Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d8s6u2WXS
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9v0XCuvYVK
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOh0yh8shs0
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqeaz4Iozi
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnw2LR6ooIJ
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK7EOzE7ye
He didn’t want to open it.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtM4B8voUK
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnyQyyjjzx
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgOF1u8D7j
Volt was... dead.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydo9qu2xi4
...381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHEfyP11Od
How is this possible?381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUjCUwvGBx
...381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFjErwJvCX
No. Volt’s okay.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxMAryu4NF
...381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPnQ0sMNE2
It can’t be true. They’re lying.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIADIbOTTf
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWijhbEVsp
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohypL7iIgE
* * *
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?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm9tTYkJC3
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uPjsxGlEC
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfGRlNifSy
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzp2qprajb
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXWfqR5SOZ
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzYvuJgvxy
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cBTMvW60W
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwuLw9MEki
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKRdBWi65b
“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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgDxv7qGAB
“Don’t get my hopes up.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmkcWJp2Fx
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXt2eY1FdU6
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RXlcLPOt4
“Why are you here?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBvUtXQi95
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkd8Pw7kRY
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXDk5NTHKS
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioITAteL4H
“I didn’t stop him.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCqzcUgeSD
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpV2XRTNWI5
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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNvMHtwCy8
“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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5BDUZhwea
“You mean yours.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKi7y2YW3QE
“They’re going to kill the queen.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXMKyjnMpj
“I know.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKDapKkgdG
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhucwA0pFad
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOCbU9yPcV
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkacYyotVpw
Wait, what did she just-381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77P2e5baRn
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPaE0aJQRp
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlECqC8DjI
“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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsxgZ1D4UB
“And you think Helios is Herold?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZZ8MxiUDU
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoONAHOmS4
“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?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlOoPtfFbR
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGabCutxuD5
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPHtljIc3N
“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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PtjFLiFa9
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6eBle1TMe
“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? ”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4jjkLQ9DX
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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFE0taBqf6
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgF7205HPa
“Do you?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrDmSWo4pI
“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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQWH9YYzDz
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLv8emQW17
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ye9hh0keq
Abyssal’s eyes widened.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrDY4hiNOb
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzchnUeyUc
Their last exchange...381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlgt6bshN5
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5WbzlRatZ
Volt cared more than anyone.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChHDQZziis
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzIwmt7pa0
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJb3cCTLFO1
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTi0J3NVbC
“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.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb3SsfXORh
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXgL0K13cK
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHQtttMZEU
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0VcIaJkC5
“Chlorine?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4K90D5TKB
“You’ll see. Got a light?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0e0gHf2Xeg
“What?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvi2MVOWAk
* * *
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNO5whTsYPd
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpuHz6Kvmh
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUw7X1oL1AB
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeDHCprLrI
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a1UQZn9Xe
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbiZOCkXhs
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJGguKcj2M
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSuBJJHXco
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOzUg6d1Ol
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzlmM1exEa
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhs0fKGsJp
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlmNSISr72
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNMJoCBoT3
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPjyvcRxUP
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eCHgjcR5q
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO54XdteUR
Abyss craved more. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzoITluwP0
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjK9iAnvar
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaW1EvGdOh
The holding chambers.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfl0JRuth8e
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidu46rZQZx
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 .381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXa40u31cVH
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmN8w2hkc8
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkAWPjT2pJ
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGPUuQib5Z
The elevator closed behind the match.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKg6LFq2Xwf
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkBsRDz3i3
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4ByA1UV8A
Abyss didn’t answer.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvmmZJkuOC
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfHMnEQNcS
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWM6BQresU
“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?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv6sxGShNJ
“Why do you sound like my father?”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdqvUcmzkA
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZS1BU72Fc
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAibIrhcil
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5qGW0PaqK
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvnWqMqvWu
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1Yzz3M9Mh
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJKoa2sZip
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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEJjjqhwxx
“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.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tSBj21s0D
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.
ns216.73.216.48da2
and then Add to home screen.