Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsuxOUWsSw
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpEziVgnnm
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9lc6jwRHE
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnS7psQRkj
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaeJAtD64h
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVgA59PLYc
He didn’t want to open it.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidfmMGHJcG
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDINOt3Xsn
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdKmSS1r3k
Volt was... dead.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBuSyrp8YO
...109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIfv02Rnt2
How is this possible?109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iaZSORswP
...109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPjt844q3q
No. Volt’s okay.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NMxk6Mexs
...109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cmo2pgJOW
It can’t be true. They’re lying.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFo5ix2ASk
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefCm8ZRLIQ
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUSTutIIg5
* * *
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?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYGtRDlzQ9
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6AszAujsi
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfBheT9niX
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN49yoxpD2E
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkNuYjuNgN
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DaVCEz6WV
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaPTMyO8jV
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybG1O2UPfI
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj69KjojylK
“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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jwjP6QOej
“Don’t get my hopes up.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vSp9yqOYD
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNDs1GmQxK
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8OeRw7pKY
“Why are you here?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOt8apRXcPV
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdMnKAOvdY
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHod9Urr2wT
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAENKF9vK5
“I didn’t stop him.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmLxZidI28
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9uQoxP5Ds
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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZpJ0Rbuez
“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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuMU4a5Btf
“You mean yours.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52tbbHxUmH
“They’re going to kill the queen.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2XxPWBKnR
“I know.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqZpxYjFiV
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJepAodimB
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiod8iw7ulc
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMx3epB91W
Wait, what did she just-109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Okf0GeZMd
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWglJcx513
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUanrcEUij
“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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7rQfwhqrN
“And you think Helios is Herold?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTWGpvjE1S
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNaBeZnNts
“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?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wGJfnY1bB
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEKKstcZfk
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3kktAOFAC
“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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIrnWGEU8r
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6kSTOi4Oh
“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? ”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHHo8OAqqf
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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQ8altppY7
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6E3HrNi6rT
“Do you?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8ZKAZqD3b
“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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM3ArzyFLa
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqi3nKVDgB
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXgMLCZmLL
Abyssal’s eyes widened.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvhZRKABku
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6Lkj04ZqW
Their last exchange...109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCUqcZBrFf
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWCu6Z9VGv
Volt cared more than anyone.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwNNzR9R9l
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi7gAQGYaF
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM18MKIPKpU
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1Rz2eO48n
“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.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwIZ7rxvJG
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxekqscXt3
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdBodpcwRy
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpFDv5MudH
“Chlorine?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMwO80ozqZ
“You’ll see. Got a light?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21Wl0EUoDE
“What?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNtbKi6geU
* * *
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsGf6yNYv7
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE80E9hnctg
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZZ4PgtWg2
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqT30184FO
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIkrdrsVwY
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKh13y1wYJH
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDLuFf3jIq
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmYIA8Ak8a
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD63qoQzkf
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jDqd4CqHL
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJGEmBBt1R
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXkGbfFLJo
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZkgBJcEE0
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCelnPCCma
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuqQNRIsHr
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx53qrBul2G
Abyss craved more. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkq9bE0FPx
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHdY5WHD8N
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8QyHbchT3
The holding chambers.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKQtd7lOuO
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccO9U7TU7X
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 .109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxRna5iGZg
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXe970vgGZ
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4huXQ5LzI
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLv9EKECHRR
The elevator closed behind the match.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7PulREW3a
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6g8TNODvh
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTT2IIBFBn
Abyss didn’t answer.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyfQ297bHj
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSIPWjpPLq
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAc9LFWPVX
“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?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IrNqEgN7G
“Why do you sound like my father?”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9HeeWhTtH
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxeK3LA0Te
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXp17n0s8ry
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgm1C6LxUi
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Q2S5TMrAC
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXl8ywOOkq
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmUf1BNvGH
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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTRpLBEkFX
“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.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGuBkghCUk
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.
ns216.73.216.206da2
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