Aside from a couple of lamp lights, it was dark - almost barren. The factory almost seemed untouched since the last time Christopher, Quilliene, and Neo had been there. They arrived at the chasm, left behind with little difference: dangling cage gone, wide hole in the ground, and blood stains painted on the floor. However, it seemed this time, there was a bigger and more noticeable difference.
ㅤㅤLeading out from the large hole in the ground was a mixture of dark red and black, muddled together and trailing to the opposite side of the room, straight to a tunnel that hadn't been there before. After little argument and a couple moments of waiting - along with an attempt from Alexandria to call Axelius out - the team decided to make their way through. It seemed Axelius knew their intentions.
ㅤㅤOn the trail, they found now decayed animal carcasses. Circe almost vomited at the sight, looking away in utter horror at the view of them thrown around and left behind in a discarded fashion. Kyrana soothed her, and Quilliene led the way with Neo holding her hand. The smell was horrendous, but the went on anyway. They had a duty - they all understood why they were there.
ㅤㅤFinally, they reached a more open cavern, ceiling too high to see and darkness engulfing them. Circe cast a spell and lit up the area with motes of light that floated about to illuminate everything. Despite her attempt to cast it in white, there was so much red mist that seemed to cover the area that it basked them all in a scarlet hue. They moved on to examine the place, but a shout stopped them.
ㅤㅤ"Somethin's wrong!" Raemith exclaimed.
ㅤㅤThey all stopped, and quickly took up formation. Kyrana grabbed Circe's hand, her jaw set as she glared into the scarlet lights. Raemith retreated back until he was back to back with Neo. The two demons started to shift and change as well. Raemith grew one horn on the left side of his head, and his mouth grew to have a half grin with sharp teeth and no lips on that side. His eye turned black on the left, and he grew sharp talons on each hand. His skin on the left became a dark red, fading into the skin colour on the right.
ㅤㅤKyrana adopted her horned crown and grey skin, along with her signature glowing red eyes. Circe made a quick and fluid hand gesture, and a blue bubble of a protective force formed around all of them. It seemed to grow leafy vines and thorns pointing outward, and it was warm inside. Christopher peered through it but stayed inside, a white hue swirling around his fingertips.
ㅤㅤQuilliene armed herself much like her brother had, standing close by to Neo - and Alexandria surveyed the scene calmly with no movements to protect herself. Neo was sure she would come to regret that decision. Demons of all kinds, short and tall, small and large, with mutilated bodies and sinister grins began to crowd around them. Raemith snarled as they moved to cut off every escape.
ㅤㅤ"More toys to do your bidding?" Christopher mused aloud with dripping sarcasm. "You can't even find it in yourself to get your hands dirty?"
ㅤㅤThe familiar chuckle, like water mixing with oil, could be heard from somewhere within the crowd of dozens of demons. Quilliene spotted Alexandria's demeanour quickly shift, her confidence fading and face turning white as her knees nearly buckled. She wondered if the girl would really be able to do this. Neo let go of Quilliene's hand and slipped off his gloves, sliding them into his pockets.
ㅤㅤ"Time to shine, Alexandria." Neo whispered.
ㅤㅤA soft, malicious hum rang out around them. A shadow ran across the ceiling, bursting forth in a spiral. "Alex...andria?" The voice repeated slowly. "Don't tell me... Don't tell me it's her." He spoke in a hiss, the shadows inching closer. "You try to confuse me! You think I will fall to pieces, simply because you bring her to me?"
ㅤㅤAlexandria seemed to regain some composure then, making her way forward to the edge of the bubble. "Axelius." She said, looking into his misty form. "I didn't think they were telling the truth. I... I thought they were lying. They told me everyone was dead... What are you doing, brother? Why would you summon these- these things?" Kyrana and Raemith seemed to flinch at the way she said the word.
ㅤㅤ"Why would I not?" The shadow clung to the edge of the barrier, right before her. "Tell me, sister - why are you protecting these fools, and not out here - with me - by my side?" Quilliene could practically vomit at how painfully obvious his strength had grown after he killed the Nameless, and he seemed to relish in her noticing. "Are you truly one of them?" He continued to ask. "Are you with these disgraceful monsters?"
ㅤㅤAlexandria squinted at him. "You killed their parents - Christopher told me." She glanced back at the siblings. "But no." As she said it, the others in the bubble tensed. "I am not one of them. I never have been..."
ㅤㅤShe turned on Axelius then. "But you are hurting innocent people, brother. Thousands! They are not the ones responsible... you killed the ones responsible already! You would praise your love for mother nature, yet I see dead animals all over the place!"
ㅤㅤThere was a moment of silence before the shadow solidified a fist and slammed it into the barrier. Circe let out a yelp as the monster growled deeply. "You never understood!" He yelled. "You always thought there was good in everyone, but you're wrong! You think those experiments were done out of the goodness of their hearts?! Look what it has done to me! You are a fool if you think there is anything in this world worth saving!"
ㅤㅤThere was a moment of tense silence before Alexandria simply said, "Did you grieve?" She looked at the ground, her voice quivering. "The day I died, did you grieve for me? If this is about revenge, you don't need it!" She looked back up in desperation. "We could go back home! Live in peace! We- We wouldn't have to run anymore."
ㅤㅤAxelius stared into her, red orbs glowering before he pulled back with a snarl. "You haven't changed." He said, his voice almost broken. "You haven't changed, and I have. That is the problem, sister." He stepped further back into the demons. "Take down the shield, and I will gladly spare you when you walk out of here, Lexi."
ㅤㅤ"Spare me?" Her voice hardened. "Spare me?" Tears welled in her eyes as she scowled. "You have changed. You now blame everyone else except yourself... but I won't be an excuse for the carnage. I will walk out of here, and we are going home, whether you're coming alive or as a corpse!"
ㅤㅤThe growl grew into a roar. "You had your chance!" He screamed.
ㅤㅤ"No." Alexandria whispered, moments before the carnage. "You had yours."