The Children of Lillith

80 Years Before the Merge

"What... happened here?" Orion asked, his voice quiet as he stepped into the desolate village, thick fog coiling around his boots.

The houses were old-fashioned, their wooden frames sagging with age—but that wasn't what made them eerie. Thick, ink-like goo covered the walls, dripping in viscous globs.

It slithered across roofs, tangled with webs that stretched from house to tree like parasites.

Bodies hung suspended in the muck, cocooned tightly, their forms barely recognizable.

Beside him stood a young girl with dark brown hair and bright orange eyes, her presence gently illuminated by a swarm of fireflies that orbited her like stars.

Her expression was weary, almost distant, as she pointed toward the house up ahead.

Painted on its front door, drawn in the same black substance, was a large ouroboros—the crude serpent devouring its own tail.

"It looks like the Children of Lilith have returned," she said.

Orion stared at the symbol, then slowly turned to survey the wreckage around them. His face was unreadable, but his voice was low and hard.

"The Children of Lilith? I thought I warned them not to return the last time we came through here?"

The girl giggled. "Seems like they're calling your bluff."

"I should've killed them when I had the chance," Orion muttered.

A small smile tugged at the girl's lips. "Is that regret I hear?"

"…Regret?" he echoed.

She giggled softly, her fireflies swirling faster as she moved, dancing in the mist.

"This village is gone. These people are dead because you didn't finish your mission. You had a Child of Lillith in the grasp of your hand but instead of killing him you showed mercy. Why?"

"You told me that would be the better path," Orion replied quietly.

"You're your own person, Ozai," she said, her voice now echoing through the fog as her form dissolved. Only the glow of the fireflies remained.

"No one told you to listen to me. So why did you?"

He tried to respond, but the words didn't come. Nothing he could say felt right.

"Stop calling me 'Ozai,'" he said, barely audible.

She didn't listen.

"Maybe it's because deep down, you want to know more. You feel trapped in your own body, don't you?" Her voice coiled around him like the fog.

"You can't even think much outside of what you were made for. But this time, you acted differently."

She reappeared in front of him, holding a jar and a spoon, stepping toward the blackened mass.

"And this was the result. Ironic, isn't it?"

"My purpose is to help humanity progress," Orion said flatly. "I wasn't made to feel. Whether I fail or succeed… it doesn't change anything for me."

The girl knelt and scooped a portion of the sludge into the jar, sealing it tight.

"I could change that," she said. "I could give you real emotions. But you keep refusing. Why?"

One of the black cocoons tore open with a sickening squelch. A villager emerged, body fused with the dark goo, twitching unnaturally.

Its eyes glowed violet, and crackling arcs of purple electricity danced across its limbs.

Before it could move, Orion struck—his red spear forming in an instant and skewering the creature cleanly through the chest. It collapsed in a heap, twitching violently before going still.

"Human emotions aren't mine to interpret," he said. "I follow the goddess's will. Nothing more."

The spear shimmered, then dissolved into red sparks.

"You've been giving me boring answers all day--- I'm starting to lose interest," she murmured, crouching to inspect the corpse.

Every few seconds, jolts of electricity surged through it's body, making it twitch. She lifted its hand.

As her fireflies landed on it, the black sludge recoiled and dissolved into nothing.

"...What is that?" He asked, walking toward her and the body as he stared at it.

"This seems to be a potent form of dark magic. Corruption magic, to be specific," She stood slowly. "Whoever did this has a powerful Signature."

"The Children of Lillith grow more vile by the day," Orion folded his arms.

"I'll be staying here for a while, to try and cleanse this place." She made a gesture with her fingers.

Instantly, the fireflies scattered like a silent explosion of light, streaking through the fog and burning away patches of the corruption wherever they landed.

"Sounds good to me," Orion replied. He turned, preparing to leave.

"You know my offer still stands—if you ever want to feel something," she called after him.

"I already told you no," he said over his shoulder. "Human emotions are too complex for me."

She giggled again. "Whatever you say. Be seeing you, Ozai."

"And stop calling me that," he shouted back.

His voice echoed for a moment as he vanished into the fog.

********

23 Hours After the Merge

Ozai grunted as he manifested a massive red shield, slamming it forward just in time to block the monster's strike. Its massive claw collided with the construct, sparks flying as rain poured around them. The impact sent nearby soldiers stumbling from the shockwave.

This thing… it's corrupted, Ozai thought, gritting his teeth as he dug his heels in. The ground cracked beneath him as the beast forced him back, unrelenting.

Behind him, Sergeant Cooper barked orders. "Evacuate everyone from the warehouse! Now!"

The soldiers obeyed, sprinting toward the back exit.

Cooper glanced between his faltered railgun and the monster,

"Dammit!" He cursed under his breath, dropping the weapon and turning to help with the evacuation.

The warehouse doors flew open and people poured out in a panic instantly. In the chaos, Zero stumbled out, eyes darting for a clear path, the young girl clinging tightly to him.

The monster snarled, unleashing a sudden burst of purple light from its claws. And with one devastating swing, it shattered Ozai's shield.

The impact hurled him backward, crashing through the warehouse wall. Inside, civilians screamed and scattered. Ozai's eyes widened as he scrambled to his feet, bolting back outside.

"I need to get it away from the safehouse—!" he shouted. A crimson light surged through his arm as he conjured a massive red morningstar.

He leapt forward, slamming it into the beast's skull. It staggered, stumbling back with a roar.

"Everyone, head east!" Cooper's voice echoed through the megaphone. He pointed toward the forest, directing the crowd away from the threat.

Soldiers formed a loose perimeter, guiding the terrified civilians as best they could.

But the megaphone's signal caught the creature's attention. It froze, twitching. Two glowing antennae extended from its back. Its pupils dilated.

Then it moved—fast.

It ran straight past Ozai.

"No!" he shouted.

"I repeat—everyone head eas—!"

The warehouse's front entrance exploded inwards, the structure collapsing as the monster tore through. Screams rang out. Rubble crushed some; others were shredded by the creature's massive claws landing on top of them. Blood splattered across the concrete.

Zero glanced back in horror, then sprinted toward the woods. The girl clung to him—until her teddy bear fell from her arms.

"My bear!" she cried.

The monster lunged again, this time at Cooper. He dove aside just in time. The creature smashed into the ground where he stood, sending gravel flying. The megaphone skidded, hitting the ground with a shrill static squeal.

The sound pierced the air—and the monster's ears.

The girl thrashed. Twisting wildly in Zero's grasp, trying to free herself..

Zero stopped. "Wait—no!" He said as she eventually broke free and began dashing toward her stuffed animal lying in the dirt.

"Kid—what the hell are you doing?!" Zero shouted, chasing after her.

The beast clawed at its head, stumbling in agony—until it stomped down on the megaphone, silencing it.

Then it calmed down, regaining its focus.

Its body steadied. It hissed.

Its gaze locked onto the the little girl running. It's claws raised high.

And then—

Boom.

A searing red beam blasted into the creature's chest, knocking it off its feet. The explosion sent soldiers and civilians tumbling. The girl hit the ground just short of her teddy bear.

Trees swayed violently from the pressure wave.

From the ruins of the warehouse, Ozai emerged. A glowing red construct—an exact replica of Cooper's railgun—hovered at his side.

The creature screeched, struggling to its feet, and staggered toward the woods.

The railgun hummed, its red light intensifying with a rising whistle.

Ozai raised it.

Boom.

A second, larger beam fired, slamming into the monster and launching it into the forest. Trees exploded into flame as the corrupted beast laid shrouded in smoke.