The Girl With The Crimson Eyes

37: Purgatory

Zeo

Zeo hopped out of the car, a numb sensation traveling throughout his body. The burn across his chest was fading, and his arms and legs twitched as every muscle regenerated. He glanced around, witnessing total darkness, except for the scarlet glow of a full moon rising behind the shadows of the forest.

Ronner stretched his arm and cracked his neck. An eyepatch covered half of his face, hiding his gloomy expression.

"We'll continue on foot," Ronner said as he opened the trunk of his car. Zeo nodded, gazing into the mountain forest ahead of them. "You might need this." Ronner walked up to Zeo and shoved a shotgun into his hands. "Aim for the chest for a more effective shot."

Zeo gripped the weapon and fastened a leather strap around his torso, holding the shotgun tightly against his back.

Ronner grabbed a couple of Kevlar vests and tossed one at Zeo. Finally, he whispered something to the driver and the doctors, who nodded and bowed to him. They remained by the car while Ronner gestured at Zeo to follow him into their chosen fate.

Before taking the first step, Zeo lifted his eyes at the sky for a moment. The stars stared back at him, and the breeze caressed his hair.

That night, the boy would turn into a man.

Climbing down a slope, they left the road and broke into the forest. Only shy moonbeams seeping through thick canopies guided them through the darkness. Ronner had left all his electronic devices behind, fearing his enemies would be able to detect radio signals. However, Brisa's location seemed burned into his memory. Despite his feelings, Zeo had to trust the man who had caused them so much pain.

After one hour of fighting their way through unwelcoming vegetation, the forest opened, and the trees became scarcer, slowly replaced by short, thorny bushes. The terrain took a steep fall into a hill, and the soil turned into sand and rocks, making the ground slippery. Zeo balanced himself not to roll down into the abyss. Ronner went ahead, jumping between rocks with great agility.

Stumbling, Zeo made his way to the bottom of the hill, where grass grew again and dead oaks loomed nearby. Ronner stood still, scanning their surroundings for a while.

"I feel no one, but of course, they're waiting for us," Ronner whispered and crouched to caress the ground. He dug his fingers into the soil and frowned. "Figures. They're not as stupid as they look."

Zeo widened his eyes.

"They choose a place where I can't take full advantage of my powers. I can't conduct electricity through this dry, soft terrain."

Zeo scrutinized the landscape ahead. An endless plain faded into the mountains, an open field where they would be easy targets.

"Ronner, were you trying to use your electricity to attack them by surprise?"

Ronner chuckled. "No, kiddo. I was gonna use my magnetic field to detect their presence. All living beings emit radiation, and my body can react to it, but in order to do so, I need to use the ground as a conductor."

"We need to get closer," Zeo suggested.

"No. That's what they want from us." Ronner caressed his chin, glancing left and right. "Your skill could come in handy now, though."

"What can I do?"

"I told you, you can control Air."

"Yeah." Zeo twisted his lips. "But I have no idea how."

"I'm sure you can feel the vibrations in the air. Close your eyes, and try to perceive the changes in the atmosphere." Zeo let out a sigh of frustration. Ronner rolled his eyes and leaned closer. "Aren't you smart, kiddo? Plus, you know Remnya better than anyone. You know how her body reacts to the air. Maybe not directly, but unconsciously, your brain and vectors know it."