Edward - Te integre gere
Edward looked at the other two young Ordo waiting with him outside the room, and glanced back at the double-doors leading inside. Mr. Brogan was inside, and Ms. Evelyn and Ms. Rosalyn. Discussing... He had gotten the frog from his throat and pushed it down to a knot in his chest. Calm, he told himself. You took the words as your own, now live them. Te integre gere - nihil paenitebit. Taking a steadying breath, he was about to try and make another attempt at small talk when the door opened. "You may enter," one of them said.
Steady. Integrity.
Crossing the room, Edward leaned up against the back wall a bit nervously. "Should we bring Michael in here?" one of the older Ordo asked? Edward was trying to concentrate, but a sick naseau had worked its way up in him, and was threatening to claw its way out. Focus came from squeezing his fists intently even as Michael came in, and shame filled him. He had hated the look on Ms. Bella's face, but Michaels was so much worse. Michael, who had given him opportunity to prove himself and taken a chance. Mr. Brogan told him to lean against the wall.
"Um...should I face it, or not?" he asked, just wanting to do this and for it to be over. Edward began to turn to face the wall when he saw Mr. Brogan leaning in to speak to him.
"It might be better if you were to face what comes for you," the Dragon murmured. Edward nodded and tried to fight the panic and he saw Brogan lift the mechanical contraption. Rivets.
*shnk!* *shnk!* Two were in almost before he knew what was happening, and the pain was intense. Not as bad as the last time, but still it brought a bit of panic.
No! NOT AGAIN! His fear was churning inside, demanding flight. The little voice almost always screaming for violence in the back of his head was telling him to flee, to get away, anything! *shnk!* Get away get away! *shnk!*
Edward tensed his entire body, pushing himself up against the wall with use of the rivets now holding him there, using that to focus. Focus. Te integre gere - nihil paenitebit. Act with integrity - no regrets. *shnk!* The fifth rivet was in, and he was firmly kept...but now he had beat the voice down. It raged, it panicked and even pleaded, but he fought it down.
Brogan approached, raising his hand. Edward was confused, until he could feel the tremendous heat radiating off the hand. The entire room seemed to swim into focus, all of Edward's senses screaming "evil! That is EVIL!" He looked up at the sinister figure and steadied himself.
Te...
The hand sizzled closer, moving to his face.
Te integre gere...
The pain was more than he had ever thought possible. Though none of Brogan's burning fingers were over his eyes, they slammed shut from the force of the pain. It was like fire and sunlight and the worst moment ever, wrapped into one wall of solid pain. The only thing keeping Edward up was the rivets.
Get away...Te integre...AWAY! gere...nihil getaway! GETAWAY! paenitebAWAY!AWAY!AWAY! The haze of pain faded away as something deep inside burst out, Edward not even aware of his surroundings.
When awareness returned there was pain, there was...so much pain. But it was over. Never again, he prayed. Please God almighty, never again. But he had taken it, like a man should, and that he did not regret. Not in the least.
Steady. Integrity.
Crossing the room, Edward leaned up against the back wall a bit nervously. "Should we bring Michael in here?" one of the older Ordo asked? Edward was trying to concentrate, but a sick naseau had worked its way up in him, and was threatening to claw its way out. Focus came from squeezing his fists intently even as Michael came in, and shame filled him. He had hated the look on Ms. Bella's face, but Michaels was so much worse. Michael, who had given him opportunity to prove himself and taken a chance. Mr. Brogan told him to lean against the wall.
"Um...should I face it, or not?" he asked, just wanting to do this and for it to be over. Edward began to turn to face the wall when he saw Mr. Brogan leaning in to speak to him.
"It might be better if you were to face what comes for you," the Dragon murmured. Edward nodded and tried to fight the panic and he saw Brogan lift the mechanical contraption. Rivets.
*shnk!* *shnk!* Two were in almost before he knew what was happening, and the pain was intense. Not as bad as the last time, but still it brought a bit of panic.
No! NOT AGAIN! His fear was churning inside, demanding flight. The little voice almost always screaming for violence in the back of his head was telling him to flee, to get away, anything! *shnk!* Get away get away! *shnk!*
Edward tensed his entire body, pushing himself up against the wall with use of the rivets now holding him there, using that to focus. Focus. Te integre gere - nihil paenitebit. Act with integrity - no regrets. *shnk!* The fifth rivet was in, and he was firmly kept...but now he had beat the voice down. It raged, it panicked and even pleaded, but he fought it down.
Brogan approached, raising his hand. Edward was confused, until he could feel the tremendous heat radiating off the hand. The entire room seemed to swim into focus, all of Edward's senses screaming "evil! That is EVIL!" He looked up at the sinister figure and steadied himself.
Te...
The hand sizzled closer, moving to his face.
Te integre gere...
The pain was more than he had ever thought possible. Though none of Brogan's burning fingers were over his eyes, they slammed shut from the force of the pain. It was like fire and sunlight and the worst moment ever, wrapped into one wall of solid pain. The only thing keeping Edward up was the rivets.
Get away...Te integre...AWAY! gere...nihil getaway! GETAWAY! paenitebAWAY!AWAY!AWAY! The haze of pain faded away as something deep inside burst out, Edward not even aware of his surroundings.
When awareness returned there was pain, there was...so much pain. But it was over. Never again, he prayed. Please God almighty, never again. But he had taken it, like a man should, and that he did not regret. Not in the least.