ELYSIUM, ʰᵒˡᵒᵀᴱᴹᴾᵁˢ

16 | corruption

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Leave? You couldn't leave! You had gotten so used to the boys and the place, at this point you were attached to them. You read through the message one last time. You couldn't bare but think about how much pain they must be in, fighting off those creatures.

Even though you knew you weren't supposed to go after them; you were going to. Everyone knew that stories end well when you try to save a character, knowing that they strictly told you to not. Of course, you were powerless, and you knew that. You'd probably just get in the way, but you did still remember how to control the R-TRUS from the first meeting you had with the pilot, even if though you needed Flayon to use it, you were sure you'd figure out another way.

You did also study some marital arts with Hakka, and archery with Shinri. You shrugged, perhaps you weren't powerless.

You pulled out a smaller backpack from your room, throwing in all sorts of important things. You went back downstairs, entering the kitchen, putting in the med kit and carefully unlocking the cupboard filled with all sorts of candy. If you wanted to help out, then Flayon would definitely need something to get his energy back up. You hesitated for a moment before leaving, looking back and eyeing the door to Magni's lab.

You could take a potion or two, just in case..

...

You opened the huge front door, to be met with a dark, grey sky. It was around four am, and there was no sun rising. It was looking like it was about to rain, but you didn't care. You ran out, shutting the door behind you, and Hakka's bird tailing you.

You continued to speed-walk through the long grass, holding a map in one hand, staring down at it. You were so concentrated and focused on the map, that you didn't hear the sound coming from behind you.

Fuck..

Your eyes widen as they immediately dart down, just to see a small creature with its jaw dug into your leg. You could recognise what it was immediately, from Vespers book.

It was a corrupted beast.

You pulled out a dagger from your belt, stabbing the thing aggressively over and over, the purple liquid from it spraying out. You didn't really feel anything. You just reckoned that you noticed early enough, and it didn't have the chance to somehow corrupt your body too.

You continued to walk, faster this time as rain started to fall. You hide the map once again, as Hakka's raven sat down onto your shoulder.

"Miss your owner?" You mumble. Receiving no answer from the bird, made you chuckle, you felt crazy for talking to an animal.

"I do too, boy. I do too.." You reply for it, running your knuckle through its dark, purple coloured feathers. You turn back to look at the path, now seeing two figures approaching you. It was a short, blonde girl accompanied by a taller, pink haired woman.

"Eeeexcuse me, miss.. but are you.. alright?" The blonde girl spoke, now standing opposite you as she came to a stop. You nod, wondering why on earth she was even asking you that.

The pink woman shook her head. "Watson, you do know that this girls unaware of what's on her face?"

The girl, apparently Watson, didn't reply, but instead pulled out a little magnifying glass and a compact mirror from her jacket pocket. She handed you the mirror, as you opened it up, to be met with your face.

Except, on your usual skin tone, there were a few black splotches on some spots. You touched your cheek gently with your fingertips, as you lowered the mirror to be met with Watson's worried, blue eyes. She held up your arm, which also began to turn a dark colour, and she inspected it with her magnifying glass.

"Amelia Watson, detective." she said, eventually looking back at you. Her eyes were filled with both fear, and confusion.

"Did you get bitten by anything lately?"

"A few minutes ago, yeah." You reply.

"Your body is corrupting. It'll be under the control of the corruption soon, and you won't be able to control your own body." Amelia said, a worried tone lacing her high voice.

"There's really nothing you can do about it now, it's too late. Just now, we were on our way to the TEMPUS headquarters, since Dezmond apparently might of had a cure." The other woman spoke this time, a serious look on her face. "Calliope Mori, by the way."

You were so surprised, no words could leave your mouth. You were.. corrupting?? So this is what the boys were fighting.. so this is why Hakka's hand was all dark. And this was why they didn't want you to come along on their adventures. It was this dangerous.

"Th.. Thank you.. for telling me, I mean. I wouldn't of have figured that out on my own." You said in a shaky voice, giving the two a weak smile.

"I'll be on my way now" You add, quickly walking off as you sped up again. You had to get to the guild before your entire body got corrupted and you did god knows what.

...

"Fuck, how many more of these are there?!" Axel shouted, kicking off another creature as it went flying.

Hakka meanwhile, stabbed two other beasts with his twin spears, sending them flying too. He turned around to look at Bettel with a smug smile, but Bettel didn't look back. He was staring at something else.

Just a few yards away, a girl, or so it looked like, was coming towards them. Her hair was messed up, and more than half of her face was a dark, black colour, with little glowing marks around it. She was limping, but coming towards them at quite a high speed.

"Is that... (y/n)?.." Bettel gasped out, everyone else attention turning to him. Altare was the last to turn around, his face immediately turning into both fear and worry.

"There's no way.." he whispered, guilt beginning to bubble up inside of his stomach.

Hakka squinted, his eyes widening after.

So did Axel, Vesper and Shinri.

"No.. no, no, no, no.." Altare muttered, tears springing into his eyes as he kicked away another monster which was approaching him.

...

Your vision was blurry, and your whole body felt weird. By now, you were close to Bettel, treading through the glass with bloody hands as you gave him a menacing glare. "(y/n).." Bettel whispered, dread covering his usual smiley face.

You ignored him, instead, you headed right for him, about to claw into his skin before Hakka jumped infront of him, blocking your attack by crossing his spears. You grabbed onto them, determined to break them or atleast pass them.

"(y/n)!! It'll be okay! Everything will be.."

He couldn't even finish what he was going to say, as you suddenly paused. Hakka paused too, so did Bettel and the other members behind them. Axel twisted his head to look behind him. He was met with an awful sight. Altare stood higher up than him, his gun out and pointed at the girl, with a sad and sorry look. The boys watched as (y/n) fell to the ground, hitting it.

Altare had shot her.

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