Eli was yanked from his seat and led from the room, he stumbled around trying to keep up. Using that bit of magic on that man had drained him and he felt weighted down.
Everything was leaning.
The guard in front of him turned and released a frustrated sound. He scooped Eli up and marched ahead.
Standing before him was a colossal man, a behemoth of muscle and sinew, with a pair of piercing black eyes that seemed to contain no hint of warmth or even the slightest shred of kindness.
His hair was styled in a way that framed his face, accentuating the chiseled lines of his jaw and cheekbones. It was slicked back and immaculately groomed, giving him an air of sophistication and power that was both intimidating and frightening.
Every inch of him exuded an aura of dominance and control as if he could bend the world to his will with a single glance.
A man behind them squeaked.
"Vlad. You heard Ace, treat him with-"
"I'm well aware." Vlad hissed. "But he can't even walk straight so I'm doing him a favor. Besides, he won't even remember this, Conor."
Eli furrowed his brow in confusion. Why wouldn't he remember?
"Where are you taking me?" Eli asked, voice barely a whisper. "I want to go home."
"You are home," Vlad answered.
Eli pursed his lips but didn't have the energy to spit something back at him. Instead, he took in his surroundings, the halls were dark and dimly lit with hardly any paintings on the walls.
As they walked past the guards standing by the wall, Eli couldn't shake off the feeling of emptiness and coldness that permeated the place. The silence was so dense that it felt like a physical barrier that could be sliced through with a knife. It was as if the whole place was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
His gaze slid to the round man wobbling behind them. Unlike Vlad, Conor was shorter with fewer muscles. If Eli were being honest, the man looked like a teddy bear.
He didn't look like he should be working in a place as grim as this.
"Your name is Conor, right?"
Conor nods. "Yes." he swallowed nervously and Vlad grumbled, "Keep talkin' to him."
"So..what do you like to do for fun?" Conor said, with a slight smile.
Eli furrowed his brows struggling to think through the hazy fog that had filled his mind. "Hm. I'd like playing with my older sister and practicing my magic."
"That's nice." Conor nods.
"How long have you been a guard?" Eli cocked his head. "You don't look the type."
Vlad snorted and Conor's face went red.
Vlad pushed open a door and a cool breeze swept across them, sending chills racing up his spine. He looked around and saw they were going down a stairwell.
In a few moments, they stepped into a large cavern and Vlad put him on the ground. There were shelves everywhere filled with strange-colored liquids and body parts. One jar had eyes that were still moving.
Eli's stomach churned.
A man was hunched over a desk that had papers and books stacked dangerously high. His hair was shaggy and fell to his shoulders in silver wisps and his bear was long enough to tuck into his belt.
He turned, taking them in. "Vlad. Conor." his gaze settled on Eli and his eyebrows went up. "Is this him?" Perched on his nose were a pair of half-moon glasses.
"It is."
"Well, strap him to the table, let's get this over with." the man stood and gestured toward a metal table in the corner with straps hanging.
Eli started to panic. What were they going to do to him? He tried to turn and race back up the stairs but Vlad caught him by his wrist and pulled him toward the table.
"Stop! What are you doing?" he cried, struggling. Vlad's grip was like iron. "I want to go home! Let me go home! I want to see Emily!"
Conor scurried around pulling out vials and needles.
"Emily?" the old man asked. "You are home, boy. Aniyah and Bella are your sisters. Ace is your father!"
Eli continued to struggle on the table. He snapped at one of Vlad's hands but he pulled away and glared down at him.
"I want to go home!"
The older man pulled on some gloves. "Conor, sedate him."
"No! Let me-"
He yelped when he felt something pierce his thigh and tried to flinch away-to late he felt the liquid seeping into him and dripping down his leg.
He tried to fight but his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off into blissful nothing.