Chapter 11: A Magical Night, An Unpleasant Reality

I had just woken up from a deep sleep, after running for several miles away from Dudley's mansion. My face was still pretty damp from the tears that were still streaming down my face, my body aching from all the sobbing I was still doing. I never felt this upset over my brother's experimentation before, and somehow I couldn't seem to get it out of my mind. It was just too horrible... too heartwrenching to even think about. As the thought still lingered in my mind, I began to curl myself up and cry in despair.

It had just been 10 minutes, when I heard a rustling sound.

"Who... who's there?" I peered around where the sound was coming from, but my vision was still very blurry. I put my head back into my arms and continued to sob, when I felt two gentle hands touch my tear soaked face. They felt familiar somehow, almost if Effie was there with me... I looked up, and sure enough it was Effie, though she was a bit blurry.

"Effie? H-how'd you find me way over here?" I was a bit confused on how quickly she was able to find me.

"It was easy, I just followed a little trail that lead me over here." she pointed to a small cobblestone path covered with petals.

"I see it now... but barely. My vision's still a bit blurry." I said, trying to control my sobbing. Effie sat beside me, gently grasping onto my left hand.

"You sure found a pretty place to hide at. The flowers in this meadow are so beautiful, especially at night."

"Yes... they sure are. It sure is nice to be able to spend this special time with you..." I said, choking back another sob.

A wave of comfort swept into my mind, although I was still feeling very sad. I could now clearly see the beautiful sight of the meadow, and all of the little fireflies that lit up the entire area up.

"I have never seen anything more amazing in my life..." I said, as I took in the scenery.

"Me neither, this is my first time seeing this kind of scenery also." Effie said, still marveling.

However our sightseeing was soon interrupted by the rustling of grass, and a familiar voice... a voice that sounded a lot like Yun's.

"Dude! We were looking all over for you!" Yun said, in a somewhat scared voice. "Why'd you run off like that?"

"I don't know... but it was obviously because of the thought of my brother's mutation, I guess." I turned my head to the side to avoid eye contact.

"Well speaking of that... your brother's been here Illia, looking for you, and not in a good way." Yang said, a little worried about how I'd react.

"He was, really? What happened?" I was eager to know why he was trying to find me, and what he was planning to do.

"Dudley just had an encounter with him... and from the tone of it, Gill's brainwashed him. He's out to find you and Effie, and bring you guys back to the lab... and possibly exterminate you... under Gill's order's."

"No! This can't happen! He can't do this to me... I'm his brother goddamnit! His own goddamn brother!" I was shouting now, my eyes about to overflow again.

"Is this even true... is he out to put me back in that... horrible prison?"

"I'm afraid so chap..." Dudley suddenly appeared in front of me, and he looked kind of rough.

"Dudley... you can't tell me this is true... I can't... I won't accept this!" I shouted once more, as a new set of tears began to fall, making tiny droplets on the grass below me.

"I know it's upsetting, but the whole thing is true. We've got to get you out of here, and into a safe place... Illia, you've got to finish this tournament and get to Gill before your brother, or that white soldier of his finds you." This brought a tense feeling inside of me.

"A white soldier... oh my god... that's the 12th experiment..." I remembered that room I once accidentally walked into, back when it was being created under that same project that I was used for.

"That thing is an experiment? Interesting..." Yang seemed interested in the subject.

"Of course it's an experiement you dweeb, how else would they turn Illia and his brother into mutants?" Yun shouted at him. Everyone laughed, and Yun just stood there, frustrated.

"Well it's true, right?"

"It is true... but I just wish this whole thing never happened... I just want all of this to just disappear..." I said, curling up once again to sob.

"I know you do, and we all do too as well... but we can't change it dude." I was surprised at what I was hearing out of Yun, since he would normally mock me out of something like this. I peered up and noticed everyone had surrounded me.

Effie hugged me and said, "No more crying Illia, it's gonna be ok. You'll get your freedom soon... and you won't have to deal with your brother in this state."

I finally began to smile again, seeing that everyone was there for me.

"You're right... It will be ok." I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. "I'll get my freedom, and even if I have to deal with my brainwashed brother, I still won't give up... no matter what the cost."

I stood up, with a new confidence that had melted into me.

"Now that's the Illia I know, and kinda like." Yun said, tipping his cap to me.

"I hate to admit it, but I sort of admire you..." Yang turned away and blushed.

All I could do was just smile, as I could never ask for anyone better than Effie or the Lee Brothers... Hell, maybe I could let down my wall and trust those two idiots after all.

"DAMN IT! WHERE THE HELL IS THAT ORIGINAL PROTOTYPE?" I faintly heard a high pitched voice from far away... that recognizable high pitched voice of my little brother Mikhail... followed by an explosion of glass and electricity.

"Pardon me chaps, you better run... he's nearby... I'll stay here and keep him busy, since he is also in the tournament as well..."

So we all ran off, on the safest path we could find... just as that same sound grew louder and louder each time. That unpleasant reality... the one I was unaware of in the first place... suddenly all became real to me before my very eyes... as if it were a real nightmare. Now I knew that if I were to save my brother, I would have to get to Gill myself or do the impossible... face him in a fight for my own freedom in order to return him to normal, for the road ahead just got even tougher than before.