Doomsday

Chapter 4: New Kalador

Aria woke up to the sound of shouts— desperate screams. It wasn't the kind of scream that made you feel scared. It made Aria feel an indescribable emotion. An emotion so painful it made her head hurt.

Hopelessness

The moment she opened her eyes, she wished she hadn't.

She was strapped to a bedroom without a single pinch of light. She began to move, first her legs and then, her arms. But she couldn't get out. She could feel the electricity flowing through her but couldn't seem to harness it, as if there was some kind of block stopping her from using her powers.

Then she heard footsteps. Loud footsteps that rattled her heart. As the footsteps drew closer, Aria began to feel a sharp pain in her chest.

"Is she ready?" Aria heard someone say through the door.

Someone replied, but Aria couldn't seem to grasp what the person was saying.

But she didn't have to wait for long, because someone had opened the door. She couldn't see much but it looked like a man in a biohazard suit.

"Hello Aria," The person said calmly. His voice was very deep. "Welcome back."

Aria blinked. The room suddenly lit up and Aria began to feel her powers come back. For some reason, the man's voice sounded so...familiar. It was as if she knew who he was.

It was only when he took off his helmet that Aria remembered how she knew him. He had long black hair and a rosy scar across his left cheek.

Aria gasped.

"Tim?" Aria asked desperately. After several seconds, the man replied: "I never thought"—he paused emotionally, with tears in his eyes— "I would see you again."

"But how? Kalador's gone—"Aria asked as Tim walked around and untied Aria from the chair.

"Everything will become clear soon," Tim replied.

Suddenly, Aria wrapped her arms around Tim. She could tell he was surprised, but she didn't know if he was because she hugged him or because it caught him by surprise.

Tim smiled. "Come on. You have a lot to catch up on."

Aria followed him through the door which led to a long corridor, with multiple doors and glass windows. The windows must've been one-way, because Aria didn't remember them being there when she was in the room.

In one of the rooms, she saw Fiyeree— with vines tangled across the room. Her face was filled with sweat and sharp thorns dangling around her body.

"Tim, are they ok?" Aria asked. He nodded in reply. As Aria continued walking down the corridor, she began to see more of her friends; First Peter, who had been strapped onto a bed, then she saw Lola who looked like she was cocooned in a web. She passed by several of her other friends, before reaching the end.

Two sentries stood at each side of the door, each with a spear. "Welcome back sir," One of them said while opening the door. The other one gave a look Aria couldn't recognise.

They walked into a room—a place very similar to the old meeting room in the Kalador palace— with a long table stretching to the end of the room, and on each side of the table sat six other people— who Aria assumed were the leaders.

There were two empty chairs, in which Tim sat in one. Awkwardly, Aria stood in front of the table, her arms behind her back. She had never ever been on this side of the table.

One of the leaders looked like she was invisible. You could see strips of her hair and her clothes, floating midair.

But something was odd.