Krieg limped across the roof slowly. Corrin stumbled along, under the scientist's arm. Pieces of glass fell delicately out of his bloody, wet skin. His foot was skewed in an odd position. With much effort, he bent his ankle back into place. He clutched his chest and groaned in pain.
"Corrin, we need to get to a medic." Krieg said. Corrin shook his head.
"We go to my wife." He looked up. The town was on fire. There were yells and screams as the people protested in the streets. His father had succeeded. The building behind him had burned to the ground in the terrible explosion. The commander was dead.
Krieg nodded, knowing he could not argue. The prison camp stood out as a horrific sight in Corrin's view. The town ended suddenly and broke into a dark plain. Several yards out, the camp stood silent and dark. It almost seemed uninhabited.
Corrin leaned to his radio. He pressed the activate button lightly. "Father…we were successful. I have the code. We are going to the prison now." There was a buzz. He heard a laugh.
Good, good son! We are celebrating a great victory here. The Imperials are falling back! I will be there to assist you in…++
"No, father, I am going in alone." He let go of the button and his father's voice drained into the abyss.
"What do we do once we get in?" Krieg asked
"We free them, all of them." Corrin responded. Krieg stared at him.
"An entire prison camp?"
"It has been done." Corrin said with a smile, remembering. Grange drifted into his thoughts again. He felt a surge of guilt. He cleared his head and limped on. They reached the ladder. Corrin slid painfully down it and landed lightly on the floor below. Krieg followed quickly.
Several Imperials rushed across the street ahead and into an alley, pursued by rioting civilians. Corrin smiled. His people had returned. They walked down the narrow street. The plain was in sight. Corrin would save his wife, no matter what they had done to her.
The prison camp was an imposing figure in Corrin's vision. The barbed fence ahead stood as a barrier between him and his wife. He flicked out his combat knife and cut out a small opening. Krieg followed him through the fence cautiously. They walked carefully towards the steel door.
A small panel sat on the right corner of the door. Corrin looked upon it. Nine numerals shown in the electric light. Without thought, Corrin hit the tabs. 3.3.1.9.
The door creaked. Steam vented from the sides. It slowly banged open, a series of noises following its release. They entered. The hallway was eerily silent. Corrin ran his fingers along the wall. It had a strange complexion, almost natural.
There were several shrill cries. Corrin turned his ear to them. Children. The door shut with a bang. Corrin heard a snap. Krieg was shivering. "Sorry I brought you into this, Krieg."
"No, it is the right thing. I'm on the right side now. I know that. This was my choice." He said defiantly. Corrin smiled and continued on. The hall ended abruptly and turned into a small room. Cans of food lay littered on the ground. Blood stained the wall. Corrin bent down.
"Corrin…" Krieg said in a terrified voice. "Emperor…"
Corrin looked up immediately. A girl stood in the doorway, here eyes were blank and dead. Her mouth was shut tightly and set sternly in an awkward position. She pointed at Corrin. She began to walk forward.
Corrin stared at her aghast. He pushed her aside. She began weeping. Her eyes flared. She rolled about on the ground, groaning in an inhuman way, but she did not attack. "She's not a Treacherous One." Krieg said in awe.
The doorway were the child had stood was open. They continued through. There was still no sign of true life. Corrin stared around, disgusted. Pods of blue glass lined the walls. Humans sat inside them. Or, things that were humans. Their arms and heads were mutated horribly. Their eyes were in the same fashion as the Treacherous Souls Corrin had met.
Krieg was right, however, they were different somehow. Their faces did not express the same obvious want to kill. They simply sat, floating in an odd liquid.
They walked forward. Corrin held his hand out. Two windows sat along the walls beyond the pods. There was a whoosh of air. The windows were covered in a blue gas instantly. There was a creak. Corrin spun around. Krieg looked at him strangely.
"Did you hear that?" Corrin asked urgently. Krieg shook his head. They were being followed.
"Emperor!" Krieg said in astonishment. "This technology. Corrin, I think I know what this is!"
Corrin ignored him. He walked to the door hatch that led back to the entrance. "It's a trap…" He muttered. He hit the door. It didn't move. A small mechanism moved over it. "It's a trap!" He bellowed to Krieg.
He rushed back into the room. Krieg stood, fixated on the window. Corrin sped to him. The door ahead of them swung open. Corrin looked into the window briefly, then turned to the door. He stopped. He looked slowly back to the window with tears in his eyes. The person, or thing, that sat beyond the glass…was his wife.