The Lost Element

Chapter 22

"Feeling cooperative yet?"

Darios stood over Ardiel, eerie smile stretching across his darkened face. She couldn't speak, she didn't have the strength to muster up any sort of come back, but she wouldn't give in. Not yet. 

She retreated back to her mind, refusing to pay any attention to her body, which was throbbing in more places than she could count. Preparing herself for whatever they'd throw at her next, she shut her eyes.

"Fine, I can do this all you want." He turned to look at his apprentice, "Nefalus, have you ever used your toenails? I mean, she wouldn't miss them right?"

"I've personally never used them. Perhaps we should alleviate her of them." The slimy voice replied. 

The worst part wasn't the physical pain, it was the anticipation. The wait up to the pain was far more excruciating than the pain itself. 

Darios grabbed her foot, ripping off her shoe and sock. Her ran a finger over the arch of her foot, shooting sensations up her leg, and making her squirm.

"Ticklish are we? Good, you'll feel this then."

Ardiel felt something flat and small press into her toe, and slide up under her big toe nail. She kept her eyes shut and tried to focus on breathing, sweat beading down her forehead and off the side of her head. Pain shot up her leg, and it stayed for a moment before focusing on her toe, even further to her nail bed, which was separating from her nail.

"How about now? All you have to do is open that portal, and this could all be over. You do have several nails to go."

This time, Ardiel managed to find a single word.

"Never."

Darios stood up, anger seething out of him, he grabbed her by the head and sent a pulse of aether into her skull.

Images flooded Ardiel's brain, sending her swirling deep into the confines of her mind.

She was on the ground, her face was throbbing, she felt blood dripping down her face. Touching her face, she looked down at her hand, taking in the image of smeared blood upon her palm. But it wasn't her palm. This wasn't her body, and she had no idea where she was, but she was not in control. 

You think you're so smart, boy? Get up. GET UP! Look at me, you coward. 

Ardiel couldn't help but look at the man. He looked familiar, she had seen his face, and recently. A voice from out of sight rang through. 

Joseph, just beat his ass and get it over with. No need to drag this shit on. 

The images swirled, twisting up the mans face and sending her spinning. She was in a hallway now, looked like some sort of home. A large and raggedy home. She was walking down the hallway, trying to avoid being seen, fearing being seen. She didn't know what she was doing, or where she was going, it was like a nightmare. 

A door busted open, and several boys in their teens came through it. There must have been five or 6. Upon seeing her, they ran at her. She tried to run, terrified, but they were much bigger than her and caught her quickly. They tripped her up, turning her onto her back, the largest of the bunch grabbed her by her shirt and broke her nose. Even though she knew it wasn't her nose, she could still feel it. It was agonizing. She was screaming, but nothing was coming out of her mouth. Her ribs were being kicked, in the distance she heard a voice taunting her. 

Where's foster mommy now?

That's when she felt it, a pressure built up in her side, like something was inside her.