move back from a bunch of Skiels who are threatening him, the whip in their hand. The Zima is looking at the shackles on the ground, her eyes burning with rage.

"Stop!" A familiar voice calls out from amongst the crowd. It's grandfather. He makes his way by weaving through. They all move back from me, allowing grandfather to stop beside me. "Oh, Azura," He says and punches me in the face. It stings. I move back as he reaches for my neck, attempting to strangle me. My head hits something and I fall back. My vision darkens and the last thing I hear before I drift off to unconsciousness is Heros bellowing.

***

Thanks, once again, for reading and voting. Special shout out to Meghana234 and Leed21 ,who are literal gems, supporting and encouraging me to write on! CHECK THEIR BOOKS OUT! :)