Cold Heart

Chapter 11

"You always knew the end was coming. It must be a relief." Druig spoke of my past, standing beside me while I stared blankly at a painting in deep thought.

"That Deviant is still tracking us." I pointed out, focusing on what I knew and remembered.

"Revenge won't bring peace for you, Isla, you're always gonna carry that guilt, it's who you are." Druig reminded gently and calmly.

"But killing it might." I stated with a darkness and determination that he had not seen in a long time, Druig glanced over at me with concern for what I was becoming after I turned to walk off. I had taken a seat beside Sprite at one of the counters, the two of us chatting mindlessly, not discussing the pressing topics of Ikaris and the end of the world.

Ikaris marched into the room with a stern look of determination while wearing his suit. I stood wearily, body tensing with caution as I watched him closely.

"I'm close to figuring it out." Phastos reported to him before Ikaris shot a beam at the design, sending Phastos flying back from the impact.

"Ikaris!" I shouted and Thenas eyes widened slightly at the power in my voice she once remembered from thousands of years ago.

"Boss, what are you doing?" Kingo asked out to him, standing with worry.

"I've let this go on long enough." Ikaris grumbled, Sersi running in behind him.

"Don't hurt him!" She rushed to Phastos side as he groaned on the floor. "He lied to us. He already knew about the emergence." Sersi stated, helping Phastos to his feet before glaring towards her husband. "And he tried to kill Isla because she knew and was going to stop it with Ajak"

"No, he didn't." Kingo refused to believe it. "And Isla never cared for the humans anyway" Kingo shook his head.

"Maybe not, but she cared about us" Thena reminded them.

"Ajak told me everything when we left Babylon." Ikaris told us simply.

"What?" Kingo asked with hurt.

"Isla knew after we all split up, I knew if she remembered why she wanted to stop the emergence she would never join me, and i needed her on my side" Ikaris added as I looked to him with betrayal, finally understanding the full story.

"You were never gonna let us stop the emergence." Phastos realized.

"No. I only wanted to protect you from the Deviants." He admitted.

"If Ajak wanted you to take her place, why did she choose me?" Sersi asked with a shaky voice. "What have you done?"

"He killed her. Like he tried to kill Isla" Druig stated, looking up calmly, anger seething under his skin.

"I had to."

"She loved you." Sersi stated, tears welling in her eyes as I glared daggers towards Ikaris, hurt that he was the reason I forgot my life.

"Did she?" He asked back, his own tears forming. I scoffed at his question, crossing my arms and shaking my head, unable to process this all along with the incoming end of the world.

"She loved you." Sersi repeated.

"Do you think it was easy to live with the truth? Isla went mad because of it" He gestured towards me as I turned my back on him slightly, stepping away. "To know that one day all this would end? To keep on lying to you? If we gave humanity the choice, how many of them would be willing to die so that billions more could be born?"

"We're not giving them a choice." Phastos said, his own tears falling at the thought of his son and husbands lives. "Is this why you're willing to kill? You are so pathetic!" Phastos shouted at him.