Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QCT2fcusa
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BYSxJrE2Y
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7zAzKhdgl
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7hDOZII5p
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxpz9QdKXQ
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLhjWwwuPC
He didn’t want to open it.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKkFFkLpgf
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPAO8z1YWm
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSWJPYjnSk
Volt was... dead.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ3H5fgskO
...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayPIrxRRqH
How is this possible?35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rMpQUwqqQ
...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FznUUphmw
No. Volt’s okay.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfi6TFuNQmc
...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgr4nF6KUz
It can’t be true. They’re lying.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoZ1YlK1HV
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2gO9e0Jsb
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUVgLtHdlk
* * *
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?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8F5sW3uCy
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLVTsFdEEu
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jHeSHzYHO
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Iw2xp0IBH
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudGDaUlnUj
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkuAQkujgI
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy3w4VzBmd
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8FnkcFAeL
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED7tVT9g27
“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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqY4FU0nPzj
“Don’t get my hopes up.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxajOFGQSA2
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNHsqiZhjS
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJFsWZ6Gd9
“Why are you here?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqOxko6Mb8
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1IDA3EeGD
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3n9q9sj4TY
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvY1y1fjMl
“I didn’t stop him.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI38mz1UjBh
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZNlTbwKjy
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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ802fl51flp
“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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvqtoYqcOp
“You mean yours.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMAdDEdGDz
“They’re going to kill the queen.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdhxN61dC3
“I know.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1r28qfowX
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkpULgBwlH
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaeuvE96VT
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7fiQQmm80
Wait, what did she just-35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJiGfi3QDi
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BopbHSXIo
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcL2oVnmC8p
“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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhv5aRD6Sh1
“And you think Helios is Herold?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMW5iBJKJd
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EXf69PzKF
“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?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qG43HrNra
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvjBhPgeJQ
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeu09pVZQn
“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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoejtFVgBD8
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4A0y5JQOe
“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? ”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKcRTgD6gA
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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDlJyU22wL
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeaXYZL8sW
“Do you?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNvdCDA0s0
“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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBFP45IgWW
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNrnHRIFvw
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1VdibjRGt
Abyssal’s eyes widened.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWorBs7s34
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIJedPS6bI
Their last exchange...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4QQ0wnVYd
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w703cNcsk
Volt cared more than anyone.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZxnAZlGf9
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94LLA8uahO
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oIp7xz577
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqjCc6Efrp
“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.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkLQAdQtB0
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxonBAvgob
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gqFM6V1YS
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4SSynxGpb
“Chlorine?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TnnioJJTp
“You’ll see. Got a light?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kgCBrFWBR
“What?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeXBGfWb2W
* * *
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWX47wXxop
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w0PeXV6tC
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm49ztHFPPJ
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb3S6MwVOE
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGwDJOcqWX
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse8vDjyCX2
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWoT3Ybhce
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtoZ39GI32
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4kEmujaE3
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2rbVAVXU3
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzX8cBGGM89
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDE2Yc6DpFa
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMxkbvQRbh
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipIr4ZIB0j
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GVs1hW9fP
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAyVBcqExd
Abyss craved more. 35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBgS4YH7MJ
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWxs7ty4z4
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0CFTgnNSd
The holding chambers.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPi6CKWKlt
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEhml0hAQN
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 .35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8j0r6SQrs
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9oXObptrO
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMtzIn9VWw
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJtGqUfQsV
The elevator closed behind the match.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCogOUivdfI
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQJK6c6BuS
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zoZknNxdw
Abyss didn’t answer.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnOLGExBSg
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcW15Jtuuy
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkelQlolUt
“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?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Bm6lXtfyB
“Why do you sound like my father?”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLWMlF9hLP
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvdnYrZWtZ
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUl1WmfKz8
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyhxZKuwpO
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TkUbMkh3Q
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcnWoB8smM
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWy7mkLULXq
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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRMn8AE54l
“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.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm55j00RAF2
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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