The Seed of Hope

Chapter 6: Getting to Know You

It was dark and damp. It smelled of sulfur and the sound of screams could be heard for miles. The heat was so unbearable that the skin stung. Kate stood in the middle of all this. Her eyesight was hazy and she was sleepy. Kate looked around at her surroundings trying to comprehend where she was as she rubbed her eyes. A long dark hallway was next to her and Kate made her way down it, slowly moving her legs as her body leaned from side to side. Creatures coated the walls and some were floating around steadily. Their stingers emitted a green hue that barely lit up the way. Kate gradually began panicking and started running, calling out for her mother and Ivee. The desperation made it harder to breathe but she still pushed on.

Kate ran past an opening in the wall that made her suddenly stop. This crack on the wall called to her, it screamed for her to come in. Kate peeked in and saw glowing orbs and torches. Taking a deep breath, Kate squeezed into the crevice.

Once in, the air felt cold against Kate's skin, the torches crackled and burned in a hot blue flame. There were orbs around the room and walls which- for what it looked like- were made out of crystal quartz. There was one giant sphere in the center of the room that was glowing and pulsating. Kate approached the sphere and inspected it curiously. She noticed a woman inside of it, suspended in the center in a fetal position. Kate looked closer to see long blonde hair, familiar armor, and presence, she gasped at the realization that the woman was Hope.

Kate quickly extended her arm to touch the sphere but as she did, she felt overwhelmed by paralyzing fear.

-"You're finally here..."- a dark ominous voice rumbled the walls around Kate and she flinched, her soul knew who was talking to her.

-"I believe you know who this is..."- a man in a black robe passed by Kate, caressing the sphere with his long metal claws in a taunting manner. His silver hair seemed slightly dirty with ash. His piercing silver eyes caused Kate to tremble. His pale skin had purple and black markings as if it was broken, like glass and glowing from within. Black smoke surrounded him and followed him everywhere he went.

Kate stared at the man and tears swelled up in her eyes, she has never known fear quite like this.

-"Say my name, child..."- the man whispered as he slowly approached Kate, staring her down as a predator would to its prey.

-"B-Bassilsik..."- Kate whimpered.

Bassilisk smiled and tilted his head back.

-"Katerina..."- He followed on. -"You are the one I've been waiting for. I have killed hundreds, probably thousands of seeds before you, but you..."- he pointed at Kate. -"You seem different than the rest."-

Kate tried to regain composure. Her eyes could not move away from his, but slightly behind Bassilisk, Kate noticed one of the spheres on the wall contained a severed finger. She turned to see the other spheres with several other body parts ranging from fingers, hair, and bloody parts that were beyond recognition. Kate realized that all of these belonged to all the seeds before her.

Kate clenched her jaw and teeth as she began to sweat. Her stomach felt like it was doing cartwheels which was making her extremely nauseous. -"You are sick..."- she said in a growl. Bassilisk turned to look at his trophies, -"Oh these?"- Bassilisk smirked. -"This will be your resting place in the end, and you are the last piece I need. I will absorb all of the seed's powerful energy to overthrow that damn Elohim once and for all!"- Bassilisk was standing in front of Kate who glared back at him.

He ran his sharp claws from the back of Kate's neck up to her hair. -"We both know that he did this to himself..."- Bassilisk whispered in her ear in a dark husky voice.

Kate stepped back snapping out of her fear, causing Bassilisk's claws to rip off her hair band, and letting her hair down.

-"I will stop you!"- Kate yelled with her eyes flooded with determination.