Looks like we're getting a little bit spicier. I'll try not to exceed 12,000 words here because I don't want to milk the hell out of this chapter.
[Ezra's P.O.V]
Well, this was a mistake...
The one time I decided to use the Eye of Horus again to try and find my dad, the entire building gets locked down. I was just minding my own business, stealing some private and probably illegal information but I didn't bother reading through all of them when all of a sudden, the room went dark and a bloody shade of light fell upon the halls of the building that I was able to peek through the screens of the supercomputer. It's like the gods took joy upon casting curses and bad omens on me. I mean, I know I deserve at least half of it, but this is just overkill! I just want to find my father again and they can't even let me have that!
Ugh, this is just great!
Well, at least I have Toothless with me, although the apparent systemic lockdown of the building prevented him from using the extent of his abilities. He has merely resorted to teleporting across the entire building, maybe even crossing towards others, just to keep an eye out for any intruders and occasionally retrieving me some food, making my time here as enjoyable as possible. It's equally entertaining to see an A.I. scrunched up his pixel-formed face into a scowl whenever I beat him at every card game he had suggested, except for Blackjack—only winning because he used that insufferable counting strategy that she failed to equip in her bag of useless knowledge.
I know I can just break out at any given time and place with my powers. I've already gone out and tried the door themselves but they proved to be useless, locked, and preventing anything from going in and out. I wondered why the automatic defense system didn't activate like Toothless said it would, but he merely stated that my status as a Dragon seemed to be embedded in the system as one of the few things that it wouldn't dare to attack.
I found it weird and unusual, but I didn't let it bother me for too long because I was concentrated on how to get out.
One blast from the plasma energy surging through my arms could tear through the front door with ease but I feel like I'll cause some trouble to my mom when she finds out she has to pay for an entire wall. Besides, I find it more entertaining to be here with all the food I can get and all the time in the world. Not that I hate being with my brother, but I have to acknowledge that I'm in the stage in my life where I'm in the pursuit of self-identity, which sounds like a bogus excuse to mistake the word 'rebel' instead.
Sometimes, I like to be alone. Okay, most of the time but I try really hard to be sociable. I'm not a social outcast in school or anything—I'm the star of our soccer team, after all! But I'm not exactly the most popular girl in school nor am I part of the top of the food chain. I merely settle right above the average, but I like to steer clear from the pretentious, spoiled bitches and assholes of the popularity gang. I never thought highschool stereotypes would be this realistic. Although there aren't your typical jocks and cheerleaders, their personalities are as bland and loud as Imagine Dragons.
Alone; yes. Social outcast; eh, not so much.
That's why I prefer an A.I. with no permanent physical body and a sassy personality that can rival Merlin's. rather than an annoying bastard whose identity is similar to wet wheat bread. Plus, someone from the popularity club wouldn't have the mental capacity to take all the complaints and baggage I'm just dropping on poor Toothless.
Fortunately, the A.I. seems to be the perfect non-person to provide some therapeutic and honestly great advice. If I ask one of those supercilious, condescending patronizers, they'd tell me to get laid or go to a party. But Toothless provided me with warm blankets, a bucket of barbeque-flavored popcorn, and put on the best horror films in history, just like the ones that Mom would watch but would occasionally cower if caught off guard.
In the same room where the supercomputer known as the Eye of Horus would display the movie, Toothless and I would complain about the stupid decisions the main characters would make like following the ominous sounds or deliberately ignoring the warnings that are drawn in bold letters. I wish I can just squish their naïve brains across their own bed and remind them that scary stuff would only happen if you go to them yourselves!
But I know I can't judge too much because if I was in their place, I would've done the same. My curious and gullible mind won't let me live this down if I ever miss an opportunity to see an actual ghost or monster. Besides, I can always kill them on the spot or just fly away as far as I can in case I do get spooked, but it's highly unlikely.
"Oh, come on, you stupid big bitch! Get those fucking heels off!" I cried out, placing the bucket on the table as the main character fumbled with her keys to open the door, blood trickling down her shin after the main antagonist, the Diablo, swung his knife and slashed a nasty cut across the woman's right leg. But of course, she had trouble walking, resorting to limping and dragging her large body to her house with those unnecessarily tall heels, where it's supposedly a sacred place that the demonic spirit can't step a foot in.
Toothless threw back his head and let out a hysterical laugh, nearly doubling over his chair. "You know, you're lucky you're here with me because I'm not going to be the one who'll tell Astrid that her daughter swears more than a drunk sailor in a pub." He breathed out in between snickers, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
I smirked under the mountain of popcorn I buried my mouth into, appreciating the A.I.'s presence even more. "Thanks, bud. But can we focus on the movie? I thought you were the one who would usually comment about their stupidity?" I retorted, pretending to glare but I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
"Well, I've already seen this movie. I just wanted to see your reaction to some particular scenes because I know that you're going to be mad as hell." Toothless replied smoothly. He crossed his arms over his polo-cladded chest and pulled his legs up on the panel, leaning against his seat with a carefree, toothy smile.
"Well, now that you saw how I hated it so much, can we keep watching?" I quirked up an eyebrow, gesturing towards the frozen scene on the screen.
With a smile that's brimming with mirth, he nodded at the supercomputer and the movie played once again, stocking the entire room with its suspenseful background music and creepy sound effects, only being disturbed by the main character's breathy gasps as she collapsed against the door after finally stumbling inside the house. Her face pale; ghostly white as the curtains covering the windows, dancing along with the wind. Hands shaking as she tried to pull herself up, I simply observed her predicament, trying to find any minor occurrences that will be worthy of a shit-talking.
It'll be a waste if the main character doesn't mess up and I won't be able to bitch about scenarios that would probably never happen.
The music around them came to a screeching halt when all of a sudden, a heavy footstep reverberated across the walls. Not our walls, but the ones in the movie. But it felt like it was. Toothless' surround-sound speakers are both a curse and a blessing. Even the slightest sounds like breathing and car honking in the background felt like it's right outside the door. A knock followed and a shiver ran down my spine. The hairs on my skin stood up as my skin turned numb, rendering me motionless for a couple of seconds.
Shit, don't tell me this movie is actually scaring me.
I let out a silent groan. Shaking my head to get rid of that absurd thought. Me, scared of a horror film after I faced things far worse than a fictional story. I'm a Dragon for Thor's sake! I can shoot energy beams from my bare hands; I can fly at the speed of sound without breaking a sweat; I can shatter and summon lightning from the clouds! I refuse to believe that something as trivial as this is finally going to be the one that's going to break my brave front.
Either way, the moment that scene showed up, the movie finally has me invested and hooked on the actual story after a full hour of just dumb decisions and plain exposition. I uncrossed my legs and felt myself leaning towards the screen. In the corner of my eye, I spotted Toothless grinning smugly, but his eyes are still trained on the movie. But I just ignored him and continued watching the scene unfold.
A shadow has fallen over the floorboards; over the walls and ceilings. Multiple copies of this figure appeared everywhere, from the dining room to the front door. The main character's breath hitched as she frantically whipped her head around for an escape. She brought herself up and practically threw herself at the door, but it's already too late. The shadow emerged from the gaps under the wooden frame and blocked her way out.
The dark figures began closing in on her, knocking over cups and furniture as they move. Glass shattered across the floor; the pendant lights swinging loosely but there isn't a sign of wind inside. The rotting wooden boards creaked as the shadows hovered above, quiet whispers filling the air. The main character crawled over to the middle of the house, just right in between the living room and the dining room. Soon, the darkness would consume her entire home, including her.
Gods, this is actually quite a suspenseful scene. The lack of ominous background music actually helped set the atmosphere. The panicking, stuttered breathing from the woman made me pity her and what's about to come. My eyes remained glued to the screen as the shadows had overtaken the entire house except for the one spot, and that's where the woman huddled on.
She was reduced to a ball of a cowering mess, clutching her head with her trembling hands as she muttered prayers to her god, pleading to let her live. Sadly, she wasn't granted a blessing but a curse worth the sins of the worst people in Helheim. A towering figure emerged from the shadows, allowing the single source of light to shine down upon its horrid face. Scars decorated its wrinkling skin like tattoos. Eyes sunken and teeth exposed through its marred cheeks. Not a single strand of hair stood on its head, shaven or burnt clean and leaving a blistering ball of skin that's riddled with depressions.
A grimace formed on my face after the monster showed itself. It was dressed with nothing but a single, bloodied peacoat, with melted skin dripping down the cloth. A curved knife is tightly held in its mangled and disproportionate hand; the blade glimmering without a single drop of blood staining it for its sole purpose is to capture the souls of the damned—a truly demonic spirit born from the depths of hell and sent by the devil himself to rain down curses upon those who sin. Its eyes held the darkest pits of the abyss, once you find yourself staring at them, you'll find yourself falling to the barren wasteland of Purgatory.
With one stretch of its hand, it grabbed the thick neck of the main character, lifting her up to its eye level which is two feet higher than the woman's height. She flailed and let out a couple of choking gasps, but the monster refused to let go. In fact, it actually decided that it's starting to become an annoyance and began to crush her windpipe with his rotting hands. Its nails dug into the woman's skin, drawing blood and causing her to sputter frantically.
I was on the edge of my seat, grabbing the edges as the monster raised its knife; the musical score in the background only added to the moment as it brought down the knife onto the woman's face, only for it cut into a dark screen, ending everything abruptly. I didn't even notice that I had my jaw hanging open until the credits roll in and I leaned back into my chair, unabashed that I'm purposefully showing my awe and admiration towards the movie.
"Holy shit..." I mutter. Although the entire film as a whole is terrible and downright awful, that ending is quite brave and honestly nerve-wracking. For the last twenty minutes of the movie, my eyes never left the screen and it continued to build my interest until the end. It suffices to say that this might be my favorite horror film ever.
It may be trash, but it's my trash...
I was about to compliment Toothless for pulling this movie up unironically until I saw the last words any person would want to see in a horror movie; 'based on a true story'
When I say that my ass just clenched in fear and anxiety, I am not joking. My hands that were once resting on the armrests of my chair grabbed the end and practically crushed the steel bar. Purple glowed through my fingertips, threatening to just explode into a razing frenzy. My breath has seemed to stop at that moment; my mind unable to process this information all at once. I was shocked beyond belief; thousands of scenarios played in my head, conjuring up possible experiences that might happen if this is indeed true.
Just as I was about to undergo an existential crisis, I saw the following words;
'I think...'
''I'm not too sure...'
'I heard it is...'
'Nah, I just wanted to mess with you...'
I whipped my head and shot the A.I. a seething glare, only to be met with a sly smirk and a bubble of amusement floating in his reptilian-like eyes. He knew what he was doing and now, I'm not even sure if that movie is real or it's merely a creation of Toothless. I swear, if only he could register pain in his temporary body, I would've decked him right now. Sadly, he's nothing but a bundle of pixels that'll only dematerialize if I try to punch him.
It's worth the try though...
I pulled my fist back out and swung heavily, only for him to disappear within milliseconds, reforming behind me with an even smugger grin. "Come on, Ezra. You should've known me better than that." He teased. "But I mean, did you really think that it was based on a true story?"
My mind hesitated for a split second. But when I finally gave my answer, Toothless had already seen through my lie. "Nope," I said, trying my best to keep my face neutral.
"Yeah..." He drawled out, unconvinced. If the knowing look on his face didn't give it away, then the subtle shrug did. "I would've believed you if it weren't for that chair of yours."
I looked down and nearly cursed a string of colorful phrases after I saw the armrests of my chair bent and crushed with a perfectly good handprint of my own. It seems that I was so invested that I managed to shape steel like clay with my bare hands. I mean, it's not the first time I did but I'm surprised that I didn't even put that much pressure into it. Maybe I'm stronger than I look. Well, exceedingly so since I already am stronger than the normal human.
"Okay, fine. Maybe I thought it was. But that doesn't matter!" I retorted.
"Sure, it isn't." He replied sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest with a wry smile. "Because now, I can finally have some blackmail to... y'know, blackmail you. It's absolutely perfect. I also had some fun messing with your father and that was still when he was a grumpy dark assassin."
At his words, my bright smile slowly faded into a thin line, but not because of any harmful reason. I was just reminded of what my original plan is; to find my dad who's been alive for a long time now and prove to my mom that he isn't dead. To be candid, my goal isn't to make my mom happy directly but to grant my own selfish wishes. I wanted a whole family again and the only way to do that is to bring Dad back, to make Mom happy again.
"Hey, Toothless... Who was Dad to you?" I asked out of the blue.
Although his smile didn't fall, there was a somber tone that replaced his usual glee. He pursed his lips and pretended to think about it. "I have no other way to describe our relationship other than friendship." He said, his gaze reminiscing the past. "People would like to think that he's my master. Even I used to think that. In a way, he created me and gave me the personality you see today. But that's when I saw a glimpse of the boy who just wanted to live a life he wanted."
I just listened intently, astonished at how an artificial intelligence can conjure up more emotions than most people. I always knew that his personality is both fabricated and real at the same time. It was unnerving to see a sentient being with a human-like personality and ray of emotions. But that's when I looked past his particle-constructed body and saw the amount of depth within him.
"He gave me something I've never thought I needed; a life." Toothless smiled fondly at the memory, jagged fangs slightly peeking out of his mouth. "I always thought that the personality he gave me is somewhat similar to his before; a dramatic dork. Yes, I have ears everywhere. I know what you guys think of me." He shot me a non-threatening glare, to which I responded with a smirk, but I kept my mouth shut and let him continue. "But around me, he allowed his façade to fall slightly. Maybe because he trusts me more than real people who have a bad track record of promises and trust. Even if the reason is as simplistic as that, I can't be thankful enough that he treated me more than just a false consciousness. To answer your question, he's the best friend I never had."
But in the middle of his glorious speech, his smile seemed to fall as he just stared at the wall behind me. My face morphed into one of confusion. I look around, trying to find whatever he's looking at but all I saw is the door leading out of the Eye of Horus. So this either means that Toothless is itching to get out or he's seeing something completely different through his omniscience across the entire Drakos headquarters.
I could see the clockwork and gears turning in his nonexistent brain. His features would twitch, eyes rapidly darting across the room—meaning that he's probably scanning across the entire building through the cameras hidden all over the organization. The slits of his eyes would constantly widen and narrow in an unorthodox way. At each passing second, his frown would grow deeper and I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen.
"Toothless? Bud? Are you alright?" I call out to him, but he didn't even acknowledge my presence. His pointed ears flapped unusually, perking up at nothing in particular but he must be searching for something in the building. I doubt it's more popcorn.
But then, that's when he decided to disappear in a puff of pixelized particles, leaving me alone in this room. My eyebrows rose like thin drawbridges, nonplussed by the sudden departure of my friend. If it's not strange before, then me, sensing the current of electricity stuttering across their stream as they flowed reluctantly through the cables hidden in the concrete ceiling, almost as if they're forced to move.
The supercomputer's screens fizzled for a few seconds before returning to normal. I looked back at the door, contemplating whether or not I should try to roam around the building to check what is wrong, but memories of the past few horror films reminded me of the stupid decisions the characters made and I decided that I should keep my movements to a minimum in order to limit my mistakes, even though I'm capable of taking care of myself.
If this problem is big enough to alarm Toothless, someone who has assured me that if someone tried to break in, they'll instantly be gunned down, cut up and thrown out by the building's automatic defense program, Domum Ratio. He said he has no control over it and it's merely through the building's system. So, he has no reason to worry if he has this much confidence and trust in the program—except, he left because there seemed to be a problem that not even Drakos' special defense program can handle.
My eyes flicker towards the supercomputer's screen and I raced towards the panel, briskly pressing the right buttons to pull up the security cameras. Whatever Toothless saw, he must've seen through the cameras. The monitor fizzled out of the movie and flashed to multiple live tapes of the security cameras, filling the screen with hundreds of mini-videos. My luminous, inquiring eyes rapidly darted across each scene, trying to find some sort of anomaly that may act as a threat to the building.
But everywhere I look, I came up empty. Black and red mostly covered the screen, the sign of the activation of the defense program evident along in the dark rooms that are only being lit by a candy-red underline in the ceiling. I only saw mere shadows and silhouettes of the permanent furniture and obstructions in each room and hall. Scanning the entire screen one more time, I tore my gaze away from the supercomputer, once again, getting nothing.
However, even if my search resulted in nothing, I refuse to believe that nothing's wrong. Maybe it's my skepticism after watching a stressful horror movie scene or maybe it's just my paranoia acting up again. "How about one last look," I mutter to myself. If I find nothing, then I'll just give up.
Well, it turns out I didn't need to because as soon as I decided to try again, I whirring noise spiraled next to me as Toothless materialized out of thin air, reconstructing himself by the pixel-like particles. The expression he has on his face was pure terror; eyes slitted as thin as possible and his fangs baring out in an agitated manner. Before I could ask him anything, he grabbed my shoulders and forced me to stare at the toxic-green eyes of the reptilian A.I.
"You need to go, Ezra. Someone's in the building and I have no power to stop it. I don't think you do either so you need to hide." He frantically said, breathing heavily despite the lack of the need for oxygen. Whatever happened must've spooked this guy and that in itself is a great feat. "They're not looking for you but if they find you..."
"Toothless!" I snap him out of his panicking and rambling state. "If someone's here, can't the Domum Ratio handle it? I thought you said it can—"
The A.I. shook his head. "No, Ezra. You don't understand. The reason why the system isn't targeting you is because somehow, your Dragon genes have been implemented in the system so you could be protected. That reason is also applied to this guy."
I paled. My mouth ran dry as the possibilities whizzed through my head as it found the answer, but I couldn't believe it. "You mean..."
"Yes, there's another Dragon in the building."
[Normal P.O.V]
Camilla is panicking.
Once she heard that the Demon Killer is with Astrid, she disregards everything she was doing and ordered the rest of the agents to move. She even told the chief to haul his forward and to no one's surprise except for the recruits, Shatter listened with no complaint. With a resounding order, the division began heading back to the beach with Camilla in the front, beckoning the others to hurry.
While the rest mistook it as concern for her fellow officer and friend, the wild blonde is actually more worried about the person said officer is with right now. She could think of a thousand outcomes that may happen if his identity would ever be revealed and none of them ended with sunshine and rainbows. Based on Astrid's personality, she would probably rip the guy into shreds before trying to ask some questions.
That's what Camilla believed. She's been friends with her for a long time now and frankly, she couldn't think of any other way that this reunion might happen. She knows that the husband and wife will meet someday but she would like it to happen in a more secluded and calm situation—preferably without bombs and axes. Camilla felt guilty for hiding this information and she wants to explain things herself because she knows how easily-tempered and emotional the woman can be, despite her protests and denials.
Soon, they arrived in their position which is not that far from the beach, only to witness a bizarre scene of General Astrid Haddock; Fearless Hofferson and currently the best agent of Drakos, locking lips with an auburn-haired man—passionately, remind you. Not to mention, her hands were once roaming all over the man's clothed body before settling around his neck. No one said a thing, hoping to avoid the fact that more than hundreds of people are now watching Astrid make out with this random guy.
But to Camilla, this is no random guy and she knows who this is, which made the shock even more impactful. All her imaginative scenarios were immediately thrown out the window as she gaped at them with an open jaw. She couldn't move a muscle or tell everyone to not look because she couldn't help but stare indecorously at the scene before her. It was unbelievable but for a moment, Camilla thought that this reunion might be better than she thought.
But that hopeful thought was crushed when Astrid pulled away from the man and with the rage of a single mother and mourning wife, unleashed a bone-cracking punch at the man who she was once thrusting her tongue upon, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to double over to the ground. A pained groan escaped his lips as he spat out multiple curses, clutching his poor stomach as he tried to keep himself awake.
However, Astrid isn't finished and she's not planning on stopping any time soon. All the pain she suffered for the past six years started bubbling up within her body. A surge of a smoldering, white flurry of heat seeped through her muscles, burning through her skin as it turned as red as her flustering cheeks. Her mind is a jumbled mess of emotions that even she can't contain. The only way to release it is through the one thing she's known for; communication.
With her heart beating like crazy, she stalked over to her axe and grabbed the handle with a vice-like grip before returning her seething gaze at the pained auburn. At this point, Camilla knew she has to stop this. Although she doubts Astrid will really try to kill him, there's no definitive evidence that she wouldn't. Right now, the wife is in a terrible state of mind and later on, she might regret her actions.
So first, she needs to calm down.
And her solution to that problem is to hold a very angry Astrid by the arms. If Camilla's going to be honest, she's a bit reluctant to do it because as far as she knows, no one has ever tried holding the former general down. The only people she knows that has that ability are Shatter and Night Fury. The chief is simply in shock; mind unable to process everything at once while the infamous offspring of lightning and death has been taken down by said blonde. Camilla's on her own and frankly, she could only hold her for a few seconds before she'll receive the same fate Hayden did.
But even with her feet rooted in the ground, the unstoppable force known as Astrid refused to let the colonel hold her. She proceeded to stomp forward whilst dragging Camilla behind her, who is still trying to find a proper anchor in the dirt. But Astrid continued without even sparing a glance at her, ignoring her as if she wasn't pulling her back. In times like this, she would curse her small stature and wish that she would grow bigger instead of her chest size.
"Astrid, you need to calm down, right now." Camilla tried to convince the blonde, but it proved to be useless.
Astrid's jaw remained clenched, a glare burning through the head of Hayden, who still hasn't recovered from the previous punch. "Shut up." She spat out, a venomous tone infecting her voice.
Camilla scrunched up her face in a frown but her focus is still on stopping the blonde. Although she was able to slow her down, it's still not enough to stop her. "Don't you know who that is? Come on, Astrid. Just calm down!" It was a rhetorical question; a question she's sure that doesn't need to be answered. Not only did Astrid gave her one, but it was a great shock to her.
A scoff escaped the blonde's mouth. "Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down when that fucking man is trying to pose as my husband!"
'What?'
A beat passed as Camilla's brain stuttered for a second. She allowed her muscles to loosen to recover herself and she doubled down as soon as she did, pressing her own weight down Astrid and slowing her down even more while simultaneously thinking about what she said. If what Astrid said is indeed what she believed, then Camilla might have the chance to make her believe that and this problem would go away.
But she knows that if she doesn't tell her the truth, this ball of lie will keep on rolling and growing until it's the size of the moon. The later this goes on, the harsher the reaction and reunion would be. Astrid might be on a rampage right now but if she allowed this thing to continue longer, she would've probably destroyed the entire world by now. It would be easy to convince her that he's not real, but it just felt wrong. Camilla's been hiding this for too long and she needs to release all this guilt, despite the possibility that Astrid might kill her.
So as much as she wants to live, she has to tell her the truth.
"Astrid, I know you must feel confused, but he's not a poser. He's real..." Camilla revealed, causing the blonde to finally halt in her steps.
Astrid whirled her head around to cast a nasty glare that pierced through the colonel's eyes like a pair of wooden stakes, but there is also a spark of confusion and curiosity hidden under the disarray of emotions in her sapphire orbs. Her hand remained tightly gripped around her axe. The pressure being applied is heavily evident in the near cracks on the wooden handle, which says a lot about the anger being pent up inside her body.
"No..." Astrid shook her head anxiously. "You're wrong. Th- that's not Hayden, is he? No, he's not. Hayden's dead and there's no fucking way that this... the Demon Killer, could be him, right?"
Although it seemed that her tone is declaring a statement, the uncertainty in her voice was wide enough for Camilla to creep into those cracks and break her denial. "I'm sorry, Astrid. But... he is. You saw his face. You kissed him for gods' sakes! Don't tell me you kissed him, thinking he's a random stranger?!" She exclaimed, immediately regretting it after Astrid's glare darkened even more.
"I made a mistake." She stated; made up an excuse to hide her denial but the rising blush on her cheeks is obvious enough that she no longer believes her own lies. Camilla almost found it amusing to see her flustered and in denial, if it weren't for the fact that she's holding her favorite axe to murder her supposedly-dead husband.
After summoning the rest of her strength, Camilla pulled Astrid back enough so that she could switch to the front and hold her there. grabbing her by the shoulders and practically digging her fingers in her skin. She mustered up a glared that managed to match the intensity of Astrid's, giving her a boost of confidence.
"Astrid, I know you know it's true. You didn't eat his face for nothing. Believe me, I was also skeptical at first but when... oh, shit." Camilla bit her lip to stop herself, cursing her own brain for causing that minor brain fart, but she couldn't help but snort due to the terrible inconvenience. She was just about to make this grand speech that would've convinced the blonde, even herself. But all of that is gone...
Astrid, on the other hand, isn't as amused. Her eyes are practically blazing in blue flames; a malignant inferno that's churning and trembling in the heat. "Cami..." Despite it being soft, a thousand knives hid behind her voice, waiting to strike. "Did you know about this?" It was a simple question, but the wrong answer will end up destroying everything in sight.
Camilla loosened her fingers and sighed exasperatedly. "We can talk about this later. But for now, I need you to calm down."
"DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?!" Astrid cried out, nearly swinging her axe at her.
"Yes! Fucking... yes! I knew about it!" Camilla slapped her hand across her forehead and released an angry groan. "I knew he was alive for about a year or two now! But just—"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
The wild blonde opened her mouth to explain, but she probably wouldn't believe her if she's the one who said. Astrid barely believed her own daughter; how is she going to trust the absurdity of the truth when it comes from Camilla's mouth? "It's complicated. But the only way to find out is by talking to him!" She yelled back, gesturing behind her.
But when she took a look back herself, all the blood drained from her face when she found the spot empty; a complete lack of a six-foot auburn man who has no idea that his wife is about to kill him—and maybe her as well. With a more timid gaze, Camilla sneaked a peek behind her and just as she expected, Astrid is not happy about this sudden turn of events. The only thing that can describe the look on her face is 'murderous'.
"Astrid, I know this looks bad, but I really think you should—"
Unfortunately, she wasn't given the chance to finish her words before Astrid swung her axe at her with the flat of the blade. By sheer luck and godly reflexes, Camilla was able to produce her knives and take the powerful impact of the strike. But it didn't allow her to stay rooted on the ground as the force pushed her away and sent her flying to the arms of Shatter.
"Ah, fucking shit!" Camilla growled out, still holding the shattered knives in her hands. She threw them on the ground and leapt off of Shatter, who is still baffled and muddled about what's going on. She searched around the area but unfortunately, Astrid has already left to find her husband, hopefully not to kill him and instead have a very peaceful conversation that would lead them to getting back together and they would live happily ever after—but she knows that impossible. The last thing that would happen is two stubborn lovebirds making up without a fight.
"We better go after them. I knew this would happen!" She faced the rest of the division, stomping her foot in the dirt.
The chief blinked and glanced at the fuming form of Camilla. "Colonel Boggs. Did you know that... Agent Haddock is still alive?" He said, after a moment of complete confusion.
Said colonel let out an incensed groan. "Come on! Not you, too! I'll explain this after we make sure Astrid doesn't kill him. For now, we have to go!"
However, the division is still in a bit of a shock. Most of them are still confused as to who the auburn is. Maybe it's because Hayden never showed his face when he was still known as Night Fury. They were mostly befuddled at the strange meeting between the three and the sudden shift of atmosphere. Even Cutthroat, a man that's known to be a pretty indifferent individual, has his jaw dropped open and has more emotion plastered on his face than the last 10 years.
Camilla couldn't blame them. They're just as confused as Astrid, but the latter has a very good reason to be that angry—not that she would allow her to just wreak havoc but she could at least understand why. "Guys, I know you have some questions. But if you want them answered, the answers are literally running in that direction." Camilla pointed towards where they disappeared to.
That seemed to snap the rest out of their shock, including Cutthroat, who seemed embarrassed for a second for accidentally showing a humiliating side of him. "Sir, I suggest we move on for now. We're still in a war and those ships are still aiming to destroy the city." He told the chief.
Shatter nodded. "Cutthroat's right. The battle is yet to be over. We'll talk about this later and focus on what's important."
"Somehow, you managed to miss what I said and ended up getting it in the end." Camilla deadpanned. "But either way, I get what I want so let's haul ass!"
Is Hayden scared? Probably...
This single question kept on rolling and passing through his head as he maneuvered across the forest in order to escape what might seem to be his impending death. He always thought that his worst fears would be drowning, lightning, or darkness, but to think that the image of an enraged blonde woman would plague his dreams for the rest of life seemed laughable—but that's what happened.
The last few minutes with her were the most confusing moments in his entire life. His emotions were in chaos, but most of it was just pure bewilderment. One second, the woman was plunging her tongue in his mouth and the next, her fist slammed against his chest and nearly broke his ribs if it weren't for the bulletproof vest. What's even scarier is that he saw the blonde break her knuckles on impact; the nasty sound of her bones cracking is still fresh in his mind, but she shook it off as if it were nothing.
Now, he's trying his best to escape the clutches of that witch and reach the beach. He would rather fight an entire army from Sleipnir rather than face that horrifying seductress again. His chest still hurt and winded, so he allowed himself to take a few short breaks before bolting again. While he would rather make sure his body is in top shape when he reaches the beach, slowing down is out of the question because he wouldn't want to risk getting caught.
He made sure to remind himself later to give his thanks to Camilla for distracting the crazy woman long enough for him to escape, despite it being totally unintentional. While he was shocked at first to see Camilla back when he spied on their division, he put two and two together and realized that he must've been part of this organization she was talking about—which makes even more sense that the witch recognized him without the mask, making him understand her situation at least a little bit.
'What doesn't make sense though—is what the fuck just happened back there?!' Hayden screamed in his head. The auburn tried racking his brains for an explanation to that terrifying but oddly arousing experience that happened back there.
As far he knows, he has never kissed a woman before and he never expected to kiss one—at least this early. From the adult films that Nadia made him watch, kissing is probably one of the least interesting parts in any of the scenes, just right above the acting and the background music. But when he finally got a taste of it, it wasn't like anything he would ever expect. He thought sticking his tongue in a woman's mouth is just as weird as playing a recorder through the nose and mimes.
The feeling wasn't lustful or lascivious as he would expect, but it was more sentimental than anything. Although it was a bit arousing, he was filled with overwhelming sorrow and nostalgia. There's no question that he had a life before all this memory loss thing happened. But before the kiss, all he saw was pain and probably the worst memories he had in his previous life. This is the first time he experienced something other than that and oddly enough, it made his heart swell with gaiety.
It was... familiar.
It was a long-lost reminder that his old life was more than just murder and darkness. It's almost like the gods are trying to make sure that he would never re-experience the wonderful memories in his past and keep him in the dark so he could forever this moody and violent guy for the rest of his life. He'd be lying if he said that he expected a government agent to be the one that'll leak a few lost memories of his past life, but he's glad she did. Even though she tried to kill him, it's worth it if he's able to remember something good in his life.
"But there's still no way I'm going back to find out more," Hayden muttered under his breath as he came to a stop to take a breather.
Leaning against a fallen tree, he clutched his padded chest with a tight grip, sucking in a sharp breath as a stake of pain stabbed his skin. He unstrapped the vest since it's weighing him down and only adding to the pain. He's going to have to rely on his dodging skills once he's on the beach. Although he has no idea what to do once he arrives there, his goal to take down Sleipnir is still the only thing he has his eyes on.
Yet again, his mind went back to the crazy axe-wielding witch that he just shared a passionate moment with.
He already has a wound on his shoulder that he could barely acknowledge, what else is going to happen?
CRACK!
'Shit...'
The gods must've really hated him because as soon as he turned around, the gleaming blade of an axe blinded him for a second as it tumbled through the air at lightning speed. He managed to crane his head to the side just enough for the weapon to graze him by the cheek and embedded itself on the trunk of the tree he was leaning on. Wooden splinters flew off of the bark, nearly catching him in the eyes.
Just as he was about to question the iron blade in the tree, he heard a splenetic shout coming from where the axe came from and he turned just in time for the same goddamn blonde to lunge at him with her arms stretched out. It's like a rabid cat just pounced on him after ruining her dinner of fish bones and leftover rice. Except this time, it's a full-grown—attractive—woman leaping at him with the intent to kill; or at least, that's what he saw in her eyes.
With one quick step, he dodged the flurry of strikes that the woman was throwing at him before she landed on the dirt in an eagle-like manner. What sells it, even more, are her razor-sharp eyes that are just penetrating through his skull with a fit of deep, resentful anger. Now, this only made Hayden wonder how terrible he is in the past that he managed to drive someone to the point of extreme hatred. But he also wondered why he got a nostalgic and passionate feeling in the first place when she kissed him.
'Fuck, is she some crazy ex or something? Gods, was I this horrible of a person?' Hayden groaned inwardly.
But this is no time to mope about failed relationships and bad personalities because the one thing he should be focused on is survival. By the looks of how angry the woman just yanked her axe out of the tree to show me how she would love to gut me with her blade, he has a feeling that his chances are slowly dwindling to single digits. Signs like lips curling into scornful sneers and a glare that could burn Helheim itself are definitely reliable evidence of imminent death.
"Listen, blondie. I'm not keen on dying today and I'd rather much appreciate myself if I had a head. I thought we had an agreement?" He asked the woman, hoping that he would be able to convince her not to slice his head clean off.
The blonde scoffed. "Yeah... But that's before I saw your lying, Janus-faced, hollow-hearted, son-of-a-bitch of a face!" She hissed out.
Hayden blinked, momentarily surprised and astonished at the colorful string of words she put together. But then her words sunk in and a scowl adorned his face. "What does that mean? I've never lied to you! Why would I ever lie to you? Wasn't everything I said entirely truthful?"
"How am I supposed to know? You're the snake!" She retorted with a sneer.
"Then prove it!" Hayden cried out, causing the blonde to wince at the vexed tone. "If I'm such a lying piece of shit, then enlighten me of my lies!"
Astrid opened her mouth to bite back that he's impersonating her husband but she held her tongue. To be truthful, she found her own assumption to be absurd because nobody in the world has any reason to imitate the appearance of her husband. But the evidence is right there in front of her but what he just said is also candid. Not once did he try to backstab and quite a few times, he provided some support when she never really needed it.
So, why the hell is she so angry? Maybe it's because she refuses to believe that her supposedly-dead husband is actually alive and well? Maybe because the possibility of that being true is slim to none? Her daughter's words rang in her head, telling her that Hayden is alive over and over again until she couldn't take it anymore. She doesn't believe it, not one bit until she hears it coming out of the man's mouth, himself.
When she first saw his face, her first instinct was to kiss him—and not in a soft way either. Seeing his face again, albeit the possibility of it being a figment of her imagination, filled her heart with an emotion she hasn't felt in the past six years. It burst through her body like a wave of fireworks, exploding across her soul extravagantly that before she knew it, her mouth was on his and her only thought in her head is how much she missed tasting his lips.
But once she pulled away, a dreadful realization dawned on her and the pleasant flavor on her lips perished; a rancid taste replacing it as she felt nothing but anger for herself for kissing another man who isn't her husband... or so she thought. What made it worse is that she just realized that she kissed the Demon Killer, a notorious mass killer with an unknown kindness in his heart. But this gushing fury was about to tip over and the only person she can redirect it to is the imposter. So, that's what she did.
But now that she had the time to think, she might've acted according to her feelings and it resulted in a lot of unnecessary situations. For a second, she actually felt guilty for suddenly turning on this man who didn't just help her, but the entire division, with their predicament. However, her mind is still fixated on her belief that this man is an unnerving look-alike of her husband and she's determined to get to the bottom of this.
"What's your name?" Astrid asked with a stern voice; but internally, she felt like biting the nails off of all her fingers and bite her lip until it bled. She didn't know how terrifying it felt to ask this question until she actually did. It may act as a simple question, but the answer will define everything in her life.
The look-alike quirked up an eyebrow. "How did we get from point A to point M? This is getting weirder every time we talk." He chuckled humorlessly, but she could sense a slight tone of amusement.
This irked the blonde agent. "This is no time for jokes, Demon Killer. If you want me to leave you alone, tell. me. your. name." She empathized with a gradually growing venomous tone at each word.
"If it's going to help me survive, fine." The auburn sighed. "It's Hayden."
Astrid visibly winced that even she couldn't contain or cover up. She felt the oxygen in her body abandon her mouth, leaving her in need of air. Her heart pounded against her rib cage like a beast rattling the bars of its cage. The axe nearly slipped off her fingers but she managed to keep a good grip on it. She sucked in a breath, allowing the smoky, somewhat enchanting smell of the forest to wash down her body in order to calm her beating heart.
With a choked gulp, she asked another question. "D- do you have a last name?" She didn't even bother acknowledging her stutter. She flew past by her pride and practically pleaded to know, not that Hayden noticed. He's too busy wondering why she wanted his name. He would prefer not to, but it'll be useless to keep it hidden if all are going to be revealed someday.
"It's, uh... Haddock, Hayden Haddock." The auburn replied, unknowingly shattering Astrid's perception right there and then.
She could see everything fall apart in front of her. The glass shards of her vision and denial plunged down and broke across the ground. Her hand couldn't hold onto the axe any longer, slowly letting it drop to the dirt with a muffled thud. The despair and pain in her eyes shone like the moon above in the sky; the sapphires gleamed lowly under the light. A sorrowful shadow casts over her face, allowing her emotions to be enveloped her façade.
Astrid could feel her heart hanging by a thread. Her emotions battled in her heart, swearing to take down the rest and come out on top. In the end, she was left with an empty void of questions that not even she could answer. She doesn't what to feel because nothing in her life could've prepared her for this moment. It was just an internal struggle to see her dead husband, still living and breathing while posing as a vigilante—a dangerous one.
"Why?" was all she could ask after this pot of emotions that kept on churning and turning to the point that she couldn't even pinpoint what to feel anymore. She's just confused as to why the gods decided to bring him back. Did they do this to mess with her? To play with her feelings? To disregard all the pain that she suffered for the past six years?
When she first kissed him, everything felt like a fever dream—an illusion that pulled her true feelings out of her heart; to share what she had once lost with the person she was bound to for the rest of her life. She tasted his lips and she was brought back six years ago when she first kissed him. It was a magical moment that gave her peace in that one moment that would soon be followed by months of pure happiness and satisfaction.
Why can't she feel the same way when he's finally standing in front of her and not just a figment of his imagination? Did she expect to meet him in a different way; maybe in Valhalla? All of this felt like a trick Loki would pull on her for all the mistakes she had piled up over the last few years. Is this her punishment for neglecting her kids; failing to become the mother Hayden wanted her to be; to live up to the expectations everyone else had set? Did the gods bring him back to haunt her for the rest of her life; to plague her every day until she finally owns up that she can't be the perfect mother nor agent and leave both of those positions to someone who can actually do it?
"Why?" Astrid cried out, her voice cracking. "Why are you here, Hayden?!"
Said person stood there like a man that just lost his memories. Hayden's emerald orbs remained locked on the trembling form of the woman she once thought was a crazy witch/ex-girlfriend. But seeing the life leave her eyes after knowing his name, completely eviscerated those thoughts. He's not blind—he can clearly see that whoever this is, he must've been a pretty important person in her life. She is, after all, someone who knew him in the past.
Hayden fairly remembers his conversation with Camilla and how she stated that he was presumed dead. It must've been quite a shock to see a dead man that doesn't have rotting flesh or a brainless head. So, he could understand, at least a little bit, as to why she's so... emotional to see him, even if it nearly cost him his life. However, he can't just act like he knows who this woman is when from the looks of it, the sight of him is breaking her heart; the evident crestfallen on her face morphing into one of desperation and hysteria.
"I- I'm sorry... but I don't..." He tried to form an answer but failing miserably.
Hayden doesn't know what to say. Does he tell her that his memories are buried deep into his mind, refusing to be released for some unknown reason? He could, but that would only complicate things and frankly, he's already caught between a rock and a hard place. Another choice is that he could just lie and tell her that he's not who she thinks he is, but if Hayden going to be honest, he doesn't want to hurt this woman more than she already is. He doesn't know why but seeing her so... heartbroken pained him as well.
However, he's completely unaware of the overwhelming anxiety filling her right now.
When Hayden tried to answer her, Astrid came to a horrible realization that filled her with apprehension. Now that she has confirmed that he's in fact her husband, why does it feel like she's talking to a completely different person? If he really is Hayden, then surely she could've noticed some signs or slip-ups that would've provided as evidence to her suppressed assumptions. But why does it look like he's meeting her for the very first time?
Not once did he mention her name. To think that she only found out now that he's alive for the past six years, he would've at least acknowledge her or give her some signs that he was there. But then Ezra's words came in an untimely moment, bouncing along in her skull as the sound of her daughter's voice rang in her ears. Another wave of dread washed over her face; the color leaving her skin as she tried her hardest to deny the subconscious truth. But the words tumbled out of her mouth before she even knew it.
"Do you know who I am?"
The question caught the auburn off guard. The look on the blonde's face was a mask of forged curiosity with a hint of spunk in her eyes. But behind that façade sat a pleading wife who begged to the gods, asking to tell her that her speculations are wrong and that there's a perfectly good explanation as to why she's feeling this way; one that would erase all her doubts. Once again, Ezra's words echoed in her ears but she pushed them away to grab onto that single line of optimism. But at each passing second, that flicker of hope slowly died away as she watches Hayden's face crumple into a frown.
"I'm sorry, but... no, I- I know what we must've known each other before but... I- I lost my memories. All I remember were the past three years." He replied solemnly, feeling a bit lost and confused.
"Oh, gods..." came the chocked voice of Astrid as her hands flew to her mouth, unable to keep the shock away from her face. Anguish darkened across her once beautiful, glimmering blue eyes. She stumbled backward, finding herself leaning against the trunk of the tree she buried her axe in.
Her worst fears have been confirmed. Now, not only did the gods decided to torture her by bringing him back, they took away every moment, every second, and everything they shared out of Hayden, leaving him in a clueless state, unaware of the pain, joy, and anger he had experienced with her. The memories they had created have been forgotten and only Astrid will be able to remember them.
It pains her to say it but 'till this very day, she still loves him and that feeling crawled out of her hearts as soon as she saw him again. But now, he could never return that same feeling ever again—it will never be the same. Everything she experienced that slowly grew her love for him has been built upon the troubles and jubilant moments in their life. Without that, she questions if he's really the same sarcastic, imaginative, and caring man she fell in love with all those years ago.
But even in the face of despair and defeat, Astrid refused to shed tears. To her, this is not something worth crying for. Although she has no idea what to do, she won't allow herself to be brought down, no matter how hard it is. She's Fearless Hofferson; former general of Drakos and one of the best agents in the entire world, almost besting Night Fury's records. She's spent the last six years without him, she can do it again, even if she'll have to do it with the knowledge that he's just around the corner, ignoring his presence for the rest of her life. It's going to be easy, right?
'Right?'
Meanwhile, Hayden as well as having a mini-crisis in his mind. He doesn't realize how much of an impact he has on other people because he can't recall any part of his life that he remembered that's worth being this impactful until he saw the misery in the blonde's eyes when he told her that he doesn't know her. She must've been pretty important to him as well because he could feel a subconscious pain aching in his heart at the disconsolate sight. This horrible feeling is certainly a surprising but not a welcoming experience.
Hayden's not sure what to do at this point. Should he comfort her? Because if she should, he couldn't think of any possible way to lighten her mood up, especially since he's the main reason why she's this crushed. He's not even sure why, other than the fact that they know each other from the past. Should he mention that he felt a bit of nostalgia from her or would that just make everything worse? Hayden's never been this torn apart by a sea of questions before, other than the first time he woke up in a desolate desert.
However, the tantalizing smell of smoke and blood passed his nose and he's reminded once again that they're in the middle of a war. As important as this is, the threat of Sleipnir's chaotic plans trumps all of their problems as of right now. He doesn't know what he was thinking, hoping to take all of Sleipnir's forces by himself. The only reason why they're able to repel the attack is because of these brave agencies who are willing to lay their lives down to protect their country, cities, and the entire world. If he's going to take down Sage, he's going to need this organization's help.
Especially hers...
Rubbing the back of his neck, he allowed a strained smile to reach his face. "Listen, I know that I must've been... someone important to you?" He said with a questioning tone, which earned him an empty, pointed glare. There was a lack of emotion in it—but it's a glare nonetheless. "I don't know how to say this without sounding a little ignorant, but I don't know you and it would probably take a very long time before I start remembering things."
Her eyes remained empty, but a tiny, little insignificant flame of hope flashed across her dull sapphire orbs; so small that even she didn't notice it. The negatives still outweighed the positives and as of right now, Astrid's not feeling optimistic any time today. Hearing him say it again probably dampened her already heavy mood. At least he got one characteristic that seemed familiar; Night Fury's ability to put her down using the simplest words.
"But I'd like it if we end this on good terms. I may be just as confused as you and I want to learn more about what I lost but..." He reeled back for a second, wishing that this is the right path. "...we need to win this war. I need to take down the leader of Sleipnir... that's what they're called. And I'm going to need your help. At the end of the war, maybe in addition to imprisoning me, we can have a conversation? A peaceful one?"
Hayden was met with a pair of eyes, devoid of any emotion and color. He felt a nervous gulp travel down his throat and across her entire body. His heart thrashed against his chest like an angry beast trying to escape its cage. He's worried that he might've triggered another furious nerve in her and this time, he's not sure if he can survive. Although her weapon sat on the dirt, forgotten by its owner, there's no doubt the blonde can snap him like a twig if she wanted to.
But to his surprise, she straightened her body and regarded him with a stiff nod. "You're right. The war is more important. I'm sorry for trying to kill you. I thought... no—we'll wait for the others and then we can devise an offensive strategy." Her voice came out monotonous and mechanical, just like Camilla's when Hayden forced her to tell him about his past. She's trying to hide her emotions, covering them up with an obvious, pretensive mask.
Although it went better than he hoped, he still felt miserable. "O- okay." He said, a fake smile flashing across his lips for barely a second before he felt stupid for trying to lighten the mood when even he felt the opposite.
Picking up her axe, she treaded dully across the space between, passing him by without a second glance before stopping. Hayden noticed her presence halting and dauntlessly cast a peek behind him, just enough to see the blonde facing him with an indifferent gaze. There isn't a hint of spite nor animosity in her eyes. But the grey tint almost made her appear bored, a complete opposite of her previous mood.
"My name is Astrid Haddock." She suddenly said, causing Hayden to whirl his head with eyes as big as a deer in the path of an oncoming train; a quite poetic metaphor to describe what he's feeling right now. "Six years ago, you weren't just an important person in my life, Hayden. You were the most important person in my life. I loved you then and I still love you now. I will never regret marrying you and giving me the happiness I never thought I needed. I realize now that I can never move on from you and that's okay. So, thank you for giving me this chance to have one last conversation with you as your wife."
Astrid walked up to him, a slight smile on her lips as Hayden watched her in a frozen state. She might've called it a conversation but it felt like she's addressing a completely different person; as if she's talking to the person she once called husband. She's confessing her true feelings to him but why does it sound like she's saying goodbye? Hayden couldn't understand why and he hated feeling lost. He's always reminded of that moment when he's wandering the sandy ocean with no clue of who he is and why he existed.
'Gods, a child and now—a wife? What kind of sick joke are the gods playing?'
But before they could give him an answer, he was brought back to a memorable moment a few minutes ago and felt her soft lips meeting his once again. Her axe fell on the dirt for the thousand-time, but neither could care less. Unlike before, this one was chaste but soulful. It wasn't the passionate tongue-plunging kiss she gave him earlier, but it felt like a kiss from a dying lover. It gave him a bittersweet feeling that he couldn't comprehend. Her hands traveled along his cheeks and softly held him in his place. She's allowing him to move away, to escape from her but his heart refused to.
In fact, he felt a little braver and his body decided to respond as well, molding their lips together and finding out how perfect it matched with hers. He couldn't understand why he did it, but he just felt his lips moving on their own and before he knew it, he fell deep into the kiss. His hands hovered over her arms, fingers lightly tracing over her milky-white, battle-bred skin. Just like her, he isn't forcing her against him but merely holding her while their mouths did most of the work.
Astrid pulled away from him, leaving him subtly disappointed and each other's lips a bit swollen. A melancholy smile graced her face and Hayden found himself unable to smile back, only capable of pressing his fingers against her arms. "Goodbye, Hayden." She whispered softly, caressing his cheeks one last before reluctantly ripping her body away from his and then picking her battle axe to leave Hayden alone to wonder what the hell just happened.
But no matter how confused he is, he couldn't help but feel like he made the worst mistake in his entire life. A humorless chuckle escaped the auburn's lips. "What have I done?"
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Ah yes, I shall create a sauna using the tears of the hiccstrid fandom. Not quite the reunion you're asking for, eh? I'd like to thank Hajime Isayama for giving me this idea. He already shared a few of his fans' tears to help me start building the sauna. But don't worry, I assure you that this is still a hiccstrid story.