Michael stares at the mirror of his newly renovated room, staring specifically at his long dirty blonde hair and dark coloured beard, wondering the person he used to look like. The scar on his eye is thick and violent, making him realise how lucky he is that he wasn't blinded by the man who gave him the scar. His dark blue eyes close in relief, his mind focusing on his family; Eve, Selene and their unborn child in her womb. His lean, scarred, thin but muscular torso stares back, resurfacing the memories of his battle with Ezra and Azrael; the abominations that ended his life in front of Eve and Selene.
"YOU'VE DESTROYED EVERYTHING! MY PLANS! MY AFTERLIFE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S REALLY THE ENEMY, DO YOU?!"
"I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU ON THAT ROAD MICHAEL! YOU, SELENE, DAVID AND LENA! I SHOULD HAVE RIPPED EVE'S HEAD FROM HER SHOULDERS TOO!"
"I know I haven't been around most of your life, but I want you to know this; you're so strong, beautiful, caring, loyal, and baby, you're going to be the queen of this world one day. I love you so much, and- I'm- I'm sorry."
"Michael, Michael stay with me. MICHAEL. MICHAEL!"
Michael stares back at the mirror, looking at the change of his Hybrid eyes; his sclera pitch black while his iris lays dark red, similar to Ezra's and Azrael's.
"What the hell happened to me?" Michael sighs as his eyes change back to normal.
"Michael?" Kassie says from the door of his room. "How are you feeling?"
"Rested, fed, ready to make Antigen dead," Michael chuckles. "How are the organisations going? Everyone prepared so far?"
"Not quite, but we're getting there," Kassie explains. "Sebastian has been quite useful so far, he's mapped out the whole Antigen HQ building, he's got a plan that consists of us slipping inside, but we'll discuss that later. You seem bothered by something? Are you sure you're okay?"
"I just, I can't believe Selene is nearly eight months pregnant, and I haven't been there for a single part of that pregnancy. Six months in the cocooning process, three in this god damn forsaken city, and soon, I will be able to have them back without Antigen hunting us. But, what if someone else I care about dies? You, Sebastian, innocent lives will be lost in this war; why can't I be the one who faces them alone? I know I'm not exactly sane, seeing the- outcry I had two nights ago- I guess- It was my way of grieving for the losses we had suffered that night- it was- well- I had to let out a lotta' stress. You wouldn't lose any more soldiers."
"Because that's not how it works, Michael," Kassie growls. "We fight together, and we die together. You're our leader; and you've somehow brought the two species that have been waging war for centuries, together for the final battle against Antigen. You've done something that not even Alexander Corvinus failed to do; you've made swornenemies, allies. You're more than what you can even imagine. That 'outcry' as you called it, it was simply a reminder of your humanity. Michael? You know what you are to me, right?"
"You don't have to tell me, Kassie Honshu, I'm making the decision now," Michael says, the seriousness in his voice sending shutters of anticipation down her spine. "I'm becoming your adoptive father and I know that Selene will have no problem with that. I'll be taking you with me to them, you will join us as my child, Eve and my unborn child's older sister. From this day, you are a Corvin, and I will protect you like you're one of my own. I love you, Kassie, and I would never let anyone hurt you."
"I love you too- Dad," Kassie smiles, tears filling her eyes. "You've kept me sane when nobody could, you loved me when my real parents abandoned me, I will never forget that."
"Michael?" Sebastian says from the entrance of the room, dropping a large crate on the ground. "The Vampire and Lycan Scouts have found the care package you were speaking about; it was the only thing left in the warehouse, Antigen took everything else. What's in the package anyway?"
Michael quickly walks to the crate, unlocking the clips on the hinge. "I'll show you."
Michael opens the crate in the blink of an eye, tearing the top off the hinges, revealing the weapons on the inside; a Razor Whip, Combat Knife, Beretta and a Silver Sword; Lena's father's Silver Sword; weapons he's been saving for this very event; the end of Antigen's reign.
"These are the first weapons I was given when I awoke from my slumber, weapons my family gave me, so I intend to use them to help end this war once and for all. The Sword belonged to Lena's father, a former leader, one of the best I've ever known; and another person Antigen took from this world."
"They've taken too many from this world, Michael," Sebastian states. "If we plan this attack right, nobody else will die. Nobody else has to."
"Nobody," Michael pauses, staring at Kassie, and then Sebastian again. "But everyone that works for that fuck-up place."
"They will pay, don't you worry about that," Kassie growls. "We'll make sure of that."
Michael growls as he looks back at his reflection, playing with his hair and stroking his beard. "I think it's time I get rid of this."
"Get rid of what, Michael?" Kassie questions.
"The long hair and the beard," Michael comments as he picks up the combat knife. "I think it's about time to turn back into the old me. Can- Can I have some privacy, I'll be out soon, I promise."
As Kassie and Sebastian leave the room and close the room behind them, Michael stares back at the unknown reflection, knowing that what he's about to do, will make a big change to his look. He grips onto his hair, placing the knife gently against it, his breathing becoming shallow as he thinks about cutting it. But, before he can think, his hand slices across.
"If they both put on the Antigen uniforms we stole, Kassie and Michael will be able to sneak into the Headquarters no questions asked where they'll be able to shut down the defence systems," Sebastian finishes explaining, Vampires and Lycans surrounding both Kassie, himself, and the blueprints he created from scratch.
"Once the defence systems are deactivated, we'll be able to commence the full frontal attack on the HQ," Kassie states. "We outnumber them Ten to One, so we'll be able to take them out easy fucking peasy. Once Michael and I have done our duty we'll continue our attack from the inside o-"
Kassie stops explaining the plan entirely as she stares away from the blueprints, her eyes moving off to the end, straight towards the closing door of Michael's room. Michael stares back at the large group of Vampires and Lycans, his clean-shaven face and short hair is the feature most stared at; nobody has seen his true face for a long time, not even Kassie. Besides the scar on his eye, Michael now looks like the man he used to be; the man he was when he was brought into this war, and he feels great.
"What?" Michael smirks, chuckling as he walks towards the group. "I needed a new look. I've been listening to the plan from my room, so, let's continue."
YOU ARE READING
From War, To Extinction
AksiA 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...
