Chapter 243: The Neverending Greed (1/2)
The coordinates sent by Diego lead the two allies up north on an uncharted island off the coast. The place was seemly abandoned without much activity. Arriving on the island, Alton was met by a destroyed statue half in the water holding a torch. He stared at it for a while, whispering. ”I know this statue… It used to stand as a monument to freedom and peace. The Statue of Liberty… To think it's still here 400 years later.”
Alice turned, eyeing the statue. ”How do you know that?”
”While in prison, I was attacked by Acceptance; he tried drowning me in my sorrows, sending me back in time through his pocket dimension. I saw life before the collapse. I saw this world through the eyes of the legendary heroes.”
Alice paused for a moment, continuing to stare at the sight as she whispered. ”You saw Eve then?”
”I did—her brother, too, before they fell to the Garden's wrath. Eve believed in her brother to the very end. Even when I told her what happens in the future, she somehow knew and accepted the terms. That girl was brainwashed so much she'd die for his plan.”
”I see… That's interesting to know.” Alice muttered, thinking over the information. ”We should get inside. Diego is waiting for us.”
Descending into the broken statue's heart, the two found themselves standing at an elevator leading directly down. Alton's heart skipped a beat as the sight was all too familiar to him. The sight was a grim reminder of his time in the pocket dimension and his first meeting with the Blight Father. Nothing had ever quite put fear in his heart quite like him; not even his own father could do that. Pulling the bars open, both stepped inside as the elevator instantly went down without any interactions. Letting a long ice blade come out from his arm where he lost his arm Alton stared on whispering. ”Keep your guard up Alice, anything could be waiting for us down here.”
”Another one of the things you saw in the vision?”
”Indeed. The city had dozens of these hidden burrows deep under the surface. Back then, the original Syndicate family used it when they controlled the city. Now, I'm pretty sure V.I.R.A.L has taken over. Prepare yourself I sense the Garden…”
The elevator came to a halt as the bars creaked open. Flickers of light all rippled on as they were met with some kind of lab. Alice held her bow out, walking around. ”This place, it has the same kind of vibe from my father's.”
Watching Alice's back, she went to call out only for Alton to cover her mouth. ”Best not to give our position away. We don't know the reason Diego sent out the SOS after all.” Releasing her mistakes, she nodded as Alton moved his hand away. They continued down the lab's endless corridors coming across sealed off rooms with the same purple flowers and liquid oozing out. This would only confirm the worst for the two. ”The CEOs were experimenting with the Garden… But why? Surely, they would understand everything about it? They were born from it.”
”Do you think they actually intend on going to war against them? I mean, why would Mortem even think to fight its creators?”
”None of this is quite adding up, to be fair. We can explore this facility another time. Our priority is your sister.” Alton warned, moving ahead. Walking around the corner, both stopped hearing loud noises coming from the room forward. Both nodded as Alice stepped back, readying her bow. Alton knocked the door down with a small clump of ice forming, ready for whatever was to come. He stepped back as Diego appeared slightly dazed. ”Well, look who it fucking is. So, you really weren't pulling our leg, Diego?”
Diego held his hands up, stepping out. ”Whoa, whoa. Easy, I'm glad someone answered my distress signal. Didn't expect it to be the two Children of the Garden. Is it safe to be here, you know, with all the Garden shit?”
”Enough small talk Diego. Where is my sister!”
”She's safe, she's safe. I kept her in one of the holding cells while I looked around for a way to call an SOS. The shit down here is just wrong.”
”What do you mean?” Alton pressed.
”First, my sister.”
Diego gave the nod holding his arm out. ”Right, right. This way.”
Following Diego, they passed through more disturbing scenes. Alice gripped her bow, still not all trusting of him. ”Where have you been for two years, Diego? After V.I.R.A.L took control from the Syndicate family, you vanished.”
”Well, I wouldn't say vanished. I laid low for a while until it all blew over; you guys really kicked the bucket that day.”
”None of us could have known what would happen… How did you find this place?” Alton questioned.
”I've been scouting the place out for a while. I discovered it just after the first Syndicate attack. While you were all out fighting dead echoes and your father, I was looking into the real threat. The CEOs not recently packed up shop here. It seems whatever they were working on was a success. Breaking in, it wasn't long before I found Iris.”
”I swear if they have hurt her in any way.”
Diego stopped unlocking a set of doors as they opened up to see Iris resting on the floor. Alice rushed into her sister's aid, checking her pulse. Tears fiddled out as she hugged her oldest friendly close. ”She's alive. My God, she's alive!”
”Then let's go. We shouldn't be here.”
Diego closed the door on Alice, making Alton turn on him. ”Easy, Alton, easy. I didn't just send out the distress signal for help. I could have easily gotten Iris out. There's something you need to see. It's important. I'll let Alice out once you've seen it.”
”I swear to God Diego if this is a trap.”
Diego turned around, looking somewhat troubled. ”Trust me, you need to see this…” Having no choice, Alton followed Diego as they came into a larger open room. A few files were scattered around with the title Project Grief. ”Those are important.”