Darkness. Cold. It was all Aerrow could see and feel. The coldness enveloped his skin, reaching its cold hand through his body clawing at him and making him shiver. Only the thin fabric of his uniform covered his body. They confined him to the world with no food or company. The room was pitch black. By looking right, left, up, down, waving his hands in front of his eyes, Aerrow didn't see so much as a hint of movement. He was completely alone.

The air didn't feel right, it was too thick almost solid. Aerrow couldn't help feeling his breath become short. He felt like reaching out with his hands, crushing the air into little pieces and stuffing them down his windpipe. Aerrow ran his hand through his hair, thinking whether or not it was a good idea to come to the farside.

The door creaked open. He lifted his dull eyes, not knowing how long he had been cooped up in here. It's hard to tell the time when you can't see the sunlight. Any guess he had been here for just under a day.

He walked in. Aerrow lowered his eyes again, not bothered by Mukesh's presence. "Had fun?" He asked playfully, as if he enjoyed this.

"Meh, can't complain," Aerrow responded still not lifting his gaze. His voice was dry from the lack of water, making it sound muffled and croaky. Mukesh sighed, he turned a dial on the wall. Electricity flooded into Aerrow from the iron shackles that held him against the damp wall. Aerrow held his breath, trying to control himself from screaming.

"Mmph!" Aerrow mumbled, trying to take charge of his rage.

He got a shock from the intense pain as it flowed through his body. Finally after what seemed like ages, the torment stopped. His hands were violently shaking from the aftershock. His hair rose from the static electricity. The only sound was Aerrow's heavy breathing.

He had endured a lot of pain ever since entering the farside. Now he regretted coming here more than ever. The thought of his friends, however, was the only thing that was keeping him alive. Otherwise he would've just given up.

Aerrow closed his eyes, exhausted from the lack of sleep. He started drifting off but awoke to another current of electricity.

"Now now, don't give up on me just yet. I haven't finished with you."

The agony wouldn't go away. This time Aerrow couldn't restrain himself any longer. He screamed as loud as he could. He didn't care any more; Aerrow let the pain control him. However it didn't stop. The bolts of electricity continued to flow through him.

"I won't stop unless you tell me where this Atmos place is." Aerrow tried to hold on just a bit longer, but it hurt. His body was tortured, battered and damaged beyond repair. Hope was lost. The image of his friends faded out of his mind due to his throbbing head. He was tempted to end his own life right then and there.

"F-….FINE!" Aerrow managed to shout, finally giving up. Mukesh smiled, achieving his goal. The current stopped. Aerrow let out a deep breath, relieved. He eyed Mukesh, "I'll tell you where it is if you let my friends go!" He had nothing to lose except his friends.

"Deal!" Mukesh agreed. He was going to let them go anyway, they were no use to him.

Aerrow's face showed a look of shock. He had not expected Mukesh to agree to his terms, in fact, he thought it was the last thing he'd do.

"Okay," Aerrow started, a bit sceptical about revealing the information, "We came through a door that Master Cyclonis stole from the natives of a sacred land."

"How did she steal a door?" Aerrow glared at Mukesh, not happy about being interrupted.

"It's just that, a door." Mukesh gave him a confused look.

"Go on," Mukesh insisted. Aerrow coughed from the dry throat he was suffering from.

"Well," Aerrow continued, "Cyclonis could access this place through that door," he coughed again but this time he coughed out blood. Every time he swallowed it felt like someone was stuffing rocks down his throat. He cleared his mouth with his hands that were still shackled to the wall. "Sh…she gained new powers and we had to s-stop her. So we followed her through." Which is just about the worse thing we did, Aerrow complained inside his own head.

"Is there a way to get back?" Aerrow rolled his eyes. How am I supposed to know? Aerrow thought.

"We don't know," which was true, Aerrow actually didn't know how to get back. They had only arrived to the farside two days ago; at least, that's what Aerrow thinks. He had been cooped up in his cell for so long he couldn't tell day from night.

Mukesh sighed. "I'm glad for you cooperation. Your friends will be set free within the hour. But I'm sorry to say," Muskesh spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "you still will receive your punishment you deserve, which is worthy of death." A little part in Aerrow died. He looked towards the ground again. This is it. I'm never going to see my friends again.


Piper felt the knot in her stomach tighten. It was like a snail was slithering along the inside of her belly leaving a wet trail in its wake. But all she could do was listen to the soft distant scream echoing through her ear drums. She knew who it belonged to. Her once brave leader, her friend, and because of her she wouldn't be able to see his face again. Guilt overflowed her, filling her insides.

She pressed her ear against the surface of the cell door. Listening and waiting for any sign of hope. Aerrow's blood-curling scream penetrated hers ears yet again, making her flinch. A cold shudder trickled down her spine. Piper looked back towards her closest friends, Stork, Junko and Finn. They all seemed to have the same expression as Piper did. She pressed her knees against her chest, and buried her face on her legs. She didn't know what to do. But no matter what she had to stay strong, one of the most important lessons Aerrow had taught her.

Piper lifted her head up to the sound of footsteps. She stood, intrigued by the sound. Maybe they were bringing Aerrow back, safe and sound. Or perhaps they were going to take one of them in for questioning. The others didn't seem to notice the sound. "Shhh..." Piper ordered, interrupting Stork's rant about cell moths. "I think there's someone coming." Piper pressed her ear to the door. It was originating from outside the cell, growing louder as it neared. She stepped away from the door as it unlocked with a slight click, and opened to reveal a pair of guards. One was dressed in the same black uniform similar to the guards that contained them, while the other's was red in colour, signifying an increase of hierarchy.

"Come with us," the black one demanded. Finn stood up from his seated position, raising an eyebrow. "Where are you taking us?" he questioned, not keen on the idea of obeying their demands, anyone's for that matter.

"You are to be set free," the other responded. That remark turned heads.

"Huh?" Finn replied, taken aback. They were not expecting this. In fact, they thought they'd be taken in for interrogation just like Aerrow, which is why they were so afraid and for the safety of their leader of course.

"What?" Piper asked, knowing what was said.

"We're letting you go free," the guard repeated, "now move, before we change our minds." The Storm Hawks hesitated, but obeyed, and followed them out of the cell; although Junko stopped, a sad expression on his face, not wanting to move.

"What about Aerrow? Is he free too?" Junko asked. He twiddled his thumbs smiling, hoping for a good answer.

"No, he is to be further contained for more questioning, and then be executed under the laws of our government," the red one answered. Junko's expression turned upside down.

"WHAT!" Piper shouted, she felt like she's been saying that a lot lately, "You can't do that. You have no proof his guilty."

"On the contrary, we do. He confessed about everything, where he came from, how he got here and who he works for," the black one informed, sniggering to the other guard. "I thought he'd put up more of a fight."

Piper frowned wanting so badly to punch the guards face in, but she controlled her anger, just until they let them go. They have more of a chance saving Aerrow out there, then what they do in here. Aerrow must've had a good reason to give up that sort of information. Maybe it was because of him they were setting them free. But before she could do anything else, she felt something graze her face, some sort of spray, and fell into a deep state of sleep.