Forum Thread

"..."

Abyss was silent.

"... All this time."

The look in his eyes had softened.

"You really beat yourself up, didn't you."

"... I wanted you dead."

"But... I don't think I could ever bring myself to harm you."

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long."

"It must have been hard."

"I wasn't the only one who went through hard things."

"My resentment and anger blinded me.

"I wanted to hear that."

"You have no idea how much I wanted to hear that someone cared."

"Deep down, I knew you hadn't given up."

---

"I never gave up. I couldn't. I always had some hope that my friend would beat the odds, and walk through that door one day. And I guess today, he did. With a purpose to kill me. Who did order the hit on me anyway?" She sighed.

"But... after I learned that you were alive, I did some digging. It couldn't have been a coincidence that no one ever found you. So I went through the more tedious files. My drone never found anything because I was given the wrong coordinates. I found footage of people "borrowing" key materials for the N-30. I found evidence that the resources I contributed were misused... although this might have been an honest oversight. I unearthed communicaes and suspicious log activity that point to a conspiracy to target you and other strong resistance leaders, removing them from action. I spoke to people who told me about concerning secret conversations. Old cameras saw unexplained comings and goings..." Cath looked at him.

"I have so much evidence of the resistance being mismanaged. And I began to think to myself, why on earth is this allowed? I eventually realized that there was a mole, someone who had made a deal with the demons. And not just one mole, but at least three, all in positions of upper management. And so, I swapped out the recognition software with your face on it as soon as you crossed the perimeter. As soon as I reactivate the N-30, it will track and recognize every suspected resistance member that could be involved in a demon subversion conspiracy."

"Today, I go rogue. I no longer owe my loyalty to the resistance. I will start my own group of dedicated people willing to take down the demons. I will still provide basic tech to the resistance to minimize the loss of life. Because so many of them are ignorant and innocent. But I cannot, in good conscience, ever forgive them. I will not rest until they pay."

She extended a hand out to Neo Abyss. "I've been waiting for you to show up since the attack. Hoping you would give me a chance to explain... everything. Are you with me?"

---

Abyss grinned, his eyes lighting up with excitement for the first time in three years.

"Just like old times, eh?"

"I'm always in for a little revenge."

"before anything though..."

Abyss took her hand, then pulled her towards him for a hug.

"I really did miss you."

---

"I missed you too." Cath accepted the hug, and relaxed for the first time in three years. Even if she died now, even if the mysterious Abyss slipped a knife between her ribs, it would be worth it. She activated the button, and the N-30 Rover was live. It soared up through the airlock in the ceiling, its new flight capabilities functioning flawlessly.

"Only one thing left to do: let's go kidnap Athena."

---

Abyss smiled. It felt unnatural. He had not done so in years.

"Kidnapping? Wouldn't be an adventure without kidnapping a child, would it?"

---

Athena knew someone in the Resistance wasn’t who they seemed to be. She sneaked around at every opportunity, she was going to avenge Neo. Too bad whoever it was was sneaky. Every time she thought she was onto something it would turn out to be a dead end. And besides, even if she rooted out who was responsible for abandoning Neo, what was she going to do? Kill them? She couldn’t kill, not even to avenge her friend family. But they deserved it, so why couldn’t she!? It was simple, one stab and they would be dead. Gone. But that memory replayed again and again in her mind. The agonized expressions. The weeping. The mercilessly slice of the blade. No, she wouldn’t be able to kill. Not now, not ever.

---

The laughter kept going and going, and so did this idiot and his aimless blows.

At first, Mei's giggles were made with the intention of annoying the demon, or even creeping him out, but as he kept going, they started to become genuine. She couldn't believe this guy, was he being serious? There was no way he hadn't figured things out by now, right? To be fair, it's not every day a human would possess a power like hers, but she was lucky I guess. Or maybe... Nah, that couldn't be right, forget about it.

All she did was watch from deep in the ground, Aster's blows not even coming close to her. She still had to be cautious though, who knows what this guy could do. She couldn't stop laughing at him, to the point where she almost felt sorry for him. "Oh no, that hurt so much! Please, someone save me!" she mocked, getting closer and closer to the surface. Before she became visible, Mei replied to his demand. "Fight? But where's the fun in that! I'd much rather be doing this, watching you struggle..." After finishing mocking the man, her smug grin slowly rose out of the ground quite far from his punches, but close enough to where Aster could still see it. Getting him any more pissed most definitely wouldn't be good for her, so she had to be careful... Ugh, she hated being significantly weaker, she couldn't throw out as many insults or get her way as easily as she wanted... Oh well, let's just see how this goes.

"Heyyyy, whatever happened to some casual chit-chat? Ya know, just normal conversation? Why don't we just talk about it, save your poor hands from all that trouble! Hehe... You wouldn't mind that, would you?" Mei snickered, her torso now fully above ground. One arm was resting flat out in front of her, tapping away to an unfamiliar tune. The other, however, was propping her head up as she swayed it back and forth, causing her hair to follow.

How embarrassing... Sure, to give himself some credit, this human wasn't like any normal human he had encountered. But he was still a demon and a respected one at that. He had been dead for centuries and he spent most of that time trying to become as strong and as feared as possible.

Yet, he was sitting on the ground like a fool. Blood dripping from his broken hand as he impulsively launched attacks against her. He glares at Mei and slowly stands up, his demeanor suddenly changing. He appeared to be calmer and far more serious. "You want to talk? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not really in the talkative mood." He frowns at her, obviously struggling to understand her power. Suddenly, his eyes light up and he chuckles.

"Where did you learn that little trick of yours? Has fate gifted you with abilities too?" Aster asks. He tries to act natural, he raises his head up at one of the lights and grins. "What a shame, I'm quite the jealous type. She should only have one favorite!" He moves towards one of the lights, smacking his broken hand against the glass. It was worthless to him now anyway. The glass shatters onto the floor and exposes the hot wiring beneath. He rips off a piece of his coat and presses it against the hot wiring. "Now is your time to run" he says with a smile. "I'm about to make this place seem like home!" He laughs out loud at the sight of the fabric smoking. Once it catches on fire he tosses it onto the ground, trying to throw it as close to Mei as possible.

It would take awhile for the building to catch on fire of course. But oh, would it light. Years of dust and rotting wood assured that. But his goal wasn't to burn the place down. It was to fully expose Mei.

---

Ugh, there he went again, rambling on about fate or whatever. That... wasn't what she meant when she said when she wanted to talk. Mei had gotten her answer anyways, and it was one she wasn't satisfied with. In order to try and turn the odds in her favor, she started to try and reason with him, but she immediately stopped upon seeing what he was doing. This was what she hoped wouldn't happen, but she figured it was inevitable anyways. Maybe this guy wasn't as stupid as she thought...

Oh well, why would she do something as dumb as this if she hadn't considered all the options?

Being associated with the underworld, she figured that he might have some ability related to fire much like a lot of the other demons she had seen, but she didn't exactly expect him to use a simple light bulb of all things to create such a problem. Fire meant light, and light meant fewer shadows to call her own. It was a massive annoyance, and could possibly kill her if she wasn't careful, but it wouldn't be so bad if she just thought about it. It was a well-done move on Aster's part, Mei had to give him that, but she wouldn't let him get his way that easily.

"Now's your time to run!"

Well, that took a massive hit to her pride, that's exactly what she was going to do... Well, no turning back now. Mei sank into the floor again, narrowly avoiding the flaming cloth that landed close to where she was, but her skin burned under the very thin shadow she hid under. She had to get to somewhere dark, and she wasn't going to leave her realm that easily. Mei pretty much knew the entire layout of the building like this, the darker parts of it anyways, so navigation wouldn't be much of an issue. The problem is, how fast could she travel? How far could she go at a time? Those questions never crossed her mind before her sentence in Hell, but after seeing how weak she really was, they were the only things pounding in her head, echoing in her mind. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared. She didn't want to go back, she really didn't... It was shocking to see herself like this, since she always appeared to be someone with inhuman morals and emotions, or the lack thereof, but she was still human. Or... Was she?

Enough with the sentimental crap, you're about to die here. Shut up and get moving

Right, she couldn't be questioning herself like this, she had already accepted herself long ago and wasn't intending on doing this again. She always lived in the moment, not the past, and she wasn't going to change that. Mei began to move as fast as she could, but made sure not to appear as such so that she wouldn't look like a coward. She had to keep some dignity after all. It took her a significant amount of time to get to the entrance due to the excessive breaks she had to make, but she wasn't caught up in the fire at all. Once she did arrive though, she made sure to say her goodbyes before leaving the shadows and leisurely walking around the city. She had time, right? It would take a while before the building was engulfed, and she decided to use those moments to take a walk.

"I figured we could come to an understanding, be mutual about this, but oh well... I just gotta say... Have fun being a pathetic dog, feeding off the scraps your queen oh so graciously gives you! I'm sure your loyalty is unwavering, I can't wait to see it all go to waste... Maybe fate won't be so kind to you then, toodles!"

Those were the words she echoed throughout the building before she left, a giggle following after. That would make him pissed, sure, but she found it worth it. Hell was Hell for everyone involved, even for the queen and her devout demons. It had to be, right? Otherwise, why were they so desperate for their land back? Not like the earth she walked on was any better honestly, she found the whole ordeal incredibly stupid.

...

She wasn't caught up in the fire at all... right?

The sight of the slow spreading flames and the scent of the smoke seemed to sharpen Aster's instincts. The uncomfortable heat reminded him so much of home, he was incredibly disappointed to see that Mei decided to flee. "How unfair" he whines. "I didn't expect her to actually flee."

He bristles at her words, but not for the reasons she would expect. How dare she underestimate the strength of the queen? How dare she slander fate? They gave him an opportunity to be strong, to be feared. If he had to use these strengths to be a lap dog then so be it. It had it's perks nonetheless.

Like now, for example. He got to play a fun game of cat and mouse. He moves over to a window and watches her retreating form. He should chase her down and finish her off, but what was the fun in that? He would be able to find her again anyway, so he'd give her an opportunity to flee.

Nightfall would be upon them soon anyway. It would be a waste of strength to take her on then. He would grant her a single night to live, then her time would come. He smiles at the idea of killing her and remains by the window while the whole building slowly bursts into flames.

---

Mei walked for what seemed like forever, eventually reaching the other side of the city where a neighborhood of small, abandoned houses sat. The entire time, the smoke followed her and the sound of the fire crackling did as well. The echoes of wood falling and crumbling to ash bounced around the walls of the building, only reminding her of what happened. Along the way, she heard the sound of faint barking, which was following her as well. Huh... Mei didn't actually think it would make it. That's good to know, I guess.

The entire time, Mei wondered if the demon, whose name she had not known yet, was chasing her or not. He would've caught up by now, right? Did he give up? Or... Was he just waiting? Waiting for the night to pass? That was an interesting move to say the least, but she gladly took it. Now the dilemma had begun. Should she try and spend the night running, or stay in one of these homes and rest? The dog would be an issue in the former situation, what if it was exhausted? She could obviously leave it behind, but she didn't really feel like doing that honestly. Well... guess she could rest then. That demon could smell her from miles away anyways, running would just be pointless.

The entire walk to where she was now was... odd to say the least. Something felt off, like an itch she couldn't scratch or a feeling she just couldn't shake. Mei had ignored it the entire time, and she will ignore it until it went away, as she did with all her problems. She entered one of the homes with her friend and found a pretty fortified basement right away, almost like a bunker. Well... that'll do, hopefully. It already had a small bed laid out in the corner, and shelves lined with canned goods. It was almost a mix between a bedroom and a pantry, which weirded her out. Oh well...

As soon as Mei laid eyes on that bed, her feet began to walk. She was so tired... She really shouldn't have done any of that. Right as she rested her head on that pillow, everything began to set in. Her thoughts, the aches in her bones, everything.

She really did want to talk with the demon, ask about what the hell was going on, but she already knew it was pointless. Why did she even try anymore? She was definitely smarter than that, smarter than those who would just beg for mercy. Was that was she was doing? No... she wasn't that pathetic.

And then it hit her. The demon... The fire... the aches...

She really did get hit. She didn't think she could when she was in the dark, but it must've been when she was dumb enough to come out.

He really got her, and the scar that would forever be on her leg would remind her for the rest of her short life.

So he may have gotten lost

Before you laugh, and if you are shut up, Belphi had been asleep for Goddess knows how long and Hell had decided to rearrange its whole floor-plan ever since. Spinning around, Belphi tongued at his cheek piercings as he tried to figure out where he was. There was a castle somewhere off in the distance and he supposed that would be his best bet. Probably. Hopefully it wasn't a castle of doom because he really wasn't in the mood to fight any disgruntled upper demon who was over arrogant and kind of annoying. God, just the thought of fighting was already making his blood boil, frustration coursing in his blood and blocking out his vision. It left him exhausted and a husk of his usual very charming self, which. Awful. Horrible. His kind charismatic nature being robbed from the underworld? A Travesty! So yeah. He really hoped that whoever was the homeowner wouldn't try and fight him. He just might cry

That was a promise, not a warning

He was pretty sure he fell asleep on the walk over because the next thing he knew, there was a demon snarling at his face. Ah, he really wasn't in the mood for this and he sniffled a yawn which... probably wasn't the best option as whatever guard-demon really didn't take that well. Again. Not great. With a sigh, Belphi gently pushed the demon away who stumbled and fell, looking a bit confused before resigned, letting the other pass without much of a fuss. There was so many guardemons actually that it was a bit annoying to actually enter. It looked familiar enough so Belphi was pretty sure that he was at the Goddess's castle which. Cool. Nice. He wasn't in the wrong place but god, it was so heavily guarded that he just kind of gave up. Plopping his ass down on the nearest tile he could, he took a deep breath and began yelling.

"Madam? M'lady? Man, I don't even know what title you go by these days and this is really kind of embarrassing. I just woke up so you can understand the sort of stress I'm under because it looks like you remolded the entire place ever since then and I'd really just like it if you told me what needed to be done and maybe catch me up on the maybe last few I don't know how long I've been asleep? I really hope this is you're palace because if it isn't it would be very embarrassing for me just screaming at someone who isn't who I think it is. Oh this is a horrible experience, remind me to never wake up again. Lady Persephone please don't leave me on read."

---

Abyss was making himself busy.

Cath was busy preparing for the kidnapping.

One does not simply walk into a resistance base and kidnap their tactician, after all.

While Cath was busy, Abyss was cooking.

I mean, they've gotta eat.

The scene brought up some dormant memories in the back of Abyss' mind.

Memories of Cath working, while Neo ran around taking care of her and Athena.

Sleepless nights when, after Cath and Athena fell asleep, he would drown his stress with alcohol.

How he would stay up all night almost every day to take care of everything that they could not.

The resentful feelings rushed back to him for a moment.

He had always worked his [sass] off to make sure their lives would be the best they could be,

But when had they ever done anything for him?

They had also left him there.

They hadn't noticed.

The two of them were the only things driving him forward.

When he found out, after he got out, that they hadn't even tried...

That's when he tried to push his memories away.

That's when he locked every memory.

That's when he became Abyss.

That's when he started killing.

That's when he started working with demons.

Oh ogd. Demons.

Abyss recalled how he had met Cath, when she lived in the ruins of the lab.

Abyss recalled how Cath had lost her first family to demons.

How would she react if she knew who he was working with?

Abyss worried.

Cath was the person he trusted the most.

And he had started working with the people that killed her family in the past.

How could she trust him?

She couldn't.

It wasn't safe for him to be around her.

They might come for him.

They might force him to-

The smell of smoke snapped him back to reality.

"well... [Shish]. I just burned dinner."

He disposed of the burnt food and started cooking again.

---

They were nearly there, but something was wrong.

The path seemed slightly beaten down, as if only a single person had treaded through here. Where were the other members of the Resistance? Did something happen to them?

Nox glances behind her, staring at the man who looked like he'd collapse at any moment. He wouldn't be able to make it to the next closest Resistance base- that was clear. Maybe she'll get lucky. Maybe these Resistance members haven't bothered to leave the base, and were living underground like moles.

She didn't see any signs of a struggle when she arrived at the entrance, but the door was slightly ajar. She raises up a hand, stopping the couple from moving closer to her. She unsheathes her dagger and strides closer to the door. The smell of distant burnt food was the only thing she could pick up. Other than that, the place seemed to be mostly abandoned.

Still, the smell of food and the slightly beaten trail had to mean something, right? She knocks three times on the door, then steps away. She had no idea who could be inside or if they posed any danger to her. It would be stupid to stand in a place where she could easily be ambushed.

She glances sideways at the camera on her left. Then returns her gaze to the door. Today had been a long day, she wasn't in the mood for a fight. For her sake and for whoever was living in this bunker, she hoped that they were friendly.

---

Abyss perked up when he heard the knocking.

"A person?"

Abyss made his way to the entrance of the base.

He realized he was still wearing an apron.

He ripped it off and threw it into a corner.

He opened the door cautiously.

Outside there was a woman and a few people.

The woman was the clear leader. Her stance was of one who had fought many battles.

She wore all black, not too different from his own clothing.

A dangerous aura surrounded her, nothing like Abyss had seen from any other resistance members before.

Clearly, this woman could be a useful ally.

"Hello? Can I help you?"

His hands unconsciously drifted to his daggers, as they always did when he sensed danger.

"What's a person doin' all the way out here?"

---

The man who opened the door worried her. She had helped so many people and seen so many faces. But one type stood out to her.

-The look of a killer. It resided in her eyes, and she could see it in his too. He seemed quite calm, that was another thing that worried her. In the offchance that this guy was living alone, he seemed way too calm towards about an armed person knocking on his door.

She sheaves her dagger, but her hand doesn't stray too far away. "My name is Dakota Thorne, but I go as Nox" she says proudly. "You may have heard of me. I have loose ties with the Resistance." She watches him carefully while saying this and fights to keep the amused grin off her face. I know you aren't one of them.

"I found two people" she continues while extending a hand towards the pair. Her eyes soften slightly. "They were attacked by demons and need serious medical attention. Can you, or anyone in this base help them?" Her tough demeanor breaks slightly. She doesn't even try to hide the desperation in her voice. Please don't let them die on my watch.

---

She had been working. Neo, no Abyss, was cooking. He had always been a good cook. She remembered back to the good old days, the last time that the kitchen had been used. She sighed. Caerthynna Elysium. Professor. Cath. Memories.

And then her screen lit up. The door had been opened, and Neo, NO ABYSS, was talking to a strange woman, and two half dead souls. Cath carefully slipped down the stairs, grabbing an emergency medical kit on the way down. She heard the introduction, the woman was named Nox. She was with the resistance. But she was desperate.

"Abyss, I can take care of this." Cath looked at the man (her friend?) and nodded. "My name is Professor Caerthynna Elysium, but everyone calls me Cath. This is... Abyss. I have medical supplies and the basic healing skills."

She ushered the three into another room, and set up two cots. Carefully, she got to work on the demon-induced injuries. "So, Nox. You said you were with the resistance. What brings you all the way out into the middle of nowhere?"

---

So there is a Resistance member residing here! That made Nox feel a bit better, but she was still incredibly wary of the man- Abyss was his name. She wasn't able to keep an eye on him though, because Cath was talking to her.

"I am a demon hunter. I am not waiting for the world to be overrun by those... things. If I can stop their onslaught, I will!" She glances at the survivors and sighs. "I tend to find survivors during my travels, so I send them to the nearest Resistance base. I have these lands memorized by heart." She says proudly. She frowns and glances around. "It's been awhile since I dropped survivors off here... Where is everyone?"

---

"Dammit... Agh that bas-"

She stopped, silence falling upon her once again. She thought she had heard something, but upon cautiously scanning the room, she concluded that it was just the dog getting into stuff. Mei would have to keep an eye on it, make sure it didn't do anything stupid like she had done. She returned her tired eyes to her burned leg once again, inspecting the wound as she tried to think of something. It could get infected if she didn't do something, which meant she would die in the weakest way possible. She wouldn't let something as small as a slight burn kill her!

Mei hesitantly hobbled off the bed, then began to rummage through the shelves for anything that could help her. Although she had experience mending her wounds in the past, that was before all this... modern stuff, which appalled her. She had also figured out that her body would heal itself much better if she used the shadows, but her body was too exhausted to that. How far had humanity actually gone? Looking around that convenience store was mind-boggling to her, even if she hardly had a care. She dismissed it before, but now that she had to actually use this stuff, it was an entirely different story. Well... Let's just see what she can do with what she had.

Mei quickly found a white, translucent box with a red cross on it. She was skeptical at first, but if it said it was a first-aid kit, that had to have meant something. Opening it up, Mei was met with a packet of "band-aids" and some isopropyl alcohol. Upon digging further, she saw various creams, scissors, needle and thread, gauze, tweezers, an assortment of tablets, and a bunch of other items. Of course she hardly knew what most of this stuff was, but she would soon figure it out.

Well... She needed to clean the wound before doing anything else anyways, she couldn't just dive right in. Mei grabbed a small cloth that was in the kit and headed to the bathroom, then soaked it in water and wrung it out. She gently rubbed it over the blood that was near it from small scrapes, then the rest of the burn. She made sure not to mess with any of the blisters or the minuscule patches where her skin was blood red so that she wouldn't have to deal with that mess later.

Damn... It was all over the outside half of her thigh, stretching from about an inch above her knee to just below her shorts. It hurt like hell too...

Mei returned to the chair she was doing this whole operation on, reaching for the bottle of alcohol and the other cloth that was in the kit. Too bad she couldn't drink this kind, she really needed it right now.

Man... She really hoped she was doing this right, all she really had to do was stitch up her wounds, she hardly ever got burn wounds that wouldn't heal by themselves. Even if it was just a cut, she had no doubt that her sentence in Hell made her a bit rusty. Her hands certainly weren't as steady, and she felt like she was running on pure adrenaline. In any other situation, she would appreciate the high, but right now was not the time. She carefully began to clean the wound with the alcohol, then waited for the immense, sharp pain to fade. By now, the dog had forgotten its fear of her and decided to lay down next to her chair for support. Then, she grabbed one of the antibiotic creams in the kit and applied it gently. Certainly that helped, right? Her mind was almost going into autopilot, her movements more confident than when she started.

Finally, Mei applied the gauze that she set aside earlier and made sure to cover the wound completely. She knew she couldn't just leave it exposed until the skin at least healed a bit, and it seemed easier to use this stuff rather than sticking a cloth to her skin. Besides, she tried that once in the past and... She'd rather not think about it.

Guess that was a job well done, the wrapping of gauze looked hideous and out of place on her leg, but she'd manage. Wasn't like looks were that important to her anyways. Now, time to get some rest. She could hardly keep her eyes open any longer, and her body felt like crumbling. Mei ignored the mess on the ground and slowly made her way to the bed, immediately falling on it and closing her eyes. Last thing she heard was the dog hopping on with her, and they both began to rest.

Let's just see who was the early bird who got the worm, or in this case, her life.

Abyss walked into the room, watching Cath tend to their injuries.

"Dinner's ready, if you're hungry."

as he talked, he examined the woman.

A demon hunter, eh?

Just another person to kill hide secrets from.

He knew she didn't trust him.

How could anyone trust him?

Even Cath couldn't trust him fully.

Granted, he had tried to kill her.

But, by nature, he wasn't a very easy person to trust on sight.

First of all, he was told in the past his gaze was cold and unnerving.

Second, he was wearing assassin's clothing, along with two daggers at his sides.

Third, any experienced fighter could see the look in his eyes.

The look of a killer.

He had it himself and he could see it in this woman as well.

Well, maybe he'd just have to earn the trust.

Food is the quickest way to anyone heart, after all.

"My name's not actually Abyss, by the way. It's Neo Sanchez."

---