Chapter 2
Two
Ziggy- 16 years old
D rip. Drip. Drip.
The warm thick liquid flows down my arm onto the dirt beneath me. Breathing is excruciating—like shattered glass in my lungs. My dry eyes flutter open barely holding consciousness. I could just… go to sleep. Yeah, all I need is some sleep.
“Have you figured out what he is yet?” A muffled voice cuts through the static. I strain my ears to pick up the conversation.
“Well, we know he’s not a healer. I’ve had to set up an infusion just to keep him alive through the trials.” The second voice is deep and seems further away, barely audible. “Have you contacted the boss yet? The crazy snake is going to want to know who the elf is.”
Who I am? What is that supposed to mean?
“Stay alive and I’ll tell you.”
An unfamiliar voice booms inside my head. It’s so loud and clear.
Who are you?
“Stay alive and I’ll tell you.” The voice repeats with the same clarity.
I will my heavy lids to open but it’s no use, I’m just so tired—so cold and tired. I’m not sure how long I can go on like this. After three years of being beaten and abused you start to question whether or not it’s even worth trying to stay alive. It’s not like anything is going to change.
“Gavin, you may want to check on the test subject. It’s looking a little…dead.”
The pounding of boots against the gravel quickly approaches and then white hot pain shoots through my chest. I could swear it feels like he’s squeezing my heart in his palm.
“You fucking idiot! No wonder the elf is looking like death warmed over, you just left his chest cavity wide open. Go get two of the girls from the back tent, they have the most potent blood.”
“I uh—well. I thought he would be okay. He’s always healed up nicely,” Gavin stammers, searching for an excuse for his actions.
“Oh because a live autopsy is a simple procedure. Useless fucking fool,” the man with the deep voice scolds Gavin.
What happens next I can only guess. The man heaves a sigh, Gavin begins to weep and beg, then the sound of gurgling, followed by silence.
The last thing I hear before falling into darkness are the piercing wails of the poor healers who are going to be bled to death to save me.
Sweet ecstasy floods my mouth. My body welcomes the sticky, sweet, nectar as it spills from the corner of my lips, down my chin and neck like it’s an extension of myself—what a waste.
A waste of a life.
“That’s a good bitch boy, enjoy the high while you can” the medic coos. “Drink up. We can’t break our favorite toy.”
It takes every ounce of willpower I have to pull my teeth from the limp body in my lap—but I do.
“You know what to do,” The voice in my head chuckles
Slowly lifting my head, the corner of my lips turn up. The blood I kept in my mouth sprays out into the medic’s face.
“ Gods dammit! ”
With my head tilted to the side I give him a bloodstained smile. “Just thought I would share. You seemed jealous.”
“Doesn’t that feel good not to care anymore.”
Knuckles slam into my nose with an audible crunch, the cuffs around my wrist are the only thing keeping me in place.
The medic shakes out his hand, grimacing at me. “I’m going to have so much fun with you later, bitch boy. We will figure you out, and you will become the greatest weapon The Collective has ever had.”
Giving me his back, he stomps out of the cell, slamming the door behind him and leaving me with the cooling corpse of a ten-year-old girl in my lap.
“Give me your hatred and I’ll give you my power.”
“Up!”
The hard toe of a boot slams into my stomach.
Clutching my stomach, my chains clink against each other as I force myself upright. Next to me, the long dead body still lays, empty gray eyes taunting me.
What I would do to trade places with her right now—it’s not from a lack of trying. I’ve tried to end it many times, but they just wont let me fucking die in peace.
“Aww, but then I would be gone too! You don’t want that, do you?”
Raking my fingers against my scalp, I knot my fingers in my hair. The voice won’t go away. Even in my dreams I can’t escape it.
“ Excuse me, I am not an it ! I’m Dorran, aka you…kind of. We share a body. How fun! Now, let’s flex our magic. I’ve got a pretty cool bag of tricks.”
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I feel my magic overflowing, ready to explode from my pores.
“ Sir, yes sir, ” I cough out condescendingly.
A huge figure shoulders past the guards. He is enormous—at least the size of two men side-by-side, with a barrel chest and broad shoulders. Dressed immaculately in leathers, a large cloak pin, in the image of a golden eye with a ruby in the center, sits just below his neck. His sandy blonde hair is on the longer side, probably sits at his ears, but is nicely coiffed back—not a hair out of place. Despite the man’s clean appearance, his face is hard and sun weathered. Prominent creases etched into his forehead—probably from the permanent scowl he is sporting—lead down to a large bulbous nose and thick mustache with a thin bottom lip peeking out. But it’s not his commanding presence that makes me uneasy. It’s the single vermillion eye that sits in the center of his face.
“That’s exactly how you should address your superiors,” he booms. “But be sure to lose the attitude the next time I’m in your presence.”
“Yeah…I’ll be sure to remember that.” Snickering, I raise my eyebrow. “And who exactly are you?”
“Major Sybil,” he growls.
Oh Fuck. Oooh fuck. This asshole is the head of the Dolent Camp.
“Oh fuck is right buddy. Don’t worry though, I’ve got your back.”
Crouching down, Sybil leans closer, lips parting into a crazy smile. “Burn my face into your mind, boy. I want to show up in your nightmares.” His voice drips with enmity as his rough hands grab me, keeping my head in place. Opening his eye wide, I feel myself being dragged into depths of his mental command. “Let’s see if I can crack this mystery and stop wasting my money.”
“Blink! You can do it!”
I do my best to close my eyes, but it’s like they are sutured open. A strange scratching feeling starts behind them. Which turns into a digging, heavy with pressure. Finally, white-hot pain explodes in my head. As a ragged wail leaves my throat the room around me dims, tunneling my vision to only Major Sybil. And just like he wanted, his smug, malevolent smile will stay with me for the rest of my life—however long that is.
“Ah, yes, that’s the fear I love to see.”
“Push him out, Ziggy. Let me help you.”
I’m not sure which situation is worse. Giving up control of my mind to a mystery voice, or having Sybil catalog my innermost thoughts.
Welp, I’m already insane.
Fine. Go for it.
“You won’t regret it.”
A calm blankets over me. No more pain or fear, but holy fuck do I feel powerful. It’s a much different feeling from when I use my magic normally. My eyes roll back, drowning in the pleasure of submission. It’s like eating a handful of betel nuts—euphoric.
The connection between Sybil and I is severed. He doesn’t pull back though. No, his fingers begin to shake against my skin as his magic is siphoned into me. Or Dorran?
“I am you as you are I. There is no beginning or end. Now, use his power against him.”
I do.
No longer chained to my prison cell, my eyes try to focus on my new location. A gilded room comes into focus. It’s so gaudy, clearly a flex of wealth. Studying the area, I see a large mahogany desk and a young well dressed man with his head thrown back in laughter sitting behind it. His gaze finally meets mine and I’m taken aback by his piercing gray eyes—so unsettling against his flawless olive complexion.
He places his toned forearms against the desktop, leaning closer to me. The man’s lips start moving, slowly his voice becomes audible.
“You’re a funny one, Ebrius. Your wife has been, and will always be the powerful one. You’re nothing but a middle man. A stepping stone.”
Ebrius?
I glance down at my lap and am greeted by a familiar figure and outfit. I’m in Sybil’s body.
“This is what’s going to happen,” the man hisses with malignity. “You are going to go to Dolent and scoop every moment of this elf’s life. If you can’t find out where his first steps were or who his first fuck was then you’re not digging far enough. And when you have finally slithered into every crevice of his mind, you’re going to report back exactly what he is, where he is from, and how we can manipulate him into the perfect soldier.”
I involuntary nod. “Yes, sir.”
“Good! Maybe once you prove your usefulness your gorgeous wife will let you eat her delicious pussy. How you put a baby in her is mind boggling. Just how big is your cock, Ebrius?”
“Sir, do you want me to answer you?”
The man runs his finger through his white-blonde hair. “Hmm. Why don’t you show me instead? Maybe you can be useful after all.”
Ebrius stands. I feel his hands move as if they were mine own, pulling down his leather pants…oh fuck no. Dorran, get me out of here now!
“It’s okay, yours is bigger, but I guess we can go back.”
I sputter as I’m yanked back into reality, chains rattling as I force myself free from Sybil’s grueling grasp. The guards rush to his sides, catching him before he hits the floor.
Visibly shaken, Sybil’s pale face is screwed up in fury. “There’s darkness in this one.” He tries to regain composure, smoothing down the front of his chestplate and pushing back his hair, he turns to the guard next to him and commands “And in darkness he will stay. No one comes to this cell for a week. No food. No water. Nothing.”