Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDufxdUC0Tl
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdSa0AdFOY
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TkxK2bVBS
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ47A3j50sP
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ751TJZhbCt
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh4rODOlxH
He didn’t want to open it.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnQbUHPjL6
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeHD0Fko4t
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSUGiJqmLW
Volt was... dead.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F8VItqKG4
...29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqDI88YAme
How is this possible?29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY75HFHUZ3
...29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFcFKP1ro6
No. Volt’s okay.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0GDdkXuED
...29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPvJI11KCS
It can’t be true. They’re lying.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3N1jkdWnT
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH04si9ZThz
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMgnbIEfFE
* * *
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?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdhSYqcc27
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIenKVoaoU
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKkJpOVscV
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxCiArYyWO
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6OjQcie9R
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMCMvnMaYh
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquVuC45IwP
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM90UVT12Wn
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDEEy6uZUL
“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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6FiQD8QPo
“Don’t get my hopes up.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJERqa85vp
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYj07FpeHf
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5Zfi8I4Mt
“Why are you here?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho8SeIbQKu
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZPCIoOvJp
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ691vNC9Qtl
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmfol3nsWI
“I didn’t stop him.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pEfd8QLiQ
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdpCpl0dvC
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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpFRiENNAb
“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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMl3UrYZ6h
“You mean yours.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdtqZ7QRvD
“They’re going to kill the queen.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqv2iy5gdGd
“I know.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYcqsE1KyN
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3bL82RsPo
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOGuYihY5E
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlnT2Z8r7Y
Wait, what did she just-29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZR9GeXKHUp
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6jBhnJGxJ
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFh2359Ge35
“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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qTd2qCFZX
“And you think Helios is Herold?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozqdssCXqK
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rtukcWGDI
“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?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9YJldB0E4
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwisWh3y9rx
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiWCSz2FF5
“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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbqz6jT6KX
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnXp7VH9JP
“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? ”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOBKC1ie2e
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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbezLnkXOW
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhEtIY8TwF
“Do you?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y1vOaRKsX
“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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIHJYxsvpT
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7msl9xVff
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIEPG9w3KV
Abyssal’s eyes widened.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSGsOkgSTl
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8FGJWaT9s
Their last exchange...29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80c2t8NZy9
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTmIMQfnFt
Volt cared more than anyone.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1giFFiWyNU
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfigH7YmY6
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjLa9isFf7
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYohu4cGfAb
“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.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAsjkb0Cxk
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPUaKJ89B3
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncJ5B6P4fL
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFU0Wa8vnfJ
“Chlorine?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqUzmn7EzY
“You’ll see. Got a light?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZRmuQGHXe
“What?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXk7BTOjt3
* * *
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDxa8SbYys
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgKK6JKnUI
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrXSIdkjwi
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2LhDr1VpY
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69sjEXnNLG
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gtAmiyrWJ
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xYQUI6vuN
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWUF0UjlS2
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ404laaldp8
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOd3U6gzEUa
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GLSuxI3Va
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBvEV2u7fy
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1TxgXVbLD
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsX3yRe2WV
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XOcDb4Gnm
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaPcIQoGjf
Abyss craved more. 29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTv77jD7qx
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHseE3IqWD
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyenkKwwYCZ
The holding chambers.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiSLwW9vrJ
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicajDPY3Xv
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 .29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIowkg5FOc
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlE6UkAekvM
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVAu5fFHyI
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliA8oPil7X
The elevator closed behind the match.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4ql9LAkfB
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7ZTLYpDJe
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDethfjGDq4
Abyss didn’t answer.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSBaUR1EXK
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6q235H3rh
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALH2eonsFH
“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?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeDTJIHPHr
“Why do you sound like my father?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb7eJrHhjr
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8boxuTTv2U
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuiPfNYHOv
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W9kqZ0Tin
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoC4cwZtUuH
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJ65CuWcFr
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EnBIxvlDQ
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RmpC7bKl2
“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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGfaHBL2XH
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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