Chapter 250: Judgement of the Ten (1/2)
”Anything sentimental remains here, only take the important belongs! We don't have long.” Marcus snapped as the children began running back and forth towards the mines with everything they could carry. ”How's the barrier Petra?”
”Holding… Although Percy is working a lot faster than I would have thought. His power is unlike anything I've ever seen.”
”A Stage of Grief… So that's what destroyed half the world 400 years ago?” Marcus glossed over. ”I'm not even sure I can defeat him myself.”
Diego walked over paranoid. ”Not wanting to beat the dead horse anymore, but what's the plan here? Obviously, fighting the bastard is out of the question.”
”I know that.” He admitted. ”All we can do is run. I found these mines a year back; they lead directly into the city. Most likely used as something else after the war. If we are quick enough, we can seal off the tunnels and escape.”
”But wouldn't that mean leaving ourselves open to the CEOs?” Margret questioned, looking weary.
”The lesser of two evils. That's all to it, if the time comes, I'll buy you all time to escape. The CEOs will most likely only be after me. You take the children and get to safety.”
”No way, Vanguard. We chose to follow you and will do that until the very end.”
”Can Alton defeat Percy?” Petra questioned. ”We've all heard the stories… He can do it, right?”
Diego turned to the tunnels looking weary. ”While the future doesn't show that outcome, I have been wrong before. I believe Alton can defeat him, although I cannot guarantee our safety… Damn it, why the hell did I go along with this shit?!”
”If you don't mind me asking Diego, you don't seem like the sort of person who actively gets into dangerous situations like this, nor were you very hands-on as a streamer. Why did you become a streamer, Diego?”
Diego stared at Vanguard, unsure. Not giving him a concrete answer, he turned away, whispering. ”I guess I joined since everyone else was doing it as well…”
The three remained silent before Margret spoke up. ”Well, in any case, if we intend to survive this Vanguard, we need Alton.”
”My leech ability should have worn off on him. He's our final trump card… But something else has me bothered. Is he actually on our side?”
****
Alton found himself in a lifeless void. Endless gothic corridors void of colour was all Alton could see. As he began walking through the maze of life and death, he felt a presence. One he couldn't recognise but felt familiar with. Turning on the spot, the corridors were gone; instead, a wide-open courtyard was in its place. Behind Alton was an endless drop into the abyss. Stepping away, the sound of chains rattling reeled him back in. The sight was something Alton had witnessed before. A single man chained to the wall with torn grey wings. He was bloody, with scars scattered all across his body. Resting his yellow eyes onto Alton, his dry, cracked lips opened as he chanted two words at the boy, which would only send chills down his back. ”Free me.”
Alton snapped away, sweating; a frenzy snap made him look around, finding himself in a narrow tunnel. Children were running up and down as Alice was commanding them all where to go. She quickly noticed Alton awake. ”Alton! Thank God, are you alright?”
Holding his head, he nodded, resting slouched over. ”Just about. I haven't lost self-control like that in a while… Not really since Paradox. This felt different, though; it felt like I was a completely different person.”
”You gave us all a little scare, their man…” Iris whispered, sitting opposite them, raising her bottle of water. ”Glad to have you back with us.”
”Iris. Good to see you're up; what happened? Why did we find you well, where you were?”
Iris shrugged her shoulders, clutching the bottle tightly. ”I wish I could tell you. All of it is a blur to me. I was with Monty back at the base, and then I woke up here.”
”Monty? That bastard is still around. Ha. Regardless, I feel better now.”
Alice stepped in front of Alton, holding her hand out. ”And what do you think you're doing?”
”Going back to fight Percy. We all know what's at stake here.”
”In your condition? You must be joking. That monster would snap you like a twig.”
”I'm tougher than you think, Alice. If you think I'm just going to sit around kicking it back with a beer watching the game, you're mistaken.”
”I understand, Alton. But others can fight him. Let us take care of this.”