The Purple Star

In the following weeks Cressida started experimenting on the mutant. She knew that there wasn't much time left. All their resources were running out and his orders didn't much to change that. Her goal was still in front of her. She wanted to revive the dying city, to give it a purpose again.

"Are the pods ready?" asked her to Khosrow and Lud who were being watched by Gadreel

"I…I think…so" answered Khosrow

His body was decaying and with it, all his abilities

"Alright, Gadreel and Janus bring everyone to me. Its time to get your DNA," said her

No one answered, most of them were afraid. Scared of her and worried about their life

Each of them came toward her and let her get what she wanted

"You shouldn't be afraid. I'm doing that for you. As always"

"You…you don't. You…just care…about your…self" told her Khosrow while Gwenore was standing beside him, tending to his illness

"Is that so…" as she left the test tubes on the table beside a chip, which she was working on

"I…think that…I won't…change it"

She tilted her head while looking at him

Everyone was waiting for her to speak.

"It's time to test your creations my love" said her with a cold voice

"We won't" said Lud

"Are you really willing to kill us this way?" asked Patroclus

"You won't die. You will be frozen. Isn't it Khosrow? You can ensure that your project is sure"

Khosrow looked down and started babbling

"Dear, say what you need to say" exhorted him Gwenore

"It's better to say it now" suggested Hector

He was trying to find the words. He didn't want anyone to get hurt

"It is…It is…"

"Safe. He's a great scientist. Trust him" said Cressida, stealing his words

"I won't get in anyway" remarked Lud

She nodded toward Janus and Gadreel, who put out his gun and pointed toward Gwenore, Patroclus, Lud and Khosrow.

They started moving toward the pods. Gwenore was helping Khosrow entering his one, while Cressida was watching pleased

After that Gwenore and Patroclus took their places. There was only Lud left.

He was standing beside the protective suits. He already had the protective pants on. The protective vest was tied to his waist, as he was usually the one who wanted to venture out to find other survivors.

"It's your time kid" said Gadreel

"No"

"What did you say?" asked Cressida annoyed

"No"

She looked at his henchmen who looked at her back.

They understood.

Janus and Gadreel ran toward him and knocked him on the ground.

Lud was bleeding from his nose.

"I'm sorry, lad" told him Janus

"What about you, don't you help them?" asked Cressida to Hector

"I…I…" told him while coming forward, unable to understand how to help them.

He was shaking.

"Get him in the pod. Now" ordered the woman

"Yes…my Lady" said Janus while he and Gadreel grabbed him and brought him to his pod

He was wriggling out, giving them troubles.

They pushed him into the pod.

The pod started closing, slowly.

When it had been completely sealed, the hibernating phases would have started. Like it already happened to the other pods.

She was ready to enjoy the moment when, suddenly, Lud jammed the door mechanics and got out.

No one expected it, as he ran swiftly toward the elevator while suiting up and taking what he could.

Her henchmen looked at her.

"He's going to die outside. Don't let him get out" said her with a worried tone

She didn't want to lose anyone.

They sprinted toward him who was entering into the elevator.

The doors closed as Gadreel and Janus crashed into them, hurting lightly their shoulders.

She was disappointed.

"Don't follow him. I don't want to lose you too. We'll try to find him next" said her with an underwhelmed voice

A tear came down from his eyes.

She hoped that her sacrifices wouldn't have been in vain.

Tithon woke up. The bed where he was lying was hard and uncomfortable. His waist and face were still hurting but less. There was a strange stench in his room, like the chemicals used to clean surfaces. The light over him was too bright, almost blinding.

He tried to bring himself up. One limb after the other. His face has something attached to it; he was feeling it. It was like someone was burning his face with small matches.

There was also another smell which wasn't new to him.

He looked in front of him. On the other side of the room there was another man. He couldn't see his face; his eyes were finding hard to adapt to the blinding lights. There was just one window, probably fake.

He put a hand on his face and his fingers touched a cold and strong material. He tried to rub it off. Just half of his face was covered with it.

The man in front of him chuckled.

"Who is…there? Where…am…I?" asked him

"You really don't remember, do you?" said a familiar voice

"No…I…who are…you?"

The figure stood up and raced toward him, crashing in an invisible force field in front of him. When he hit it, Tithon recognized his face.

"Malsumis…"

"Why are you still wearing my mask, half of it at least?"

"I don't know…what they did to me"

"You mean she. Lady Gehenna got you here after she saved you. Just look yourself in the mirror" shouted Malsumis

Tithon went slowly to the mirror beside the sink while hanging to the wall to avoid falling.

Then he saw his reflection.

The mask he wore during Zerzura's battle was attached to his face, fused with his skin. A tear felt down his cheek. His hands were squeezing the sink's top.

"I…need my…pills" started repeating to himself

"She did an incredible job and after that put you here, in jail. I thought that you were in control" joked him

Tithon was looking around to find a door, anything to get out of it. He wasn't believing it. He just wanted to wake up.

He saw the grating and ran toward it.

"Help…me. Get me…out. Lady Gehenna has…committed treason" screamed Tithon with all the breath he had in his chest

Malsumis was looking at him.

"It won't work. Here there're only guards loyal to her"

Then Tithon stopped and went on the bed. Back to the wall. He was shaking.

"This is what it feels like Tithon. This is how I felt when you put me here and usurped me of my position. And…what you did with my suit and mask is even worse. You desecrated my belongings. Why?"

Tithon didn't answer

"And your trap…how did you know about my plan?"

"I…didn't but…Lilith talked to you too many…times. I've just wanted to…have a plan B…"

"Do you realize what was she trying to do? Have you asked her?"

Tithon shook his head

"She wanted to unveil one of her mother's secrets to help you"

"Help me…with what? Why didn't…she tell…me than?"

"Because she was scared by you. You are different from ages ago when we started your career"

"We?"

"Lady Gehenna told us to promote you after you found one of her belongings in the dump. We set you up as her pawn because she wanted so"

"Wait…do you mean that…the watch…Alastor…where all premeditated by her"

"Yes, she wanted to control you. It isn't the first time. Obviously, she didn't foresee the fact that her daughter would've fallen in love with you"

Tithon felt good about Malsumis last sentence. He felt better afterwards.

"But you…killed…Endymion. I can't…"

"What? You killed her, Tithon. Me and my brother, we helped you get past it, but Gehenna needed you to have a purpose. Therefore, Alastor was selected as a scapegoat. She didn't think that you were able of what you did afterwards, obviously"

"But…I saw her…at the Academy. I felt her"

"She wasn't your Endymion"

"Why?"

Malsumis was almost ready to answer that when a screen turned on. He knew what was coming.

Tithon recognized the Aokigahara Tower and where he showed himself when he announced his engagement with Lilith.

She was there. Covered in a black robe. By her side there was a figure in a white shroud. He knew her.

Under them there was a crowd. His crowd. Among them there were his Whiskers. Guards were positioned around the crowd to control it and behind Endymion and Lilith.

Fanon was among the people in the square, close to the other Whiskers. They weren't wearing their uniforms. They were looking up, waiting for Lilith and Endymion to speak. Behind them there was a wall of guards.

The crowd was divided. There were people holding puppets like the Supreme Leader, others who were chanting for him, others who were praising Lady Gehenna.

No one knew about the Supreme Leader. Fanon and his comrades didn't know what happened to him after Zerzura. Their oath to him was still intact.

He noticed that all the Guels where missing.

"Men and Women of the Hara and Haguel. Yesterday the world changed. Lady Gehenna and his army destroyed the last Hummingbirds stronghold. A new period of peace is upon us. Long, lasting concord"

"That's a lie. Liars, where is our Supreme Leader?" shouted a Whisker beside him

Lilith looked at them.

"The Whiskers of our city were relieved of their duty. Who wanted to join Lady Gehenna's guards has been welcomed with open arms"

"The Hummingbirds are still out there," shouted another Whisker

"This is not true" answered someone to him

"Where is our Leader?" screamed Fanon, followed by his group and other citizens

The chanting was becoming louder and louder

A huge screen turned one behind Endymion, showing Tithon and Malsumis.

"This is your Leader, weak and powerless. One who sided with the enemy and wanted to bring down our beloved Gehenna"

Fanon did not understand. He thought that Lady Gehenna had cured him, that she was on his side.

"Your Supreme Leader had a deal with Malsumis and his brother, to bring down this city. He never cared about you. He always wanted power for himself"

Tithon's puppet was set on fire.

The men beside him were looking at the people who did it with hate.

"He has no power anymore"

People in the crowd were arguing between them.

"Today we reinstate the border between Haguel and the Hara. We won't accept the filth of Guels anymore"

That sentence made the crowd explode. The people who were on Tithon side, Guels and Whiskers, started pushing the Lady Gehenna's supporters.

"No, not now. It's not our time" ordered Fanon to his Whiskers, who stood their ground and started leaving the gathering.

The square had become a battlefield. Supporters of both sides, Guels and Halars, were fighting each other. Between them the Guards were trying to sedate Lady Gehenna's opposers.

Kurban was standing beside Pyramus, trying to cheer him up. In front of them there was the Shaxes Leader, who was listening carefully.

"Do you think that any of them has survived the attack?" asked Pyramus

"I…I really don't know"

"Would you help them? I know that we've been fighting for a long time"

The King didn't answer right away

"I think that you and your kind should consider his words. He has been a remarkable prisoner since he reached us. He never tried to escape" tried to help him Kurban

"Thatt iss rigiht. I thinks thayt…"

Behind him appeared Kera, Lunukin and a Shax. They were panting.

"Whats iss goinng onis?" asked him

"They are here. One of them is mortally wounded" announced Lunukin

"Its iss upp toy yous Kurbanys. Yous havey my trusts" said the King

Kurban nodded and rushed toward the enclosed hole where most of the Shaxes where standing, looking at it with curiosity and fear.

They opened it and let him, Kera and Lunukin through.

Outside there were Hummingbirds with damaged suits and masks, wounded and stranded. They were lying beside their vehicles, big and small.

One of them rushed toward him.

"Sir, we need your help. Gluskap, our commander, is mortally wounded. Please let him us in. We need to mend our scars and it's hard to do it under this scorching sun"

Kurban felt pity for them.

They brought beside him a stretcher with a familiar individual on it. Gluskap…he couldn't forget him. He was still bleeding. There was only a tick dark veil limiting his blood loss.

He wanted to bring all of them in, but it wouldn't have worked with the Shaxes.

"Pyramus…Malsumis…" was calling Gluskap, devoured by the fever

"Your Commander and one with medical skills. The rest will stay outside" decided him

"But sir, we need medications too?" remarked the rebel

"This is what I can do for now. Hold on for him. Kera, Lunukin, help him get in. Be careful"

As Gluskap found his way into the Shaxes graveyard, Kurban followed them and closed the hole behind him.

The wounded man was taken where Pyramus was set.

When Pyramus saw his partner, his eyes became teary, and he went straight to him. Hugging and kissing him.

When he saw his terrible wound, he didn't say a word. He put his hand on it to keep the bandage tight.

"Py…Pyra…Pyramus…." was calling him

"I'm here, my love. I'm here" said the kid while taking Gluskap hand.

Far from them, Kurban was talking to the Shaxes King.

"Doy yous thinnk that his safe toy haves thes Hummingbirdss herey?" asked the creature

"Yes. This we will be able to talk to him about our peace and alliance with them"

"Mmmms…I trusts yous Kurrban butt, if theey bettray uss in ours homey, yous will enncounter they sames fatey as thems"

Kurban nodded. He knew the risks, but he also knew that it was necessary.

Gehenna was in the lab, sitting in front of the computer beside the pods. On the desk there still was the chip.

On the screen there was a picture of a man in a military uniform. Under it there was his name and beside it the Agaklythos Army's symbol.

"The test trials went well. The subjects' bodies accepted the compound. There is still the issue related to mortality and reproduction. We need to you to tweak the formula and fix"

The message was sent years ago, after the last reboot. She was worried.

This time more than ever.

The lab's door opened, and a scientist got in.

"My Lady, the drove is ready to depart" announced him

"What about the military clones?" asked her

"They're already being conditioned. They will be ready next…"

"Tomorrow. They'll be ready tomorrow. Am I clear?" asked her

"Yes, my Lady" told him while leaving the room

Then she turned toward the screens. One of those had a blinking purple light in it with coordinates and time attached.

She was ticking her fingers on the table and shaking her left foot.

She took the chip and looked at it.

The small object was shining under the dim light like a gold gem.

She kept it in her hand for a while then left it on the table.

She never liked it and its purpose.

Pyramus was helping the medic taking the suit off Gluskap. It was dripping blood.

He took the chest's piece and put it down, beside his mask and the protections.

The he started taking down his pants to see the injury better.

It was worse than they expected.

The medic disinfected it and cleaned it.

Afterwards a syringe pierced his skin there and a liquid, like the one used in the Ankh vials, was inserted in his body.

"It…b…burns" screamed Gluskap, while convulsing in agony

Pyramus intervened to keep him quiet and still, but he was moving too much.

"My love, it will be over soon" said the kid in tears, while using all his strength to keep him down

"What is happening?" asked Kurban who arrived on the scene, called by the frightened Shaxes who were watching on them

"His body is fighting to accept the medicine. Would you give us a hand, please?" told him the medic

Kurban nodded and went by the side of the prisoner. He put his hands on him and looked both Pyramus and the medic in the eye.

"Are you sure about what you're doing?" asked him

No one answered.

It wasn't stopping. Their strength was vanishing.

Then a crashing sound startled them.

"What was that?" asked Kurban, who didn't want to have issues with the Shaxes

Near Pyramus' foot there was a round shaped object made of grey metal with a symbol on it representing two identical fish crossed.

"What is it?" asked the medic

He was looking at it, trying to understand what its purpose was

Gluskap's hand looked like it was trying to reach it

"Keep his limbs down" ordered the doctor as he brought the invalid's arm down.

Pyramus put the strange object in his pocket and got back at what he was doing.

"It seems like she has taken everything from you" told Malsumis to Tithon, who was laying down on the mattress

He didn't answer to him

"Everything you've done so far has amounted to nothing"

Tithon stood up

"Could you please shut up? I'm trying to think" asked Tithon

"About what? You can't get out of here. You can only hope that the people now will understand what kind of monster she is and do something about it"

"I don't understand. On which side are you?"

"Me and my brother, we always wanted to do what you did, to erase the differences between Halars and Guels, to let everyone have the same possibilities. We're her slaves, it isn't right"

"Why did you join her then?"

"I didn't. It was my brother's idea, he wanted to do it. I've always thought that the rebellion should have been our focus"

"But…he is the Hummingbird's Leader, not you"

"He's a likeable guy who can keep his cool, unlike me. He won fair and square during a poll with our high-ranking officials. What was left for me was the executive role when we both were Co-Chief of Security. But it wasn't easy. I had to become a different person to satisfy Lady Gehenna's desires"

"I guess that the savior of this city isn't a savior after all. I hate her"

"Me too" said Malsumis

Tithon looked at him and smiled

"What would you do if you had her power?" asked Tithon

It was an unexpected question

"First, I would…unite both the Hara and Haguel, like you did. Then I would find a way to compromise with the 'Birds"

"What if there isn't a compromise?"

"Well, in that case I would remove who stand in my way. I think that order should be the pillar of our society. I think that one person should take decisions aided by one or two faithful ministers"

"So, what does your brother thinks about that?"

"He thinks that a system like that wouldn't change the city. He thinks that we wouldn't be different from Gehenna. He wants everyone to have a right to choose"

"I think that your brother is wrong. Look at you, you are here because his feeble democracy put you in the worst possible situation"

"I think…I think that you're right" said Malsumis

"We're not so different after all. We both want to change the city and remove the tyrant"

"What about the 'Birds? I thought that you were against them because of your fiancée's death"

"Well, they will either join us or die trying to defend their values. Don't you agree Malsumis, do you?" asked Tithon

Malsumis breathed. He knew the weight of that question. It wasn't merely about his opinion.

"…Yes" answered him, knowing the burden of his choice.