Why is everyone being so cryptic lately?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujGXjjcBK4
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbnh93deBF
This was followed by an infuriating letter from his brother , telling Abyss he was leaving after everything22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hsJwWAABn
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6e2DBybaU
That same night, he got a letter from Achlys saying she was getting settled and gathering information. As if he cared!22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMxDNOAlQv
Now, 13 days after Volt left, the commander had a pained expression and silently handed Abyss a letter.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBVbzhmsMS
He didn’t want to open it.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhpmGAzGII
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5CnlctGMA
When he finally willed himself to read the note, his worst fears were realized.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY9NQgiQWc
Volt was... dead.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIcuzgQMhj
...22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrik2H6Z4D
How is this possible?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2Czqq1vsI
...22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNjWX4MAW7
No. Volt’s okay.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3fhFNMoBX
...22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lZZ458GAv
It can’t be true. They’re lying.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZE0YhGdGO3
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ2UpARMkY
After a long moment of painful silence, he let out an angry, agonized yell.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QAmZldMFU
* * *
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?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7XqYRPPx1
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSJ48foDoz
“You don’t get to call me that. Nobody calls me that...”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfxUvJ69lw
“That’s what your brother called you just last week, wasn’t it?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVGxT5eRMQ
Abyss felt his fists clench as he ground his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. He just wanted to shut her out.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftyeq64B8m
“Volt is gone,” he said, voice breaking.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYVFR3O0ta
A long moment of agonizing silence. He thought for a moment that she did leave.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhGr5EMBEP
“Is there a way I can help? You need to get out of this Tartarus. ”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy54IJeUQ5F
Abyss shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done,” Abyss whispered. “He can’t be brought back.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwVgKD2jYz
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7yBs81aIV
“Don’t get my hopes up.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KjP24zUgH
“But without hope you can never move on. Do you really want to be stuck here like this?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLDZSWjuqG
Abyss didn’t respond. Everything she said seemed so strange coming from her.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkkA8EjkGi
“Why are you here?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVLcTwSyVL
“Because it’s time to carry out the plan.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJv2Al3Txu0
Right... that... “I don’t feel like it.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqfCXwxJte
“What do you feel like? Moping like a looser?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosWXYWHNUg
“I didn’t stop him.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6U0iP6Aon
“You wouldn’t have been able to.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2cnNJB0Xs
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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddoLsOHIzT
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0L5ANA5ml
“You mean yours.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBcIMHd7Ze
“They’re going to kill the queen.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtxZD8jMXJ
“I know.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVjkftYOgH
“You don’t understand, do you?” This caught Abyss off-guard.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpKEQOBJ56
“Why does it matter? I don’t care.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnic2RknwB
“I’ll tell you why it matters and why you should care, darling.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30r1o57IfI
Wait, what did she just-22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lIUiJRFsn
“For starters, if they kill the queen, it will get in the way of our plans.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4H5OFx6TJ
“I thought you wanted to go after the queen.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUfT5JAes4
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOVO2R5ovo
“And you think Helios is Herold?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWlmfCSq4G
“I’m certain of it. All these fake names are painstakingly obvious. The rosork don’t seem to know much about human names.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtQwZQgnMn
“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?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPPVJ14Qsb
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4TZkKIM93
“Unless? There’s an unless, right?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJMqZpedBo
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmeA99zVJt
“I know there’s no going back, but if there’s a chance, I could see him again-”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeN2y15Oen
“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? ”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTAwnLepZw
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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVza2t5KBaE
“If we found it, you could use it to bring him back. And I might know where to look.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryVVIRvEcu
“Do you?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3djDZfrGZ
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6pBJIAMfh
Abyssal’s expression hardened. “You’re certain?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1lwd5bLpG
“If nothing else, you can get revenge on the people who killed him.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7KX11sKcX
Abyssal’s eyes widened.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDgLRPhvFp
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtiMgjciHi
Their last exchange...22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsNULTTk5i
Abyss told Volt he didn’t care about the lives at stake or the control Kronos had on him.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wbwCxC9nx
Volt cared more than anyone.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxW99UA8g2j
Abyss still knew nothing about what PISTOL was making Volt do. All he knew is that it killed him.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lsDstUYcJ
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZE22HtxsuS
“Okay,” Abyss said quietly.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xFLPEfpBl
“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.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2vA5Tl6Xp
Abyss nodded. “I’m leaving PISTOL. You’re my only master. What now?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiazWd4p8IT
Achlys smirked as she felt a surge of pride and power burn in her chest. “Now? Make sure you go out with a bang.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmeJLlIxmb
She touched his hand, “share my immunity, watch and learn. All we need is a little Chlorine. ”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPXGdsjOIp
“Chlorine?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg0swCjVaz
“You’ll see. Got a light?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PvxyXPGVm
“What?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzxRxWRjEr
* * *
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcYQhYoNZZ
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwZkugwSAn
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICmKRTEsSp
People began to run out, flooding the halls glancing around until they registered the source.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uChyB0afI
A couple men ran forward to restrain Abyss, but he channeled his energy, eyes turning black as he absorbed their lifeforce.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38fd2zy0wk
They screamed in agony and Abyss almost stopped, but he continued forward.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwiR1AM60M
This was revenge, and even if these men weren’t directly responsible, they were getting in the way of his revenge.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRMqmT2Dr3
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5bnmLyccA
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9HdyO5ID9
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJ6MQSP5N5
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfuE6L5uqC
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxUQOyrIZ5
Eventually, the crowd separated, and people began to stay close to the walls, allowing Abyss the clearance he needed to get to the elevator.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNtNnXk7Qz
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCUQitBaNA
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FNB5nuJIL
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZU9gOtvl4
Abyss craved more. 22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7V3DHBaid9
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8W0t16biLg
Abyss had significant time to move down into the halls he’d seen Volt fear on their first day.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuq70cHSn4
The holding chambers.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZJRci2shu
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H0UfQFgyN
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 .22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70BIo0c7Wj
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NBofvMA6B
The elevator opened to reveal Hades.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzjzsOrdQ6
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz1jp9hHWf
The elevator closed behind the match.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAskPEA45Ph
A loud explosion shook the elevator, denting the door and snapping the cables.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH10FObOqi
“So, you chose betrayal,” Commander H stated. It wasn’t a question, “and you plan to kill us all at once.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqohD1vn3pg
Abyss didn’t answer.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXCqcUrjN3
“I can only assume this is because of your brother.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZflt38UR2
Why is he still talking? Does he think he can salvage the alliance, or does he simply hope to save his own neck?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL4Ujmhg1M
“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?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMtpzAxD6V
“Why do you sound like my father?”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWijQu2VK9q
“You knew your father? I supposed you were Kronos’ slave for as long as you can remember.”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuisuXlkhD
“I know some things, not that it’s any of your-”22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HPHAHFnkh
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakdILSikX8
Abyss pushed away the moment their feet touched the ground.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxJOGcRoMt
Did he just save me? Abyss was unsure whether to be grateful or offended.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8RHBfWEcj
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqnSYK0R3r
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19U4lUK9Jf
“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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQRwqXBpQb
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.
ns216.73.216.14da2
and then Add to home screen.