Everything hit me like a wrecking ball.
Including the actual wrecker's ball, which was aimed skillfully towards me.
My first instinct was to dodge, then I observed the chains the stretched out my limbs, restraining my movements tightly.
Air choked out of my lungs as the heavy metal ball pushed into my gut, hitting the exact spot where I'd recently been forced to stab myself.
On the bright side, team 7 would assume that I had stabbed myself to stop myself.
To save them.
They would assume I was the hero, so that when I escaped my captors, I would be welcomed back in the best views from everyone.
Me sacrificing myself to save them? I almost laughed at the mere thought. But then uncontrollable coughs racked up my body as pain exploded through my abdomen.
I gritted my teeth, dealing with it. This was nothing compared to what Ibiki had put me through... Ibiki... He was probably laughing his ass off about how I had "sacrificed' myself for my team.
Cause it is such a believable story.
I glanced up at my captors. They had caught me off guard, but now that I was awake, my brilliance would outshine their dim witted heads all put together.
There were two of them. A male and a female.
The man caught the metal ball that had bounced off my chest. His look wasn't sinister, more impatient. The woman held power, I could sense her presence indirectly influencing the male captor. She blinked slowly, watching me as though she had all the time in the world.
"Enough." The woman spoke, her sharp grey eyes piercing daggers into my own eyes.
I raised my eyebrow, questioning and also challenging.
The man grunted in displeasure. So he liked to inflict pain on others. The woman shot him a sharp look and he immediately went emotionless. Interesting.
Getting a read on these people were just too easy. Now I just had to figure out what they wanted with me, and then I could plan an efficient escape that would guarantee my freedom from these idiots.
I subtly tested the restraints the held me vulnerable to these people. They were tight, I couldn't do it on my own. I could manipulate someone else into doing it for me though.
"Child of Raidon," The man started. I perked my head up in confusion.
Raidon?
"Silence." The woman commanded, looking superiorly down at me. Her eyes caught even the slightest movement. "She is no one's child. She is no one. She is nothing. Do not dare interact with her as if she is. It will interfere with her training. She is a weapon, at our disposal. Treat her as such. Do I make myself clear?"
The man lowered his eyes in a subservient manner. "Yes, my lady."
"Good. The Phoenix will rise again Riyuji. And on that day, it will be risen under my command."
I assessed her as well as my situation. She held power, so she could back up her words. But her power mostly connected with the people who followed her, who fought for their cause. She maneuvered easily and manipulated well, pulling and weaving strings in a perfect picture.
In other words, we were much alike.
If I could somehow work in her favor, or even use my own powers of manipulation to turn her army against her...
I could escape.
They couldn't break me.
I would have to try.
Oh God. Oh God. OhGodohGodohGodohGodohGod.
I would be screaming the words, but my throat had long since been damaged beyond the point of any noise escaping.
The woman was completely vulnerable and I was unchained, but I couldn't do anything to attack. I couldn't do anything except concentrate on the smallest trickle of air bubbling through my throat and hope that it wouldn't cease. My cheek was pressed into the floor and I was eye to eye with my dismembered pinky.
"You'll have to reattach her finger," I hear the woman's voice float past me, "I don't want it to interfere with her functionality."
My breath stutters and I'm not sure if I'm praying for it to stop and let me die or if I still cling to the skin of this life, fighting for survival.
A small, pitiful, inhuman noise escapes my torn lips as I'm yanked upright by my long pigtails. The flap of skin that once covered my right cheek falls open and away from the muscle, igniting new levels of pain in my already battered body. I know, I know that eventually it would be healed, leaving a scar but not a disability, but that didn't help any.
"Who are you?" The man growls, shaking me slightly.
I feel each cut, each exposed, raw burn, the throbbing stump that was once my pinky, the swollen mass of flesh that was once my eye, the chapped and torn lips that once made such stupid, sarcastic responses, feel the broken leg and sprained ankle and dislocated toe and missing fingernails and toenails and something inside of me dies.
As the realization overcomes me a tear slips out of my one functional eye, stinging my destroyed cheek as the salty water made contact. I open my mouth, and it takes a while to work the sentence from my raw throat.
"I... Am... Nothing."
Heyyyy.
Wow. This is it. We've finally posted the sequel.
Do you like the cover? I made it myself (as I do all my covers lol). This is one of my absolute favorite covers so far though. I dunno, there's just something about it I really really like. What do you guys think? Like it? Don't like it?
Btw I do make covers for anyone who requests it. I just ask that you let people know it was me who made the cover. A follow is nice and always appreciated but by no means do I ask for any payment other than credit.
ANYWHO.
What do you guys think? Rather short, so we'll try to get the first chapter out as soon as possible. Comments help with motivation!
Well, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this prologue. Fanart is lovely: just PM us for any details on how to send it to us!
Alrighty then!
Comment comment comment!
gaara119
Alright! You guys have no idea how excited I've been to post this prologue! We know you guys have been waiting, and thank you for your patience! I really hope we lived up the expectations you guys have for this sequel and more!
What do you think about Cashile? I know, the descriptions of her injuries make me flinch too. (MUAHAHA I made my writing partner flinch ~gaara119) But alas, it had to happen, this torture involves strong methods.
ANYWHO
fan, vote, comment! Encourage us to post chapter 1 if you liked this prologue!
Thanks again!
-S
Comment, Vote and Fan!
Ja ne!
Insomniac_Lullabies