Chapter Five

About six hours later Six took over for me, I crawled in the back and nodded off on the cool leather seats, my head rested against a massive rifle wit Ella curled up next to me.

The next thing I knew I was back in the room where I killed Sandor, only it was different, this time the door to the next room was open and for some reason I found myself walking through it. What I saw next floored me.

I entered another torture room, there was blood running into a drain on the floor, the walls and table covered in dried blood, the walls were lined with knives and daggers as long as my forearm and so short that the blade was as long as my pinkie finger, some were serrated, some dainty, some wickedly curved, all covered in dried blood. The person on the table looked horrible, she had shoulder long black hair matted with blood, she was wearing a black tank top and short black shorts both riddled with slashes, her skin was a deep tan marred with cuts, short, long, shallow, deep, in some areas it looked like the Mogs had just ripped off her skin like ripping off a Band-Aid, the girl on the table was horribly familiar, the girl on the table was Tzila. Her beautiful blue eyes were hollow, deep emotionless pits, she had blood at the corners of her mouth and splattered all over her face, she was surrounded in a halo of blood. I stood in shock staring at her prone body when a door on the far side of the room swung open.

"Are ya ready to talk now, Bitch," a mean looking Mog snarled as he slammed the door shut, "I almost hope you're not, I really enjoy cutting up your pretty little face."

He selected a short knife from his wall of horror and stalked over to Tzila; he grinned and trailed the point of the knife down the side of her face following the curve of her throat leaving a thin trail of red as he went.

"I'd have thought you'd have realized by now," Tzila rasped, "you aren't going to break me, you saw all my old scars, this isn't the first time I've been tortured, I didn't break then and I won't break now, there was only one way you stupid Mogs could have gotten me to talk and you burned that bridge the last time you captured me and cut me up for months," she spat a wad of spit and blood straight into his face.

"No sweetheart," the Mog growled back, wiping the blood off his face, "the way I heard it, you burned that bridge I believe."

Tzila's eyes went black, a cold heartless black, her hands started to shake as she gritted her teeth in anger.

"Now, now," the Mog chided, "None of that, you know it won't work," but even as he said it he took a nervous step back, words conveyed one message, but the edgy look in his eyes and the slight waver in his voice suggested another.

Tzila clenched her hands into fists, dark energy pulsed around her and the chain holding her down snapped open, she sat up on the table and stared at the Mog, his horrified eyes met hers and he tensed up, the next thing I knew he collapsed to his knees convulsing, his eyes flashed completely white before he went completely still.

"You shouldn't have said that," Tzila snarled, she opened her fists and the Mogs eyes immediately went back to normal, the energy surrounding her faded and disappeared.

"W-what did you do to me?" the Mog whimpered, shaking in terror on the ground.

"What, they didn't tell you who I was, or what I was capable of," Tzila smirked, "I'm a Shadowwalker, and that's what happens when I lose control, that little bit of power is called soul snatching, you've got about ten minutes before your organs fail, enjoy your last few minutes, asshole."

Tzila wiped the blood from her eyes and stalked over to the door the Mog came into, but not before he flung the little knife at her, slicing a deep cut from the corner of her mouth, over her right eye, and into her eyebrow.

"You dick," Tzila yelled, she grabbed a knife off the wall and plunged it down, straight down through his neck, he disintegrated to ash in her face, sticking to the blood, tears streaked through the ash and blood on her face, but her eyes were anything but sad, they glared out angrily, her grip on the knife turning her knuckles white, with a screech she whipped it at the wall driving the blade into the concrete. She wasn't done yet, with a scream she turned her face to the ceiling and thrust her arms upwards, creating massive fracture marks and causing chunks of concrete and dust to rain down around her. With a wail she collapsed to her knees and covered her face with her hands sobbing uncontrollably, I was so shocked I didn't notice the man coming up behind her until he had put an arm around her shoulders and was brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Hush child, we must leave now," he whispered soothingly to her, "we must not delay, there is no time."

"Father," Tzila cried, softly now, "father what took you so long, three long months I've been here, letting that thing cut me, I restrained from using it as long as I could, you know I tried, why didn't you come earlier?"

"I'm sorry my dear child," the man whispered, "I was delayed, I couldn't come until now."

"Away with your precious garde again I presume," Tzila snarled, "I'm your daughter, you couldn't spare a couple days!"

She pushed him back and stood, angrily staring down at him, "I'm not that little eight year old girl you found covered in blood and ash anymore, I don't need you anymore."

She stormed out of the room eyes blazing with fire, the man hung his head and sighed, "I hope this showed you exactly how dangerous Tzila is," he looked and stared me right in the eye, "and how much you need her, although I recommend that in the future you respect your friends privacy a little more and allow them to tell you about their past when they wish to, instead of delving into their memories whenever you feel like it."

He waved his arm in front of me and I immediately jumped awake, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

"Are you okay Nine?" Ella asked wearily, "You're really pale."

"I'm fine kiddo," I replied, still half asleep, "just had a bad dream."

"Awe," Six cooed from the front seat, "poor little Nine had a nightmare."

"Yes I did, sweetheart," I shot back; "can you come back and give me a hug to make me feel better."

"Nah I think I'll let Tzila comfort you," she said slyly, "oh wait, you scared her off with your ugly ass face."

"Where are we," I growled.

"Somewhere in Michigan," Six replied flatly, "You've been out almost 13 hours, I'm planning on stopping soon, I'm gonna pull over once we get to the more forested areas and we can set up camp out there."

"How much longer?" Ella asked tentatively.

"About ten minutes, sweetie," Si replied, her voice noticeably softer.

"Want me to wake the others up?" Ella enquired, sitting up in her seat.

"I think that would be best," Malcolm replied from the front seat.

Ella grinned and gently shook Marina, Sam, and Adam awake, then she pulled out her water bottle and dumped it over Johnny's head, he sputtered awake with his arms flailing around clipping me on the back of the head.

"Thanks Johnny," I said before smacking him on the back of the head, "it was the kid not me, although it was a sick move," I leaned over and gave Ella a fist prop which she accepted readily.

"We're going to stop in a little over five minutes," Six called back, "everybody get your crap together, we're spending the night camped out in the forest."

Everyone started grabbing their weapons and gear with Johnny grumbling about spending a cold night outside in wet clothes before lurching forward and grabbing Ella, tickling her mercilessly, this leading to those five minutes being filled with thrashing fists and feet, I don't think anyone in the back of the van escaped without at least a couple bruises.

After calming Ella and Johnny down we headed out into the forest, Six and I went around gathering some dry wood for a fire while Ella, Adam, Sam, Malcolm, and Johnny started setting up camp.

After walking a short distance from the camp Six and I came across an old maple tree that had fallen and began to decompose.

"Load me up," I told Six, I held my arms out as she snapped off branches and piled them on my arms.

We were silent as we worked, after Six finished putting the wood in my arms we worked at piling up more wood in separate piles with telekinesis, after making three massive piles Six broke the silence.

"So, what's up with you and Tzila," she asked, casting me a sidelong glance, I didn't say anything; I really wasn't in the mood for more teasing after my dream.

"I'm serious, not trying to ridicule you," she reassured me, "I'm just curious, I hate to admit it but I'm total shit with emotions, never really needed to learn anything about people when I was growing up, it was all just training and survival…"

"If it makes you feel better I'm not the best with emotions either, I mean anger, revenge, rage, and pain I'm familiar with but other then that," I laughed, "so I really don't know what's going on with Tzila and I what about you and Johnny boy."

She started for a moment before quickly averting her face, but not before I caught a smile and a little twinkle in her eyes that looked so un-Six-like nearly dropped my wood.

"I don't know," she said tentatively, "I mean he's a great guy and all, but so is Sam, just in a different way…I'm not sure who I like…"

"Well to be honest, I think I really like her, I'm more concerned with if she likes me back, she's just so focused and powerful…" I trailed off.

"I guess we're both just crap at relationships," Six laughed, "well we should probably get this back to the camp before the others freeze, you know it was nice to get that off my chest, hell that was the first time I've been in your company for a period of time over one minute and haven't felt and urge to rip your head off."

"That can be remedied," I joked as Six and I lifted the wood and started heading back.

"Don't you dare," Six tried to threaten as she laughed hysterically, "you know I've never had a brother, but this is how I think it would be like if I did."

"Well thanks, sis," I smiled.

"No prob', bro," she replied, we got back to the camp and dropped our load, Six immediately going over and setting up the fire, Johnny set his hands on fire and lit up the old wood.

Marina had pulled out the food and started slicing up a couple apples; she had a pile of cut veggies already beside her.

"I can't do this," I said suddenly, motioning to the meal, "do I look like a rabbit? Papa needs him some meat!"

Marina sighed, "as much as I'd love to prepare you some meat, I don't have any with me, and it wouldn't have lasted anyways."

"Oh don't worry 'bout gettin' some meat, I got this," I smiled.

Johnny groaned, "don't let him get some meat Rina, you'll regret it, trust me."

"Shut up Johnny," I moaned, "just because you didn't like it-ugh, forget it, I'm gonna go get me some meat."

I stalked off into the forest, once I was far enough away for the others not to over power my super hearing I tuned in to the sounds of the forest and began following the closest rabbit, about five minutes later I could see it, the little guy was a tad bit skinny but had enough meat on his bones for me, I pulled out a short knife and took careful aim, but just as I threw it he spooked, shooting off into the woods with my knife missing him by millimetres, he made it about three feet before a shining blue dagger shot next to my head and impaled him through the eye.

I whipped around pulling out my pipe staff and taking a defensive pose, shocked that someone had snuck up on me, I expected to be facing some sort of ninja Mog but was faced with someone else, personally I would have preferred the ninja Mog.

It was Tzila, her leather jacket, tank top, and Capri's were sliced up, her hair was a tangled mess, and she was covered in a sheet of ash and blood, what shocked me even more was the tear streaks on her cheeks that looked horrifyingly similar to the ones smudging her face in my dream. The next thing I knew I was crossing the short distance between us and pulling her into a hug, she tentatively put her arms around me eventually putting her face into my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear.

"Of course I am," she laughed, "why do you ask?"

"Do you want the nice answer, or the truthful one?" I asked, setting my chin on the top of her head.

"Truthful," she answered, "always the truthful"

"You look like shit," I smiled, "what happened to you?"

She laughed instantly, "what the hell do you think happened to me, I headed back and took on every Mog Setrakus Ra could gather up, which was a lot, I only got these little superficial wounds, I'll live."

"You should go see Marina or use a healing rock," I replied, slightly concerned for her.

"Why?" she asked obviously very confused.

"To get those cuts healed of course," I said, shocked that she wasn't thinking of getting any medical attention.

"Oh…" she replied, "I guess, I probably should, I'm just so used to toughing it out and letting it heal by itself."

"Well you don't have to do everything by yourself anymore Zila," I said firmly, "we can help you too," I stepped back and looked her in the eye, keeping my hands on her shoulders.

"I know," she smiled, "I guess I'm just not used to being able to rely on other people, hasn't exactly worked out well for me in the past...How about you go grab that rabbit and let me show you how a real hunter kills," she winked at me as her dagger flung through the air back into her hand.

"Oh really!?" I joked, how about we have a little competition, in ten minutes we meet back here, see who's the real hunter."

"Deal," she twisted her hand back and shoved me hard into the dirt, seconds later she and the rabbit were gone.

"Cheater!" I yelled out into the forest before hastily getting to my feet and starting to track me some rabbit, within minutes I had found my first victim, but as I brought my arm back to throw my knife a shadow dropped down from a tree and grabbed the rabbit, breaking its neck quickly and efficiently, it landed in a crouch and smiled at me, three fat rabbits already hanging on its belt, "You better get going!" Tzila yelled over to me, "there won't be any left for you soon!"

"Hey that one was mine," I replied, "cheaters never prosper!"

"I killed it, therefore it's my kill," she smirked before shooting off into the forest, "see ya in a few!"

By the end of the ten minutes I had six plump rabbits, crossing my fingers I slipped into the clearing that was our meeting space, Tzila wasn't there yet. Or so I thought, she dropped down right in front of me smirking slyly, in addition to the four rabbits clutched tightly in her hands she had three on each hip, "I win!" she smiled gleefully.

I don't know what about her made me do it, maybe it was her intoxicating smile, or the happiness filling her eyes, maybe it was her dangerous attitude, or her personality that reminded me so much of myself, but whatever it was doesn't matter, what does matter is the fact that I found myself dropping my rabbits and kissing her, she gasped in shock and dropped her catches too, she wasn't kissing back but she wasn't stopping me either, which should have comforted me, but all that was running through my mind when I pulled back and looked into those eyes that I loved so much was a over powering feeling of horror at what I just did and terror at the thought that I might lose her, I held my breath as she stared back at me, with those deep eyes that overwhelmed me completely, I realized that I was entirely helpless against this powerful Loric girl that had stolen my heart with a vicious efficiency.