The Unexpected

21 • An Old Friend

"The past will always return, somehow.."

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My eyes widened as I saw Ozai and a woman enter the cell. Ozai laughed as the woman crossed her arms and smirked. What was she doing here? Why is she here?

It was Dakota..my childhood best friend

"It's nice to see you again Rowan, unfortunately in the wrong place." She smirks as she pulls some kind of lever. My chains suddenly pulled me back to the walls as my arms were now crossed behind my back. She walked towards me and stood right in front of me.

"You're probably wondering why and how I'm here and I'll tell you because you won't escape!" She started laughing like crazy. Ozai walked over to Zillah and held a small box. He placed it on the ground and opened it with a smile on his face. Dakota just stared at me as I stared back.
She looked way different than the last time I saw her. She had a scar across her face, going over her left eye to her right ear. Her hair was dry and the colour was drained out of her face. She always had red cheeks. She randomly stopped smiling and her face looked annoyed. But I kept looking at Zillah, wondering what Ozai was about to do.

"Do you care about her? The Devil?!" She screamed as she grabbed my shoulder and came closer. "How are you able to look at that bitch? This scar is her doing. She did this to me! Do you still care about me Rowan?!" She yelled as a tear streamed down her cheek. "You have no damn clue what Zillah did, do you?" She whispered as she cried and smiled at the same time. This isn't the Dakota I grew up with. She's gone crazy.

She sat down on the ground in front of me as the chains pulled me down and I sat on my knees too. She looked at me as she stopped smiling and opened her mouth to talk.

"When I told you I was moving I actually moved back to this world. My home. I always belonged here and I had to come back." She chuckled as she continued. "The only reason I stayed with you for such a long time was just because you gave me ideas! Your thoughts about power and creatures were amazing! And very helpful.." She stood up and walked over to Zillah as Ozai opened the box and grabbed a sharp blade.

"Remember when there was a serial killer on the news and you were angry about it? I asked you how you would torture them and what you told me was the best idea ever!" She laughed as she pointed at Zillah. "Let me remind you." She stopped smiling as she grabbed the blade from Ozai's hand and grabbed Zillah's wrist. He held the blade above her shoulder and looked at me.

"Because of you Rowan, we were able to capture the one and only Devil for 100 years!" She smiles as she sticks the blade into her shoulder. She slowly dragged the blade towards Zillah's wrist but the blade was still in her arm. It was cutting her whole arm open. But it wasn't too deep. Dakota started laughing as she pulled the blade out when she ended at Zillah's wrist. I looked at her arm as I noticed that Zillah's blood was black. Ozai grabbed another blade from the box and did the exact same with her other arm. Zillah wasn't able to scream so she closed her eyes. She opened them and looked at me.

I never felt so guilty. I was the reason that they were doing this to her. I gave them this idea. I don't even know how I could come up with this at such a young age.
Im sorry Zillah. I will help you.

"Let me explain to you what Zillah did in her life until now." Ozai shouted across the room as he stuck the blade in Zillah's upper thigh and dragged it down to her ankle. Dakota did the same with her other leg. Ozai left the blade on the ground as he walked up to me.

"Zillah got her first kill at a young age. She killed her family when she was born with her Necrotic power. The deadliest power that has ever been controlled. She's the only one that could control the darkness and destruction. No one wanted to take care of her because she was so dangerous. But that's just sad isn't it? I find her fascinating! She's incredible and a great weapon for wars. She's able to destroy anything with just placing her hand on something. But because of the angelic rings she's not able to use it or take it off. When she got control over the destruction she destroyed everything around her. Every person that wanted to help her. She learned to not accept any help from anyone. She went to the human world and started killing thousands so she had food. Because she's a ghoul. She lived by killing. Killing and destroying. But then the queen of Arcelia came by and took custody of Zillah. But Zillah got betrayed by the empire and planned to destroy everything. But Celeste had the option to take her wings and armor. So she was stuck in Tempest for 100 years. Do you think she wants to fight WITH Celeste? Of Course not! She seeks revenge. And we are going to give it to her," he explained as he looked at Zillah, covered in black blood.