p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" In the darkness that surrounded him, he saw his own special hell./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd couldn't tell where the shadows ended and the walls began. But he did see a set of monitors in front of him. Each monitor played a different aspect of the past. He saw the discovery of the Ancient's Universe. His early career as an assassin. Meeting Nox. Being captured as a prisoner of war. Angel, and losing her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He couldn't move. He was bound to a steel chair that fused with the floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He sensed a familiar presence in the room. "You just woke me out of my secret grave. What the fuck do you want?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior paced out from behind him, turning to face him with the light of the monitors silhouetting him. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he wore his usual black and red military uniform. It reminded Lloyd of blood and darkness. "Now you're in my world." He bowed his head and gave a low, bone-chilling chuckle. "Did you dream it would be so small?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd curled his hands into fists, but he didn't say anything. emMy little box was perfect, /emem'til you destroyed it all./em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior knelt down, staring into his eyes with an unsettling grin. "You know, between you and me, she screams your name when we're alone."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd blinked. "What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Oh, the Ancient was defiant at first. I don't think I've ever broken someone so stubborn," He added with a chuckle. "I don't know what took you two years to conceive a child. It only took me two weeks."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's blood ran cold. He shut his eyes and ground his teeth. "Liar. emLiar! /emDon't put all that shit on me and leave me here to bleed."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "You won't find comfort in your suffering, Rebel. Unfortunately, she's been quite unforthcoming as to your team's whereabouts. She won't even tell me your name, though I think already know what it is. It's Lloyd, isn't it? Lloyd Ventrix?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior watched his expression carefully, waiting for him to give away a clue./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd strained against the restraints, anger boiling beneath his skin, but it was futile./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior sighed. "I have to admit, it's been the most… exhilarating experience with your wife— Oh, that's right. She's not your wife anymore." He leaned in and whispered. "She's mine. And so is our new child. And yours."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The four walls that surrounded him from the past fell on down again. Lloyd's breathing grew heavy. His fists trembled. "Shut up…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior continued his mocking diatribe. "It honestly didn't take long. When she gave up resisting, she came down, sharing emso/em many secrets. So fucking brave."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emSHUT UP!/em"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior backhanded him across the jaw. Blood leaked from the side of his mouth. "Listen, Rebel. I'm giving you a choice here. Hopefully this time you won't fuck it up. Perhaps if you'd just confirm your name… I could let you see her? I'm sure she's just emdying/em to see the man she thought she could rely on. The one she screamed for… No? Hm. Perhaps I was mistaken in your affections."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's fingers curled into fists so hard, his knuckles turned white and he broke skin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior continued. "Perhaps you are not the one she begs for. It's finally time she realized it's me she needs. It will make the creation of my Hybrids much… easier. And once I have completed my mission—" He shrugged and stated nonchalantly, "I'll kill you all."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior seized his throat, pinching his airway shut. "So you should wake up, Lloyd."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Through hazy vision and a clouded judgment, Lloyd grunted, "Wh—what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Nox isn't too happy about this. You'd better have a good excuse for missing the meeting."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The world around him fell away, as if made of sand./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's eyes shot open. He was pinned down on his bed. Someone's cold hands were choking him, vicing his throat./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes darted wildly around the room before coming to a stop at a pair of bemused blue irises./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "BOOMER!" Lloyd landed a solid punch on his face. Boomer fell back on the carpeted floor with a bleeding nose, but he couldn't stop laughing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author leaned against the doorway, yawning. "Dammit Boomer, I thought you were over wrestling people awake."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd shot upright, bumping his head against his top bunk. em"Agk/em!" He shut his eyes, pressing against the bump in his forehead. Then, the realization hit. He threw himself out of bed. "Nox— Where's Nox?!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author wore a worried expression. Boomer's eyes narrowed. "She's far away from emyou/em, bastard. Luckily for the rest of us, she's still devoted to finding Angel."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author covered her mouth, suppressing a giggle as she remembered a meme on DeviantArt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd ignored his insult, running his hands through his loose brown hair, which hung like a curtain over his eyes. "The Superior… I thought… I felt too real. I thought our minds were actually linked, and Nox was gone."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author sighed, bowing her head. "Could be foreshadowing. I don't have control over the story anymore, so—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emNot/em a story," Boomer reminded her irritatedly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author threw her hands in the air. "Whatever! As I was emsaying/em, it looks like we're getting glimpses of what could happen in the future. The shift in reality is bending, and Lloyd has the most vivid visions."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" This time, Lloyd wasn't angry. He felt broken within. Paralyzed by out-of-control forces. "Blue. I saw him. He had Nox - he was creating more Hybrids…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"The Author sighed. "I hope I'm wrong, Lloyd."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd couldn't tell where the shadows ended and the walls began. But he did see a set of monitors in front of him. Each monitor played a different aspect of the past. He saw the discovery of the Ancient's Universe. His early career as an assassin. Meeting Nox. Being captured as a prisoner of war. Angel, and losing her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He couldn't move. He was bound to a steel chair that fused with the floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He sensed a familiar presence in the room. "You just woke me out of my secret grave. What the fuck do you want?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior paced out from behind him, turning to face him with the light of the monitors silhouetting him. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he wore his usual black and red military uniform. It reminded Lloyd of blood and darkness. "Now you're in my world." He bowed his head and gave a low, bone-chilling chuckle. "Did you dream it would be so small?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd curled his hands into fists, but he didn't say anything. emMy little box was perfect, /emem'til you destroyed it all./em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior knelt down, staring into his eyes with an unsettling grin. "You know, between you and me, she screams your name when we're alone."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd blinked. "What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Oh, the Ancient was defiant at first. I don't think I've ever broken someone so stubborn," He added with a chuckle. "I don't know what took you two years to conceive a child. It only took me two weeks."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's blood ran cold. He shut his eyes and ground his teeth. "Liar. emLiar! /emDon't put all that shit on me and leave me here to bleed."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "You won't find comfort in your suffering, Rebel. Unfortunately, she's been quite unforthcoming as to your team's whereabouts. She won't even tell me your name, though I think already know what it is. It's Lloyd, isn't it? Lloyd Ventrix?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior watched his expression carefully, waiting for him to give away a clue./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd strained against the restraints, anger boiling beneath his skin, but it was futile./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior sighed. "I have to admit, it's been the most… exhilarating experience with your wife— Oh, that's right. She's not your wife anymore." He leaned in and whispered. "She's mine. And so is our new child. And yours."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The four walls that surrounded him from the past fell on down again. Lloyd's breathing grew heavy. His fists trembled. "Shut up…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior continued his mocking diatribe. "It honestly didn't take long. When she gave up resisting, she came down, sharing emso/em many secrets. So fucking brave."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emSHUT UP!/em"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior backhanded him across the jaw. Blood leaked from the side of his mouth. "Listen, Rebel. I'm giving you a choice here. Hopefully this time you won't fuck it up. Perhaps if you'd just confirm your name… I could let you see her? I'm sure she's just emdying/em to see the man she thought she could rely on. The one she screamed for… No? Hm. Perhaps I was mistaken in your affections."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's fingers curled into fists so hard, his knuckles turned white and he broke skin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior continued. "Perhaps you are not the one she begs for. It's finally time she realized it's me she needs. It will make the creation of my Hybrids much… easier. And once I have completed my mission—" He shrugged and stated nonchalantly, "I'll kill you all."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Superior seized his throat, pinching his airway shut. "So you should wake up, Lloyd."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Through hazy vision and a clouded judgment, Lloyd grunted, "Wh—what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Nox isn't too happy about this. You'd better have a good excuse for missing the meeting."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The world around him fell away, as if made of sand./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's eyes shot open. He was pinned down on his bed. Someone's cold hands were choking him, vicing his throat./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes darted wildly around the room before coming to a stop at a pair of bemused blue irises./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "BOOMER!" Lloyd landed a solid punch on his face. Boomer fell back on the carpeted floor with a bleeding nose, but he couldn't stop laughing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author leaned against the doorway, yawning. "Dammit Boomer, I thought you were over wrestling people awake."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd shot upright, bumping his head against his top bunk. em"Agk/em!" He shut his eyes, pressing against the bump in his forehead. Then, the realization hit. He threw himself out of bed. "Nox— Where's Nox?!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author wore a worried expression. Boomer's eyes narrowed. "She's far away from emyou/em, bastard. Luckily for the rest of us, she's still devoted to finding Angel."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author covered her mouth, suppressing a giggle as she remembered a meme on DeviantArt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd ignored his insult, running his hands through his loose brown hair, which hung like a curtain over his eyes. "The Superior… I thought… I felt too real. I thought our minds were actually linked, and Nox was gone."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author sighed, bowing her head. "Could be foreshadowing. I don't have control over the story anymore, so—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emNot/em a story," Boomer reminded her irritatedly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author threw her hands in the air. "Whatever! As I was emsaying/em, it looks like we're getting glimpses of what could happen in the future. The shift in reality is bending, and Lloyd has the most vivid visions."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" This time, Lloyd wasn't angry. He felt broken within. Paralyzed by out-of-control forces. "Blue. I saw him. He had Nox - he was creating more Hybrids…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"The Author sighed. "I hope I'm wrong, Lloyd."/p