~A/N~ So yah. This is the plot twist I've been talking about Druid xD
All the chapters are currently on DA, but I'm uploading them here for the sake of the story.
~X~
Chapter 9
The General had taken Romanov and contacted a group of his men using the team's communication center. They managed to escape before Nox and the team arrived. Inside the alternate base, The General was having his injuries healed while Romanov lurked in the left science wing, checking diagnostics on the orb hidden within the third castle.
To the right of him was KrSAPPHIRE, concealed inside a glass capsule. He kept his eyes on the cure like it was the last Coca-Cola bottle in the desert.
Romanov had seen enough things going on inside the base to be confirmed. The team was right. He'd been listening into the interrogation sequence. He learned enough information to know that The General was a traitor. He kept the information to himself, of course. Being executed when he was so close to the cure wasn't his top priority.
He had the cure right in front of him. The portal was right outside, still open. He could grab it and leave… If he survived.
His fingers were inches from the capsule when someone's voice boomed in the doorway. "Romanov."
Romanov wheeled around, facing The General's form in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back. He held his breath, hoping that The General wasn't suspecting him.
"Stay focused. We have work to do." It was all he said before leaving curtly.
Romanov unleashed a sign of relief that had been building up inside of him. He eyed the cure, then the security camera. This was going to be harder than he thought.
~X~
"Fuck. Careful, damn it." Etrius grated while Nox pressed a hand to his wound, letting her power flow freely through her veins. Etrius' wounds knitted the muscles together before the skin melted into one. Lloyd had grabbed the obsidian shard and isolated it form Nox and Etrius. Like a piece of kryptonite, neither of them could use their powers around it.
Nox raised her hands in a no-offense gesture and backed away when her job was finished. "There. Done."
"I could've healed myself." Etrius snarled.
"And you would've failed," Nox stated. "You're just beginning to understand these powers. With an open wound like that—"
"Yeah, yeah." Etrius turned away.
"Any idea where he could've went?" Beecher inquired.
"He took Romanov with him," Lloyd returned to the room. "It's obvious they returned to their base."
"There's a much greater power in the third castle," Pieces in Nox's mind licked together, forming a whole puzzle. "They're trying to wield it, and they're close. We need to stop them before that happens."
"That base is heavily guarded. With our first attack failed, they've heightened security. There's no way we'll get in." Lloyd snarled.
Boomer jerked, as if struck with powerful voltage. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Beecher raised a brow. "Got any ideas, Boomer?"
"Let's hope it doesn't involve blowing anything else up. It's starting to become a really bad idea." Nox crossed her arms.
Boomer reached into his back pocket and produced his IPhone X3. Nox was surprised by how many models they're created since she was last put to sleep in the year 2014.
With a few taps, Boomer produced an image of the base's interior science wing… No, a live video recording.
Nox's arms dropped to her sides. "How did you get that?"
"Planted a small security camera into the corner before we left. We can tune in and see what's going on. When they're ready to leave for the castle, we'll be there waiting."
A smile rose on Nox's face.
Beecher clapped Boomer on the shoulder, roughly shaking him. "That's perfect. We can get in this castle and destroy that Element before the bastard can even get his hands on it."
Nox's smile faltered.
Etrius noticed this. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes were distant and detached, her mouth forming into a thin line. "I sense someone. Outside."
Beecher swore, his hand instinctively moving to his sniper. "Who is it?"
"Can't be sure." Nox trekked up the staircase and made her way to the back exit. Etrius followed closely. Her hand hesitated at the knob. She held her breath, and then pushed past it, charging at the presence that she sensed was lingering in the area.
The man was standing in the forest. When he acknowledged Nox's presence, he jumped. Nox catapulted on him, unsheathing her sapphire sword. She pressed the edge of the blade to Romanov's throat.
Her blood froze.
Etrius followed her footsteps, his eyes taking in the sight of the doctor. "What the hell are you doing here?" Etrius snarled.
"I mean you no harm," Romanov stammered, muttering Russian words under his English. "I came alone. Nobody is here but me!"
Nox read through his brainwaves, untethering the strings until she could clearly see them behind her eyes. He was telling the truth, but why had he come back?
"What are you doing here?" Etrius pressed again. "Speak up, or I'll have my friend here tear you apart mentally. I'll be honest and tell you it doesn't feel good."
"I ran away," He blurted truthfully. "I knew The General wanted to use that power in the castle to destroy the cure. You were right. He needs to be taken to justice."
Etrius pointed to something he held in his arms. "What's that?"
Romanov presented the two books. "The Wise One's books. They looked important to The General, but I don't know why. I'm sure he will be slowed down if they're missing."
Etrius snatched one form his hands and read through it. With photographic memory, he's memorized the first entire page of the book. And this one matched it exactly. It was real.
He took the other one. "Can we trust him?" He asked Nox.
"I don't sense any lies. Let him in."
~X~
Romanov remained in the science wing. Ivan Joseph and Nox remained in the virtual reality training center, where virtual battlefields were created for training. It was all in their heads, but it was a perfect place for Etrius to harness his powers. Boomer and Beecher listened into the hidden camera, waiting for any breakthroughs.
Romanov's eyes scanned through the pages. With one hand, he held the book open. With the other, he jotted down notes and translations. "This must mean…"
The corner of Dr. Romanov's mouth twitched. He pressed the radio button on his headset, contacting the rest of the team. "This is Dr. Romanov. I need everyone in the science wing. I think we got it."
Minutes later, Nox and Etrius were the last ones in.
Romanov held up the notes he'd been taking. "Important information on the castle. You don't know what you're up against, so this can clear some things."
Etrius planted both his palms on the table, listening intently. Nox bit the inside of her lip.
Romanov adjusted his glasses. "It reads: Those who enter cannot turn back. Shadows lurk within, and they will stalk you with claws and teeth even after you've been buried in the grave."
A shiver ran down Nox's spine. She bit her bottom lip.
Ivan shrugged, as if it was nothing.
"The castle speaks. It tells you to find it. None will survive the true force of the castle. Those who do will be granted a fate worse than death."
"Waitwaitwait," Etrius waved his hands. "The castle speaks? Are you sure you're reading that correctly?"
Romanov harrumphed. "I'd like to see you translate a million year old relics from another dimension. Pay attention. The castle is alive. It's heart lies on the center altar. It's lifeblood runs through it's…" He squinted. "Evils?"
"Evils," Etrius said. "I've heard of them before. "They were in the second castle. Apparently they're in the third one, too."
"No shit, Sherlock." Beecher frowned, remembering Etrius' close brush with death. Even now, he couldn't shake the memory of the bite wound from his mind.
"We're not going there, are we?" Nox inquired.
"Scared?" Boomer quipped.
Nox shoved him.
"If we're going to find that cure before The General," Etrius curled his hands into fists, "We have to."
~X~
The trip to the Third Castle was more tense than eventful. Etrius had lost his patience once or twice when Ivan was trying to locate it and transport them there. Nox noticed that Etrius was becoming more and more aggressive as their chances slipped out of reach. But they were so close.
The team had brought Romanov with them; his knowledge of the castle and ability to translate the books could give them an advantage.
Ivan managed to locate the Third Castle, and he opened a doorway the same way he'd opened one to get to the base.
The Third Castle towered over them, the peaks of it's towers hidden beyond the clouds that drifted slowly past. Nox swallowed hard, an icy feeling settling in her stomach. She reminded herself why she was here: To get the artifact and destroy it before The General could use it to destroy the cure.
The rest of the team followed, and Ivan gave a silent nod to them. They ascended the staircase leading to the entrance, and Beecher zoomed in with his scope, checking for anything that stood out. His eyes focused on a pile of stones that were packed before the tall wooden doorways.
He lowered his sniper. "Looks like we'll need those explosives, Boomer."
They ascended the second set of stairs, and Boomer inspected the obstacles. He held his hand out to someone. "Give me those explosives."
Nox produced a pack of C4 they'd brought and handed it to him.
With a flick of his wrist, Boomer inputted a complex code of digits. Numbers flashed across the device. "Alright. Everything seems to be in order."
He climbed to his feet and backed away. "Okay, stand back."
Nox counted down in her head, and she felt the explosion before she saw it. The piles of gray stones barricading the doors were obliterated into a hundred pieces, leaving the doors free for opening.
Lloyd and Etrius exchanged glances. They reached for the iron handles and tugged the doors open in unison.
Darkness lay beyond.
Nox, Ivan and Etrius activated their powers, and flames flickered to life in their eyes. The room was illuminated, and statues lined the walls. They were hooded, their hands clasping the hilts of swords.
Boomer stepped forward, but Etrius stopped him. He glared down, his eyes illuminating the endless abyss below. Three bridges led to the opposite side, where another archway led into light.
Nox doubted the bridges would support their weight, but they continued regardless.
Romanov stared with amazement in eyes at the runes. "The Ancient… Ah… Eh… I must say, I'm impressed. I've never seen this kind of…" He fixed his glasses into place. "It's amazing, don't you think?"
Romanov was clearly trying to lessen the tension, but Ivan only found it irritating.
"Look at it! Look, it's… my God… Just imagine. How long this would've taken the build." His voice echoes, ricocheting off the walls and creating triples of his voice. "Look at it! Look at the architectu—"
Etrius grabbed him by the collar of his lab coat and pulled his fist back. "Say one more word."
"Etrius." Lloyd snapped, flipping his head around. "Don't lose sight of the mission."
Romanov, feeling small and insignificant, raised his hands shoulder-level in a sign of surrender.
Etrius slowly let go of him and backed away, resuming crossing the bridge.
The team made it across the weakened bridges and paused before the archway. Light filtered through it, like watching a phenomenon from outer space. Despite not knowing what lay beyond, the rebels sauntered through.
Their eyes adjusted to the light, and they stood before another set of bridges. This one led to the central tower.
"The Altar." Romanov mused, recognizing the tower instantly.
Etrius gave him a dark glare, and Romanov shrank away.
"Let's move." Nox took the lead before anything else could happen.
Mist crawled up from the endless abyss below them. Another archway was situated at the opposite end of the bridge, leading into the Altar Tower.
The team walked across the bridge, treading carefully. The last thing they needed was having the bridge break underneath their weight.
They passed through the archway, beholding the Altar Room that lay beyond.
A circular set of stairs caved into the ground, like half a sphere. A gray pyramid rose into the air in the center.
Romanov fixed his glasses into place. "Ah, yes. This is the room where they keep it."
Nox's eyes scanned the Altar Room, but there weren't any imminent signs of danger. This was too easy.
"Alright, team," Etrius said, readying his powers and clicking the safety off his weapon. "Let's move in, destroy this thing, and get the hell out of here."
Despite his words, Nox took the lead. She unsheathed her sapphire sword, readying her powers. She could almost feel the hilt of her sword trembling with power under her touch. Merely the sensation should've calmed her nerves, but the impending, unrelenting darkness and swirling shadows embedded a fear deep inside her like she'd never felt before.
As if someone were toying with her fears.
Lloyd, Boomer and Ivan stayed at the bottom, guarding Romanov as he inspected the Altar. His eyes took in hieroglyphics and symbols engraved into the wall's surface. "There appears to be symbols carved into the stone…"
He flipped open The Wise One's book and began to translate, his eyes rapidly scanning between the book and the engravings. "It's… Taken… Me…"
Ivan caught Nox's arm before she could advance down the stairs. "Don't touch the artifact. Grab it with a glove, but don't let it touch your skin. Bad consequences will happen."
Nox wanted to roll her eyes and tell him, and you planned to tell us this now? But she simply nodded her head and descended the first set of stairs leading down.
Romanov's hand traced the symbols etched into the wall. "It's… Using me. It's eating me."
Etrius descended the staircase, sided by Nox and Beecher. They reached the bottom and ascended the second, silent.
"I felt it grow, and it consumed me." Romanov's words echoed off the walls, almost in unison to the engravings.
The team took all sides of the circular staircase and ascended it from different angles. Nox and Etrius' eyes lit the shadows around them.
They reached the peak, glaring at a black orb that sat in the center of the Altar. The rebels exchanged glances, and Nox tugged on a leather glove.
"Death will slay with wings. Whoever disturbs it, beware…" Romanov shut the book and harrumphed. "Well, nothing to worry about now. We have it all under control."
As if on cue, the doors around them barricaded shut, casting the room into near complete darkness.
"…Spoke too soon."
~X~
It was happening again. The doors barricaded shut all around them, the dim lights emanating through the arched windows casting skittish shadows along the walls.
Etrius whirled around, Nox and Beecher at his back. Both of their powers activated.
"What the fuck," Lloyd breathed.
Shadows hung in the air like icy fog. A chill nipped at the air, and the Altar Room was cast into silence, save for their heartbeats.
The sound of a clicking magnum caliber echoed through the chambers.
Multiple red dots landed on the team's chests and heads.
"It all fell right into motion," Said a familiar voice, his edgy tone reverberating. "I know you'd come, Etrius."
"No shit, General" Etrius snarled. "We know your real plans, and soon, everyone else will too."
Since Nox was in between Etrius and Beecher, guarded, she reached down and plucked the orb from where it lay with her gloved hand. "It's over." She said, her eyes glowing brightly, cutting through the dark like a knife. "We have the power. You can't hurt mankind any longer."
"You have absolutely no idea what's going on, do you?" The General jested. He extended an arm.
Out of Nox's control, the orb went flying out of her grip, and landed in The General's hand, pulled by an invisible force.
Despite himself, Etrius' eyes widened. "What the fuck…"
The General's eyes went dark with intention. He curled his fingers, causing the orb to shatter. "Don't look so surprised. You all wouldn't understand, anyway."
"Are you a fucking dumbass?" Etrius said loudly. "You just made this job easy for us." And that was the part that scared him the most. Why would The General destroy the only thing that could destroy the cure? He's been trying to get it to destroy the cure. Why would be suddenly turn on their side? To look clean in front of his troops? Unlikely.
Etrius' eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?"
The General pointed at Romanov, and his voice materialized into this dark, twisted tone. "Seize the traitor. I will take care of the others myself."
The altar room trembled, vibrations travelling up the soles of their feet. A dark presence rose into the air like a black fog.
"I knew you all wouldn't understand. Destroying the cure was just a distraction, a decoy so I could focus on my real plan. And you all played your roles perfectly."
Etrius wasn't even going to ask him to explain himself.
"My true intention was releasing the Mind Worm. With it, we can take total domination over the planet, and we can rid our filthy planet of the vermin that infect it."
"What do you mean we?" Etrius snarled, his face twisted with anger. He couldn't believe that he'd missed something like this. Why weren't any of the troops reacting to this?
Shadows rose into the air, and whispers filled the Altar Room, chanting in unison and forming a foreign chorus.
"By destroying the orb, I've released the Mind Worm. It's under my own control now."
Romanov watched in shock, being cuffed by The General's troops. He'd never heard of this before, and he'd been close to The General.
"Element Evil is no longer infecting Earth," The General's eyes darkened, then glowed. "I am Element Evil. Do you have any idea how it feels to be the most powerful man on the planet?"
Etrius nearly dropped his weapon in shock. His mind was in a thousand places at once, his expression aghast. The General had been planning this all along, and the rebels hadn't even noticed.
"Join us," The General said nonchalantly, and it took Etrius a moment to realize The General was speaking to him. "If you wish to live."
"Never," Etrius pressed. "I'll never be like you."
"It's inevitable, anyway."
"What are you—?"
Something was crawling in the back of his head, pounding in the doors of his mind. He held a hand to his head, and he could feel a headache coming on.
The force of it was unrelenting, nearly overpowering.
He uttered a groan and bent at the knees, swaying.
An indescribable hunger gnawed at him, but not a hunger for food. A hunger for power. He shook the thought from his head, trying to tell himself that it was it was ridiculous, but he couldn't bring himself to the thought.
Etrius fell to his knees, hands clutching his hair. A white film took over his eyes, slightly covering his green irises.
Every pore in his body began to glow white, as if a silver flame were lit from within.
He was becoming one of them.
Nox and Beecher watched on in shock. Nox could feel a dark presence settling over him like a black cloud.
"Back at the first base," The General explained, "When Etrius had breathed in that gas, it wasn't ordinary Element Evil. It was a modified version of it. It was all part of the plan, so I could have someone act as a vessel in due time, for the Mind Worm's return. And who else better than the only one standing in my way?"
"You son of a bitch," Etrius spat, his head still hanging down. "You won't get away with this!"
"It's also the reason I had the journal in plain sight. Once you saw my 'intentions', you would think that I was trying to destroy the cure. But no, that was merely a distraction. Now that the Mind-Worm is set free from it's prison, dominating Mankind will be simple. I've been planning this all along. There's no denying your destiny, Etrius. I told you before: There are choices you have to make. And if you're lucky, you're the one to be chosen. Here we are."
Etrius shut his eyes, feeling the Mind Worm unravelling the ribbons that held his thoughts together. He tried to hold them together, but the Mind Worm tore them apart.
He rose to his feet, feeling power coursing through his veins, unrestrained. He cast a deadpan gaze at his teammates, then at The General.
"E—Etrius?" Nox said cautiously, stepping towards him. She couldn't even feel his presence any longer. Just an empty space of mind, and something else in his place.
The Mind Worm shot her a glare with a violently glowing eyes. With a wave of his hand, Nox's vision began to ripple and turn grainy, like old TV static.
Darkness claimed her vision, and she collapsed to the floor.
"What the fuck—" Beecher extended a hand to stop him, but Etrius locked glares with him. Beecher felt something burning at the base of his spine. He cast a knowing gaze at Etrius, sending a silent message through his eyes: don't do this.
Despite this, Etrius/The Mind Worm waves a hand at him, dismissively. Beecher's eyes rolled up, and he collapsed beside Nox.
The Mind Worm bent forward, and then leaped into the air, landing before The General. The stone flooring dented and cracked beneath him from the impact. He rose to full height, his eyes staring lifelessly at The General, waiting for orders.
A smirk performed on The General's face. "You've been released. Return to Earth, and we will begin our domination."
~X~
Nox was the first to awaken, thanks to her advanced healing abilities. She lifted her head, stars dancing behind her eyes. The ground rocked beneath her, and she struggled to hold her vertigo.
She found herself at the bottom of the staircase, lying on her side. Pain lit up her bones with each movement, but she forced herself to her knees.
Something shifted at the peak of the altar.
Forcing herself to rise to her feet, Nox attempted to activate her powers… But something went wrong.
She couldn't feel the force of her powers embedded deep under her skin like before. They were gone.
She felt a draining sensation run through her the last she saw the Mind Worm. The horrifying thought settled in. The Mind Worm had taken her powers.
Beecher lay lifelessly on his side, his back to her.
Nox leaned over him, grasping his shoulder and turning him around.
Beecher suddenly sat upright, his eyes darting around. His forehead bumped into Nox's, and the two of them leaped back.
"Ouch," Nox hissed, rubbing her forehead. "Think you can go downstairs and gather the rest of the team?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking." Despite this, Beecher rose to his feet and climbed down the Altar. Nox followed.
Boomer, Lloyd, and Ivan were still there, but Romanov was gone. Boomer said that he saw them take him before he lost consciousness. And that meant one thing.
They were trapped inside the Castle universe.
The Mind Worm and The General were probably back at Earth, wreaking havoc, and who knew how much time had passed before the team had awakened.
Nox and Ivan no longer had their powers, The General was wielding Element Evil, and Etrius was a vessel for the Mind Worm. And they were trapped inside the castle with no escape.