15 Chapter 15: Pain

As Jarod sat down, he suddenly felt awkward as the silence in the common area, the lack of talking or any sound for that matter was defeating and he looked over to Arlyn, who was looking at him with wide eyes.

"What?" He asked nervously, never having her look at him like that before.

"You just killed two demons as if they were nothing," Jarod scowled as he glanced at the bodies that were laying on the floor, the pool of blood spreading across the marble floor slowly.

"They were nothing," He spat out as if he had something bitter lodged onto his tongue and wasn't able to get rid of the taste. "They threatened you."

"I can take care of myself," She replied without missing a beat. "I'm not some damsel in distress." Jarod cocked an eyebrow up.

"I never said you were. It's just the sight of them touching you, it just. . ." He couldn't find a word for it and tried explaining it. "I just got so angry, ya know? I immediately saw red the moment he laid his hands on you, I couldn't help myself."

"Mhmm," She hummed out. "I'm just glad you didn't get blood all over my face, demon blood is especially hard to get out of clothing," She glanced down at her grey prisoner uniform. "Though I suppose these aren't the most fashionable clothing."

"You're telling me," Jarod muttered. "It feels like I'm colorblind." Arlyn let a tiny small crawl on her face at his small joke, despite himself having blood spatter all over his face.

"I suggest you go clean yourself up," She said casually, gesturing to his face. "Ya got a lot to clean over there." Jarod touched his face and gave out a tiny fake gasp.

"Arlyn, are you calling me ugly?" He said, sounding like an old woman who had been told she wasn't dressed properly for church on Sunday. "I'm offended."

"Well rub that blood off your face and maybe you'll be a tad bit cuter," Jarod's eyes widened before he knocked twice on the table.

"Alright alright, quit making fun of me." He muttered with a tiny blush on his cheeks. "I'll go wash up and be right back."

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen," A deep voice said behind him. Jarod turned around and saw one of Mackerel's lackeys, the same one who had been part of the group that had kidnapped them, Fiin. "You're coming with me."

"Why?" Jarod questioned before he was seized roughly by his arm. "Hey let go of me!" He shouted as he yanked it back, quickly getting in a fight stance. "Where are you planning on taking me?" Fiin let out a tiny sigh as he reached out into the air, his hand disappearing into the air before he pulled out his spiked ball and chain.

"Resistance is futile," The demon said, his yellow eyes glowing as the weapon in his grasp began glowing a soft golden yellow. "Master wishes to test something on you, this is your last chance to come quietly before I must resort to other measures."

"Jarod," Arlyn whispered softly, making his glance back at her. "Just go. There's no point in injuring yourself when you're so outnumbered!" Jarod looked back at Fiin, glaring at the blonde-haired demon before letting out a soft, reluctant sigh.

"Fine, I'll come with you." Fiin nodded, pleased that he didn't have to beat the Prince of Demons into submission just yet.

"Good, follow me." He kept his weapon in his hand still, but the golden hue faded away into nothingness. Jarod felt the strange looks he was receiving from the other prisoners, their eyes trailed on his back as he followed Fiin through the double doors, revealing a well-lit room that had white lights hanging from the ceiling with several paintings on the light yellow walls.

They walked past several black wooden doors that had golden numbers nailed to them. With each passing step, Jarod grew more nervous, anxiety creeping through his chest like a sickness. Something wasn't right about this place.

They arrived at the end of the hallway where that extended into two different ways. Fiin walked left, his footsteps echoing as his shoes hit the stone floor underneath them, it being the only sound Jarod could hear.

They stopped in front of a steel door that was larger than the previous wooden doors that had walked past on their way. The door was the only one that didn't have a number, instead, it had the letter 'T' on it in its capitalized form.

"Go inside there and sit down, master will be with you in a moment." With that, Fiin left. Jarod took a deep breath and opened the steel doors, having to use most of his strength to open the gigantic door, it screeching as it slowly opened.

He took a step inside and jumped when the door slammed shut behind him. He looked back and didn't see anybody there. He took another deep breath, filling his lungs with oxygen as he tried to calm his nerves.

He was fine. This was fine. Everything was going to be okay.

The room itself was lit up by several torches that were stuck into the marble walls, the floor being made of grey concrete with a red circle surrounding a metal chair made of titanium that was bolted to the ground. He aired out his shirt, cooling down his body as he walked over to the chair and sat down, the cold metal pressing against his body as he shifted uncomfortably.

After what felt like hours of sitting, but was really just a few minutes, the door to the room slowly opened, the hinges creaking as Mackerel walked in with a small suitcase in his hand. "Hello again Jarod, I didn't expect to begin my experiments on you so soon but then you went and kill two of my helpers. It's okay though, they were disposable but I do not like that you killed them without my permission!"

He let go of the case and Jarod watched as it floated perfectly next to Mackerel as if it were sitting on an invisible cart. "I hate people who mess with things that are mine, especially when I can't immediately kill them for wronging me."

"They deserved it," Jarod got out. "They were harassing my friend." Mackerel shrugged.

"What happens to the prisoners isn't a concern of mine as long as they don't die, and yet you killed two. I'm surprised your physical prowess is that impressive, able to crush a demon's throat and shove your hand straight through another's chest. If I weren't fuming then I'd be congratulating you."

He opened up the case, the locks clicking as they came undone. Inside the case laid several different syringes filled with a multitude of colored liquids. Mackerel pulled out the syringe with a red fluid in it, press the bottom just a tad as the red liquid squirted out of the needle. He tapped it twice with his finger.

"Good," He said as he looked over to Jarod. "If you scream, move, or even show any signs of being in any sort of pain, you'll get the next injection. If you can stay quiet for five minutes without showing pain, I'll let you leave. You have an hour before the timer runs out." Jarod's eyes widened as he tried to stand up and run away, only to freeze in terror as he found himself unable to move.

"Mackerel, please! You can't do this! You don't have to!" He shouted. Mackerel frowned.

"You're quite fussy for someone who was lauding around his status as the Prince of Hell not even thirty minutes ago. Besides," He let the tip of the syringe scrape against Jarod's neck. "What did I tell you to call me back in the forest?"

Jarod moved his eyes to meet Mackerel's, total fear shining within them. "M-Mr. Mackerel," He got out, barely able to move his chin to open his mouth and speak. Mackerel beamed at him.

"Good! You remembered!" Mackerel jammed the needle into Jarod's neck, causing the teen to let out a wince of pain as he put the mysterious fluid into Jarod's veins.

"This is experiment number one, I hope you unlock your powers fast, I can get pretty irritated when something takes too long." Jarod felt fine, surprising himself as the only thing he felt was the dull pain in his neck where the needle had just been.

"What was that?" He asked. Mackerel put the now empty syringe into the case, a twisted smile on his boney face.

"A taste of what's to come, I hope you enjoy it as much as I will. Remember, don't scream too loud, we have other people living here you know." Mackerel closed the case and locked it.

"I'll be listening in from my office. I'll be back in an hour to either release you or give you the next injection, which is entirely up to you." Jarod watched as Mackerel exited the room, wondering what the man was talking about.

He didn't feel anything strange or harmful, he only felt-

Jarod's eyes widened as he felt the effects all at once, it feeling as if Mackerel had injected magma into his veins all at once, the burning going throughout his entire body as he let out a scream of agony, thrashing in his seat, still unable to get out of the metal chair.

He bit his tongue, his eyes bloodshot, and his forehead beading with sweat as he tried to stop his screams but couldn't as he felt blood curdle up in his mouth from biting his tongue too hard and he let out another ear-splitting shriek.

"AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Tears flowed out of his eyes as another wave of burn passed over him, emitting another scream as he closed his eyes, scrunching them up as if it would lessen the pain.

It did not.

"P-Please," Jarod whispered after thirty minutes of continuous burning. "Make it stop." He let out another shout of pain as the burning came back full force. He couldn't pass out. Mackerel wouldn't let him.

He would keep feeling this pain until he could manage it, until he could learn to hide it. With tears flowing down his cheeks, Jarod stopped fighting against Mackerel's invisible hold.

He had to fake it.

He had to.

Or else he would die from the continuous pain.

He had to get strong.