The Ice Queen - "Mysterious Truth" Ch. 7 (Patreon)

Neytiri

The darkness that suffocates me is overwhelming. I don’t know who I am or what I could do to pull myself out of this. There’s only darkness. It is the only comfort. I hear a name but it means nothing to me. I try and remember how I got here or rather, who I was before the darkness claimed me. But I have no such luck. The pull is too strong. It takes hold of my arms and legs, not allowing me to move within its shade.

All I can do is succumb to it until it has had its fill of me.

“Neytiri, stop!”

I hear a name. Is it my name? Strange, it means nothing to me. But it sounds desperate.

Before I have more time to contemplate it, an unbearable heat washes over my body. It immediately rips me from the darkness, my head clearing as the world snaps back into place. But the heat doesn’t stop. It scorches me until all I can do is scream in pain.

* * * * *

“Neytiri!”

My name sounds muffled as the ringing in my ears slowly dies down. I hear footsteps coming quickly toward me, but I cannot move. My body feels weak and heavy. It takes me a moment to realize what is going on around me. I am in the forest, but I don’t know where or how I got here. I don’t remember anything past Cassian’s conversation with me. The last thing he told me before my world went dark was that he cared for my recovery.

The loud crunch of footsteps finally reach me, and I feel hands under my body as I’m lifted out of the snow. I look up to see Caius holding me. He’s looking down at me with a terrified expression.

“What happened?”

My voice comes out in a weak whisper and if Caius hears me, he doesn’t say anything. I try and recall my own memories, but I can’t. The darkness that once took hold of me is slowly drifting away, and I feel myself coming in control of my body. As much as I want to ask him what happened and where Cassian is, I decide to keep it to myself as he carries me back to the estate.

* * * * *

“Neytiri.”

I slowly open my eyes at the sound of my name. I’m in a different room that I don’t recognize as the one I stayed in. It takes a moment, but I finally sense the presence next to me. I slowly turn my head to see Cassian. I haven’t seen him since that night I awoke in the forest. Caius refused to tell me about him and his whereabouts, but now here he sits in front of me, seeming unharmed. But he does seem tired.

He’s watching me with a cautious expression, a small frown on his lips as he studies me intensely. He gently reaches for my face, his hand hovering slightly before he places his thumb against my forehead, gently rubbing in a comforting rhythm.

“What happened?” I ask. I can see him debating on if he should tell me the truth or not.

“I don’t know, exactly.”

His dark gaze meets mine and my mind feels faint as memories from my childhood intermingle with memories from adulthood. The same eyes that watched over me with kindness and care grew to hate me in the future. Cassian notices the state of my mind.

“I need you to stay calm, ok? Or everyone here will be in danger.” His voice is soft as he speaks. His words slowly sink in and I watch him in shock.

“In danger… of me?” I whisper. He nods his head grimly, slowly sitting up in the chair next to the bed. He watches me cautiously as he opens the coat he wears, revealing his chest. My eyes widen in shock at the gruesome bruising. He doesn’t speak allowing me to take it all in. It looks much worse than the day I awoke which is very unusual seeing as Cassian is a Dragonborn that has been alive for centuries. He should have healed long ago.

A gasp escapes me as it clicks into place.

“I did this to you?”

Cassian nods.

“I thought it was a side effect of you being asleep for so long, but it seems to manifest when your emotions slip.”

“I’ve done this before?” I ask. Cassian nods his head.

“Do you remember waking up?”

“Of course, Caius was next to me-”

“You were awake before that. You hurt… me at the time as well.”

His gaze shifts to my chest signifying him listening to my heartbeat.

“Stay calm… we need you to remain calm.”

I tense as I imagine what Caius said to me when I awoke. He already knew this had happened and kept it from me. I lower my gaze as a wave of sadness overcomes me.

“Look at me,” Cassian gently urges. I slowly lift my gaze to meet his, focusing on him in the present. If I let my mind fall into my memories, it puts me into chaos.

“This is something we will get through together. No one has ever seen anything like it, so we will proceed with caution from here on out. But I need you to cooperate with me.”

I watch him silently allowing his words to sink in. It’s difficult to trust him this way. I’ve already allowed him to store away my power, but he’s asking me to trust him this soon into waking up into this new world.

“What does cooperation look like?” I ask.

“Well, we would have to relocate you somewhere warmer to counter your power. As of right now, it is at its peak which makes you deadly. And we would consult with the elders and other Ancients to see if anyone knows what’s happening.”

“How long would you keep me on that island,” I ask.

“I would hope we can stay until I feel that you can control yourself.”

I tense when Cassian gently holds my hand, the heat from his palm a stark reminder of what he is.

“But Neytiri… if you don’t want to do this, we will find another way. I swear to you I have changed. I don’t want to force you.”

I watch him in shock looking back to the window. The sun is shining, but the snow is thick outside. I don’t want to leave this place and live in discomfort, and I don’t trust Cassian enough to place myself somewhere alone with him.

“I don’t want to go,” I say honestly.

Silence washes over us and I wait for Cassian to do as he always does and force me to go, but he doesn’t. He leans back in his seat, takes a deep breath, and nods.

“Ok.”

I laugh in disbelief pulling his attention.

“You really have changed,” I say eyeing him curiously. Shock crosses his features but he recovers quickly.

“I have. I won’t force you to leave, but I cannot allow you to go into the village. It’s too dangerous until we figure out what is happening to you.”

I nod in understanding. Compromise is about giving up something on both ends. If I have to give up seeing my people to stay here while we figure this out, then so be it.

“In the meantime, we can begin with your lessons to help take your mind off of things. You will need to learn the world you live in quickly and adapt.”

“Learn?” I ask. Cassian nods, slowly standing. I watch him carefully. He is in a lot of pain though he is trying his best to hide it, but I can see the way he clenches his jaw as he stands and slows his breathing, he is hurting. Because of me.

“You will need to understand the history, language, and current events. I have no doubt you will catch on quickly.”

Cassian silently makes his way to the door, pulling it open. Caius stands on the other side, facing Cassian as he steps into the hall before calling back to me.

“I won’t confine you to the room. You are free to roam as long as Caius is with you.” Caius’s expression is one of worry as he watches Cassian walk away from both of us. He slowly turns to me, entering the room.

“You chose to stay?” he asks. I nod my head earning a smile from Caius.

“Come. We shall get you something to eat and let the doctors run some tests.”

* * * * *

Langley, Virginia (CIA Headquarters)

“This had better not be another one of those conspiracy meetings.”

I nod my head in agreement as we step into the conference room. Working for the CIA has its perks and its moments where you doubt your life decisions. Especially when the crazies evidence finds its way up. But that’s the point of our existence. Making sure everyone’s voice is heard, and investigating occurrences that are possibly a threat.

I take note that as we enter the room, there are only a few people in here, most being higher ups. The head of our department steps up on stage just as another man follows behind him.

“This is Dr. Shafer. We sent him undercover to the island of Brineau.” I look at doctor Shafer in shock. He looks like shit. His eyes are crazed along with disheveled clothing and a broken arm. He looks like he just got out of a really bad bar fight. I don’t have long to look at him as the lights are dimmed and a map pops up on the projector showing a fairly large island. I study it in confusion.

It’s the island of Brineau. Everyone knows of the island and its inhabitants. The CEO of Tarragon Industries lives on it with an entire civilization the world has never seen. His family is known for not letting outsiders on the private island. The current CEOs great-great-great- grandfather bought the water, land, and air rights. So no one can do anything but wonder what mysteries lie on that island other than a thriving civilization and rapidly expanding industry.

Still, the government has been trying their hands on any information they can from that island. Tarragon industries is the frontrunner for major technological advances as well as energy sources. And, they belong to no one country which makes them a threat whose allegiance lies with no one.

Doctor Shafer begins speaking as he pushes a chip into the computer waiting for it to load.

“For the past few months, Mr. Varus had charged me and other doctors with the task of studying the DNA of a woman on that island. She was an unconscious woman that had been frozen in a crystallized state for centuries.”

He pauses, and the screen switches. A woman appears on the screen. Murmurs erupt over the room as we take her in. She’s beautiful. Exotic. Her hair is white, as well as her eyebrows and lashes. She has stark white tattoos on her arms, and one on her face.

“Mr. Varus was very adamant about privacy and security which made our jobs as undercover agents much more difficult. Over the past few months, doctor Smith was sending our findings back to headquarters. Unfortunately, in the last month the subject awakened and he was killed in her savage and bloodthirsty state.”

Gasps of shock echo over the room and I find myself completely enamored with the woman on the screen. She had been asleep for centuries and upon awakening killed a man who is much bigger than her? Even I have difficulty fathoming how she could do something like that.

“Lucky for us, Mr. Varus understood our concerns and relieved us of our employment if we wished it. But his contract was very clear that if information on her is leaked, he will be coming for our lives. It is very imperative that this not leave this room until we have a solid plan for capturing her.”

Murmurs of confusion erupt and I find myself compelled to speak.

“I’m sorry… capture her?” I ask.

He nods, shifting the screen so that we are looking at a diagram and videos of research.

“This creature is a living energy source. Pure and leaves no trail or trace of existence. The amount of energy running through her veins could power a city ten times over. The DNA in her blood alone is capable of healing even the most fatal of wounds.”

We all turn to look at the screen as he shifts to a the video of her awakening. My eyes widen as I take her in, she moves with inhuman speed, her body producing what looks like ice as if it were an extension of her own body. The ice itself carries a unique glow to it as well, further proving Dr. Shafer’s motivation just as the video cuts out.

“She is the key to our future.”