As soon as the connection was made, Jack was thrown into a place that would be almost too dark to see in, a cell made of bricks of course and in the near dim light there would be only one other person in the cell. Mysterie didn't even bother opening her eyes, huddled in the corner furthest from the door; heavy iron shackles around her wrists and ankles, the clothes she'd been wearing mostly shredded and barley staying on her. Streaks of blood on her back indicating the wounds that were healing and the blood mingled with sweat. A stench that was sickly sweet hung in the air. A single tear falling from one eye every once in a while, leaving a new streak along her face; her breathing was shaky at best. Jack gasped, the smell of blood, waste, sweat and something he didn't even want to think about assaulted him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness after a moment and he looked around, his ethereal globe lighting up the cell. He gasped again when he saw her in the corner, bloody and beaten up. He felt fear, and then that fear turned to unbridled rage, but he kept himself in check; realizing that things could go wrong in the memory.
"Mysterie." He said softly, so not to startle her as he walked up slowly to her, keeping a space between them so that she wouldn't feel trapped even though all he wanted to do was hold her close and make all the pain go away. Mysterie jumped, startled at the sound of a voice despite Jack's attempts to not scare her. She opened her eyes slowly as he moved forward, they were unfocused at first and dull with pain and fear. After a moment though of staring at him, she whispered in near disbelief.
"Jack?"
"Yeah. It's me Mysterie. I promised I wouldn't leave you, no matter what. I love you and nothing can ever keep us apart." He knelt next to her, looking at the bloodied shackles and he carefully froze them, breaking them off of her.
"Mysterie, we're gonna get out of here." Jakul chuckled.
"What a joke Frost, she's in too deep. Like Shadow would ever allow her to escape." Jack growled at him, one of his eyes turning a stormy blue.
"I thought I told you to shut it." He hissed, scaring Jakul with the venom of it. Mysterie's eyes widened at the racket Jack was making and made sushing sounds; eyes frantically darting to the door. She seemed to hold her breath for what seemed like forever as if waiting for something to happen... When nothing did she seemed to relax a little, but it was agonizing for her to stand up and when she did it was very slow; each movement was slow and painful. She winced at the bruises that seemed to dot her legs, fresh blood trickling down one pant leg... or what remained of it from the tear of claws. She bit her lip to stifle a whimper of pain, but it still reflected in her eyes nonetheless. Her voice was quiet.
"We have to be quiet or else..." She trailed off, her eyes darkening further with fearful knowledge. Jack winced as he walked towards her, whispering quietly.
"What's wrong? Who's coming?" He helped her stand and she had to use him as a crutch, he felt fear coil in his gut as he waited for her answer. Her answer was soft.
"Not a who... what... and they're... r-responsible for this... Neither of us is safe..." She trailed off, her eyes darkened a little as she tried to remember the way out of this place, knowing she'd done it before.
"Damnit... I... I can't remember how I got out the first time... I know I had help but..." She sighed, the sound as quiet as her voice had been. Jack thinks, wishing that Sandy could help suddenly he noticed a miniature Sandman in there with them.
"Sandy?" Okay, this might not be the right time and place... but that's kind of adorable...
"Sandy!" Mysterie hissed quietly, not having expected the dreamweaver to come in any form.
"This is dangerous enough sending Jack in! You know you can't stand up to those things... not here." Sandy crossed his arms, his "voice" is toneless as he replies.
Jack isn't going to leave without you and I certainly am NOT going to leave Jack linked with Shadow any longer than I have to. I can find a way out for you. She sighed quietly in resignation, knowing that the other Guardian was right.
"Fine... but be careful." Sandy nods and flies out of the barred "window" in the wooden door. Mysterie spoke again quietly once he was gone.
"I hope I'm remembering this right... if not... we're in serious trouble..." Jakul chuckled and Jack winced from the sharp sound of the demonic chuckle. Jack grabbed her, minding her wounds and icing some of the bruises within in his reach and after a moment he ripped part of his hoodie off to wrap it around one arm that had a nasty looking gash in it before doing the same for one of her legs before floating after Sandy, easily passing through the door without thinking about it.
"Jack!" She hissed quietly, unable to follow since the door was solid for her; she leaned against the door, wanting to follow as she lightly rubbed at the small of her back, ignoring the caked blood and trying to ease the sore muscle there before brushing some of the dry blood that clung like a second skin to her inner thighs and around it and what was left of her pant legs.
"Sorry, sorry!" He mentally beat himself for not realizing that she was in so much pain and unable to just follow him through the door. He passed through the door again and jumped when he heard a door slam.
"Shit!" He muttered and picked her up before she could protest, hovering near the ceiling, that topped a few feet above the door itself oddly enough. She blanched to a color that was very nearly like Jack's skin at the sound of a door slamming... There was a sound of scurrying feet, but the door of the cell stayed shut.
"Shit... shit... shit... I hope Sandy's okay." She whispered, staring at the door in abject horror, trying not to think of what would happen if the little Guardian was caught. Jack's heart beat so fast he was surprised it didn't just jump out of his chest. He stayed as silent as night though, seeing some fresh blood about to drip down to the floor, his eyes widen a little. Mysterie's gaze shifted, watching the drop hit the floor, but even as she held her breath... nothing happened. Everything was silent and the the door quietly swung open and there's a feeling of pure relief when Sandy appears in the doorway, beckoning to the two of them.
"Damn it Sandy! You trying to give us heart attacks?! Or at least me a heart attack." He whisper yelled at the miniature Sandman as he set Sandy down while he made Mysterie some crutches from ice that were soft on the ends so that they wouldn't make much, if any, sound. Sandy made an apologetic expression the moment Jack turned to him.
Sorry... I had to distract them some how so we could leave.
"That explains all the commotion." Mysterie whispered.
"Let's get out of here before they get wise..." She shivered a little from the ice crutches, but she managed to use them with some ease to get around as they numbed some of the pain after a moment; even so some of her cuts still stung and she had no doubts that she looked a right mess. That was the least of their issues, however. Jack felt pain in one side and had to stop for more than a second only to hear Shadow's taunting voice in his head and looked over to Mysterie, his eyes dilated, no white; just empty pools of black. Sandy noticed and thought to himself. Oh no... Damn her she said no tricks! Nearby Shadow leaned against a wall with a smirk, seeing Sandy's look of outrage towards her, the fury, she held up her hands in surrender.
"Oh no, don't pin this on ME. I haven't done a damn thing... Well, other than talk to Jakul. I promised I wouldn't do a thing... I'm a girl of my word. Jakul on the other hand..." She smirked and Mysterie paled, hissing out a curse as she stumbled over to Jack, one of the crutches falls from her grip and clatters to the floor. Everyone freezes as there's sounds of footsteps.
"Damnit all!" There was no way she was going to let Sandy or Jack be caught by those... monsters. Silver sand swirled around her, for a moment she seemed like her old self as she sent out the sand to wrap around both of the Guardians, forcing the connection that Sandy had made to snap even as dark shapes began to materialize in the dark hallway nearby; Shadow smirked a little as the connect was broken, knowing that she was still trapped in that... nightmare wasn't a strong enough word or right exactly. Jack and Sandy were both forced back out before either could do anything. Jack gasped, clutching at his chest in pain, trying to shake off the hypnotic spell. Jakul huffed.
"Damn... I was so close too!" Jakul growled in frustration. Jack turned to look at Shadow in panic and fear. She opened her eyes slowly, regarding Jack a moment before a sadistic smile touched her lips.
"Oh... you really shouldn't have done that... They" She stressed the word. "don't take kindly to escape attempts... I guess you really don't know what they've done have you?" She chuckled darkly, able to hear Mysterie's screams and pleas that landed only on deaf ears.
"Poor Jack... so naive..." Jack growled as both of his eyes suddenly turned a stormy blue.
"Listen here bitch, I've had enough of you! Let Mysterie go now! Before I find reason you should be afraid of me!" Sandy summoned some of his sand whips to hold Jack back as he struggled because of the strength of trying to get to her and hurt her; he could hear the groan and strain of the whips holding him back and keeping him from killing her right then and there. She laughed softly.
"Oh let him go Sandman. He wouldn't dare... he knows that anything he does to me would hurt her. He's not stupid after all. You know what... just because I love a good show I'll actually do it... this time. Next time though, Frost... I think I'll have more time to play..." She gave him a seductive smile and winked before she imply slumped in the chair; for a moment Mysterie didn't move, her breathing a little shaky from fear as her hands clenched tightly into fists. She'd gone from a sick form of torture to being back in control again. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her sanity.