They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

The first thought that run through my head is 'Impossible.' Lista understood it from my expression. 

"Oh, no, clearly it's not." He produced a long molten stick out of nowhere. Magnus was still as a statue in front of me. His eyes now trained at Seven's peaceful face. Lista tapped the molten stick to Magnus' cheek. Smoke rise from the contact, the skin singed and there's a smell of burnt flesh in the air. 

I attempted to squirm under my binding. Magnus shot me a look. A warning look. 

'Don't move.' 

'Don't react.'

'Don't show weakness.'

'Don't let them have the satisfaction seeing you suffer from their inflicted pain.' 

He told me. Directly in my head. I don't know how that happened. I heed his warning. I stiffen my facial muscles. I bite my tongue. I pierce my skin using my nail. So hard I made it bleed. Making me numb from other pain I'll have to experience today.

My Dad's voice rang in my ears. 'Whatever happens, stay alive.' I scold myself. No need to put lingering feelings to a person who betrayed me and my friends. Even after I chose him over them.

But I can't deny he's right. If I want to stay alive, I must not let these monsters make me weak. 

Magnus eyes, for a second, glint under the fluorescent light. He sense I intended to do exactly as he told me. And he's damn please I made the right choice. 

I am too. For a fleeting moment. Not until Lista lowered a small tank with the world's tiniest tube I've ever seen I began to doubt if I could ever do the deed. A green bubbling liquid is squishing inside the tank. 

I watched, confused, when Lista twist the lever for the tube to open and the liquid flow down at Magnus head. It burned his skin. Singeing his hair and body hairs. Magnus's expression tighten. His knuckles clench. 

Veins began to pop in his wrist, temples, and collarbone. I'm afraid he'll burst. I can tell he's barely holding himself together. A pool of blood came out from the side of his lips. Evidence he bit off his tongue too hard…just so he won't scream.

"You won't tell me to stop?" Lista asked, feigning innocence. Underneath the molten green liquid, Magnus retain his strong façade of never bending into their wishes. 

I should follow his footsteps. I should make his suffering count. I can tell the way he looked at me, the determined eyes, the high chin, the straighten ripped shoulders, even in the midst of burning against the molten liquid…

He doesn't believe Seven is dead. Neither did I.

This person in front of me is not her. There's no blue rose seed anywhere. Yeah, lame I know. My ability has heightened you see, I didn't waste my seventy days moping around, feeling miserable and sorry for my pathetic self. 

I spent it training by myself. Push-ups and honing blessing is what I did. I can perfectly control the black wave now. Make small rings and punch people with it. I use the cement floor as punching bag a lot of times it formed holes in uneven places. 

I became a monster I didn't imagine I would become. 

This is what happens when you pushed people over the edge. When you play with human lives like livestocks. One way or another, they'll get back at you.

My plan was to break out right after they joined me with Seven and Magnus. Today seems the perfect day for that. Except we need to figure out where really is she. And what have they done to her.

"Okay, very well." 

Lista ordered the skully warriors to double the chains in Magnus ripped chest, arms and legs. They did. To my horror, someone brought the chainsaw in. 

Right then, I knew what they're planning to do to him. Magnus knew it too. Instead of feeling terrified for himself, he strangely grinned. Like a pyscho at mental hospital, or a snappy clown with creepy mask.

His eyes, wild, maniac. 

"If you won't do as I ask you to, I'll cut off every inch of his body until he's left with nothing except his heart." 

For the first time in months, I heard Magnus speak. "Bring it on." His voice was hoarse, guttural. Like a noose was tied around his neck, damaging his vocal cords. Ripping his voice box.

I thought hearing his son's voice would somehow affect Lista's actions. Waver his determination. But nothing. He just stood there. Kicking the chainsaw to life. He position it to Magnus's right hand. 

I badly want to scream stop. That I'll do what they tell me to. But Magnus stops me. His cocky smile lessen the horror tearing my gut. I watch, even if I don't want to, even if I want  to look away, even if I'm tempted to use my secret technique and free us from this hell, I still watch. 

I didn't do anything. 

My ears are bleeding from the sound of chainsaw sheering Magnus skin, down to his bone. Blood pools under the metal he's sitting at. 

As if the torture wasn't satisfactory enough, he did the same to the other hand, then the two legs. And in each time they cut off his flesh, Magnus almost passed out from the pain. I held his gaze. Telling him to don't give up.

To not break down on me. To stay with me. I gave him the expression I've never wore for seventy days… The expression for hope.

Hope for the future. 

When we get out of here, he can kick as much wooden cabin as he want. Break as many school bells as he wish. Flirt any women until his face is full of lipstick and kiss marks. 

I promise him all the fun that he needs, as long as he stay with me, with us. I need him. Seven needs him. The other Eklektos out there need him. 

We can't fulfill our destiny without him. We can't accomplish our goal and develop our blessing to the fullest if he's not there with us... Guiding us to the right path…

'Aww, that's sweet.' Someone in my head said. A girl. I don't need to whip my head and get frantic to know who's talking.

"Seven," I whispered.