The Devil's Crown

LXIV A Thank You.

“You have always lived up to our expectations, Jake,”

Jake barely stared blankly at the man that towered over him, he didn’t find it in him to stand and look him eye to eye. He was too tired to do that. He didn’t feel like arguing either. He better just spit the words that are stuck in his throat and leave him again to dwell in his misery.

“Ash would have also given out good results,” Shaw added. “Shame that he is no longer with us.”

Jake narrowed his eyes. He swallowed the words down his throat to avoid a conversation. He couldn’t say that this was his fault. He and Ash moved out on that ridiculous job without Shaw’s knowledge. The man that was responsible for Ash’s death has already followed him there.

That man…he has never seen such aura. Such darkness. Jake could still feel the numbness that he felt in front of that boy….a mere boy paralyzed his whole movement, he underestimated him. If he was taking him more seriously would it have changed anything? He has been thinking. Even now in front of him.

“Looks like you are still the same quiet man you were before,” Shaw breathed out. “Not that I’m complaining. I have always liked that about you, follow me.”

Shaw turned on his heels, not waiting for a reply, and left the room. Jake was staring at the now empty spot where he was standing. He sighed as he forced himself to his knees, grateful that he is finally exiting the white room, something about it was making him feel unease. That feeling ceased the moment that he walked through the door.

“Feeling better, right?”

Jake turned to stare at the side, Shaw was waiting for him with that sly smirk on his lips. “What?” Jake finally parted his lips.

“That room,” Shae gestured. “It was made to keep the…the likes of you contained.”

Jake was questioning the choice of words used by the Nobleman in front of him…or was it because he was with no one such as himself that he didn’t bother to watch his words.

Jake hummed in response as held his hands up. He could feel the power enlarging inside him but his hands didn’t seem all that different from what he remembers. He looked the same…it was just, he didn’t feel the same.

“Where are you taking me?” Jake asked, barely moving his lips.

“I have something that I have to show you,” Shaw stated, keeping on with his pace.

Jake eyed him in question before holding back his tongue, he was ought to know sooner or later. He felt panic inside him as he recognized the hallway to the lab that he was locked in. Jake gulped taking note of the capsule that was no empty, the researchers that held him down as they had their way with him. He wanted to puke.

Nevertheless, they walked straight through them. None bothered to as much as glance at Jake. Right…he was nothing but a test subject. It was time for them to move on to something else. He took a deep breath, if they were going to change his body they might as well wipe away his memories so that he wouldn’t have to go through such stupid trauma with a body like this. It felt humiliating to him.

He snapped out of his daze beginning to feel aware of his surroundings. He eyed the huge door that was at the other side of the lab. He has always seen it before but never knew what was inside that required such a huge door. It extended from the ground high up in the ceiling, coated with white plaster over the steel. Shaw was leading him right towards the panel on the right.

Jake halted a couple of steps behind Shaw, watching him input the passcode. Once that was dealt with, Jake shivered as he felt the floor beneath his very feet rock. A glance behind him he saw that no one else was bothered. Now that he was thinking about it, his sense was awakened now. That white room’s effects were subsiding and the extent of his powers are slowly unfolding themselves to him, it didn’t feel that different from before, his body still felt foreign.

His eyes darted to the metal doors as they slowly slid open. The door wasn’t just starting from the ground, it went even underneath the ground level. Just what in the world are they trying to keep inside to go to such lengths.

Jake had to admit that even he won’t be able to break through at full force. The doors stopped and Jake took a step forward. His eyes were blown wide at the sight of a figure chained to the floor.

“Oh my God…” he mumbled under his breath, taking in the sight in front of him.

Heavy metal chains that weight more than a ton wrapped around the figure's wrists from one end while the other was attached to the walls. Long blonde pale hair was falling out in waves, curtaining the figure’s face. Through the blonde locks, the black of the chain forcing the head down was sparklingly underneath the intense lights. The lights aren’t normal either, Jake felt it too.

“This…this isn’t a human, is it?” Jake finally uttered.

“This is the donor of your cells,” Shaw answered as he kept his pace inside.

Jake doubted the donor part. Nothing about this gave the impression of giving consent. The I.V needle inserted into his arms was proved it too. The power that was finally at his fingertips now retreated back to nothing, strength was leaking out in buckets. It was more intense than the room he was in.

“You must be feeling weak,” Shaw noted. “Normal, since basically the two of you are related right now.”

“What is this?” Jake repeated. “A donor but what is it?” he spoke every word slowly.

Shaw stared blankly at him before nodding for no reason. “An Elf.”

Helios held his head up at the sight of the new face. “You…” Helios mumbled, recognizing the young man next to Shaw. “The man from the capsule.”

Jake felt the frustration. *He knows me* his mind screamed.

Now that the elf had his head up, he could see the delicate features of the mystical being he was. The sharp ears, and dazzling violet eyes…violet eyes. In a blink, he recalled the color of the eyes of Ash’s killer. One was molten gold and the other shimmered like lilies underneath the moonlight…resembling the one in front of him.

“Why…why are you showing him to me?” Jake broke the gaze and turned to Shaw.

“You are the first subject to make through…this stage,” said Shaw.

*He can’t even number the stage* Jake almost hissed. His previous trial was supposed to be the last stage however, here he was barely out of another one. He won’t hold his hopes up. This…this in front of him was the core that made this whole place run…

*What if he were to die…* he couldn’t help but think.

For a split second, he saw the hint of a smile on the shackled elf but it was gone just like it appeared.

“I believe that this is enough,” said Shaw. “Staying here longer and you will collapse. This place is too much for you to handle.”

Jake hated to admit it but, Shaw was right. If it hasn’t been for the distracted mind that was engraving the mystical being inside his head, he would have collapsed by now. His knees were threatening to give in at any second. So, he gave him a nod and followed him out. Something inside him was yearning for what was behind now, a calling to the core that was chained like a beast in a cage.

A glance behind him and he saw the elf was still gazing at him with a faint grin as if he was thankful for his presence. He looked at him as if he knew him, and he did know him. He was aware of the capsule…He had a lot to ask him. Jake still couldn’t take in the fact that he was an elf, just how in the world did Shaw get his hands on one.

At the door, for one last time, Jake looked back and saw the elf’s lips part mouthing him something.

*Thank you*

Before he could question the intentions, the metal doors clattered shut as Shaw pressed the button.

“You will be escorted to a room,” said Shaw. “But don’t worry nothing high-tech. Just a room. I need you at your best.”

 And he walked away leaving Jake standing there with an upset stomach as he tried to digest everything that has happened so far. It was hard, he felt his stomach twist and turn as realization hit hard.

Everything that he is, everything that he and Ash were…came out of that. He wanted to disappear. Dig a hole and bury himself alive but he doubted that there was dirt under here - God only knows what else was built under their feet –

Jake can still hear the soft clattering of the heavy chain. Feel the torture the elf was going through. The drugs intoxicating his body. He brought a hand to cover his own mouth as he swallowed everything back down. He never felt so ashamed of something in his life, but everything that he was coming out of the inhumane act on a creature that was thought to be a myth….and yet…

He thanked him.