Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFB2CSW8X0
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mQtbKS98d
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rwN7ckvNt
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bixpY5kNY
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEmU99s632
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlqx1ZEN1m
He didn’t want to open it.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QccZB53FE
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IwmXBl8Ya
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡie9VbSdiTS
Volt was... dead.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMmZXVCv7b
...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaljd7QAly
How is this possible?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKtBODJ0Cj
...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16jnbDTZys
No. Volt’s okay.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63ZvtzhwCg
...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxuHQ5uPfQ
It can’t be true. They’re lying.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0rDTLTS1Y
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikfTH1YXpi
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIFQjUsv7E
* * *
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?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHt9wfAJEh
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA5JFGSIZi
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXCTt7GRnw
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4y04aWmM0
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVI9nfjFcD
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL6WDZ9fb9
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx52lkLnyXb
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YhFeSdhru
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5afQbPqjcH
“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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ykky6GJHR
“Don’t get my hopes up.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL1a7LYaBn
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRas6PAFxx
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqkcZ1tVx0
“Why are you here?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eIfyw72Tz
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXJwyrSk1X
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzQY2gxzRR
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRYFVijRmx
“I didn’t stop him.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekY1Mikmdw
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4oJIP2bDK
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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyJ4NiC7e7
“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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0qdnlpIUr
“You mean yours.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7uJh0Djms
“They’re going to kill the queen.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrOvacLIXd
“I know.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHnxRfvetI
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiOPwNcNbe
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sCK76GHmj
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aWtQzeRUe
Wait, what did she just-25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjeptmw11X
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4FjMVYAby
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBxiJsQbBT
“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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyizesZE2ks
“And you think Helios is Herold?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLsCnLJ9Zl
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhHOLaGtQC
“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?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR1JZjwkZS
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWSCkItEZU
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5mqI7bdsN
“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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygC6yI2AdZ
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWRzF7ultk
“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? ”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoqT5x5I47
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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZANj5KjYr0
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIbkKqRfcp
“Do you?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1R83Tu6BiR
“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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED04F2c5ww
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wpKv5MNbP
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEo0ETHUYl8
Abyssal’s eyes widened.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhjwd69N3o
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFThN1qahoU
Their last exchange...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYF90nFKsS
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRMDsvMbCv
Volt cared more than anyone.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oKBg4A0sP
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzhUjLqcBA
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cq3PQ4QhD
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjeEKMVF7i
“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.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89nwqQ8zuh
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1reXJOHdq
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkgG1lteTC
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHknPgbSUoL
“Chlorine?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpxcxqX2oe
“You’ll see. Got a light?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVn1tv3Tci
“What?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkKoFPlm50
* * *
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1qgl6YHcO
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kwrcZCnYW
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcNQH2rfLI
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDybTaCvNnn
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYYN9IyON9
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SmOGM0kpD
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SqRaAhLyt
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTz7TndPT90
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJVUUFbqs2
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYlQeQtjoH
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT2bHZaL3X
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvksqYdN8VQ
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2D3xmFAy45
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpQK1HZPuB
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoz0Ca8VyqM
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIegiwDK1M
Abyss craved more. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaVN5CRUE2
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW9pLAsXWC
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN0TBpSo3f
The holding chambers.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOJrnJ1bkv
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTFIwQiXsz
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 .25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKeMIEgZiv
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElkuQte4Ny
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpdpsK2kMn
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTuFqeBIxo
The elevator closed behind the match.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zPTdD71Kv
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFsFZ6Pr7W
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTsa2QmtE5
Abyss didn’t answer.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gTgr9uswp
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgQiV6afrp
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoDdQYWB9e
“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?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCt87Ixp9G
“Why do you sound like my father?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVtpIbmt8Z
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ6Rbq0muP
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr4OPM9Vja
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnJ4xd4EuD
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kBBrT2twY
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJAO1i5d2u
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWGvv75o0s
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2si98mpSy
“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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3WgFOIT5Y
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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