Twelve
Elara Vox awoke, her senses overwhelmed by pain and disorientation. Bound to a chair, she tasted copper in her mouth and struggled to see through her swollen eyes. Her right eye barely opened, while her left offered a blurry vision of her surroundings. In her limited view, four figures loomed ominously. One stood unmasked, their features an unremarkable blend, while the others wore masks that obscured their identities.
"The others had more purpose, Elara," the unmasked one said, their voice carrying a tone of false regret. "Unfortunately, this is the only role left for you. I'm truly sorry."
As they turned and walked away, the three masked figures remained. Confusion swirled in Elara's mind. The masks – they were unmistakably those of cultists. Eclipsis, a breeding ground for such vile people. She had heard Elias complain about them, and had seen holos and newflashes. What could they possibly want with her?
"I'm not sorry," one of the masked figures spoke, their voice dripping with malice as they leaned close to Elara's ear. "You deserve this," they whispered, their breath hot against her skin.
Elara's heart raced with recognition. She knew that voice. In a moment of shock and realization, she tried to speak, "Doctor R-"
But her words were cut short. A sudden, forceful thump to her head sent her into darkness. As consciousness slipped away, Elara felt an eerie sensation. It was a strange and terrifying realization, feeling herself slip into the void.
Yet, they were not finished with her. She awoke to the sensation of hurtling through the air, the bright neon lights of Eclipsis piercing the fog below. Her ears rang with a persistent, muffled sound. Trying to focus through swollen, blurry eyes, she realized she was in an air transport, her hands bound securely. As one of her captors noticed her awakening, a bag was swiftly placed over her head, obscuring her limited view.
“W-where are you taking meee?!” Elara's voice emerged as a raspy, pain-filled gurgle. It was then she noticed a new, horrifying fact: she was missing teeth, most of them. Panic set in, a visceral terror that eclipsed her physical pain. The realization of her helplessness, the utter despair of her situation, engulfed her. Unconsciousness once again took her as she drowned in the terrifying abyss of her reality.
