The Species of Power [Draft 1]

Chapter 26

Ruth crash-landed into a crowded room full of strange people. They were all half naked and incredibly intoxicated. A few of them stopped and turned to look at her, but moments later they resumed drinking and dancing to the loud booming music; grinding together in the darkness of the room. Ruth's vision was blurred, and she felt sick to her stomach. She had difficulty gaining her senses. With everything she had she tried to push herself up, but she couldn't summon the strength. A strong hand snatched her arm and pulled her up; they weren't planning on loosening their grip. Physically, Ruth was like a rag doll. Tightening her muscles was out of the question. 

"How kind of you to join the party," said a sinister voice. Ruth almost didn't hear them due to the music blaring in her ears and the shouts of the guests. Ruth's vision was slowly coming back to her. It took her a while to figure out how to even respond. The strong hand jerked her closer, so close that Ruth could smell the stench of alcohol on her speaker's breath. "Aren't you going to say hello?" Another hand snatched her chin and pulled it upward so she couldn't hide her face.

"Hello Joseph," Ruth said. Joseph's lips curved into a wicked smirk. He pushed her on the floor and worked his way through the crowd towards his bedroom. Ruth knew this place, hell she lived in it for almost a year. Ruth tried to crawl towards the exit, but she made little progress when Joseph returned. With him, he carried a dining chair in one hand and chains in the other. He placed the chair and sat Ruth in it. He grabbed her wrists, wrapped them around the back of the chair, and chained them together. He finished by chaining her ankles to the legs of the chair.

"This was almost too easy," Joseph said. His usual smooth and precise voice was robbed by the liquor. "I waited for you, so now you're going to have to wait for me." He reached into his coat pocket and revealed a needle. "But we can't have you in a better state than myself." He stabbed the needle in her arm and disappeared into the crowd. So the bastard was gonna finish his party then turn her in. Fantastic. It didn't take long for Ruth to fall prey to the chemicals in the needle. Ruth was out cold within a minute. 

*               *                *

Mark woke up and his eyes darted open. He sat up straight and tried to collect information of what was going on, but he struggled. He had one thing on his mind: Ruth. He wanted run and find her but his body betrayed him, it was cold and wet and weak from everything that they had been through. It took him a moment to realize that someone's arms were wrapped around him, then he noticed the cries of three frantic girls. He looked down at his hands. He still had the blade, which surprisingly glowed, like how Ruth's blades did when she held them.

As Mark's senses started to return to him he realized it was Margaret who was holding him in silence. Samia and Hero were frantic. Through their tears they asked him question after question. There was no way he could keep up.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" Margaret yelled. Once it was quiet Margaret continued. "Just give him a moment to collect himself, then I'll ask the questions. I don't want to hear a single word from either of you!"

Both girls nodded and Mark started to piece things together. Everything inside his mind was jumbled. He remembered Nev, barely, he remembered the white blinding light, he remembered the look on Ruth's face before they were separated...

"Ruth," said Mark. "She was with me and now she's..."

"Mark," said Margaret. "Just take a deep breath and tell us what happened."

Mark took a few minutes to sort out his memories. After he worked it out in his mind he told them everything, right from when they entered the temple all the way to Nev and the blade.

"Wow," Margaret said.

"Yeah," said Mark. "How did you guys even find our bodies?"

"Out of nowhere you guys floated to the surface," said Margaret. "Hell, we thought you were dead. We grabbed your bodies and tried to revive you but you guys wouldn't budge. Then you woke up and out of nowhere a blade appeared in your hands."