The Black Monster: The Beginning

Part 7

Rose's eyes focused on the long trail of blood, her mouth slightly open. Damia kept silent while fiddling with her hands in her lap. The full reaction of seeing Evan's death caught up with Rose and she started to cry. The fifteen year old girl has no idea what to do but hug Rose. She knew nothing to say that would comfort Rose in the slightest, especially in the present situation.

"Would you quit your crying, you'll get us all killed," a woman around Rose's age whispered harshly.

She did not listen and continued to cry, soft conversation about her erupted all around. The women kept glaring at her and telling her to be quiet. Did they not understand or care that those they love were being killed? Were they thinking of only themselves?

Her husband was killed...possibly even her father. She was upset and had a right to be yet still these other women were furious with her for showing her emotions.

"What is going on here? Be quiet you infidels!" grumbled a burly wingly from the entry of the cell.

A hush fell over the women and they all bowed their heads, fearing to look into the inhuman eyes. Rose attempted to stifle her cries but was too late. The blood red eyes met with hers and she immediately held her breath.

"You," the creature pointed in her direction, "come here now."

She could not movie, the way he looked at her...told her she was nothing but a waste to him. He could kill her if he pleased.

"Now!" he yelled.

The other women shrunk back and on shoved Rose forward. She was being forced toward the wingly by other women. Did they not care? Before she knew it she was at the entry of the cell facing the twisted monster.

His strong hand gripped her arm tightly and he flung her out of the cell into the cold stone wall. The wind was knocked out of her and she hardly had time to breathe before his hands came tightening themselves against her arm and neck.

His face just inches from hers he breathed his horrible breath as he spoke, "impudent swine, what makes you think you have any right to do that here?"

'Do what?'

"Type of thing can get you killed around here."

'What did I do other than showing my emotions?'

"Punishment is dealt to those who show emotion, your duty will be to work and nothing else," the wingly paused, which gave her a chance to breathe, "as a matter of fact, you will be taken to the chambers now."

He pulled her back from the wall and, with his hand wrapped tightly around her neck, forced toward a set of stairs. Rose had to struggle to keep her footing but his hand pushing her kept causing her to stumble.

Down they went past cell after cell containing thousands of humans. Rose studied them out of the corners of her eyes, they watched her, some with sympathy other with horror.

"Another one," someone whispered.

'What do they mean?' Rose wondered, 'I'm not the only one?'

A last set of stairs led down to a damn and dark room. A light blue glow emitted from a hole in the far wall, giving the room a horrendously cold feel. She could see half a dozen separate cells, two of which she could see moving shadows.

The wingly thrust her into a cell and she fell roughly upon her bare knees.

"Now you can cry all you want and no one will care."

The wingly closed and locked the barred cell door and, with a shake of his head, retreated back up the stairs. She watched him leave then put her hands to her neck. It was warm and painful to touch. She rubbed her arms and curled up in the corner of the cell.

What would happen now? The wingly said she was meant to work...did that mean she was going to be a slave? Would they kill her if she 'misbehaved' again or was this where they took people who were to be killed?

Tears fell from her eyes and she bent her head. She thought of Damia, the young girl was by herself now, amongst women who did not give a damn about the others. She probably felt so alone...

Rose shook her head, 'keep yourself together,' she thought.

How could she? A great chance of becoming a slave, no possibilities of escape, not that she would try, anyone could lose their mind over this. Her hands tightened their grip upon her arms. Why did this have to happen? Why right after her life started to change, when she started to like Evan? Why were the winglies causing so much misery?

The sudden scrape of feet against stone startled Rose out of her thoughts. She backed against the wall and wrapped her arms around her knees.

A pale figure stepped in front of her cell but did not look in. The red haired figure looked around for a moment.

"Zieg?" it whispered.

Rose's head shot up, Zieg? The Zieg she knew?

"Zieg?" the soft called again.

"What...Shirley?"

"Yeah, where are you?"

"Last cell, back here."

The figure called Shirley continued in between the cells and out of Rose's view. What was that girl doing here?

'Zieg what happened?"

"It's a long story now get me out of here."

A quick flash erupted from the far side of the room, a slight creak of metal then a relieved sigh.

"Thanks."

"No problem, now what the hell happened?"

Footsteps neared, "I arrived in Furni where I met a potential..."

"Another one?" the girl interrupted.

"Yeah at least I think she was, I got the same reaction with it as I did with you."

They stopped in front of her cell and Rose squinted to study the man. The voice had sounded like him and now that she had somewhat of a visual...it was him.

"I was arrested...been in jail until the winglies came around to take everyone here."

"Where's your sword and armor, did the winglies take that too?"

There was a long pause, "no it's back at her place."

He was talking about Rose. She wanted to speak, to call his name but her throat was raw. Breathing became a difficulty. She shuffled in an attempt to make noise enough to catch his attention.

He looked over for only a minute then said, "Who else is with you?"

"Kanzas."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, we should hurry before he decides to get all noble with his fists."

The tall man Rose had come to love in absence walked away, she could hear their footsteps upon the stairs. He was leaving; he did not even study her in the cell. Now he is finding a way to escape this prison.

Rose slumped in her position and found more tears spilling from her eyes. She was alone now. So alone...that her throat tightened and her heart beat three times faster. Alone and she was going to die. She shook her head.

"Wait."

Footsteps wandered back down the steps and a shadow fell over her cell.

"Rose?"

Her head shot up. He came back.

"Rose are you ok?"

She did not say anything, she could not. Instead she stood up with a struggle and walked closer to the bars. He studied her with a pained expression then motioned to Shirley, who had come back down as well, to unlock her cell. Shirley looked at him in question but did so anyway.

"Alright, come on," Zieg said, taking a hold of her hand.

They crept quietly up the stairs, Shirley leading the way. She kept watch, running ahead every once in a while to be sure they were in the clear. Her ruddy white rove made her appear as a ghost, gliding swiftly throughout the wingly dungeon but her red hair punched out in a brilliant form of life.

Rose recognized the floor they had reached; it was where she had first been held captive. Damia, what about Damia? She could not just leave her here.

"Zieg," Rose whispered, her throat feeling rough like sandpaper (not that it existed...).

His eyes fell down to her as he listened.

"A girl, there is a young girl here...I can't leave her behind."

He did not say anything.

"Please we need to get her."

Zieg looked ahead to Shirley who had stopped to see if they were following. He looked back to Rose and lifted his head motioning for Shirley to wait.

"Ok...where is she?"

"In that cell," Rose pointed around the corner.

Zieg released her hand and leant forward looking toward the cell.

"What does she look like?"

"She has blue hair."

He looked back at her with a grin, "that won't be hard to find."

Rose gave a slight smile.

"Ok I'll be right back."

Zieg started forward.

"Wait," Rose whispered, "Zieg...her name is Damia."

He nodded and continued toward the cell.

Rose pushed her back against the cold stone wall. She hoped that this would work. Zieg would get Damia out right? Or would they be caught because of Rose? Was it a bad idea to save Damia? Rose shook her head. No, they had to save her. She glanced up at Shirley who stared back in impatience. She looked around Rose's age...not at all completely worried. She was very confident, was she used to things like this?

"Go, go."

She turned to look around the corner nearly running into Damia. Zieg came right behind and grabbed Rose's hand pulling her and Damia to Shirley.

"Come on run," Shirley whispered harshly.

They did. They ran, all of the, down winding halls until they were at what appeared to be an exit. A man stood there, not a wingly, am man. His hair spimed in an abnormal way, he had no weapons on him but gloves that covered his scarred fists.

"Kanzas, is the coast clear?" Shirley asked, running up to the man.

"Yeah so far," the man shrugged, his raspy voice catching Rose off guard.

Kanzas studied Rose and Damia with a smirk, "tag alongs?'

"No," Zieg replied with a glare, "potentials."

The scarred man lifted his eyebrows, "really now?"

"Ok guys let's focus on getting out of here please," Shirley said sharply.

Zieg looked away from Kanzas who gave another shrug and left through the exit.

"Ok, when we go through me, Shirley or Kanzas will take you down," Zieg explained.

Damia and Rose nodded hardly understanding what he was talking about. They followed him through the doorway onto a bare ledge hanging off the side of the building. Rose's heart nearly stopped when she looked down and noticed...they were on a floating building. Clouds hovered past them and the wind blew roughly in their ears.

"How are we getting down?" Rose cried.

"Oh don't pop a vein sweetie, just hold on," Kanzas snickered.

A bright purple light erupted around him and it soon disappeared to reveal him in strange armor and...wings. Strange...veiny wings like...a dragon.

Kanzas wrapped his arms around her waist and jumped off the ledge. Rose screaming on the way down until his wings took to motion flapping gently, holding them in mid air. They turned back and Rose watched as Shirley and Zieg turned into things similar to Kanzas. Different colored armor but nevertheless the same. Zieg took hold of Damia and jumped, Shirley, a glowing light held in the palm of her hand, followed suit. Once sure that they were not followed Shirley snuffed out the light and flew towards them.

"Ok," Zieg said, looking down to the ground far below, "We'll see how long we can last to make it to the city."

"Then what?" Shirley asked.

Zieg shrugged, "see what he thinks of them."

"Who?" Rose queried.

"Our leader," Kanzas answered, "now let's get moving."

Kanzas dove, gaining an impossible speed as they went. It was unimaginable that anything could go this fast. Rose did not scream, she was not scared...just terribly mystified. She could hear laughter from behind and looked back to see Damia with a wide smile on her face. Rose's eyes met Ziegs and immediately a smile formed on hers as well. He was here, he was alive and he had saved them with the help of his...friends? What was he though? What is this thing that they have become?