The Underground

Story Form By Panda (altered)

Originally by Nate Docken

Chapter 4: Devotion

Later after Koe's death...

Iris dragged Kazna into a small, run down building. A ringing phone was in the next room.

"Kazna! Please hurry! We must return quickly..." said Iris who was having a hard time getting him to move. "...we know nothing of their intentions... they may have sent men after us by now! Please come, we have to inform the Prophets for the sake of their existence-"

"To hell with the Prophets!" he roared, yanking his arm back to himself. "My patience wears thin..." he hissed. His face twisted, making him look terrifyingly evil, even to Iris. "...my hands... they crave for Apollo's blood!"

Iris felt hurt. "Kazna! Cease this meaningless hunt! The end justifies the means... and our organization depends on this information! We must-"

"I don't give a fuck about the organization anymore, or of this shitty information!" he yelled. "I did not follow those Agents to the Underground's meeting, just to obtain some 'information'! I wanted a clear shot at Apollo... information of him would have been much better!"

Iris felt heartbroken. "Why, Kazna? Why are you so obsessed about avenging Prometheus?"

With one swift motion, he clutched her throat. Shocked stricken and having difficulties breathing, she began to cry, whispering something softly inaudible to Kazna.

"Don't ever, say that name around me again." he released her. She fell back coughing. She pitifully sat on the cold stone floor, tears welling up and streaming down her cheeks.

"Why..." she whimpered. She remembered the days when they would never fight. She had never seen this side of him until recently... right after Prometheus was killed.

"I love you, Iris. You're the most important person to me." he had once said.

"Why..?" she sobbed.

"Let's go out and eat. In the Matrix... even though it's not real, but it makes ya miss the old days, huh? Haha..." their first date.

"Why do you temper our love for each other just to partake in some silly hunt!" she cried.

Kazna said nothing.

"I'm sorry for yelling, Iris... please forgive me, I lose my temper sometimes... Please don't be sad." he had always tried to cheer her up, and apologized every time he got angry. "Do you want to go out for cake?... I know you love cake. Come on, I'll take you to your favorite place... please? For me? I want cake too!"

"...do you care more about your teacher than you do about me?..." she asked, searching for him deeply in his eyes.

"I love you, Iris. I'll protect you with my life! And we'll end this war side by side."

"Do you?" she almost yelled.

Kazna stared at her. He was unreadable, but his cold eyes left her unspeakable. He turned around.

"Don't walk away from me now..." she cried feeling rejected. "Answer me!"

"Do you really want to hear the truth, Iris?" he said, cold-heartedly. Even though they both knew she would regret it, she nodded.

"... Yes. She was a sister to me... a sister taken away from me." Kazna watched her cry louder. "She taught me everything, Iris. She gave me meaning... a purpose. She helped me when I questioned my existence in the Real World. She gave me hope."

Her crying died down slowly. "...She died honorably, Kazna."

"Not by that man..." he looked enraged once again. "... she was the master of swordplay, yet he obliterated her with the most ease... she deserved better. Far better."

"...There was nothing you could do." she whispered.

"Be that as it may, I should have done something..." he stared off. "... it was a long suffering torture, Iris. You would never know how I had felt that day... I watched her die... and I didn't do a thing."

"So you put your revenge in front of everything?" she asked in disbelief. "Even the Prophets?" she paused. "... our love?"

Kazna turned to her, giving her a soft serious look. "I love you more than what I show, but this is the path I have chosen. When you reach that fork in the road, you have no time to hesitate. Pick either one of the other..." he said. "My hands are inches away from the enemy, and I must choose the path that is the longest, but will get me closer to it. I know I will not regret that decision."

"I will choose the road you choose, Kazna." Iris said. Her weeping had come to an end upon feeling slightly better. To death, even if it meant by her love's hands, she would be by his side.

Kazna smiled. "My vengeance is nearly complete... With the death of Koe, Apollo will soon come for me..." he offered her a hand up. She stood, embracing him closely. "We shall wait..."

"...Together." Iris added, smiling happily. They both stood there holding each other, ignoring the ringing phone in the next room.

TBC