Soul of the Cerberus [NEW]

Chapter 19 - Unusual alliance

"What happened to Liam? Has Maximillian arrested him?" I asked Ria and Traxx while we pumped the weights.

"He's rotting in a cell as we speak." Traxx spat, sweat trickling down his forehead.

"Why did this happen?" I stopped, looking at them. "I mean; why would he turn against you?"

Traxx sighed, wiping runaway drops off his face. "He always wanted to outrank Kellan. But he simply wasn't good enough, so he envied him. He is hungry for power, the selfish bastard!"

"That makes sense." I nodded, remembering his odd reactions to Kellan.

"He was not always like this. When he first came here, he was the youngest of us all. He was full of drive and very disciplined. I remember he was a really nice boy." Ria smiled weakly "But then Kellan came back from his mission. They were good friends at first, but soon after that, an unhealthy rivalry grew between the two. Liam became resentful and jealous since Kellan was a much more talented warrior than he was. Shortly after that Kellan was promoted to lead the Skinwalkers and Liam just wasn't the same anymore. And from that moment on he became Kellan's shadow."

"But envy is not enough of a reason to betray your family." I said outraged.

"He was more than envious. He became crazed and obsessed with his failure." Traxx explained to me.

"We just didn't notice it before it was too late. Maybe if we would reach out to him, try to help him somehow..." Ria shook her head in regret.

"I agree, we messed this up." Traxx lowered his head, sighing loudly.

"What will you do with him?" I asked. I shouldn't feel pity for him. He might have been a good person once, but he sure as hell wasn't now.

"Nothing. We will keep him jailed for now and after that it's up to Central to decide what to do with him." Traxx stood up, picking his gym bag.

"It won't be anything good, I am sure." Ria pursed her lips. "He is a traitor after all."

I slowly nodded at them, picking up my bag.

"See you later Korina?" Ria offered me a small smile.

"Of course." I watched her as she joined Traxx in the training room, still deep in thought about Liam's past.

I had the rest of the evening free, so I headed towards the medical bay. I wandered aimlessly through the wide corridors, following the flickering blue neon lights. I stopped in front of the glassy octagon, pressing my face against the cool surface.

Interior of the octagon was empty, no sight of the scientists planting and tending to the lush greenery.

Inside of the space was illuminated with a bright light that resembled the sun. I spotted the entrance on the side, curiosity stirring in me. I didn't hesitate as I waved my comm in front of the scanner, slowly stepping in.

It was even more magnificent from the inside. The growth resembled a rainforest with large trees, towering above 98 feet high. Thick canopies served as a habitat for multicolored exotic birds, which were flying from branches. They stretched their feathery necks to see the intruder who dared to disrupt their peaceful home. I walked by a garden of exquisite tropical flowers, their blossoms angling towards the artificial sun, bathing in the bright light. My fingers gently followed the petals, their powdery pollen sticking to my fingertips.

It felt so free and peaceful, almost like I was lost in my own piece of heaven. The colorful butterfly flew past my head, landing on the white lily. I continued forward until I reached a spiked fence which divided the octagon into two separate parts. My comm beeped, allowing me to access the enclosed area. I assessed my surroundings as I entered, noticing the canopies were so dense making the path I was walking on was barely visible. This part of the octagon was strangely quiet as if it was uninhabited. There was no bird chirping, only the unsettling silence.