YOUNG GOD | RHYSAND [ON HOLD]

1.11 | THE PUNISHMENT

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Aadya tried her best to stay alert, but her fingers were trembling--either from fear or anger-- she didn't want to acknowledge.

The sounds of a teeming crowd reverberated against the passageway as Feyre was tugged forward. They didn't bother to give her any weapons. She wasn't even shackled.

The cacophony of laughter, shouting, and unearthly howls worsened when the hall opened into a massive arena. There had been no attempts to decorate the torch-lit cavern. The floor was slick and muddy, and Aadya even from her position from the wooden platform, could see Feyre, struggling to keep her foot as she walked.

Feyre rose on trembling legs. Around the platform stood a group of six males and Aadya, secluded from the main crowd. From their cold, beutiful faces, from that echo of power still about them, she knew they were The High Lords of Prythain. Feyre ignored Rhysand who sat beside a stone-faced Aadya. She saw that Aadya was almost hidden to everyone by Rhysand's corona of darkness around him and her.

Amarantha had only to raise a hand and the roaring crowd silenced.

"Well, Feyre," the Faerie Queen said. "Your first task is here. Let us see how deep that human affection of yours runs."

"I took the liberty of learning a few things about you," Amarantha drawled. "It's was only fair, you know."

But no one expected for Amarantha to turn to Aadya with a smile that was anything but innocent. "Aadya," Amarantha purred. With a stoic face Aadya turned towards the Hybern's commander. Aadya knew. She knew she could not escape Amarantha's punishment. And not even The High Lord of the Night Court, could trick her out of this.

Aadya stood up with her head held high, as she walked to the centre of the arena and stood beside a trembling Feyre, who was looking between Amarantha and Aadya in confusion.

"I think you'll like this task, even more," Amarantha said. She waved a hand towards Aadya, who stayed silent in indifference. "As a punishment for going behind my back, Aadya Solace will be forced to endure the punishment alongside Feyre of human lands." Amarantha raised a single finger for a dramatic pause. "Oh, and without her magic."

"Go ahead. Look."

The crowd was stilled to silence, so where the nobles and the High Lord's. Rhysand ground his teeth together in anger at seeing Aadya walk with the human girl towards the deadly trap. He hoped she would turn and see him one last time, but he knew she wouldn't. Besides him, he could see Helion, the High Lord of the Day Court, clenching his fist in anger as he watched Aadya go. Rhysand slowly turned to see the person who betrayed Aadya for his own selfish protection, and vowed to get him back for it, Tamlin.

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The big center stage was the first focus of Aadya. Then came the sharp spikes that surrounded it. Before she could observe the surroundings more, a cold steel mask was placed over her face, covering her vision. A soldier next to her gave her a shove , telling her to move forward.

As Aadya stood in the centre of the stage, she heard many sets of footsteps around her on the stage, which was to be her burial ground. After, concentrating her ears on each pair of footsteps, twelve pairs, she knew who was around her at the moment. Hybern's secret soldiers. And at that moment Aadya had her first tether of hope slip away, this might not end well.

She could feel the soldiers shuffle a few steps back as they saw her silhouette appear. They were scared of her, she could use it to her advantage. She knew on the other side of the arena, Feyre and everyone were watching her and waiting for the fight to be over so they could see the human face her first task. Before she could anticipate, soldiers lunged for her, four of them by the sound of their footfalls.

Aadya was hit in the head and spine once and twice in the stomach before she was able to identify their positions. As hard as she could, she elbowed the soldier standing next to her in the face, her bone digging into his eye socket. She swiftly bend her knees as the force of swing of a soldier missed her by an inch. Aadya hooked her legs through the soldiers and heard a thud sound in front of her. She didn't waste a moment as she stamped her heel in the soldiers face. And the breaking crunch of his neck echoed through the silent arena.

The entire arena of Prythain people watched in fear of Aadya. And for the first time in their fifty years of blight, all seven of the High Lords saw Aadya for who she was, A Natural Killer. Feyre watched in fear mixed with relief as she saw Aadya still standing. Everyone in the arena failed to see the smile on Rhysand's face and the fear in the face of Amarantha.

One of the soldiers was trying to puncture the sword in Aadya's throat. But she was quick, even without her powers. She grabbed ahold of their wrists and twisted it far back forcing the soldier to drop the sword which fell in Aadya's hands, and with one swift motion, the soldiers head was severed from his body.

More approached her. They were all trying to go for her at once, throwing blows for her abdomen and throat, wanting her dead. Aadya just ducked and dodged all the incoming blows and swung the sword in her hand for anything that moved. Heads, arms and many parts of faeries were falling apart. Aadya was ferocious, as she allowed a cruel smirk to adorn her face when her fist connected with a throat and the soldiers choked to death.

A knife sank into her arm and pain shot up Aadya's hand. This caused her to drop the sword as she stumbled back a few steps. And the first drop of Aadya's blood was spilled in the long fight.

She dragged the knife out. In one solid moment, she lashed out with it for the one that stabbed her, and simultaneously swinging her leg out backwards to hit an other soldiers coming from the back. Both blows landed. Twisting, she sank the knife into the heart of the soldier. She then flicked her wrist as the knife embedded itself in someone's throat and they fell down with a thud.

A pair of arms tried to crushed her from behind. Aadya struggled in the soldiers arms, then realised she had to change techniques to get out. She pulled her head in the front to create momentum to slam it back in the soldiers face. With a cry of pain, the soldier's arms lost it's tight grip as Aadya whirled and wrapped her fingers around the soldier's throat, or where it should be. Squeezing tight, she cut off all air flow. The soldier struggled and fought, but Aadya had already sinked her knife into his throat from the side.

If Aadya's count was accurate, there were two soldiers left out of the twelve. She kept her knife in a attacking position, waiting for the attack. But was surprised to her a woman's voice echo through the arena, and Aadya didn't need to have vision to hear that the voice directed it's fury towards Amarantha.

"You really are a fool, Amarantha," the woman's voice hissed. "Me and my brother will not lose our lives for your stupid pride." The woman took her brother's hand in hers as she turned towards Aadya, "Forgive us, Your Majesty." It was nothing but a whisper, which was only heard by the High Lords , Amarantha and Aadya. A crack sounded as the siblings winnowed out of the arena.

After removing the mask on her face, Aadya tossed it to the ground and turned to Amarantha, who had her eyes pinned to the ground. Before anyone could contemplate what happened, the knife in Aadya's hand plunged itself into Amarantha's right shoulder. Aadya's icy voice addressed the Hybern's commander and The High Lord of Spring Court together.

"Pull another stunt like this, the next time it goes into your skull. Both of yours."

Everyone, including Feyre watched as Aadya walked out of the arena, covered in blood. The crowd then focused itself on the human girl who entered the maze for her first task. No one noticed the concerned eyes of the High Lord of the Night Court follow Aadya till she disappeared from sight.