Chapter 50: Cthulhu

Back at the palace where the empress resides. Guards at their posts near the entrance, holding thier weapons firm. Dones continue to patrol around the palace itself as they are programmed to do so until a set time.

The sound of engines are heard before Aven's ship appears as it slowly descends in front of the palace. The guards stare at it for a moment, knowing full well who it is. Aven, Alecia and Lumina step out of the ship before walking up the few steps leading into the palace.

The three of them enter through he double doors before Aven closes the one behind Alecia and Lumina. Lumina thanks him for taking her out as they walk up the stairs before noticing Ruth stepping down from the left set of stairs, her gaze locked on the three of them.

"Mother, you're back," Lumina said with a smile before stopping with Alecia and Aven beside her.

Ruth's gaze stared at them for a moment, causing an awkward silence. Inner corners of her eyebrows drawn up.

"Are you okay, mother?" Lumina asked.

Ruth manages a slight smile with her gaze drawn to her daughter.

"I'm fine. Just glad that you enjoyed yourself today," she said, switching her gaze to Aven and Alecia before looking down at Lumina once more.

"Why don't you go to your room and study a bit. I want to have a word with Aven and Alecia."

"Of course, mother," she said, walking up the steps and walks past her mother, before going out of view.

Looking down at Alecia and Aven, Ruth's smile fades.

"You two," she said.

"Please follow me." Her voice had a slight whimper. Walking up the steps, Alecia and Aven look at each other before following after the empress.

Alecia stops, before coughing out once again, urging Aven to stop and look at her with worry. With a last cough, a smidge of blood is seen on her hand, looking at it with her eyes slightly widened.

Ignoring it, Alecia walks upstairs with haste, completely avoiding eye contact with Aven.

Walking through the hallway, Ruth's steps are quick and precise, the sounds of her heels echoing along the marble floor. Aven and Alecia soon catch up to Ruth before matching her speed.

—

The door of Ruth's room shoot open with her stepping through followed by Aven and Alecia.

"Shut the door," she said in a fustrated tone before walking to the desk across.

Aven closes it as he enters before him and Alecia watches Ruth as she pours herself a drink, her hands shaking as she does, causing the red liquid to spill over.

"What's the problem, Empress?" Aven asked, watching as Ruth downs the drink in haste before slamming the glass on the metal tray, now filled with the red liquid.

Looking over her shoulder at him, she walks to the balcony door with her arms crossed. Muttering to herself.

"I tried Aven... I didn't expect this... This isn't my fault," she paces from the balcony to the bed.

"I was so sure that I convinced them, but still. They found out. How did they find out. I made sure I covered your tracks. I was so sure that it worked!" Her muttering soon sounds like gibberish to their ears.

Frowning, Aven walks in front of her, stopping her pacing, urging her to look up at him, tears visible at tbe corners of her eyes.

"Who are you talking about?"

"A-Aven. I..." She struggled to get her words out, her eyes train to Alecia, noticing her worried expression too.

"There's nothing I can do to help you or my sister..." 

"Just answer my question!" He said, grabbing her shoulders. Hr didn't like to invade Ruth's personal space, but this isn't the time consider it.

"Who are you talking about, Empress?" He said slowly, looking into her glossy eyes.

Ruth looks at him for a moment.

"C-Cthulhu," she managed out, a tear falls down her cheek.

"They're on their way. They're coming for you... and Alecia."

Aven's hands loosen around her shoulders, eyes wide open.

"I thought you dealt with them?" He moves his hands off her before stepping back.

"I did!" Ruth said, looking down at the floor, wide-eyed.

"My plan worked perfectly. I was certain of it."

"How did they find out?" Aven said, looking at Alecia and turns his gaze back to Ruth with a stunned expression on his face.

"Do you think someone tipped them off?"

Thinking about who it may be, Alecia's mind stir with a familiar woman's voice. Unutterable, and yet, she understands what she's saying to her.

"I'm sure someone did," Alecia said, averting her eyes to the floor for a moment with a frown before looking at them.

"It was her. Raine."

"What makes you so sure?" Aven asked, turning to her.

"Who else could it be?" She steps towards them, arms crossed.

"She's been wanting us dead for a long time. Since she couldn't do it, she thought of something else to make us pay."

"If that's true," Ruth said.

"How did she tell them? No one can just get into contact with them."

"She has a ship full of those escape convicts," Aven said, walking to the one desk and looks down at the bottle of liquid before turning to face them.

"It was likely that someone there knew how to contact Cthulhu."

"Well, none of that matters now," Alecia said, concern showing from her eyes.

"If Ruth is right, they'll be here any minute. Do you think we could escape or stop them?"

Rubbing his hand over his unshaven face, Aven steps towards the balcony, looking out at the distant buildings.

"What do you think, Empress?" He said looking over his shoulder at Ruth.

"Should we try something?"

With her gaze downcast, she looks up Alecia and Aven.

"I-I don't know," she said before her lips continued to tremble.

"I don't want to lose Alecia again."

Ruth pauses for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

"Even if you decide to fight or escape, they would do something terrible either way. I d-" She turns away, clutching her hands over her head.

"I don't know what to do." She sits down on the chair near her desk before leaning her elbows on it, still holding her head.

"What do you think?" Aven asked, looking at Alecia.

Looking at how worried Ruth is, only urges Alecia to let out a sigh before looking at him.

"Well..." She said, tilting her head slightly with her gaze drawn to the floor before training to him before straightening her head.

"I doubt that they know what we could do. They would underistimate us, wouldn't they?"

"That's true," he said, taking one look at Ruth before looking back at Alecia.

"Even so. Do you really want to cause something. We don't even know what they're capable of as well. We'll just have to see wh-"

He pause his sentence, the room is now darker, as if the sun is suddenly behind a thick cloud.

"What?" Alecia said, looking at him puzzled.

"You don't notice?" He said, urging Alecia to narrow her eyes.

"It's suddenly darker."

Alecia looks around herself, noticing how dark everything is as Aven stated.

"You find that weird?"

"Yes. Don't you?" he said with a frown. Looking at the doors leading to the balcony, he walks out followed by Alecia, catching the interest of Ruth, urging her to sit up from her chair.

Stepping onto the balcony, Alecia and Aven both stare at the city before them. Watching as a dark shadow sweeps over the whole city, from tbe shortest to the tallest building.

Both with puzzled expressions on thier faces, they both look up. As Ruth steps into the balcony, she looks up to. Her eyes widen as she sees a large oval shape ship blotting out the sun.

As it draws closer, the whole vessel begins to ignite with flames engulfing the front of it. After a moment, the flames disappear. Large black plates cover it, with red and blue lights emitting between them.

"That's one of their ships," Ruth said, wide-eyed, mouth slightly open.

"One of them?" Alecia said, looking over her shoulder at her before looking at the descending ship once more.

"Alecia! You have to hide!" Ruth said, grabbing hold of her arm, and pulling her, only for Alecia to snatch her arm away with a frown.

"What are you doing?"

The air around them starts to cool under the shade as gusts of wind begins to pick up around them.

"What are yo-" Alecia cough before she could finish her sentence before clearing her throat.

"What are you talking about? You said it yourself. Something bad would happen if we fight or try to escape."

"I know bu-" Ruth stops when hearing Alecia coughing out once more.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," Alecia said between her wheezing coughs. Walking to the balcony wall, and starts slouching.

"Alecia!" Ruth called before moving to her aid and starts slapping her back.

"Just cough out!"

"She was alright earlier," Aven added, taking a step forward.

"Where's her vaccine?" Ruth asked looking at him.

"She took the last one on the way here," Aven answered.

"Are you sure?" She asked once more, receiving a nod from him.

"This is not good. Alecia?"

Just then, Alecia collapses to her hands and knees, causing Ruth to panic. Coughing out uncontrollably, Alecia coughs out blood.

"Aven!" Ruth called, urging him to walk to her.

"You need to take her to Clay, now! He must have the cure by now."

"But, Empress, he couldn't make one that fast."

"It doesn't matter! Take her to him, she nee-" she is interrupted when Alecia stands herself up with the help of her sister.

"It's fine, Ruth," Alecia said, placing her hand on tbe walk before wiping her mouth of blood.

"I'll be fine."

"Can't you stop it? You're clearly not well. This isn't a game!" Ruth said with a stern look.

"Empress. With all do respect." Aven said, stepping towards her.

"We are currently being invaded by them." He pointed at the ship.

"Does it look like I'm concerned about that?" Ruth said, glaring at him.

"Ruth," Alecia said, earning Ruth's attention.

"They are getting close, and I don't have the strength to escape or fight." She looks up at the descending ship.

"May as well surrender myself to them." Just then, she continues coughing once more with Ruth comforting her.

Ruth looks over her shoulder at Aven.

"I don't want to lose her. I won't. Please take her back to Clay." Her eyes begin to look glassy as she stares at him.

Nodding, Aven takes one look at the ship before looking at Ruth and Alecia.

"As you wish, Empress. I'll take her now."

Just then a loud horn sounds with ripples surging out from the ship itself causing the three of them to cover their ears before hearing explosions. The ships travelling throughout the city, sway into buildings as others fall to the ground below.

After a moment, the horn stops. Ruth and Aven lower their hands before gazing up at tbe ship. Narrowing his eyes, Aven spots a small black object flying towards their direction.

"Alecia," Ruth said, stepping back.

"You need to go," she said, looking at her, only to see her lay face down on the floor.

"Alecia!"

She crouches near her before facing Alecia on her lap. Now gazing down at her weak sister and barely conscious.

"What's going on with her, Aven." She looks up at him.

"Get inside," Aven said, lowering himself before wrapping his arms around Alecia.

"I'm taking her to Clay." He picks her up with her arm around his neck.

"Okay," Ruth said, stepping away before her eyes dart behind him before gasping.

"Aven!"

He looks behind himself to see black drone shaped like a mushroom hovering close, with a set of blue glowing lights. It stops in front of them before scanning them from head to two.

Just then, tentacles shoots from it, and wraps around Alecia's torso before pulling her close, but Aven holds onto her her tight. Ruth screams her name from behind, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Empress, get inside!" Aven shouted pulling on Alecia with all his might, gritting teeth, eyes shut.

"Don't let it take her!" Ruth shouted once more, hands clasping on her own head before she moves them over her mouth.

"Get inside, Empress. Now!" He shouts at her in anger, something he has never done. Listening, Ruth runs back inside before closing the doors behind her.

Noticing in tbe distance, few more drones sprout from the ship. His eyes dart to the one his struggling with. With eye pupils glowing blue, he aims his hand at it, blue flames slither down his arm and condences into a sphere before launching it at the drone, destroying it into cloud of fiery smoke and debree, causing him to fall to the ground with Alecia in his arms.

Moving her off himself, he stands up before ripping off the tentacles trapping her.

"We need to get out of here now," he said, snapping the last one before moving his hand under her legs and the other under her neck.

"For our own sake."

He lifts her off the floor. Levitating, he flies off the balcony, and proceeds through the streets of flying ships as he dodges each one with Alecia holding onto him.

Looking behind himself, he sees multiple Cthulhu drones chasing after him. Some of them collide with oncoming ships, causing explosions and chaos throughout the streets.

"What's happening back there?" She asked in a loud time, looking around herself in panic.

"You don't need to know!" He said, taking quick glances behind himself.

"We need to find a safe place to hide!"

Suddenly, he slows with a wide-eyed look. He gazes over his shoulder to see a tentacle wrapped around his ankle.

Turning to face it, he tries to snap away from its grip, but there's no use. With enough room, he aims his hand under Alecia's neck before shooting another sphere at the drone, destroying it in tbe process; causing both of them to fall back, with Aven losing his grip on Alecia.

With a small scream, Alecia falls with Aven before they tumble along the road. Standing himself up with haste, he turns around while stepping backwards, watching the chaos before him, smoke and flames spread across the road. No drones in sight.

Gasping, he turns to Alecia, watching as she struggles to stand up, strands of her white hair lifting off of the concrete. Still, she continues to cough out blood.

"Why do we bother running, Aven?" She said between her coughs before standing herself up with his help.

"Maybe it's best to turn ourselves in."

"Don't be foolish," he said, walking with her arm around him towards an alleyway.

"You will die if you go with them. I'll make sure Clay gives you the cure before anything. Even if it's the last thing I do."

A civilian watching the fire and smoke, turns to them before calling out to them, urging Aven to look thier way.

"Do you need help?" He asked.

"No thanks, move along," Aven answered before walking into the alleyway with her.

Aven sets her down on a small wall built into tbe base of the building. Taking a peice of fabric from his pocket, he rubs the blood from her mouth before throwing it away. He places his fingers under her chin before lifting her head up to meet her gaze.

"Don't you give up. You hear me?" He moves his hand away before standing straight.

"As soon as Clay gives us the cure, you'll be better than new. Then maybe we'll be able to destroy that Cthulhu ship. What do you say?"

"It wouldn't matter, Aven," she said, gazing at the floor and shaking her head.

"They would bring more of them. They won't stop. We'd only make it worse for ourselves."

Aven sighs, urging her to look up at him.

"Fair enough," he said, taking one look at the street before looking at her again.

"Why did you do it, Alecia? Did you even think about your own well-being?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your illness. Why did you do it?" He asked again.

"Did you ever think about how hard it would be to cure it?"

Standing herself up while leaning the one bin next to her, she turns to him.

"I had to, Aven. If I didn't do it, I don't think I would have slept knowing that I failed a child."

She lets out another cough and clears her throat before turning her gaze to him.

"The girl deserved to live," she averts her eyes with a saddened look.

"Instead of someone like me."

"Fine. Another fair point," he said leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed, a look of disappointment etched in his face.

"This isn't the first dumb decision you've made-"

"It wasn't dumb!" She said in fustration before letting out a few coughs, and leans her arm on the wall with her head against it.

"Fine!" Aven leaned off the wall to walk to her.

"My point is that, this isn't the first time you made a decision without thinking about the consequences."

"What?" She said, turn her head to look at him.

"When?"

"Don't play like you don't know," he scoffed.

"Humor me."

"Back on Earth, you with Eva," he said, urging her to lean off the wall to listen.

"When she was on the ground and dying. I don't know why you did it, or what made you decide to-"

"Can we not do this now?" Alecia interrupted, leaving Aven with a frown.

"This isn't the best time to talk, especially with that ship out there."

"No," Aven said, shaking his head with an irritated look in his eyes.

"Because whatever you did, affected you in ways I could barely understand. Back in that prison, I don't know how or what it was exactly. You should be dead right now, if it wasn't for what happened there."

"With Raine?" Alecia said

"I saw her kill you," he continued, glaring at her.

"But then out of nowhere, you somehow revived and..." he gazes doen, trying to gather his thoughts.

Alecia turns her head slightly, eyes still locked onto him.

"And?"

"I swear," he looks up at her, lips pinched closed.

"What I saw. It wasn't you anymore, Alecia. It's like you were a whole different person. I barely even recognized you."

"What?" She said, taking a step forward.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You actually don't remember?" His question only urges Alecia to shake her head.

"The way you dealt with Raine, you delighted in causing her pain. Almost beat her to death."

Alecia doesn't answer, a feeling of extreme guilt and confusion.

"I... I did?" She looks up at him.

"You know what was disturbing the most?" Aven said, taking another slow step towards her.

"That aura I saw surging from your body, the energy I sensed from you. I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. But then I realized after piecing everything together. Do you realized what you've done to yourself?"

Alecia gazes down at the ground, trying to peice together any thoughts about the prison. Just fragments, it's still a blur. She only remembers Eva while she was unconscious, and what she saw in the mirror in Ruth's room.

"For whatever reason," Aven continued, urging her to look at him.

"You decided it was a good idea to obsorb Eva's essence, and somehow her conscious. For what I've seen, it's only a matter of time before it gets worse, unless we do something about it."

"I'm sorry, Aven," she said, letting out dry coughs before turning away from him.

"Don't say sorry to me. When and if we cure you," he continued in tbe midst of her coughing.

"We are going to find a way to get that thing out of you. As long as Eva's conscious is dancing in that skull of yours, it's only a matter of time before you lose yourself entirely."

"How do you think we'll do that?" She said, turning to face him before rubbing her mouth.

"Don't know but, we'll find a way," he answered with a shrug.

"But in tbe meantime, we have other problems to deal with." With that, he receives a nod from her.

"We can't get to Clay in your condition," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. He closes his eyes before blue flames surge from his body, only to spread out along his arm to her body.

After a moment, the wheezing of her breathing fades before the flames fade away. Aven opens his eyes, pupils find out.

"Feel better?"

Alecia takes in a deep breath before exhaling with her eyes closed.

"Much better," she said, opening her eyes to look at him.

"Thank you."

"You should have asked me to do that before," he said, earning a chuckle from her, he lowers his hand.

"We've been wasting time here. It's best we be careful when heading to Clay" He turns around before stepping away with Alecia following him down the alleyway on the opposite direction from where they entered.

"What if he doesn't have a cure?" Alecia asked, catching up to him.

"There's always another way," he said, levitating off the ground and hovers off before Alecia does the same and follows after, now with a worrisome look on her face.

If only she knew what the future brings, but looking at circumstances, it's not hard to predict what will happen. No matter how she tries to be positive about it, her future is dark and bitter. It is either falling prey to the deadly virus, losing herself entirely, or be forever imprisoned in Cthulhu prison. It is unfortunate that all the wrong choices she has made in her life, has led her to be face to face with three dark paths.

She only hopes that she could find a fourth one, a path to a future where she'd be happy. Being with her Ruth, where she would be happy being around her instead of being angry, but like many desired futures, it is only a fantasy that many hope for.