by Amber Cook
Adira hissed between her teeth, trying to grab the shackle as she was dragged as the horse took off at a canter. She tried to flip, pushing her heels into the ground, but it did nothing. Her body was weak, strained from the accident that had happened in the prior days.
When she looked up at him, getting ready to try and throw herself at the horse, she hesitated. He was looking down at her, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. His lips were curled in delight at the sight of her being dragged behind him. A small laugh played on his lips and, even though she could not hear it, she could imagine it. She could imagine that cruel, lustful delight in his words. Her face whitened, and he jerked the chain, causing her to fall to her knees. Adira caught herself before her face slammed into the ground, but her shins took most of the brunt force.
Jutting rocks and debris torn into the thin flesh on her shins. She could feel the flesh splitting, beginning to peel off with ease. It was the same ease that one experienced when they skinned an animal with a sharpened knife. There was no resistance, just the cool slide of the blade. Every time a rock slid into the groves of her sliced flesh, Adira flinched. It wasn't terribly painful, she had experienced worse things, but it was a constant beating. Every step the mare took, the further the rock sliced in. Every time he smiled at her, tilting his head back to laugh in delight, her vision blurred.
"If you want me to be cruel, then I'll show you cruel."
Adira could barely make out his voice, but he jerked the shackle the next moment, sending her forward. Her eyes widened in alarm, but she could not stop her head from crashing into the rock in front of her. Her world was consumed by darkness.
✽✽✽
Darkened blood oozed from her temple and nose. She could no longer feel her forearms, nor could she feel her shins. When she finally began to regain consciousness, Adira was hesitant to look at her body. She could not make out her pasty skin. All she could see was darkened blood covering her body, thick chunks of flesh mingled throughout it. When she reached her trembling fingertips down to her shin, she nearly gagged. It was an understatement even to say there was flesh left on her legs. All she could feel was bone.
The first thing that slammed into her was excruciating pain in her stomach. She doubled over, grimacing as the pain swelled and intensified. It felt as if her intestines were being shredded apart. She knew what it was. It was their hunger. They wanted to eat and, if they could not feast on somebody else, they would feast on her.
The Orbs were creatures she had no control over, but they orchestrated her every move. Adira's sole purpose was to live and die for them. But, her body was already dying. The only way to prevent the Orbs from killing her was by consuming humans and demons' souls. The blood that flowed from their veins to the Orbs was enough to satisfy them, but for only a short period of time.
With her body torn apart, hanging together by thin pieces of flesh, she was weak. She didn't have enough life flow even to keep herself conscious. How could she satisfy the hunger of the Orbs? She could feel the gnawing hunger, swelling in her stomach like a balloon. It was stifling, causing the world around her to be nothing more than a blur of splotches of colors.
When her eyes finally opened, struggling to pry themselves apart from the blood that coated her lashes, Adira nearly vomited at the sight of her body. She had seen herself torn and pulled apart many times, but never to such a degree. Strands of her calf muscle lay on the ground beside where she limply sat, and her forearms were skinned to the bone. The ground beneath her body was saturated with her blackened blood, and there was the putrid smell of rot.
The moment her eyes had peeled open, the mare beside her began to stir. Her eyes widened, spinning so that her face was towards Adira to watch her movements. Her head was lowered, waiting for Adira to move, but she could barely lift her eyes. The man was sitting on a log, using the support of the tree behind him to keep himself upright. His eyes were closed, and the fire before him cast light into the hollows of his face. It made his cold exterior softer, but every time she looked at his face, she imagined that cruel and wicked laugh that had come from his lips. At least now, drifting away into the false safety of sleep, he seemed softer. If things were different, Adira might have even thought he was charming.
Even with the mare beginning to stir, he did not wake. Adira knew the Fifth Pillar's Orb was pressed against his flesh, but it did not call out to her. She could not believe that it could handle his close proximity. Her whole life, she had been told the Orbs hated humans, but she was being proven wrong.
The sun overhead had already set, and the air held a cool chill from nightfall. Adira groggily slid her eyes from her body, casting them to the sky. Even that movement caused the tearing sensation to multiply. They wanted something to eat, but as long as she was shackled, she would be unable to satisfy them. They would have to consume her body.
The moon cast stray shifts of pale light down on her face, and, for a moment, Adira's eyes widened. For a second, she forgot about the pain. The very thing she had imagined and dreamt about was before her eyes, and yet she was unable to touch them. She was unable to reach her hands out to them, begging for them to take her away. All she could do was sit there limp, staring up at the stars that twinkled in welcome. With the sparse clouds, Adira could see the whole world consumed by them. The blanket of darkness seemed like something more when so many dazzling lights filled it. Her whole life, she had wanted to see them, but she had wished for things to be different. She had never wanted to be like this, shaved down to the bone as she stared at a sky that did not bring her comfort. In fact, like this, it only made her feel even more alone. The night sky was threatening, and she felt as if the darkness would swallow her as well. She wanted the darkness to consume her.
Adira's fingers curled into the ground, the tips of her fingers just brushing against the packed soil. If Adira could have cried, she would have wept. She didn't want to be here. It wasn't like she wanted to be at home, but she didn't want to be with him. She never wished for her body to be reduced to this, for her to be reduced to such a state. She felt defenseless and weak. This horrible man could do something to her at any moment in time, and she could not change it.
For the first time in Adira's life, as she stared overhead into the stars, her face pulled in sorrow, she had one thought. She wanted to see him. She wanted Ravana to save her from this cruel man. But, that thought died as quickly as it was born. He was no better.
Chapter 7
"You're so pale."
Something warm pressed against her cheeks and Adira nuzzled into its comforting embrace. She could feel the smooth and meticulously taken care of hands caress her, pulling her under. The edges of their fingertips tickled her hairline, the nails digging into her scalp. Each stroke, each feather-light touch, pulled her into the world of delight.
"Mhm?" She hummed, her lids heavy.
"When was the last time you ate?"
She couldn't remember, but that seemed unimportant right now. "Maybe a day ago."
"But, that's not right."
"What?"
"Adira, it's been three days."
Hearing that made Adira's eyes widen. Three days since what? She hesitantly looked up to the person before her, swallowing deeply as she saw the First Pillar's Orb. Its eyes slid to her face like fashioned daggers, and a cheeky grin pulled on its lips. Its fingernails dug in as she tried to sit up from its thigh, but it would not allow her to move. "Did you forget what had happened?"
Adira swallowed deeply, her bottom lip beginning to quiver. The memories began to return. How could she forget what he had done to her? How could she forget getting dragged until she finally lost consciousness? Even now, she could remember the feeling of those rocks tearing her flesh apart. She would never be able to forget them.
"You look so pale," It began again, lowering its face to whisper against her cheek. Adira could feel its frigid breath against her face, causing a chill to race up her spine. "Adira, when was the last time I ate? When was the last ti
me any of us ate?"
"I-I'm...I'm sorry! Please, don't do this to me."
"Do what?" It smirked, beginning to chuckle. "Oh, my precious little Adira. What would I ever do to you? What would we do to you? Have I not always been nothing but understanding?"
Adira's hands began to tremble as its fingernails dug into her scalp, causing her eyes to start to water. "You have always been understanding." She gritted out, knowing it was her only option. She would not mention the countless things the orbs had done to her or had made her do.
"I'm getting hungry, Adira. You know what that means. We all try and stop ourselves, especially me, but I can't. The hunger just gets too strong, and you know the truth, Adira. You alone are the only thing that can satisfy my needs. The blood and souls you consume are nothing when compared to you."
Adira tried to scream out, but the First Pillars Orb clasped its hand around her throat. It lurched forward, sinking its teeth into her shoulder blade. Darkened blood spewed from the wound, and Adira tried to ram her hand into its chest with no luck. It snatched her by the wrist, cutting its eyes up to her as blood seeped into its mouth. She could feel its tongue against her shoulder, as sharp as a blade. The moment it latched down, it would not stop until it got what it wanted.
In its hands, Adira's arms began to slacken. She began to melt into its touch, unable to keep herself upright from the blood and souls it consumed from her. It was taking the very fuel that kept herself alive away. When Adira looked down at it, lip and body trembling in its clasped hand, her face whitened. It was not draining her blood in the same place as before. No, it had chomped down, tearing the flesh from her shoulder off. The pain had been too severe for her even to recognize.
It looked at Adira, chewing the flesh in its mouth without a care. The next moment, it dipped its head down, bitting down into another part and tearing it off. Adira watched in horror as it consumed the flesh on her shoulder until all that was left was bone and severed nerve endings. The First Pillar's Orb finally looked up to her, smiling as the darkened blood and chunks of her flesh spilled down its front. "God, I was right. There truly is nothing like your body."
✽✽✽
Something wet rolled down the sides of her face. She could taste something just ever so slightly on the corner of her cracked lips. It was cold and refreshing, and Adira tried to lick the rolling droplets with her tongue.
He was there, just as she thought. She wasn't entirely certain how long she had been asleep, but he was sitting cross-legged on the log, staring into the pot that was above the fire. She could see the discolored liquid boiling inside, and the mare was happily munching on the grass beside them. When Adira's eyes opened, it spun around, keeping its eyes trained on her every movement. She was not sure why the mare reacted like that. It wasn't like she could really do much with how she currently was.
That gnawing sensation in her gut seemed to amplify, but she could not show her weakness in front of a human. There were many things she would rather do than that. If anyone back home heard that she had shown weakness to him, she would become a laughing stock. No matter what he did to her, she would try to smile through the pain.
He reached forward, ladling some of the stewed meat out of the pot and into a bowl. It was a murky brown, and curling wisps of steam traveled high into the air. Seeing that made her wonder how it might feel to have such warmth pressed against her skin. All she could feel was the bitter chill of her dying body.
Feeling Adira's eyes on him, he placed the bowl down and cut his eyes at her. She did not look away intentionally, which only edged him on. "What are you looking at?"
"Are you talking to me?" She asked.
"Who else would I be talking to?"
"Ah, there are many voices that I speak to who are not quite here. Yet, sometimes I feel they are even more real than the people beside me."
His eyes pulled in skepticism, and he shook his head. Sometimes when she spoke, she sounded mad. "Shut up. I'm not like you."
"Isn't that what they all say? I've heard that many times over my life, and yet, in death, we are all the same."
He couldn't stand to hear her speak any longer, and he grabbed the bowl, beginning to spoon the stew into his mouth. The more he ate, the more he could feel her eyes burning into him. Mistakenly, he had believed that she was eyeing the bowl of stew and not him.
"No matter what you do or how you look at me, I'm not giving you anything."
"Do you think mere human food would be enough for a demon? The food you humans eat is nothing but something to fill the space. Even if I ate it, in a few hours, I would get sick. It's pointless."
"What do you eat then?"
"What do I eat? Surely, if you are who I think you are, you would know. Only a select people know about The Halls, even on the human side. For you to know about it means that you were once there. If you studied at The Halls, then you know exactly what my kind eat."
Every time she mentioned The Halls, she could have sworn she saw his face pull. Although her knowledge was limited on it, she knew that they used demons for experimentations. A thought slipped into her head. What if he had not been working there, but he had been experimented on as well? It was not uncommon. After all, they needed to create their own weapons to combat demons like her. As long as there was a part of them that was human, they would be easily controlled. It was demons, the very creatures that lived by their own accords, which terrified the humans the most.
"I have no soul to give you."
"Ah, you do, but you do not wish to give it up. Honestly, I don't think I would even want to eat your soul if you offered. Just the smell of you alone is revolting enough. It's made me lose my appetite."
"But the Orbs..." He interjected, trying to brush off her comment. She could tell that she was slowly chipping away at his ego. "Do they eat?"
Adira wasn't certain how she should reply. Should she tell him the truth or come up with another silly lie? "The Orb's are directly connected to my life." She began, forgetting about the warnings installed in her. She figured that, once these chains were removed from her, she would kill him. What difference would it make in confiding in him?
"I, just like any other demon, need to consume souls to survive. It doesn't matter if it belongs to a human or a demon; I just need something. Of course, one is always favored over the other. But the number of souls I have eaten is child's play compared to other demons." She did not even need to mention her father's name for him to understand. "The more souls a demon eats, the larger its soul force becomes. Some demons can adapt, versus others can rupture their soul force and kill themselves. Since the day I was born, I've been playing a catch-up game with my father. Of course, it is not fair. After all, he has been alive for more than nine hundred years."
"The Orbs buried in my chest struck a deal with me many years ago. To protect me, I must be willing to give up my own life. I do not consume souls for myself, but for the Orbs. Every minute, every second, they consume my corpse to satisfy their ravaging hunger. It's only a matter of time till they reach their limit and demand more."
"What happens then?"
Adira's eyes fell to the Orbs as she whispered, "I'll die. The Orb's bloodlust and hunger will finally consume me. To them, I'm a drug they cannot have enough of. The only thing that keeps them from eating me alive is the souls I offer them. Once that stops, I'll no longer be able to suppress them. I guess it would not be a bad thing. After all, since the day I was combined with the Orbs, I lost my ability to die. I could be beheaded, but if the Orbs do not wish me dead, then they will find a way for me to come back. My life is entirely in their hands."
After hearing her words, his appetite was ruined. He placed the bowl down, and Adira could see the softness in his cold features. It was her chance.
"You've already heard so much about me. Can't I ask one question?"
"Depends."
"Your name? You've never mentioned it before." She kept her tone light and inviting, trying to coax information out o
f him.
For a few minutes, he did not speak. His eyes stayed cast towards the burning fire, but he finally whispered. "Zen."
Adira had expected something more exuberant based on his looks, but she did not comment on it. Zen seemed to be the name an ordinary human would have, not a cold-blooded mercenary. It did not fit with the man who had dragged her for hours behind a horse.
She tried to shift but winced as the coursing pain swelled inside her stomach. The stifling pain from the Orbs had become melded, and she couldn't figure out what hurt anymore. Everything seemed to be on fire. She didn't understand how he could look at her like she was unharmed. Little strips of clothing still covered her, but they were splotchy. Every part of her was laid bare for him. If it was not because of that, then it was because of her mauled body. She was sitting in a puddle of her blood, but he did not seem pale. Her skinned and grounded flesh didn't seem strange to him.
Swallowing deeply, Adira could not stop the chill that raced up her back. He seemed content with how she looked- happy even. Did he not care about others' life? The moment that thought came to her mind, she wanted to laugh. That was right; he didn't view her as a living being. Why should he care what happened to her?
"What will you do to me?" She asked. "If you are taking me to The Halls, then I think you will be disappointed."
"Why would I be?"
Adira's crimson eyes bore into him, causing Zen to shift away from her. "Undo these shackles, and I will show you why."
"Do you think I'm insane? Why would I let you go?"
"Look at me," She whispered, laughter playing on her words. "Do you really think I could do anything to you? Just talking is painful enough." Zen did not move, and Adira shook her head in displeasure. "Weak, really. It shows how much of a coward you are and how you do not trust yourself. I cannot show you unless I can move my hands."
