The Crimson Lions huddled around the giant marble statue of the grieving maiden, her face frozen in an eternal expression of sorrow that mirrored the fatigue settling into each of them. The statue's form loomed above them, casting a ghostly shadow that seemed to mingle with the thick, purple miasma swirling around their ankles. Though they were seasoned Hunters, the oppressive atmosphere of the Garden of Achlys was visibly wearing them down, a silent but relentless force that gnawed at their resolve. The poisoned air clawed at their lungs, leaving their throats dry and their minds clouded.
They sat on broken marble stones scattered around the base of the statue, careful not to touch the corrupted grass. Each one of them could feel the miasma clinging to their skin like a damp, invasive chill, seeping into their very bones. Kade, usually composed and calm, could feel his own patience thinning, a subtle irritability creeping in that was unusual for him. He wiped a sheen of cold sweat from his forehead, trying to ignore the dull ache settling into his muscles, a symptom of the toxic energy pressing down on them.
He glanced over at where Visha was crouched, utterly absorbed in her work. She was kneeling beside a strange black-spotted flower, her gaze sharp with fascination as she noted something down in her notebook, completely undisturbed by the miasma that was weighing on the rest of them. Dabria stood close behind her, giggling softly, one arm reaching out to point at another poisonous bloom with an almost childlike delight. They looked entirely unaffected by the garden's poison, their skin untainted, their expressions serene—even joyful.
Kade's throat felt raw as he spoke, his voice harsh with fatigue. "They appear to be fine, don't they? Like they're strolling through a park, not a divine garden designed to crush us." His tone carried a hint of bitter disbelief, but also a weary admiration. He was genuinely mystified by their resilience, their immunity to the very thing that was draining the rest of them dry.
Elias, sitting nearby and clutching his waterskin like it was his last hope of relief, managed a wry smile. "That's probably because this place is their park," he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I doubt there's another place on Earth where they'd feel more… at home. They're both… well, you know what they are."
Ox grunted, resting his massive ax across his lap as he stared at the pair with a mix of respect and exasperation. "It's like they're having the time of their lives," he grumbled, his voice a low rumble that echoed around the statue. "We're all fighting just to breathe, and they're over there collecting souvenirs." He spat on the ground, a gesture of frustration that did nothing to alleviate the heaviness around them.
Kalum, his expression dulled by the poison-laden air, leaned forward, his voice barely a murmur. "Maybe they are immune to it, somehow," he suggested, casting a wary glance at the dark plants around them. "Their classes… Pestilent Harbinger, Death Harbinger—these kinds of places probably just strengthen them."
Talia let out a humorless chuckle. "Of course, they're thriving here. And we're left to sit around like we're waiting for our execution." She stretched her legs, wincing as the miasma seemed to tug at her muscles, making them feel heavy and leaden. "I'd kill for just a breath of fresh air right now."
Ryker, sitting slightly apart from the rest of the Crimson Lions, kept his gaze fixed on Visha and Dabria as they wandered through the poisoned garden like it was their personal playground. He watched the way Dabria pointed out details to Visha with a gleeful, almost childlike excitement, while Visha took notes with a focused intensity. It was strange—almost unsettling—to see them here, so entirely at home, unfazed by the miasma that clung to everything around them. The memory of something Dabria had said back in Valewood came back to him, her voice echoing in his mind.
In the basilisk strategy meeting, when she'd first seen Visha, Dabria had squealed and practically lunged at her, calling her "Wifey" and then, more somberly, mentioning something about their past: that they had met as children, in a place no child should ever be. Dabria had casually referred to herself as "d4514" and Visha as "v1247"—experiment codes, it seemed. Even now, Ryker felt the chill of those words. They were fragments of a history that, until that moment, he hadn't truly grasped.
Kade noticed Ryker's distant look and nudged him, his voice low and cautious. "You're looking at them like you're trying to solve a puzzle, Ryker. Something on your mind?"
Ryker hesitated, then spoke, his voice quieter than usual. "Dabria said something back in Valewood. About her and Visha being… experiments as kids. She called herself 'd4514' and Visha 'v1247.' Like lab codes." He frowned, the memory weighing heavily on him. "It got me thinking about a few things."
Talia, seated nearby, turned her head, her interest piqued. "Experiments?" she repeated, glancing at the two women with a mix of shock and sympathy. "Like… government stuff? Human testing?"
Ryker nodded, his expression grim. "Yeah. I remember hearing rumors about it a few years back. There were reports in the news—American, Russian, Chinese facilities destroyed in mysterious explosions. No one could explain it. All they found in the wreckage were traces of some kind of super serum and strange biochemical residues in the area." He paused, thinking back. "They said it caused issues with the atmosphere, spread toxins. It was a huge mess. And there were whispers… that children had been involved."
Ox let out a low, disbelieving growl. "Children? The governments were testing on kids?" His fists clenched, a dark look crossing his face. "And they just got away with it?"
"They never got to the bottom of it," Ryker replied, his voice tight with frustration. "Whoever or whatever was responsible for the destruction made sure there was almost no trace left. The official investigation turned up almost nothing conclusive. Just rumors and the remains of ruined labs. But it makes sense now, doesn't it?" He looked back at Visha and Dabria, a grudging respect in his eyes. "They're probably two of the only survivors of those experiments."
Kalum crossed his arms, his expression troubled. "So they were kids… tested on, experimented with super serums, chemicals, god knows what else. And now they're here, completely unfazed by a dungeon designed to drain people like us dry." He glanced at Visha, who was examining a strange thorny vine, her face a mask of calm. "It makes sense. But it's still… twisted. No wonder they're both so—" he hesitated, searching for the right word, "—unhinged."
Kade frowned, piecing together the implications. "If they were subjected to those experiments, it would explain why they're both immune to this miasma. They probably had every toxin and poison imaginable pumped into them as kids. That kind of thing… it doesn't leave a person unscarred."
Talia let out a low, mirthless chuckle, her eyes following Dabria as she pointed something out to Visha with a disturbingly cheerful grin. "You don't say. And here I thought they were just naturally… off."
Elias, who had been listening quietly, adjusted his glasses, a thoughtful look on his face. "If they truly endured that kind of trauma, then this place must feel like… home, in a way. The garden's poison, the miasma—it's nothing compared to what they probably faced. They don't see it as a threat because they've already survived far worse."
A silence fell over the group as they each considered this revelation. The miasma felt heavier than before, almost suffocating, as if it too bore the weight of the secrets it concealed. The idea that the two most feared women among the Hunters had been created through forced experimentation sat uneasily with each of them.
Ryker's gaze lingered on Visha, who was scribbling something down in her notebook with a serene expression. "They destroyed those labs. Dabria's laughter, her glee—it makes sense now. They're not just powerful. They're… weapons. They were built to withstand what most people can't, to survive places like this, and maybe even to enjoy it."
Ox shook his head, a dark gleam in his eyes. "It's sick. And if the people who did this are still out there…" His grip tightened on his ax. "They deserve what's coming."
Kalumm sighed, his voice quiet and contemplative. "No wonder they're so drawn to each other, like two sides of the same coin. They went through hell together and came out… well, like this." He gestured to Dabria, who was skipping toward a patch of thorn-covered plants with an eager grin, utterly unaffected by the deadly surroundings.
Kade watched them both, a newfound understanding softening his gaze. "It's strange, isn't it? They're both so… broken in their own ways, but here, in this twisted garden, they look… at peace."
Talia's voice softened, tinged with a sadness she rarely expressed. "Maybe this is the only place where they don't have to pretend to be anything else. No one's going to judge them here, not in a place like this."
Ryker took a deep breath, letting the weight of the revelation settle over him. He had always seen Visha and Dabria as dangerous, chaotic forces, but now, he understood that they were much more than that. They were survivors, twisted into weapons by people who had stolen their childhoods. And in this poisoned, corrupted sanctuary, they were, in a way, finding solace.
As he looked back at the pair, Ryker felt a pang of respect mingled with pity. "They survived something unimaginable and came out of it… powerful. Deadly. But I wonfer at what cost. And if it was worth it."