Chapter 14 The Nightmare Awakens

John's P.O.V

Pain still coursed all over my body. The jagged rocky points cut into my scales as I tried to find the strength to climb out of the hole I had made in the ground. Every time that I made a move to get up, I could only move the fingers on my hand. The surrounding area was lit by the Purple glow of the energy that coursed through me.

"Why if I have so much energy, am I still in this hole!?"

I yelled as I looked up at the Blue, Pink, and Grey sky that was far above me. The sky was partially obscured from my view from the rocks that partially covered the top of the hole that I had made. A sudden surge of energy raced through my body and before I could even think of moving, I was already out of the hole. Somehow, I had crawled up A large wall that was tall without even having the strength to move just before. I didn't question it though.

"Where am I?"

I growled to myself as I looked around. I seemed to have landed in A mountainous region of the outermost portion of the smallest island in the Archipelago. A strong wind picked up and almost blew me off balance. It was then that I noticed that there was snow on the ground. My host body shivered with the intense cold of the area. I looked around to see mountains that were covered with snow on all sides of me. Oddly enough, the area that I was standing on seemed to be flat… like the Black Mesa Plateau.

"Halt!"

A voice commanded me. I smiled to myself.

"You think that you have the power to command me?"

I asked as I turned with A demonic smile as I looked at who had challenged me. When I saw who had challenged me, my breath caught in my throat. I growled and let the blades come from the spaces between my fingers.

"You...How are you still alive!?"

I yelled as I stabbed my finger at the individual. The individual smiled.

"You were my personal favorite Obsidian"

The individual said as he looked at the ground with A sad smile.

"I always wanted you to be king, but your mother wanted otherwise"

The individual said while he looked at the ground.

"And you let her choose my brother over me!?"

I yelled. I slashed at the figure through the whiteness of the snow that clouded my vision, but my blades went right through him.

"I believe that's what got you exiled from the United Island Archipelago"

The figure said as he looked back up at me. I felt the sweat freeze on my scales as I took a few steps back from this figure to catch my breath.

"And how do you suppose that this would happen?"

I asked angrily. The individual laughed A long hearty laugh.

"As you have accepted me as your leader before, I can make you powerful once more"

The individual started as the wind became stronger and the snow that clouded the area became more intense.

"More powerful than any machine could, and more powerful that your brother; that's what you want, right my son?"

The individual asked with an evil smile as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"That is exactly what I want: Revenge and the Throne"

I replied eagerly.

"Then it's done"

The individual said. I heard the whistling of something right after what was said. Whatever the object was that impacted me hit the side of the head, knocking me out. The last thing I heard before I fell into unconsciousness was A single sentence.

"We got him boss!"

I awoke to be bound by my hands and feet with chains. I tried to move my arms and legs, but they wouldn't move. I also was tired, really tired for some reason. I was lying horizontally with my appendages being prevented from moving by A shell of some sort that restricted my movements. Every time I tried to move, the chains that bound me made metallic clinking sounds that echoed in my head. I was also sore all over. My limbs were numb and it was hard to breathe. I heard footsteps all around me. My Orange and Red eyes partially illuminated the ground I was forced to look at. I had no idea how long I was here, but I knew it had to be at least three days.

When I get out of here, there's going to be no trace of this place ever existing.

I promised myself. While I told myself that, I heard something drop onto the floor next to me.

"Are you really sure that this is the one you've been looking for?"

A voice said as footsteps resounded through the area. I could not move my head, but I knew the voice.

"What do you think? Just look at how his eyes illuminate the floor in front of him!"

The other voice cried. I laughed to myself. The two individuals walked to the front of the restraint and looked at me.

"What do you think he really is?"

The one on the right asked as the room lit up. This individual was Blue in color and looked to be somewhat athletic. He had Green irises that contrasted with his scale color. The one on the left looked like Venom. His body structure looked like Venom's and he had an eyepatch with A scar over his left eye that shot A Purple ray of light periodically.

"It definitely looks like out target"

The Venom-like figure said to other other individual.

"Let me ask the questions this time, ok Mako?"

The Purple individual asked. Mako saluted him and ran to the device that brought him down here. I heard the strain of ropes as something was lifted off of the ground.

That has to be a pulley system.

I told myself. Immediately, I had another thought.

What use would that be to me to bring down this place?

I asked myself as I watched the Purple individual take A seat on the ground in front of me.

"Abyss, right?"

The individual asked me. I did not move.

"I know who and what you are"

The individual said evenly. I closed my eyes and the glow disappeared from the floor.

"Is that so?"

I asked the individual. The individual stiffened and sat up straight.

"If you say that you know me, then you should be able to tell me what made me so powerful"

I said opening my eyes again. The glow on the floor returned, lighting the area around the individual that sat before me.

"You would know me if you had paid more attention to me, but that's besides the point"

The individual started to say. I snorted.

"You really think that I would associate with such A weak individual of my species?"

I asked him. The individual got up from his sitting position.

"I also know that you were given an incalculable amount of power from the G.E.N.E.S.I.S, you associate with Bowser and Doctor Ivo, I also know that you killed Reaper and the list goes on"

The individual listed. I shifted my eyes to look up at this individual.

"Then you are Venom"

I said in disbelief. He nodded.

"I'm your only way out of here, so you should at least give me respect for the time being"

He said with an edge in his voice. I only had the strength to give A single nod.

"Do you have any ideas why I'm feeling so weak?"

I asked Venom as he went back to the object that Mako went to not so long ago.

"That there is something that Northwind and Frostbite put together; it's A magic sapping device that was specifically made to contain you"

Venom explained as he sat back down in front of me with A watermelon.

"I suppose that you could open it, right?"

I asked hopefully as he cut A hole in the watermelon.

"That's the problem Abyss; there's only one key that opens this device"

Venom's voice trailed off as he finished the sentence. I looked crossly at him.

"And where would this key be?"

I asked angrily while I watched Venom eat the watermelon that he possessed.

"It's at the overseer's office; it's supposed to be there anyways"

Venom told me with uncertainty. I sighed heavily and my body went limp and I spiraled into unconsciousness once again. When I woke again, it was colder than it was when I first got here.

"It seems that in you're in A bit of A pinch"

A raspy voice said from somewhere in the room. I suddenly went numb all over.

"Who's there? What do you want from me?"

I asked fearfully. I heard A gurgly laugh come from somewhere in the room.

"There's no need to be afraid of the dark unless you're an individual of the light"

The same raspy voice said. No light illuminated the room except for the now faint glow of my irises.

"If you don't want help, I can leave you here to die"

The voice said, but as the sentence came to an end, the voice became lower in pitch. I felt A change of pressure in the room as something started to move in the pitch blackness of the room. It was not far in front of me. It looked like to have A human shape to it, but it was oddly very thin. As the thing came closer, I could see two pinpoints of Red light form in the darkness. The lights were so bright, that they partially illuminated this thing's face. That's all I needed to see before my hopes skyrocketed.

"How did you get here?"

I asked with A weak smile as the thing looked me over.

"What grievances have they brought upon you Abyss?"

The thing asked me as it materialized in front of me once again. I looked down at the ground.

"Apparently they have found my one and only weakness; taking my magic energy away"

I said quietly. The thing floated over me while it looked at the device that kept me stationery.

"I think that I cannot help you at this point"

The thing said from behind me. As soon as the thing finished its sentence, light flashed over me.

"Who or what are you talking to?"

I heard a familiar voice ask me angrily. I heard footsteps come across the floor and I saw Mako stand himself in front of me. He had A torch in his left hand and A sword that was being tightly gripped in his right hand. He held the torch to my face, temporarily blinding me with the flickering Yellow and Orange light.

"You should learn to treat your superiors with respect"

I heard the thing say as the torch that Mako had in his left hand die out suddenly. The room was thrown into complete darkness.

"W-What's going on here?"

I heard him cry out. He dropped the torch on the ground, where it made A metallic clanking sound as it impacted the floor.

"What tricks are you pulling Abyss?"

He asked frantically as he paced around the room.

"It's not what Abyss is doing; It's what i'm about to do"

The thing said as I saw it move right behind Mako, which was to the immediate left of where I was.

"You might want to let me go"

I said softly as I saw two white pinpoints of light appear behind Mako. Mako put his hands on his hips.

"And why's that?"

He asked me sarcastically as I watched the white pinpoints turn from White to Red slowly as the thing brought its fingers close to Mako's neck.

"Because you have only seconds left to change your mind about keeping me here"

I watched Mako burst out into laughter.

"You...think...that's...supposed...to...scare...me?"

he said between hearty laughs that echoed off of the walls.

"That's hilarious Abyss; you should try joking with me more often!"

he mocked me. He then became very still as the thing put its fingers around his neck.

Mako started taking in short and rapid breaths.

"Abyss? What are you doing?"

Mako said with A wavering voice. I smiled as my irises started to glow again.

"It's not what Abyss is going to do, but what I'm going to do"

The thing said as it jerked Mako's head so hard, I heard the cracking of bones as the thing snapped Mako's neck and spinal cord. I watched Mako drop to the floor. He fell right in front me, and I could see how much damage this thing had done to him. I saw blood pooling around his head, but that wasn't the worst part. Somehow, this thing used so much force to break his neck that I saw some parts of the spinal column jutting out of Mako's neck. I only had A second to look at Mako's cold and dead eyes before the thing dragged his body to the opposite wall. The thing materialized in front of me again.

"You want to be free; I can feel your desire to rage"

The thing said as the pinpoints of light turned from Red to White slowly. I let my body go limp again.

"I do, but before you leave, can you at least tell me your name?"

I asked the thing as it started to float away from where I laid.

"My name?"

The thing rasped as it turned halfway to me.

"Refer to me as the Mastermind for now"

The thing said as it disappeared into the blackness of the room once more. I went unconscious once more. As I was still unconscious, I saw the Mastermind breaking Mako's neck over and over and over again in my own mind.

I've seen death and destruction many times; why am I seeing this being repeated in my mind?

I asked myself. I was out for some time once again before I woke up to Venom kneeling in front of me with A small bowl. I looked at the liquid inside of the bowl.

"I would like you to take at least some of it Abyss"

Venom said as he raised the bowl to my mouth.

"You know that I don't need any form of nourishment to live, right?"

I told him as I took some of the liquid that was in the bowl. He took the bowl back and put it onto the ground.

"I looked in the office for the key, but I didn't see it"

Venom said with A hint of sadness and anger in his voice. Just then, A horrid smell filled the room.

"That's horrible! What's that smell coming from!?"

Venom said as he put his hand over his nostrils. I tried to resist the urge to tell him, but Venom started looking around before I could say anything. I could tell when he saw what he was looking for when I heard him start to gag.

"Abyss! What have you done!?"

Venom asked in disbelief and fear as he ran back to where I was. I looked up at him.

"How could I have killed Mako if I am bound to this wretched object?"

I asked him as he looked at me with an unamused expression.

"I guess you saw what happened to him"

I said as Venom produced something from his hand. It was A bronze key that shimmered in the light of my irises.

"What does that open?"

I asked as he fidgeted with the key.

"You know that Mako is busy decaying in the corner, right Abyss?"

He asked as he angled my head to see the horror that the Mastermind had done to Mako.

"It's nothing that I haven't seen before"

I said with A little smile. Venom sat on the ground in front of me.

"You realize that with the killing of Mako, that your escape has fallen to a three percent chance of success?"

He told me while he took his hand off of his nostrils.

"You actually did the calculation?"

I laughed. Venom nodded while he looked up.

"What are you looking at?"

I asked as I tried to look up. I heard faint commotion from near the top of the building.

"It's probably the guards fighting over rations again"

Venom sighed. I looked at the ground again.

"You might want to leave now Venom"

I told him as I felt A huge wave of numbness course over me. Venom looked at me worriedly.

"Just don't kill anyone else ok?"

He asked me as he ran over to the lifting device. I heard the strain of the ropes as he hurriedly brought himself up. I partially saw the glow of the Devil Symbol as it glowed its evil Purple color. It illuminated the area around me with the color. The energy that coursed through me caused me to yank my arms up from the restraints that bound me. The metal rings that chained me to the floor snapped and I could stand upright now. I bent down to take off the restraints that chained my legs to the floor, but they snapped from the rapid muscle growth that was taking place. I stumbled while took my first steps, but I was able to walk. The shell was still on me, so I flexed my shoulders and the shell splintered into pieces. I could feel the pull of the Devil Gene. It wanted to influence my actions.

"No place can contain me!"

I screamed at the ceiling. The scream echoed off of the walls. I saw Venom look over the side of the wall with A bewildered expression.

"Sound the alarm!"

I heard Venom cry as multi-colored flames licked the edge of my mouth. I could feel the heat they generated as I looked at the ground all around me. I opened my mouth and A jet of fire erupted from my mouth. I made A circle with the fire around the room so that the fire could climb up the walls. Loud bells sounded all around me, causing my vision swim with the noise that they generated. I heard the pounding of feet as an innumerable amount of individuals lined all of the open spaces around me. I put my arms out at my sides.

"Have any of you not realized what you have incurred onto yourselves?"

I asked the individuals through the wavering heat of the flames. Their bodies wavered in the heat of the flames. Venom dropped to the ground in front of me.

"Remember what I told you"

He told me as he got into A fighting stance. I took A step back.

"Venom, I'm not going to fight you"

I told him, but he didn't move.

"Let them have it Abyss"

He said with A smile as he moved to my side.

"May whoever has mercy on their souls keep them"

I heard Venom sigh to himself as he readied his golden spears. He started to throw them as I launched from the ground with the cracking of stone and dust as I unfurled my wings. I noticed the some minor bones in my left wing were broken, but it didn't bother me. I burst through the top of the building and into the blizzard that numbed my host body. I suspended myself in the air while the Devil Gene took over. The symbol sparked and I saw two orbs of light form on both palms of my hands. The orbs grew larger in size until they were about the size of bowling balls. The one on the right pulsed as it grew darker in color. The one on the left was purple in color and had small orbs of light that flaked the inside of the orb. I smashed the orbs together and the one on the left stuck to the one on my right hand. I hurled the orb down at the building that contained me for some time. As soon as let go of the orb, it grew to an enormous size that sent chills colder that the blizzard that raged all around me. I watched the orb grow larger as it barreled towards the building. Then, without A thought of doing so, I materialized DeathBringers and watched them fire their streams of Anti-Matter. The orb and the streams hit the building at the same time, and the whole complex exploded into rocks, dust, smoke and bodies as the explosion rocked the land with its impact. I let myself drop to the ground, and for some reason, the Devil Gene was still not satisfied with the carnage I had created. I watched the ground around me as I walked. I saw the splintered wood, rocks, and mutilated bodies that were still steaming from the Anti-Matter that ate away their bodies. The building was now A shallow hole that looked like A scar in the landscape. I peered over the edge of where the building once stood. The fire that I had started had climbed over the wall and started to burn whatever it could find. I could hear individuals moaning in pain as I searched for Venom. I walked down the spiral staircase as I felt changes take over my body. I heard the cracking of my bones as they re-arranged themselves or fixed themselves as I walked. I could feel the spikes that lined my back become longer and spikes start to come from my shoulder blades as well. By the time I had reached the bottom of the stairs, I had grown in height and felt immense pain all over my body.

"Venom?"

I called, but there was no answer. It was then I had noticed that my voice had changed. It had changed from my normal deep voice, to A demonic one that sent waves of fear and numbness over my body.I heard from the other side of where I stood something odd. I walked through the burning remains of the floor to see Venom against the wall, next to where the burning body of Mako was.

"Happy to see me?"

I asked Venom as I took him from where he was sitting, to drape him over my shoulder. I coiled the muscles in my legs and took off into the air. While I sailed through the air, my wings snapped open and I maneuvered myself so that I landed on the edge of edge of where this building once stood. I set Venom on the ground. His eyes were closed and he took ragged, short breaths.

"Are you ok Venom?"

I asked as Venom moaned softly.

"P-please"

He said softly. I put my huge hand on his shoulder.

"I'm right here Venom; you're safe"

I reassured him while I looked around. I could see nothing but destruction for as long as the land spread all around me.

"Don't hurt me"

A voice came from behind me. The voice asked with so much fear, that I had to see who or what asked for my mercy. I turned around to see A fully grown individual of my species that was of A dark Blue color. He was shaking with what I assumed to be fear.

"You might want to get lost before you end up like everyone here!"

I raged. The Purple glow around me turned to A Red color. As the individual ran off screaming, I looked to the sky. It was fully day now, but the cold and the snow had not receded. A extremely low growl escaped from my throat. I felt another course of energy flow through my body as I turned to see if Venom was still on the ground. When I saw that he was fine, I looked back up at the sky. I could faintly see the outline of what looked like to be A red box with wings against the Black and cloudy sky.

"Our job here is finished; let's go Venom"

I said as I turned to see Venom standing next to me. What was odd about this was the fact that Venom seemed to be just fine. He was not limping or holding any of his appendages in pain.

"What are we standing around here for if we're gonna go?"

I heard Venom ask me as I hurled another orb towards the object that I saw.

"Now we can go"

I said with finality as I turned to walk away from the carnage that I had created. I walked until sunset. It was difficult traversing the terrain that the mountain possessed, and the environment changed from cold and snowy, to A warm and humid area of this island that was close to the shoreline. That was when I came across A village.

"I know this place"

Venom told me when we stood in front of the gate that led into the village.

"It's unpleasant that every time we get where we need to be, there's something that hinders our progress!"

I shouted. Venom winced.

"Now Abyss, there's no need t-"

Venom started to say as I drew my right arm back. From the corner of my eye, I was able to see Venom bury his face in his hands as I punched through the lock that kept these gates closed.

"What's there no need to do now?"

I asked him as I tore the gate off of its hinge. The gate crashed to the ground and I walked into the village.

"Your ruler is among you!"

I announced to the village. Individuals that were walking stopped walking, individuals that were buying, trading, or selling stopped and looked at me, doors and windows opened and everyone looked at me. Some started to tremble, some started to recede into any corners that were available, some fainted upon looking at me, and some started to cry. I took A few steps inside the village. It was then I noticed that Venom was not at my side.

"Venom?"

I called. Venom walked from outside the broken gates and stood himself in front of me.

"Whatever happened to causing peaceful entries?"

He asked me as the village erupted into chaos. Individuals screamed in terror, cried in terror, and ran to hide. I looked down at Venom.

"You want to question me after I saved you?"

I asked with an evil smile. Venom looked at the ground.

"I thought so"

I said with finality as I walked to the center of the village. The center of the village was marked with A structure that looked very similar to the CourtHouse. A bolt of lightning struck from the sky and I started feeling numb all over. I did not pay attention to it; my main objective right now was to figure out where I was and how I could take control of this place.

"Knock Knock!"

I said loudly as I tore the door of the place that looked like the CourtHouse off of its hinges. The door clattered to ground behind me as I walked through the door into this building.

How was I able to fit through the door?

I asked myself as I looked around. To the immediate left of me, I could see A large desk that took up half of the left side of the room. On the desk, there were papers, Quill pens, maps, A globe, and A small hourglass. Seeing nothing of interest, I looked to the right side of the room. That's where the interesting things were. Here, there were more individuals of my species. They cowered in the corner of the room. There were four of them: one Red, one Blue, one Brown, and one Grey. I made my way across the room and stood in front of them.

"Can any one of you tell me where I am?

I asked the individuals politely. They all looked at each other and then back at me. I started tapping my foot impatiently. The Grey individual was the first to speak.

"What do you want from us? Why do you torture us like this?"

He whined. I smiled to myself.

"You have no idea what torture is"

I sneered. I raised my right foot and stomped on the ground so hard, the Black lighting chains crawled across the floor.

"Now can you tell me where I am!?"

I raged. All of the individuals in the room with me winced and cowered closer into the corner. I walked over to where they were cowering and selected the Red one. I grabbed him by his neck and held him in the air.

"Start talking; otherwise, I'm going to see how easy it is to break his neck"

I said as I shook the individual in front of the cowering individuals. They looked up at me in pure fear. Two of them had tears streaming down their cheeks.

"You are currently on the Geology and Petrology District; the smallest and most wealthy of all the districts in the Archipelago"

The Blue one said through sobs. I looked up at the individual that I held into the air. I couldn't feel A pulse from his neck, but I didn't care. I dropped the individual unceremoniously onto the floor.

"Thank you so much for your cooperation; I won't let it go to waste"

I said with A laugh while I walked out of the building. It looked like a ghost town now. No one seemed to be anywhere near here. That what I thought at least.

"Abyss!"

Someone screamed at me. I turned with an evil smile on my face to see who it was.

"How dare you address me like that!"

I seethed as I looked at an individual of my species that looked A lot like me.

"Your tyranny stops here Abyss"

The individual stated as she snapped her wings open to their full length.

"And who might you be?"

I asked as I did the same thing as this individual had done just now.

"Why don't you tell me before I have to beat it out of you?"

The individual said with A crazy grin as she returned her wings to their folded position on her back.

"Your words bore me, but as for your arrogance, it fits you"

I replied as I brought my wings to be folded on my back. Suddenly, I remembered something.

There was A legend that sometimes DNA mutations would occur within an egg. These mutations would sometimes have the ancient Dragon Gene in them that would cause the unborn child to be A half-dragon, half-yoshi hybrid which we would call a Rex.

"My people refer to me as Cynder; which is what i'm going to burn you to when I'm finished with you"

She said with a venomous sneer. She got into the traditional fighting stance. As she did this, her eyes flashed green for A second. I crossed my arms in front of me.

"Ha! You think that you can match my power?"

I asked her as I saw two shimmering lines form in her clenched fists as she stared me down. I shook my head.

"Do you have any idea what I just did to your little outpost up on the mountain?"

I asked her with an evil smile. Cynder flinched and looked up at the top of the mountain momentarily. She whipped her head to look back at me.

"What did you do!?"

She raged as she threw one of the shimmering objects at me. I stood there with my arms crossed in front of me until just before the shimmering object impaled my chest. I grabbed the shimmering object and looked up. Cynder was in the air. I could feel the air that was being displaced by her wings. I saw a fireball form in her right hand.

"Tell me what you did to those poor individuals!"

She raged as she started hurling fireballs at me. The fireballs rained down on me. Every time one was about to hit me, I casually took A step in an availible direction to avoid the attack. It did not take Cynder long to land back on the ground in fatigue.

"It seems that you have more skill than I previously thought"

I taunted as I materialized DeathBringers around me. Cynder took in huge gales of air as she looked at the ground.

"And it seems that you've gotten faster and stronger"

She growled as she looked up at me from where she standing. When she saw the DeathBringers, she gasped.

"How did you?"

She started as I held up my right arm with the palm facing upwards.

"I don't think that you could dodge these"

I said with an evil sneer as I brought my arm down. As my arm went down, the DeathBringers fired their shots. Cynder went through some quick hand motions and an orb of Green color formed around her. The streams hit all of their marks and they exploded into thick smoke that was littered with embers that smoldered as they fell to the ground. My eyes illuminated the smoke as I tried to see if my attack was successful. As the smoke cleared, I saw the Green orb that was around Cynder had disappeared.

"It's going to take A little bit more than that to damage me"

She said in a taunting manner with A wink. I growled to myself and launched into the air. I readied something that I had not used before. I felt pressure build against my chest as the internal pressure of the attack I was about to use as it gradually increased with every beat of my wings. I felt my mouth grow hot as flames licked the edges of my mouth.

"I'm going to give you one last chance Cynder!"

I yelled to the ground. Every word I spoke resulted in bits of embers coming from my mouth. The flames were not multi-colored like they were once before, but they were now Blue. I saw Cynder look up at me. Her eyes burned into mine as she narrowed them to look at me.

"You really think that fire is going to scare me?"

She asked as she launched into the air.

"Go ahead; do your absolute worst"

She taunted me as she leveled herself with me in the air. Our wingbeats created A cloud of dust each time they went through A complete stroke. I smiled to myself.

"I will then"

I said to myself as I let the pressure of the flames go. I opened my mouth and an unbelievably large and wide jet of fire erupted from my mouth. Cynder changed her position to go under the blast. She rocketed towards me through the air. I flew down to the ground and looked up just in time to see Cynder throwing shimmering spears at me. I dodged all of the spears and the last one, I caught. The others that I didn't catch, stuck in the ground and slowly disintegrated into sparkling dust. I spun the spear in my hand and Cynder landed on the ground across from me. Most of the town was now burning in Blue flames. I could hear the crackling of wood and tree sap as these things burned.

I crossed my arms in front of me again.

"It seems that you're in A bit of a situation here Cynder"

I said evilly. Cynder glared at me with A venomous stare.

"You're really going to do this Abyss?"

She asked me with A heavy sigh. I sneered.

"It's my job to kill, steal, and destroy until I get what I want"

I stated while I stretched absently. Cynder cracked her knuckles and materialized A Green glowing spear in her right hand.

"You have two choices that I see right now Cynder"

I said with an evil smile. Cynder growled.

"Save your people, or save yourself"

I said with A shrug. Cynder slowly opened her hand and the spear dropped to the ground. I heard individuals screaming and crying out for help.

"It seems that you've made your choice; I hope it's the right one"

I said with A laugh as I walked right past Cynder. Cynder made no move to hurt me in any way.

It's just as I suspected; Females of our species have such compassion and care for others that they would sacrifice themselves to help others in need.

I thought as I walked down to the beach. I heard Venom running to catch up to me. I didn't even need to turn my head to know that it was him.

"Where have you been?"

I asked him over my shoulder. Venom slid to A halt in the sand.

"I heard that there was some… Commotion"

His voice trailed off as he looked back at the wreckage that I had created.

"It wasn't anything to marvel at really"

I said with A yawn.

Suddenly I had an intriguing thought.

What is the possibility of putting Emperor into A position of so much personal and mental unrest that he is lost between two bad choices?

I thought at I glanced at the burning village. Venom shifted uneasily.

"What's wrong with you Venom?"

I asked with another yawn. Venom looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I'm just wondering about something; it's nothing much really"

He said with A monotonous tone. I scoffed.

"I can tell that you're scared or unsure about something. Just tell me what you're thinking about"

I said to Venom with annoyance in my voice. Venom looked off into the sea with me.

"I'm just unsure what's going to happen now"

He said with fear in his voice. I turned to look at him and I narrowed my eyes.

"What exactly are you trying to say Venom?"

I asked with A hint of anger in my voice. Venom twitched and just stared back at me absently.

"Is it not clear Abyss?"

Venom asked me. I crossed my arms in front of me.

"What's unclear to me is how we're going to get where we need to be next"

I said as he turned back to the sparkling water.