*Briella*
It felt as if my body was going to shut down as I just stared at Malphas in absolute horror.
Disgust ran through , and I started to get nauseous as I looked at Malphas. I wanted to look away, but it was like I was being forced to keep my eyes on his pasty skin and evil face. Even with his eyes closed, he looked cruel and every bit the dark figure from my many nightmares.
There was sothing else as well. The strange, dark pull I had been feeling lately was so much stronger as I stood in front of the tank. There was no doubt that the demon lord had been the one infiltrating my mind the whole ti.
He was after .
It didn’t seem like Tian was going to see reason, but I had no choice but to keep trying and pray that I could convince him to let go before Malphas woke up.
I wished badly that I could turn around so that I could look Tian in the eye, but I was still rooted to the spot. I had to settle on just using my voice to its full capacity. “I wonder if Malphas told you the full story of what happened to ,” I began, trying to keep my tone level and devoid of fear. “I know he’s your father and you trust him, but I am begging you to trust now.”
Tian didn’t respond, but I heard a sharp inhalation like he was preparing himself for what I had to say.
“My grandmother was a great priestess from Celestial Valley,” I said softly. “Malphas fell in love with her, but she didn’t return those feelings. It caused a lot of conflict. Malphas was very angry. Even after my grandmother died, he still wasn’t satisfied and decided to go after my mother. He kidnapped both my mother and when I was just a baby.”
“I am well aware of that,” Tian snapped suddenly. “Your grandmother was a fool for going against Malphas. All he wanted was to help her reach her true potential. He was a powerful magic wielder as well. He wanted to share that power with her.”
“No, he didn’t,” I said as patiently as I could, even though his response caused my panic to rise. This was not going well. I swallowed and tried again.
“Please, Tian. You have to believe . Malphas just wanted her power for himself, and he was jealous of her true lover. I think after all this ti, he still wants his revenge. He tried to use when I was just a baby for my power.”
“You’d best shut up,” he seethed suddenly, causing to do just that. “You shouldn’t speak that way. You are extrely fortunate that Malphas is giving you this opportunity. You should be grateful.”
“Tian, please!” I cried in a last-ditch effort, sensing that it was completely futile. “Malphas isn’t who you think he is! He’s using you! Please co with so we can leave together!”
I cried out when I felt sothing deep within snap. I realized it was the invisible tethers that Tian had been using to control . I lifted my hands, actually lifted them out of my own free will, and stared down at them in wonder. I vowed internally to never take for granted having control of my body ever again.
I cried out a second ti when Tian suddenly grabbed my wrist hard. I looked up at him, fear coursing through .
“Father warned that you may not see reason,” he said regretfully, his square jaw clenched tightly. “I was very much hoping that I would be able to trust you to have control of your own body, but you’ve made it abundantly clear that that just isn’t going to be possible.”
Tian tightened his grip on my wrist and started to pull away from Malphas’ tank. While I was relieved to be leaving the dark lord’s presence, I wasn’t exactly excited as my captor pulled down another tunnel.
“I really wanted to trust you,” he said as he pulled along. “I’m hoping that you will understand both Malphas and myself in ti. For now, I have no choice but to keep you where you can’t get into trouble.”
I didn’t like the sound of that at all. When we finally reached the end of the tunnel, I found myself in a cavern filled with empty steel cages. It didn’t take long to recognize them as the ones used to trap the Ethereal Grove animal companions.
They were the ones that all died and were lost during the battle against Tian and his dark army.
Tian dragged over to one that was about half my height and shoved inside before slamming the door shut. I bit my lip and lowered myself into a sitting position against the hard tal floor.
“You asked to trust you,” he said finally actually getting on his knees in front of to look in the eye. “But trust goes both ways, doesn’t it?”
I stared at him wordlessly, not having a response to that. He was talking to like he cared about . I just looked down at the ground, completely resigned to my fate.
Tian sighed as if I was a disobedient child and stood up. “You’re going to understand in ti,” he promised ominously. “If I can’t help you to see reason, then maybe Malphas will be able to once he is ready to be awakened.”
I thought about saying that was never going to happen, but I felt helpless as I sat in the tiny tal cage. Tian stood there for another mont as if he wanted to say sothing but left without another word, leaving alone in a dark room with empty cages.
Because it was pitch black after Tian left, I had no way of knowing how much ti had passed. I shook the bars of the cage, unsurprised that they didn’t give at all. I bit my lip before hesitantly trying to use so of my energy against it. I took a calming breath and gathered the energy inside of , bringing it to my fingertips.
I gripped one of the bars, bringing the magic out of my hand and into the tal. I cried out when a searing pain singed my hand. I snapped my hand back, staring at the dark red welt forming across my palm.
My eyes filled with tears. They were less from the pain in my hand and more from the fact that I was even more helpless since it was very clear that I couldn’t use my powers to escape. It seed like the cages were infused with so kind of dark magic.
There was no way to escape.
I collapsed with my back against the bars of my prison, cradling my injured hand against my chest. I clenched my teeth together as the tears overflowed, spilling down my cheeks.
How much ti had passed? Where were Kryzen and Emberly? I prayed fiercely to the Goddess that they were alright and safe at ho.
I wondered if Kryzen knew where I was. If he did, I knew he would co for . I wanted him ho to protect our baby, but I also selfishly hoped he would co for . I longed for his strong arms to wrap around and hold close again.
It must have been hours before Tian returned. I was lying as best as I could inside the tiny cage. I was sore from not having much room. I held my breath as Tian stepped up to and crouched down to look at .
“Looks like soone was bad while I was gone,” he said, eyeing my injured hand.
I didn’t move when he unlocked the door of the cage and opened it. I dared not look at him, even when he took the wrist of my injured hand and pulled it toward him so he could inspect it.
He traced the nasty burn with surprisingly gentle fingers. My hand suddenly felt cold like it was made of ice, and then the pain was gone.
I snatched my hand back, staring at where the burn had been in wonder.
“You can heal,” I said through unmoving lips as I stared at my now unblemished hand.
“I don’t want you to be hurting,” Tian said quietly.
I looked at him, trying to understand why he was being kind and compassionate. He looked genuine when he spoke.
Maybe I could finally get through to him.
“What is it that you truly want, Tian?” I asked, sitting up so I could look him in the eye. “And I don’t an what Malphas wants. Putting everything he’s told you aside, what do you want in life? What is most important to you?”
Maybe if I helped him realize he was his own person, he could see Malphas for what he was.
Tian stared at wordlessly, his dark eyes intensifying as he gazed at . My eyes widened when he traced a finger along my cheek. “You,” he said, his low voice rough with longing.
My heart started to race with fear and dread when I realized I was still in a cage with Tian hovering over , his eyes dark with desire. He leaned in. I shrunk away, preparing to slam my fist into his nose, but then he stopped and leaned away.
“Father will be displeased if I do anything to you without his permission,” he said, giving an apologetic grin that made nauseous. He held his hand out to . When I didn’t take it, he shrugged and grabbed by the wrist again, pulling to my feet.
I didn’t have to ask where he was taking this ti. He pulled down the dark tunnel. I was once again face-to-face with Malphas’ frightening form, still floating in the tank of red liquid.
Tian dropped my hand and raised his up to the glass. He looked over at and smirked. “It is ti to wake up my father,” he said. He then started to chant in a strange language.
The red liquid slowly started to drain from the tank, revealing more and more of Malphas’ new body. The scars that had been there the first ti were gone, his skin flawless and smooth with rippling muscles that made it look like he could crush a human skull without a second thought.
I stepped back but knew I couldn’t really go anywhere as Tian stepped up to the now dry tank and opened the front of it. Malpas’ eyes were still closed.
“Welco back, Father,” Tian said, his tone filled with awe and expectation.
My blood froze when Malphas opened his eyes. I was barely able to suppress a horrified gasp when the black, soulless orbs were revealed, and they slowly found mine.
I was frozen in fear as Malphas strode toward , not even glancing at Tian as he crossed the room to stand before .
I flinched when he pressed a cold hand against my cheek and grinned at , his perfect white teeth pointed nacingly. “It’s been a while, Briella. You’ve grown up beautifully.”
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