"Ooh," Rose cooed as they rounded a caged storage area. She plucked up a grenade and handed it over to Leon. She may have (mostly) gotten over her dislike of explosions, but that didn't mean she had to willingly carry an explosive on her person. The room was cramped, with narrow footpaths to get from one end of the room to the other. It was nearly claustrophobic. The room was large but felt so small because of all the junk piled up. It was very clear that the people here cared even less about their environment than the cultists at the castle had. At least the castle had somewhat clean rooms and things weren't just tossed on the floor carelessly. She would have thought a military base would have been a bit more put together.
The sound of dripping water annoyed her, and the floor was wet in a storage container that acted as a hallway. As Leon walked towards it, something moved, creaking a loud metallic banging sound. Something tall and leathery slithered out of an air duct and squirmed to its feet. Rose felt her throat tighten with a mix of revulsion and fear. She'd faced monsters before, but this—this thing—was something different. The stench of it hit her instantly: like rot, blood, and the metallic tang of something much more ancient and much more evil than anything she had encountered.
It was towering—its gaunt, leathery body bending awkwardly, the way a wounded animal might struggle to rise. Its skin stretched over skeletal limbs and shimmered with an oily sheen that made it look even more unnatural under the dim, flickering lights above. But what really struck Rose were its eyes—those glowing, malevolent red eyes, too bright in the dark, as if they were staring directly into her soul.
The creature wheezed a sickly, breathy sound that echoed off the walls of the cramped storage hallway, rattling Rose to the core. Its jaw gaped open, showing a horrific set of elongated, spear-like teeth, the kind that would have torn through flesh and bone with ease. The jagged teeth jutted out from its mouth in an unnatural way, making it impossible for the creature to close its lips. The sight alone made her stomach turn.
Leon's arm shot out to push her and Ashley back, but his voice was calm and focused. "Stay behind me," he ordered, his hand steady on his gun.
Rose's hand instinctively went to her pistol as she took a few steps back, trying to put distance between herself and the monstrosity. Ashley's breath came out in shallow gasps beside her, but Rose couldn't take her eyes off the creature, even as it continued to wheeze, its movements jerky, disjointed.
"What the is that?" Ashley whispered, voice trembling.
Rose didn't answer. Her mind was racing—calculating, analyzing the situation. It looked like something out of a nightmare. The creature's body twitched in spasms as if it wasn't fully in control of itself. Whatever it was, it was desperate, hungry, and far too dangerous.
"I have been calling it a Regenerator," Leon explained as he shot it. He aimed for three specific parts on the body, the plaga exploding on it's hip. He riddled the thing with bullets and it screamed as it fell. It then began to writhe on the ground as it grew spikes all over it's body. "What the fuck?" Leon cursed as he reloaded. "You stubborn son-of-a-bitch!" The creature screamed, its back arching and spikes extending out of it's body so long that even though they were nowhere near it, they had to dodge to avoid being hit by the spikes. Leon had blown its arm off, but Rose watched in absolute horror as the limb grew back like a lizard that had lost its tail.
"You've fought these things before?" Ashley yelled, cowering behind the agents as they backed up to give it more space. Leon unhooked the grenade Rose had given him.
"Take cover!"
Rose grabbed Ashley and yanked her back into the previous room as Leon unpinned the grenade and tossed it at the feet of the Regenerator. He turned around and ran. The grenade went off, making the walls and floors vibrate. Rose swallowed her discomfort and peered back into the room to see the creature had exploded from the waist up. Its legs took two more steps and then fell forward. She met Leon's eyes, in complete disbelief. "Unlike anything, huh?"
"I told you. This island isn't playing," Leon explained. "I meant to buy a rifle to take care of them, but I couldn't carry it."
Well, now Rose was shotgun-less, he could bequeath his to her and get his fancy new rifle. "Let's hope there aren't anymore between here and the merchant."
Leon let out an indignant sound, looking down at the creature with a look that would kill. "Jesus. Cuddly bastard, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I'm dying to be wrapped up in his arms, aren't you Ashley?" Rose scoffed.
"Not particularly, I'll leave that to you." She turned her attention to the man who had actually killed the monster. "You're not hurt, are you?" Ashley asked, looking up at Leon with wide, worried eyes.
"No, I'm good. Let's get going," he responded.
The door slid open with a heavy hiss, revealing a room bathed in near-total darkness. The air inside was thick, stale—like it hadn't been disturbed in years. A musty smell of old metal, damp stone, and decay immediately hit them. Leon flicked on his flashlight, the beam cutting through the blackness like a thin thread of light, but it barely illuminated anything in the vast, shadowy expanse before them.
Rose could make out just enough to navigate without her own flashlight, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. The beams of Leon's light barely revealed the shape of the room—cramped and cluttered with debris. Piles of trash littered the floor like forgotten remnants of some previous, unseen world.
"Watch your step," Rose murmured, reaching out to stop Ashley from colliding with a pile of rusted metal crates. She guided her forward, her hand brushing against cold, slick bars that rose from floor to ceiling, dividing the room like a maze.
Leon scanned the area with a frown, his footsteps echoing softly as he moved further into the room. He stopped in front of a control panel embedded into the wall, tapping a few buttons in rapid succession.
"Hmm. No power," Leon muttered, his voice low but filled with frustration. His flashlight beam danced across the panel, revealing dusty, worn-out buttons that looked like they hadn't been touched in a long time. He sighed heavily and turned back toward Rose and Ashley. "This whole place is on life support."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "So, we're stuck in a room with no power and a bridge that's down? Fantastic."
Leon didn't answer, just gave a sharp nod in response. "We'll figure it out. Keep your eyes peeled."
They moved further into the room, taking in the dim surroundings. A narrow bridge stretched out before them, but it was half-collapsed, the metal planks hanging on by the hinges at a 90-degree angle. At the end of the bridge, a large circular wheel stood out against the gloom. It looked like it might be the mechanism that could raise or lower the bridge.
Ashley approached the wheel, brushing dust off its metal surface. "Leave it to me," she said confidently, her fingers wrapping around the rusted handle. Leon and Rose exchanged a quick glance, but neither one stopped her. They both knew that right now, they needed all the help they could get.
The wheel creaked as she turned it, the sound grating against Rose's nerves. It was as though the metal was protesting, ancient and unused, but Ashley didn't hesitate. She kept turning, her muscles straining against the resistance. The air in the room seemed to hold its breath as the wheel slowly gave way, inch by inch.
Rose could feel the tension in the room building as they all waited. Then, with a loud, protesting squeal, the bridge began to shift. Slowly at first, then with more confidence as the rusted mechanism caught. The planks creaked and groaned, lifting slowly, grinding against the metal tracks until the bridge was high enough to allow them to cross.
Ashley kept ahold of the wheel, though Rose could see her arms shaking. "See? Told you I was pretty good at this. Its trying to go back the other way. I think if I let go it's going to collapse again."
Leon looked over at her, a hint of approval in his gaze. "Nice work." He walked over to the bridge and Rose decided to stay there with Ashley. She braced herself against the wheel, her front pressed to Ashley's side as she held the wheel in place. Ashley was able to let up as Rose took over and she sent the woman a grateful look. Leon tested his weight on the bridge, and when Rose didn't protest he stepped onto it. "Be right back," he assured them. She watched him disappear momentarily as he made his way to the other side of the room.
The one light in the room caught the distraught look on Rose's face as she concentrated really hard on the noises in the room. She could hear Leon's footsteps, hell, she could hear his breathing. It was a sound that comforted her in ways she couldn't describe. She could hear the little pitter-patter of rats, and something else. She didn't have much time to dwell on that sound, though, because she picked up rapid approaching footsteps and the buzzing of another electric rod heading for them. There was the loud sound of the power clicking back on, and then the enemies Rose had been waiting for entered from where they had.
"Ashley, take the wheel!" Rose commanded, her voice sharp and urgent. Ashley didn't hesitate. She rushed to the large circular wheel, gripping it with both hands and throwing her weight into it, trying to keep the bridge raised long enough for Leon to make it back. The squealing of metal echoed as the mechanism groaned under the pressure, but the bridge held for now. The first of the ganados lunged at her. With a quick sidestep, Rose dodged the attack, firing off two rounds in quick succession. The first shot landed in the chest, the second right between its eyes. It crumpled, but another one was already charging at her, its claws slashing through the air.
Rose's instincts kicked in. She sidestepped again, this time bringing up her boot to catch the ganado in the gut. The creature staggered back with a heavy grunt, and she didn't waste a second. Another shot rang out, sending it crashing to the ground with a bullet lodged in its skull.
But the others weren't slowing down. They closed in on her, their movements jerky and erratic as they advanced.
She could hear the Regenerator's breathing growing louder, heavier, each labored exhale like a death knell. She didn't have time to deal with these enemies—not with that thing coming.
"Ashley!" Rose shouted, her voice tense. "Keep the wheel steady! Don't let go!"
Ashley's face was strained with the effort, her knuckles white around the wheel as she fought to hold it in place. Rose shot a quick glance back, relieved to see the bridge was still raised—but for how long?
Another ganado came at her, but this time Rose didn't wait for it to reach her. She moved first. Her foot lashed out, catching it in the chest and sending it tumbling backward into its comrades. As it stumbled, she shot it in the head, not pausing for a second. One of the remaining ganados swiped at her, its blade barely missing her side. She ducked under the strike, her gun coming up in a smooth motion. Two shots rang out, one striking the creature in the throat, the other in its chest. It fell, its body twitching as the life drained from it. She could hear Leon shooting, cursing, and running in circles as he took care of the Regenerator. If she could just get these guys taken care of, she could get over there and help him.
With the last of her patience running thin, Rose turned to the final two ganados. She couldn't afford any distractions. With a single motion, she raised her shotgun, the heavy barrel swinging into position. She aimed, fired, and the closest creature dropped to the ground in a spray of blood and gore.
The last one lunged at her, but Rose was already in motion. She ducked under its arms, sidestepping and landing a crushing knee into its side. The impact knocked the wind out of it, and it staggered sideways. Before it could recover, she spun, firing at point-blank range.
It dropped with a thud, its body lifeless at her feet.
She moved over to the bridge, spying Leon sprinting towards her, the Regenerator waddling after him like some kind of half-assed Naruto. "Leon! Move your ass!" She shouted, waving her arm at him to 'come on'. He sprinted over the bridge and the monster elongated its spikey arm like Elasta-Girl. "Ashley, let it go," she ordered and threw herself forward to catch Leon.
Ashley's arms screamed in relief when she let it go and she watched with wide eyes as Rose grabbed onto Leon's wrist before he fell with the Regenerator. Rose holstered her gun and used both hands to haul Leon up to safety. He was panting, his chest heaving from the marathon he'd just run. "Well," he said, looking down at the trash shoot the monster had just fallen down. "That was fun."
Rose sighed heavily and Ashley gave him a long, drawn-out look.
"Tough crowd," he continued as he made his way over to the control panel like nothing had happened. Like Rose hadn't just pulled his 215-pound body over a ledge without even stumbling. Rose raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the puzzle, wondering who had the time to set up such a stupid (or is it genius?) lock. Leon worked swiftly, putting his beautiful brain to work as he connected the circuits to form the correct patterns. Rose would have spent thirty minutes trying to figure it out. The heavy doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the dimly lit corridor beyond. The faint hum of machinery vibrated through the floor, making every step feel heavier, as if the building itself was holding its breath. Leon moved forward cautiously, his body low to the ground as he checked the surroundings with a practiced eye. His flashlight flickered for a moment, casting long shadows across the walls, but his focus never wavered.
When he spotted movement from the corner of his vision, he immediately aimed his pistol below a bunch of boards tacked up to block the hallway. Two grotesque spider parasites scuttled toward them, their jagged legs clicking on the floor as they advanced. Without hesitation, Leon squeezed the trigger. The first bullet hit its mark, bursting the creature's bulbous body. The second one followed quickly, the parasite's remains collapsing into a pile of twitching limbs and vile, dark fluid.
"Clear," Leon muttered, lowering his gun and crawling through the narrow space.
The passage was tight, the air stale and thick with dust. It seemed almost like they were moving through a forgotten part of the facility, one left to decay in isolation. He ducked under the wood planks, crawling through to the other side. He scanned for any more threats, but the area seemed eerily silent for now.
When he reached the other side, he turned and waved Ashley through, her movements quick and precise as she slid past him, barely making a sound. After Ashley had passed through, Rose moved forward, her own pace more cautious. She glanced around the narrow passage, taking in every detail, every crevice that could potentially hide a threat. She could hear the creak of wood and the occasional scrape of metal, but nothing else.
When she reached Leon, he extended a hand, helping her through the final stretch of the cramped tunnel. She grabbed hold, her grip steady despite the tension that had been building ever since they entered the compound.
But as he helped her stand, his hand slid down her back, a light touch that lingered a moment too long, his thumb brushing against the curve of her spine. The contact was brief but intentional, an unspoken gesture that sent a wave of heat through Rose's chest. Rose met his gaze, her eyes flicking between his for a brief second, and she could see it—the faint hesitation in his expression. He was worried, still carrying the weight of what had happened, of everything that was happening. He was trying to reassure her, though she wasn't sure if it was for her sake... or his.
She didn't pull away, though. Instead, she let the moment stretch on just a little longer, even if only for a brief second, before she pulled herself up fully, brushing the dust from her shirt. Her heart was beating faster now, her mind still circling back to the touch and the way his hand had felt on her back.
"You alright?" Leon asked, his voice low, but his eyes never left hers. His hand was already back at his side, his focus shifting back to the task at hand, but there was a softness in his expression that hadn't been there before.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice steady despite the fluttering nerves that had just stirred in her chest. She smiled, already fantasizing about making out with him in a shower when they got home. Her body felt tighter, restricted by her clothes because of her mental image. How was it possible for her body to even react to things like that when death was breathing down their necks? Leon's lips turned up as well, and together the three of them hurried on across some wooden planks. Two more of those spider parasites hopped off the walls, tentacles wiggling in the air.
Rose shot at them, the satisfying sound of the parasite dying urged her on. With every step they were closer to getting out of here. She was done with this place, and she knew the others were as well. The sooner they got back, the sooner Rose could write up her psychoanalysis reports and referrals (because she was sure all three of them would need referrals), the sooner she and Leon could schedule their date night of popcorn with Labyrinth and The Princess Bride.
They went outside again, dropping down a platform to see a big yellow wrecking ball, a few storage containers, and a wall that Ashley really wanted to bust down. Leon hopped down first, then turned around to catch Ashley. She began to walk to the edge and Rose took a running start, jumping on her own and laughing as she stuck the landing perfectly well on her own. Leon looked over at her with an almost disappointed look, and it made her feel a little bad. She made a mental note to let him catch her the next time. She couldn't help that she was enjoying her new body so much.
Ashley hopped down into Leon's arms and she grinned at him as he set her down gently. "My hero," she flirted, fluttering her eyelashes for effect. Rose couldn't hold back the small laugh that bubbled up. She watched Leon's face, waiting to see how he would react. There was something fun about watching him squirm, just a little bit, under the playful teasing. She wasn't jealous—she never had been—but it was amusing to see how he navigated moments like this. Leon had the kind of charm that was effortless, but sometimes, it was clear he didn't quite know how to handle the attention.
Leon chuckled, looking Ashley up and down, clearly unfazed by her flirtation but still giving a half-hearted, almost exaggerated bow. "Don't mention it," he said, his voice teasing but not too serious. "You know I'd catch you anytime." He gave her a wink—playful, casual, the kind of response that had never quite taken things too seriously.
Ashley grinned, rolling her eyes as she swatted at him lightly. "Well, I guess you are good for more than just shooting things," she shot back with a mock sigh.
Rose couldn't suppress the smirk that crept onto her face. She crossed her arms and leaned casually against a blue shipping container, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Don't get too comfortable, Leon. If you start letting Ashley in on your secrets, you'll have more people asking for piggyback rides."
Leon glanced at her over his shoulder, a twinkle of mischief in his own eyes. "Don't worry, Rose. I'm pretty sure you'd be the first one to take advantage of that offer." He sent her a quick wink, a silent acknowledgment that he wasn't immune to her playful jabs either.
Rose raised an eyebrow, half-grinning. "Maybe. But you're going to have to catch me first," she replied, her tone just daring enough to make it playful, but there was a hint of something more—something unspoken—that passed between them.
Leon's expression softened for a moment, and he gave her a lopsided grin. "Oh, I'd catch you," he replied, the tease still in his voice but with a warmth that didn't go unnoticed by Rose.
They shared a look that lingered a little longer than necessary, the playful banter hanging in the air, but neither of them mentioned the quiet understanding that had settled between them. There was a bond there, one forged through all the chaos, the fights, and the shared survival, but it was complicated.
Ashley, not missing a beat, shook her head, a knowing smile on her lips. "You two are something else." She clapped her hands together, breaking the moment. "We good to go?"
Rose snapped out of it, nodding quickly. "Yeah, let's move."
As they walked towards the crane with the wrecking ball hanging from it, Rose took notice of the multiple explosive barrels positioned throughout the area. It made her sweat a little bit, not completely immune to explosions triggering her obvious PTSD, but with Ashley now in their care, she couldn't afford to have an attack. She'd try to stay far away from them, and not shoot at them unless she absolutely had to.
Ashley ran over to the concrete wall with a large crack in it, and peered through. "Leon!" She called, and the man jogged over to her.
"That the lift?"
It was a tall, metal structure with red flashing lights going all the way up to the top and a platform they could safely assume would lift them up to the top. Ashley turned on her heel, looking up at the crane with big eyes, then turned to press her palms together in a prayer pose as she begged. "Leon, let me, please!"
Leon sighed, patting her head as if she were a puppy instead of a twenty-year-old girl, and nodded. "If the keys are in there she's all yours."
"Yes!" She cheered, running over to the open side of the crane and climbing in. She slammed the door shut and the engine roared to life. Leon shook his head and hopped onto the side, as Rose climbed to the top of a shipping container far enough away not to get hit. Ashley drove the big yellow truck slowly towards the wall and stopped feet away from it. Leon hopped off and stood back, watching cautiously as Ashley pulled a tall lever and the crane began spinning towards the wall with enough force to knock a house down. The impact sent concrete flying and Rose had to drop onto her belly to avoid being pummeled with pebbles going 80 miles an hour. The ground shook, making the container under her feet tremble. A loud bullhorn alarm started going off in response.
Ganados started pouring out of the building they'd just left. Most of them were toting weapons from pipes to crossbows, but a few of them were empty-handed. Rose sprinted across the top of the containers, pulling out her gun and shooting as she went to keep them off Leon's back, who was keeping them from climbing on the crane to get Ashley. A sharp crack of gunfire rang out, and one of the enemies fell, its body jerking backward as the bullet found its mark in its skull. But there were too many. More were coming. She couldn't slow down.
Her eyes were focused, calculating the angles of each shot as she moved, her body shifting and ducking to avoid obstacles. She could feel the tension building as she kept one eye on Leon, who was still below, methodically fending off attackers as they climbed toward Ashley, who was desperately trying to keep herself safe on the crane.
A ganado with a crossbow aimed at Leon from behind, his stance low and ready to fire. Rose had already noticed the threat before it had even reached him. She swung her gun around and fired, the bullet catching the man in the chest, sending him stumbling backward off the edge of the crane. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, but the relief was short-lived as more enemies began to pour into view.
The rest of the ganados weren't far behind. She pushed herself faster, her boots practically flying across the narrow beams, and fired again—another shot to the head, another fallen enemy. Her aim was steady, but the numbers were growing. She had to clear them out before they could overwhelm Leon. He lashed out with the butt of his gun to knock a nearby ganado off the ladder. He fired once, twice, and then shoved the rest of the crowd back with a solid kick. Without a word, he dropped into a crouch, spinning smoothly on his heel and firing two quick shots, one to each of the closest enemies' heads. His aim never wavered, the precision of his shots practically surgical. He didn't need to aim—his instincts took over, and the enemies just… fell.
One lunged at him with a wild, sloppy swing of a pipe. Leon sidestepped, his reflexes lightning-fast. He grabbed the arm of the attacker, twisted it, and snapped the pipe out of his grip. Then, in a fluid motion, Leon drove the pipe right through the man's throat. Blood sprayed as the man dropped, gurgling and choking on his own blood. Leon didn't even flinch—he simply turned, his gun already raised, and fired at another incoming threat before the body even hit the ground.
"Damn it," Leon muttered to himself, his gun recoiling in his grip as he dropped another two enemies in quick succession.
Rose kept her distance above, shooting from the containers, but the sheer efficiency with which Leon was clearing the battlefield had her momentarily speechless. She'd seen him fight before, but this was different. There was a quiet, calculating fury in his movements, a savage beauty in the way he dispatched each enemy without hesitation.
A ganado who had been brave enough to climb the container dropped dead at Rose's feet, but he twitched and his body jerked as the plaga forced its way out of him. The spider plaga tore itself out of it's fleshy prison it launched itself at Rose, the parasite's long, needle-like limbs snapping forward like a striking viper.
Before Leon could even react, Rose shot out her hand, catching the plaga mid-flight. With a growl, she slammed the plaga back onto the container with unnatural force, causing a large dent that nearly knocked her off her feet.
Leon stood frozen, eyes wide, jaw slightly slack as he watched her in awe... and something darker—something unsettling—flashed across his face. He didn't know what the hell was happening to her, but he knew it was more than just a change of pace. This wasn't Rose anymore. Not completely.
Rose didn't didn't even acknowledge the fear in their eyes, though she could feel both Leon and Ashley staring at her. Instead, she turned toward the next fallen body. The second one she'd downed—a woman this time—began to twitch in the same horrifying manner.
The plaga inside her wasn't as fast, but it was just as lethal. It broke through the woman's skull with a sickening crack, expanding outward like some kind of twisted flower blooming from within the corpse.
Rose didn't wait. She grabbed ahold of it, both hands on either side of its snapping jaws, and began to rip it in half.
"Rose, stop!" Leon shouted, his voice echoing against the crumbling walls of the dilapidated building. He feared that if he didn't intervene, she would lose herself entirely to whatever darkness had enveloped her. But the words felt hollow even as he spoke them; it was clear that reasoning with her at this moment was futile.
With a final, wet tear, Rose wrenched the creature apart, viscera spraying across the floor in a grotesque display. The sounds of cracking bone and the squelching of flesh filled the air, overwhelming Leon's senses. He winced but couldn't look away, trapped in a morbid fascination with the transformation taking place. Ashley dutifully swung the wrecking ball back again, allowing it to collide with the wall a second time and send more debris flying. Loose rocks sent the few remaining ganados falling on their faces, but they watched in fascination as Rose avoided being pummeled by the debris by moving faster than their eyes could comprehend.
As if sensing his hesitation, a remaining ganado surged forward, its grotesque face twisted into a snarl. Leon drew his combat knife, a gleaming blade that felt like an extension of himself. He was fast—so fast that time seemed to slow as he sidestepped the beast's lumbering attack. With a swift motion, he thrust the knife deep into its neck, feeling the warm gusher of dark blood spray across his face, but he didn't falter.
"Get out of my way!" Leon shouted, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He pivoted, catching sight of two more ganados lurching toward him, drawn by the scent of blood in the air. Leon's muscles coiled, and without a moment's hesitation, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each movement precise and deadly. He slashed at one, slicing through its throat and then pivoted to deliver a brutal kick to another, sending it crashing against the wall with enough force to splinter bone.
Rose was right beside him now, a frenetic blur as she charged toward the last remaining monster, locking eyes with Leon for just a heartbeat. In that moment, they were united—a team forged in battle, their fury unchained. He could see the raw determination in her gaze, a reflection of his own internal resolve.
"Together!" Leon roared, and Rose responded with a primal scream that echoed through the wreckage. She lunged forward, grabbing the last ganado by the skull, twisting and wrenching until he heard the sickening sound of its neck breaking just as Ashley sent the wrecking ball flying into the wall one last time and Rose instinctively launched herself over to protect Leon with her own body. It wasn't lost on her the irony of how many times he had done this for her since they'd arrived. It seemed like a subtle, but important power shift.
A silence fell, heavy and oppressive. The only sounds were their ragged breaths and the distant rumble of the crumbling building settling around them. Leon scanned the area, ensuring no other threats lingered in the shadows. He wiped the blood from his eyes and let out a shaky breath, the adrenaline beginning to ebb away. Leon turned back to Rose, who stood in the aftermath—bloodied, wild-eyed, yet undeniably triumphant. He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, grounding her. "We did it," he said, the weight of their victory settling over him, but there was something else, something they both needed to confront.
Ashley jumped down from the crane, running over to them. "That was scary, but also, really cool!"
Leon chuckled, but stopped short when Ashley turned to look at Rose, her face falling. Ashley looked nervous.
"Rose, your eyes are glowing red. It's creepy."
Rose blinked, momentarily taken aback by the comment. Her gaze flicked down toward her hands, still slick with the remnants of the plaga, before rising to meet Ashley's concerned eyes. The red glow she hadn't noticed earlier now seemed glaringly obvious. It wasn't just a faint flicker either—it was a deep, unsettling crimson, pulsing faintly with a rhythm all its own. She could feel the heat radiating from her irises, like an echo of the chaos inside her.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say. It felt like her body was betraying her, like something else was creeping in behind the eyes she once recognized as her own. Something she couldn't control.
Leon, ever the protector, stepped a little closer to her, eyes narrowed in concern. "Rose…" he said, his voice soft but edged with unease.
Rose exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down, pushing the dread back for a moment. She didn't want to show weakness—not in front of them. Especially not in front of him. She struggled to find the right words, but she was already starting to feel the changes that had begun—an inhuman strength, a hunger for violence, a growing darkness she couldn't fully comprehend.
Rose's jaw clenched. She could feel the urge to push back, to tell him she was fine, to tell him that everything would be okay. But deep down, she knew the truth. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep pretending she was the same person. Not when she could feel it, feel it, writhing under her skin.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Leon," she finally said, more quietly than she intended, almost a whisper. "I swear it."
Leon didn't move. He just stood there, looking at her—really looking at her—as if trying to decipher her every word, her every move. "I don't think you would," he said softly.
"I'm still me," she said again, but this time, her voice was more certain. "I'm not letting this thing take me over. Not now. Not ever."
Ashley seemed to relax a little, though her wariness didn't entirely fade. She glanced back at the crumbling path ahead of them, a silent reminder that they had a mission to complete.
Leon exhaled a long breath that seemed to carry the weight of his relief—and his doubts. He gave Rose a long, searching look as if trying to figure out if he believed her.
"Alright," he said, finally breaking the silence. "Then let's keep moving. We'll deal with this later."
Rose didn't trust herself to respond right away. She just gave him a quick nod, her eyes flicking briefly toward Ashley before they both started toward the next door, the next danger, the next unknown.
But as she walked, something gnawed at the back of her mind. She wasn't sure if she was lying to them—or lying to herself.
The red glow in her eyes faded slightly, but she could still feel the pulse, the shift within her. You can control it, she told herself. But the words rang hollow. Could she? Or was she already losing herself to the force inside her? The force she was trying so desperately to hold at bay, like a storm trapped in a fragile glass bottle, straining against the walls that separated it from the world.
Who was she now? Who would she be tomorrow, or the day after that? Was the person she'd been—someone strong, someone capable—still there? Or was she just an echo, a shell, desperately clinging to a fading identity?
Her thoughts wandered back to the fight, the way she'd torn through the plaga with ease—almost too much ease. That raw, unbridled power—had it felt good? Or had it felt terrifying? She knew it was terrifying, but there had been something seductive about it too, something that whispered to her, coaxing her to give in, to let go, to embrace the strength that came with the darkness.
This is dangerous, her inner voice warned her. If you let it control you, it'll consume you. You can't let it in.
But the temptation was there. She felt it in the pit of her stomach, gnawing at her, a primal urge to just let go—to stop fighting the change and surrender to whatever this was. It would be easier. It would be simpler.
But could she really do that? Could she really let the person she was slip away, all for the sake of power?
What would Leon think if he knew? Her chest tightened at the thought. He'd already seen her change, seen the power she was wielding. And that look—that look in his eyes—she couldn't forget it. He hadn't said anything, but she'd seen it all in that brief moment. There was fear there. Not just for her, but for them—for everything they were fighting to protect. Was he scared of her? Was he afraid that, in the end, she'd become the very thing they were trying to destroy?
Rose swallowed hard, the thought cutting through her like a jagged shard of glass.
He was terrified of losing her. Of losing control. Of losing the woman he thought she was. She wasn't sure who she was anymore, but she had to be. She had to cling to the fragments of herself that were still intact. She had to prove to him, to them, that she wasn't a monster.
But what if I already am?