The Wastelands

"I…" Lilia's voice slurred, she could bȧrėly talk, and her body felt heavy. She tried again, but all she could do was cough. Her throat felt like sandpaper.

Sonia was busy writing something down. "Ah, so the subject's body isn't functioning at full capacity but conscious." She sighed. "That's why working on Life Elementals is such a pain. Their metabolism is so high that any drug used wears off too quickly, and they heal any incisions in hours." She gave Lilia a sideways look and smiled. "Although I am willing to let that slide because of how ."

Lilia didn't like the look in this woman's eyes, not one bit. She felt like an insect under a microscope. However, that gave her a thought. Lilia didn't know Sonia Duncan was always on edge, never really interacting with anyone, not even her student charges. The only time she spoke to Lilia directly was when Conner fell out of the tree, and the entire situation was weird. Then as soon as they got to the Ruined City, Sonia disappeared? Lilia had to admit that there were signs, but none of that mattered. She was still at this woman's mercy. "How long…?" I managed to get out.

"Have been watching you." Sonia finished gleefully. "Very perspective of you. A little too late, though." She laughed. "But what if I tell you that I was interested in you the moment we've met." Lilia felt like throwing up, and that woman laughed again. Then her tone turned snide. "Kidding, who would be interested in a defect like you." She allowed her glasses to fall down her nose, showing Lilia her flashing eyes.

'Yes, I get that you're a Lumeye,' Lilia thought. 'Like I'm not frigging scared out of my mind already.'

"Too me, you're just business." When Sonia saw my eyes widen, she stated. "Yes, I infiltrated Towers Academy and participated in the planning of kidnapping of a Castie heiress. Even coming to Compound 8 and getting you on this Trial was orchestrated by me." Sonia replied with a flippant tone, then added. "With my Ability, it was easy."

Lilia's first thought was that Sonia's Ability was like hers, not her telepathy, but the other one she didn't like to use mind control. Although something in the back of Lilia's mind said that it was close but didn't quite fit. Mainly because of the Nomads who had a hard time approaching them… Until Sonia had disappeared. So, it must be an external factor.

Then the realization hit her, and Lilia couldn't believe that she didn't see it before. The only thing that Lilia could think of was that she had a constant headache and dizzy spells ever since the Trial started. Usually, that happened when her senses were overstimulated, and it could only be one thing. "Through Smell."

"Pheromones, actually. You'd be surprised how much you can do with them." Sonia stated gleefully, "So fun to see how easily everyone twists around my little finger. On the other hand, you reacted differently, another reason why Life Elementals are so hard to deal with." She scoffed. "It would have been a lot easier to kill one of those twins than kill you directly… However, My Lord wanted to make sure you're dead."

Her mind was whirling. Why do all this just to kill her. She didn't understand any of it. It was like this woman was speaking another language. And she said about Terran and Heather? This woman was sickening.

"Are you wondering why?" Sonia continued. "So did I." She got up and sauntered toward Lilia. "Why would a defective be of any interest of My Lord." She then reached out, and Lilia moved away but stopped. No, something stopped her. Lilia looked to find her hands chained to the wall. "I'll be very impressed if you get out of those things. I had them made by someone who has a knack for making trinkets. So even with your whole strength, I highly doubt you'll break free. So sit still, and… Don't! Move!" Sonia ordered.

Lilia glared, pissed off. She had enough and didn't want to play Sonia's games anymore. "No."

"You don't listen well, don't you." Suddenly her glasses glowed blue and moved her fingers. Then the thin string of something touched my throat, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. "Now stay still. If you act up again, we'll have to end our chat early." Suddenly the pressure wasn't around my neck anymore, and the string was around her finger. Easier to see because it was soaked with Lilia's blood. Then she drank it down like water, her glasses turned red. "Yum, so are you willing to stay still like a good little girl. Right."

Lilia didn't move an inch. Sonia seemed to take that as compliance. "Good. Now, why didn't I kill you yet?" This woman really liked the sound of her own voice. "So I waited for my chance, trying to isolate you from the others, testing you, really. Quite frankly, I was having a blast, messing with you and your little friend. Besides, I wasn't much in a hurry, and you weren't going to leave the Ruined City alive, anyways." Sonia gave Lilia a knowing look. "However, That Protector fight and your singing were quite a surprise. And how you put that Protector to sleep. Now that impressed me. However, that wasn't the reason. I wanted to confirm something."

Sonia gave Lilia an expectant look, and Lilia sighed but managed to grind out. "What?"

"Hmm, maybe you're eyes. You have such pretty eyes," Sonia came close, and Lilia tried not to flinch away. "Cyan. I have only seen two other people of that same colour." Sonia ran her hand against my cheek and stopped at the edge of my eye. Her glasses turned Cyan. "And my Lord is one of them. So it got me thinking." Her other hand travelled down and landed on my arm brace. Then Sonia dug her nails in and tore the brace off. Revealing Lilia's falcon leopard tattoo.

Sonia laughed. "Oh, this is just great. No wonder My Lord wanted you dead. Oh, things I could do with you." Then there was a knock on the door, and Sonia gave Lilia a forewarned look. "I have to go work and all, but I have a gift." Sonia put on gloves and something that looked like a collar. "See this, it is made to suppress a Lumeye's ability, but in some Lumeye, their abilities overload until…well you know." Sonia came close and whispered in Lilia's ear as her hand snuck up on and traced one of Lilia's scars. Evidence that she almost imploded taking in too much power when fighting Shadow. "I wonder which one are you?"

Suddenly she felt something cold placed around her neck. "I'm going to leave you now. I regret not staying to watch. If you survive, I would like to examine you further, but what my Lord wants, he gets, and knowing him, he'll want you to suffer." She headed for the door, but not before she released multiple water strings around the room. Lilia stiffened as one of those strings came close around her neck. "And this will finish the job… you know, just in case you don't implode." Lilia tried to claw at the collar in a panic, her mind racing. 'No! No! No!' But she couldn't do anything. Her body still wasn't working right.

That was when Sonia's voice broke through her panic. "He wanted you to suffer. Right," There was a pause then... "Oh, I forgot to tell you, we have your sister? Don't worry, we'll take good care of your sister."

Ruined City

Terran was still in the Park surrounded by Zombies. He ducked down just as an explosion almost threw him off his feet. Bewildered, he called out. "What was that?" .

At the same time, Katy cried out through his walkie. "Heather's rifle fell into the street. We're going after her!"

"No, it's too risky! Retreat!" Captain Terrence ordered. "Mr. Green, what…"

"Hmm," Terran was staring at his hands, his mind in a cloud. There was an emptiness, just like the time with Bryson. "Heather she…. No, not Heather." He could still feel Heather.

A shot rang out, taking down a Zombie inches away from Terran. "Terran, wake up."

"Huh."

Then Tessa's voice broke through in a panic. "Sil's gone, just disappeared. Right in front of me? I don't know what's going on!"

"Lilia," Terran whispered, falling to his knees.