Unravel

"Will you help me, Lillith?"
    "If this is what you want, then I can do it."
    "Thank you."
    "Don't mention it. You will never see us and your home again..."
    "I am fully aware of that. I still want you to proceed."
    "Alright then. You will have no future guidance, no support."
    "I know, Lillith. Just... do it."
    "Okay... close your eyes, this will feel very uncomfortable. Like your body is being-."
    "I can handle it."
    "Very well then. I wish you all the best in the future, Blake."
    "You too... Thanks, again."

    "Ow," Lyn squealed as her father applied the elixir to her hair which fell down to her waist.

    "Shut up, and stop squirming. The less you fight it, the easier it will be," her father said as he stood back. Lyn bit her tongue as the feeling of her scalp singing settled in. Slowly, Lyn's dark blue hair transformed into light blond.

    "There, be grateful," her father mumbled as he trudged to the chair that was half eaten with mould.

    "Why does it have to hurt so much?" Lyn asked as she carefully prodded her new artificially coloured hair.

    "Be glad that this cheap s**t from the black market gets the job done. The folk here have a strong grudge against you Irarum. If they see that blue hair of yours, they would go bad s**t crazy and kill you on the spot." He examined Lyn, who sat there motionlessly. Her sunken cheeks lingered above her long jawline. Eyes evenly spaced apart mirrored her once dark blue hair, with thin eyebrows just above them, bending down into a meek frown. Thin lips above her long chin only added to her frown. A smug expression dimly shone from her face, resonating throughout her body.

    "You're just like your mother... a lying freak in disguise of a petite woman. A crazy b***h with psycho powers only allowed to exist in fantasies. If only I would have known what she was sooner... This whole mess wouldn't have happened."

    "Then why are you doing all this?" Lyn asked, already used to the verbal abuse.

    "We're in the same boat on this. I don't make you disguised, people will find out quickly. Unfortunate incidents here involving the Irarum in the past will make others hunt you, and me since I am your father, down. They know how one looks like too well, so it's not worth the risk. Do you understand me?"

    "Yes father," Lyn replied. She balled her fists as she was forced to gaze upon the man's face. His round head sat lazily on his broad shoulders, the top of his head concealed underneath a buzz cut. A large nose was stapled between his two wide eyes. His stunted double chin, along with a short mandible, lingered underneath his pursed lips. A black bushy beard covered his mouth, contrasting his white skin.

    "Go to your room and get ready for tomorrow. Do your homework, make your food, you know the drill," Lyn's father beckoned. Lyn nodded as she strolled up to her room.

    "And don't forget not to use that weird wind magic anytime soon!" He yelled after her.

    Her room could be more closely related to an abandoned attic riddled with mice. It was barren, dark, and circular. Cobwebs hung throughout the room. A wooden slab with an old blanket and pillow acted as her bed. A broken lamp stood weakly on the rotting table, a couple of papers situated next to it. An equally unstable chair was pushed under it. Lyn pulled it out, brushed the new cobwebs off, and sat on it. It creaked uneasily as she shifted her full weight onto it. Scanning over the various pages, she soon threw them away and slammed her fists on the table. A few tears fell onto the table, dampening the wood.

    "Lyn Leruma..." The teacher called out. Lyn slowly ascended, directly in front of the plump, blond woman with square glasses. Wrinkles covered her whole face.

    "Please read the next paragraph for us." Lyn's heart quickened.

    "Miss... I canno-"

    "Please continue reading," the woman cut her off in a chilling tone.

    "But I really cannot-"

    "Your excuses do not bother me! You have a mouth and eyes, you can read this." Lyn sat down and eyed the words. They kept swimming in her vision. Struggling, she began trying to read the mess.

    "T-the I...Ira...Irarum ha-have been a-around for sever-sever-several de-dec-decuj-"

    "Decades," the teacher corrected. Lyn felt the twenty sets of eyes on her, all silent gazing. She thought she heard a quiet chuckle in the distance. Lyn tried ignoring it and continue.

    "Th-they a-are nop... Mod... Modee-Podigied-"

    "Modified." The teacher sighed. "For heaven's sake Lyn, don't mess with me and my time. I value it much, and I won't let it go to waste just because you are a blundering idiot. Fine then, that's enough for now," she said she pointed at another student who started reading clearly.

    Lyn 's heart didn't slow down. Embarrassed, she dropped her head, no longer pay attention. Someone leaned closer and whispered something.

    "See? She called you a blundering idiot too. You should start believing it, idiot girl."

    "Shut up," she whispered back angrily. Her fists were clenched hard. The person snickered as they leaned back into their chair.

    "Idiot girl," the children chanted outside as they repeatedly pulled Lyn's hair. Lyn yelped, tears forming in her eyes.

    "You shouldn't even be here, dumb girl!"

    "Stop... Please," Lyn whispered.

    "Nobody even wants to be your friend!"

    "Stop..."

    "Idiot!"

    Something inside Lyn snapped. She felt lighter than usual. Her mind was for once clear. Lyn outstretched her palm instinctively. A moment later, the boy holding her hair flew backwards. He landed, hard, instantly wailing upon impact. Lyn withdrew her hand as her heart raced.

    This shouldn't have happened... This cannot be happening... Nobody saw it right?

    She scanned the crowd. Everyone backed away slowly. Panic was sewed onto every face.

    "Monster!" Someone yelled out as they rushed to the teacher. She looked up at Lyn and the fallen boy, frowning.

    "I'm telling you, I will punish Lyn back at our house. It was clearly an act of violence that must be treated," Lyn's father repeatedly explained. The teacher looked grimly at Lyn.

    "You better control that attitude, lady. Violence is not something befit for a woman. Do you understand me?"

    "But he started it," Lyn moaned.

    "That is no excuse to punch him back. This is your first and final warning. I do not want to see you repeating that act again."

    "Yes ma'am," Lyn replied. Her father sighed as he gripped her arm.

    "You may now go Mr. Leruma. This issue is now over," the teacher said as she waved her hand. The two stood up and approached the door.

    "What the hell did I tell you about your f*****g wind powers?" Her father muttered through clenched teeth.

    "I didn't use it, I just shoved him back. I'm-"

    "Bullshit," her father exclaimed. "You could not have shoved a person that far even if you tried with your entire tiny stature.”

    “I… I did not…” She broke into a sob. Her father was still fuming.

    “I’m sick of all this sci-fi bullshit you present me with. F*****g wind powers… How is that even possible?” He shook his head.

    “Father,” Lyn snivelled.

    “Oh well, lessons must be taught,” he said as he grabbed a handful of jagged stones and chucked it on the floor. The rocks flew everywhere.

    “Kneel on it,” he commanded. Lyn remained unmoving.

    “I said kneel, goddammit!” he yelled, at which Lyn finally obeyed.

    Her already bloody knees grazed the rocks. A grunt escaped Lyn’s mouth.

    “F*****g psychopath,” her father muttered under his breath as he paced around the room.

    “Why do you do this?” Lyn asked painfully.

    “You monsters deserve it,” he scoffed. “I don’t care that you are my daughter by blood, or that you are still a young girl just entering adolescence.”

    “So then why didn’t you just leave me on the streets? You obviously don’t care about me. You only care about your own fat a*s. Why won’t you just leave me somewhere in the wilderness?” She cried, the pain spiking towards her brain.

    The father remained silent.

    “Father, why?”

    “Forget it,” he mumbled. “I have no intention of telling you.”

    “My knees…” Lyn grunted as she tried shifting her weight. Her father noticed, and shoved her back into the previous position.

    “Lessons are meant to be learned, not ignored, you dumb b***h.”

    Hot tears ran down Lyn’s face. A burning sensation emanated from within her body.

    “F**k you,” she whispered.

    “What did you say?”

    “F**k you,” Lyn yelled as she faced her father with fiery eyes. “It’s not my goddamn fault that I’m stupid! It’s not my fault I cannot read, it’s not my fault I have trouble learning, it’s not my f*****g fault I f**k up at everything I try! You make my life hell, my peers make my life hell, everyone hates me! I never had friends, and never will. I’m so alone, and all you people do is kick me around.”

    The air around the two quickly began to spin. Bristles resonated throughout their hollow house.

    “So, f**k you,” Lyn said as the air materialised before her as a large green blade. An instance later, his arm lay on the floor beside him. Blood sprayed from the father’s gaping wound. He howled as he firmly gripped it, though to no avail.

    Lyn stood grandly above her father who was thrashing around. Tears streamed down Lyn’s cheeks as she delivered the swift final blow. The decapitated body slumped down while the eyes remained open, fear embedded into them.

    Somewhere in the distance something fell. Lyn turned and saw the door open, a woman staring at the scene. Her jaw dropped as she brought her finger up slowly at Lyn. Lyn’s heart jumped as she lunged herself at the woman. Before any noise was heard, deep gashes etched themselves into the woman’s body. Blood slowly oozed out of their broken shack.

    Lyn teetered around, holding the wall for support. Her vision blurred the shades of red before her eyes. Her eyelids gained weight, desperately wanting to clamp shut. Groggy, she fell down. Her body hit the cold cement. A faint wisp of air escaped her lungs. Blue hair enveloped her eyes. Lyn ignored it at first, then slowly realised.

    She jostled herself upright but not before a kid observed her unnatural hair. He yelled out loud, notifying everyone. Several adults peered out, their eyes widening at the sight of Lyn’s hair and the pools of red nearby. She cursed silently as she brought herself to her legs. Her stomach tossed. Lyn wavered, before a gunshot was heard behind her. Lyn’s body instinctively moved, the bullet just barely missing her.

    “D****t,” the one with the gun said as he reloaded. “How the f**k did I miss?”

    Lyn quickly spun around and dashed forwards. Her legs managed to keep up, though she could feel the callous pain covering them.

    Yells with feet stomping resonated behind her. A few loud bangs all off target. The streets criss-crossed, the small grey buildings all sombrely gazing at the running girl. A distant greenery came into view. Lyn’s eyes led her feet towards the location, hoping for an asylum deep in the woods.

    More people dashed after her, but Lyn’s energy was depleting. Her legs slowly dragged themselves behind her body. Her sides ached as they desperately contracted, groping for the air she didn’t have.

An entrance to the woods appeared and Lyn dashed towards it. The sound of crashing water became more clear. She didn’t hesitate to barge into the greenery. Twigs slapped her face, multiple bruises etching themselves into her soft flesh.

“Irarum!” Someone shouted. “Get back here you filth! Let us burn your bones, the same way you burned our families.”

Lyn didn’t stop. The heat hindered her breaths. She sprinted on, the volume of the crashing water amplifying. Her foot reached a ledge and she stopped. A large, crystal clear waterfall stood in front of her, a gap separating the two. Her mind, infused with panic, began frantically looking for answers. She looked down and wobbled slightly.

Footsteps grew. She didn’t have time. Lyn quickly jumped.

Lyn plummeted through the air at a breathtaking speed. Her ears popped. She felt her skin stretch against the wind. Mustering the last of her strength, she held out her palm. A ball of wind formed and shot out with extreme speed. The resultant force slowed her fall down, but the impact of landing on water resonated throughout her whole body.

She let out an underwater yelp. Water drained down her throat, her lungs in distress. A chilling numbness covered her entire body. Lyn kicked frantically against the water. The surface seemed so close, but her mind has passed through ages when she finally emerged her head out. Her hand lashed out and gripped a log that was halfway on the ground. Lyn pulled herself out and started choking violently. Water spewed out with another red liquid. A bright crimson pool remained in front of her face. A foul taste remained in her mouth as she collapsed on the ground.

“You kept me waiting, Blake,” a hollow, nonchalant voice spoke. Blake abruptly opened his eyes. Everything around him was completely covered in white. A blank void spiralled underneath his feet, which appeared to be lost in space. His body was bound to… Something. He was definitely sitting on what he assumed to be a chair. A distant body hovered in front of him, his appearance somewhat familiar. Dusk black hair hung above his equally dark eyes. Long cheekbones, short chin… It all looked so similar.

Blake’s eyes widened as he gazed longer. It was an exact reflection of Blake’s body.

“Who the hell are you?” Blake shouted.

“I am what I am,” the figure said as he approached Blake. Sweat trickled down his forehead. Damp, white hair obscured his vision.

“That doesn’t make any sense. You look just like me, but you aren’t me.”

“And so you are correct. I am you but I am not you. Therefore I am, what I am.”

“Stop with this riddle crap, and tell me who you really are,” Blake said, his head starting to pound.

The figure didn’t respond, only melancholy gazing skywards.

“I expected you to figure it out by now… Where do you think you rest, Blake?”

Blake scanned the area. Nothing but bleak white. He tried reviewing his memories, but nothing formed. However, he felt a shiver in the air.

“Am I dead?” Blake inquired.

“I fear not,” the figure replied, pacing back and forth. “It seems you cannot remember anything.”

“How…” Blake begun, his voice lost.

“This place shimmered, we both felt it. You tried accessing your memory banks, but your friend Lillith wiped them clean for you.”

“Lillith?” Blake questioned. “The name… Who is she?” The air shimmered again.

“I see,” the figure said as it sat down across from Blake. “It does not matter. Time is the one thing you have apart from that  body.”

“Time…” Blake muttered.

“Yes, time,” the figure repeated. “A quantitative ball of information. The fourth dimension. A presumed perfectly straight line through which everything travels. The only thing to have a beginning but no end.”

“Yes indeed,” Blake replied as he stared ahead at the figure.

“A pity, I hope you will one day recognize my existence,” the figure said as he turned back.

“What’s that supposed to mean. You’ll leave me?”

“No, you’ll return back to the surface,” the figure said. He gazed into Blake’s equally dark eyes.

A tight clench formed in his throat. Blake’s breathing stopped abruptly and his mind filled with panic. He began shivering and the area darkened.

Bright lights struck Blake’s closed eyelids. His eyes opened to view the lush green view. Mighty trees soaring high above him accompanied the beautifully blue sky. Not a single cloud appeared. Distant birds chirped.

Blake’s head pounded. His body was unnaturally warm. He gazed downwards and witnessed his clothes stained with crisp dark stains. Pale skin peeked under the singed cloth. Blake shrugged and tried getting onto his feet. He fell at first, his legs unable to withstand the weight.

Hungry eyes deeper in the flora gazed longingly at Blake. A growl, and a pounce. Blake scanned the area and instinctively jumped backwards. The black feline snarled at its prey. It lunged at Blake, his mind buzzing with ideas. Teeth sank into his arm. Blake yelled as dark blood seeped out of the wound. Bright blue flames enveloped Blake, burning the feline’s fangs. It howled, rolling backwards, the hunger in its eyes replaced with fear. The flames created a circle around the two.

Blake’s heart was alive, beating to the rhythm of his mind. A violent tempest blew in the heart of the inferno. Blake’s black hair billowed in the wind, his eyes not leaving the feline. It backed down, cowering. The blaze closed in. Blake outstretched his palm and the inferno completely encompassed the feline, before shooting upwards. The feline howled and cried, the fire scorching its hide. A few seconds later, the flames disappeared and the feline dropped down, dead.

“Freeze,” a chilling female tone said behind him. A cold steel pressed itself to Blake’s neck. His eyes moved from the burned cat to the girl. She was in her adolescents, a teenager. Messy blue hair with imperfect edges flowed down to her waist. The blue colour resonated in her eyes. Cold and unyielding. She pressed the knife deeper. Blake ran through his options.

He gritted his teeth and raised his arms. The bright blue flames spiraled along his body. The girl evaded it in time, escaping without even a simple burn. She flung the knife at him, missing. She cursed.

Blake outstretched his palm and a streak of flames shot out from it. The girl did not hesitate and rolled sideways, sparkling white blades shimmered in the air. They shot out, all aimed at Blake’s body. A pillar of flames rushed out, parrying the blades. The girl rushed up, her face in his. A fist pummeled his into gut. He grunted, his muscles crumbling. She grabbed his head and shoved it downwards. His body was thrust towards the ground, his legs swept away. Blake fell on his stomach. A knee pressed itself between his shoulder blades. Blake gritted his teeth, his body buying along with the wound on his arm.

“Don’t move,” she muttered as she took out something and ripped it. She placed it on the wound, staining the material a damp red.

“Who are you,” she asked in the same chilling tone.

“Define ‘who are you’?”

“You aren’t human, are you Irarum?” She questioned, not letting go.

“Irarum?” Blake said, puzzled.

“Don’t f**k with me, you are one right?”

“I never heard that term before,” Blake said.

“Those blue flames, you must be Irarum,” she exclaimed. Blake’s attention was caught by a rustling sound. His heart quickened.

“Get off me,” he mumbled.

“Answer me first,” the girl growled back. Blake trained his eyes at the distance. A faint image of a person emerged, training an odd looking object at them.

“There's a human there,” Blake said, nodding in a direction. The girl glanced quickly, not letting go of Blake. A pang of panic struck the person as his finger hesitated to pull the trigger. The girl swiftly flung a silver blade at him, the person fell over instantaneously. Blake gritted his teeth.

“There will be more,” he said.

“Right,” she replied as she groped his head up and pressed the sharp blade to his throat. A bead of sweat trickled down Blake’s forehead. “Who are you?”

“Why are you so preoccupied with me now? Listen intently if you plan on not dying,” Blake said sternly. The girl stopped for a while, then gripped Blake tighter.

“D****t, you're right,” she mumbled as she tugged Blake back, his throat grappled by her arm. His lungs constricted, gasping for air.

“What are you doing? They'll be here in a moment. In this grip you won't get away fast enough. Let go of me,” Blake said. The girl hesitated before loosening her grip. Blake deeply inhaled as he watched the girl warningly rush off. The footsteps getting louder, Blake followed.

“Planning on following me forever?” The girl said, at the entrance of a large cavern. Blake panted as he viewed the scenery. Lush flowers bloomed spontaneously from seemingly everywhere, a thick aroma drifting in the air. Crashing water in the distance was muted by the various beetles and birds.

“Not entirely,” Blake replied. “I just needed to get away.”

“So now you'll leave?”

“I guess so,” Blake said uncertainly. He eyed the unwavering girl. She nodded, not amused.

“Where did you come from?”

“I… Don't know.”

“So you just appeared out of nowhere?”

“I don't know.”

The girl squinted. “You aren't very funny for going cliché on me.”

“It wasn't meant to be a joke,” Blake said, puzzled.

“Sure. The sooner you leave, the better for everyone.”

“Everyone? Who else is there?” Blake asked. The girl rolled her eyes and turned around. Blake sighed.

Lyn grabbed a nearby stone and laid it next to the knife. The memory of the boy kept replaying in her mind. His thick, messy black hair, his sleek face, the dark bags under his equally dark eyes… It was as if everything pointed to him being a child from the underworld, the son of Hades.

Lyn let out a smug smile as she remembered the stories she read when she was little. Demigods, wizards, dragon riders, all of them no longer seemed like complete fiction, but rather the new reality.

She took her knife and gently let the blade slide against the edge of the stone. Metal sounds resonated throughout the cavern. A distant rustle caught Lyn’s attention, allowing the blade to slip and cut her finger. She winced while sucking on it. A shadow of a person appeared, Lyn’s heart racing. She gripped the knife with her other hand and gently pressed her body against the wall. The outlines of the same boy became clearer. Her arm muscles relaxed shortly, however not letting go of the knife. She emerged and stared at him.

“You came back,” she noted. “Why?”

“I have nowhere to go,” he said somewhat sheepishly. “I only know of this place.”

“You're pathetic,” she said.

“Technically without me, you would be dead from that guy.”

“Technically, without you he would have never trained his gun at me,” she spat back. He shrugged. Lyn noticed a large animal, charred black, in his hand.

“I brought the predator I killed. Maybe you'll find some use for it,” he said as he flung it at Lyn. She caught it and examined it. The meat was burned, but not inedible. The hide could make nice clothing, and the teeth will always be of some use.

“I also noticed a human outpost nearby. There will definitely be supplies, not to mention the information we could gather from them.” He winced as he gripped the damp bandage Lyn applied.

“Good. I'll check it out tomorrow,” Lyn said.

“I doubt you will make it out alive, much less not raise awareness.”

“How kind of you to point that out.”

“I'm pointing out that you alone won't be able to infiltrate the post. Your combat techniques are superb, but you're not good enough at stealthily taking down your opponent. That time you caught me off guard at the beginning, you didn't grab any of my limbs. I could have easily overpowered you if I had the means. Had it not been for your evasion, you would be a pile of ash right now.”

“How fortunate it was then that you didn't char me into ash back then. It seems it's not only my skill that is lacking.” The boy sighed.

“I'm suggesting a symbiotic relationship. I have nowhere to go and will die of hunger soon. I'm sure you may find use with me.”

Lyn raised her eyebrow.

“You want to be my slave?”

“In what part of ‘symbiotic relationship’ did I mention myself being a slave?”

“I may find some use for you?”

“That didn't imply being a slave to you,” he said. The boy was clutching his arm with the bite wound. The bandage she applied dampened and started loosening up.

“I don’t need help anyway,” Lyn said as she stared at the boy. He shrugged and turned around.

“But I can help you heal that wound,” she called out. The boy looked at her with faint sincerity in his eyes.

“Thanks for not letting me bleed to death.”

“You are welcome,” she replied as the boy entered her cavern. Lyn quickly undid the bandage and examined his arm. Very few layers of fat covered it, the bite marks penetrating deep into his flesh. Lyn gritted her teeth as she grabbed a styptic pen and ran the wound over with it. Blake reflexively withdrew his arm, the bleeding shortly stopped after. He gazed wide eyed at the small stick in her hand.

“Where in this wilderness did you find that?”

“The men who hunt me down have valuable items such as this thing. This ‘styptic pen’.”

“Interesting,” the boy said as he eyed it. Lyn waited a moment before speaking.

“What’s your name?”

“Blake. What’s yours?”

“Lyn,” she replied shallowly. He nodded.

“Tomorrow, we head out for this outpost you spoke of.”

“Good.”

“You make one mistake, you’re back in the wilderness.”

“Got it,” Blake said, his vision unwavering. No sign of worry, nothing surfaced to his pale face. Lyn shrugged.

Darkness enshrouded the interior. A wisp of flame illuminated a portion of the cavern. Lyn sat wide awake, examining the sleeping Blake. Her fingers were laced around the hilt of the dagger. A single cut and the boy before her would no longer have closed eyes from sleep. She gritted her teeth. Her mind was buzzing, battling a fierce war.

Symbiotic relationship?! Ha! Leave him alone for all he's worth.

But, I was alone for all these years.

No need for company, I can handle everything by myself.

Can I really?

I've been fine until now.

Sure I have. Fine is definitely the word I would use to describe my past years.

Lyn gritted her teeth and slammed her fist into the rock wall. Pain exploded in her fingers as she let out a muffled yelp. Her finger was crooked, definitely broken. She cursed as she lay on the ground, gripping her palm.

“An interesting girl you met there,” the figure said. Blake grimaced as he scanned the blank area once again.

“What do you want?”

“Me?” it asked with an eerie smile. “I want the same as you. What do you wish to gain from such a petty girl.”

Blake shuffled uncomfortably. It grinned.

“You meet a lone girl in a jungle whom you just fought. You aren’t at least a bit interested in what she has to offer?”

“I guess I am,” Blake meekly replied. “But I don’t know much. It’s all one big rollercoaster.”

“She wants you dead at first. Then she wants you gone. And now, now you're in a symbiotic relationship? You don't think that is a bit strange for anyone?” The figure asked. Blake stayed silent as it snickered.

“Oh Blake, you have no idea how much I am looking forward to the future. Our future.” It strode closer with a lifted arm. Once within reach, it gently placed its palm on his shoulder. Instantly Blake winced before letting out a yell, tugging at his binds.

“Interesting… You still feel pain,” the figure noted as it stepped back, examining Blake. A small dark blotch appeared on that same area.

“What… Did you do?”

“My, aren’t you cute?” It said, the fangs sticking out from it’s mouth.

Blake groaned as the searing pain did little to cease.

“Now that you feel pain, wouldn’t you want to know your limit?” it said as it hovered in front of his face.

“Damn you,” he replied through his gritted teeth.

“Good then. Honestly, I’ve been so intrigued with your pain receptors ever since I got to know you. I want to know how much pain you can withstand. How many electrical jolts can your little brain endure before it will explode?”

“Sadistic freak.”

“You catch on so quickly,” it replied, clapping its hands.

“Heh, your sarcasm could need some polishing.”

“Aha… I hope you will not fail me, Blake. Everyone else has, but you are still left. Please, I’m expecting great things from you.”

“I unfortunately don’t know what you mean,” he replied, trying to maintain a stern look.

“In all due time,” it said as it plunged its hand through Blake’s chest. He howled.

Blake’s head thrust forward while panting. His heart was banging in his chest and sweat soaked his entire face.

“Are you okay?” Lyn’s voice said from a distance. Blake stayed silent, biting his lip. The vivid image of the figure plunging its arm into Blake slowly faded.

“I made some food,” she continued as she crept to him. In her hand was a small stone bowl filled with a strip of meat. One of her fingers was wrapped tightly. Blake nibbled on it as he examined Lyn. Her hair was a mess just like the day before. Her clothes barely concealed her skin, revealing dozens of faint white scars all outlined across her body. She shuffled uncomfortably as she bit into her own breakfast.

“What happened?” Blake asked as he motioned to her finger.

“Nothing,” she replied quickly, covering it in her palm.

Everything went silent as the two slowly finished the meagre meal. Once done, Lyn got up and stretched.

“Today we head out to the outpost. Our objective is to loot it. We can kill anyone who threatens us.”

“Try not to cause a ruckus. Alarm would be the last thing we would want.”

“Wrong,” Lyn said as she palmed a dagger made from teeth. “The last thing we would want is to be killed. If either one of us is in danger, we flee. Be warned, if you are caught I will not come after you. I'm not your saviour nor your guardian angel.”

“Thanks for cheering me up.” Lyn handed Blake the knife.

“You'll need some kind of weapon and a bag,” she noted as Blake examined the clear white blade. Its razor edge was curved punishingly, a leather hilt bound on the bottom. He gripped it along with the back.

“Thanks.”

“Tell me that when it saves your life,” she replied before standing up, gripping her small bag, and walking to the entrance.

“I'm sure of that,” he said as he followed. Lyn gazed at the rising Sun, the rays of light barely perking above the treetops.

They crept towards the first bush before the outpost: a large squared wall with barbed wire covering it. A few sentries paced the perimeter. Each wore a camouflage uniform, in their hands an assault rifle. Lyn motioned forwards.

“What's our plan?”

“I was guessing the best plan was to first examine each angle of the dome. That way we can find all outdoor sentries and any hidden passages.”

“The dome is huge…”

“Yeah. There will be an interior complex behind this wall. I can count… four sentries on the exterior. If we exterminate them all without causing alarm, we could sneak in.”

“Humans may be dumb, but they do connect dots easily. If we leave the bodies lying around, they will undoubtedly find us sooner or later.”

“Precisely,” Blake nodded.

“I could try and lure them one by one into the shadows and kill them there.”

“Don't go through that risk. One bullet means death.”

“I've lived here for four years Blake, I know that a bullet is all it takes. I'll be careful, mommy.”

Blake sighed.

“Intel would be great. Lure one and threaten him. He should speak. If he wouldn't, kill him. After he is done speaking, kill him.”

“Cold blooded huh, I like it. But it wouldn't give us much of an advantage. The others would notice.”

“True…” Blake said as he observed the sentries closely. One spoke into a microphone for a while, then stopped and resumed his patrol.

“What are you looking at?”

“That sentry just talked on his mic for a brief time. If I had to guess, it was a status update.”

“Aha. So everyone should do the same?”

“Yes. The time interval is unknown, however.”

“I'll wait and observe the sentry. Once he’ll do it again, I can estimate the time interval.”

“How? You don't know what time it is apart from looking at the sun.”

“You're missing the point. I can estimate if it is a long or short time interval. That way, we can validate how long we can stay. During that time interval, we must quickly infiltrate and grab anything we can.”

“Even if we have a large time interval, it would be better to get out as quickly as possible.”

“Yes,” Lyn said as she eyed the man. The two stayed silent as they continued patiently observing the man.

Finally, he spoke once again.

“Good, we have time.”

“We must assume that they all speak at the same time,” Blake said as he bit his lip.

“Yeah… That's why we must act quickly now,” Lyn replied as she stood up.

“I'll exterminate the three, you lure the other one and get some information on the situation.”

“Got it,” Blake said. Lyn nodded and ran off, Blake cautiously viewing the one sentry.

He gripped a pebble and flung it at the sentry. It landed next to the sentry, whose interest was perked up. Blake knocked on the tree trunk and quickly hustled into a bush. The sentry followed closely, his eyebrow perched and gaze poised.

Blake gripped his dagger as the vibrations from the man’s footsteps resonated through the ground. He waited… waited…

    The man was almost upon him. Blake instantly sprung up and pummelled the man’s nose. He teetered back. Blake grappled his arms behind his back, thrusting him towards the tree. A carefully laid the tip of the blade next to the throat.

“Do as much as twitch and it's a one way trip for you,” Blake hissed. The man's body froze.

“Y-you-”

“I wouldn't advise it,” Blake said as he pressed the blade deeper into the flesh. The man let out a muffled yelp as a thin streak of blood slithered down his neck. “Tell me everything you know. Security. Alarm systems. Area.”

“I-I,” the man was cut off as Blake thrust his knee into the man's kidneys. “I don't know, I don't know.” The man was crying now. Blake sighed.

“Don't you have a family to attend to? A loving wife? Children?”

“You...”

“Tell me, and maybe you will see them once more.”

The man gulped. He shook. And he opened his mouth.

For a split second, a large yell escaped his lungs. Blake's eyes dilated as he delivered a swift cut, resulting in the abrupt silence.

M**********r. Blake thought as he quickly looked around. I should have thought of that possibility.

Footsteps.

His nerves jolting, Blake dashed silently to the wall and pressed himself to it.

They heard.

Stamping. Men in boots. All likely armed. They heard.

Blake cursed as sweat filled his vision. He hastily wiped it away, his heart pounding out of rhythm. Looking around, he saw nothing. The sounds came closer, and closer.

Lyn's ears perked up when a distant screech resonated for a split second. Her mind immediately jumped to Blake.

D****t, did he f**k up?

She gritted her teeth as the sentry she was eyeing quickly turned around and shouted into his receiver. A moment later, several armed men rushed out into the open into Blake's direction. Lyn cursed as she concentrated the air around her. Several blades formed before her eyes, all quickly thrust into the bodies of the men. Blood spewed out of their wounds as all but one fell on the floor. The survivor stared in horror at his fallen comrades.

Without hesitating, Lyn lunged and landed a blow into the man's face. He toppled down, with one final strike to his throat. His breathing stopped.

Lyn let out a sigh of relief before she grabbed anything she could from the man. An assault rifle, rations, vitamins, first aid kit. A receiver lay beside, soon being smashed by Lyn's foot.

She gripped the gun in her palm and rushed forward through the entrance.

The sounds stopped. Silence. Blake's breathing slowed down, his heart still thundering on.

Not trusting his hearing, he carefully slid out of cover, dagger in hand. He carefully peered across the edge and there he saw it. Dead men. His mind buzzed as he looked around. A small opening peered at the bottom of the wall.

Blake hastily slid onto his stomach and looked. It appeared to go through to the other side. He grimaced and started crawling. His lean body barely fit between the narrow edges. Dry air made his lungs contract violently multiple times, expelling the air he so direly needed.

It wasn't long before he was allowed to stand up freely again. One small building, entirely in grey, stood meekly before Blake. A few windows peered from the grey bricks, a few rays of sunlight making it into the building. Blake gritted his teeth.

I cannot just barge in and assume no one will notice me. It's one building… But there have to be multiple entrances. There cannot be many people either…

He paused. He stared for a while. And then gunshots were fired. Blake's eyes ran scans, finding a wisp of blue hair flying in the wind.

That damn Lyn.

He grimaced at first, then slowly eased up.

Perfect.

Everyone would be focused on one intruder, Lyn. Not many people would expect another to silently sneak in. Or would they?

Either way, Lyn caused a useful distraction. Whether she will come out alive is up to Lyn's skills and dim wit.

Blake exhaled and bolted forward.

Bullets constantly whizzed past Lyn's fluid movements. It was the same strategy over and over, just let her reflexes take over. A stray bullet could have grazed her skin, but none sunk deep. The heads of countless men came flying off every few seconds, blade in one hand savouring the taste of blood, the other firing randomly.

A trail of blood left in her path, she jumped around until she was in front of the inner building.

F**k the whole concept of espionage, Blake aborted that mission when he let that man cause alarm.

She burst in.

Bleak, grey walls. Cigarette smoke. Bed bunks covered with meagre sheets.

Lyn quickly approached each bed, rummaging through the blankets. Packs of cigarettes, a lighter, some rations, and a bottle with a strange liquid. Apparently it was drinkable. Lyn shrugged as she packed everything into the bag.

Blake observed how Lyn “infiltrated” the barracks. He grinned. The blood around his feet somehow made him feel… Good. Giggly. His insides were jumping. His mind narrowed as he clenched the dagger in his palm.

And he dashed to the next base. Men. Humans. A dark room filled with only skeletons with flesh and blood circulating through it, tendons stitching everything nicely together. It was time to cut those bonds.

One by one they fell as his dagger savoured their blood. Helplessly they all yelped, not a moment too soon before they clattered to the ground. Some took arms and tried to attack. All in vain. The energy in him rose with every kill, with every broken body.

The dark room turned an alluring red in a few seconds. Blake's body moved with the shadows as he phased in and out of the darkness to his target.

And then there was none. Quiet. Blake's grin remained, requesting more, more. But none came. Sighing, his grin faded as he scanned the room. He hit it lucky! Food, drinks, weapons everywhere.

Blake quickly scrambled to take whatever he could; canned beans, bottled water, rations. Everything. His hand passed a small book. He looked over it: “The Time Multiplex, and how a fool traversed dimensions”.

Whatever, probably fantasy or something. He tossed it aside. It's not like he would read it any time soon.

He headed out and saw Lyn glancing at him. Motioning to the entrance, she nodded and bolted. And what speed!

“So much for an elaborate plan. Nice job getting your a*s caught right away,” Lyn comments as she plops herself down on the stone ground.

“I think you missed the purpose of this whole thing,” Blake replies with a glint in his eyes.

“Duh, infiltrate and take whatever we can. Meanwhile, I don't know about you, but I managed to grab some stuff. What about you?”

“Likewise,” he said as he layed out everything in front of Lyn who gazed over all of the goods. He wiped the blood from his blade, quietly examining it on his hands.

“Huh, not bad. I guess this symbiotic relationship has it's benefits.” She lifts her gaze to meet Blake's.

Are those eyes… Shining?

She shook her head with a shrug.

“So thanks.”

“Don't mention it. They will be after us.”

“Live a life of an exile, you'll always be wanted. Don't worry about it. I know how to escape.” She flicks her blade up and catches it with her fingertips.

“Good for you. You'll be wanted even more now,” Blake remarks.

“Thanks,” Lyn sighs. “Appreciated.”

“It's getting dark,” Blake said as he stared at the horizon.

“No s**t Sherlock. If you're tired, just say so. I'll stop pestering you,” Lyn said sarcastically before rolling away.

Blake doesn't respond, unmoving from his quiet stance. Lyn's gaze drifts down.

Idiot. Are you seriously trying to scare off the one person who is willing to stay with you for now?

No, I just-

Well then s**t, what are you doing?

Lyn took a deep breath.

“I'm sorry,” she blurts out. She feels her cheeks warming slightly. Blake turns around, his face directly in line with hers.

“I'm sorry for being so… bitchy I guess. I… I don't know why but-”

“It doesn't matter,” Blake replied. “The main thing is we have our supplies, and you're good at your job. Anything other than that is unimportant. If being sarcastic, mean, and cliché is your style, go ahead.”

“I'm not going to, I promise you that.”

“That's fine too,” Blake said.

“How did it feel? The blood on your hands, their muffled screams. Wasn't it… pleasing to your ears?”

“I told you to shut up, sadistic freak,” Blake muttered. It grinned.

“Do it again.”

“What?”

“Kill her.”

Blake's eyes widened.

“Up there, I also have an impact on your actions. You're sleeping, but I'm not. How about you kill her in your sleep? You won't be held responsible.”

“What? Why? No,” Blake said as something stung his shoulder. It was the blotch, growing ever so slowly.

A clear vision appeared in front of the immobilised Blake. It was of the same cavern. Lyn was soundly asleep, holding a peculiar bottle close to her lips.

“Yes… Closer… Closer...” It chanted. Blake stared, tears forming in his eyes.

“No...” He muttered. The body moved towards Lyn, blade in hand.

“Get her closer to you, violate her, penetrate her.”

“Stop it...”

“Desecrate her. Cut the skin from her arms. Replace the soul you have lost,” the being continued, it's eyes no longer a dark black. Red, completely red they remained.

He was so close. He kneeled to Lyn, placing the tip to her throat.

Chains bound Blake's mind. Nothing moved. Memories hazed. Time dilated and his blood slowed down.

“Stop it,” Blake muttered. “If you kill her, we'll be long dead. Can't you see? She's our saviour. If we kill her, we will die in this God-forsaken jungle with some feline gnawing at us.”

The blade hesitated.

“Why must you kill her?”

The being looked back down at the tied Blake, its grin faded.

“A sacrificial lamb is required,” it muttered before outstretching its hand skyward. Blake yelled and blue flames caught its palm. The chains burned in his mind, slowly loosening their tight grip.

“F**k this. Tell me normally! No more riddles, no more games. Why must we kill? Why must we kill this innocent girl? Why must we spill her blood? And why at random like this? What's gotten into you? Tell me!”

His flames were quelled. The being stood motionless, gazing down. A streak of what seemed like tears trailed down its eye. It was completely crimson.

“I'm sorry...” It said. “But I must bear the burden of my mistakes. I need to clean my name.”

“What is this? The Bible? This isn't the holy testament! You are not a deity. Quit talking like one.”

“What more is there, when there is no pain? Tell me Blake, your friend tried killing you once before? Will she not try to kill you again?”

Its voice was no longer distorted. It was masculine, just after adolescence.

“Tell me, shall she not try to betray your trust? Shall she not exploit thy friendship and murder you in cold blood?”

Black flames enshrouded the being, intensifying each second. Blake's eyes burned.

“I am disappointed in you Blake. After all those times, you decide not to return?”

“Maybe if you didn't speak bullshit, I could return. But until then, I have no f*****g clue what you are rambling about. And until then, I will have my will!”

“Your will means nothing to you in the flames of wrath!”

“Your ambiguous speeches do nothing to kindle them.”

“Blake,” Lyn muttered as her eyes sluggishly concentrated on the twitching figure before her, bearing a blade in his hands.

“No,” he muttered. He gripped his eyes violently and howled. It was dim and out of tune. Blake kept moving, though staying in place. She tried standing up, but her legs gave way. Lyn stumbled into the back wall, clumsily handling a dagger.

“Blake… What's wrong?” She stammered, pointing the knife back at him.

“Desecrate… Stop… Flames… Wrath...” He repeated.

“Huh? What's that supposed to mean?” She said. Blake looked up, his eyes gone in the darkness. A second later, he was upon her.

“Will,” he said before their blades clashed. Her weak arms gave up and Blake's force crushed it. Her body decided to jump, roll out of danger, but all she could do is land face front into the ground.

“Stop...” Blake repeated, twitching. He swayed, covering his eyes again. Lyn fought to stand up. Her eyes begged her to close, the rest of her body chanting in agreement.

“Blake,” she muttered before shakily getting back up.

He rushed back at her. This time Lyn's body remained stone strong. The blade cut into her cheek, and Lyn fell. Searing pain emerged, seeping through the wound into her nerves.

This is it. You should have left him. Now he'll kill you in this stupor you are in.

But… How…

You never learn. Don't trust anyone.

But… I needed someone.

And they destroyed you.

Blake howled as he was brought down to one knee. He was shaking, a dart penetrating the skin on his neck.

An adult man emerged, his face hidden behind a mask. Thick, long brown hair swayed behind him. A black jacket covered his body. Weapons were attached to a majority of it. He came closer to Blake. He snarled, but the man did not waver.

Blake was still shaking. Twitching. He gripped the dagger, then relaxed it, only to repeat the process again. The man came closer, and Blake lunged at him. The man struck his elbow, the arm falling slump. Another fist aimed itself into his stomach, and finishing it with a sweep to his legs. Blake crashed, and was immediately rolled onto his back. He placed a knee onto his back before taking out a syringe and plunging it into his neck once more. Blake howled once more, before falling completely slump.

The man exhaled and took of his face. Blurry scars and misshapen face where the only things Lyn could see. He diverted his gaze at her. She wanted to run. She wanted to escape. It was another human out to take her alive. Or dead. And in this stupor, there was nothing she would do.

He saw her attempt to stand, and walked closer. He gripped her hands and stared directly into her eyes. Without muttering a single word he gripped her and hoisted her around his shoulders. He walked over to Blake and grabbed him by the stomach. And then he rushed out, no sound created.

Lyn gazed once more at her cavern. She tried reaching out for it. So close, just a bit more.

Her eyes became enshrouded in the darkness.