Helen comes first

Aria's mind was screaming at her to protect herself with bending as she let herself be dragged by Flame. But she shook her head and pushed those thoughts away, "Helen comes first." she muttered to herself and shut her mouth.

Aria was completely silent when Flame dragged her down the stairs and into a scary looking dungeon. As he lit up fires around the room, Aria was horrified to see a torture room. She steeled herself and focused all her attention to Helen.

Helen was just a few kilometres away from the Scott mansion when Aria vaguely felt her shirt being ripped off from her back. She decided to pay no attention but had to the next instant as she felt intense pain on her back.

A blood-curling scream escaped Aria's mouth as she realized what had happened. Flame was whipping her back with a fire whip, Aria's mind once again screamed at her to protect herself and she almost twirled her still bound fingers to bend water to protect herself. But she caught hold of herself as Helen faltered a bit.

Aria forced her mind to focus once again on Helen as she received another burning whip. She could feel hot sticky blood flowing down her back. "Maybe this really is my destiny after all." Aria muttered as she felt herself giving in to the rage that was building up inside her.

But from she didn't know where, the faces of all the people she loved flashed in Aria's mind. Her family in the fire kingdom, Victor and Sonia, everyone she loved at the academy. They all were speaking something but Aria never heard what.

Instead a new voice rung out in her head, or a few new voices, but saying the same thing, "Don't let this world taint your heart."

Aria shook her head and took control of her mind once again. She vaguely noticed that her back was completely ruined before she focused on Helen. All this while Flame had been talking but Aria hadn't paid any attention to him. She was forced to do so at his next words, "I'm sure Edmond won't mind a scar or two on that pretty face. You should look like the monster you are after all."

His words angered Aria and she began to try and punch and kick him. She couldn't focus on bending to fight him, but her hands and feet were free.

Flame shook his head with a smile and the bonds at Aria's wrists tightened. She muffled a cry and felt herself being lifted up by her hands, her wrists burning. Soon Aria was hanging in mid-air by her wrists, her feet dangling a few inches from the ground.

But she refused to give up as she continued to try and kick Flame. But suddenly Aria's attention was demanded by Helen. Helen's concentration had faltered due to the extreme changes in Aria's speed and her armor had broken. Aria thought to mend it, but the next instant, she almost went blind as she felt excruciating pain. It seemed to be taking over all her senses.

As the pain subsided a little, Aria fought with the pain and her rage trying to take over to protect her, she vaguely registered that Flame had burned her skin on her neck and had broken her leg.