Chapter 14: St. Olga Asylum (flashback)

Rena

What really happened to us that night? Why have you betrayed me?

To know that story, I must take you back to where it began, in St. Olga's Asylum.

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(Flashback)

Alex's POV

Kill to survive, that's all that matters. After my hometown was destroyed, lost everything, I ran and murdered anyone who dared to kill. I only knew the ugliness within humans.

I kill, take their souls, used it to heal me, empower me and view their memories of their past lives.

When I killed a scientist, I took his soul and from his memories, I learned that my twin sister, the only family I have left, is still alive.

He knew where she is.....I knew where she is.

Rena is kept in place called St. Olga's Asylum, she was experimented on, involved her in something they call 'Project Ares'. I don't know how she survived, all I know is that I needed to rescue her.

I donned in my signature black cloak with my hood on and I wore black clothes underneath. I stood by the location of my sister's imprisonment.

I climbed over the big fence of the asylum, which appears similarly to a mansion and landed silently on the soft grass, ensuring no guards were around, I snuck around the side of the complex, avoided the lights and found an open window on the second floor.

I used the near pipe and vines to climb high enough then jumped and grabbed the window sill and pulled myself up then inside. I spotted a guard by the door who had his back turned on me, seems unaware of my presence.

This guard might know where they my sister so I took this opportunity to sneak towards him, yanked him so he falls on his back, straddled him, cover his mouth for silence and shove the knife I've been carrying with me to his throat, effectively killing him.

I absorbed his life force and viewed his memories, it seems he knows my sister is here but he doesn't know where she was kept, but there were documents of her in the security office.

Knowing where to go next, I dragged the body in the corner of the room, took his clothes, wearing it over mine while stashing my cloak in the pocket and leave the room while closing the door behind me.

I walked the hall not being suspicious, I saw every hallway had at least two cameras. Remembering through the guard's memories, I took left then right til I found the security room.

I was about the approach it but the door opens and I hid back to the corner, a guard came out with a donut and coffee. He stood there for a second before leaving to the other direction. I saw the camera on top of the door looking at the direction the guard was leaving to, so I wasted no time to approach the door while the camera was looking away and entered.

I'm in the security room and saw the guard was too distracted from the security cameras, eating donuts and reading a playboy magazine. So I wasted no time to cover his mouth and stab him in the heart.

God these guys are retarded at their job.

Now that their eyes are plucked, figuratively, there's no doubt someone will come to find this guard dead. So I searched the drawers for my sister's files and I found it.

They had her identifications, she was part of the experiment "Project Ares" and they kept her in the lower level of the basement in the Ward hall, Room 6.

There's an elevator in the end of this building so I took the key card from the dead guard since it's required, and the keys. I exited the room while locking it and proceeded to my destination.

Took me eight minutes to find that elevator, thankfully I was wearing my disguise so I was allowed to the elevator by the guard's unnoticed and descended down. You have no idea how much I wanted to kill these guys.

As the elevators doors open, I exited to be confronted with signs that says "Ward hall" pointed to the left and "Laboratories" to the right.

I went to the Ward halls and faced the barred door with a guard.

"What's your business here?" asked the guard.

Thankfully he hasn't seen through my disguise, so I answered in a different voice.

"I am to pick up the patient in Room 6, doctor's orders."

The guard looks at me for a minute before letting me though. I passed through and kept walking to find Room 6.

When I found that room, I stood there thinking how this reunion will play out. I was actually nervous thinking what if this isn't her.

Taking a deep breath, I put out the keycard on the scanner and the lock opens.

I enter the room and what I saw there gave me a huge relief.

Rena is sitting on her bed, wearing all white clothes which is a t-shirt, pants and shoes. Her long raven black hair is messy and her amber eyes glared right back at him.

"Another session?"

I then remembered I'm in my disguise.

"No....those ends today sis." I said as took my cap off allowing her to see.

Rena's glare quickly turns to surprise and cleared her vision hoping this is not a dream.

"...Alex?"

Rena then stood and stepped a little closer to see her twin brother.

"....is that you?" she asked

"Yes...it's me" I responded with relief

We stood there for a second before she threw her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug, I did the same and allowed a few tears streamed down my face.

When I thought I lost everything, I at least got one family back.

Eventually, we separated and I began inspect her for any injuries, just as she looked at me with amazement.

"I thought you were dead." Rena sobbed out.

"I thought you were too..." I replied as I put my hand on her shoulder.

"....I'm glad to have you back."

The two of us shared a moment of reconciliation until the speakers went off.

"ALERT! AN INTRUDER HAS INFILTRATED THE COMPOUND! I REPEAT! AN INTRUDER HAS INFILTRATED THE COMPOUND! DISPATCH FORCES TO ELIMINATE THIS INTRUDER!"

"Shit! They must've found the guard I killed in the security room." I mentally cursed myself.

"We don't have much time, I'm here to rescue you, we need to get out of here." I told Rena.

"Not yet! We need to destroy Project Ares!" she said.

"What!"

"If that thing gets out, all hell will break loose."

"...."

"Please you have to trust me."

I came to rescue one life of my remaining loved one, but to throw ourselves in another danger after I pulled her out of one is risky. But this is my twin sister, I trust her.

"Alright let's do it." I said.

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I opened the door cautiously and checked both sides of the hall, so far it's clear. So I exited the room with Rena behind me, she then went left and followed her deep in the Ward hall.

Where are we going?....oh yeah.

We need to retrieve a few things.

We reached the full of lockers and I closed the door behind me, she went to one of the lockers and opened it, I looked away as she gets changed and I also changed out of my disguise and put on my black clothes and cloak.

"Alright, I'm done." she said as looked back.

She's now donned in red school uniform which a red short sleeved shirt with Peter Pan collar and with black highlights, dark red pleated skirt that goes past mid thigh, black high sock cut below the knee and black shoes in a school model. She tied her hair into a ponytail with red ribbon, one I gave her as a gift, and she holds a sheathed katana in her left hand.

"After they experimented on me, they made me participate in combat sessions, they had fight and kill and then tortured me." she said as she closes the locker and faced me.

"Consider this my payback."

I respect her wish and go along with this. I opened the door and took a peek in the halls, then I signal her it was all clear. We exited the locker room and ran through the halls until we come across a few guards.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!!!"

They charge at us with their batons but I wasted no time pulling out my knife and running towards them, I jumped to the air and stabbed the first guys face upon landing. The next guy tried to smack me with the baton but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist and stabbed his right thigh, he screamed in pain so I put my arm between his legs and threw him over. I rolled over him to position myself and stab him in the neck.

Rena on the other hand, ran towards the other guy while gripping her katana in the iaido stance, she stopped in front of him and drew out her sword and upper-slashed him. Then her next guy tried to charge but she down sliced his arm that was holding the baton and slash horizontally in the stomach them the guy fell down.

"Just like when dad trained us." she complimented.

I saw all that, seems a little different than her usual fighting style. It is similar but just a little more aggressive.

"Yeah!" I responded before we moved on.

As we moved to the halls we talked for a while.

"You know, you were always the one getting into fights, and I was the one in the books" she said.

"I always have a knack for getting into trouble, and got into trouble for it." I replied.

"But none of it was your fault."

"At least, you're not caught in it, and besides, I protected you."

"Well, I don't protection anymore." she said getting agitated.

"Rena I just got you back, I ain't gonna you again."

"Then let me fight!!!" she snapped at me.

I stood there shock at her sudden outburst, I had no words except a single thought that maybe I was a little overprotective, but I had one thing that mattered to me back, could I be blamed for that?

She turned around and we kept walking

"Project Ares is a demon called Tezrian, said to be the goddess of war, and it's located at the very basement than this floor. The scientist that spearheads it is Dr. Armand Koenig, we don't necessarily need him, we just need his keycard he keeps with him." she said but not in a positive demeanor.

"Rena I..."

"...."

".... alright"

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After we killed the guards that got in out way, we finally arrived to Dr. Koenig's office, and he seems to be inside.

Nodding to Rena, I quietly open the door and went inside, he doesn't seem to notice behind him as he was looking at the papers.

"Good evening doctor." Rena called out to him.

The doctor turned around and as he sees us he looked horrified.

"Impossible! how could--" he panicked

Shaking in his shoes, he went for his drawer and pulled out a gun, but I threw my knife and it impaled his wrist, causing him to drop the gun.

I took a step forward but Rena puts out her hand to stop me.

"This one's mine." she said.

I can clearly see anger in her eyes, she must've a grudge against this man, so I allowed her. She began to approach the doctor while unsheathing her sword.

"Wait..." the doctor pleaded as Rena stops in front of him.

"Relax, we just need this." She said as she takes the keycard from his coat and throws it to me, which I caught it.

Then she turns back to the doctor.

"But I want something more than that..."

She then towers over him which sends fear on the doctor.

"....I want satisfaction."

"Please....spare me." the doctor pleaded but his words fell on deaf ears as she smiles sadistically in response then swings her sword at him, and a loud screams can be heard outside the office for minutes.

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After minutes of agonizing torture and finally ending the doctor's misery, we exited the office and Rena was all bloody but at least the blood blends in her red uniform.

I held in the keycard along with my thoughts. I do respect the need of revenge but still, I have never seen her this bloodthirsty, and she's walking with me all satisfied. I needed to keep an eye on her.

Once again we found our selves blocked by guards, so we rush through them and slashed everything in our path. We reached back to the elevator and swiped the keycard in the slot below then the doors closed and descended.

I stood here in an awkward silence, I should apologize to her.

"Rena...I'm sorry."

She gave a silent treatment but I know she's listening.

"I know you want to fight too, I was too overprotective because I lost everything and got you back. After this, maybe you could come with me, be a dynamic duo and fight side-by-side, for old times sake?"

Rena stared at the floor for whole minute, then she looked to me.

"I'm sorry for snapping you...after this is over, I would like that." she said with a heartfelt smile.

Glad I got that off my chest and made peace. We reached the lowest floor and exited the elevator and the entered a hallway with glass cells.

In those glass cells are full of inmates that are experimented on. Some have grotesque bodies littered with burns beyond recognition but alive, some even lost their minds chanting some words I don't know of, others are corpses healthy and disfigured.

"These are failed experiments, what they did was horrible." she explained.

I put my hand on her shoulder and gave a comforting and determined expression.

"Then let's put a stop to them, together." I said

"We are twins after all." she said with a smile.

I smiled in response and we proceeded forward. Upon reaching the end of the hallway, she opened the door with the key card and entered the huge lab filled desks and test tubes.

At the center, is a large feminine being with red skin with an amber glow, black armor with spikes and a tail of a devil. Her eyes have a fiery glow with scars on its left eye, adorned with two horns and her hair is made of fire. Tezrian looked angry and tries to break from the indestructible glass.

Between us and the monster are three scientists with tasers.

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING THROUGH OUR RESEARCH!!!" one of them shouted as he charges at us with a taser.

But Rena lunges forward and slashes two of the scientist dead. The last scientist tries to run for the alarm and threw my knife, it impaled him but I was too late. His fall caused the weight of his hand land on the lever and pulled it, that lever isn't an alarm but something worse.

The lab was flashing red and the alarm went off. Then moments later, the military squad breaches the door and have us around.

Rena grips her sword and I picked up a near metal pole with a broken sharp end that can be used as a spear, we got into stances to fight but the squad was looking behind us and then we turned around too.

The glass that was containing the demon was ascending and Tezrian was free, it lets out an angry roar while setting itself on fire before she charges. We rolled out of way as Tezrian lashes out on the squad, just as I recovered, I see it claws the squad members left and right and throwing bodies until it stomped the last man dead.

I looked at Rena as she gave me a nod before she charges for Tezrian. I grabbed a pole and ran for it as well. The Tezrian heard her coming so it tries to hit me but I blocked it, giving Rena an opening to stab it by the leg.

The Tezrian lets out a pained roar then it slaps her flying to the wall and fall flat on her stomach. I pushed its hand aside with my spear and gave a good slash on to her face, unfortunately it made the Tezrian angry.

The Tezrian grabbed and slammed me to the ground, which the impact hurt. It was about punch me but its attack was blocked by Rena, I took this opportunity to stab it in the gut. It backed off in pain allowing me to escape, I recovered just in time as it staggered then roared in anger while bursting out flames.

"I think we should run!" I said

"Good idea!" she complied.

We ran to the exit and into the hallway of glass cells. The Tezrian broke through the doors and chased after us, we ran all the way to the elevator as it destroys the poor souls in those cells.

We dived to the elevator and ascended, looks like it's getting rougher than I thought.

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The entire asylum is on high alert and all the remaining guards make haste to solve the problem, unfortunately that's not going to matter anymore.

An explosion is set off in the courtyard and spread throughout the entire complex, wiping out the structure and its inhabitants. We dug ourselves from the debris while picking ourselves and catching our breaths.

"You alright brother?" Rena asked me concerned.

"I'm fine...I'm okay!" I replied.

Then the Tezrian emerged, enraged and literally on fire, roaring at us then it conjures a sword made of fire.

Rena lets out a battle cry before charging at it.

"Wait!" I yelled.

She swings at the Tezrian but it blocks it, it goes for its own swing but Rena parries at overhead. The Tezrian spins and swings horizontally but Rena ducks and shifts to the left, Tezrian swings again only to be block by Rena's sword. But the Tezrian rears its left fist and socked Rena to the ground.

I need to help her but I lost my weapon in the lab, so I looked around and found a garden scythe by the broken fountain. I picked it up and ran to the fiery monster.

The Tezrian was about to bring down its fiery sword down at my sister, I jumped up to overhead strike with my scythe but it seems it heard me coming as it blocks my strike. Using my scythe as a hook, the Tezrian spins me around and threw me back, which I still landed on my feet.

Luckily it gave Rena enough time to escape and ran into my side. The Tezrian glared at us and howled in anger.

"Together!!!" I yelled as we ran to the monster.

Rena was the first to swing, which the Tezrian blocked it then she ducks as I leap over her to slash down to its head which it staggered, then I spin around which Rena swings horizontally which hits Tezrian then I vaulted her back and struck its shoulder.

The Tezrian staggered backwards, I looked to Rena nodding at me giving me a signal while holding her sword with both hands in a batter stance. I jumped at her as she winds up, she swings in perfect timing as I planted my feet at the flat side of her blade and launched me up to the air.

The Tezrian is focused on me that it was preparing to counterattack, but failed to notice that Rena sliced its stomach in a short burst of speed in her iaido stance, breaking its counterattack. This gives the chance to decapitate it in a clean slice with the garden scythe and Tezrian falls to the ground.

I stood up after the landing and sighed in relief. Everything around us is on fire, at least it's finished.

"We did it." I sighed in relief, however I'm met with no response.

Then out of nowhere, a sharp pain suddenly spiked up to my chest. I looked down and saw a blade stick out of me, I grunted in pain, I know who holds this blade but I couldn't believe it.

The one who drove the blade into my chest is none other than my own sister, Rena.

When she removed her sword and I fell down to the ground while clutching the wound in pain, then I looked up at her standing, towering over me holding her katana while the flames continue to burn around us.

"...why!!?" I coughed out while utter disbelief.

Rena stood there with a scowl on her face until she spoke.

"After our conversation in this place, I realized I'm never going to be as strong as you. That's why I accepted the experiments in the first place."

"...what?"

"Project Ares isn't a demon..." she said then her eyes glowed with fire in her amber irises.

".....I am Project Ares, and I'm the only successful one." she revealed.

I could only stare down, trying to work all this through my head.

"I....I always....everything I did...everything I suffered for...killed for...I did for you...How could you do this to me?!!" I said with my shaking voice.

"Thank you." she responded with no emotion then she continues to speak.

"But as long as I'm under your care, I will never grow....I need power."

"You...you can't....Rena!!!" I cried as my hand reaches out for her.

"Goodbye...brother."

The last thing I saw was my kin turning her back on me as she walks away through the flames as I lost my consciousness.

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They were police and rescue workers working around in the ruins of St. Olga's Asylum. I'm pretty sure they found evidences that I was here, but I'm nowhere to be found, not even to the cliff side behind the said ruins where there's an ocean.

There is a shore overlooking the ruined asylum over the wavy waters, then there was a slithering trail that led all the way to an old, abandoned shack.

Inside, where wooden shelves and tables and old that are old, a seeing kit that has been opened, a few bloodied clothes and then there's me, lying down on the floor with my wound newly stitched up.

It's been weeks since it happened, weeks I laid down in this shack, weeks I haven't step a foot outside this shack.

I honestly don't know what else to feel but heartbreak and sadness, losing and suffered so much, gaining one lost thing that mattered to me only be betrayed, all this rushed as I curled up in a ball.

Some part of me wanted to just give up and die in this shack, watching the sunrise, sunset, and the moon shine.

Eventually my mind would turn back to my sense of mission, I smashed the wooden floor with my fist so hard that it cracks and picked myself up, I know what I need to do.

I grabbed my black cloak, draped it over me and ran out of the shack and into the woods.

I sprinted forward in the woods for minutes but I'm not stopping now, not with many thoughts rushed in my head.

'Humans live and die, but I rarely see humane in their actions. My sister is the same now, she started this fire, and I will see it snuffed out.'

I reached the road and ran to the highway, miles closer to a town where my search begins.

'I am the Reaper, and Rena...I will make you pay!!!"

(Flashback ends)