CHAPTER XXIII
Crucified

Every inch of my body trembled uncontrollably. My knees felt like bubble gum and it was hard to stand still right beside the golden throne. I just wanted to take shelter, because I knew that Marik, who sat right on the throne next to me, was a ticking time bomb… a nuclear ticking time bomb. My breath was heavy and my palms sweaty. I stared to the doors of the great hall waiting for Odion and the Rare Hunters to return every minute. As soon as they would walk through the doors I knew that hell would break loose.

Marik didn't tell me anything about what did go wrong. He and Odion just talked mentally via mind link and he kept me totally in the dark. Was my so called „vision" just a bad nightmare and maybe Obelisk had never been in Karnak? Then it could be my fault that Odion did find nothing but sand there. Or did the millennium necklace warn Ishizu about them coming for the god card and brought it to another safe hiding place? Would he blame it on me that the mission failed because I asked him to stay here with me. I didn't know and I was scared that this whole failed mission would be blamed on me - whatever the reason. But I also didn't dare to ask.

His mind was intoxicated by the idea of collecting all three god cards and rule the world, but I would also be satisfied with a normal life with him in a little flat, an average car and ordering pizza on Sunday evenings.

My heart skipped a beat when the doors swung open and Odion entered the hall, followed by the Rare Hunters who had joined him on the mission to Karnak. My eyes were glued to him and my panic intensified quickly.

Marik shot up and his loud voice made me cringe. „YOU USELESS FOOLS! How dare you to disappoint me!? AGAIN! How could you let it happen that my sister escapes with Obelisk right before your eyes!?" He shouted on the top of his lungs. The servants behind Odion looked straight to the floor and trembled. I knew that they were scared to death, because the shadow realm was definitely an option for them.

„I am sorry, Master Marik. But Ishizu was one step ahead of us." Odion tried to explain in a calm tone and to prevent the situation from escalating. I slowly stretched out my hand and laid my fingers on his shoulder, hoping that this could claim him down a bit. But with a sudden movement of his hand he slapped it away. I cringed from the hit. „Don't you Dre to touch me, Jesara!"

I stepped back again without saying a word. For a second I was just shocked. I stroked over my hand, which hurt from Marik's slap.

„SHE WAS RIGHT THERE! Right in front of your stupid eyes with Obelisk in her Ra damned hands! I've sent you there armed to your teeth and you weren't able to get the damn card!?" Marik spat and I stared at him in shock. Did he really just imply that the should have shot her down? A single tear ran down my cheeks at the bare thought of Marik giving the command to kill his own sister.

„M-Master Marik…" Odion stammered.

„YOU, Odion, should better be thankful that I still need you in the organization. That's the only reason why I don't send you to the shadow realm straight away!" He threatened him.

Odion just nodded thankfully and bowed down with one knee on the floor. „I am sorry that I disappointed you, Master Marik."

„That doesn't mean that there won't be a punishment for you." Marik said in a dark undertone tightened the grip on the millennium rod. „Lumis." He said and a bright light enhanced from the millennium rod. Lumis, who stood right behind Odion, froze for a second.

„B-but M-Master…" Lumis stuttered in shock. „Do you really…?"

I felt Marik's blood started to boil. „ARE YOU DEAF, YOU IDIOT!? I would obey my orders if I was in your position, because the shadow realm is definitely still an option for you, you fool!" He screamed again and Lumis started to run to get what his master asked him for.

„I don't accept failures. Failures will end up in punishment." Marik growled. Just then Lumis returned with the whip that Marik asked him for. It was a long whip made from leather, with knots and tiny sharp stones attached to the lengths. I could barely imagine the pain this thing would cause. „20 hits should make clear that failures won't be accepted." Marik explained coldly.

My palm met my mouth, because all I wanted was to cry out. I was shocked what Marik had just ordered. My glassy eyes stared at Marik and then back down to Odion, the most faithful souls I knew, who still was on his knee. „I will take whatever punishment you think suits my mistakes, Master." He said calm. Odion was used to suffer for or because of Marik and I felt so sorry for him. It was so unfair… Slowly Odion stood up and started to take off the upper part of his cloak.

„Marik, stop that!" I suddenly shouted out and everyone fell silent. „You can't do that to him!"

Marik stared at me in puzzlement like he couldn't believe that I dared to talk against him. „What did you say?" Marik asked with a threatening undertone in his voice.

I took all my courage in both hands and took a few steps forward until I stopped right in front of Marik and before Odion. „You won't hurt him. He doesn't deserve that kind of punishment. It's not his fault, Marik. Please, stop that." I begged him with tears in my eyes.

„Step beside, Jesara. This is none of your business." Marik commanded coldly and stared daggers down at me. I could also feel Odion's eyes staring at me from behind.

I shook my head. „No. Odion is a part of our family, Marik. I won't let you do this to him." My voice was shaking and I wasn't able to hold back my tears. I stretched out ma arms to both sides in a protecting manner.

I felt Marik's anger rising and somehow it was like his aura changed from dark to… very dark. A shiver ran down my spine and my knees became weaker and weaker, but I stood my ground and didn't move just an inch. I knew Marik was able to explode like a volcano from one second to the next, but this time also his hair spiked up a little. This wasn't a volcano… this was a hundred levels above.

His gaze grew darker. „Jesara." He growled. „STEP. BESIDE." Marik warned me again with a more terrifying undertone than before. „This is my last warning."

Now Odion spoke up behind me. „Jesara. It's okay. It was my fault and I'm ready to take the consequences of my failing."

My breath was heavy and my body was shaking while I looked straight into Marik's dark lavender irises, which were filled with fury. The gentle side of him I fell in love with was far away… out of sight, although he stood right in front of me. Was this even the same person? It made me even sadder and I sobbed heavily. My lungs drew in a deep breath before saying just one word.

„No." I said again. „You'll have to force me. Odion is family…"

I felt the eyes of Odion and of the Rare Hunters resting on my back. They didn't expect me to talk back to their already boiling Master. Not me. Not a girl.

Marik's shoulders relaxed and he sighed. „As you wish."

For a second I thought that I brought him back to his senses. That's why also my body started to relax for a second.

„As you wish." Marik said coldly. „Lumis, my dear wife wishes to step in for this fool of a servant. 20 as I said."

My face literally went white. I stared at him in utter terror. Even Lumis' eyes looked at their Master in horror and disbelief. Again the bright light of the rod intensified. „Ambra, Jazar. What are you two fools waiting for?"

Suddenly each of them packed one of my arms and dragged me down the stairs - away from him. I shrieked in horror when they forced me down to my knees right in front of him, in front of everyone else. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.

Again Odion spoke up with a loud voice again. „Master Marik, Jesara has nothing to do with it. I'm ready to take the consequences like a man!"

„SILENCE!" Marik roared.

They turned me around harshly so my back faced towards Marik. I stared at Odion with glassy eyes when the two Rare Hunters ripped off the top part of my dark purple cloak and also the top that I wore underneath. It was the most humiliating thing that had ever happened to me. I tried to cover my chest with my arms while I sobbed heavily.

„LUMIS!" Marik commanded to start the punishment, but his servant hesitated. „I'm waiting!" Obviously this was too much. Some men don't have the guts to harm a woman. I shivered while I sat there on my knees and listened to what happened behind me. I was still hoping that this might be just another nightmare.

„You fool! I could run this organization all on my own and would be better off!" Marik spat and snatched the whip out of Lumis' hands. I wrapped my arms around myself even tighter and without a warning a sharp pain shot through every part of my body like a thunder strike. I cried out in pain.

From the corner of my eyes I saw how Odion tried to get to me, but the other Hunters held him back. He was crying … too.

„COUNT!" Marik roared from behind me.

My lungs took a deep breath. „O-one…" I stuttered in pain. Again the whip hit me like a sledgehammer. I felt how the knots and little stones in its end cut through my skin. A hot liquid ran down my back. „Two…"

Did this really happen…? This felt like the ultimate betrayal… How did we go from laying in each others arms to… this?

Another hit. Another pain filled cry. „Three…"

By now my body was slowly shutting down into a kind of ‚crisis mode' and with every time the leather cut through my back I felt less and less pain. By the time we reached twenty hits I felt just nothing. And then… I collapsed.

xx

The next thing I remember was the flickering light of the candle on the nightstand beside my bed. Every inch of my body hurt, especially my whole upper body.

„Jesara." A soft voice whispered behind me. „I won't ask you how you feel… I already gave you a painkiller shot…" It was Odion. I didn't say anything. Or to be more clear… I wasn't able to yet.

„Why did you do that… that punishment was meant for me." He asked in dismay.

I laid face down on my bed. My upper body was still naked. „I wanted to protect you…" I whispered weakly.

He sighed. „But that's my job… It's my job to protect you."

We said nothing for a little while. The tears that built up in my eyes again did say it all. I slowly realized that this wasn't a nightmare. I started to cry uncontrollably again. Odion stroked along my arm to comfort me. „I'm so sorry… but I need to clean your wounds now some of them need to be stitched…"

I just nodded into my pillows, which were already wet from all the tears. „The disinfection may burn… tell me when you need a pause."

The procedure was horrible. My back burned like fire as soon as the alcohol touched my wounds and I whimpered. I was sick of the pain. I felt like I couldn't take it anymore. I felt crucified and betrayed by the man I loved like an idiot. Every here and then I cried out from the pain when the needle stitched the deeper wounds on my back. My fingers held my pillows in a tight grip. Sometimes I also bit into the fabric to hold back a cry.

I didn't know how much time went by. I lost myself in countless minutes and hours of pain.

Odion finished stitching my wounds eventually and with his help I managed to sit straight up in my bed. This way it was easier for Odion to bandage my whole upper body. I didn't care about sitting in front of Odion with my naked chest. I was just thankful that the pain finally reached a bearable level.

I look in a deep breath. „Odion." I whispered in exhaustion.

„Yes? Do you need a pause? More pain killers?" He asked carefully.

I shook my head. „Can you do me a favor…?"

„Whatever you want, Jesara." He answered and continued bandaging my body.

I swallowed, but my body was completely relaxed. I've never felt this detached from everything and everyone. It was like my bruised body was floating in a bubble of dark nothingness. After what Marik had done to me this evening I felt so lost…

„I'm done… Odion." I whispered. „Please… I need you to help me to get out of here… far away. Away from this place… the organization. Away from Marik…"

AN: This is almost the end, my friends :-) I guess the final chapter will be short. I hope you liked it although it was a bloody thing here :P thanks for reading and thanks for everyone who takes the time to leave a review here. :-)