"There is something you could help us with…" – said Cathina.
'I think I have seen her before' – thought Guilos.
"What might that be?" – she replied.
She felt apprehensive about looking away from the dangerous presence she felt lurking beyond her night vision, but she turned her head and faced the girl anyway – her voice carried something in it that compelled her – a deep longing – convincing her that she must have something to do with all this.
"My brother, Ujinski – blue hair – dim eyes… do you know where I can find him." – Answered Cathina.
'Oh, I see. She's here to rescue one of the subjects, not the forest folk, meaning they aren't sent here by the queen – that explains why the monsters only killed the researchers and guards. I didn't think that was the case since no-one has ever heard of monsters this organised, least of all picking out targets.
But why that specific subject of all, I heard he had no family except for a sister who's being kept on strict surveillance. Is she that sister? I guess not strict enough. I thought she was always kept in check – her being able to arrange something like this is pure failure on the so-called surveillance team. They should have just used her a test subject as well – what was he thinking, descendant or not – greatness is not inherited.
Safe to say the guards could not stop this advance, after all, not only were the monsters working with a plan, but they were all able to use a teleportation skill only known by the beast that hunts the Nareds. But if it is a subject that they're after, why did they not try the prison? – maybe they already did – too many variables.
Even if they escaped the prison trap, there was no way they could see through the Inn's rouse let alone find it.
I may not know how, but they have managed to avoid detection from the prison, and the inn – meaning they are well informed – lying to them might be in my best interests. But then again, it seems they still don't know who I am – their information must be limited information? But how much do they know? And how much can I reveal? Who could have even sent them?'
"Yes, I know him, in fact he should be in the crowd behind me."
'Easier if I just play it safe and gather more information.'
Cathina then took a step forward, about to go look for him, then she remembered that the Knight had told her earlier, to be careful. She stopped and said; "Bring him to me."
'Damn, I thought I was going to get myself a hostage. Once she got close enough to the guards, they would hold her captive – she shouldn't be that strong. I wonder if I should use the subject as a bargaining chip? But it still remains – I don't know enough to try it – I'll scrap that plan as well for now.'
She turned around and threw a look at one of the guards, signalling for them to bring him. This is the boy who arrived a decade ago for the first ever time at Abio Research Facility. At the inn, there are people who specialise in skills that make it hard to track things down, this is why all test subjects who come to Elleria pass through there first.
Even then he is known by most because, somehow his soul hadn't collapsed. Lasting longer than most. The guards felt apprehensive but even they trust the lead R's leadership.
They brought him out of the crowd. For almost three decades, this is the first time Cathina had ever seen her brother. Her heart kept beating so hard, she even reduced the temperature of her blood to calm her nerves. But seeing the thing that walked out of the crowd, she suddenly became so numb to it all. Sure, she had been ready to see him in such a state after the Knight warned her – but looking at him now, it dawned on her – he truly is gone.
The boy just stood there, wearing a similar body suit to those of Abio centre researchers. The strange thing is that he took no step to her sister, he didn't even recognise her. The very thing she had been living for, for so long, didn't even flinch. It would have broken her, if not for the fact she had one simple realisation, this was not her brother – it couldn't be! She, herself, couldn't even shed a tear because the truth is that he had actually been gone for ages.
She came here to fetch a corpse and make an apology to her brother. Twenty-eight years ago, when they took him from her, she should have just gone on a suicide march to fetch him – but the thought of leaving him truly alone beckoned her from such a ploy.
Today, even her internal voices were dead silent – they had nothing to say – she had already told herself.
In an impassive manner, as if she was not even there, she walked towards him.
Her body was so cold, mist flowed out of the pores on her skin, creating a thick blanket of mist on the floor.
Her eyes had lost colour, only those like the Knight who could see in any form of darkness noticed this shift. The guards and Guilos who have simple night vision failed to note this change.
She grabbed his hand and slowly walked until she was behind the knight. He followed like a … that's just it though, he's not even capable of following – so instead it was like he was being dragged and right before he fell his legs scabbled to balance, making it seem like he was following – he hadn't even reacted to the pang caused by the touch of the cold palm that held him.
As she passed the Knight, she stopped, then she kept walking without saying a word, but still managing to talk.
The Knight then walked slowly towards Guilos, who took an involuntary step back once the Knight came into range of her [Night Vision] skill.
You have encountered a level 54 human, Lead Researcher Guilos. Type-Researcher.
'Lead Researcher? What about her knowledge stats?'
Level 281.
"She has a good head her on her shoulders, don't you think boss?"
'She must be plotting as they all do. Too bad for her – my plans have long been in play – there's no stopping them.'
The tunnel fell silent, even the occasional breezes that had been singing had stopped. The crowd began to cling onto their hearts, as many collapsed, not dead, but soon to be as their blood curdled and tried to escape their bodies. The only ones standing were those the Knight would rather not kill… yet… only killing off the guards.
"Wait!... please…"
The Knight didn't and soon she rolled too, and just as she was about to collapse, he showed up. The Knight had not killed the researchers; it was just incapacitating them.
'… he made it – with two seconds to spare that is…' – as she faded to sleep, she looked at the Knight and finally noticed something strange… 'Wait… is he a knight…' as she faded off.
***
Abio centre is in no way a defenceless place. The teleportation would have never even been used if it had to come down to it. But if it was, one man and his squad would have been notified. With how strong they are, and how limited as a resource they are, they are usually kept for the sole protection of the Chimera Association HQ.
That is unless it was an emergency such as this. The teleportation developed at Abio is nowhere near enough to jump people a distance remotely that far. She herself knows one of them personally. She knew that it would take him at most about an hour to reach using his special skill.
His skill can temporarily switch his body with one he has a deep connection with. This would be his brother, who was stationed at the prison – which was not too far from here. The brother had run all the way here, a miraculous feat, only possible through his power over [Reference] – allowing him to reset his coordinates. But even with that he couldn't teleport – thus it took him an hour to cover a week's journey.
He came falling through the ceiling of the tunnel, having tracked them. Once there he set off a big blast of light, meant to blind both friend and foe. He then attempted to attack, but he halted himself in place as the Knight stared at him.
'It had no effect…'
He stood there in a battle-ready stance, he was about to attack but seeing that the sudden shift of lighting did not even phase his opponent, he instead chose to stand there.
He had to buy time for his brother to switch. Since the blinding light didn't work, this meant his usual ways of buying time weren't going to work today. So, he just stood there – formulating a plan. Unfortunately for him, the Knight exploited the desire within him to be cautious. Making him freeze in place – oblivious to the enhancement of that desire.
You have encountered a level 321 human, Axis. Type-Guard.
This was the strange presence the Knight had detected defending the prison, but it did not bother the Knight. It was impressive that he managed to get here so quickly, but this changed nothing. So, the Knight ignored him for now.
'I'll have to deal with this situation with care – no more tales of a hero. But remaining any longer might be problematic.'
The Knight used Sirus to teleport Cathina and her brother out. The flames only burn what it wants to burn, otherwise its embrace was warm. It still failed to warm Cathina up, even slightly. Then the Knight – still ignoring the rescuer, marched towards the forest folk citizens who were blind, and the test victims who might as well be in their state and got them out as well, since the queen might owe the Knight a favour.
This is what finally prompted the rescuer – the one frozen from the Knight heightening their sense of caution – finally acted.
"Stop!"
The Knight didn't respond.
Sure, he was stronger than the Knight, but the Knight possessed three powers, and should they fail, it could fall back on the void armament, even if it did lose a bit of it. So, there was no way he could follow through on his mission to save them.
He then looked at the Knight with this new look. It looked smug and a little pissed – it also looked carefree. There was no way it was still the same person, and rest assured even the whisper picked up on this change.
You have encountered… there seems to be a double identification – one soul is supressing the other but is not currently present - thus the identification might take a while…
'I guess I can't rely on the whisper for extra stats for this one.'
The Knight could not manipulate its desires as they were being clouded by the original soul. Their battle begun. Silence befell this place as the panicking researchers kept to themselves. This is also when Yellow woke up.
***
She had been brutally injured, teetering on the border of death, and she still hadn't received any form of healing. She was blinded because her iris had been burned up and the liquid in eye was even mixing with the blood still streaking down her face. Her limbs radiated no pain, that is until she began moving. An excruciating wave of pain tore through her body forcing her to immediately seize up.
'What's happening? Where's Dniz? Where am I?'
As a veteran researcher, she just kept asking questions and answering those she could.
'My mind is a little off. It seems I still can't remember anything.'
She then suddenly began to cry. Because she was not thinking of the physical pain that had paralysed her or the pain of her aching mind. The pain of which she spoke was that in her heart. She cried because she could not handle it – for out of everything, the pain, the confusion, the fear, and more – she remembered one thing – that fool, jumping onto that monster with her, joining her.
The only thing in her mind was this satisfied smile he had on him – not knowing he would leave her alone in this world.
She was in so much pain, but somehow more pain came as soon as memories started to flood back in. Over a thousand years of joy… gone. Blood coggled in her mouth as she tried to cry out for him, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't even call out his name.
She kept falling deeper and deeper into the darkness as somehow her delusional state tried to convince her that if she could somehow call out his name, he would respond in his lazy morning voice, saying 'honeyyy.' A desperate hope she clung to.
She couldn't utter a word, and this made her feel him fading. This felt like a dream where all it would take to bring him back would be to call out to him. But try as she might, her voice refused to return – it was as if she was sleep paralysed – trying to run from a monster in a nightmare – but this time her voice was her legs, refusing to budge. Even worse though was the fact that every micro movement caused unbearable pain to surge throughout her body.
She was holding out and hoping that he had survived as she had. She knew he was way weaker than her and most likely had not made it as she herself was barely alive. However, she refused and desperately hoped for a response – for she was blind to the world, and she hoped he was out there alive – since she had no definitive proof, he was really gone – she told herself in her attempts for comfort and solace.
She had no mind to push this pain to the back of her mind due to how scattered her mind was trying to call out for him. Her throat had swollen and clogged with thick blood that had begun to dry and other foreign substances – from the green goo - Dsace.
"ougll-ougll-oughll-oughlllaa…"
Rang out these noises, each one getting louder than the last. Every syllable made it feel like she was going to choke on the blood and pain and just die on the spot. Part of her didn't even mind that proposition. Her futile attempts continued like this – unaware of the ferocious battle looming above her.
Try as she did though, no response ever came.