AURUS PLAZA

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 9:44 AM

  “What the fuck…?” A shocked Celeste exclaims under her breath, seeing an article about Nick’s death on her phone.

  “What’s up?” A concerned Luke asks as He, Celeste and Zack walk through the streets of Aurus, now devoid of decorations.

  “This… this isn’t real, right?” Celeste asks as she shows her phone to the two. Luke steps back while Zack attentively reads the article. Attached is an image of the destroyed cybernetic workshop and the ruined bridge, which he inspects.

  “No. There’s no image of his corpse, or his clothes. They usually include those as warnings to upstart rebels.” Zack explains as Celeste sighs in relief.

  “Yeah… It’s probably to throw us off. There’s no mention of Elena, either.”

  “Thank god… I hope they’re doing okay…” Celeste comments as the three arrive at Tina’s Tailory. Luke tries opening the door to no avail.

  “The hell? Are they closed?”

  “They shouldn’t be… Nick visited them as early as 7 AM.” Replies Celeste as Luke pulls with even more force, thinking that the door was just tight. However, he ends up pulling the entire door out altogether, creating a massive hole in the entrance as several passersby stare at him, murmuring. An Eternal Drive soldier eventually approaches him as a result of the growing crowd.

  “YO! This isn’t a robbery, I swear!” Luke tells the soldier, trying to diffuse the situation as Celeste facepalms while Zack walks away.

  “Sir, what are you doing?” The soldier asks as Luke places the door on the ground.

  “I… thought this place was open this time of day.” Luke answers as the soldier sighs.

  “Haven’t you heard? The owner of this establishment was involved in the Aurus massacre. We have her imprisoned at our outpost downtown.” The soldier says as Zack walks up to him.

  “Really, now? Could you lead us to her?” Zack asks as the soldier nods.

  “I apologize sir, but-”

  The soldier freezes in place, recognizing Zack’s face from his wanted picture. He draws his gun, but Zack quickly throws a right hook, knocking him out before he can fire.

  “Sorry ‘bout that. Keep on walking, now.” Zack tells the horrified crowd as he picks up the soldier’s unconscious body, pulling it inside the tailory. A confused Luke and Celeste follow suit.

  ETERNAL TOWER - 38TH FLOOR

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 10:02 AM

  Nick wakes up in a padded room, his limbs chained to four poles in each corner. Suddenly feeling immense pain, he looks down to see his midsection bandaged and bloody. His attention is briefly diverted to the door as Trent Omega walks in.

  “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Trent condescendingly asks as he enters the room.

  “Where the fuck am I?!” Nick yells as he squirms, trying to break free from his chains.

  “Where’s Elena?! What’d you do with her?!” Nick yells once more as Trent grabs him in the jaw.

  “Mind your tongue, brat! You’re in no position to make demands.” Trent replies before shoving Nick’s face back.

  “Rest assured, she’s in good hands. I can’t say the same for you, however.” Trent continues, putting on a white rubber glove on his left hand.

  “To say you were a pain in the ass is an understatement. Do you remember the last thing you did before passing out?” Trent says as he approaches Nick, who smiles.

  “Ha… I think I turned ‘ol ferris wheel into a cyclops.” Nick answers, taking pride in scarring Brian Mathers. Unamused, Trent places his hand on Nick’s injured midsection and clutches ittightly. Nick grunts in pain as the mad scientist twists his hand, contorting the injury.

  “Just a few hours ago… surgery was performed on you to repair your fractured ribs. The scar is still quite fresh… ISN’T IT?!” Trent shouts as he digs his fingers inside, prompting Nick to yell in pain. After a few seconds he lets go, leaving Nick panting.

  “It’s a shame… Damon told me to go easy on you for the time being… I would have liked turning you into something far worse than a cyclops.” Trent morbidly jokes as he leaves the room. Nick looks around, desperate for a way to free himself. It seemed as if the chains around his limbs suppressed his energy. On any other occasion, he could easily break free. At this very moment, however, he could not muster the strength.

  If this was a fraction of what Zack Evergreen went through, then only despair awaits Nick.

  TINA’S TAILORY

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 10:21 AM

  “Oh, good. You’re awake, finally.” Zack’s muffled voice speaks as the soldier struggles to wake up, having just been knocked out moments earlier. He finds the three demedioms before him, with Luke holding his bar behind his head and Celeste crossing her arms, trying to look menacing. The soldier finds his wrists glued together with Celeste’s rings, while his feet are restrained by Zack, kneeling on his ankles.

  “Y… You’re Zack Evergreen!” The soldier exclaims, terrified at the man before him.

  “Let’s save introductions for another time, shall we?” Zack responds as he pulls out a leather wallet.

  “A little old-fashioned, huh? Or do they not use the credit system here in Aurus?” Zack continues, pulling out a picture from the wallet. Zack inspects the picture, revealing a family of three - the soldier and his presumed wife and daughter all smiling and embracing one another.

  “Wait, please…” The soldier pleads as Zack stretches his hand out, signalling him to stop.

  “What a beautiful family. I wonder, do they smile at home too, knowing the atrocities you committed in order to feed them?”

  “You… You’re a terrorist! You have no right to speak to me that way!” The soldier says as Zack glares at him.

  “Yeah… I’m a terrorist. Though, right now… I feel like becoming a cold-blooded murderer.” Zack replies as he pulls out the soldier’s driver’s license from his wallet.

  “Joshua Bivelli… Bivelli… You’re a local.” Says Zack, remembering his fellow prisoner Falco Bivelli as the soldier jolts upward in fear.

  “412 Reevay Avenue… Aurus, Precidia.” Zack mutters as the soldier begins to sweat bullets.

  “Is this where they live?” Asks Zack as the soldier nervously shakes his head. Zack smiles, tossing the license and picture away.

  “You…” Zack says, grabbing the soldier’s hair.

  “...are a terrible liar.”

  “Please… don’t hurt them!” Joshua begs, beginning to tear up.

  “Don’t worry… I won’t. Not without a price, at least.” Replies Zack, releasing his hand.

  “What do you want?!”

  “Tell me everything you know about Tina Ross.” Zack says as Joshua nervously contemplates.

  “...They’ll kill me if I say anything.” The soldier says under his breath.

  “And I’ll kill your entire family if you don’t. Choose.”

  Luke and Celeste knew Zack was bluffing since they had known him for years as their foster parent. This soldier, however, was only aware that he was the mastermind behind the demediom breakout and was the hitman who tried to take Damon Estreval’s life. Spreading Zack’s identity to the public only served to backfire on Eternal Drive with the people’s perception of him getting skewed as a monster on the loose.

  “Okay, okay. Just please, don’t hurt them!” Joshua pleads as Zack smiles.

  Only those with the strongest wills can stand face-to-face with a monster.

  ETERNAL TOWER - 50TH FLOOR

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 10:35 AM

  Being escorted into a room with a humongous monitor, Elena uncomfortably takes in the environment. Dozens of pictures of Damon Estreval lined up the walls. His countless achievements, scientific breakthroughs and accolades all surrounded Elena in the hallway leading to the room.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  The soldiers escorting Elena leave as she walks forward, seeing Damon Estreval stare at his monitor. On the monitor is Nick Altair in his secluded prison cell, frantically looking around his room.

  “It’s good to see you again… Elena.” Damon says as he turns to her.

  “Why… are you here, Damon?” Elena asks, her voice filled with disdain for the dictator.

  “I could ask you the same thing.” Damon replies, sitting down on his office chair.

  “Take a seat and ease up, Elena. We’re allies. We always have been.” Says Damon, pouring wine into two glasses. Elena hesitantly sits on the chair opposite to Damon on the other side of his desk.

  “You leaving really riled up the old man.” Damon tells Elena, taking a sip of wine.

  “...Is that what this is about? He sent you?” Elena asks as Damon puts down his glass.

  “He did. But I have other plans.”

  “I’m guessing Eternal Drive has everything to do with those plans?” Asks Elena as Damon smiles.

  “You’re as perceptive as ever.” Damon condescendingly says as Elena glares at him.

  “I thought about handing it over to him at first. My whole life, all I ever wanted was to make him proud. I thought maybe an army of demedioms who obeyed my every command would be enough…” Damon continues, his grip on the wineglass tightening.

  “But then I realized that Esper’s downfall started when he became king. Nothing good has come of his rule, which led me to the decision that I could foster my own kingdom instead, a nation that bent its knees at the mere utterance of my name.” Explains Damon as Elena looks at him uncomfortably.

  “South Lavia is yours, what more could you possibly want?”

  “You’re right. South Lavia is mine. But there’s a whole northern portion filled with even more powerful demedioms.”

  “...You want Palladium to bend.” Elena says, realizing Damon’s plan.

  “Not just bend, I need Palladium to stop existing altogether. But I can’t risk everything I built just to wage war in this measly country when I could wage war against Esper itself.” Damon expounds as a bewildered Elena reflects on his plan.

  “Does that interest you? I recognize that I need to speed that process up with the amount of rebellions lately. That includes that boy you were with.” Damon says as he looks back to his monitor, seeing Nick continue to struggle.

  “...What is he to you? I thought-”

  “Get to the point.” Elena demands, taking Damon aback.

  “...For the past few decades I have been trying to perfect the demediom project. I’m sure you’ve already seen the first few test subjects, namely Zack Evergreen and my very own Trent Omega.” Damon proudly says as Elena grits her teeth.

  “...I plan to create the perfect demediom- one with every single ability recorded in the history of demedioms.”

  “...Do you think that’d be enough to get rid of Palladium?” Elena asks, annoyed.

  “It’ll be enough of a reason to stop funding them and put them out of business. The sorry fools can still try to act like heroes in this hopeless nation.” Answers Damon.

  “...They can either bend the knee or be erased from history. Nevertheless, once I become the perfect specimen, I’ll be coming back for Esper. And I’ll be coming for my throne.”

  “Your throne? You’re a bastard, and your father is a usurper!” Elena bluntly declares as Damon glares at her.

  “...Back in Esper, I never dared to oppose you-”

  “Because you were afraid of my father, weren’t you?” Elena confidently asks as Damon smiles.

  “You can’t hide behind your father here in Lavia. I am here to offer you a seat in my kingdom and this is how you answer me?!” Damon says as he suddenly stands up from his chair, trying to startle Elena but fails as the latter maintains eye contact with him. He instantly calms down after noticing no change in Elena’s demeanor.

  “I know you despise them just as much as I do. Join me, and we can bring them down together.” He says, stretching out his hand. Elena gets up from her chair as well, stating her response.

  “Go fuck yourself.” Elena says, beginning to walk away.

  “ELENA!” Damon yells out as Elena turns to him annoyedly.

  “Are you sure… about that decision?” Damon says before stepping aside, revealing Nick’s room in the monitor.

  Trent walks into Nick’s room once more, this time holding a metal rod. He drags the cold steel over Nick’s body before proceeding to beat him with it. Visibly shaken, Elena confronts Damon.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

  “I’m just giving you an ultimatum. Join me, or Altair’s torture will progressively worsen. Believe me when I say this isn’t even a sliver of what Trent is capable of.” Damon snarkily replies.

  “You’re a fucking psycho… just like the rest of them.” Elena retorts as Damon scowls at her.

  “What would you know about being a psycho, Daughter of Adiran?!”

  “The sins of my father are not mine to pay!”

  “But they are yours to bear nonetheless!” Damon retaliates.

  “Remember that if you were never born, these Lavians would have never suffered at the hands of your father!” Damon yells at a frustrated Elena.

  “And what do you call this? Are they not suffering at your hands as well?” Elena says as she points to the monitor, showing Trent relentlessly beating Nick.

  “Oh, they are. But I’m no hypocrite. I know that I’m a monster, and I don’t pretend otherwise. You, on the other hand, pretend to shoulder such impossible burdens! If you really feel guilty over the Lavians’ suffering, why don’t you get it over with and kill yourself?!” Damon snaps at Elena, who becomes momentarily silent before speaking her truth.

  “No. Not until I rid this world of bastards like you.” Declares Elena as Damon grits his teeth in anger.

  “Ha… You’re a real selfish bitch, you know that?” Damon replies, seething at her words. Elena proceeds to walk away as the dictator blasts fire at the screen, incinerating it and burning a hole into the wall.

  ETERNAL DRIVE OUTPOST A

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 11:47 AM

  Arriving at a small outpost surrounded by Eternal Drive flags, the three demedioms alongside Joshua Billevi take a moment in front of the entrance. Before entering, Zack points his fingers to the back of Joshua’s skull.

  “Remember, any funny business and your head goes boom.” Zack threatens as Joshua shivers.

  Entering the outpost, they find the guard at the entrance desk asleep, dozing off with his phone still open playing a video inappropriate for work. Upon seeing the video, Celeste comments.

  “Is this what they do in their free time?” She says as Zack shushes her with his finger. The three lucked out with the guard asleep, allowing them to avoid further conflict. Zack was not looking to take that luck for granted.

  Joshua opens up a safe in the corner of the room containing a harddrive, which he hands over to Zack. The four then continue entering through several doors and hallways, eventually reaching a hallway with prison cells. As they approach the cells, several insults can be heard, thrown towards Joshua’s way.

  “You fucking traitor!”

  “Piece of shit backstabber!”

  “What do you want, you sellout?!”

  Though visibly shaken, Joshua still chooses to disregard the countless insults he was receiving. The four walk towards the end of the hallway, where they find a lonesome woman counting her days on the wall - Tina Ross. The wall scratches indicated that it was Tina’s 24th day in prison; she had spent nearly a month in the isolated outpost.

  “Mrs. Ross! You have visitors.” Says Joshua as Tina turns to him with her eyes full of hatred.

  “It’s Miss… Or have you forgotten what you did to my husband?” Tina replies, glaring at the soldier.

  “Sorry to interrupt this lovely reunion, but we need something from the woman who loathes Eternal Drive.” Zack says, butting in.

  “Everyone in this city loathes Eternal Drive.”

  “Maybe. But you’re one of the few who stood up and tried to do something. I respect that.” Zack tells Tina as he approaches her cell. Tina gets a better look at him, aware of who he is.

  “You…”

  “Zack Evergreen. I’m Nick Altair’s foster father.” Zack answers as Tina’s eyes widen, recognizing Nick’s name.

  “Do those names sound familiar?” Asks Zack, who smiles.

  “Zack… Just so you know, I was blindsided by Omega, too. I didn’t have a clue.” Tina replies as she turns her head back towards her day count.

  “It’s no matter. He managed to escape, and even cripple the bastard.”

  “He did, huh? Did he bring a woman named Elena with him, too?” Tina asks, smiling that her plan still succeeded somehow.

  “He did, and now that got him in over his head. Last night they charged Evernight, and this morning he was declared killed in action.” Zack expounds.

  “Huh… That’s…”

  “They’re most likely alive and in captivity, though. There were no images of corpses or clothes. And he’s not the type to kick the bucket that easily; the kid’s been through so much, I doubt he’d let a suicidal charge get the best of him.”

  “So… what do you want from me?” Asks Tina.

  “I need allies to bring Eternal Drive down once and for all. No room for hesitance, no room for regrets. We’ll end the fuckers for good.” Answers Zack as Tina chuckles.

  “Ha… I tried. And look where that got me.”

  “You didn’t have us, back then. Now, Joshua here says you have valuable intel on the layout of the Eternal Tower. If we’re gonna storm the bitch, we’re gonna need to prevent every security measure we can.” Zack says, patting a nervous Joshua on the soldier.

  “I had valuable intel before that-” Tina says, spitting on Joshua’s boot.

  “-fucking sellout tore down everything I built.” She continues.

  “Hey! I already warned you so many times about quitting-” Joshua replies before Zack punches him in the stomach, taking the wind out of him.

  “I didn’t tell you to speak.” Zack says as Joshua kneels down, clutching his stomach in pain.

  “Anyways, we have the intel. It’s here, in this little drive.” Zack continues, pulling the harddrive from earlier out of his pocket.

  “Surely you can interpret that by yourselves.” Replies Tina as Zack returns the drive in his pocket.

  “Maybe. Regardless, we still need something else from you. We need you to rally the people of Aurus.”

  “Me? I’m a goddamn criminal.” Tina says, scoffing at Zack’s idea.

  “We’re all criminals here.” Zack retorts as he begins opening Tina’s cell.

  “I know what it’s like. To have Eternal Drive take everything away from you. Your work, your family, your legacy…” He continues as the prison door clicks, unlocking.

  “But with your help, I was able to rebuild everything from the ground up with the sole purpose of taking everything away from them.” Zack says as he opens the cell door, stretching out his hand.

  “Will you help me once more, Mrs. Ross?” Asks Zack as Tina silently contemplates before taking his hand.

  “You sure have a way with words… Did you ever dream of becoming a politician?” She asks Zack as she stands up.

  “No, I’m not as capable as your husband… but I was once a man with dreams of my own.”

  “And what were those dreams?” Tina asks as Zack reminisces of his conversation with Lily on the bench. He decides to put a twist on it this time, however.

  “...To be remembered as the greatest mind who ever lived.”

  ETERNAL TOWER - 38TH FLOOR

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 11:56 AM

  Bruised from the beating Trent gave him, Nick restlessly thinks about ways to escape. His cell door opens, however, as Trent and Brian, whose face is covered in bandages, walk in.

  “Are you going easy on him?”

  “Damon ordered me to. And besides, it’s only the first day.” Trent condescendingly replies.

  “Whatever. Do what you must.” Brian says, grabbing Nick’s hair. He begins to remove a portion of his bandages, revealing his left eye, completely blind and devoid of color.

  “Look what you did to me…” Says Brian as Nick smiles.

  “Heh… I think it suits you…” Nick replies before Brian shoves him back.

  “You ever heard the saying “an eye for an eye”?” Trent asks Nick as he pulls out a set of tools, picking up a large pair of tweezers. He approaches Nick, who desperately struggles. He places the edge of the tweezers above and below Nick’s left eye, slowly digging in as Nick screams in pain. Brian walks out, leaving the door open with Trent’s diabolical laugh echoing throughout the facility.

  To Be Continued…