Chapter 3
Maya breathed in, feeling the cool air entering her lungs. Then she exhaled like she naturally would. But something was different about her surroundings that she could not ignore. She turned her body from left to right, sleeping at her side rather her back. It was a slight improvement, some aches had disappeared but something was off. The Blue Siren knew something was wrong but she could not point specifically.
Then as she opened her eyes, she realized that the tent was no longer there. Come to her realization, she was not in the forest that she remembered. She sat up and looked around, not one soul was there. No vehicle. No fireplace. And certainly no Kharkov and Red to be sighted.
But even though the darkness was worrying, her surrounding was familiar. Maya remembered, the place had a similar feeling when she entered Lilith's mind when she was unconscious. Could she be in her mind, a new discovery to her capabilities? Or maybe, was she inside of Red or Kharkov head? It was time for Maya to get the answers.
Maya stood up and observed the place once again, having fascinations towards this new place. She looked at her Siren arm and focused on it. The mark started to glow and she raised her hand high, acting it as a lamp or a light source. Around a five meter radius, it was visible ground and she could see the surface that was flat and black. But beyond the radius was pure darkness.
"Kharkov!" Maya called. "Red! Do you hear me?"
Maya called multiple times but no one would answer. Maya nodded in fascination, where was she and who's mind specifically she was in. With no directions and intentions to go, Maya went on walking forward. Whether it was a foolish or a smart decision, she would learn later through mistakes.
Every foot she set, she realized there were no echoes could be heard. The place had no sense of 'touch', because there was no sense of air at the place. She called again to check if there was anyone at the place. She shouted the same name as before and like it, no one answered.
Then she heard footsteps and stopped. Maya searched for it but was impossible to find since she was surrounded by darkness. The sound had no specific source that she could point. It was neither left or right, neither near or far. It was an odd paradox but somewhat in this reality. She felt something at her feet and looked down. White footsteps scattered around her feet, she was certain that it was not her doing.
Later the footsteps started to move forward, Maya felt that it wanted to be followed. With nowhere to go and objectives to fulfil, she went on with its bidding. Following the mysterious footsteps, she walked and walked without any question to what was the cause of such mysterious phenomena. Could it be that she was in another Siren mind and not hers? As soon as the thought had come, the footsteps stopped. The end of the road it seems.
"Alesia! Alesia! Alesia!" A chant suddenly emerged from the silence.
The intensity and the volume, it consisted a crowd of thousands. Yet the crowd was nowhere to be seen in Maya's eyes. Behind her formed a body, same height as hers and features of a woman. Maya felt the presence and turned to the back. Slowly the features started to show and the little details come later. She recognized who was the woman and it was her enemy, Alesia.
She wore a beautiful suit, a combination of silver and white and high heels. But it seem she was not aware of Maya. She raised her hand and the chant became louder. Then a gunshot echoed and Alesia trembled down the ground. It shocked Maya as she took a few steps back away from her. Blood started to came out from her wounds and Maya could hear her determination to live.
"They can't kill me…" Alesia shook her head. "They can't… I won't let them…"
Maya looked as Alesia lost her consciousness, in her heart, she wanted to help her. But suddenly, the body faded and disappeared, the blood followed soon leaving no trace. Maya was alone again in the darkness and she contemplating about the world that she was in. Could it be that she was in Alesia's mind?
Something appeared at the right, Maya looked and it was a group of doctors and nurses. They were surrounding a bed and was rushing onto something. Maya walked silently to the group, preferring to observe such happening. Like Alesia, the doctors and nurse did not realize her presence, they focus on their work instead.
A nurse walked pass Maya and went to another machine to configure something. She was like a ghost among them, she could see her but they could not. Alesia laid on top of the surgery bed with blood covered her chest and clothe. They were working hard to save her life it seemed, with every minute moment not wasted. Alesia looked badly injured but she was determined to live, even though she was unconscious.
"Two bullets have been successfully removed." Said one doctor, his voice was muffled under the mask. "Heart rate is dropping significantly."
"Blood pressure is decreasing incrementally." Affirmed another doctor. "Nurse, add another blood pack."
"Yes doctor." A nurse responded and put another blood pack, joining the tube together with the current blood pack.
"Inject antibiotics to prevent infection. Double the dose." Order the first doctor.
"Yes doctor." Another nurse responded, she injected antibiotics to a water pack that connected to the patient.
"Heart rate is stabilizing, blood pressure is increasing. Should we add stem cells?" Asked the second doctor.
"We should." He nodded. "Proceed on putting stem cells on the damaged areas."
"After this, stitch her up and let the stem cells do the job."
Slowly, the group faded from the world and left no trace whatsoever. It was like an illusion but it was surreal at the same time. The footsteps appeared again and moved to another direction, Maya jogged to it to catch up. She heard someone growling, breathing heavily and desperate by the tone of its breath. A man and a woman suddenly appeared; the two people faced each other with the woman being slightly weaken posture. Then Maya recognized who they were, it was Axton and Alesia.
"Alesia!" Axton shouted while aiming his revolver at her.
"What are you waiting for Axton?" Said Alesia. "Finish what you started and be the hero you always wanted."
Axton said nothing.
"Come on." Alesia halted, the distance between them was relatively short. "Do it."
Axton emptied the revolver and threw it at Alesia, the weaken Chairwoman caught it without any problem. Alesia looked at the gun and peered through every part of it. She then held it firmly without wanting to use it to her advantage.
"I'm not going to kill you." Axton said.
"What!" Maya was shocked to the core, how could Axton leave her be. She approached to Axton very closely and shouted to his ear. "What are you doing Axton? You're going to let her go?!?"
"Not until I know who is the woman right in front of me." Axton continued, he did not hear what Maya had said even though she was so close.
"What do you mean you need to know her? She's going to kill our friends Axton." Maya tried again. She shook Axton shoulders but he did not react.
"For the first time, someone shocked me to the very core." Alesia said.
Maya did not want to accept any of this, she moved towards Alesia with some intention of violence. Her Siren glowed blue intensely and she wanted to use to the fullest. Though it was never been done before, she did not care, it was time for her to eliminate Alesia. But before she could use her power, Axton and Alesia disappeared like the apparitions before.
Maya was alone again, this time confused and afraid. Was she really in Alesia mind or was she in a nightmare of her own mind. The footsteps appeared again, it moved to another direction and Maya doubted to follow it again. She stood still and looked at the footsteps for a time, pondering on her options. But was there even an options to begin with? She had nowhere to go and there was no way out, was standing still really the best option?
Stubborn and brave, she decided to follow the footsteps again but this time with full caution. Another thing, if she was to find Alesia again, Maya would make sure she made the killing blow with her Siren powers. Be it a dream or in a reality that she could not explain by her knowledge. She started to follow the footsteps with her hands fisted.
Later, the footsteps lead to another figure and disappeared midway. It was not needed anymore and Maya suspected the figure would be Alesia. From afar, the height and the features resembled the Chairwoman of Hyperion. Maya moved in a faster pace and readied her powers immediately; she realized that Alesia was different this time. She had a clear visual on Alesia and stopped again, she observed what was happening at her enemy.
Alesia covered in blood again but odd enough, she was nude, only wearing her underwear that covered her private parts. Her right hand held a revolver and another empty handed. She stood silently while looking up, mumbling something to herself. With most her body revealed, Maya could see the scar on her chest that was healed by the doctors. Anyone received such injury should not have the energy to stand up. Even for a Vault Hunter, Maya was not confident that an average person can be like Alesia.
A morphed Psycho suddenly appeared behind her and pounce at her with his buzzax. Alesia, injured and bloodied, turned back and held the Psycho by the neck. The Psycho was shocked and panicked, it started to become defensive. But it was not long, with a movement of a few fingers; Alesia ended the Psycho life by breaking his neck. Alesia then threw away the corpse elsewhere, Maya followed her eyes and the corpse was not the first. The Psycho joined a few more that died by Alesia hand.
"Reus said that you were the worst of the worst, what are you waiting for?" Alesia said and changed her posture to a more defensive one. "I may be trapped, I may be outnumbered and I may be weak. But you scum won't kill me easily."
Who was she talking to, Maya did not know. But it was time for her to kill Alesia once and for all. Maya ran towards her and wanted to give a punch with her Siren powered hand. Alesia should not know but she should receive the blow nevertheless. The Blue Siren winds her left hand and gave the punch to her. Alesia stepped to the side and evaded it.
Maya was thrown to the other side but she was dumbfounded with the situation, how could Alesia evade when she was supposed to be a ghost to her. Maya glanced at Alesia and she stood still again.
"Another Siren?" Alesia looked around the place, searching for something. "At Maniac's Cove? Whoever you are, I know you can see me."
Maya windup another fist and attacked Alesia, but again she dodged it.
"What are you attempting to do Siren?" Alesia said. "Even though I'm weak, I could still sense you're presence."
"Shut up bitch." Maya gave another attack.
Alesia dodged it again but this time, she countered it with a choke. Like the Psycho before, Alesia held her by the neck. Maya had a hard time to breath, Alesia almost closed her trachea whole. She tried to break the hold but it was a useless effort it seemed.
"Insanely, I'm putting my hand up in the air." Alesia in confusion. "Yet for some reason, I could feel you rather faintly at my fingertips. How fascinating…"
The choke became stronger and Maya struggled to gain air to her lungs. Maya looked at Alesia hand and she saw black Siren marks till the elbow. She squirmed for air but Alesia seemed not giving any chances. But two Psycho pounced behind her and stabbed her back, Alesia screamed in pain and released the hold. She then focused on the psychos while Maya lost her consciousness.