Possessed

"Serenity," Zero murmurs, his dark eyes narrowed on her figure ahead. It's dark out, the sound of bugs in the air along with the crunch of her shoes against gravel.

His jaw clenches and he picks up his pace to catch up to her. The hoard of zombies that had chased them to the shed has dispersed, save a few lingering. However he has no doubt that anything loud could bring them all back.

Zero doesn't know how far they go or how long it takes, but after a while Serenity comes to a sudden halt. In the middle of dark alley between two run down buildings.

It smells of rotting flesh and feces, but Zero doesn't think now is the time to complain about her choice in location.

If it was even her at all.

Zero slows down enough to stop a few places behind her. His eyebrows furrow, his hands clenching and unclenching at his side.

Is he right?

Serenity turns to face him, her red eyes glowing in the night. His jaw clenches and he releases a heavy breath.

He's so fucking screwed.

"You're a very hard person to get a hold of, Zero." Serenity says, only her voice is darker, impatient and layered with another.

He tenses, his hands itching to reach for his blade only he forgot to bring it with him.

She smiles, the edges sharp as she tilts her head to the side. "Weapons should always be easy to find."

Zero curses under his breath. "Give Serenity back, Kei'shof." He bites out.

Serenity, or the person currently in control of her body and mind, blinks back at him. "Don't worry, I won't override her, yet." she says. She glares and walks towards Zero. She grabs him by the neck, her grip strong and painful as she lifts him into the air. She smiles up at him as he hangs there, "But things must be discussed, and this is the only way to get a hold of you, seeing as you failed your mission. Which I don't get, by the way. It was so simple a baby could've done it."

When Zero doesn't bother to fight back, Serenity, or Kei'shof, sighs and drops him. He lands on his feet and rubs at his throat.

"What happened to Alk'ver?" She asks. She turns away and walks with her hands behind her back.

"Why are One and the others awake, ahead of schedule? The condition of waking them was something dire. I see nothing dire happening." She paused and looks around. "Well, except for the dead." She shivers, "And where is Three? But most importantly," Serenity pauses, the tension in the air rising. "How did you fail?" She punctuates each word.

Zero's jaw clenches and he looks away, strands of his dark hair falling into his eyes. It's so much worse since it's One's body they're using. It's too much like talking to her, as if she were the one scolding him and not Kei'shof who is not even on the planet. No, he thinks. It's not her. She doesn't know that he failed. She doesn't know anything.

"Alk'ver and I miscalculated they're numbers." He sighs, and turns back to face Kei'shof, "We assumed they would only deploy a singular subject. Instead they sent seven." He clenches his jaw, "As you can imagine, it wasn't something I was prepared for. Traveling on this planet was a nuisance. They need forms for everything." Zero mutters.

"Get to the point." Kei'shof snaps.

"They're Prince, Lor'zent, was one of them." Zero says.

Kei'shof turns to him with wide eyes and Zero winces, "They sent their own Prince?" He whispers. Then his brows furrow, "There's been no news of Lor'zent for the past three years. It makes sense." He tilts his head, "But why a royal heir? How do you know this?"

"We've run into each other a few times." Zero mutters. He runs a gloved hand down his face before tilting his head up to the starry night sky.

"Did you kill him?" Kei'shof asks. "Please tell me you did because so far you've been nothing but a big disappointment."

Zero grits his teeth, his nails digging into leather, "No."

The toneless laugh, the way Serenity's voice rang with such distaste left a hollowness inside him.

"I knew we should have used One, instead." Kei'shof continues. "She would have had no problem ending this all before it even started. But no, Queen Meir'vua wanted it her way." He snaps the words out.

"Careful there, Kei," Zero narrows his eyes, "That sounds like treason."

Serenity glares back. "Why are the others awake?"

Zero frowns and paced away before making his way back, his body slouching as if he's exhausted. "I think they found him, Alk'ver." He murmurs. "I saw an explosion, and then the pods started flying down to the planet. I don't think he made it."

"Alk'ver…" Kei'shof trails off, a frown on Serenity's face.

"The others are scattered." Zero continues. "I'll have to find them one at a time. You wouldn't happen to be willing to lend a hand?" He smirks.

"It's either that or we lose this war." Kei'shof mutters. There's a pause as Serenity's eyes lose focus.

After a few moments of silence, Zero's wrist pings.

"I've sent you their pod locations, except for Three." Kei'shof says. Serenity's brows furrow, her glowing red eyes staring at nothing, "His signal is blocked and I don't have the time to do all that hacking. Who knew the Homosapiens were this smart?" He snorts. "I've removed one of Serenity's limiters so she can find him."

"Will that be okay?" Zero wonders out loud.

"I don't know and I don't care." Kei'shof says. "I won't be the one who will be punished if she fucks up. You will." Kei'shof bares Serenity's teeth in a mean smile. "Let's look at the bright side. You have One by your side now, after four years apart. And once you gather the others, you'll have no excuse to not end this. Figure it out, Zero. Or I'll have no choice but to use her."