Undying Devotion

She wasn’t sure how many laws she broke on the way to Masie’s. Her body was completely tense, her limbs strained and sore from the death grip she had on the steering wheel. Pulling up to her friend’s house, she didn’t even bother to turn the engine off. She leaped from the car and ran for the house. She retrieved the spare key from the bottom of a potted plant at the entrance and opened the door with shaky hands.

She had tunnel vision as her heart was pounding in her ears, deafening her from the screams of people telling her to wait. Her legs felt like lead as her eyes searched the darkness. The still silence threatened to drive her mad as a chilling dread crept its way into her very fiber.

“MASIE!!!” She called out, nearly screaming, in a panicked tone, her voice breaking. “Please, please, please.” She continued to mutter to herself as her hands searched the walls for the light switch.

The light in the living room flashed to life and revealed nothing, she wasn’t there. She needed to move onto the next room, but with each step, each breath was suffocating. Please let her not be right about this. Please let the closest thing to a family she had left be okay.

The boys were behind her now, she hadn’t even waited for Arion to get in her car before she’d raced off without them.

“Shann, be careful! If he’s here-” Someone tried to say but she cut them off, not caring one little bit.

“Like I care, only Masie matters!” She forced her limbs to move into the kitchen.

Her eyes took in the gruesome site that had been laid out, especially for her. Her breath caught as her knees went weak, she collapsed to the ground her whole body becoming numb. Her mind scattered at the site of her friend, she couldn’t move.

She heard Jessie’s audible gasp before he pushed past her, racing to Masie’s side, the normal reaction. But she couldn’t move, stuck in a state of shock as her being filled with dread. Masie’s body was lying on top of the countertop. His kill was displayed like a trophy. Her body had been restrained and not by conventional means. Her limbs were nailed down, huge metal robs had been hammered through the bone to secure her to the marble. Blood coated the white-grey backdrop and dripped to the ground. Shannara couldn’t take her eyes off the droplets that still continued to fall drip by drip.

Masie had been dressed in likely the most expensive clothes she owned, care had been taken to doll her up, even painting her finger and toenails. Her feet faced the entrance, the letters - s, h, a, n, n, a, r, a - painted on the toenails, a message for her. One she received loud and clear, he’d chosen her because of her. This was her fault...

Arion was next to enter the room, his face scrunching up in disgust as he studied the upper part of her body. Her entire face had been removed, skinned completely off along with her scalp and hair. Muscle, tendons and teeth all that remain of her once beautiful face. She had been skinned alive. The most likely conclusion; he’d taken her skin and hair for his effigy. The last piece he needed and yet again they were too late.

Desmond was on the floor, his arms wrapping around Shannara as she couldn’t take her eyes off her disfigured friend. Her hands clenched on his shirt, she couldn’t speak her emotions too overwhelming. All she could think was that she wasn’t real, it had been a cruel joke, one that she’d wake up from.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, the corpse gasped and started breathing heavily and sharply. The body convulsed and jerked to life, shocking them all. Shannara’s head shot up, her eyes wide. She stumbled to her feet and to Masie’s side. She was alive! But how!?

“Masie! Masie!” She wasn’t sure who was talking, the voices all blurred together as they called out to her.

The glistening wet exposed flesh rippled to life as her eyes opened and her lips tried to more. Disgruntled sounds of discomfort trying to form words, but nothing much coming out but noises filled with pain and anguish.

“We need to get her to the hospital now!” That was Jessie. “Shann, Arion get her free, Desmond help me get the trolley.” They bolted back through the house and out to the van, leaving the other two behind.

Shannara looked at Arion with knowing eyes and he nodded. Taking the silent order he gripped hold of the metal that had anchored her down. Shannara held her limbs down as Arion pulled the metal-free with inhuman strength, freeing her from the marble death bed one metal rod at a time.

She heard Masie whimper and gasp each time, the sounds of scraping metal against bone having her cringe in sympathy. He must have drugged her, putting her to sleep while he worked. It made sense if he had been after her face, he couldn’t have her trashing around and fighting back while he cut away what he wanted. But that was all wearing off now and they needed to act fast if they were going to save her.

Arion scooped her up in his arms, her head lulled into his chest, smearing blood and juice on his suit. He didn’t cringe, he didn’t even notice as he heaved her into his hold and proceeded to take her to the van outside. The boys hadn’t even managed to get the trolley free from the van when he kicked the door wide open with a foot. They stared at him in disbelief as he lowered her gently down and helped secure her in place.

“Go, get us there!” Shannara hoisted herself up into the back with Masie while Jessie and Desmond ran for the front of the vehicle. Dropping everything, even leaving her car behind and running, nothing else mattered. They were going to save her.

Shannara was pacing the waiting room, Masie had been rushed in for treatment as soon as they arrived. The four of them were in the dark, waiting for word on whether she would be alright. Jessie sat with his head in his hands. Desmond was staring at the ground, his hands clenched tightly in his lap. Arion’s eyes were strained on the doors that were locked, she was behind those doors.

Shannara stopped when the Doctor came through, a grim look on his face. The three men stood and the tense atmosphere grew thick and heavy as they waited for the man to speak.

“She’s stable for now.” He told them with a tired tone. His eyes were pained and his face worn with lines of worry.

“Can we see her!?” She asked.

“She’s sleeping... I know you guys are worried, make it quick okay. She needs rest so she can heal.” He swiped his key card to open the doors for them.

The boys entered the room first leaving Shannara with the Doctor alone. “Can it...” She trailed off.

“The damage is extensive, we can look into contacting some specialists.” He lowered his eyes and looked at her with a pained expression. “A lot of muscle was also removed with her skin, she will need extensive plastic surgery... She’s never going to look the same.”

She nodded grimly and stepped through the doors, the doctor gently touched her arm stopping her. “She’s going to need a lot of support, not just from family.” He told her.

She nodded with a weak smile. Entering her recovery room was something she wasn’t ready for. She lay in a hospital bed, her legs were in casts, the rods had shattered her ankles. Her wrists and hands were wrapped up. Her head and face were bandaged so tightly you couldn’t tell who it was without the name on the medical sheet at the end of the bed.

She felt her bottom lip tremble, her strong demeanor on the verge of collapsing entirely. The boys were talking to her softly, telling her that they were here for her and that she was going to get through this. Deep down she knew this wasn’t over. Masie had been intended as a sacrifice, she hadn’t died. He’d be back for her.

The doctor returned to retrieve them and let them out. Jessie and Desmond said goodnight and left. About to leave she turned to look at her friend, she couldn’t leave her, not like this.

“I want to stay, I want to be here when she wakes up.” She told the doctor.

He frowned thinking on it for a moment before answering. “I think that may be a good idea, but please refrain from touching her, there is no telling how she may react.”

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

She sat by Masie’s bedside for hours, the sun rose long ago. Her parents had been called and they were on the way, but for now she was all she had. Arion remained by her side as he had promised. She had closed her eyes for a moment, resting her head against the blankets on the edge of the bed, when a light touch woke her.

She shot upright her mouth agape as she stared into the pained eyes of her friend. “Hey.” She said in a soft tone.

“Hi,” Masie responded in a harsh worn-out tone. She cringed as the movement of her lips caused her some discomfort. “Ouch”

“Try not to talk too much.”

She let out a single laugh. “Me not talk” She paused to catch her breath. “Please, that’s never going to happen.” Her speech was pained and weak, but it was so good to hear her voice.

Shannara sighed leaning into the hand that was now resting on her cheek. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Can’t get rid of me that easy.” Masie retrieved her hand and gently touched it to her bandaged face. “So... he really took it.”

“Masie, I’m so sorry.” Shannara felt her heart drop.

She shook her head but cringed, regretting the movement immediately. “What bothers me is that I know I clearly saw his face, but I...” She trailed off as a sobbed escaped. “Shann I can’t remember. He was right there!”

She felt her own tears threaten to emerge as Masie began to break down, the strong confident woman that she was breaking before her eyes.

“What good am I, what good is surviving if I can’t help catch him?” She wailed, her emotions overflowing.

Shannara felt a tear escape, running down the side of her face. Her fists clenched as her face held a stern expression. She managed to lull Masie back to sleep, the painkillers helping to put her at ease. Arion had remained silent through the whole thing, sitting quietly in the corner not interrupting.

“No one remembers his face.” She commented directing the conversation over to him.

“He’s using an enchantment, no one will until he’s dead.” His tone surprised her. It was rough and deep, he was aggravated.

“But... then, even if we catch him...” She didn’t want to say it.

“All it will take is for someone to turn their back on him and forget his face. He’d be absolved of all crimes.” He huffed. “The death penalty never should have been absolved.” He huffed in disapproval.

“Then you do it.”

His head shot up meeting her eyes, he knew she wasn’t joking. He slowly stood up, his form towering over her. Her head tilted up to keep eye contact with him. “You know what you’re asking me?” He questioned to be sure.

“I do. I’m prepared to make a deal with you.”

His eyes burned into her. “If you do this, you can never come back here.”

She turned to look over toward Masie’s form. She smiled sadly, this wasn’t for herself, it was for her. She’d make sure Masie could heal and live on after this. She’d make sure that her friend had nothing to fear or regret.

She held her shoulders high, determined in her resolve. She could do this much at least. “I’ll come with you, I’ll marry you and stay in your realm. In exchange, kill him.”

Arion bowed low. “I’ll come for you once it’s done. Say your goodbyes before then.”