Page 66 of Forsaken Secrets

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Kaiya

Istared, wide-eyed, as Eli crept closer to the large cage. "We mean you no harm," his honey-smooth voice echoed in my skull.

"Weaaaaver — how dare you join with them!"The feminine voice that had been screaming a few moments ago still sounded furious. But at least she was talking now.

"I am not with whoever did this to you! If I'd known you were here …"the anguish in his voice was practically palpable, "I'd never leave a living creature to endure this."

The vrytra was quiet, her tail thrashing in time to my heartbeats. Finally, her large, angular head dropped into view and the thrashing slowed.

Scars crossed her face, and one eye was completely missing. "I can sense the truth in your words, but who is the other one?"

I stepped forward, dipping my head slightly. "I'm Kaiya, and I'm not here to hurt you. I'd — I'd like to help the young one. If you let me free them, I can help … you'll see we mean no harm."

The vrytra set her tail rapping against the bars again. I stiffened, but Eli kept his position, arms outstretched.

Finally, she sighed. "I'm Solyn and she is Lunei."

"Can you tell me what happened?"Eli's voice was soft … soothing, and my lower back burned, but I could feel an odd warmth flowing from me to him as I turned to the table.

A squelching sound made me look down. Lifting my foot, I gagged at the blue fluid that congealed there. The little vrytra's blood was everywhere.

Those mages were fucking monsters!

"I will show you,"Solyn said just as a buzzing started at the base of my skull. It spread through my head quickly, taking me to my knees. Then images started appearing in rapid succession.

* * *

A happy family. Small vrytra swimming and playing amongst tall stone ruins. Peace. Then one disappeared. And another. Concerned, I went out searching for where my young were going — only to be caught by humans. They trapped me in a cage and no matter how hard I fought, there was no escape.

Then they started bringing my young in, too, and I was filled with desperation.

I started slamming myself against the walls until finally the wall collapsed and I was free. Exhilarated, I rushed to the other cages and set my young free. But I wasn't fast enough — humans swarmed the area, and I was too weakened to fight for long. A large man, as big as a giant, stepped forward with something glinting in his hands.

Searing pain cut across my face and everything went black.

When I woke up, they were operating on my young saying something about her viability to carry young. A small man stood beside them, gesturing wildly.

A mage … ?

Rage filled me and I tried to lash out again, but I'd been weakened in the escape … or they'd done something to me when I was out. Regardless, I had no energy left to fight.

Filled with despair, I watched impotently as they operated on my young, over and over, for many years.

* * *

Pain split my skull as the buzzing ceased. I cradled my head in my hands as I tried to process it all.

Was this why the wild vrytra wept?

Why would someone do something so evil? Didn't they understand these creatures were sentient? I looked up to the swirling white eye of Solyn, and bile filled my throat. There was no way that someone could see the intelligence there and not know …

My heart ached for her and her people. And that tall man … he was familiar.

The manservant with Lady Ellingsworth at the Harlsteds! She was part of this disaster? I should have KNOWN that viper was involved in this.

Anger burned in my chest as I stood on shaky legs, walked to Lunei's side, and reached out with my korra.

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