In Search of Home

Chapter 79

Viktor had little idea what happened next. 

The next second was a flurry of movement. Vok'Rul surged forward with an inhuman shriek of rage, grabbing Nhafka by the throat and pinning him against the wall as if he weighed nothing. Nhafka started pleading with him senselessly, whimpering his pitiful attempts at requesting mercy.

"Did you show Kohgrash mercy?" Vok'Rul growled, squeezing the alien's throat. Viktor swore he heard a crunch. He tried getting to his feet, an unwilling sound of pain leaving his lips. He crumpled back to the ground in a heap. Vok'Rul slammed Nhafka into the wall again, shouting, "Did he deserve this!?"

Nhafka, seemingly aware that he wasn't making it out alive, chuckled wryly and spat, "Yes. That stupid animal! He deserves every shred of pain he gets." His face was full of hatred. "He should be put down, just like Korrashkka wanted. There's no training that monster." The alien lifted his hand, which still clutched the collar remote, and activated Viktor's collar.

The pain in his chest increased as his body convulsed under the waves of electricity coursing down his spine. He couldn't get air into his lungs, but he still wheezed out meaningless words.

Make it stop, he begged silently, writhing on the cold floor. Yet, he felt unbearably hot. Sweat beaded across his forehead and dripped down to his neck, only making the pain worse.

Faintly, he heard Vok'Rul scream with rage, and a wet, crunching noise accompanied it. Nhafka started screaming, then, too. The pain in his neck quickly stopped. Viktor lay twitching on the floor, trying to catch his breath. He curled in on himself to help alleviate the pain. It didn't do a damn thing.

"My hand! My fucking hand!" Nhafka wailed. Viktor lifted his head. A broken, mutilated hand laid a foot from his face. It was still moving it's fingers. The remote was crushed, weak light blinking in and out before fading completely. He looked up, fighting nausea and lightheadedness that greeted him at the action.

Vok'Rul was bloodied, face twisted into a furious sneer. He looked horrifying. Viktor had never been so happy to see him.

"The Cords, Nhafka, is this the last of them?" he hissed. Nhafka looked pale, but at his name, he went a shade paler.

"H-How do you know my name?" he spluttered fearfully. His arm was dangling limply at his side, gushing blood onto the floor.

"I know everything about you, scum. If you don't want your daughter," he paused here, leaning in closely. His teeth were sharp and gleamed in the flashing lights of the alarm. Nhafka's eyes widened fearfully. "Torashfka, to meet the same fate as yourself, I suggest you start talking. Tell me. About. The Cords." He punctuated each syllable with a hiss as he slammed the alien into the wall over and over again.

"Okay, okay!" he blubbered. Viktor dropped his head back onto the ground with a silent groan. "Fho, she's the mastermind behind all this! I swear it."

"No," Viktor tried to say. No sounds came out of his mouth. He weakly thumped his hand on the floor. It drew Vok'Rul's attention just for a moment. Yellow eyes met his for the barest of seconds before they snapped back to Nhafka's.

"The Mirror will have you, Nhafka. You and Fho will face Its judgment." Vok'Rul said, ignoring the alien's fearful wails at the prospect. He dropped the alien onto the floor before lifting his foot into the air. He slammed his foot into Nhafka's upper leg, snapping it audibly. Nhafka howled, clutching it with his remaining hand. Viktor saw white bone protruding from one side. "You will not move."

Vok'Rul turned away from the sniveling alien. He tapped something on his waist, speaking in clipped tones, "Found him. Suspect apprehended. Seventh level."