Unstable Loyalties

Chapter 39

"Lightning..." Someone was calling her. She opened her eyes to see Soar. The outline of the founder was pale. 

"Listen carefully, Lightning. I only have so much time. Heed this warning. Something is coming. You must defeat it at all costs. Even if it means you have to kill someone..." Soar's voice faded away as she started to fade, but her eyes were trained on Lightning. 

"At all costs..." Lightning whipped around as her surroundings darkened. She could see... a picture before her. all of them. Including Yorktown. Yorktown faded away first, all of them started fading away, one by one, leaving Lightning alone. And another person appears on the picture. Devastator. And she is holding a knife stained red with blood... 

"No... no... not again..." Lightning whimpered as she tried to turn her gaze away from the picture, but to no avail. Then, she sees the sakura tree, but it is dead now. It's trunk and branches grey, bare. Lightning turns around, her gaze flicking left and right frantically as the darkness closes in on her...

Lightning opened her eyes slowly and she sees the grey walls. Oh, right. She was still here. She sighs. The metal is tight around her wrists, but they are about to give soon. Lightning narrows her eyes as she gazes around. drops of blood are visible on the floor and walls. There was blood everywhere. Bismarck and Yamato are chained up as well, blood, both fresh and dry, visible on their bodies. 

Lightning closed her eyes as she recalled the days passing by. Torture daily, she saw blood everyday, both hers and theirs. Crimson blood. Splattering on the ground, trickling down their skin. Oozing out of their wounds. Everyday, she sees metal. Slicing into her skin, burning metal, pressed against her as more blood flows. Her lips are cracked, so dry. She was given water, but only a little. Barely enough to sustain her. Her limbs felt weak, whatever strength she has is faint, slowly fading away. 

The days blur together. She can't tell night from day. Only if she strains, she can see the sunlight or moonlight filtering in from the tiny window. They suffered so much here. The pain and agony from the torturing, blazing through them. barely awake from day to day, slipping in and out of troubled dreams and unconsciousness. Bismarck was the most injured, still. It pained Lightning so greatly to see the German like this, so weak and helpless. 

The days of freedom seemed over, they had not seen the light of day for what seemed like an eternity. Lightning shook her wrist slightly. The metal cracks just a little. A tiny smile appears on her face, but disappears as soon as she hears footsteps and someone steps in. Devastator. That evil smirk on her face. It haunts Lightning. The Siren hold up a knife and Yamato stirs from her unconsciousness, her eyes opening to see the knife. Her eyes are dull, bleak. The Siren walks over to Lightning, but the carrier keeps still. A small blue flame rages in her eyes as she feels the metal digging into her skin. She gritted her teeth in pain, seeing the blood oozing out. Everyday, it is the same question. 

"Anything to tell me?" Lightning's silence is the only answer. the Siren is furious as she slashes at Lightning, who makes no move to stop her. When Devastator is done, she steps away, admiring her "work". Lightning can feel the blood running down her face, her eyes narrowed as she endures wave after wave of pain. 

Yamato's eyes are dull, but for a moment, fury flashes in them. Then Devastator turns to her. The Siren wiped away the blood, raising the lade and watching it gleam before she presses it into Yamato's skin, drawing blood. Again, she makes cuts and gashes. More blood. Yamato doesn't resist and Devastator moves on to Bismarck, who is awake. She glares at Devastator as the Siren slashes the knife into her skin before finally, Devastator stops. 

A grin grows on her face as she raises her hand, slapping the German, hard. Bismarck's head hits the concrete with a sickening 'crack' and Devastator smiles, leaving. The battleship falls limp and Lightning's eyes widened in horror. She struggles against the chains, feeling them crack and break until at last, she is free. 

She ran over to Yamato, undoing the chains, her fingers trembling. They rush over to Bismarck, slowly freeing the German. Lightning called out Bismarck's name, but receives no reply. Something is wrong. Supporting Bismarck between them, they open the door, Lightning taking out the guard with a quick punch, watching as the Siren falls to the round. 

"Let's go!" she hissed. The both of them go down the corridor as fast as they can, but the Sirens see them and start their pursuit.  Shots are fired, glass breaks around them as Lightning feels shards hit her, one embedding itself in the side of her forehead. She winced in pain, but continued, reaching one of the exits. Signaling Yamato to enter the door, they see the sea below, but Lightning knows better. She disables the cloaking and a plane materialises before them and they quickly enter. Lightning pilots it, weaving past the anti-aircraft shots fired by the Sirens. She sighs, closing her eyes and opening them. 

Behind her, Yamato is bandaging Bismarck's wounds, but she herself is weak from blood loss, barely keeping awake. 

"Bismarck... hang in there, we're almost home..." Lightning whispers, looking ahead as she pushed the plane forward, making it go faster. Yamato groans, pain in her eyes. Lightning can feel pain, raging through her. She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowed as she endures it, flying the plane slowly. The ocean is bright blue, reflecting the sun. 

For the first time in what seemed like forever, they were free, free from the Sirens, the endless torture, the dark, thick concrete walls, the chains wrapped around their limbs. She looks up, and she sees the white buildings, contrasting against the sky and she smiles.

"We are home..."

Yay!!! 2nd chapter of tdy! I'm on a roll!

~Lightningstar out