Survival of The Cursed: The Moon Cursed Chronicles 2

Jace POV The silver burned into my flesh, filling the air with the scent of charred skin. It was a constant smell here in the cells, from all the numerous prisoners the hunters kept bound in silver cuffs. I could hear the howling and wailing of some of the fresher prisoners still clinging onto hope that their pack mates would hear their cries and save them from this hell, but I knew better. If rescue did come, it would only end with their capture. Once in, you did not leave this place unless you were a Hunter. That was simply how things were. I heard the heavy silver plated doors scraping against the stone floors, and got up from my cot. careful to avoid the silver bars, I stuck my arm out and waited for the guard to inject the wolfsbane into my system. The agonized screams coming from the cells before mine were unbearably loud. The more you struggled, the crueler the hunters would be, it was something the new prisoners would have to learn, but until they did, the cells were going to be filled with their unpleasant screams of agony. Eventually, the guard made his way to my cell. He took one look at my outstretched arm and scoffed in annoyance before grabbing it roughly with his leather gloved hands and digging the needle into my bruised arm, filling my veins with the poisonous serum. “f*****g Zombie” he muttered, displeased with my lack of emotion or reaction. He continued on down though, leaving me in peace. The guards never spent extra time torturing and tormenting me like they would with all the other prisoners for one very simple reason. It wasn’t any fun. Nothing they did phased me anymore, that’s what living over a century in this hell will do to you. The others would learn too, or die. Whichever came first. I had tried helping some of the other prisoners in my youth, tried to show them the way to survive this place, but I only managed to anger them. They refused to resign themselves to this fate and accept defeat, and were disgusted that I had. Those prisoners made it a point to try and prove me wrong, they were dead set on escaping and so... they died. Ever since that incident, I have kept my distance from the others. There was just no point. There was no point in anything anymore but to wait for the day the Goddess came for my life, hopefully it would be soon. A few years back I had tried to take my own life, tired of the endless torture. But of course, the hunters couldn’t allow their best specimen to die. They brought me back from the brink of death and kept me chained and watched constantly. I knew then, there was truly no escape from this place unless the hunters willed it so. The night I had tried to take my own life, I dreamt of the Goddess. It was the first time I had ever dreamt. In it, she assured me that she would come for me and that I was not forgotten. Her words gave me peace of mind that she would eventually come for me and grant me the peace of death, that she wouldn’t allow the hunters to keep me alive as their experiment for all eternity. It was the only solace I found in this horrible place. I dreamt every night from then on, never again of the Goddess but of two blood red eyes starting back at me. They seemed sinister and threatening, yet at the same time, looking into those eyes filled me with a sense of belonging and safety. It was oddly contradicting, and I couldn’t understand why I dreamt of them every single night, but I also looked forward to the nights, knowing at least in my dreams, I wasn’t alone. Despite all the time that has passed, I still remember the day I first became the hunter’s prisoner. That horrible night will forever be burned into my memories. My mother and I had been on the run for as long as I could remember, never staying in one place for more than a night, too scared our pursuers would find us. I tried to ask her why, but she never did explain, come to think of it, she never really did speak a single word to me. Not once in the entirety of the time we had spent together. She would just stare at me with dead eyes, then walk away. The night the hunters found us, was the first time in my four years of life, I had ever heard the voice of my own mother. Her voice was so beautiful and elegant, almost musical, I felt such joy at simply hearing her speak. That is, until her words registered, and my whole world came crashing down on me. “No” she screamed “I’m innocent, I swear, please” she pleaded with the men who had their bows pointed at her crumpled form on the ground. She propped herself up with her hands, digging her nails into the ground as tears fell down her face, watering the grass below “Take him. He’s that monster’s heir. I’m worthless to you” she bellowed, head lowered to the ground in submission to the men that stood before her, ready to take her life. “Why would we take the kid and let you go?” snickered one of the men, enjoying the fear he was inflicting on my mother. Quickly my mother wiped her face, desperately trying to calm her emotions “Kill the kid or take him, I don’t care, but if you let me live, I'll give you information. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know about him, and …"she whispered, tentatively raising her hands towards the man's legs “I have other uses too” Her voice became so much more beautiful as she continued to talk to the men. It was at that moment though, that her words had finally registered in my four year old mind. I began wailing, pleading with my mother to not let these men harm me, but she shot me the most terrifying glare. Her eyes were filled with such hatred and scorn that it broke my heart, in that moment I missed the dead eyes with which I had grown so accustomed to. “You filthy runt, shut your mouth” she snarled at me, finally speaking to me for the first time ever. Then, she left me in the care of one of the Hunters and left with the one she had been speaking too. That was the last time I ever saw my mother again. I would have lingered in the thoughts of that night longer, but the sounds outside the cells drew my attention away from the painful memories of my mother. I could hear screams of terror and agony come from the other side of the silver door that barred the cells from the rest of the world. At first, I assumed it was the Hunters working on one of their many experiments. I sent a silent prayer to the Goddess for whatever poor soul they were tormenting and turned around in my cot, hoping to fall asleep so I could dream of the blood red eyes that kept me company every night. The sounds grew progressively louder, and appeared to be drawing nearer, which was weird. All the torture was done either in a cell or in one of their experiment rooms, but I continued to dismiss it, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. It was never good to draw attention in this hell. The Silver door slammed open, and I remained turned, hoping it wouldn’t be my turn. Praying to the Goddess that they would claim some other prisoners for their experiments today. The doctor had told me that it would take a few days before they would be able to see the effects of their latest experiment on me, so I should be safe for a few more days, but nothing is certain in this place. I remained quiet and still hoping to go unnoticed, but a clinking at my cell told me that would not be possible. Not wanting to anger the hunters, I slowly turned, eyes closed, praying I could somehow catch a glimpse of those red eyes, so they could provide me with the strength and comfort I needed to survive the upcoming torture and experimentations. But I had no such luck. Unfortunately, I could only ever see them in my dreams. I let out a small sigh, then slowly stood up and opened my eyes, only to have my breath taken from me. There they were. Those, beautifully menacing yet comforting eyes. Only, I wasn’t sleeping, they were there, attached to an equally terrifying creature, staring back at me. The beast ripped the bars from the cell, disregarding the scorching affects it had on its hands. It made its way toward me and although my brain screamed that this creature was dangerous, lethal even, I couldn’t manage to force myself to feel any fear toward it. The beast was just so beautiful, its red eyes, glowing in the dark cells, a perfect contrast to its white coat tinted red from where it was soaked in the blood of its prey. It slowly stalked toward me, its jaws growing dangerously closer and as it opened its mouth wide, poised to clamp down, I could only feel immense joy and comfort in the sight. If I died to this creature, I could die with no regrets. Its razor-sharp teeth came crashing down and I waited patiently, yet the searing stab of pain never came. Instead, I heard the chains that had kept me imprisoned for so long, snap under the pressure of its jaws. The creature lowered itself to the ground, then looked up to me expectantly. I was shocked and at a loss. I couldn’t comprehend what was going on. “Get on” it snarled out in a voice so feral it should have sent shivers of fear down my spine but instead sounded like a choir of angels singing the most beautiful song to grace the heavens. Without hesitation, I did as the beast urged of me, not even stopping to consider the consequences of my actions. There was no way the hunters would ever forgive this transgression, I would die for sure, but I didn’t care. I would follow this beast wherever it went. Those eyes had helped to keep me sane for decades now, if not for them I doubt I could have survived for so long, I would follow them to the ends of the world. The beast lead me through the maze of the hunter's prison, and I observed in wonder the shredded corpses of the monsters who had tormented me for so long. Was this even possible? Could it simply be another dream? If it was, I never wanted to wake up again. Eventually, we made it to the outside and I breathed in fresh air for the first time in over a century. “You are safe now” It snarled out as it got up on it hind legs and began sprinting toward the forest. I buried my face in its soft, beautiful fur and wept, wanting desperately to believe those words. I told you a voice more elegant than any other I heard before sung out to me. It sounded like it rode on the wind that flowed around us as we rushed further into the forest She would come for you It was the voice of the Goddess, of that I was certain. After hearing it in my dreams, there is no way I could ever forget such a beautiful and peaceful voice. Never in the span of my life time, could I have ever imagined that this, had been what the goddess had meant so many years ago.