Orion paced the open enclosure, curiously exploring the various tools and equipment scattered around. He was sweating profusely, the damp heat making his skin itch, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do.
Glancing back, he saw Kieran hard at work running diagnostics on the equipment. Both of them had been tense when they first arrived. Signs of struggle were evident, tools scattered across the ground.
"It appears human inflicted," Kieran had grunted when they descended into the facility. "Otherwise, there would be carnage."
Orion stayed on alert, despite his curiosity. His gaze frequently darted toward the entrances- especially the dark tunnel that led deeper into the mines.
It was then his sweeping gaze caught an insignia chemically etched into the surface of a metal workbench's surfaces. A large moneybag crossed with a scepter and crowned by a Wellington top hat.
"Kieran!" Orion called, beckoning him over.
Kieran's eyes narrowed as he approached, studying the mark Orion gestured toward. His expression darkened.
"Chembaron Eramis..." he muttered.
"Who's that?"
"A hefty man. Greedy and messed up, like the rest of their kind." Kieran said slowly, his tone measured. "Except Eramis is different... Rumor is, they're funded by House Ferros."
"Who's- ah, never mind." Orion sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Is this some rivalry?"
"In short, yes," Kieran replied with a nod. "But it goes deeper. Just like the House Ferros rumors, some suggest the Poingdestre family stole the Syntixi crystal formula from Eramis's labs."
"Aaaagh- I've been locked up for a year." Orion groaned, clutching his head. "So many names, so many factions. Who are they? What's a Syntixi crystal even supposed to be?!"
Kieran frowned but his tone softened. "Then you wouldn't have heard about it. All this started after the riots. Syntixi crystals are... an artificial form of Hextech Crystals. Far more volatile, far less effective, and dangerous to work with. Their development was an attempt to rival topside."
"That makes sense," Orion muttered, nodding slowly to his words.
"Hehehahaha!"
A faint echo of childish laughter echoed through the chamber.
Orion froze, and Kieran's confused gaze flicked toward one of the three mine entrances, then back to him.
It was easily recognizable- the same childish laughter from the warehouse. Orion growled, a small trickle of magic beginning to flow through him.
Kieran instinctively stepped back, his eyes widening as his gaze fixated on Orion- unaware of the subtle physical changes occurring as the magic surged through him.
"Do you remember our talk on the way here?" Orion's magic felt calmer than he felt, and the magic surged hotter.
//Vi's perspective//
"Come on, we're almost there!" Vi whispered excitedly, with Powder waddling behind her through the mineshaft's narrow tunnels. Powder hummed a cheerful tune, clutching an empty sack with her small hands.
Smiling, Vi felt a flicker of relief. She'd managed to distract Powder from earlier- at least for now. Her sister's episodes were getting worse. This caused Vander and her to stay up late, struggling to come up with a solution.
"Can't knock me for hanging around the Breather Stations now, huh?"
Mylo, looking smug, dramatically brushed the front of his tunic. "Looks like you guys owe me dinner after this!"
Claggor chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I don't think so. This breaks us even after all the other times you've screwed up!"
"Hey! I'm the only one finding gigs since-"
"Keep it down! We're about to-" Vi froze mid-sentence, her gaze shifting slowly to Powder, who stood stiff, wide-eyed.
Vi's instincts flared, something was wrong! Her head whipped back down the tunnel.
A dark figure stood there, faint blue light glistening in its eyes under the unsettling hum of green Chemlights. Vi squinted, unable to make out the details, save for the black wolf mask reflecting off the nearby light sources.
Vi's breath caught in her throat, fists clenching as her stance lowered instinctively in preparation for a fight.
Silence stretched. She couldn't hear the others behind her- not even their breathing- until Powder's hushed whisper broke it.
"That's the guy who I saw spying on us!"
Eyes widening, Vi's gaze shook as she doubted herself. Her chest tightened, feeling more deeply the unknown danger that stood before her, threatening her sister and her family. Growling, she whipped her hands forward and clapped.
The bioluminescent mushrooms and algae shimmered, rippling down the hallway toward the stranger. The light illuminated his slender frame, drawing a gasp from Powder behind her.
Vi bit her lip. 'Powder was right. I can't believe I doubted her...'
A brown jacket and pants, a black shirt but with her favorite band's logo, Scratch- this bastard- and that black wolf mask, resembling Kindred from their childhood tales.
"It's just one guy!" Mylo hissed behind her, frustrated and confused. She didn't need to turn to know he was making exasperated gestures.
Stepping up beside Vi, Claggor whispered, "Something doesn't feel right..."
"No shit," Vi muttered, unease knotting in her stomach. She couldn't place it- this strange aura of familiarity mixed with hostility.
"Leave," a muffled voice with a low, threatening tone reverberated up the mineshaft.
A sudden jolt of familiarity flashed through Vi's mind. She couldn't place it, but the voice scratched at something deep within. She flinched when Powder pinched her shirt from behind, a sharp gasp leaving her lips as her head snapped around.
Powder clutched the back of Vi's shirt tightly, head pressed against her as pained whimpers escaped her lips. Her fingers twisted in her shirt, and Vi noticed small, subtle twitches in her head, slowly growing more violent.
'Oh no,' Vi thought, dread seeping in. 'She's going to have another breakdown!'
Mylo's hands entered her vision suddenly, gently pulling Powder away, his expression fierce yet calm as he nodded silently to Vi, reassuring her.
He changed after the incident- more assertive, and less hesitant. She'd even overheard him crying one night over the warehouse and topside disaster. That night, Claggor stayed up late to comfort him, trying to reassure him that none of it was his fault.
Everyone had changed. Some for the better. Some worse.
'Vander. Powder.' The thought lingered in her mind before her eyes shifted to Claggor. His fierce resolve caught her attention, giving her a renewed sense of determination.
The two turned in unison, in sync like a dramatic duo. Their fists clenched, and loose stones beneath their feet cracked as adrenaline coursed through them.
'Why are we- why am I- so worked up over this guy?'
A low growl from the masked figure answered her question. His presence was heavy and foreboding. Vi scanned him quickly for weapons or signs of a fighting style but found nothing. Just bare-handed. Just him.
Vi whispered back, her voice low but firm. "If anything strange happens- take Powder and run."
The figure's glowing eyes flared brighter, the soft blue hue sending chills down her spine. Powder's shriek shattered the tense atmosphere, kicking off the fight.
"AAA!" Claggor roared angrily, abandoning stealth entirely. He barreled forward with a blind charge, willing to tank any damage. Vi's nimble figure flanked him, ready to deliver a decisive blow.
It was a plan instinctively understood, except the unbelievable happened.
The wolf's mask tilted slightly, unwavering and unmoving, showing no hesitation as Claggor's massive figure charged him. The sight set alarms bells ringing in Vi's mind.
"Claggor, wait!" Vi called out, but her voice couldn't reach him through his tunnel vision as he kept charging.
"AAAA- AGH!"
The collision was over in an instant. Claggor bounced back, hitting the ground hard, as if he'd run into a wall. Vi could see him looking up at the ceiling stunned and confused.
Vi felt her heart racing as those eerie blue lights behind the mask shifted and locked onto her. She threw a straight right punch, desperate to give Claggor time to recover.
Before she knew it, her world was spinning. A firm hand gripped her chin, and her legs were swept out from beneath. Vi hit the ground hard, wheezing as the air was forced from her lungs.
She breathed heavily with her forearms raised, body tense as she held her breath in anticipation, but nothing came. Her eyes snapped open, a mixture of fear and confusion as she stared up at the masked man.
He didn't speak, nor move, and he didn't attack either. His glowing gaze lingered on her briefly before it shifted toward Mylo and Powder, frozen in stunned silence.
"What are you waiting for?" Vi shouted, waving her arms desperately. "Take her and go!"
Mylo hesitated as he held Powder. Vi knew what he was feeling- his eyes were wide with reluctance, and he took a small step back. She was on the verge of shouting again when Powder's loud shriek cut through the tension.
Powder's face was tear-streaked- not from sorrow or fear, but anger. She charged forward with a furious cry, prompting Mylo to shout in alarm, "Powder- EAAA!"
Mylo's expression flipped like a switch, worry hardening into resolve as he joined her in the charge. They were disobeying Vi's orders!
Vi's breath hitched. She was relieved to see their courage but felt the crushing weight of anxiety as they drew closer. Her gaze snapped up to the strange figure, still unmoving, and she wrapped her arms around his leg in a desperate attempt to restrain him.
Recovered, Claggor growled, kicking at the figure's opposite leg in a bid to bring him down. Vi shut her eyes tight, bracing for the violent retaliation that was sure to follow.
"AAAA-EGH" Mylo's desperate battle cry cut off into a muffled gasp.
"NO!" Claggor's voice echoed, raw and emotional as Vi heard him scrambling to rise.
"AAA! LET GO! LET GO!" Powder shrieked, the sharp snaps of her fists landing again and again.
Despite the chaos- the angry scuffle of feet and the sound of fists striking- she felt nothing from the man's leg. No shifting, no reaction. 'What is this guy made of?!'
"Such a sad sight..."
The remorseful, weary tone pulled Vi's eyes open.
Claggor was still trying to tackle the man at the waist but to no avail. The figure held Mylo by the face, his grip firm but not crushing, as Mylo angrily pounded against his arm.
Powder continually pounded at the man's torso with her little fists, yet the man didn't flinch.
Vi's gaze shifted. Further down the tunnel, an old technician stood watching the chaos unfold, his hands clasped behind his back. His face was calm, but carried a hint of mourning.
"Despite your anger," he said quietly, voice echoing off the stone walls, "you haven't struck these kids once..."