Survivors of Alterna: Final Run

Chapter 32: Let's Finish This

Akikta paused and stood still within the fog. "Did I just..." He took a step back, nearly falling over from his knees going weak.

The full weight of what he just did suddenly crashed down on him. It was horrendous, unruly, and despicable. He didn't even know he was capable of doing something so cruel.

Atla and Koka had to die, obviously. They were too dangerous to be left alive. But why didn't he just kill them quickly? Why'd he have to make them suffer? How'd he even have the stomach to do something like that?

The easy answer was because he was enraged. But was he really? The anger overflowing in him had completely dissipated, and he couldn't remember why he got so mad to begin with. That made what he did all the more deplorable.

Maybe he should go back and put Atla out of her misery. But it's been five minutes since he left her, and half an hour since the agents left him. By now, the others are probably wondering where he is. He doesn't want them to worry. Besides, he could still sense Atla's pulse, and it was slowing down significantly. If he turned back now, she'd probably die by the time he got to her. He'd just be wasting time. That's what he told himself.

Still, he couldn't get over what he did. He couldn't understand why he did it. Was it because of Aku? Maybe... but Aku had no control over his actions in that moment, and Akikta really wanted to hurt someone. Those thoughts were his, weren't they? He had no one to blame but himself.

He looked at his hands in disbelief, both of which were still covered in black ink. "What have I done...?"

What you had to. A reassuring voice echoed. While Akikta usually hated hearing Aku, even if he was helping, the reassurance brought a sense of...comfort.

"Right," Akikta said, feeling slightly better about the situation.

He shook off his feeling of guilt and continued through the Golden Quarters, following the pulses of where everyone else went.

Eventually, he came across a hole in the wall about twice the size of the two-headed goldie. He felt the pulses further inside, so he continued, entering a wide tunnel.

The fog from the Golden Quarters faded away the further he walked into the tunnel, eventually disappearing entirely.

After a few minutes of walking, the tunnel would end, spitting Akikta out into a circular, well-lit room. He expected to find the others inside, but no one was there. In fact, nothing was there. The room was completely barren.

The only noteworthy thing in the room was a spiraling slope that circled the walls. Akikta followed the slope as it went up and up and up, ending at the supposed ceiling of the room that was football fields away. The slope was essentially a spiraling staircase, but without the stairs. And to Akikta's horror, he felt everyone's pulse at the top.

He stood there, staring blankly at the journey ahead. Then, he got an idea.

With one look at his left hand, he extended it upward and latched onto something at the top. He pulled on whatever he grabbed to see if it was sturdy enough to support his weight, and thankfully, it was. Afterward, he began reeling himself up, using his hand as a grappling hook.

Akikta reached the top a short minute later, learning he had been holding onto a metal railing. He pulled himself up and over the railing, coming face to face with a sealed door. It was then he felt the pulses of all the Splatoon members beating on the other side.

"I didn't take that long, did I?" He wondered, not believing the others regrouped so fast. Then again, it has been over half an hour at this point.

He sighed before pushing the door open, causing it to emit a loud grating noise as it slid against the smooth metal floor. The sound made everyone stop their conversations and look at Akikta.