Disclaimer: Noblesse ain't mine.

Author's note: As promised, a quick update. Enjoy!


Chapter 12: Nyctophobia

The medical term nyctophobia describes an abnormal fear of the dark. It belongs to the same category as the very common arachnaphobia (fear of spiders) and claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). They can be treated by either a slow approach (desensitation) or a direct confrontation with the fear-inducing scenario (flooding).

This time, the facility they were invading was not shut off. It helped a lot, though, that Tao had been able to hack into the security systems and manipulate them beforehand, so their approach took some time to be noticed.

Thanks to Seira's and Regis' help, the guards were quickly disposed of.

They searched the living quarters, but found them empty. This time of the day, all the scientists were working three floors below.

People in white coats scattered like leaves in the wind when they exited the elevator. It wasn't hard to capture one of them, a middle-aged man, who shook in fear.

"Where is Doctor Hyun Ae Choi?", demanded M-21.

The man let out a cackling laugh, but M-21 could almost smell his fear. "Doctor Choi is dead", he said. Then his face contorted with a look of terror. "Whatever you do", he whispered hoarsely. "Don't touch Pandora. Don't go near Pandora."

M-21 was about to let him go, when Frankenstein spoke up. "Where is Doctor Crombel?", he demanded.

"Not here", spat the man. "Left yesterday." He yelped, when he was flung aside violently.

M-21 walked on through the laboratory, carefully keeping his face expressionless. He knew that the others' faces had turned just as stony upon hearing the man's answer.

Are we too late?, he asked himself.

They entered the main experimentation space. Many of the tanks were empty. There was only a handful of subjects left.

At the end of the row was a door leading to a separate room. It was occupied by a single large tank. In it floated a slender woman, clad in a black bikini. Her dark hair flowed about her head like a cloud of smoke. It took only one look into her face to know who she was.

Frankenstein stepped up to the control panel and began adjusting it hurriedly. There was a burst of bubbles from the oxygen mask. Then her eyes flew open.

M-21 blinked. He thought that he remembered them being brown, with a few specks of green. Yet those eyes were red. Was it the colored liquid of the tank, playing tricks on him?

The water was slowly drained and then the glass slid open.

"Doctor Choi!", said M-21, taking a step towards her. "What happened?"

"How dare you approach me?", hissed the woman. "You filthy monster." She smirked at the look on his face and then she bowed nearer to him to whisper in his ear. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

M-21 watched in horror as his own shadow grew and changed form. Black tendrils snaked up his body and dark fingers slid around his neck, choking him. He clawed at his throat, but his fingers scraped only over his own skin.

He stared into those crimson eyes, desperately searching for the familiar look of compassion. But they were empty, like mere mirrors, reflecting only his own horrified face.

His nails left bloody trails on his neck. Dark blots began to dance in his field of vision and he felt his knees give way.

"Stop", said Rai.

The woman whipped around and stared at him. A look of annoyance crossed her face, only to make place for submission.

"As you wish", she replied.

M-21 felt the pressure vanish and he fell to his knees, gasping and coughing.

"My name is Pandora", said the woman. "Why have you awoken me?"


Note: Yeah, I know, this one is even shorter than the last, but there is some major plot development. Your thoughts on that?