“Do I really have to ask where we are AGAIN?”
Arksi woke up to find himself hanging from a ceiling, tied up in heavy, rusty chains. To his right was Kindyna, to his left was Verlais. To Verlais’s left was Ct’Era. Everything else was pitch black, apart from the odd flickering of red light, like fireflies in the fog.
“Where are we?” Verlais asked, genuinely unsure, and unaware of Arksi’s anger.
“You bloody said it. I don’t have a clue where we are, and I am pretty close on stealing Kindyna’s thunder and cursing at everyone. We were so close to home. We were literally in that damn interspecies police office in the space port and POOF, we’re suddenly unconscious!”
Verlais blinked several times, but Arksi couldn’t see his confusion. It took the Vrekan a moment to remember.
“Oh yes…”
Unsure what was going on, Arksi decided to try and free himself from his chains. But after a couple of muscle flexes, all Arksi did was make himself feel sore.
“Um, Arksi?”
“Yes, Verlais?”
Verlais was lost in thought and didn’t reply straight away. He was busy thinking about being at the space port. “The vok who questioned us, who were they?”
Arksi tried to think. “All of them? Or are you… asking about someone in particular?”
“The yellow Threan-type. Are you related to him?”
“Just because I have yellow and blue armour and that colour combination is unusual among Rethavok, doesn’t mean that all yellow Rethavok are related!” Arksi shouted, before quickly lowering his voice. “But yes. That was my half-brother Arkay.”
“Half-brother?”
“Yes. Same mother. No more questions about my family.”
Verlais sniffed. “It is nice of your brother to visit. My family all hate me.”
“Why?”
“Because I left them to work for the Myst. They wanted me to stay on that damn farm, herding Stingyans for the rest of my life. Only son, you see…”
“I… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be…”
Their conversation was interrupted by Ct’Era waking up and abruptly flailing like a panicked animal, before quickly passing out again.
“That was… unusual…”
“Not really,” Arksi suggested. “She might be drugged. I hope she isn’t, but it’s possible. Or she had a panic attack, but aren’t Banikans immune to that sort of thing?”
Once again, Ct’Era woke up and flailed a little, before appearing to calm down. Her movement worried both Verlais and Arksi.
“That looks painful… Speaking of which, Arksi, you have telekinisis, right?”
Arksi cursed under his breath. Verlais was correct, he did have the ability to move objects with his mind, but for some reason, he had been unable to do anything to break their chains. Something about the chains meant that they always ‘slipped’ from his grasp every time he tried to move them.
Again, Ct’Era did her little flailing act. But this time round, the flailing lasted a lot longer before Ct’Era fell still again.
“I am getting concerned about her…” Verlais muttered.
For a fourth time, Ct’Era began flailing. But rather than eventually becoming motionless, something appeared to loosen, and Ct’Era managed to wriggle one of her hands free. With more flailing and shaking, Ct’Era managed to get her other hand free. The rest of the Banikan’s body was still chained up, but that didn’t bother her.
With both hands unbound, she pulled herself up to where the chain was hanging from the ceiling and wrapped her claws tightly around it. Slowly but surely, the chain began to glow red hot and actually started to melt in Ct’Era’s hands. Finally, the chain snapped and Ct’Era fell to the ground.
“How the fuck did you do that?” Kindyna suddenly shouted, causing everyone to jump with surprise.
Ct’Era grinned as she pulled the chains off her body. “You forget that us Banikans are all low-level elementals?”
“Clearly…” Kindyna sighed. “Could have told us earlier though. Now, are you going to cut us down or what?”
“Of course.”
Kindyna waited patiently for Ct’Era to do something like fire a stream of heat at the chain above her to cut the Thanatian down. Instead, Ct’Era leaped up at her, wrapped her legs around Kindyna and wrapped her claws around the chain. It was clear that Ct’Era’s elemental abilities had very little range. Luckily, Kindyna was spared being dropped on the floor, as Ct’Era hit the ground first and grabbed Kindyna as she fell.
“I recommend you don’t do that to Arksi!” Verlais laughed. “You might crush him!”
Ct’Era didn’t smile back, but instead did the same thing to Verlais. This time though, she didn’t catch him and let Verlais fall to the ground. Kindyna pulled the chains off Verlais, then the two of them boosted Ct’Era up so she could cut Arksi down too.
“Thank you, Ct’Era!” Arksi smiled as he was freed from his chains. “I assume you are a fire elemental? Did you not mention being from a fire tribe before?”
Ct’Era nodded. “Fire and a small amount of electricity. It turns out my tribe is not a fan of my electrical side. But alas, that is a story for another time. Do any of you know where we are?”
“Maybe that God guy has a backup place?” Verlais suggested.
“Or he has some Deitic buddies or something…” Arksi added. “I am honestly just surprised there was a floor in here.”
“Well, if there is a floor and a ceiling, there is a door!” Kindyna beamed. “All we have to do is pick a direction, walk until we find a wall, follow that wall and find an exit!”
Verlais and Ct’Era both liked the sound of that idea. Arksi had his doubts, after all, Kindyna’s logic wasn’t exactly sound, but he had no other suggestions.
Kindyna stormed off straight ahead, and the other beings all followed.
“Let’s hope that we find a wall soon…”