The laboratory was almost empty, but one person was working for three. Henrietta van Penrose didn't sleep a wink, but her efforts started to pay off. She was filling the fourth chalkboard when a blond boy entered through the open door.
"Wow, it looks like a hurricane rolled through here. Aren't those piles a safety hazard?" Theo tried to joke, but his heart felt heavy for what was to come.
"A necessary risk I'm willing to take. The research proved fruitful, I've come up with five theories and twenty-one tests that might bring us significantly closer to finding a cure.
There was some discussion about the ethicality of skipping the line, but I've managed to persuade my colleagues. The setup will be ready at the end of the week, and we can start testing at full speed ahead." She had a mad scientist twinkle in her eye, but it was better than the emptiness from before.
Guilt started choking his throat since he had to shatter her newly regained hope with the grim announcement. Theo knew this conversation would be heavy, but the reality hurt even worse. He wanted this optimistic moment to last forever, but the time wasn't on his side.
"I'm sorry." Those two words felt like daggers thrown straight at Annette's heart, murderous weapons capable of bringing her down. Uttering them was torture, and the rest just wouldn't come out.
"Come on, for what? I knew it would be my battle to face. Don't worry, I won't hurt Shin in any way." Annette grinned, not knowing what he meant.
Her innocent smile pierced his conscience, but delaying it further was impossible. Legion wouldn't wait for him to get ready, and he didn't want her to learn about it from others. Theo slapped himself on the cheeks to get it together and revealed the cruel truth.
"Legion is on the move. We'll probably depart by tomorrow. It's all or nothing; the tests must wait." He phrased it nicely, but there was no guarantee of a future. It would be a miracle for them to succeed, let alone come back alive. Theoto saw the anguish entering Annette's face, but no words of comfort came to mind.
"No. No no no. There is no time. I need two weeks. Scratch that, one will suffice. Shin can't leave now. I've got nothing to work on, and she is already getting worse." She shook his arms, but there was nothing he could do.
"I'm sorry" Theo hugged her, not knowing how to help.
At first, Annette tried to get away, angrily hitting his chest, but eventually, shivers took over her body. It was somehow worse than when she first learned the news. The hope she had gathered with tremendous effort turned against her, crushing her with its weight. All the plans and theories she came up with now seemed laughable since there could be no experiments without the main test subject.
Tears wetted Theo's shirt, but he didn't loosen the embrace. It was the second time he had seen Annette in such a state, but it didn't make it any easier. He patiently waited for her to calm down, not pressuring her to hurry. There was already too much haste in the world.
"Are you... leaving?" Annette knew the answer but wished for him to deny it.
"They wouldn't stand a chance without a pro like me." Theo smirked, despite his mind screaming with sorrow.
"You... you have to come back. Do you understand? I won't accept any other outcome. You will go there, win, and come back to help me. I will even grant you a position as my personal assistant. Paid. But you have to come back in one piece. Promise me." Her voice was desperate, begging him for an oath he couldn't guarantee to keep.
"Duh, I can't miss such an opportunity. In exchange, you have to guard my latest trinket. I've managed to fix the hinges, but I don't trust Ernst with keeping it safe. Will you store it until I come back?" Theo took a silver necklace out of his pocket and put it in Annette's hands. It was an oval pendant adorned with carved flowers, clearly meant to hold a picture inside.
"Can I open it?" She was still shaky, but the item was like a heartfelt token of promise.
"Only when I leave. Do it when you miss me." He wiped her cheek and laid a soft kiss on it to show his affection.
"You have to come back. I won't take it off without your help." Annette knew the meaning of this gesture, but this conversation had to wait until after the mission. She ostentatiously put on the silver necklace, sealing the promise between them.
"Wait for me. I'll have much to tell you then."
Shin felt like the worst douchebag on planet Earth, but couldn't avoid it any longer. Drawing a line after breaking through her walls the previous time seemed insensitive at best and outright exploitative at worst, but he wasn't left with any choice. He anxiously stood in front of the same wooden door, but his spirit couldn't be more different from what it had been that night.
"...Shin?" Lena opened the door cautiously, not expecting the confrontation to come so soon. Her thoughts also went back to the last time when they had stood in those exact spots, feeling ridiculously envious of her clueless past self.
"...Hey... can we talk?" Awkward wasn't enough to describe the air between them, but Shin knew he owed her an explanation.
"D-do you want c-come in?" She somehow found the resolve to invite him in, despite all her senses screaming to run away. Lena was adamant about honoring the promise she had made with Annette, and shame wasn't enough of an excuse to break it. Only when Shin entered her room had Lena realized, what a terrible idea it was.
No one knew how to begin this difficult conversation, and each time any of them tried to speak up, what came out were some stutters or incoherent mumblings. They went back and forth with who should go first until Shin gave up the futile fight and started apologizing.
"I'm sorry. The military is important, but I shouldn't have walked out in the middle of the night. You have every right to hate me for it." Shin blurted out, feeling guilty about how he had left this room the previous time.
Informing Ernst about the danger was his duty, but technically he could have handled it over a call. Thousand of excuses popped into his mind, but he knew they were only pretexts to keep her away from the mission. If he wanted to say goodbye with a clear conscience, honesty was a way to go. They both were overly stiff and red as tomatoes, but the pair had to bear it if they wanted to move forward.
"Military? I-I thought you were just disappointed..." A wave of relief spread throughout her body, nearly taking the strength from her knees. If the circumstances were different, this news would undoubtedly made her day.
"What? No! Haven't you seen the note?" It was the most dumbfounded Shin had ever been in his life. There were many scenarios that he went through in his head before coming here, but this one was a surprise.
"What note? I-I woke up a-and you weren't there..." Lena vigorously flailed her arms while recalling that traumatic morning step by step.
Shin knew it was a wrong moment to think about it, but Lena was adorable when she got flustered. This confident and beautiful woman transformed into a small, reddish creature, waving her hands like a newly hatched chick. It triggered his instinct to protect her, but he suppressed the urge to hug her in spite of everything. A sharp pain in his chest reminded him this could be the last time he saw her, so Shin remained still, engraving every detail into his mind.
"I've heard the Legion moving, there is a high probability of an attack soon. I had to inform Ernst, but I didn't want to wake you with the bad news..." He felt apologetic, realizing the situation looked much worse from Lena's perspective.
He wanted to punch himself for acting like a jerk back then, even if from a rational perspective, it had been the right choice. He knew holding onto Lena would be selfish, and doing a clean-cut before his departure would make it easier for her to move on. Despite that, Shin couldn't help but yearn for her love.
"Oh, that's... How soon we're talking about?" She didn't know if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, or if it had simply been removed to make place for something worse.
Shin took a deep breath, mustering the courage to break the news, but her worried gaze shattered all his resolve. Those cursed words would become a reality once he said them out loud, and that meant a goodbye. Vladilena Milizé was the only woman who brought him to his knees. How could he possibly push her away?
"As soon as everything is ready. Probably tomorrow." His lips moved against his will, breaking the fantasy he had built in his heart.
Shin noticed Lena was trembling, but his body froze when their eyes met. They were silver as always, but they somehow looked as if all the light had left them. A shadow of defeat covered her frail face, but Shin knew he still had something to do. The show was coming to an end, and the tragic finale seemed to be written on the stone.
"...and I want you to distance yourself from it. We probably won't make it, and you shouldn't torture yourself with listening in." It pained him to say this out loud, but he didn't back down. Shin expected her to become indignant and loudly protest, but Vladilena Milizé stayed ominously silent.
Something broke inside of her.
The mental dam keeping her afloat gave out, and she was flooded with raging waves of negative emotions. They poured into every corner of her mind, washing away the remnants of hope and dreams. Like in the last moments of a drowning man, Lena prayed for someone to come to her rescue.
The world was engulfed by flames, and the future was covered in ashes. Shin was about to risk his life for all humanity and to fail meant to perish. Lena was bitterly aware of what was at stake, and she knew her life was not nearly important to gamble with the outcome. Fear and shame weren't enough of a reason to back down, but love was a completely different story.
Delaying their departure would inevitably complicate the operation, forcing the Spearhead Squadron to face massive Legion forces before arriving at its base. Lena suspected there was a significant strategical advantage in rushing things, since otherwise the headquarters would be waiting for a solid plan. If the commanders deemed the gains outweigh the risk, how could she selfishly ask them to stall for her sake?
"I understand. I'll do everything to bring you back safely, but I shall limit myself to working solely as a secondary tactician." The professional tone was her final effort to hide her grief, as she didn't want to put more burden on the already overloaded Shin.
Lena wished she could tell him everything, cry in his arms, and let herself be soothed, but revealing the truth would hurt everyone else. The mission was stressful in itself, worrying about others was a luxury they couldn't afford. If staying silent could help him focus on surviving, Lena accepted the cost she'd have to pay.
"Are you okay?" Shinei was aware of how stupid this question sounded, but her sudden composure gave him chills.
"I will be, don't worry about me. All I want is for you to come back safely. Can you promise you'll try as hard as you can?" The oath-breaker requested, masking her own lie.
"I promise I'll try my best, so you have to take care of yourself until my return." He caressed her face, savoring every inch under his palms.
"Things will get busy. Now go, don't make me take the rest of your precious time." Lena put her whole love in this one smile, hoping it would ease all his worries. He'll curse and resent her when he gets back, but she would make a deal with the devil if it meant saving him.
"You're more precious." Shin mumbled under his breath, but he obediently turned around and started heading toward the conference room.
Only when his back had long vanished behind the corner, did Lena allow her body to give in.
August 25th Republic Year 357 (Stellar Year 2138)
7 days until the Start of the Legion War
*TW: Graphic injury description*
"I'm warning you, he's in critical condition. They outdone themselves with the torture, I have never received a prisoner in such a poor state." Zelene put on nitrile gloves, a mask, and a white coat, gesturing for Elizabeth to do the same.
The basement was grimmer than usual, with the stench of blood and unwashed bodies filling the air. Not all prisoners were unconscious. Agonizing wailing and desperate pleas echoed in the hallways, reminding her what was happening here all this time. Liz was sickened by the nature of this undertaking, but she reminded herself she was here at her own accord.
"He's inside, you can go in. I'll go take a look at his test results." The red-haired woman pointed at one of the doors and nonchalantly returned to her office.
Elizabeth had a hard time accepting this side of her aunt since she had hoped it was only her prejudiced delusion. Seeing living humans awaiting their demise made her nauseous, but knowing Zelene was their executioner crushed her conscience. Liz wouldn't admit it to her face, but the fear and disgust she felt in the beginning had silently resurfaced, confusing her mind once again.
Was she an accomplice? Turning a blind eye to the other inmates couldn't be excused by fear, since Zelene made it clear she treasured her only niece. Elizabeth felt like a terrible person for not doing more to stop it, but rescuing Will took priority. She pressed the handle hoping to see his face, but what she found could hardly be called a human.
If not for the respirator Liz wouldn't be able to tell where his face was, since it was so swelled and brutalized. His silver hair, which gave him the elfish beauty, was shaven off, with multiple burn wounds taking their place. The rope marks on his neck and hands suggested he was tied during the savage tortures, but nothing compared to the injuries on his legs.
They were contorted in unnatural ways, almost like there were no bones inside, resembling ribbons more than human limbs. Elizabeth was mortified by the cruelty inflicted upon William, a sadistic curiosity of his torturers, probably to check if the disability was part of the act.
She wept holding his mutilated hand, regretting ever sending him away. Will was now barely holding onto his life, and he wouldn't have stalled back then if it weren't for her. Liz wished he would wake up and pat her head, telling her this scene was yet another act. Contrary to her pleas the man stayed chillingly still, only his chest moving faintly by the force of the ventilator.
"Will, please, give me any sign you can hear me. Twitch, cough, or even pee for all I care. Just show me you're alive." Elizabeth sat on the edge of his bed hoping to spot any movement, but William was frozen like a corpse.
"It's futile, his EEG doesn't leave room for interpretation. He's practically on the death's door. Bringing him here was a mistake, you shouldn't have seen him in this state." Liz didn't notice when Zelene entered the room, but the words she spoke made her enraged.
"A fucking mistake? That's what you take from it? Save him! You gave me the magical cure, why can't you do the same for William?" She yelled back, unable to hold her anger down.
"I told you, I'm no God. Some things are beyond my scope, and this is one of them. I could fix his limbs and probably keep his organs alive, but the brain is too complicated." Zelene tried to explain, but Elizabeth wouldn't hear it.
"Bullshit. I saw the brains a few weeks ago, you aren't taking those prisoners for their bladders. If you threw away your morals for this stupid research, at least have something to show for it." Liz was close to breaking down, and the hate for her aunt resurfaced with a double force.
The woman sighed, almost as if annoyed, and then exited the room without a word. Elizabeth was stunned by this behaviour, shamelessness beyond reason in a vulnerable moment when Liz desperately needed any support. She felt stupid for ever trusting her wretched aunt, but Zelene Birkenbaum came back after a few agonizing minutes.
"Experimenting with a healthy brain is a separate topic, but I digress. I can't promise it'll work, but the equipment in the main laboratory is much more advanced than what I have here. The current technology may not be enough to help him, nonetheless, I can connect the boy to the main framework and keep his body alive. It may take years if not decades for the solution to surface, but if you're willing to wait, I can try." She explained in a matter-of-fact voice, but her effort seemed genuine.
Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears, those words sounded almost too good to be true. She tried to find any signs of deceit on Zelene's face, but to her relief there were none.
"God, yes, please! I don't care how long it'll take, just don't give up on him. I will do anything you ask of me." Liz hugged her aunt in the rush of emotions, completely forgetting the thoughts from minutes ago.
"If we want the best results, I must leave immediately. Sorry I will miss your coming-of-age, I'll ask Mathilda to keep you company. Don't trust anyone else, the Council has been acting strange as of late. To keep Will's survival hidden, you must refrain from contacting me openly. I'll ask my trusted subordinates to leave the instructions and the lab pass in a safe place, but don't go in there until I give you a sign." Zelene started instructing her as if the whole ordeal was planned.
"When will I see you again?" Elizabeth asked, for the first time hoping they would reunite.
"...you probably won't. Everything has its price, my time with you is the cost of saving William. Don't look so sad, I owe you for not helping you sooner. The only thing I ask in return is to remain here, as the rightful Birkenbaum heiress. I'll do my best to delay the launch of the weapon, but I won't be able to stall forever. You'll be safest in Sankt Jeder." She hesitantly patted Liz's head, awkwardly trying to cheer her on. The promise she made was bordering on impossible, but her niece deserved something to latch on.
Elizabeth felt crushed by hearing the news, she wasn't ready to lose the only family she had left. Their bond was anything but normal, yet she had grown strangely attached to the mad scientist's presence. Liz had hoped that with time they would get to know each other better, and this familial relationship could help her build the new home. With Will and Zelene gone from the capital, this mansion would once again become, nothing but a solitary island.
"I don't know what to say. Thank you. I'm sorry. I wish we had met earlier, for the circumstances to be different. If only life wasn't so fucked up..." Tears found a way to escape her eyes, and before she even knew it, Liz was crying in her aunt's arms.
"It might be fucked up, but we don't get a second try. Live, Liz. Don't waste your life like I did. Knowing you're trying to live to the fullest will make it all worth it."