Chapter Twenty-five

As soon as Elia had opened her eyes, she knew that something was different. It was easier to think and her limbs didn't ache they used to. The drug is wearing off! She sighed glancing around with the newfound clarity. Her fist suddenly flexed at the feeling of something pressed against her palm. Her metallic blue eyes widened at the sight of her crystal exposed in the center of her grasp. Elia's head cocked slightly unsure of other watcher's and when she heard silence quickly shoved her necklace beneath her shirt again.

She listened again falling silent. Her eyes narrowed straining for any hint of a sound besides her soft breathing. Her hand touched her hollow sheath and sighed again. Her gaze left the smooth gray of the ground towards the sky that blinded her for she had seen nothing but darkness for so long. The windows of the buildings in the distancegleamed in the sun like light on the surface of water. Elia became very aware of laying in the shadow of a looming dark tarp. Perhaps that no one spots me, she decided bitterly.

Her eyes gave her surroundings a hostile look. She smiled glancing behind her a the memory of seeing the men there. No one was there. She snorted looking away preparing to run, what fools would leave their prisoner's unattended? Obviously these men were stupid.

A flash of metal suddenly encased its tip to the ground close to her face. After she recovered from the shock, she realized that it was her longsword that was dug deep into the concrete, less then an inch close to her left cheek. Elia glared upwards furious at whoever dared to handle her weapon.

She recognized him right away though his name was a mystery to her. He gazed upon her coldly, but after a moment studying the intent of her eyes, his flick of smugness shaped his lips.

"You thought that we were that foolish to leave you alone?" he asked.

Elia laughed at him bitterly, "No, not foolish. That stupid."

Their eyes were locked to each other's, his features hardened, "No matter how much you may insult me with your petty remarks; they aren't enough to prick at my temper." His fingers touched her longsword's hilt, "Besides, we were ordered to keep you alive and unspoiled." He gave her a cruel smile who returned it with no effort.

"You must be paid handsomely for my capture." She asked smoothly with a tint of anger, "Who's your client?"

He chuckled, "Why would we tell you?" His head cocked behind him, "Bind her. Around her wrist and feet, I don't want her to escape."

She heard footsteps. Her insides flared with anger, she wouldn't be leashed like some dog! She rolled out of the way of reaching hands and with a quick push, flung herself off the ground to land on her two feet. The men ran after her, one ran in front of her, she pulled hard at an incoming hand and with a flick of her wrist; she heard a bone crack and flung him over her shoulder where he landed with thud. Her feet skated over the ground, trying to maneuver her way through the other two, primarily focused on the one who had given the orders to seize her. He frowned at her incoming form and his slid his hand over a bundle of rope. Elia motioned a kick at his head and when he blocked it, she spun out her free leg and slammed it against his face. He staggered back and shook his head, then she frowned. She didn't like how his eyes had a certain gleam. She wished that she had her sword.

She leapt at him desperate to reach for her longsword beyond him and threw a series of moves at him. His body twisted and moved dodging each blow. She hated it. His posture was almost overconfident as he stepped back with large stride avoiding a strike with his hands behind his back. A lazy smile made his lips curve as her fist snapped forward. Elia gasped as his hands suddenly snaked around her punch, something around her wrist tightened. She glimpsed a thick rope. He had been tying knots behind his back! She grit her teeth and threw another hit but her other hand was found likewise as it drew near, tied by another circle of a knot. Infuriated by the taunting sparkle in his eyes, she lifted her foot to clip his forehead but he ducked and used the rope to fasten around the foot and with a giant pull knocked her off her feet against the concrete. She struggled as she felt her hands being pulled behind her back as her free leg began to be fastened as well. Elia glared at him feeling tricked and hated how he tied her limbs no different than a man would a pig.

"Comfortable?" he asked her as he did the final knot that kept a rope tied to a metal rod from her bound hands. She gave him daggers instead. He chuckled softly, "Compared to other women, you would be known as a 'black sheep'."

"I don't give a damn about your little remarks." She snapped.

He shook his head lightly holding his amused smile, "I must admit that you comments are as sharp as your blade. Very entertaining. You're lucky that we weren't ordered to kill you or else you'd be in deep trouble about now."

She raised her chin a notch, even though she was pressed flat against the ground, "I can take you on."

"Cocky." He replied, "Most women are reserved."

"I'm not reserving anything as long as you're still alive!"

His shoe pressed against her white shirt shoving her down more forcefully, "I don't know why he wants you. 'Secret information' " he muttered quietly aside, "A woman named Elia.".

The weight against her shoulder got heavier, she snorted, "You have me at a disadvantage, I don't know your name.'

There was a quiet laugh, "Why? For your memories?"

"Because I want to curse you to hell."

He tilted his head, "It's Erus." He replied.

Elia nodded, "Alright Erus, damn you to hell."

Erus just smiled as if she was a child throwing a tantrum, "You are most certainly amusing Ms. Elia." She curled her lip as he spoke her name so nonchalantly. He turned his head, "Vasallus and Famulo, how's Operis?"

One of them, she didn't know which, walked towards the man whose right arm she had broken. With a few murmurs and a sharp inhale, the man replied, "Bad sir. Snapped in half, 'bout ten months or even a year to heal."

Elia smiled smugly at Erus's slight frown, then his dark, almost black, eyes flicked to hers, "You do a lot of damage for one such as yourself."

"I try."

His foot left her shoulder making Elia sigh relieved because the pressure began to soak in. Her metallic blue eyes watched as Erus strode over towards the helpless Operis reaching into his pocket while doing so. Operis struggled to his knees letting out a cry of pain. Suddenly a click made her eyes widened as a pistol pressed against the man's forehead, already trickling with new beads of sweat that seemed transparent compared to the paleness of his frightened skin. There was a piercing crack, even though she was used to the sound, Elia still winced as she watched the corpse hit the ground with a hard thud. For a moment, her mouth opened and closed like a gaping fish unable to say anything. What was this guy doing?! He just killed one of his own men!

"Wha—what the hell was that for?!" she shouted at him somewhat unsure of why she should be so concerned of what had just happened to a man who helped kidnap her, "He was part of your team and you just shot him because of a broken arm!?"

The gun skittered against the ground as Erus tossed it now useless weapon away, "He was injured. A broken arm would leave him behind. I merely bought him out of his suffering and shame."

What is it with men and honor? she thought.

"That gunfire could have alerted those of our presence sir!" one of the men shouted at Erus angrily, "What happens if they find us?"

"They'll kill your miserable excuses for a corpse and save me." Elia answered the frantic man, "No need to pay me for your future prediction, it was my pleasure."

Her smile faltered as Erus chuckled deep in his chest, "Not quite." His companion seemed to relax from Elia's words at this, "I know that the prince is after you," he told her who stared at him in disbelief, "Right now I bet he's even looking all over his kingdom for you so once he hears the gunfire he'll come and then we'll greet him. Famulo!" His voice sharp addressing the man closest to the fallen body.

He came to him obedient, "Yes sir?"

"Keep watch and have the drug ready when you see him." Erus ordered giving him something made of glass, "And when you do, open the capsule and use your gun to signal the job's done. He'll be out in a mere minute."

Famulo nodded, the capsule disappearing behind his clutched fist. Elia watched as his body moved past her and jump of the ledge. She squirmed; I can't let that guy poison Noct! For a moment she could see Myles's face white with panic at the mere idea. She couldn't let that man down. She wouldn't let him down!

Her eyes glanced around trying to look for something that could help her. Her sight caught a giant black tarp, no doubt used to hide with the shadows, that was suspended above the man Vasallus as he prepared to start a fire to rid of Operis's body. Elia's studied the instrument and zeroed in on the fact it was held up by two wooden poles. Then she flicked her eyes to Erus who was distracted by standing over the gunned down corpse. She smiled and glanced around her searching for something to help break the wood. Her spine recoiled as it pressed against something large and with uneven sides. Her fastened wrists reached for the object and by twisting her body, she watched a huge chuck of fallen rock from the apartment that was the size of a softball. She grinned unable to contain her joy of luck. Elia rolled over and with her knees, she stood up. A tug from behind her made her conscious of the long rope that kept her attached to the metal upright rod. She scowled and glanced feverishly to the two men, who hadn't noticed her strange silence. With the large stone in between her tied feet she measured and planned the next events. The rock would fly and strike (not to mention break) the two wooden poles that would make the tarp fallen upon the fire which would be set aflame and touch the body that Vasallus had just wrapped with spare cloth. Both then would burn releasing black smoke that would lead to her salvation.

Anticipation made her smile. Elia prayed, to whom she didn't know, but she prayed with every bone in her body with was filled with hope. This had to work.

Elia lifted her legs along with the pebble and with an impressive backflip sent the rock flying. Her muscles tensed watching the stone waiting for the perfect moment. There it was, without a moment's hesistation she prepared to slam the rock again with a flip. Suddenly the rope behind her pulled hard making her gasp startled and fall over. Before she could realize what had happened she watched with horror as the rock fell into an outstretched hand, expectant and patient. The hand lifted to his face, his eyes watched it as if it was a new species of some sort.

"You thought you could knock out one of my own men?" Erus snapped flicking the stone away, she felt her spirits fall at the sound of the rock bouncing off the walls and finally the ground. "You set your hopes too high." His hands reached for her shirt and with a gasp she was brought to her feet. Their noses would have touched if she didn't lower her face. Gazing over her before letting out a smile, he added, "Such silly hopes." He shoved her away from his face; somehow she managed not to fall again.

Elia glared at him, and then she saw that he was in complete lineup with the wooden planks behind him. She repressed a smile. Then as he turned his back on her for not even a second, she crouched and before he could turn around and continue to criticize her, her body had flipped and when it did, her legs stretched out and slammed against his chest. Her feet bounced of his midriff making her fall down quickly and painfully. But she didn't have the will to care for his body had knocked backward slamming against the two wooden rods, crashing between them completely as she predicted. Elia watched smiling breathlessly as the tarp fell over concealing Vasallus in black along with the body. Fire alit from the corner and like a wave it began to consume the tarp in a orange and red flame. Vasallus scrambled to get out (which he was successful at doing so) and watched in shock as black smoke began to arise from the flaming heap into the sky.

She stared sending her hopes with every fume and wished her heart out that Noctis would see it. A groan made her look; she didn't realize that she had gotten back up on her feet, her hands clasped in pray behind her back. The fire wasn't the only thing burning; Erus's brown eyes were burning with fury because of her, the hideaway was given away by the thick smoke that she had caused.

In large steps after ordering the stunned Vasallus to hurry and put out the mass of flame he approached her and struck her hard against the side of her face. She let out a gasp hitting the ground feeling her cheek throb and then her eyes blinked at Erus as if she was staring at the sun. By how his hand tightened into a fist, she had done more then pricked at his barrier of temper, she destroyed it.

Yes! This is finally done! (You: Thanks for the new chapter!) Me: Just thank me by reviewing like always!

Anyways the names: Erus (Master), Vasallus (servant), Famulo (from latin's Famulus: servant) and Operis (worker) Yes these are all latin!

So thanks for reading and PLEASE review. Gives me the more reason to type for fans of my work!

~Animangame02freak