Episode 8 | The Siren and the Revenant Part 2
#8 of GNCR X - ZodiA WavE Pt. 1
Oliver and Ruth Brown, two brothers on their way to visit their father, discover a grim truth about the nature of reality.
Details: Determined to stop the pandemic, the two brothers set off into the depths of Hermes. While Oliver comes closer to hope, Ruth approaches absolute despair.
Thus ends the first stretch of GNCR X. Two more arcs to go.
Episode 8: The Siren and the Revenant Part 2.
WADE: Aw, what's with the combat stance, Ruth? I'm just here to get my boy! That ain't so wrong, is it?
RUTH: ...
WADE: Oooof course, shoulda seen what comin'. Okay, boy, hand over the vaccine.
RUTH: What- what vaccine? For what-?
WADE: You can drop the act, I could hear LEV from a mile away.
RUTH: ...!!!
WADE: Oh? You thought a gorgon desperately tryin' to get its message out would be quiet 'bout it? Heh, even in death, Dorothy can't get a clue-
RUTH: YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH ABOUT HER!
WADE: Hm?
RUTH: You're the one who did this to her, to all of them! But I still don't get it, curing people? How does ANY OF THIS cure people of ANYTHING?!
WADE: Isn't it obvious? Gorgons ain't just some monsters or zombies. Not demons, not ghosts, they're not even aliens! They're angels, Poseidon's messengers guidin' us all to salvation!
RUTH: Angels... salvation... this? THIS IS SALVATION TO YOU?!
WADE: Of course! Ascendin' to higher beings, ones who defy the laws of reality as we know 'em, breakin' past the borders of physics. Would you really wanna stop that? They're all immune to diseases you know. They don't get cancer, or aids...
He glared over at Holden, nothing but contempt in his eyes for his own son.
WADE: OR autism. This virus is makin' us stronger, and once we perfect it, any injection'll let you keep your consciousness!
The crazy talk was getting out of hand. I knew Wade might've had a few screws loose, but this, my little brain couldn't process it. As I inched my way back, I reached over for Holden's hand. At first, I was worried he'd protest, but instead, he grabbed mine back. We both knew that we had to book it.
Boosting myself sideways, I sprinted over to the door. I barely managed to maneuver around Wade.
His eyes briefly met mine, and in that instant, he spun around, smacking my face with his tail. It made me let go of Holden, and knocked me against the side of Dorothy's bed.
HOLDEN: RUTH! NO-
WADE: C'mere, you little-!
Wade grabbed his son by the arm, yanking him out the door. I was able to get up quick, but it wasn't enough. The moment I reached the door, he shut it. I tried sliding my card to re-open it, but all I got was the buzzer.
WADE: Yeah that ain't gonna work. Already set it to lock.
RUTH: YOU BASTARD! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!
WADE: Just sit there and wait. You'll be seein' your daddy pretty soon.
RUTH: ...? I-I'll what? What do you mean? WHAT HAPPENED TO DAD-?
WADE: *whistling Pigs (Three Different Ones)*
As I banged on the door, I could hear Wade's footsteps. The louder I screamed, the further he got.
RUTH: GET BACK HERE MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!
I found my way to the surveillance room. Needed to know what was goin' on, then set an optimal route outta here. Also had to get some rope out of the disk drive and tie up Holden. Brat really didn't know his place.
And like that, I spotted Oliver strollin' around the same sector. As well as... oh yes, HIM.
I decided to stay a bit and watch the fireworks. There wasn't much of a rush now, 'specially thanks to Oliver nukin' EGO.
Shambling my way down the hallways, with no incidents yet, I finally had time to just... process everything I'd seen. The death, the gorgons, these reality-bending creatures. Still couldn't quite understand what they were, and to an extent, I still don't.
The thought inevitably crossed my mind: where the hell was Dad? Among all this death and destruction, was it really possible that he'd made it? Really. The only reason I'd survived up to now was dumb luck, strategy, and help from an African assassin disguised as a scientist (that was my guess at the time, given what Wade kept implying). I doubted Jay had any of this help.
As the thought of my father being dead clouded my mind more and more, my steps started slowing down.
OLIVER: Oh... oh god...
I dropped to the floor, having lost all my energy. What was even the point anymore? If my dad was dead, all the hell we'd been through was for nothing, right?
What else did I have to fight for? What else was there anymore?
The ceiling began to crack over me, I already braced myself. Tried to run off, but doubted I'd make it out on time. When I looked up to see debris right over my head, my brain had just shut down, I didn't have the energy to even process my death anymore.
And then...
???: OSAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Something, or someone, hurled something at the rubble, sending it flying towards the end of the corridor.
Within the smoke, I could see a short silhouette floating in the air. I armed myself, not wanting to take any chances, but stopped once I heard footsteps.
A familiar pair of black dress shoes and khakis, his suit jacket was gone, showing a white blouse with the shoulders cut off. His glasses were missing, replaced with golden mascara. As for the hair, it was still blonde, but I could see some streaks of black underneath now. Finally, he struck a pose next to the silhouette. Arms and legs crossed, back arched, looking down at me like a sympathetic god.
Soon, the mysterious figure became clearer.
A short, green creature. Like the gorgons, it was like a bald ape with a flatter face. However, the eyes were actually kind of beautiful, with long and sharp eyelashes. Around them were black warpaint that darkened the edges of the face. It had a white, blocky helmet with two floating cubes to the sides constantly releasing some grey energy. It didn't really have feet, just these very blocky-looking cones, with rectangular armor surrounding the forearms and hands. All around it were these plug-looking things, mainly on the head and arms. It had a small red loincloth, and black straps along its body.
TOM: Hello Oliver. Meet my fusion spirit: Muerte Osiris!
I blinked a few times, confused. I know, witnessed dozens of corpses and fought eldritch abominations, and THIS was too hard to process? Might have been the tonal whiplash.
Tom quickly ditched the pose and helped me get up, I could see him blushing a bit. And to be fair, I got a bit flustered too, that new look of his had me feeling things.
TOM: Soooo, yeah, glad you're okay.
OLIVER: Riiiiiight... uh- can you please explain what's going on?
TOM: Well, I might as well start at an introduction.
OLIVER: Wait, intro-
ANUBIS: My real name is Anubis Necrosis II, Nubi for short. I am the son of Anubis, Guardian of the Dead.
His eyes widened a bit.
ANUBIS: W-well, in English anyway, the proper name would be Anpu in our tongue, but you know how it-
OLIVER: Tom, I have several other questions, and the semantics of your name never even crossed my mind.
ANUBIS: *sigh* Right... right.
OSIRIS: Tell him, Nubi. Everything.
ANUBIS: Well, I can't promise that, but I can tell him what I know. Get comfortable, Oliver, this is gonna get insane real fast.
OLIVER: I'm sorry, THIS isn't the insane part?
We sat against the wall, Nubi had let me lean into him and he held me close for comfort. It did feel awkward at first, but he was so calm and warm that I just rolled with it.
ANUBIS: Have you ever wondered if we were alone? In the universe, I mean?
OLIVER: I mean, sometimes. With how shit is in the world, I sometimes think "hey, what if we could just leave this stupid rock already?"
ANUBIS: Well, the good news is, we figured it out. Using enough chroman and playing with quantum physics, people were able to create these Chroman Gateways. With these, people were able to visit whole other universes. This big oasis, the one I said was just a hologram, this is the Gateway Realm, a world between worlds. When you enter a gateway, you wind up here. Then another gate will open that leads to your destination.
OLIVER: Okay, that definitely clears some shit up, even if it's batshit crazy.
ANUBIS: Told ya.
OLIVER: Wait, what about the bad news?
ANUBIS: Like any other civilization, factions formed, and soon, we were all at war. The Great Cosmic War they're calling it.
OLIVER: You say that like it's still going on.
ANUBIS: ... yeah. Yeah, that's because it is. That's the bad news. Currently, the big three are The Exiles, The Diablico Group, and The Order. Each one has its own turf in the multiverse, but The Order is unmatched.
OLIVER: Hold on, The Order are the guys who sent you the viruses, right?
ANUBIS: Yeah. No one really knew the details, but The Order contacted Hermes Medical. Gave them the resources to research the GorgoN SeeD. The reason? They wanted a bioweapon. Something to release onto their enemies and speed up the war. As for how I got into the picture...
OSIRIS: My son, Anubis I, was a soldier among The Exiles. He fought valiantly against The Order, who shunned his kind.
OLIVER: Hybrid... that sounds familiar...
ANUBIS: Hybrids are a universal term for us. Animals who've reached human levels of evolution. Evos, beasts of myth, anything anthropomorphic. To The Order, especially their High priest, we're just that. Animals, ready to be hunted and slaughtered. My father... died in battle, killed by one of their elite soldiers, the Rahu Troopers, then they found his family. My mother was a human, who committed the ultimate sin of loving a hybrid, and was killed on the spot. As for me and my little brother, shipped to a labor camp.
OLIVER: ...
ANUBIS: We were stuck there for years. We worked day in and day out on the farm, no pay whatsoever, being pulled and whipped nonstop like animal slaves. Then we were all told that we were being shipped to a medical lab. I thought we'd be safer, happier, anything better than that, but no. It was just another hell. Prisoners were sent in as test subjects for the CV and GV. Some were like me, some were humans with mental disabilities, some were just toddlers. All of them died in the experiments, including my brother.
OLIVER: What about you? Guessing you escaped?
ANUBIS: No, I survived. Was the only one who didn't overload from the Chroman Virus. Everyone said it was a miracle, so they pushed my body further. They... dissected me alive, without anesthetic, just to see how my pulse differed from others. It- it was fucking hell.
I felt his grip tightening on my shoulder. Tried nuzzling up to him to try and help, but it didn't swing his mood much. Just a snicker and he was back to reflecting.
ANUBIS: Eventually, ICU was let loose, and the outbreak happened. I knew what would happen to me if I stayed, so I snuck out and changed my identity to another jackal working here. He was pretty much my doppelganger, so getting into the role was easy, but I'm guessing he had some history with Wade.
OSIRIS: As for me, all I know is that when I died eons back, I found myself in the afterlife, the Soul Realm. Once there, I found this doorway that people just called SeconD GatewaY. Out of curiosity, I went in, and soon woke up dormant inside Nubi's soul from the moment he was born. Wasn't until after you blew up the place that I appeared.
ANUBIS: Right, I got crushed under a pile of rubble. Pretty sure every bone in my body was disintegrating from the weight. Found myself stuck in this place called FinaL GatewaY-
OLIVER: (SeconD GatewaY, FinaL GatewaY...?)
ANUBIS: -and Osiris just sort of came out of me. Calls himself a fusion spirit.
OSIRIS: It's just a term I came up with, to be honest. I was made from Nubi fusing the Chroman in his heart and brain together, then summoning me!
ANUBIS: We still don't know how the hell it happened, but I'll take it. Besides, um, I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Gramps.
OSIRIS: Heh, you too kid!
ANUBIS: So yeah... that's pretty much everything you missed. Hope your brain's not fried from all that.
OLIVER: Christ, I'll be honest, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't trust me after all that.
ANUBIS: I mean, there were some people who were kind to me, so I never held anything against all evos. No, my hatred is aimed squarely at one man, and one man alone: Wade Ryan. The moment I see him again, I'll kill him. In the slowest, most painful way possible...
OLIVER: You should add me to that list.
ANUBIS: Hm?
I decided to stand up. Not only to stretch my legs, but also, it didn't feel right to stay like that for me.
OLIVER: Tom- Nubi... I almost killed you. I tried to give you a chance to survive, but instead, I just made shit worse and dropped a nuke somehow-
ANUBIS: Oliver.
OLIVER: Yeah-?
I turned back to look at Nubi, he was now hunched over, revving up a punch, and stepping right for me.
OLIVER: N-Nubi? WHAT ARE YOU DOING-?!
ANUBIS: LET'S SEE YOU GRIT THOSE TEETH!
With the sudden force of a truck, Anubis decked me in the face. His fist was firmly lodged into my cheek, my teeth sure as hell clenched together, and my wimpy-ass body was sent flying towards the wall. Noticed after checking my mouth that some blood was coming out. Shriveling a bit, I turned over to Nubi, who just stared down, still holding his fist in the air.
ANUBIS: Snapped out of it yet?
OLIVER: I-I-I'm sorry, what? Why did you-?
ANUBIS: I told you. If you still wanted to doubt yourself after cheating death, I'd come over and belt you one.
OLIVER: HOW WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP?! DO I LOOK LIKE A POST-APOCALYPTIC MINER TO YOU?!
ANUBIS: No, but I like seeing you fired up like that. You should do that more often, it's a good look!
My face was flushed from that so hard...
With a warm smile, Nubi helped me back up.
ANUBIS: Seriously, there's something different about you, and you shouldn't keep it hidden. Not for my sake, not anyone's.
OLIVER: But- I hurt people, didn't I?
ANUBIS: I mean, I'm doing fine. Besides, the way I see it, a life that's not yours? Not worth living.
Walking around these ruins was an experience. The natural landscapes of the Gateway Realm clashed with all of the ruins and broken-down machinery. Walls had crumbled, all around us were these small hills of crushed furniture. It felt like going through a junkyard.
OLIVER: So, what exactly are we doing now?
ANUBIS: Well, luckily, I don't think we don't need to worry about the generator room anymore. Even if it wasn't leveled under all this weight, Osiris packs enough punch to tear down a door.
OLIVER: Are you sure?
Osiris slipped out of the ankh tattoo between Nubi's pecs, and punched a nearby wall segment. The stuff crumbled into a pile of bricks.
ANUBIS: Yeah, I think the simple solution will work.
OLIVER: Been meaning to ask, by the way
ANUBIS: Shoot, we have time.
OLIVER: What's a human?
ANUBIS: Eh? Oh, right, no humans here. Well, put simply, there are some universes where, instead of evos from a multitude of animals, humans evolved from apes.
OLIVER: That's weird to think about.
ANUBIS: I guess? I mean again, my mom was a human, so I got used to it pretty quick. To be honest, I never knew there was a difference, not until The Order showed up.
OLIVER: Really?
ANUBIS: Yeah, I mean my family was always a mix of humanoid gods and hybrids. The only differences were all cosmetic. No hybrids, no humans, only people. When this is all over, that's the world I want to build.
OLIVER: Heh, guess nothing's too different out there, huh?
ANUBIS: Really, racism in a hybrid-only world?
OLIVER: Yeah, you know how it is. Here in America, a lot of mammals get the short end of the stick. Mustelids had it bad for a while, but shit got really bad around 2016. Now you can't even breathe without someone thinking you're some kind of menace.
ANUBIS: Damn...
OLIVER: Think that's why, you know, I always feel scared of standing up to people. I could call someone out for cracking my skull, but then he'd just go "oh no! I'm being harassed by the otter kid! Someone stop him before he shoots the place up!"
ANUBIS: Yeah that's pretty much how gorgons act when a "lowrace" goes at them.
OLIVER: Wait, gorgons can get offended?
We didn't notice something stomping around in the background.
ANUBIS: Not the ones we're fighting, those are Beastoids. They're still alive, but they tend to act more on instinct than sapient thought. Most gorgons are actually Humanoids, which act more, um, evo-like. They're not made with the virus though.
OLIVER: Guessing that's why it was so special?
ANUBIS: Bingo.
As we got a roof over us again, the footsteps grew louder.
OLIVER: What was that?
A heavy screeching could then be heard. The literal sound of nails on a chalkboard. Something was scratching the walls as it came nearer. I could hear deep, heavy breaths under some kind of mask.
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
The beating of a heart echoed, but it was slow and weak. It was like the heart was rotting.
Not taking any chances, Nubi and I armed ourselves, and he let out Osiris.
We stood back-to-back, readying to aim at any end of the hallway, or the walls. However, when we thought we had things under control, just then-
-something burst out from the basement. The shockwave sent Nubi and I flying in opposite directions, and that's when I finally saw him.
A tall, lumbering evoid shape. One arm with a tentacle coming out of it, the other as a giant malformed claw. It had no tail, just a writhing mass of tentacles. All across its body were just spikes coming out, like he just grew swords from the inside. He wore a hazmat suit, face clouded except for one, singular, glowing green eye.
HAZMAT: WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANUBIS: OSIRIS! ENTA DORAGON!
Osiris emerged from behind Nubi, then duplicated himself into three copies. Each one was identical, save for slightly different face paint and skin colors. The main one was green, but another one was blue, and the third was purple. They jetted toward the gorgon, and all simultaneously unleashed a barrage of punches.
They went so fast, I saw thousands of fists flying at once-
OSIRIS: OOOOO-SAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSAOSA!
-then finished with one last punch to the helmet, causing its glass visor to crack.
OSIRIS: IIIIIIRRRRIIIIIIIIIIISSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A little over a second passed. Then the gorgon snapped its own neck back into place. It used its one tentacle to grab all three Osirises, and tossed them to the wall. Suddenly, Nubi recoiled back, with black blood pouring from his mouth.
OLIVER: NUBI! What happened?!
ANUBIS: R-right, if a spirit gets attacked, the summoner also takes a hit. Osiris is made from my chroman, my blood, my soul, they give him similar properties to a voodoo doll...
*KKRRRSSHHH*
A nearby speaker started wailing before quieting down. My blood ran cold at the voice that came.
WADE: Codename: Hazmat! This bad boy was made durin' the outbreak. It's got extreme regeneration, adaptability to the environment, AND an unquenchable bloodlust! Granted, it mostly just wants to kill me, but anything in its way's gotta go too.
OLIVER: WADE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!
WADE: That's none o' your concern. Just know that I have my lil' Holden kept nice and safe. As for your brother, well, we's goin' down along with the rest of this facility~!
OLIVER: What the fuck do you mean-?
WADE: You'll find out soon enough. Just wanted to let you know, still kickin', and I plan on bringin' in a WHOLE NEW AGE of evolution in this world! No more will we hybrids have to live in fear of dyin' as lowraces! 'Tis a shame though, this coulda gone easier. Y'all coulda evolved with me once the GV was perfected, but you just HAD to make it all a mess. But I gotta thank you, Ollie.
OLIVER: For what...?
WADE: You did half the job for me! At this point, blowin' the place to smithereens is just a double-tap. And to show my appreciation, I led Hazmat right to ya, so he can PERSONALLY kill you two! But that's about it. Ciao Buckaroo~! You and your daddy have some catchin' up to do!
That stopped me in my tracks. What did he mean by that?
OLIVER: D-... Dad? HOLD ON! WHAT DO YOU-!
The speaker died out, the bastard hung up, and I was all kinds of confused and mortified. But I knew deep down what he meant, but even still, all I could do was cling to the wall in disbelief. Even while I heard Hazmat inching toward Nubi to finish him off, I couldn't do anything. While I heard gunshots that Hazmat just brushed off, I cowered there, feeling useless as always.
ANUBIS: BIO-DOUMU!
The Osiris clones piled around Nubi and rushed together some kind of plexiglass shield.
I heard Hazmat punching the shield over and over, the glass easily cracking. It wouldn't have been long until the shield shattered, and my only friend throughout that whole journey died.
ANUBIS: YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPELLS?!
OSIRIS: I'M SORRY BOSS, THAT'S ALL I GO-
He got cut off by Hazmat strangling him. Whether the gorgon knew or not, Nubi was being suffocated too. This was it.
CYRIUS: You're just gonna let it happen?
OLIVER: What else can I do? You said I need to cultivate that power I used before, BUT WHAT THE FUCK EVEN IS IT?! NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE!
CYRIUS: Let's put it this way, I can help you, but you need to lend me your chroman.
OLIVER: HOW?!
CYRIUS: First, visualize. Something, anything, an image that makes you want to unleash something.
Unleash, he said... unleash... unleash... release. Release my life energy, my blood.
My hand gripped against the wall, I thought hard, urgently, what release, what can I let out...
That was when it came to mind, a time long ago when Dad was still with us.
I was at a gun range with him, he'd lectured me about why he was teaching me.
JAY: Remember Ollie, your mom and I, we won't always be here to protect you or Ruth. When that happens, I want you to be ready, alright?
KID OLIVER: Do I have to?
JAY: *deep sigh* I wish you didn't, but in this world, we all do.
He helped me grip the handgun, a Twisted Orphan. At this image, I felt a familiar spark around my arm, my veins began to pulsate.
As Dad comforted me, my eye turned black, the scars once again formed around me, my entire head felt like needles had formed within.
JAY: Don't worry kiddo, you just gotta aim at the center. Don't feel bad if you miss your first shot, we'll work on it, okay?
I figured out that if I focused on my aim, and said the name of the model, it came a bit more naturally.
JAY: Hey, that's it! Yeah, imagine it's like a ki attack! Aim, and shout its name, just like that.
KID OLIVER: T-target in the center...
I felt... something crawling down my face, inside my veins. It stretched it wide, like a square peg in a round hole, and slithered down my jugular.
CYRIUS: There we go, keep at it, just a little more, focus. FOCUS.
My body felt like it was disintegrating. I took my torn cargo shirt, shredded it, and wrapped its tatters around my upper torso, tightly around my shoulders to keep them stiff. With that, I raised my arm and aimed squarely at Hazmat.
KID OLIVER: Target in the center.
OLIVER: Target in the center...
KID OLIVER: Pull the switch.
OLIVER: Pull... pull the switch...
KID OLIVER: Handgun.
OLIVER: Weapon... weapon... what is this weapon...
It became noise in my mind, what was this power, this overuse of chroman. Burning into my arteries like fire. An overload.
That was it, at that moment, I knew what to do, and as my determination rose, sparks around me grew louder. Loud enough to catch Hazmat's attention, as he turned to me. Time was running out, but as he let go of Osiris, it was clear who I had to hurry up for.
OLIVER: This fate... is mine to forge.
Target- Target in the center-
Pull the switch...
Chroman Overload-
HAZMAT: WAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hazmat lunged forward, ready to mutilate my body. He'd be on me in less than a second from that distance.
He was coming up...
*STOMP*
He was coming up...
*STOMP*
Coming up...
HAZMAT: WAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*STOMP*
OLIVER: It's...
*STOMP*
OLIVER: It's...
Holding my hand in place, I take aim, my mind cleared. I say carpe diem.
OLIVER/CYRIUS: Dare.
Speeding across my forearm, the object finally beamed out of my index finger.
The blast pierced right through Hazmat, knocking him back, but he barely faltered. He kept running towards me, lashing out his arm tentacle.
I dodged once.
Another lash, I ducked.
Another, I slid forward.
He was right in front of me, my heart pounded, full of that same electricity of life.
It pumped blood across my arm like crazy, pushing out one more bullet, my last shot before dropping dead.
My finger, pointing right for Hazmat, my father's heart.
OLIVER: EEEEERRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One last beam pierced right through Hazmat's chest. Finally, he recoiled and fell backward. A thud so hard and loud, that some rubble fell from the ceiling, right on top of him.
I didn't know yet if he was dead, but I could settle for it.
The thought that he finally found peace.
The only thing that came to mind was to get on my knees. I didn't cry, not even a sniffle, just felt empty. I stared at what I saw as my father's corpse, my eyes completely dead.
Nubi walked over to me, hands in his pockets. While Osiris returned into the tattoo, the demigod spoke.
ANUBIS: I'm... I'm sorry. For everything.
OLIVER: What?
ANUBIS: This all happened because I wasn't thinking straight. I thought we could avoid seeing the gorgons, find the generators, and get out of here. I never wanted you to go through hell, but you did, and I can't forgive myself for that.
I got up to a crouch position, and lightly fist-bumped his abdomen. It couldn't even be called a punch, I just didn't have the energy to throw one.
OLIVER: Snapped out of it yet?
ANUBIS: ...?
OLIVER: I'll be fine. Right now, we need to save the kids, and the world.
ANUBIS: You don't even want to take a breather?
OLIVER: No, until I know that dad didn't die in vain, I can't ever rest.
ANUBIS: You were dragged into this war. If I gave you a chance to leave, would you take it?
OLIVER: When the source of all this pain is dead, I'll walk myself out the door.
ANUBIS: ... Osiris #3, search the ruins for Ruth Brown. Reference my memories for a visual profile.
OSIRIS: Yes boss!
An orange-armored Osiris flew off into the rest of the ruins, leaving me and Nubi alone again. He knelt in front of me, raising my chin to look into my eyes. Those warm, calming eyes of his greeted me once again, it was enough to make me tear up.
With that, he held me close. It only made me feel worse, turning my eyes red from crying, but I needed to feel someone close.
I needed that connection to someone, someone who actually cared.
OLIVER: We'll... w-we'll all make it out of here, r- r-right?
ANUBIS: No need to worry, we're leaving this chamber. All of us. I promise, Ollie.
TO BE ContinueD
NEXT TIME: WE GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.