Dave knelt beside his sister, Sarah, carefully placing his hand on her cold, bruised arm. His heart ached as he took in her fragile form, lifeless but breathing. He needed answers, and he needed them fast. As he tried to shake off the rage still simmering beneath his skin, he spoke softly to the system's AI.
"Bella, analyze Sarah's body. Tell me why she's not waking up," he ordered, his voice low and tense. He couldn't afford to lose control right now—his focus needed to be on his sister.
The system hummed for a few moments before Bella responded, her voice gentle, almost comforting. "Sarah is in a deep coma, Dave. There are no external injuries preventing her from waking up, but her brain activity is significantly suppressed. It's almost as if her mind has been forcibly shut down to protect itself."
Dave clenched his fists, his anger flaring up again. "So, she's in a coma because of whatever they did to her?" he asked, his tone dangerously calm.
"Yes, it's likely a result of the trauma she endured," Bella explained softly. "The good news is that her vitals are stable, and there's no physical damage that can't be healed. I recommend obtaining an elixir from the system's shop. It could accelerate her recovery and potentially bring her out of the coma."
Dave took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to process the information. At least she's still alive. At least there's hope.
"Is she… in pain?" he whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"No, Dave. She's not in pain. Her body is functioning normally aside from being in a comatose state. You don't need to worry. With time, she'll be okay."
Dave let out a slow sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Alright. I'll get the elixir once I'm done here. I'm not leaving her like this."
With great care, he slipped his arms beneath Sarah's frail body and stood, holding her close to his chest. He glanced around at the room that had been her prison and swore silently that he would tear down every last inch of this place before he was done.
"Hang in there, Sarah. I'm going to make sure you're safe now," he murmured as he prepared to teleport. In an instant, the dark, oppressive atmosphere of the underground facility was replaced by the tranquil surroundings of his villa.
The spacious and serene environment of the villa felt almost surreal after the horrors he had witnessed. Dave moved swiftly, heading straight for one of the guest bedrooms. Gently, he laid Sarah down on the soft bed, pulling the blankets up to cover her.
He stood by her bedside, his gaze fixed on her peaceful, sleeping face. She looked so much like she used to—his little sister, always smiling and full of life. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his fingers trembling slightly.
"I don't know if you can hear me, Sarah," Dave whispered, his voice breaking a little. "But I'm going to find Emily. I'll bring her back, I promise. And then… then I'll make sure no one can ever hurt you again."
He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Rest now, okay? I'll be back soon. Just… hold on a little longer."
With one last look, Dave straightened up, steeling himself for what he had to do next. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. Emily was still out there, somewhere in that hellish place, and he wouldn't leave without her.
In a flash, he teleported back to the underground facility, landing in the same spot he had found Sarah. The air was thick with a heavy silence, broken only by the faint hum of machinery and the distant echoes of his own footsteps as he moved deeper into the complex.
He knew he was close now. The information he had gathered pointed to the -3 floor being the heart of the operation—the place where the worst of Helios's experiments were conducted. If Emily was anywhere, it would be there.
Dave descended the final set of stairs, his senses on high alert. The atmosphere grew even more oppressive, a dark, sinister energy filling the space as he approached the door marked "-3."
He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as he pushed the door open, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The floor was a maze of narrow hallways and dimly lit rooms. Strange, twisted equipment lined the walls, and the faint, metallic scent of blood hung in the air.
He started opening each door he came across, his eyes quickly searching each room for any sign of Emily. Some rooms were empty, filled only with discarded machinery and broken glass. Others contained more of Helios's twisted creations—creatures that had once been human, now disfigured beyond recognition.
Dave dispatched them with cold efficiency, his mind focused solely on his goal. They were once innocent, but they were no longer human. Helios had stolen their humanity, leaving behind only monsters driven by pain and hatred. He ended their misery with swift, brutal force.
"I won't let you turn anyone else into this," Dave muttered as he struck down the last of the creatures in one room. "I'll destroy everything you've built here, Helios. Every last piece."
He moved on, opening door after door, leaving destruction in his wake. Guards and scientists alike fell before him—evil men and women who had participated in this nightmare. He showed them no mercy. Their screams echoed down the hallways, but he didn't falter. They deserved every bit of it.
Minutes bled into hours as he tore through the facility, his rage propelling him forward. And then, finally, he reached a large reinforced door at the end of a long hallway. A small window set into the door gave him a glimpse inside.
Dave's heart nearly stopped.
There, huddled in the corner of a stark, empty room, was Emily.
His sister looked frail and broken, her clothes tattered and stained with blood. Her wrists and ankles were bound with thick metal restraints, and her head hung low, her face hidden behind a curtain of dirty hair.
"Emily…" Dave breathed, his chest tightening painfully.
Without hesitation, he summoned his strength and punched through the door, the metal crumpling like paper under his power. He stepped into the room, his gaze locked on his sister.
"Emily, it's me. It's Dave," he said softly, approaching her slowly. "I'm here. I'm going to get you out of here."
She didn't move, didn't respond. But he could see the faint rise and fall of her chest. She was alive, and that was all that mattered.
Dave knelt beside her, carefully breaking the restraints around her wrists and ankles. He reached out, gently lifting her chin to look at her face.
"I'm so sorry, Emily," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."
Her eyes fluttered open, a flicker of recognition in their depths. Dave felt a surge of hope.
"I'm going to take you home," he promised, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm going to make everything right."
With a deep breath, he gathered Emily into his arms, holding her close as he prepared to teleport them both out of the nightmare. He would save her—he would save them both. And then, he would make Helios pay.