Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDYKkGd0vU
Abyss had gotten 3 notes in the last week. Achlys etched a note in the ground telling Abyss to wait for further instructions and to not tell anyone about her.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfslQj2Myw
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetlRDM1jKR
Abyss didn’t know what to do anymore! He felt like the one person he could trust in the world abandoned him without so much as a goodbye.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5kgLDgH6p
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuDMBsUIjp
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagZNg2Gb7F
He didn’t want to open it.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU6dyBt0Go
He was fed up with cryptic notes, and this time, he could tell something was seriously wrong. A week ago, a pit fell in his stomach and since then, all he could think of was Volt.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qS42DSFpt
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwJcDQXcbE
Volt was... dead.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHb6YSAegt
...18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkRV4F0PdV
How is this possible?18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3CPJFVcK1
...18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LlMYiI5yM
No. Volt’s okay.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYB4mkFUAm
...18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoW4r8Pj12
It can’t be true. They’re lying.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBneVbGc0b
Abyssal’s heart felt like it was about to explode as his breathing quickened. From inside the confines of his room, Abyss realized he was alone in the world.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu2y99pu7j
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqmOYXx6XJ
* * *
Abyss didn’t leave his room for two days after that, not even for a meal. He didn’t shower; he didn’t sleep. The most he did was walk from his bed to the toilet and stare into the void that consumed his soul.
But then, she came.
“Why the doom and gloom, Sol?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bBbx9C6NW
For a moment, his wishful mind played her voice as his brother’s. He looked up; at the window quickly, but his expression turned sour when he saw the dark hair and strip of green.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9IjtcygRL
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYYBkHP3wH
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMpiw3ejMn
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpdg9pfhhG
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLtacRFWfA
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacSRLb2RiU
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUo1lE8vqx
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW0k7jHZDz
“Who knows? There might be. There are a lot of cartridge holders out there nowadays, aren’t there? A few are wandering around here thinking they were given gifts from aliens. They might be part of Kronos’s grand scheme, but like I said, destroying the cartridge holders isn’t out top priority. There might be one out there who can bring him back.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd3jPajO7X
“Don’t get my hopes up.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4Lbz2Pgas
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipa1B5D4ao
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkWNRyhOsG
“Why are you here?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DQbRgHYPu
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjowdH8WrHC
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IOipLRXBO
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NUSp9BRge
“I didn’t stop him.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYzEFM1ucI
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkgIYZosv3
Abyssal’s heart stopped. He knew that was true, but it was so much easier to blame himself than to just let Volt go. He gripped the telegram in his pocket, crumpling it. “You don’t know that.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4o6zDZETR6
“Do you know where you are? I mean, really. They held me for a decade and nobody came looking. If they did, they never found me. PISTOL is an underhanded group of self-righteous rebels. They wouldn’t have even let him leave a note if they weren’t confident, they could still depart him without issue. They’re too cautious for that. If they have a plan, they’ll go through with it. And they have plans that will ruin ours.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaljluYrVFS
“You mean yours.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4OKBp9B2m
“They’re going to kill the queen.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluHbZxtNKn
“I know.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HptMdnNEt
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yWjF4lFlE
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsYnqR9aqq
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1xLIV3hpZ
Wait, what did she just-18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvkihnFbX2
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaIz5tKNHb
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdF0TgZViw
“So that we can utilize her power. They want to destroy it, and she has a power that I’m not even sure could be replaced. The reason for her ascension to the throne was vague. Did King Herold die? Did he run away? Did he commit suicide? Nobody seems to know. He’s just gone.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev8isZHtYy
“And you think Helios is Herold?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygDcdMjnND
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VYmoeNgQC
“I get it, but I still don’t really care. All I can do is think about how I wasn’t there for Volt. I’ve failed him as a brother. I don’t even know how he died. If Greek Mythology is real, do you think I could see Volt again if I followed him?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAmPsRirXB
Achlys drew in a sharp breath. “We only know that certain symbols are similar. There’s no way to know what’s beyond the grave...” It seemed like there was more to what she was about to say, so Abyss pushed for it.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbLO7APxJA
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMqF5PiHWM
“Unless you did what can never truly be undone,” she whispered. There seemed to be another meaning beneath her tone. It wasn’t threatening like it was. It seemed to almost resonate with Abyss felt now.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigLalXyeHX
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6v88dEiuU
“Then that time will come when it comes. You’re so broken by his death; would he want you dead?” Her tone was harsh. “Or would he want you to live life to the fullest in his place? ”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6Ct7tKyxx
Abyss thought for a long time. He didn’t think it would be possible to live life to the fullest with this hole in his heart. “But you said there might be an ability to bring him back.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9a9fvbISL
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ojSpwnQLH
“Do you?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhedfI6OHDZ
“One way to find out. Come with me, swear yourself to me completely. We’ll find a way, and we can live the rest of our lives with the people and things that matter most. We’ll carry out the plan together, and Kronos will have nothing left to fight for. We’ll have won.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdyzoxSqTM
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhS22pbz7cv
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjQ8iDhmEn
Abyssal’s eyes widened.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3a72xOwJk
PISTOL... PISTOL killed him. If they hadn’t sent Volt on a dangerous mission by himself, Volt might still be alive. If PISTOL didn’t continuously try to separate them... Volt said something about how PISTOL wouldn’t let him go searching for Abyss when Achlys was released. They took Volt away before they could ever make up for their fight.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88Iv1ShlWp
Their last exchange...18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdH70NobVzD
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡea66Wh5Ejd
Volt cared more than anyone.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDrFpjd99s
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjf1h5QvV6T
Achlys could have killed them both multiple times, but she only seemed to want to help. She wanted to save the universe even if it meant sacrificing more than anyone else could bare to.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpuJ0T6csi
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡak9t3tickF
“See? All you need is a push in the right direction. I’ll be your guide. All you have to do is listen to me and everything will be okay.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDrsEyEmJa
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3SDBGr7wv
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuxy9PQnlh
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl3xPKg90E
“Chlorine?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWo4GR9upSk
“You’ll see. Got a light?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVxLpcelDN
“What?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfs0M4xCjU
* * *
Achlys was gone by the time his room was filled; Chlorine Trifluoride. She said to be cautious; her power wouldn’t protect him from the explosion, just the effects of breathing in the gas. He had to act fast either way. His ability wouldn’t hold another’s power for long. If there was a cartridge the power could return to within range , it would slowly leak back to the source after he broke contact.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HYZN77MSr
She came back around halfway to hand him a box of matches, so Abyss quickly escaped the room, carefully pushed aside just enough of the blanket sealing the crack as he needed, struck a match, tossed under and made a break for it as the room blew up, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the building.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcssMPscCq
Abyss was blown forward several paces and all he could hear was ringing. His vision was temporarily blurred, but he was able to see that the two adjacent rooms were also half destroyed, leaving the occupants half alive, buried in rubble.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKPfpIUlWl
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbuT0STTtw
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZN3hpU4gC7
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR06sJ8OPhH
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHphmISuwc
After they collapsed on the ground, their screams continued to echo in Abyssal’s mind for the next five minutes. Or maybe it was the hordes of soldiers fighting to get away from Abyss after watching their comrades fall.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36BWIUjhjK
The clamor attracted more attention as people shouted about the occurrence. The newcomers began to understand the situation, but in the fight to escape, they unintentionally created walls, trapping themselves and any stragglers.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPzrnNo16F
Abyssal’s face darkened. The only way through to his destination was draining their energy, at least enough that they couldn’t move for a while.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCVxTImu1t
He approached one of the barricades slowly. The crowd was stressful, and Abyssal was losing motivation as his own energy felt drained. Was this a side effect of his power? It felt natural, more like training. Regardless, he knew he’d draw in more energy again if he pushed through.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7NnMmC6au
Abyss touched several people on the necks. They screamed in pain until their legs gave out from under them. As each person fell, Abyssal stepped over them and continued forward.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3bGmj8ZrR
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyixLoKUXMV
Each time he used his power, the screams of the people he killed moments ago replayed overlapping with the people in the halls and the others he took away.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaU87qt5UJ
Something about what Achlys said when they first met echoed in Abyssal’s mind. Draining lifeforce is different from borrowing an ability. He realized now how true that statement was.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cckVd6I4Y
When it came to borrowing a power, it was always casual. It benefited him in a significant way. Now, he was absorbing someone’s energy to use as his own. The lives he took were like caffeine. It shocked him awake, snapped him out of the daze he’d been living in.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KS9oFFPvf
Abyss craved more. 18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTw4Og4SVQ
On top of the quickly-fading energy, this lifeforce seemed to have another benefit. Though it didn’t last long, this energy seemed to act as a barrier or caulk preventing Achlys’ power from draining from his body.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQ2sPmAKjc
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHTLzUzV1w
The holding chambers.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp7BzHXTCX
Each room was designed with a one-way mirror, pure white walls, and a programmable barrier. These forcefields could be adjusted to repel certain cartridge abilities.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAp18ohcGp
Achlys’ abilities, on the other hand were not taken into consideration for these cells. So long as they didn’t have someone capable of explosive destruction, Abyss would have an easy time initiating a jail-break. The chaos would be perfect for taking down PISTOL and going out with a bang .18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwovD5NgPSi
Abyss filled the room with gas before summoning the elevator. As he pressed the button, he prepared another match. Whether this worked or not, Abyss wasn’t planning to go down to watch.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbS9tFCApQG
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXoM8AKxHr
Abyss stared, but he shook off the paralysis and struck the match, throwing it back while looking Hades in the eyes. Deliberate disobedience. Abyss wouldn’t bow down before some rebel leader that wanted him dead regardless of cooperation.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlUdeXsN8e
The elevator closed behind the match.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoZibFvVfr
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yGauVhb4w
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9EoDGbqh4
Abyss didn’t answer.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFtMTdPSiV
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaL0L7JgrVm
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfuWgj7gPs
“Was there another source of influence? Perhaps a new ally, risen to destroy everything?” Now he was searching for answers; answers he would not receive from Abyss. “Was this the plan all along?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWhfPuII0r
“Why do you sound like my father?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nDlnlzC8P
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKecBK8wZBI
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgPF2gLwNM
Suddenly, Commander H grabbed Abyss by his collar and jumped. The boy’s eyes widened in surprise as the elevator crashed below them. The metal box crumpled like a tin can leaving only a foot or so above the commander’s head.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAhLhfr5pX
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqOkNElvyW
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly6f1jNgn8
Abyss scrambled away in confusion and frustration and turned to try and pry open the broken door. He pulled at the cracked and bent metal on the door where holes were made in the sides. He was barely able to manage a couple inches of clearance until Commander H came up and reached above Abyss to grab a dent further up . The door pulled away easily.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoLXHOM46b
Abyss struggled to understand Hades’s actions but shook it off as the last remnants of Achlys’ powers were fading. Just as Abyss was kicking off to bolt, H grabbed the boy’s hand. Abyssal’s head whipped up to look at the commander’s face a foot above his own. The commander looked down at Abyss, as if thinking of something to say, but the angry and confused boy pulled his arm away the moment he noticed any hesitation in H.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqQDgsvMdc
“Don’t touch me!” Abyss snapped. He went to run off again with clenched teeth before stopping a few yards away. “And don’t follow me! All of this is your fault. You sent him away to die!” Abyss’s voice was so loud and angry that Alexandra and Aaron could hear him at the end of the hall.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3JnrFBwuh
As Abyss ran off again, the two began to run after him, but Commander H stepped out of the elevator and held up a halting hand as he watched Abyss run out of the building.
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