“Where…am I…”

Indu’s vision contained darkness, a suffocating, fear-inducing blankness. Mother! Where are you?

“Mhhmm! Mhhmmm!”

Only when she tried speaking did she register the presence of a cloth gagging her mouth shut. It pushed painfully at the back of her head and tightened to an unreasonable point. Through the minuscule gaps left by the imperfect tie could Indu breathe, albeit with difficulty.

Something – a rope, Indu guessed – forcefully kept her hands tied behind her back. Her muscles ached - a clear indicator of the immense time she spent bound by ropes.

The cool touch of rough metal pushed on Indu’s legs as she tried to move forward. They restrained her with a clank, and she fell sharply to the ground.

“MHHHM!” Indu groaned from the pain in her shoulder. When she knew her fall was inevitable, she angled it to where her shoulder would impact the ground first, fearing neural trauma if her head were to hit the ground.

Her jaw became sorer as she desperately fought against it but to no avail. When she lost hope of undoing the gag, Indu’s body sank. Unable to get up, Indu lay flat against what she believed to be a cold, cobblestone floor. She could feel the same dress she had worn when her family went out together that morning, so it meant her kidnapper hadn’t stripped her. However, with the approaching summer, Indu had completely stopped wearing sweaters and jackets, both of which she desperately desired. She trembled, curling into a ball to conserve as much warmth as she could.

Mother! Father! Where are you guys! Save me, please! Tears rolled down Indu’s face as she begged in her mind. It had all happened in a flash. One moment, she and her mother were frolicking in the streets of Andreion, but the next, she was blindfolded and thrown into a prison cell-like area.

“Mhmmm…Mhmmm! Haaaa!” A beautiful, gasping voice sprang into existence somewhere to the right of Indu.

“Mhmhmm!” Indu tried to scream out “mother,” but what came out was a muffled moan. Despite chains restraining her, Indu stubbornly fought against them, desperate to reach her mother’s embrace.

“Oh my god!” Her mother suddenly gasped. “My baby…my precious baby…I’ll get you out of here…mother will save you….”

“Mhmmhmm…” Indu felt like crying, a wave of relief washing over her when she realized her mother was okay.

“Indu, I know you want to come here, and so do I, but don’t move and save your energy. I will protect you at all costs. You don’t have to worry.” Her mother reassured, and Indu relaxed subconsciously. Her mother’s voice was like a honeyed apple – superb just from the first word, but only getting better the more she spoke. It contained a soothing, soul-calming undertone that left Indu falling asleep on her mother’s lap on numerous occasions. Hearing it now put her stressed heart at ease, but her anxiety about what would happen next weighed on her mind.

“I’m sure your father has realized we’re missing by now. He’ll personally lead the city guards and save us. You don’t have to worry, baby.” Something clanked where her mother’s voice came from, and then Indu realized. “If I could remove these shackles, I could comfort you in my arms. When we get out of this, I’ll let you stay in my lap as long as you want, Indu.”

Indu “mhmmed” instead of nodding because she wasn’t sure if her mother had a blindfold or not.

We’ll make it out okay. Yes, we’ll make it out, okay!”

Indu fervently prayed internally.

A squeaky, irritating noise broke the sounds of Indu and her mother’s attempted escape. A gust of chilly air made caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. The chatter and laughter of passersby enjoying the adolescent night were abruptly cut off by the shut of a door – not too hard, not too soft, but with enough force to not draw the slightest hint of attention – which rang a hollow, desolate screech. An ominous aura filled the room, and Indu shivered.

Something clapped against the floor, drawing closer and closer. It was a light tap, unrestrained but methodical, carrying no impatience – it even sounded lazy. Whoever it was, Indu was sure it was their kidnappers.

“Mhmm!” Indu forgot about her blindfold as she tried to beg whoever had entered to release them.

“What an incredible feat you’ve accomplished. It never occurred to me that you could have removed your vocal restraints.” The footstep’s owner spoke. His languid voice carried a tender smoothness that would relax the object of its annunciation. It wasn’t weak, merely intrigued – calm and collected, relaxed. If Indu wasn’t in her predicament, she would have assumed the man to be looking at animals and commenting upon their actions.

“But regardless, I am satisfied with the outcome. I no longer need to waste my energy with these, how do I put it….” The man’s voice paused. “…humble tasks.”

“But I digress. I find my time to have a value surpassing a jewel – I shall not waste it. Tell me, where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Indu’s mother hissed.

“Does the blood of Ambrose not flow through your veins? Where is the…” The man paused once more. He muttered something in a gruff, incomprehensible language before letting out a defeated sigh. “It seems they’re coming. Unfortunate.”

“I’ll ask you one more time. Where is the map?”

“I’ll never tell you!” Her mother hissed venomously.

The crisp sound of air being slashed filled the room – so sharp Indu’s cheek felt the ariel tremors. And then, her mother screamed.

“AHHHH!” The most pitiful and horrified cry Indu had ever heard burst out of her mother’s mouth.

“MHMMMM!” Indu screamed at her mother’s cry, but the cloth blocked her sound. Horrible trembles wracked her body. Tears rolled down her cheek and stained her blindfold wet. Her mother’s agonizing, soul-piercing cries filled the room for minutes on end. Indu’s heart broke with each scream, wanting to save her mother from the excruciating pain. Everything was horribly wrong – should she be happy to be blindfolded and not have to witness such a terrible sight or be sad that she couldn’t understand her mother’s pain? Why was she experiencing this? What had they done? What sin had her mother committed that warranted such agony? Simply thinking of it caused more tears to flow down Indu’s cheeks.

“The moment you fell captive to me, your lives were forfeit. Alas, you are young, so your death will be painless. I possess at least that level of consciousness.”

Indu violently quivered as the man’s voice drew near. She continuously backed away until, to her horror, she hit a wall. No! No! No!

“Ahhh…! Indu…Indu! No….don’t…not her…not my daughter…ahhh!...Please!...” Her mother managed to say through her agonizing moans.

Indu’s violent quivering caused the tip of her blindfold to fall, just enough to see his terribly pale face, dimly lit from a candle on the opposite edge of the room. His lips were curled into a smile, but his eyes sent chills down Indu’s spine.

They contained not the slightest hint of remorse. Instead, they contained a horrific gleam that screamed of bloodshed and gory violence.

His clothes were slightly parted at the chest, revealing a star engraved upon his skin, the flesh angry and raw. As if realizing the target of her gaze, he leisurely adjusted his tunic, covering the star. In his free hand, he held a sword emanating wisps of nightmarishly-dark energy.

His other hand finished buttoning up his tunic and violently tore off her blindfold, and Indu bore witness to the horror around her.

Crates of various sizes lay haphazardly stacked around the room. A fine layer of dust covered them, indicating the level of negligence the place received. A single candle, just starting to melt from the heat, stood before a pillar erected in the room’s center.

Cuffs linked with chains hooked to the wall enveloped Indu’s wrists. They were rusty and looked particularly weak, but no matter how hard Indu had tugged beforehand, they never broke.

Mother!

Indu’s eyes widened in raw horror when she saw her beautiful mother slumped against the wall, holding a hand to her stomach. Copious amounts of blood surrounded her and stained her modest white sundress. It was a clear contrast, a horrible one. Blood also leaked from her mouth, and moans occasionally broke through. Her eyes fluttered open and shut as she gritted her teeth. But they remained gazed on Indu as she retained a bright smile on her face.

“It’s…okay…my baby.” She took a deep breath, but more blood spilled from her mouth. “Mommy’s here…for you. You don’t have…to be…scared…” She coughed up more blood but turned to their kidnapper.

“Hmph. It seems you won’t listen.” The man swiftly turned and sliced Indu.

“NO!”

Searing pain swept across Indu’s face. The blood spilled down her cheeks. She yanked up to cover her eye, but the chains stopped her. She writhed and shook from the pain. It hurts!

Indu let out an agonizing groan as she began to feel faint. Pain, sadness, and anger clouded her vision. Make it stop! Please!

“I…love you…Indu….” And then, deafening silence.

“Mother…?” Clutching her eye, Indu’s head turned towards her mother. Why is she silent? Why can’t I hear her voice?

The hands clutching her wounded stomach fell, landing in a pool of her own blood with a splash. Her once bright, amber eyes dulled into a somber, empty jewel.

Slumped on the wall? Hands fallen? Pooling blood? Dead. Lifeless.

“MOTHER!” Indu screamed. She’s not dead. She’s alive. She’s just hurt and unconscious. She needs help immediately.

“Save us…save us please…somebody help us…” Indu sobbed and begged.

And then, there was fire. Blazing hot gusts tore into the room like an enraged kraken. Everything went up in flames, a chaos of orange, red, and yellow. Indu coughed from the thick smoke as a terrible scent filled her nostrils.

A clank sounded behind her, and something lifted Indu. She felt the thick, manly arm wrap around her body like a protective cover.

“Mother…she needs help….” Indu begged the mysterious savior, but he ignored her and leaped out.

The burning building behind her collapsed with a terrifying growl. Something burst out from the flames, a swirling mass of darkness emanating ferocious energy. The bright fire contrasted its dark figure, but the darkness engulfed the flames.

“No…go back…mother’s still…in there…”

The dark mass launched at them with booming speed. The ground beneath them exploded, but her savior blocked the brunt of it with his body. He roared in agony but never exposed the two to the impact.

Passerby screamed and fled in all directions. The gravel street was upturned for an entire block with houses and buildings breaking and collapsing. Fires broke out everywhere – a sign of utter chaos.

“MY MOTHER’S STILL THERE!” Despite the searing pain on her face, Indu managed to recover her voice.

“You’re going nowhere!” The man from before roared and leaped out from an adjacent wreckage. His entire body was covered in black energy wisping into the air. Dozens of tentacles shot towards them with the flick of his hand, but her savior dodged and weaved with grace.

Her savior released a wave of fire with the swing of his arm. His fingers danced in the air, and the fires breaking out across the block answered his call. They joined together into a flaming net that illuminated the night sky. It slammed into the man, pinning him down as the nearby buildings collapsed on top of him.

“Let me go! Let me go! Mother! Mother!” Indu screamed and begged as she tried to wrestle out of her savior’s grasp.

“I’m sorry. I can’t leave you to die.” His manly voice, strong yet gentle, ferocious yet caring, said in apology. His hand stroked her hair, and then, darkness swept her vision.

…

Indu opened her eyes. A dim glow encompassed the room. She rapidly blinked, adjusting herself to the light. A heavy, woolen blanket covered her to her neck.

I’m crying?

Her cheeks were wet with tears, and then she remembered her dream - how her mother perished, how that man gave her the scar that ruined her life, and how she couldn’t do anything but watch as her whole life collapsed. A short vacation had turned into a disaster that left her family forever broken, forever wounded.

Where am I?

Indu remembered fainting after learning that the man who destroyed her family – Bloodstar – was the leader of The Disciples.

A soft pillow ensured her head’s comfortable rest. Indu lifted herself up, and her eyes widened at the sight before her.