Sebastian, Michael and their Vampire guards travelled through the tunnels of the Subway for what seemed like hours, reaching the Safe-Haven at a time the exhausted, hopeless Michael knew nothing about. They found themselves inside of the Haven, and Michael was still out of it, clouded by a trance of guilt, rage and depression. He passed Lycans and Vampires alike and said nothing, passed what remains of the Lycan council, and said nothing, even passing Kassie herself, who grieves the loss of her brother and said nothing. All he did was find himself in the closest empty room where he could grieve, grieve his way; he screamed, punch walls and threw things around the room before crying into his own hands as his knees hit the floor. Tears rolled down the grieving Hybrid's face, and it was clear that is spirit had been broken from the events of the night, his emotions diseased by angst and rage, the unbreakable crown on his head, has shattered into a million pieces. Michael Corvin had been broken by Angel, and nobody, not even Kassie could bring him back, not at this time anyway.
Kassie slowly enters the room that Michael has been hiding in, making sure not to startle him, knowing he's not himself at this very moment. She's never seen him like this before, never seen such rage turn into all-out madness in the blink of an eye, she's never seen sit so still in a corner with his face against a broken mirror. She stares at the condition of the room; everything has been trashed, thrown around the room or just straight up crushed, there's blood in craters on the walls, where he's clearly let out some of his grieving. His breathing is heavy, static like an animal exhausted after a wild hunt, he appears more animal than man, and that terrifies Kassie.
"Michael?" She whispers but gets no answer back. "You've been in here for days; you've gone without sleep, food, water, blood. You're going to have to come out at some point, right?"
Michael stays where he is, doesn't say a word, doesn't move, he stays exactly where he wants to be; against the broken mirror.
"What happened out there?" Kassie questions, her eyes watering from the sight of her broken father-figure. "Talk to me, please."
"They're dead, all of them; Antigen killed them, and I did nothing to stop it, I couldn't do anything, I was useless to them," Michael whispers. "This whole time, I thought we were winning, we were ending their scheming, their war; the war they started. But I was wrong, they outnumber us, they out-gun us, they doing unnatural things that make it impossible for us to win. Samuel, Matthew, Alex, they were all murdered by- by me."
"What are you talking about, Michael?" Kassie asks.
"Antigen, they had my DNA, enough to give them to the ability to make an identical clone of me; a Hybrid clone; a genetically modified Hybrid clone of me. That's how he knew how to find us, he knew my tactics, he knew my combat abilities, my weaknesses, my strengths, and he used that knowledge against me. I went through a cocooningprocess, Kassie, a process that not only saved my life but made me stronger, faster, smarter, angrier than I've ever felt in my life, but even then, Angel out-smarted me, surprised me, nearly killed me. How do I know that my family is still alive?! That my unborn child hasn't been killed, that Eve, Selene, David and Lena aren't being kept as prisoners?! It seems hopeless, Kassie, and I suck at this, ever since I got here, good people have been dying around me, people I care about, GONE!"
"Michael," Kassie sighs, leaning onto the ground as she faces Michael, tears rolling down her face. "My brother died fighting for what he believed in; because he wanted me to be free, for all of us to be free. You didn't kill them, those bastards killed him, and those bastards will pay for what they have done, you understand?"
"You seem so sure," Michael scoffs, his iris glowing red as his sclera fades dark black. "How are you so sure we can beat them?! How do I know that all this, isn't for nothing?! HOW DO I KNOW IF MY FAMILY IS ALIVE?!"
"Because I've seen them," Sebastian states as he enters the room. "I know where they are, where they've been hiding, I met with them a week ago; they're all well, David's still adapting to the fact that his hand is gone, but either than that, everyone is healthy."
"The baby?" Michael gasps.
"Perfect and healthy, Selene will be Eight Months in a couple weeks," Sebastian explains, sending shivers down Michael's spine.
"Eight months," Michael sighs. "She's almost due?"
"She's missed you terribly, so has Eve, David and Lena, they need you, Michael. I know where they are, but I cannot tell you," Sebastian explains. "Not yet anyway."
"Why?!" Michael growls, standing up from the ground. "WHY MUST I WAIT LONGER?!"
"Because Antigen will not stop until your family is dead, Michael," Sebastian snarls back. "Until Antigen is gone, they will be hunting them, and they kill anyone that gets in their way."
"Then I will end it!" Michael screams. "Two nights from now, I will end this charade, once and for all."
"Michael, wait!" Kassie calls. "You can't just decide on us now!"
"TRUST ME WHEN I SAW THIS, KASSIE; I'M GOING TO MAKE ANTIGEN EXTINCT. MEMBER WILL DIE, BY MY HANDS! THEY'RE FRIENDS, THEY'RE FAMILIES, THEY WILL ALLDIE! I WILL RIP BUDAPEST TO PIECES IF I HAVE TO!"
"Michael, wait. You need to think about this before you wage war! Take a long think about what I'm about to say. What are you going to do?! What are you willing to do?! Who are you willing to kill?! What are you willing to become to get them back?! Because this isn't just about your family anymore is it?! It's about you, you want vengeancefor what Antigen has done; you want to avenge Alex, Matthew, my brother, you want to avenge everyone they've ever killed. That's a long list, Michael, and I know this will end in bloodshed, innocent blood will be spilt if you start this war now, if you wage an endless war. So let me ask you one more time; what are you willing to become?"
"Anything."
"We have a plan, Michael, I've scaled out the entire premises of Antigen, basements all the way to the Julius' office. We've been planning an attack, an attack that will finalise the end of Antigen, we'll make sure everyone forgets their name, and finally, Vampires and Lycans will be free, and you'll be able to see your family again. Please, fight with us again, we can't do this without you.
Michael's breathing becomes static all over again, his mind trembling by the neverending thoughts trapped from within, but Michael's angry Hybrid eyes slowly fade back to normal, revealing his human dark blue eyes.
"I'm listening."
YOU ARE READING
From War, To Extinction
ActionA far more dangerous and powerful Michael emerges from death and into the war-zone of the Second Purge. Unsure as to where his family is, Michael wages a war against the forces that once held him prisoner, prepared to do anything to get Selene, Eve...
