The Originals

Chains of Perception

"Ugh." Hiro grunts as chains dug into his wrists, their heat sending waves of discomfort through his arms. He appears to be in a small room that reeked of rust and stale air, each breath scratching at his throat. A faint orange glow pulses in the darkness, mocking him with its eerie rhythm.

"A cell." He mumbles. The room is empty, with the concrete walls deteriorating in front of his eyes almost. There's no window, and just a lit torch somewhere down the hall. The bars are rusty and look easy to break. 

"I'll just get out real quick." Hiro pulls and opens his hand in attempt to use his powers-nothing happens. The orange glow lights a little brighter in response.

"What the hell?" He clenches his fists, trying again to summon his powers. Nothing. The chains glow brighter, mocking his efforts. For the first time in decades, he feels truly helpless. The weight of the chains begins to hit him. Somewhere, he thought, someone has to know he was here. 'Taka... don't let me down.'

                                                                      Outside the Citadel.

"Please be alive, Hiro." Taka muttered as he approaches the Citadel gate. The aftermath of Hiro's battle litters the grounds: scorched earth, twisted metal, and bodies strewn about. His gaze lingers on a dark stain on the ground where something—or someone—had been obliterated. Nearby, Illiun kneels in prayer, his bandaged stump of an arm trembling as he clasps his hand, and stump.

Taka reaches the gate, where a lone guard stands, visibly shaken.

"Hello there. My name is Taka Tatsuya." He extends a hand, his tone calm, almost formal.

The guard flinches. "S-Sorry, sir. I can't let anyone through."

"I believe I'm an exception. I'm the Original Oceanic. I assist in special cases. I just want to speak with the Emperor."

"P-please come back another time. The Emperor is preoccupied."

"No. I need to speak with him immediately." Taka's voice hardens, his mind consumed by a single question: Where is Hiro?

The guard hesitates, then shook his head. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I can't."

Taka exhales slowly, closing his eyes. The rhythm of water fills his senses. He feels the steady flow of Illiun's blood, the nervous energy of the female guard hiding nearby, and deeper still—beneath the Citadel—the unnaturally still presence of Hiro. Another faint pulse flickers across the dungeon, slow and fragile. Who is that?

"Okay," Taka said, reopening his eyes. He smiles at the guard. "Terribly sorry to disturb you." He turns, walking toward the wall beside the gate.

"Stay alive, Hiro," he whispers, launching himself skyward in a burst of water. The spray shimmers in the sunlight as he soared toward a guard tower. I can't lose anyone else.

                                                                        Citadel Dungeon.
"Can anyone hear me?" Hiro's voice cracks, the words swallowed by the suffocating silence. His grip tightens on the chains. He isn't struggling, but continues to try to use his powers without success.

"Nobody can hear you, friend." A voice that Hiro knows all to well hits his ears and makes him tense.

"Lucius." Hiro grumbles.

"Good to see you." Lucius says as he opens the gate and steps in. He is no longer wearing the top part of his armor, just like Jefald earlier. He leaves the gate open, knowing fully well that Hiro can't escape his captivity.

"The feeling is not mutual." Hiro spits in Lucius's face.

"Haha! You truly are-" Lucius punches Hiro in his side, "hilarious!" Hiro grunts and begins to swing side to side.

"Fuck you. I'm the good guy, asshole." Hiro chokes out through his clenched teeth.

Lucius's laughter died instantly. His expression darkened. "Good guy?" He stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. "What have you done that's so good, Hirito? You fought in a war that didn't need to happen. You killed the one man who could've saved us all."

"What the hell are you talking about? The One wanted to control the world!"

Lucius leaned in, his purple eyes burning. "The One wanted unity. Prosperity. You Originals destroyed that because you couldn't stand the thought of losing your precious power."

Hiro's breath hitched, memories of the war surfacing unbidden. "You're delusional," he said, but his voice lacked conviction.

"He wanted peace and prosperity! You took that!"

"He wanted death and destruction! He wanted a world order!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is."

"Who came up with the idea for The Citadel? For Government?"

"Well-" Hiro stops.

"Exactly. Who came up with the idea to mine the resources from the Colonies and make things with them? Who created our modern technology? Gave us ideas to prosper our world into a new age?"

"He took over people!"

"He gave them Unity! He gave them peace and hope!" Silence engulfed the room. "He wanted nothing more than to have a world united. You people just couldn't stand for it. You wanted power so bad, you killed someone who was putting peace over his power for it."

"None of that is true."

"Then give me facts that prove otherwise!"

"I-" Hiro averts Lucius's eyes, "I can't."

"Exactly." Lucius walks to the open gate, "I looked up to you. The Originals. The people who freed this world from an absolute oppressor. Gave us powers and freedom." Lucius turns back and lifts his shirt to reveal he has a scar that runs from his neck to below his waist line.

"If your freedom does this-" Lucius's eyes are beginning to tear up, "I don't want it."

"Lucius, that's-"

"No. I don't want you to speak on it. My mother and brother died for your freedom. I hope it was worth it." Lucius walks out of the gate, his metal footsteps echoing throughout the dungeon. "I'll show you what your freedom created."

"I don't understand. What happened to him that he blames us in such a way?" Hiro mutters to himself, almost like a child upset about having his toy taken.