The Katapies Experiment; Part 9

Tsuni 

    It was chaos in the morning. The Messengers were tied up in weird fishing net things screaming at the top of their lungs, and the Summoners and Mages were panicking and trying to fight back. The thing was, no one knew what we were fighting against. There was a fancy carriage that looked oddly similar to the one that had brought us to Disarus in the first place. 

     Even though everyone was trying to get away, we knew that it was probably the end for us. I tried to escape, but it was honestly impossible. Messenger soldiers surrounded us in a huge circle carrying spears, their wings waving slowly in the wind. I was a bit confused as to why they were taking Avia and her friends with them (and why they were binding their wings again), but I wasn’t in a place to ask questions. 

    A tall figure with an ivory mask without wings stood near the carriage, with long dark hair and a black cloak. I didn’t know why they were there until they waved their hands and the ringing started. Not like the ringing of a bell or a wind chime or anything, but the ringing you get in your ears after you hear something deafening loud.  

    The ringing hurt. I looked around and saw everyone clutching their ears in pain. I was sprawled on the ground, crying and coughing and choking. Through my tear-filled eyes, I spotted Eclipe. He didn’t look hurt, he didn’t look fazed, he was just running away through a gap in the Messenger-made circle. Running away. From everything. From us. From me. 

    I didn’t have the strength to yell or run after him, as the rest of us were being hauled into the carriage. I wailed throughout the ride loudly, to the point where one of the guards told me to shut my mouth or else he would shut it for me.  

    I stayed quiet for the next half of the ride, occasionally hiccupping or trying to wipe my watery eyes. Clode kept smirking stupidly at me and I realized I was being exactly the type of Shifter the Mages had learned about – overly emotional and crying. That calmed me down completely and I spent my time sleeping for the rest of the ride.  

     Leccii shook me awake when the carriage jerked to a halt. A Messenger guard led me toward a pile of leaves on the ground and pushed me in, laughing strangely. I screamed and shrieked, trying to climb back up from the endless hole that seemed to be under the leaves. I lost my grip and plummeted below, closing my eyes and clutching my knees closer to me, curling up in a little ball. 

     The slide spit me out on a cold stone floor, leaving a deep scratch on my palm in the process on a sharp rock scattered on the ground. I winced and tried to stop the blood with my uniform, but the bleeding got so bad that I gave up and just let it drip on the ground. The handcuffs around my wrists tightened and I was walked to a small stone room, everyone else following behind me. 

     The chains were attached to bolts on the floor and we all just sat there, not talking or really saying anything. My palm kept spurting blood out and my beige uniform sleeve was starting to look dangerously red. I saw multiple people clutching each other's hands in fear of being massacred or tortured (I think the story the Mages told the night before really made everyone scared). 

    After waiting hours, a creak at the door resounded through the room. A small woman, no bigger than me, walked through. “Hello, all of you, um, sacrifices. I thought I should just come in and introduce myself. You won’t be around to tell anyone who I am in the future, and I am dying for any form of social contact.” 

    The lady had big, unnaturally beautiful wings and curly light pink hair, probably from a flower dye or something like that. She looked barely older than me, somewhere near sixteen or seventeen. “I am Isabelline. None of you will recognize me, ha, but I’m the ruler of Katapies.” The lady smirked at us with stunning hazel eyes that looked older than time itself. “At least I think of myself as that.” 

     “You are the sixteen chosen candidates, right? There’s one missing, hold on.” The woman paused for a moment and shrugged. “If Eclipe managed to get away, I’ll let him go. I had someone else on my mind anyway, the Shifters in the room should know Myalis.”  

     I... didn’t remember him. Isabelline frowned at all of us and snapped her fingers, creating a puff of smoke and a coughing boy. He looked plain and simple, just dark brown hair, warm auburn eyes, and tan skin. That was it. Nothing remarkable, nothing special.  

    That is, until Isabelline touched him. He screamed in terror and we all watched as he sank to the ground, slowly enveloping in flames. It was horrifying. After the fire died out, we saw a movement in the ashes. Suddenly, a bird erupted out and cawed.  

    It was beautiful. Silver feathers were scattered around a gorgeous crimson coat, and the bird’s beak was shiny and yellow, like gold. Isabelline’s eyes opened wide and she squealed with joy. She turned to us with eyes full of psychotic happiness. 

    “I never get phoenixes! This will be so fun!” Isabelline snapped her fingers and shook her head. “I’m sorry, I got off track. I just wanted to see what he was.” She grinned. “Where was I?” Isabelline tapped Myalis’s head and made him Shift back, choking and glaring at her.

    “Oh, right. As always, children, I will explain what this is all about. It always feels nice to know things, even if you’ll regret it after.” Isabelline gave another one of her signature crazed smiles and continued. “I have been running this Experiment for three thousand, four hundred, seventy-two years. Essentially, our laboratory takes the life essence of teenagers and sort of absorbs it. Everything from their pristine youth to their powers. Their lovely powers.” 

   Isabelline’s smile grew wider, clawing at her cheeks, leaving creases and wrinkles. “I take that essence and drink it. It gives me youth and powers and this gorgeous pink hair. The youth and the hair are self-explanatory, but the powers! They’re the best part!” She licked her lips. 

   “Every animal you can think of, every element, every possible thing that could be Summoned, and pretty wings! Just look at them!” Isabelline strolled through the room and stopped in front of all of us, brushing our cheeks with her wings. I sneezed when she walked past me, and she paused and turned around, eyes fixed on me. 

   “Tsuni Liquire. Fourteen years old. Can Shift into an otter, although not at will. Described as emotional and sensitive by several friends and family members. Prone to allergies, particularly in spring.” Isabelline bent down to brush her fingers through my hair. Her long nails scratched my head to the point of bleeding, but I stayed put, trembling just a bit.  

   “Hopelessly beautiful eyes and silky smooth hair, even with weeks of living in the wilderness. I’ll enjoy it when you’re gone. Think of it as a gift from you to me!” She gave another manic smile and stood up. “Well! I think it might be time to demonstrate... my favorite part of getting new children.”  

   Isabelline grinned and cracked her knuckles, finally sending a jet of fire through the room, singeing Novis’s hair as he jerked back in surprise. She smiled and turned to Ragnis, then slammed the floor with her shoe and made several undead rats spring up in surprise and scramble to bite Ragnis. He screeched and batted them away, sending Isabelline into a fit of giggles. 

   She did this to everyone except Myalis, who looked utterly petrified. She knew everyone’s powers and copied them, and I could only imagine what would happen if her abilities were doubled. When she finished, I was afraid she would murder us all on the spot. Thankfully, she had to go when a guard called her into the hallway, saying that it was time. 

   I think we all knew what it was time for. I hoped it would be painless.  

   Eclipe 

   Don’t ask me why I ran. I don’t know why I wasn’t crying on the ground like everyone else. I don’t know why I just left Tsuni to the mercy of those stupid Messenger guards. All I knew was that I wanted to get away. I wish I could’ve just had the stomach to save her, like a sane person would do.