The Elementals: The Rise of the Deviants

Chapter 10

Chapter ten

[Derrek’s POV]

The screaming grew louder with every hesitant step we took and I couldn’t help the chill that settled in my bones at some of the tortured shrieks. It was like stepping into a bad horror movie and I was just waiting for something to pop up and attack. I wasn’t sure why we hadn’t bumped into any more guards and the lack of security was putting me on edge. Where was everyone? Where exactly were we heading?

The corridor turned into a flight of stairs and we quietly crept down the stone steps. At the bottom of the stairs the corridor stretched down into a long maze of corridors full of rooms, or cells, that branched off so that we had no idea how many there truly was. Not all the cells were the same. Some had glassed off cells, while others were simple metal bars and the same went for the people... or things... inside them; they were all different as well. In the metal barred off cells sat people who looked completely normal, had it not been for the broken look on their faces when they weren’t screaming in pain and fear. Others looked physically strong and normal, yet their eyes were dull, grey and unmoving... like statues and that seemed even worse.

None of them seemed to notice us as we walked down the many paths between them. Behind me I could hear Helena rapidly breathing and when I looked back to check on her I was surprised to see Chimera and Evanesce looking stoically ahead in their normal appearances and not as a shadow. Both their jaws were clenched and I could see the pain clear as day in their eyes. “Are you guys alright?” I asked.

“We don’t want to be here...” Evanesce murmured.

“It reminds both of us too much of when we were prisoners ourselves... it’s difficult to see it from the outside” Chimera finished, wincing when the person next to her screamed.

I nodded and looked over to Cameron who was ahead of me and could see how tense he was. I’d put it down to him trying to find Cara but I realised it was also because of the torture he’d gone through as well, then I glanced back at Blake and noticed he was the same too. I’d never liked the Elementals before... Cameron was the only one I could really tolerate, but seeing how much this affected them physically, emotionally and mentally... it definitely boosted my respect for them. Even if I still couldn’t tolerate Blake.

It felt like we’d been walking in circles, walking down the different aisles and corners and yet we couldn’t find Val or Cara. My hope was beginning to drop dramatically. She couldn’t be dead could she? We walked and searched in silence, only the screaming breaking the quiet among us, and just as we ended up in the main pathway again and I was about to give up, someone small walked around the corner from the other end of the aisle.  Immediately I clenched my hands into fists before quickly snapping them open like claws while swirling flames stood ready to be fired at the unknown person blocking our way.

“Cara!!!” Cameron sprinted forward while my flames died out instantly.

Cara! Cara was alive! That had to mean that Val was alive too, right? Relief washed over me as we followed after Cameron. It was only when Cameron was about to hug her that I realised something was wrong. Something was definitely not right and my eyes darted to Cara’s eyes.

Dead.

Dull.

Empty.

Oh no... “Cameron!” I shouted out in warning. My warning had momentarily distracted him as he half turned to look behind at me just when a violet flash flew past his face. I turned and dived forward, shoving Evanesce and Chimera out of the way, while Blake pushed Helena to the side... barely managing to avoid being hit himself.