"Who is the leader of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils?" Are they ever going to learn that I will not tell them anything? I'm not going to. I will never tell them anything. I will never tell them anything. I will never tell them anything. Several moments pass by. Then several more. Then a few more. I barely have any time to react before the Wasteland guard with all the weapons draws back his arm and throws a dagger at me. It whistles past my ear. My heart rate spikes as it comes to a stop partially embedded in the stone wall behind me. I draw in a shaky breath. "Answer the question, Hawk. There's an easy way to go about doing this, and a hard way." The Wasteland guard twirls one of many daggers around his fingers. The edge is very pointy. Like, very pointy.

Thud. Thud. Two more daggers fly by me, one whistling over my shoulder, and the other carving a small line of red across my cheek. I feel adrenaline start to course through my veins. Another round of daggers are thrown my way, but this time there's also a few stars mixed in. Some don't hit me. Some do. Some just cut thin lines through my clothes, and some break through my skin. I wince at the sharp sting of pain as blood slowly trickles from the cuts. Rex looks back at me. A soft whimper escapes his mouth. The skinny Wasteland guard reaches out to grab him, but Rex whips his head around, and his teeth sink into the Wasteland guard's hand. The corner of my mouth pulls up into a small smile at the Wasteland guard's echoing howl.

Alright, alright, now, Hawk, just a little while longer. No speaking. You can do it. "Oh, you're going to pay for that, little doggy." The skinny Wasteland guard's voice is icily calm. He lands a punch across Rex's face, and the dog stumbles back a few steps, rocking slightly. Another blow connects with his shoulder, and a kick lands on his side. Rex cries out. His legs give out, and he falls. A flurry of attacks land on him. He tries to fight back, but he can't. The skinny Wasteland guard continues his attack on Rex while the Wasteland guard with all the weapons advances on me.

I take a few steps back. "Come on, Hawk. Say something. It's so easy. Once you answer our questions, we'll leave you and the dog alone." Why do they keep saying the same things over and over and over again? Come on... I-I just want all of this to be over. Is that too much to ask? For everything to go back to how it was? I want to see Jay and Adrien. Karly, Karla, and Kayla. Sasha. Vladimir. I want to see all of the T-LOOT-Dians... Is it too much to ask for that? The Wasteland guard throws a punch. My head snaps to the side, and I taste the iron tang of blood as it pools in my mouth. A few drops trickle from the corner of my mouth. I slowly lift my head, and glower at the Wasteland guard with a look that could kill an army in an instant. He doesn't blink. "I could continue with this all day, so answer the question." His fist hooks into my stomach. The air is sucked from my lungs. I collapse to the ground on my hands and knees, gasping for breath. I'm brought to my side a moment later when the Wasteland guard slams the flat side of one of his swords into my shoulder.

"Tell. Me. Who. The. Leader. Of. The. Loyal. Order. Of. Thorny. Devils. Is. Right. This. Instant!" He snarls, an attack for each syllable. Who knows how many bruises will riddle my skin when they're done. I don't even want to how half of them, or a quarter. Blood flows from wounds scattered across my body. The Wasteland guard lashes out with words and his weapons, shouting for me to tell them about T-LOOT-D, to tell them all the secrets, how to defeat us, how many of us exist, where are all of us located, if anyone is at the Wasteland, and my least favourite question of all time: who is the leader of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils. I swear I might just explode if I hear that stupid question one more time.

My ribs cry out as yet another attack lands on my side. I want to fight back- I really do. My entire being is urging me to fight back, to attack and knock him out cold... But I can't find any strength anywhere. Not even the tiniest droplet of strength exists. I'm curled up in a ball, trying not to cry even though I know in my heart I should be trying to fight my way out and back to T-LOOT-D instead. Pain explodes across my body a moment after each blow lands, one after the next. And I thought the pain was bad when I was Blending myself if that's even what you would call it. It's always at a ten. Please, I just want everything to stop. Just stop, please.

My entire body aches, and I can feel myself holding onto a thinning and fraying thread of consciousness. My eyes are barely open. The Wasteland guard with all the weapons lets out a string of curses. "Darn it! I was hoping he'd stay awake for a little while longer. I thought he was about to speak... Aw, man. Now I'll have to wait until he wakes up. Maybe I'll be able to catch him off guard, and he'll say something." Good luck. I let out a long breath. Dreamland's hands begin to wrap around my mind as darkness winds around in a swirl of foggy colors. When Dreamland presses further, I don't fight it, and I fall into oblivion.

xxxx

I'm roused from my slumber some time later by the Wasteland guards talking. I mentally curse them. Go awaaaaaaay... Leave me alone. Wait. Is Rex alright? Is he still here? Ok. If I'm asking if he's alright, then he must be at least a little close to me... He isn't one of Guthrie Harper's Clicks then? That sounds weird- it's absolute with no form of interpretation available... Grrr. Why'd he have to knock me out? I've got the worst headache ever recorded, well, basically everything hurts. There's, like, maybe two toes or something that don't hurt. And that's pushing it. I'm in that spot between conscious and unconscious. I hear things around me, but I'm still out of it enough that I can't react to anything that's said. "When's he gonna wake up?" One of the Wasteland guards whines, presumably the one with the weapons. "I wanna get him to say something..."

"Be patient. He can't say out forever." Maybe that's the one who's exploding with muscles? Maybe it's the skinny one?

"I want him awake now though!" How childish can he be? It's certainly not helping his 'I'm so intimidating and strong 'cuz I've got all these shiny and sharp weapons' nature. Not that I a hundred percent believed that to begin with. "Guthrie Harper oughta have something else that'll wake him right back up again. He had whatever that thing was that broke his Blended form apart from him earlier. That potion thingy? Remember?" He's my Blended form? Rex really is my Blended form after all, I guess. The Wasteland guards aren't exactly the most trustworthy people though. Maybe they're just saying that. I don't think they know I'm a little bit awake though. "He only gave us that one thing though. If you want to go into his office and ask him if he's got something that'll wake Hawk up, then go, but I'm not going with you though. I'm only going into his office to meet with him when we're due to be there."

They talk for another little while, and with each second that passes by, I'm pulled a little further from Dreamland's grasp. Noooooo... Come on, please let me fall asleep. I focus on my breathing, making each inhale and exhale a few seconds long with a pause in between each. I relax bit by bit, but the sense of dread that fills my gut continues to grow when I know I won't be able to fall back asleep again. Please, please, please! I need to go back to sleep! I can't face them. Since when do I back down from a fight or dread facing the enemy? Usually I'm among the first to attack This is a first.

Rex howls. The echoing sound snaps the remaining tether Dreamland was holding me by. "Come on, Hawk. I know you're awake." I huff when the Wasteland guard with all the weapons grabs onto my shoulder and hauls me into a sitting position. I cross my arms across my chest, and pointedly look away from the Wasteland guards, becoming well acquainted with the walls and ceiling. Rex joins me, sticking close to my side. A low growl rumbles in his chest though bruises and bleeding cuts riddle his fur. "Cut it out, Hawk. You're answering questions whether you like it or not, and we're not leaving until we get them. And you, dog, shut up." I'd like to say you'll be here a while then.

The Wasteland guards need some names. The thought suddenly springs into my brain. First the one with tree trunk arms... Nah, let's start with the one with all the weapons? I'll be nice and give them names that are a bit intimidating. Hmm. Maybe Blade for the weapons Wasteland guard, Minotaur for the tree trunk arms one, and Twig for the skinny one. Yeah. Minotaur, Blade, and Twig. I like it.

"What was that?" Minotaur growls.

"Hmm?" I reply. My heart sinks to my toes. I silently curse. No. No. No. NO! I talked... I... I-I talked to them. A sick smile oozes across Blade's face. "I knew you could talk, it was just a matter of finding out what would make you speak. So, tell me, Hawk, who's the leader of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils?" I almost open my mouth to speak, but I stop myself. What happened to the will to never speak to them? I was so close to talking to them again. I'm forcing myself to keep an expressionless exterior, but on the inside, I'm a whirling storm of emotions. "Tell me." Minotaur's face is carved out of stone. I start to come up with my response when I realize what I'm doing, and I immediately stop.

No. Don't tell them. You've made the same mistake twice- something you cannot afford to do, especially again. What's happening to me? I know I shouldn't even consider telling the Wasteland guards anything, even for a second. Somehow the thought keeps crossing my mind though. Why? But maybe it would make the pain stop. No! You won't tell them anything no matter what they do to try to get you to speak.

"So, Hawk. Ya gonna answer my question, or are you not? Time's a ticking, so tick, tock, tick, tock." I curl my lip and glower at him. I'm not answering anything you ask me, Blade. You too, Minotaur and Twig. I won't submit to them, no matter what they do or what the rebellious part of my mind comes up with.

The blows come, landing across my skin. The first one sends my head leaning down to touch my shoulder. The second makes my shoulder pulse with fireworks of pain. The third never lands. Twig yelps in alarm as he suddenly finds his wrist in the jaws of Rex. Blood streams from the wounds in red branches. Curses fall from his mouth as Rex jerks his head to the side, and the Wasteland guard is thrown to the ground with a chunk of flesh missing. Well, that doesn't look the best. His other hand presses over the gaping wound, but blood still runs from between his fingers. Twig curls around his wrist, groaning. "What was that for, dog?" Minotaur roars, a horrified expression spreading across his face.

I rise to my feet, regretting it instantly, but refusing to sit back down. If Rex is fighting back, then I'd better do so as well. Especially since I guess it turns out he's my Blended form. Do I even want to know how Guthrie Harper managed to cook up some concoction that can do that? Probably not... My head spins around and around in circles and my sides cry out in pain, but I stay standing. "Aww, does Hawk really think he can attack us with his pet dog? That's so sweet." Blade pouts as he mocks us. Rex isn't my pet dog. He's my friend. He's got that all wrong. "Come on. Answer the questions. I'm getting bored, and I've got places to be. Guthrie Harper said to have answers by nightfall tonight. That's in about twenty or thirty minutes." Minotaur's leaning against the opposite wall with his arms crossed across his chest. He's really mastered that nonchalant-like air. Blade turns back to me, a wild glint in his eyes. "With every minute that passes by, we're going to get more and more creative." If they don't get answers, they'll pay. If I don't give them answers, things probably aren't going to get too much worse. I already haven't eaten or drunk anything in a few days, and I've been knocked out for who knows how long from endless attacks after having my Blended form ripped from me. Ouch.

"I know you think you're stubborn, but we'll break you eventually. It's only a matter of time, Hawk. It's only a matter of time." Is that supposed to be intimidating, or... Yeah, it is intimidating. Look at all those weapons on Blade. Minotaur can clearly do an awful lot of damage with those muscles. Twig... Well, I don't think Twig's going to be doing an awful lot for a while. That's not the point though. You and Rex are unarmed and, like, half starved. Minotaur and Blade, on the other hand, are well fed and hydrated and are armed. Think about the odds for a moment there. I know, I know. It's probably something like a bazillion to one. Something along those lines. But I mean, I'd rather be dead than be forced to give up information about T-LOOT-D. I can't even begin to imagine how betrayed all the T-LOOT-Dians would feel if they found out I'd given up information about them. They'd understand. No, they wouldn't. Don't fight me on this.

"I'd like to think you're debating on what we want to know. I'll be nice, and help you out. How about that, huh? Just tell us anything and everything about The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils, alright?" No, not alright. Minotaur suddenly stalks across the cell, his face contorting into a seething snarl as his hand curls into a fist and punches the stone just to the left of my head. Rock crumbles beneath his knuckles and falls to the ground. I swallow, struggling to keep my expression neutral. My teeth clench as I fight with the two sides of my mind. I close my eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Too bad my moment of relaxation didn't last; Minotaur slams his palm into my chest, and I collapse, gasping for breath after the air was knocked from my lungs. He drives the toe of his boot into my ribs as he snorts. "Your stubbornness is admirable, but answer the questions." I bet I'm going to get quite a few new bruises to add to the current ones.

Why won't you just answer. Please, just shut up. I won't answer them. It's that simple. It's also that simple to just tell them a few things so they'll go away and then they won't kill you. I am aware of that, but I won't betray T-LOOT-D like that. They'd all be so pissed and disappointed. They'd understand. Yeah, they'd understand that I'm a traitor to T-LOOT-D and everything they stand for.

Blade sends a dagger flying towards me. It nicks my arm then clatters to the floor. A thin trickle of blood runs down my arm, but I barely feel it. Minotaur has it in his hand before I can reach out and grab it, sending it home into Blade's heart. Aww, shucks. It would've been fun to see Blade's look of shock as he sees the dagger embedded in his chest. "Don't even think about it." Minotaur growls as he tucks the dagger into his belt.

xxxx

They really need to learn some new tactics: they've now knocked me out twice, and I'm fairly certain Twig's going to bleed out soon if he hasn't already. They took Rex as well. Come on, Rex. Whatever they're doing, you can make it through. You're strong. I'm currently laying flat on my back, partially awake, and listening to the Wasteland guards reluctantly leave as they say, "Guthrie Harper expects us in three minutes. We have to leave, and hope his wrath isn't too bad." Maybe ten or fifteen minutes later, Rex comes back in. The iron bars slam shut again with a clang, and Rex walks over to me slowly.

Thank you so much for reading! Please comment and consider a vote. It would make my day to see that you voted on my story! 

When will Adrien, Jay, and the rest of T-LOOT-D launch an attack of their own to rescue Hawk?

Will they be able to track him down?

How's Rex doing?

Will Hawk be able to hold out against the Wasteland guards for any longer?

I hope you're enjoying Blend the Light! :)

-Werewolf14-