( ??? POV )
Sigh..
I let out a deep, frustrated sigh, staring blankly at the cold, metallic ceiling of my cell.
How did I even get here in the first place?
That question gnawed at me like a parasite, eating away at my sanity. Ever since I woke up in this wretched facility almost a week ago, the thought had been circling in my mind like a caged animal, desperate for an escape.
Shifting my gaze from the oppressive darkness above, I surveyed my surroundings. My "room," if you could even call it that, was more like a glorified cage. Heavy, reinforced steel bars surrounded the exit, a cruel reminder of the life I'd been stripped of. The walls were dark and damped, the kind of place that seemed to swallow any glimmer of hope.
The hallway outside my cell stretched endlessly in both directions, lined with other cells, though most were empty. The few that had been occupied were now barren; their inhabitants dragged away by those black-armored guards and the soulless scientists for God knows what kind of experiments.
Cling. Cling.
The sound cut through the suffocating silence, drawing my attention like a blade scraping across stone. My eyes darted toward the source—a cell directly across from mine. There she was, leaning casually against the wall, flipping a coin between her fingers with an infuriating smirk plastered on her face.
"Could you please stop?" I hissed, my voice barely above a whisper but sharp enough to carry across the dim hallway. "You're going to bring those guards and those creepy scientists right back here."
She didn't even flinch. Instead, she tilted her head toward me, her smirk widening. Her alabaster skin gleamed faintly under the dim emergency lighting, and the black circular tattoo around her left eye gave her an eerie, almost otherworldly look.
"Why so serious, newbie?" she drawled, her voice laced with mockery. "You're worried about nothing. I've been here longer than you, kid. Trust me, those goons aren't coming back around this time of day. So just… relax."
Relax? How could I possibly relax in a place like this? This infuriating woman, who called herself Domino, was the first person I'd spoken to after waking up in this hellhole. Though something about her screamed "alias," I didn't care enough to call her out on it.
"Relax?" I snapped, my fingers brushing against the cold metal collar locked around my neck. "How am I supposed to relax with this thing on me?" My voice rose slightly as I tugged at the device, its sharp edges biting into my skin.
"This damned collar suppresses my powers! Every time I even think about doing something, it zaps me like a bug zapper!"
Domino chuckled, clearly unfazed by my outburst. "Yep. Standard issue," she said, flicking the coin into the air before catching it with a deft motion. "Every mutant in this place has one. You're not special, newbie. And newsflash—it's not coming off anytime soon. So you might as well get used to it."
Her nonchalant tone only made my blood boil. I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration bubble to the surface. If it weren't for this collar, I could break out of here. I could kill every last one of those guards and scientists and walk out without a scratch. But no. I'm stuck now. Powerless.
Domino smirked, as if she could read my mind. "That's why you're a newbie. You're impulsive, emotional, and—let's face it—whiny. You're like a walking stereotype of a hormonal teenager." She laughed, the sound grating against my nerves.
I bit back the urge to lash out, forcing myself to take a deep breath. "Tch. Whatever," I muttered, turning away and throwing myself onto the hard, uncomfortable cot in my cell.
The temperature dropped suddenly, the chill seeping into my bones like icy fingers. My breath fogged in front of me, forming small clouds of white mist. The air grew so cold that my body started to shiver involuntarily.
"What the—" I bolted upright, rushing to the bars of my cell. My heart pounded as I called out to the woman across from me. "Domino! Domino, do you feel that?"
She was already on her feet, her smirk replaced by a look of confusion. "Yeah, I fee–." Her voice was quieter now, tinged with unease.
And then it happened.
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the facility, the shockwave rattling the bars of my cell and sending dust and debris falling from the ceiling. The ground beneath us trembled violently, and a deafening alarm began blaring, the crimson glow of emergency lights flooding the corridor.
"What the hell was that?" I yelled, my voice barely audible over the chaos.
Domino glanced at the coin in her hand, her eyes narrowing as she muttered something under her breath. Then, to my utter disbelief, she started laughing—a low, almost maniacal chuckle that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Hah… Looks like the goddess of luck hasn't abandoned me after all," she said, her grin returning, sharper than ever.
I didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified, but one thing was clear—something big was happening, and this place was about to get fucked.
.....
( 3rd POV )
A few minutes earlier
Inside of the rooms of The Facility's base, A man wearing a lab coat that looks like the lead scientist, looked up from his console, shivering as he noticed the frost forming along the edges of the observation windows. His brow furrowed in confusion, his breath misting in the suddenly frigid air. Something was wrong.
"Strange..." He murmurs.
The temperature inside The Facility's base at Alkali Lake dropped sharply, an unnatural chill creeping through the reinforced corridors.
"Dr. Harkins," When suddenly a subordinate called from the radio, his voice tense. "The external sensors are detecting an anomalous temperature drop. It's spreading from the perimeter inward and there's been an attack on the front door."
Dr. Harkins also known as Adam Harkins heard this strange news. His eye widened in disbelieve before Adam's hands flew across the keyboard, pulling up security feeds. His breath caught when the screens stabilized, showing an assault in progress. Figures moved with deadly efficiency through the outer defenses, the guards barely able to mount a counterattack.
"Who the hell are these people?!" Adam hissed, his voice cracking. Panic swelled as he watched the screen.
At the head of the group was a young man with a dark hair falling across his sharp blue eyes, commanding the group. To his left, a young women with a lavender hair advanced steadily, her massive shield deflecting gunfire with practiced ease. On his right, the lithe and swift figure wearing a red ancient armor darted like a shadow, her swords cutting arcs of silver light.
Trailing behind them was a figure clad in silver armor, her armored frame gleaming and her laugh could be heard from inside the helmet as she cut down guards with an almost gleeful brutality.
Harkin watched the enemies sudden attack, before panic swelled as he scanned for options. His gaze darted to the other person beside him, his bodyguard standing by the door. "Kimura! Get to Project CHOIR and activate it immediately. And while you're at it, also release X-23. We need every distraction we can muster."
The bodyguard, a women called Kimura folded her arms, her face twisted in a scowl. "You're insane! If X-23 gets loose, she'll tear through everything, including us."
"Just do it!" Adam barked, slamming his fist on the console. "Buy me time to secure the data."
"Damn it, Harkins!" Kimura shook her head but turned on her heel, her boots echoing against the cold floor. "If we live through this, I want a goddamn raise." she informed, before heading for the containment chambers.
Outside, Ken's team advanced, the sounds of their battle reverberating through the frosty air.
"Get back! Get back!"
"Keep firing at them!"
"But captain, our guns doesn't seem to have any effect on them."
"I said keep FIRING!"
The guards' efforts to regroup were in vain; they were outclassed at every turn. Even the modified guns, which their scientists had boasted about and claimed could kill any mutant, proved utterly ineffective against these intruders.
"Ahhh! Don't kill me!"
"Urgh! No...!"
"S-stop, l-let me go, please...! Aghk!"
The guards' screams and desperate pleas echoed through the chaos. Ken's dagger moved with lethal precision, each strike bringing down another opponent. Behind him, Mash's shield acted as both bulwark and battering ram, clearing the path.
Ushiwakamaru moved with fluid grace, her swords a blur as she effortlessly wove through the enemy ranks. Mordred, on the other hand, reveled in the chaos. Even as a hail of bullets was fired in her direction, her laughter echoed through the battlefield. She cut down anyone foolish enough to challenge her, her excitement palpable.
"Wahaha, Is that it?" Mordred shouted, cutting down a line of guards with a single swing. "I've fought tougher drunks back in Camelot!"
Ken shot her a sidelong glance, smirking. "Focus, Mo-chan. We're not here for fun. We need to do this, fast." He said as he slash another guard with his dagger.
"Speak for yourself," she retorted, spinning around to block a volley of bullets with her sword. "I'm just getting warmed up!"
Ushiwakamaru paused for a moment, surveying their surroundings. The walls of the facility were sterile and metallic, with the occasional flicker of failing lights. Frost crept along the surfaces, a sign of Caster's power at work in another section of the base.
"The guards are thinning," she observed, her voice calm but tinged with disdain. "They're poorly trained. This is no warrior's battlefield, it just pure massacre."
Ken observed the display of Caster's power and nodded in approval. "Good. We're drawing their attention as planned," he remarked, his voice steady amidst the chaos. "Kadoc's team should be making progress." He glanced in another direction, as he could sense their position.
Meanwhile,
Deeper within the labyrinthine corridors of the facility, Kadoc Zemlupus moved with a determination that belied the nervous energy clinging to him like a second skin. His scarf shifted as he glanced at his servant, Anastasia, who walked beside him with an ethereal grace that seemed to contradict the devastation left in her wake. The temperature plummeted in her presence, frost crawling over the steel walls and forming a crystalline trail behind them.
Guards who attempted to intercept their path were met with icy retribution. Anastasia's icy tendrils froze them in place before they could even raise their weapons. Their struggles were brief and futile; weapons shattered against her frost-covered attacks, and moments later, their frozen bodies crumbled into dust, as if the very life had been whisked away from them.
Kadoc's fingers tightened around his CID, a digital map flickering on its display as Da Vinci's voice guided him in clipped tones earlier. The facility was vast, and every second wasted brought the risk of reinforcements. Still, he couldn't help stealing a glance at Anastasia, her expression a perfect mask of serenity tinged with an undercurrent of cruelty.
"Anastasia," Kadoc said, adjusting his scarf as if it could shield him from the biting chill she radiated. "Keep the temperature low. It'll slow them down."
She inclined her head slightly, her voice as cold as her powers. "Of course, Master. These fools are beneath us. Viy and I will ensure no one hinders our progress."
As they rounded a corner, they came upon a row of cells. The sight made Kadoc falter, his breath catching in his throat. Inside were mutants—men and women with haunted eyes, their faces pale and drawn from weeks, maybe months, of captivity. Their gazes shifted from despair to confusion as they spotted the intruders.
Kadoc hesitated. Practicality dictated they move on, but his conscience wouldn't let him. He bit his lip, his mind battling with itself until the answer became undeniable.
"Tsk, we can't leave them," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "Anastasia, open the cells."
Without a word, Anastasia stepped forward, her delicate hand rising with an almost theatrical flourish. Ice bloomed across the locks with a crackling hiss, freezing them solid before shattering into glittering fragments.
The cell doors creaked open, but Anastasia didn't stop there. Her ice crept over the collars clasped around the mutants' necks—suppression devices designed to keep their abilities dormant. With a flick of her wrist, the ice shattered them as well.
"Go," Kadoc commanded, his tone sharp but not unkind. "Head for the main exit. Avoid the fighting if you can."
The mutants exchanged uncertain glances, hesitation and fear etched into their features. Slowly, one by one, they nodded and bolted into the corridors, their footfalls echoing against the frosted floors.
Kadoc exhaled, relief mixing with urgency as he turned to Anastasia. "We're running out of time. Let's keep moving."
But before they could take another step, a voice broke through the tense silence.
"Wait!"
Kadoc spun around to see two figures lingering in one of the cells that had been opened. Unlike the others, they hadn't fled. One was a woman with alabaster skin, her sharp features accentuated by a black circle tattoo encircling her left eye. Her posture was relaxed, but her piercing gaze seemed to size up Kadoc and Anastasia.
Beside her stood a younger girl with vibrant emerald-green hair, her wide eyes brimming with astonishment and confusion. Her knuckles were white as she clung to the bars of the cell, seemingly frozen—not by the cold, but by hesitation.
Before Kadoc could speak, the emerald-haired girl stepped forward, her voice trembling but filled with determination. "Were you the ones who caused all that chaos?"
Kadoc hesitated, unsure how to answer. He glanced at Anastasia, who regarded the girl with a mixture of curiosity and mild disdain.
"We're here on a mission," Kadoc said finally, keeping his tone calm but firm. "If what you call 'chaos' helped us achieve our goal, then so be it. But this place isn't safe. You should leave while you can."
The girl's grip on the bars tightened, her eyes blazing with renewed intensity. "Wait!" she blurted, stepping forward as though she might grab him. "I can fight too! Take me with you. My powers—my powers can help you wipe those bastards out with ease! Please!"
Her voice cracked on the final word, but her conviction burned through the cracks. Domino, the alabaster-skinned woman, chuckled softly, her smirk widening as she stepped out of the shadows. The coin she had been flipping vanished into her palm with a flourish.
"Oh, this is rich," Domino drawled, her tone laced with mocking amusement. "You really think tagging along with Ice Queen and her babysitter here is a good idea, kid? I mean, you've got guts—I'll give you that."
Anastasia's frosty glare snapped to Domino, her presence suddenly suffused with an unspoken threat. "You should leave," she said coldly, her voice dripping with authority. "Before you become... an obstacle."
Domino raised her hands in mock surrender, her smirk never faltering. "Alright, Snow Queen. Don't get frosty with me. I'll leave when I'm good and ready."
The emerald-haired girl ignored the exchange, her desperation mounting as her gaze flickered between Kadoc and Anastasia. "Please," she pleaded, stepping closer. "I can help! I can fight! Just give me a chance!"
Kadoc studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Her words carried a desperate sincerity that gnawed at him. "Why?" he asked at last, his voice quiet but demanding. "What's your motive?"
The girl fell silent, her lips trembling as she searched for the right words. Finally, she straightened, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I want revenge," she said, her voice raw with emotion. "They ambushed me—kidnapped me—and used me for their experiments. They've done it to others too. If I don't stop them, they'll keep doing it. Someone has to end this."
Kadoc exhaled slowly, exchanging a glance with Anastasia. The Caster's gaze remained on the girl, unyielding and sharp. After a long silence, she spoke, her voice cool and detached. "Fine. But if you slow us down or prove to be a liability, I will deal with you myself."
The girl flinched under Anastasia's icy gaze but nodded resolutely. "I won't slow you down. I promise."
Kadoc gave a small nod and gestured for her to follow. "Stay close. And no heroics."
The girl stepped out of the cell cautiously, the cold air biting at her exposed skin. Domino trailed after her with a casual swagger, flipping her coin once more. "Well, this should be fun," she muttered, a glint of amusement in her eye.
The corridor ahead seemed darker now, the alarms wailing like distant banshees as shadows danced across the walls. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on the group as they advanced.
.....
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A/N: Please donate your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!