Fractured Fates & Silent Vows
Rating: T/M for some themes
Summary:
In another timeline, Liam triumphantly returns to his hometown for a fresh start. His time at Hollywood Arts is a whirlwind of success and new friendships. Despite keeping a few secrets, he's on top of the world. But just when he thought everything was going smoothly, an old friend reemerges, hellbent on reigniting the past.
Author's Notes:
Foreign languages spoken
*Liam- Yoruba
*Tori- Yucatan Maya
*Katalaya- Yoruba
There's going to be one more chapter for the Yerba saga remaining after this before we transition to the next one. I want to thank everyone who enjoys and supports this story! It's been forever since I've enjoyed writing and I'm aiming to see this one through to the end. This story is an amalgamation of many previous stories coming together as well as an alternate universe to Monsters & Demons.
Chapter 15: Beautiful Nightmare
"Ow... my head..."
Liam sat up, finding himself lost in a void. He felt like his head was about to explode, but there was little he could do about that right now. The most important thing to him at the moment was figuring out where in the hell he was. Looking around, he saw nothing but darkness all around him and nothing else.
Well, almost nothing...
"Where am I?" he rubbed his sore forehead.
"Oh look! He finally awakens..." his eyes shot open at the sound of a voice so sultry and mature.
Looking around, he noticed his blurry vision finally starting to clear up. He took in the faint glow of a small fire illuminating the darkroom. It was enough for him to see that he was deep in a cave.
"Where am I?" he groaned, still feeling groggy.
"You're in an underground cave, child." the sweet voice answered. "It's actually beneath the waterfall that you and your friend fell into. You're lucky we found you or you would've drowned." Liam clutched his throbbing head listening to the voice of the unknown person. She finally revealed herself to be a dark-skin full-figured woman with long black hair tied in a braid. Her eyes were like flaming amber, dazzling and enchanting in how they pierced into his soul.
"Thanks..." he nervously shifted in his spot, suddenly feeling the sharp pain in his shoulder.
"Relax! You're safe here."
"Really? Tell that to the two psychopaths that shot me," He stared warily at the attractive woman, keeping his guard up just in case.
The young man was taken aback as the woman chuckled softly, an unexpected reaction. He had anticipated her to be offended, but instead, she gave him a gentle, motherly smile. Her reaction was both unsettling and oddly comforting. As she leaned in to apply some black substance onto his shoulder, he braced himself for pain, but instead, felt a cool sensation spreading down his right arm.
"Not everyone here is a savage..." she whispered, still concentrating on treating the wounded teen. "Some of us are civilized once you get to know us!"
Now he felt ashamed, averting his gaze guiltily at her calm reprimanding. Her fiery gaze rested on the blameworthy boy upon completion of the care.
"I'm sorry..."
"Think nothing of it! But, you'll be wise to not judge a book by its cover." She winked playfully before getting up.
"Thank you... umm..."
"Katalaya. It's a pleasure..."
"I'm Liam. Nice to meet you, Katalaya! Um... you wouldn't happen to know where my..."
"Your girlfriend? She's further ahead with my colleague, Garou, gathering something for us to eat. I volunteered to keep an eye on you."
Upon hearing the word 'girlfriend', Liam couldn't stop his heart from racing. Sure, it was established that the two had a strong connection romantically, but neither he nor Tori would dare cross that line; at least... not that he was fully aware of. He shook off the ideas of them going out, being on dates, and sharing intimate moments in between classes to remind himself of the current situation. In his eyes, there would be time to figure out the nature of their... complicated relationship after they managed to survive this hell.
Not to mention his feelings toward a certain goth, Liam felt a wave of emotions hit him as he sat.
Just in time, he had pushed those thoughts aside as Tori and a fairly athletic man came into view. His skin tone was similar to Garou's, though Garou had more noticeable scars. The man's eyes resembled Katalaya's, like smoldering dark flames, brimming with intensity though his gaze was gentle. He had a completely shaven head and a well-defined physique. Both approached the campfire, sharing chuckles as they conversed about something just beyond his range of hearing.
This must be that Garou guy, she was talking about. he surmised from his spot nearby.
"There's no one near the area." his deep voice resonated throughout the rocky corridor. "We should be safe until tomorrow. Reports show that the chancellor's men will start searching for bodies by the afternoon, but we'll be long gone before then."
Katalaya nodded her consent with a gracious smirk that mirrored Tori's.
"That's good. Our other guest has finally woken up in time for dinner."
The two turned to the shifting Liam, a sight that caused Tori to scramble over to him. She was careful to avoid his damaged shoulder as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Feeling her warmth, Liam reciprocated the act. Her body shook under his touch, causing him to feel unnerved. Once again he could practically feel the pain of her woes slithering around him.
"You're okay!" she choked back tears.
"Sorry for scaring you, olufẹ!"
But Tori shook her head, smearing fresh tears on his neck in disbelief. Here he was, wounded, recovering, and just regaining consciousness yet, he was the one apologizing. He did nothing wrong and yet, he still felt the need to 'make things right'. Either he was a softy in a strong man's body, or he was truly just big-hearted.
She opted for the latter option.
"Choko pool..." she giggled. "How can you worry about me when you're the one that got hurt!?"
"I told you..." the full-body laughter Garou drew the pair's attention. "They're a couple, Katalaya! I win the bet!"
The woman rolled her eyes at the man before approaching the teens. She set down a makeshift plate with several varieties of picked fruits and cooked meats before returning to the amused male. Though the two were skeptical, the audible growling from their stomachs destroyed any resolve they could muster up.
"Eat up! We won't disturb you, love birds. You'll need your strength if you're going to get out of this country..."
Cocking her head to the side, Tori frowned as she tried to comprehend what the woman was talking about.
"What are you saying? If we find one of those artifacts then we'll be free to go, right?"
"If only it were that simple," Garou's grin was replaced with a grim darkness pointed at the ground. "The truth is that this is a death game where only one team survives. The artifacts are just a ruse to convince newcomers to participate. In truth, this whole thing is for the amusement of the chancellor and any other sadistic bastard who finds entertainment in the bloodshed of their fellow man."
Tori and Liam stared at him with alarm in their eyes.
"So, that ambush earlier...?"
"It was all a part of the game. If you were chosen to be here, then that probably means that you are more trouble than they're willing to deal with."
"Garou! You're scaring them..." Katalaya popped him lightly, noticing the duo's blank stares.
In their minds, there was no way out of this hell. Sure, they knew that death was a possibility but, all they had to do was either find some ancient item or at least they just had to survive the 72 hours. That's what they were led to believe... Now, they find out that their suspicions were correct about not only the chancellor but also the warden.
That grotesque monster set them up to be executed all for the amusement of several sadists.
"I can't believe this..." Liam's voice quavered with smoldering wrath.
"We're going to die..." Tori slumped next to him.
Katalaya smiled sadly at the two children, feeling the sheer agony of their realization. It was enough to bring a tear to her eyes but, she knew there was no time for that. Right now, she had a job to do and a part of that meant that she needed to remain strong.
"You're not going to die..."
The two looked at the woman as if she'd lost her mind, suddenly remembering a crucial fact. If she and Garou were in this jungle, then they were probably supposed to kill them too.
"How can you be so sure about that?!" Liam's roar bounced off the walls of the cave "...and why are you helping us if you're supposed to be in this hell?!"
"Who said we're a part of this game?"
"What?"
The two adults sat down across them with knowing smirks on their faces.
"We're not a part of this. We're not even Yerbian citizens." Garou noted the narrow eyes pointed at him, prompting him to continue his explanation. "We're both assigned to monitor this country; resources, world affairs, weapons of mass destruction, etc. My point is, we happened to find you both shortly after you were attacked and immediately knew that you weren't from here."
"Was it that obvious?" Liam asked, cocking an eyebrow at the bald man. "What gave us away?"
Garou said nothing, choosing instead to focus his gaze on Tori who blushed in response.
"Must I answer that?"
"Point taken..."
"Anyway, we were informed about your arrival here when you were vacationing here and made sure to keep a close eye on you all given the civil war that's been going on. Needless to say, things quickly out of hand when one of you accidentally blinded the chancellor."
"It was Robbie electrocuting the chancellor's octopus that got Liam thrown in prison..." Tori clarified, guilt-ridden by the events.
"Wow... Intel didn't mention that one." Garou rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Either way, after you both were taken back into custody, we were on high alert to get you out of that prison, and thus, here you are. Ever wonder why you were taken to the beachfront?"
They pondered the information given to them before their eyes widened in shock once again.
"The guard!" they said in unison.
"Correct. He's undercover and was the one who gave the idea to the warden." the dark-skin woman smirked. "It's all a cover to get you out of this country. Unfortunately, we weren't fast enough to stop you from being attacked. For that, we apologize."
The air around the four became tense, and understandably so. Here were two teenagers who came to a seemingly exotic country to perform for a powerful leader only to wind up in a dingy prison for trumped-up crimes that were accidental at best. Then, after nearly getting away, Tori & Liam were recaptured and given an impossible choice. Now, they're finding out that this curse might've been a blessing in disguise.
It seemed too good to be true...
"We know that you two may have your reservations about two strangers claiming to want to help, but, we mean you no harm."
"...and how can we be so sure that you two are telling the truth?"
Garou laughed softly at the girl's inquiry.
"Were we not just having a simplistic conversation earlier, young lady?" Tori found herself stumped by his rebuttal. "If we were truly out to get you, wouldn't it be smarter to finish off an unconscious boy and unarmed girl?"
The two understood his reasoning. Liam was isolated and unable to defend himself, making it easy for them to harm him. There was little to stop them from slaying Tori if that'd been their true desire. Despite this, they were having dinner together, and Liam was even given makeshift treatment to help him.
"So... what happens now?" Everyone turned to a wincing Liam clutching his sore shoulder.
Katalaya took a breath. "For now, we'll need you two to rest. We still have two more days before this game is over. Since you two were attacked by one of the competitors, there's a good chance that your deaths will be reported directly to the chancellor. We can use that to our advantage and get you both out of here without alerting the soldiers."
Seeing Liam about to comment, she was relieved when he stopped due to his injury.
"I guess you make a valid point. So, we go out tomorrow morning?"
"Tomorrow night" Garou replied.
"But you said..."
"It's much too hot to travel. Plus, the night will give us a head start while the others try to rest. We'll go through this cave which should lead us back to the beach where you two started. Hopefully, our contact will be there waiting. Remember, the soldiers will be searching for us during the day. Plus, you need more than a few hours of sleep before you're back to fighting shape."
Having no further inquiries, Liam allowed his left shoulder to relax while biting into chunks of mango and pineapples. However, something still bothered Tori.
"How will all of this work? Do you have radio communication?" she crossed her arms, unconvinced of this plan. "If not, then how are we going to ensure our escape without being tracked or intercepted?"
Both Katalaya and Garou smiled at the impressive inquiry.
"Smart girl..." the former stated. "We've already taken precautions for those issues. We've set some, traps that'll give away our locations when we need them to. It'll signal our contact and get you both out of this land and on your way back home. But, now you two need to rest if we're going to be ready to move tomorrow."
Remembering her earlier encounter with the two, Jade was once again silenced in her attempts to discredit their saviors.
"Fine... I see your point. But, that doesn't mean that I won't be keeping an eye on them."
Kissing her cheek, Liam smiled at the girl as the two adults made their departure.
"I wouldn't have it any other way. For now, let's try and rest."
Smiling softly as she felt a sudden chill kiss her body. It was like a completely different world as the cool air encompassed her. As expected, Liam took her hand, pulling her gently until her body rested atop his own. Given his wound, she finally had the chance to notice his brown skin and markings illuminated by the flames that licked the air. She was grateful that he couldn't see her blush or else he would've poked her burning cheeks.
She wanted nothing more than to indulge in him but, they had a deal. They were to wait until this was all over before letting themselves go any further in this 'relationship'. Still, after the previous night in that cell, it was clear how much they cared for one another as they shifted into a more comfortable position in the cave. She snuggled under him, feeling his chin atop her head.
For now, she felt safe. Right now, she was where she needed to be and that's all that mattered for now. Soon, she felt him wrap an arm around her frame, increasing her comfort. Liam then let out a near-inaudible yawn before concluding with a soft kiss on her forehead and drifting off to sleep.
[The Next Night]
Deep in the prison, the group rushed down the dimly lit hall, ignoring the cries of the other men still behind bars.
"How much time do we have before they notice we're gone?" Tori asked as they cut down another hallway. Her answer came in the form of an alarm blaring throughout the building. "Never mind..."
"Way to jinx things," Liam teased, receiving an annoyed shove. "Now where are we going?"
"The exit should be around the next corner," Garou replied. As the kids ventured further, various voices could be heard behind them.
"Hurry up men! They couldn't have gotten too far!"
The escape attempt had gone south after the group learned of the spy's whereabouts. Sadly, he was eliminated, but Kateleya and Garou were adamant about completing their goal. Since the soldiers were expecting them at the beach, they wound up taking a detour within the cave that left them near the rear entrance of the prison. This didn't stop the guards from remaining in hot pursuit.
"Shit." he gritted his teeth. He didn't expect the guards to catch up so quickly. He wasn't going to let himself, or anyone else, be captured. The alarms continued while the group found themselves at a fork in the road. "What the hell?" he whispered in disbelief. He didn't know that there was another path before reaching the designated spot. Racking his brain, he tried to figure out which direction was the right one. "Damn it...!"
"What's wrong?" Katalaya asked.
It was clear to everyone that the man was growing more and more frustrated by the second, as evidenced by his punching the wall. Of all people, Liam placed an encouraging hand on the man's shoulder. "Look, we all knew the risks of trying this out. Don't beat yourself up..."
Guilt-ridden, Garou took a deep breath and focused his mind on the task at hand.
"We should split up" a voice called out, surprising everyone. Turning around they found it to be none other than a certain Latina.
"Come on, Tori" Liam tried to reason. "This isn't Scooby-Doo! Splitting up is the last thing we need to do."
"Listen, the guards are coming and we're running out of options here! So, unless you want to take a chance with the wonderful boys hunting us like dogs, we need to find something to take us out of this place!" She pointed to the left hall. "Someone, mainly the adults can head down this hall and try and steal a truck or something so that we can get out of here while the rest of us go the other way and find a way out of this place."
Before Liam could counter, Garou stepped in.
"Good idea. I'll get the car while Katalaya gets you kids out of here. I'll meet you all on the other side of the building once I've secured our getaway vehicle."
"Fine... But, don't you get yourself killed, Garou!" she flashed him a glare that could rival the devil himself.
"You have my word, ọlá rẹ!" he smiled brightly before taking off.
"Your Highness?" Liam raised a brow at the blushing woman. "Katalaya?"
"Uh! There'll be time for that later, egbon! Let's go!
Rushing off, they did their best to put as much distance between them and the guards, though Liam was curious at the name she called him.
Various winding turns brought headaches and impatience, of which there were plenty. Liam had the others stop while he peeked around the corner with caution. Somehow, he knew how to properly act in this scenario, almost as if he had been trained. With Katalaya and Tori in the middle, Liam kept a close eye for any guards.
"I think this is a bad idea..." Liam muttered.
Catching him off guard, Jade crept up to him, whispering in his ear. "It's a good thing that I didn't ask, huh?"
A chill ran down his spine at the abrupt rush of boldness from Tori. Compared to the person he'd gotten to know, this version of her was a new swing on things; One that made him bite his lip a little.
Focus, Liam! he scolded himself. This is no time to be thinking with your...
"Let's get going before we're greeted by the welcoming committee."
Happy to oblige, the trio made their way through the back door towards the armory and their freedom. Even though he was practically injured, Liam led the way, thankful that there were no other paths that would potentially mess everything up. Knowing that they were so close to being safely away from this place was more than enough motivation for him to ignore the pain and continue.
As he charged down the seemingly endless hallway, he encountered the Chancellor's elite guards attempting to block his path. With determination in his eyes, he swiftly maneuvered past the first two, taking them down with a clever ankle grab. The third guard lunged at him, but a swift kick to the groin quickly ended his assault. Following up with a powerful knee to the jaw, he delivered a final blow with a solid right hook, sending the guard crashing to the ground with a resounding thud, much to the surprise of the two women who had been following closely behind him.
"I didn't know he was capable of that..." Katalaya blinked.
"That makes two of us..." Tori cocked her head to the side.
"Let's go!" he called out to the others as he passed through the doors.
Against her earlier protest, the two both followed behind, highly impressed with her crush while Katalaya maintained a tiny measure of fear at the sheer power that he possessed. It was clear that there was a lot of potential within the young man, but just how much would be the big question. Once everyone passed through the doors, they found Liam standing straight up, with fists clenched tightly. Wondering just what could cause him to just stand there like a stiff board, their eyes fell on a single man, one last guard under the Chancellor's command.
"You...!" They heard him snarl.
Unlike the ones they'd previously encountered, he wasn't wearing a traditional uniform, he wore a bulletproof vest and custom military pants tucked into army-issued boots. He wore an eye patch over his right eye with a stubble of a beard that did little to hide the manic grin on his face.
"This isn't good," Katalaya stared at the diabolical man blocking their path.
"What do you mean?" Tori asked curiously. "Who is this guy?"
"Igor Rojevich..." the elder woman called out. "...the Butcher of Yerba."
"Ah, I see you've heard of me!" he feigned flattery, giving a dramatic bow. "I'm touched. Then again, I didn't think you could forget my handiwork! I always leave a piece of my soul on my canvases."
Tori bit the inside of her jaw at the revelation. She was gazing at the person who wounded Liam; putting him through multiple days of torture just for his delight. Once more, guilt ravaged her core as she felt partly responsible for his plight, even if he wouldn't dare place blame on her.
"I could never forget the monster who carved me like a piece of meat..." The corner of Liam's lips twitched in a rare moment of sadistic glee.
"I prefer artist, boy!"
"Whatever you call yourself means nothing to me, Butcher. I'm here for a different reason..."
Igor lifted his eyebrows with uncertainty until he caught sight of the young girl behind him. His creepy stare must have scared her as she felt him mentally undressing her. Licking his lips like a predator, he smirked wickedly at the teenage girl standing before him until Katalaya stepped around to block his view. It was then that she started to connect the dots. Maybe the torment wasn't about extracting information, but rather about breaking the spirit of her closest friend. He had been harmed by this monster long before they managed to escape.
He's the one who sent him to the Maggot's Nest?!
"Ah! So, you're here to defend her honor? An admirable yet, foolish decision..." his laugh was as chilling as a room filled with spiders and scorpions. "Now, I get to finish what I started! I'm going to carve you up nice and neat then, I'll handle the ladies next!"
"Good luck..." Liam coldly responded. "...I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life."
"That changes things then," Liam eyed him questionably. "...after I kill you, I'll take your ladies and show them what a real man feels like!"
Hatred.
Anger.
Wrath.
Rage.
Fury.
All these things and more fueled his fire as Liam charged at him. No more talking; no words were needed now as he attacked the one-eyed man with smoldering hate. This would prove to be an advantage for Igor as he skillfully skirted the aerial assault. Spinning in between the kicks, the demonic soldier launched a flying kick to Liam's sternum knocking him back several feet.
This did little to stop him.
As he picked himself up, Liam failed to notice the spinning roundhouse kick to his jaw. Careening into some of the crates full of guns, he felt like every inch of his upper body was being stabbed with knives due to his wounds. Igor frowned at the sight before him; his victim crawling from the wreckage.
"What a letdown... I thought you came to fight me?! Where's that fire you held before? I guess you came all this way just to die, eh?" his wicked chuckle was more than adequate in making both girl's skins crawl. That's what he enjoyed, the pain and fear of others.
It was like a drug to him which is why he agreed to work behind the walls of the prison. He savored the horror in the prisoner's eyes when they were informed that they were going to him for 'rehabilitation'. Their screams of pain, whether mental, sexual, or psychological, it was all the same to him.
Amid his reminiscing, he failed to notice the straight left connect with his jaw. While it didn't knock him down, it was sufficient in staggering him. Katalaya swiftly took up a traditional boxer's stance while remaining near Liam, who finally began to gather his second wind. Igor wiped his chin, licking the dirt from the woman's shoes and grinning the entire time.
"I remember you as well," he sneered. "You were one of the officers brought in our foreign division. I must admit, I'm impressed." he spits out a drop of blood. "I didn't think you'd have the guts to attempt a cheap shot."
"Whatever it takes to put down an animal like you." she bounced on her toes. "I won't let you hurt my egbon...!"
She called me egbon again! Nephew? What is she...?
An idea struck Liam in his confusion. Having regained his composure, he whispered something in the woman's ears earning a wicked grin from her. Igor decided not to take any chances and charged at them this time, pulling out a sickle-shaped blade from his vest. "Time to die!" he cried in insane delight. At that moment, Tori watched as the duo began to work as a tandem.
Katalaya jumped in front of the injured boy and threw rapid straight punches at the crazed man, Igor the Butcher. With his focus solely on defense and dodging, he couldn't counter her attacks. Seeing an opportunity, she quickly ducked, letting Liam flip over her and deliver a powerful kick to Igor's face. The impact sent Igor flying backward, causing him to drop one of his sickles.
Katalaya huffed as sweat poured down her face like bullets as he leaned against Liam for support.
"That took a lot out of me," she admitted, her breath haggard and short. "I hope that took him out."
Liam exhaustedly chuckled. "I don't know. We're talking about a sadistic masochist here."
"Come on! You kicked him square in the face. I swear I saw his skull cave into your heel! You don't give yourself enough- Ugh!"
Katalaya was sent sliding along the dirt ground with a swift kick to her stomach, leaving her with little energy and excruciating pain. Meanwhile, Liam threw a punch, only to be met with an uppercut to his stomach that knocked all the air from his lungs.
Feeling like he was being launched, it was Igor's punch lifting him in the air following up with several more strikes. Each blow was seemingly overkill as he was out of it after the initial attack. Igor didn't care, his face disfigured from the force of the kick earlier.
"Don't get cocky, you brat!" he slammed the teen onto the ground. "You got off a few good shots, but it ends now!"
His eyes, filled with insanity, eyed his target. The sight of the boy's blood brought a sickening glee inside of him as he fired a soccer kick to his ribs, surely cracking one. Rolling along the floor, Liam's older wounds began to open again, staining the formerly white bandages, Tori was forced to watch all of this unfold helplessly. Earthly portals witnessed this one-sided nightmare unfold before her, his cries of pain and suffering driving them mad. It wasn't until he began coughing up blood that she let out a shriek.
Finally, Igor halted...
Her cry of terror caught his ears like a fox sensing its prey.
"That sound," his head twisted eerily slow in her direction. "that glorious sound..." His pupils dilated before trudging his way to her. "I need to hear it again, and again!" He was twisted and unhinged as his smile now looked as if it would slice his face in two. "I need to hear it again...! Do it again! Scream for me!"
"Stay back!"
It all fell on deaf ears as the madman pressed forward as if in a trance. The chaos behind those deadened black eyes petrified her as she found herself trapped between the cold wall and the creature clutching at her. Tears began to form as she couldn't even muster up the voice to scream again. There was nobody to save her, not like last time. Liam was a crumpled heap and Katalaya lay prone on the floor. What else could she do?
She raised her hand only to have it caught by Igor who was practically salivating at this point.
"I love it when prey fights back..."
"Get away from her..." a rather feeble voice broke Igor's engagement on the cowering girl before him.
The smell of fear filled his nostrils, calling to him even. But, he knew that he could never savor his reward unless all the loose ends were cut. Hissing in annoyance, he turned around to find Liam, a bloody mess, clutching his newly injured ribs. Sighing in frustration, the first sign of sanity since hearing the panic earlier, the Butcher trekked to the unsteady boy, partly enjoying the sanguine liquid dripping from multiple places on his body.
"You won't have her..." he coughed. "...I- I won't let you.." It was clear that his words of heroism were merely just that, words. Almost instantly, he fell to one knee, groaning in pain. With his vision blurry, he could barely make out the combat boots.
"While I would love nothing more than to finish you off right now," the one-eyed man frowned in legitimate pity. "I have a little girl to make squeal like a pig. So do me a favor, kid. Be a good little boy, and wait your turn-!"
Something was wrong.
Igor saw blood flying but there was something else added to it.
Pain.
Excruciating pain.
Glorious, agonizing despair.
The sight and feeling all matched up as he clutched his belly. A massive amount of plasma poured out like a leaking faucet. Katalaya and Tori managed to notice just after the action was committed. Liam struck a deep blow on the crazed torture fanatic.
Liam brushed his locs out of his face before pressing the weapon firmly against his neck, drawing a little blood from the light contact. As Katalaya struggled to get to her feet, Tori stood there, shocked to realize that her friend and crush was capable of outright murdering someone, even if they deserved it. However, she noticed something was different, something all too familiar in her mind.
His eyes...
Liam's emerald gems had been replaced by glowing rubies surrounded by a pool of tar. It was just like that night when he rescued her. Was his arm going to change as well? Her gaze fell on the limb, shocked to find it unphased. Only a faint glow along the marking showed any signs of concern.
"Let's see if I do!" he ground his teeth, preparing to slice him open.
"LIAM, STOP!"
He froze in place, hand still firmly clutching the weapon meant to deal the killing blow.
Turning around, the battered boy watched as Tori steadily approached him, tears pouring freely down her face. Humanity began to resurface as he shook violently against what he knew and felt. He could end this beast where he was but, was it worth it? His eyes flickered with smoldering rage at the giggling man, laughter erupting from the twisted humor he found in this scenario.
Despite the stinging vulnerability, she still pressed forward until they were only inches apart.
"Please don't do it," she begged him, her voice breaking in the process. "I know he's hurt you and others but," they both looked at the snickering Igor. "You've done enough! You fought him and you won. Let's go home..."
Kill.
Kill.
Kill.
KILL HIM!
KILL HIM NOW!
His inner voice seemed that much clearer to him as he began to realize these thoughts weren't his own. Still, he wouldn't allow himself to be robbed of destroying the one who hurt him.
"You're not a murderer, egbon," This time it was Katalaya who spoke up, gently taking the hand that held the weapon. "These hands are not meant to spill the blood of the unworthy. They are for a far greater purpose... one that is necessary right now!"
His body tensed for a moment only to loosen his grip until the sickle fell to the earth.
They were right.
With blurred vision, Tori, and Katalaya gently ushered him away from the insane man, exiting the final obstacle that stood between them and their freedom. They ignored Igor's hellacious screams for 'sweet death' and continued through the door and into the outside world. The moon shined brightly in the night sky as the trio left the building and made their way to the jungle. They all watched as a pair of headlights grew larger in their view, none having the strength to worry if this was friend or foe.
To their relief, Garou stopped the truck next to them.
"Hurry up! There's no time to waste!" he urged them. Katalaya hopped into the passenger seat while Jade helped lie Liam in the back of the truck. Once everyone was loaded up, he took off once more into the jungle making sure to avoid any roads that would draw attention to them. In the distance, the four could hear someone yelling over a P.A. system about the jailbreak which brought a smile to their faces as the noise soon faded.
"We should be at the airfield in 20 minutes, kids!" he announced, catching a thumbs up in the rearview mirror.
"We're finally going home?"
"Close, Tori..." Katalaya chimed in. "Liam's too hurt for such a long flight so we'll be taking a trip to Belize for medical treatment before heading back to the States."
"Some trip, huh?" Liam smirked weakly, groaning from the throbbing in his head.
"Maybe next time we'll pick a place that's not a warmongering crap-hole?"
Liam nodded in agreement, shifting his body until she was able to relax next to him. While the back roads weren't the ideal setting, they both were grateful to be on the way to freedom. It was nothing short of a miracle that they were found by Katalaya and Garou or they might've met a fatal ending to their tales. They both released the breath they'd been holding since their recapture, welcoming the ease of fresh air entering their bodies.
"Anywhere that doesn't have a jail-first policy is fine by me, haha!"
Giggling softly, Tori soon found herself filled with numerous questions. "Liam, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
As Liam awaited a serious question, the prolonged silence made him increasingly anxious. His heart pounded in his chest as he decided to turn around. Unbeknownst to him, Tori had the same idea, and their lips accidentally brushed against each other. She quickly pulled away, but a tiny smile lingered on her face.
"Sorry."
"No, it was my fault!" Liam chuckled softly. "You don't need to..."
Once more Liam was taken aback when Tori leaned in and captured his lips. This time, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer. He didn't care about the pain he felt from their ordeal, his only focus was on keeping up with her and his desperate need for air. They'd push that aside until their chests burned from their resistance, too great was the need now that forced them apart.
"...apologize?"
"Maybe later... We have plenty of time to talk about things," she giggled at the dumbfounded look on his face. "Yerba. Healing. Even... even Jade."
"What about...? Mmf!"
Tori silenced him with another peck before pulling his head onto her lap. Any further protest was shushed away until exhaustion claimed his senses. Liam's eyes grew heavier by the second until he was unconscious. Tori smiled brightly before she let out a yawn of her own. She was aware that they would reach the airport soon, but the need for rest was too powerful.
She yawned again and closed her eyes. "Thank you, yaabilta'an. Goodnight, Liam."