Phase 14

David's Perspective

The fear of succumbing to the crushing pressure of the depths consumed me as the creature successfully opened the capsule. In that terrifying moment, I closed my eyes and waited for my demise. Water rushed in, engulfing the capsule, and I started drowning, but to my surprise, I was not crushed by the pressure. Opening my eyes, I saw that the creature had closed the capsule again, which was now filled with water. It stood before me, observing me as if curious about how I would meet my end.

"Breathe!" the creature commanded, and I struggled to comprehend if I was still alive or not, as its words echoed in my mind.

"Breathe or die!" I began to suffocate, feeling lightheaded as I could no longer hold my breath.

"Just fucking breathe!" Out of fear, I involuntarily took a breath and was shocked when water didn't rush into my nostrils, drowning me further.

"How—" I started to ask, but the creature opened the capsule and reached out to me.

I froze as its cold hand gripped my neck, guiding me out of the capsule. Suddenly, it pierced my jugular notch with its sharp nail, causing excruciating pain.

"We have to remove this microchip implant to prevent them from tracking you, so endure the pain for a moment," it explained as it continued working on my jugular notch.

As it added another nail, searching for something, discomfort spread throughout my body. Afraid it might kill me, I forced myself to stay still and closed my eyes. Minutes passed, and I felt something being removed from the notch along with its nails. Opening my eyes, I saw the small device in its finger. I turned my gaze to the creature as it crushed the microchip.

"W-Who are you?" I struggled to comprehend through the blood flowing from my notch.

"Stop talking, let your wound heal. You don't need to know me, as you already know who I am. Just remember the buried memories," it responded, leaving me perplexed.

"Come with me," it said, dragging me somewhere, and I became even more bewildered as I realized I had a tail.

Swimming with the unfamiliar tail was uncomfortable, but my body seemed to know how to use it. We descended deeper into the cliff where my capsule had been trapped. The further we went, the darker it became, but my eyes adjusted, as if I had the ability to see clearly in the darkness. Or was I mistaken?

"Wait—are we—" I started to ask.

"Yes, remember the laboratory owned by Mister Lex, the forbidden laboratory inside the tower? I know Mister Lex forbade you and Mandryx from entering there when you visited the Green Cave. And don't tell me he didn't, as it was the first thing he always said to visitors or volunteers," the creature replied.

"I remember, but what does that have to do with this?"

"That's why we're here in the Green Cave. I want to show you something that will clear all your confusion regarding these mythical happenings."

We made our way to the tower from the back, away from the active divers. Entering a tunnel, we reached a pool inside an unfamiliar room within the tower.

"Is this—" I began to ask.

"The forbidden laboratory, Thunder. I knew from the start when I saw you with my grandson that you are the son of my deceased friend," a voice echoed through the room.

"Mister Lex," the creature greeted.

"Look at you, you've truly adapted to my experiment," Mister Lex remarked before placing a human-sized mirror in front of me, sending shivers down my spine.

As I locked eyes with my reflection, I saw that I was no different from the creature. Sharp teeth, pale skin, pointy ears, golden eyes, and sharp nails.

"Ho—" I started to speak, but they interrupted me.

"Let's begin unearthing your memories, Thunder. Remember the ring?" Mister Lex asked, showing me the same ring worn by my father.

"This ring symbolized brotherhood. I was your father's senior in the air force. Do you want to know how he truly died?" Mister Lex's chilling laughter reverberated in the room as he gripped my jaw.

"He died because of the snake. I manipulated his aircraft to crash into the ocean, where the snake awaited its food. Do you know why your mother, Étienne, disapproved of your involvement in this mission? She feared you would discover her cruelty in sacrificing your father's life for yours, and how she sacrificed your older brother for you to escape my laboratory. I know you don't remember your brother, whom your mother believed I fed to the snake along with the other juniors who came here fifteen years ago. So, I want you to meet him," he aggressively tilted my head toward my left side, where the creature emerged from the pool, shape-shifting before my eyes.

"Z-zhan—" I stuttered.

"Greetings, brother," Zhan, the husband of Archen, greeted me.

"You see, why would I feed your brother to the snake when I could use him as an experimental subject, just as I did with you before your mother decided to sacrifice him? I know these revelations are difficult to accept and believe, but soon you'll grow accustomed to them because you have no choice. These experiences are a part of your life, and you can't escape them by burying them deep within your memory," mixed emotions eroded my sanity. I didn't know whether to believe Mister Lex's words, but considering my situation—I didn't know anymore.

"Zhan."

"Grandpa."

"Take him to your room for now. He'll stay here, and let his parents go mad searching for him. And make sure Mandryx and Hex don't return here," Mister Lex ordered.

Zhan helped me to my feet, and together we left the laboratory. I felt numb, detached from everything around me. All I wanted was to sink into a deep sleep and wake up, hoping that all these memories would vanish. I would rather face my past alongside Mandryx than endure these revelations. The thought of my mother hating me was more bearable than knowing she sacrificed someone for my sake. It felt as though I was being held captive, subjected to never-ending torment.