"Open the door. Now!" Callum yelled sternly. His voice felt like a punch to the face. He moved like a soldier as he rushed towards the door, shoving Lydia forward, glancing back with a disturbed look. "Push harder. Push!"
The massive fifth door's aura felt terrifying, its surface shining like a mirror. The door gave a little hum. It looked exactly like the first door but... bigger. It exuded killing intent, but it had to be safer than what was to coming. Behind them, a shriek shook the group.
A shadow that felt as if it was alive consumed the group.
The black-winged figure descended like a god, the sun making it appear menacing. Its limbs were jagged and twisted, large wings covered in darkness. Wind clashed down, the earth quaking beneath them. Its mouth opened and screamed with a distorted sound. It felt as if it was talking, yet it sounded unnatural. A frequency, deep, guttural, the noise rippled from its throat. Its voice sounded almost hypnotic, like it was a lullaby.
Jean's eyes widened. The group dropped to the floor, quick to cover their ears. They tried to move their bodies, but the sound was too hard to handle. The noise sank into their bones.
The monster had the body of a human, but giant wings that resembled that of a crow's.
Then, darkness.
—Jean—
He awoke in a small room, concrete walls. Sterile. Painfully cold.
He knew this place.
The walls soundproofed. One singular light hanging above, swaying as he moved. A thin mat used as bedding. One door, locked.
He stood to walk to the door, but the chain on his leg yanked him back.
Not again.
He quickly jumped down to grab the chain. He began to yank and pull with all his might, but it didn't budge.
He pressed his hands against the walls. No escape. Maybe I was better off dying from the start. Thoughts began to slow his thinking.
The walls were too close. They were familiar to him. Like that hallway... back in the nightmare. His breath caught, sharp, shallow, uneven. Jean clenched his chest. "Not again," he whispered to himself.
His breath began to steady. Confusion formed. He didn't know what to think of the situation. It felt suffocating.
A mirror formed from the wall. It reminded him of the black door.
In it stood himself, much older. Taller. Covered in crystals horrifically stuck inside him. They each pulsed like a heartbeat. His arms elongate, legs slime-like, head missing eyes. The reflection smiled at him.
Jean would jump back with every pulse. It was like it was trying to send signals to Jean's body.
He blinked, not believing what he saw. The mirror felt distorted. It was unnatural.
"You're not yourself anymore. You're what they fear."
Jean stumbled backward in fear.
"And the best part?" the mirror spoke as his older figure walked through the mirror. "You believe it too."
"Where am I!" Jean yelled, commanding to know.
"I can't tell you that. If I did, you would just run away," a demonic voice answered.
"Stop this!"
"Why? You're better off alone, aren't you? They all hate you. You're creepy. You aren't even human anymore—you are more than human. A hybrid." His reflection began to gaze at him as if it was looking into his soul. "It's better to be alone, locked away. No one can hurt you then."
"No! Let me leave," Jean begged.
—Elise—
She stood in a ruined church. Blood pooled beneath her feet. Two chains hung from the rafters.
Lydia in one. Jean in another.
A lever to decide their fate.
The demon's voice echoed throughout the cathedral. "Choose. One dies. The other gets to walk away scot-free."
Elise began to hyperventilate. Jean stared from afar with silent acceptance. Lydia cried Elise's name.
"You're logical, aren't you? You're an ice princess. Come on... pick one of them already," the demon snorted. "Be honest. You don't even like them both anyway."
Elise reached for the lever, hesitating to touch it. She wasn't crying. Why was she not crying?
"Just pull it... it's not like it will affect you," the voice whispered in a deep tone. "Don't pretend like you're a hero. You have no emotion, so come on."
As her hands touched the lever, one person spoke. "It's okay, just pull it. I'm going to be alright. Let Jean live," Lydia begged with a tearful face.
Her hands finally touched the lever. She wrapped every finger slowly and carefully, sweat dripping down her forehead. Her heart began to throb. She didn't want to choose, but if she didn't, both of them were going to die. I'm sorry. I didn't want to do this, but I have to, Elise thought to herself and pulled the lever.
—Lydia—
She was watching.
Herself. In a world that felt muted, like a memory.
Jean limped behind her in a memory. He asked if he could help in any way, nervous, voice shaking. He wanted to be of help.
She turned and said:
"You're weird... and creepy. At least cover your leg. It freaks people out."
Then the demon whispered his thoughts into her head.
"He thinks you hate him. He thinks he deserves to die alone. You proved that he is alone. No one to save him."
Lydia clenched her forearm. In the illusion, Jean lowered his head, almost in a sad way, walking away without a word.
She followed him. Followed until she saw him curled up in a ditch, in the dark. He whispered, "I wish I just died already."
She dropped to her knees.
"No," she said. "Sis... I didn't mean that!" she yelled with a slip of the tongue. Her guilt wasn't targeted towards Jean.
"Ah, I see. You didn't even care about Jean. You just thought of him as your sister," the voice reverberated inside her head. "Oh, imagine your sister seeing this. It makes me giddy. What even happened to her, anyways?"
Lydia didn't respond. Her emotions began to crack. She knew deep down she didn't care for him at all, but she saw her sister in him. She didn't want to lose her again. "Stop it, you fucking bastard. What the hell even are you!" Lydia screamed.
—Callum—
Smoke and panic.
The group scattered through the fog, everyone split up. Callum shouted orders, but no one listened.
Ronan gone. Elise gone. Lydia was still there but arguing.
Jean stood in the center, watching them.
Callum tried to grab his attention. "Stay close. We're better together."
Ronan's voice rang out from afar. "He's not one of us!"
"He is basically a monster," Elise said. "He's not even human anymore. He might attack us."
One by one, they each turned their backs, backing away. Even Lydia. She was the most loyal to Callum. They all drifted into the fog.
Jean stared blankly, just nodding. "I get it now. I understand."
As Callum reached out for Jean, chains wrapped around Jean's feet, pulling him further and further away from him. He drifted further into the fog.
"No!" Callum yelled. "Come on, we can do it together!"
I thought we were going to get back home together. I don't want to lose you guys anymore. I'm sorry. I was a failure as a captain. Callum's thoughts began to tear at his mind.
The rest had already left. It was just Callum in a vast, lonely room. No one was there to help.
—Jean—
He sat lonely in the white room. The demon sat across from him, leaning against the wall. He looked as if he was waiting for Jean. But it was wearing his face.
"Come on, kid. They all saw what you truly are. And you still want to hold on to this... faith."
"I..." Jean muttered. "I didn't want any of this, but I have to at least try to protect my humanity."
"No," the demon sighed, almost as if it wanted to help him. "I may be a villain, but I'm not a monster." The demon then gave him a little smile. "You're already changing. Why not embrace it? Every change feeds me."
Crystals began to crawl up Jean's arms. His hands began to tremble. The reflection smiled, grinning from ear to ear.
"The more you wait, the more you suffer. The faster you accept your fate... you'll finally understand what you are."