CW/TW! This chapter contains scenes of torture, attempted sexual assault, sensory deprivation, and thoughts of dying. Reader discretion is advised.
Chapter 20: The Phantom Agony - Epica
Day 8: 08:45
Dr. Hiroa
He had tried and failed to calm down Dr. Davis for the past 15 minutes. He was thrashing wildly and screaming to the point where his voice was hoarse. Gasps and sobs of agony wouldn't cease and he worried about how much internal damage he would do to himself thrashing on the floor like this. It took all of his strength, but he was able to finally pick him up and take him to the bed where he wouldn't be at risk of smashing his head against the concrete floor.
"Mai! Mai! Please! Bring her back to me, please! It hurts so much!" he screamed.
His heart broke for the doctor. He's never seen this kind of response before. Well, he's never seen it on anyone else before. He behaved similarly when the hospital took Aya away for surgery after the accident. At least that's what the nursing staff told him he did. He doesn't remember most of what happened after the accident.
"I'm going to get her back, I swear! Just stay with me doctor!" he yelled, trying to hold him down and prevent him from hurting himself.
"My light…my golden light! I can't feel her! Why?! Bring her back!" he yelled, not able to hear him.
"Dr. Davis, control yourself! Please!" He yelled. "Guards!" Two of the guards outside the door came in. "Both of you, go get leader Alaina in here, now!"
They left to do as he said and he turned his attention back to Oliver. His body was spasmodic as pain wracked through him. He was sobbing and couldn't control himself.
"Mai! Oh god, Mai help me, please! I'm cold, I'm so cold," he sobbed. "Mai, I need you! Dr. Hiroa, get her back! Bring her back!"
"I'm trying!" He yelled.
"Well, isn't this a sight?" Alaina's voice said cheerily at the door. He whipped his head over his shoulder. She was slowly walking over to them and stopped at the bed frame. "Dr. Oliver Davis, brought down by a metal room. I guess his reports on this were a massive understatement. Perhaps to keep someone, well someone like me, from doing this? I wonder…" she giggled.
"Leader Alaina, as their physician, I must implore you to stop this experiment immediately. The two of them are in excruciating and debilitating pain and suffering. If this continues I can't ensure their survival!" He pleaded.
"Thank you for your insight doctor, but your request is denied," she said. She turned back to Oliver. "Who's the bitch now doctor? I'm going to get great pleasure in watching you and ya' little girlfriend suffer. I'll leave her in that room for as long as I want. Maybe I'll have Akio visit her too," she threatened.
Oliver trembled in cold and rage as he turned his head to look at her. His eyes are bloodshot from crying and he grits his teeth through the pain. But his glare of defiance and rage shined through. "If-f you a-a-allow that filth to t-touch even a single hair on her h-head, if Mai d-dies from this, I will make you beg for death," he shivered.
"What did ya just say?" Alaina growled.
"Did you not f-fucking hear me? I said-d, if Mai dies from this-s, there won't be a single place on Earth where you c-can hide that I won't find you. I will ens-sure that the police never stop finding y-your body, as I tear you all apart, piece by piece. You w-will beg for a m-mercy that will never come. If-f Mai is not returned to me safe and sound I will destroy everyone without mercy!" He growled.
Dr. Hiroa's eyes went wide as he saw Oliver's eyes flash silver as he finished his threat. A chill went down his spine and he could tell that Alaina was freaked out as well. She hid her fear in anger.
"You don't get to talk to me like that! I'll keep that bitch in that room all fuckin' day if I need to!" She turned to him. "Only myself or Akio are allowed to release her. See to it that he stays alive," she ordered and then stormed off.
Oliver broke down again and sobbed. "M-Mai, I'm s-s-sorry, I'm s-so sorry!"
Dr. Hiroa held his hand and noticed how cold it suddenly was. These children were being tortured and he was overseeing it all. He wanted to die.
Day 8: 12:38
Naru
He was so cold. His beautiful golden light had gone out. He was left bereft and alone. Tears flooded from his eyes. His Mai, his beautiful Mai, was gone. He couldn't take this. This torture had gone on for hours? Days? Weeks? Months?! He wasn't sure about the passage of time anymore. He felt like he was out in an icy tundra with no gear on to protect him.
Shivering had left his body at this point. It hurt too much to shiver. His head pounded. His PK made him feel once again trapped in his own body. All he wanted, all he needed was Mai back in his arms. He should have never let her leave. He should have fought harder! He should have been more careful with his identity. He should have…he should have.
'You should have died in that demon cave,' a dark voice whispered.
Maybe.
"Dr. Davis, it's going to be ok, we're going to get her back," Dr. Hiroa said, adding another hot washcloth to his head. "How are you still hypothermic?!" He took his temperature again. "35 degrees Celsius. Shit. This is bad."
He felt this before when he was a child with his brother in the orphanage. When they got into trouble they would be separated and secluded into different rooms. Each room was encased in metal made especially for them and their growing powers. It lasted a long time, but never this long! When his connection to Mai was severed so suddenly, he knew he messed up. It felt like she had died again and that there was nothing he could do to get her back. The tears at first would not stop flowing. Now it felt like they froze on his face.
He was alone. And he was dying again.
'You should've died in that cave.'
He knows that. But he's dying now. So. Yeah.
Panicked breathing and the door slamming open brought him to reality again. He opened his eyes and saw a hazy figure of Akio standing there.
"Doctor! Y-y-you're needed!" He said.
"Where's Mai?!" Dr. Hiroa asked, obviously very pissed off.
"Next to the main office. P-please, go g-get her and bring her back!"
Dr. Hiroa left quickly and Naru heard Akio approach him. All he could do was turn his head to look at him. He looked frightened and angry.
"You two, the both of you, are demons! You summon the dead to do your bidding and terrorize this world! I hope your new buyers know how evil you two are. Especially that witch!"
He stormed off and Naru shivered but pondered, 'What brought THAT on?'
Day 8: 12:30
Mai
She was in Hell. This had to be it. Alone and burning for hours, never-ending pain and suffering. She was weak and lying down on the floor. She was breathing heavily as sweat poured from her body. She was shaking. She had closed her eyes and felt like she was floating.
'Just kill me already,' she thought. 'This hurts so much!'
"Mai!" A familiar voice called out.
"Na….r..?"
"Mai, it's me, Gene! Can you hear me?" He asked.
"Ge…ne…" she slurred.
"Oh god Mai, this is bad. This is so bad! You can't be here! It's killing you! It's killing Noll!" He was panicking. She never heard him sound so frightened before.
"Where…m'I?"
"You're in that metal room, your bond with Noll was cut off. Open your eyes, Mai!" Gene pleaded.
"Can't…fire…I'm on fire!" She cried.
"You have to try, please! If you die, Noll will die too! I'll never be able to rest, and I'll be alone. I'm scared Mai," He cried but then adjusted his tone. "Someone's coming."
The door to the room opened and closed. She heard faint footsteps approach her. She couldn't see anything or anyone.
"Hello sweetheart," the drawl of Akio echoed in the room.
She whimpered. She couldn't move or fight back. She was helpless to whatever he wanted to do. She moaned and tried to move her body away, but it was too weak. She moaned and tried to move away again.
"Oh sshh sshh sshh, don't run away. It's ok. I'm going to make things good for you," he whispered as he climbed over her.
"Fire…fire! I'm…on fire…. Burning…" she said again.
"Mmm yes, you are quite hot. Maybe you need to get out of these clothes…" he said, putting his hands on her.
"G…' off….ge'off!" She mumbled trying to move out from under him. It was too much for her. "Na…ru… Naru!"
"He can't help now sweetheart…it's just you and me,"
The room dropped in temperature significantly. Mai sighed in relief. She felt a force near her.
"Now, tell me about what Dr. Davis does to you. Does he touch you? Does he fuck you?" He asked. "I can too you know, I'll probably be better." He slithered his hands under her shirt up to her breasts scraping his nails into her skin and scraped downwards to her stomach and sides. It felt like burning daggers carving under her burning skin!
"Ge…ne…help! Help me, Gene!" She cried out.
Suddenly a bright blue sphere surrounded her and threw Akio off. It was cool compared to her burning skin. She opened her eyes to see a figure of Gene holding up Akio by the throat. Akio was struggling to breathe as he was being lifted off the ground.
"G-! Gah! Wh-! What the-!" Akio sputtered.
A ghostly voice echoed off the walls around her. "She is under my protection. You will not touch her."
"L-l-let me go-ah!" He choked.
"Why should I? Why shouldn't you all feel the icy grip of death? That is what you're doing to my brother and the love of his life?" Gene's voice became darker, "Why shouldn't I kill you now?!"
"Gene! N-no! If y'do…you'll…be c-c-corrup..td…you…won' pass onnn…." Mai said with all her strength. It took all of her will to say that and she fell to the ground gasping in pain.
Gene sighed. He lowered Akio to the ground but didn't release him. "It is through her light that you live. Release her from this room, NOW!"
"I'll talk to Alaina, please let me go!" Akio begged.
The room flashed with blue light. "RELEASE HER NOW!" Gene commanded.
"Ok! Ok! I'll release her. I'll go get the doctor yeah? Please don't kill me!" Akio begged.
Gene released him and Akio fled the room leaving the door open. Mai saw the light and began crawling. It took all her strength. She kicked, grunted, and gripped the floor. "Naru…" One thought came through on repeat: 'Get back to Naru.'
Her body was burning, her face and hands were bleeding, and her body was trembling from cold exhaustion. She crawled.
"Na…ru."
Her body was weak, but she promised she'd return to him. She'd crawl her way back. Every centimeter. She'd return to him!
"Oh my god, Mai!" The voice of Dr. Hiroa came through the haze. "You're just as bad as Dr. Davis right now! Don't worry, I'm taking you to him." He picked her up and she dangled in his arms.
Gene's presence vanished. Mai was carried through the halls. She saw lights flicker past her in a haze. She finally felt Naru's presence nearby. She was placed down in the bed and finally felt connected.
"Mai?" A strangled voice called out to her.
She opened her eyes and looked to the right. Naru was staring at her. He looked as bad as she had felt. But he was here. "Naru!"
"Mai!" He gasped. He grimaced in pain and a few more tears fell from his eyes.
"Burning, I was burning!" She cried. She reached over to him using whatever strength she had left. "I'm still burning."
"I was s-so c-c-cold, never-r felt s-so cold," he shivered.
She tried one last thing before darkness overcame her and reached out through the bond. The bond was reconnected and her spiritual aura reconnected with his PK. They both gasped as if resurfacing for air. They could see the golden electrical sphere surrounding them as it healed them slowly. He reached out to her as she did to him. They rolled over to each other and put their foreheads against one another.
They could finally heal from the torture.
