The Seed of Hope

Chapter 11: Initiative

Kate walked around the empty halls of their new building, pondering this uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hasn't spoken much since being hospitalized, making her friends and family worry. Kate still felt weak and sore due to the internal bleeding she sustained, which made her walking a bit uneven and slow. She made her way toward Logan's door and stopped in front of it. His side of the hallway was dark and gloomy, almost depressing in a way. Kate pressed her forehead against the door and sighed.
-"Logan..."- her voice vibrated in his door.

Logan's door slightly opened, revealing his bright yellow eyes and looking down at Kate.
-"You okay?"- Logan's husky voice sounded almost concerned.
-"I feel like I failed..."- Kate's voice cracked halfway and she kept her head low.
Logan didn't take his eyes off her. -"But you didn't."- He said.
-"After what Ivee and Rai told me about what you did, the last thing you did was fail."-

Kate stood silent, looking down at the floor.
-"My people hate me...they kicked, they screamed, they spit on me, they insulted me!"-
Kate clenched her fist, popping her knuckles in the process.
-"And all I did was try and save them..."-

Suddenly, Logan wrapped his arms around her, his warmth was almost addicting. Kate has hugged him before but this time, his energy was different, it was comforting instead of intimidating or cold.

-"No one ever said it would be easy..."- Logan's voice rumbled in his chest where Kate's head rested.
Kate started to cry.
-"You did not deserve to be treated like that. Especially after what you did for them, but as I said, you did not fail, we will get them eventually."-
They stayed embraced for the next few minutes as Kate filled Logan's shirt with tears.
Logan eventually began slightly turning side to side, trying to soothe Kate.
-"Okay, stop..."- Logan gently pushed Kate off of him and she wiped the tears from her face as she sniffed and tried to calm down.

-"I wanna finish what I started..."- Kate tried to breathe but her nose was stuffy.
-"I saw a Celestian come down and he yelled this name, I wanna know if you recognize it, or if you can find him in that book thing you have."-
Logan raised his eyebrow. -"What's the name?"-
-"Malphas..."- Kate whispered.
Logan's eyes widened slightly and sighed sharply.
-"You okay?"- Kate asked as she has never seen Logan's expression before.
Logan hesitated to speak but he nodded. He turned around and walked into his room, leaving the door open for Kate. He pulled the book from his closet and opened it.
Kate leaned in the door frame watching Logan and waiting for an answer.
-"He attacked you?"- Logan asked almost in disgust.
-"He was the Fallen who attacked us, yes."- Kate caressed her abdomen.
Logan mumbled something under his breath that Kate couldn't understand.
-"He is one of the Seven strongest Fallen..."- Logan whispered.

Kate closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. -"You're kidding..."- Kate couldn't believe it.
-"I mean, I sort of expected the guys from the big leagues to come and try to kill me but, so soon?"-
-"I guess they are getting restless and frustrated with you always getting away from their grasp."-

They both stood silent for a couple of minutes while Logan read the enigmatic book. Kate was still shocked and couldn't stop biting her fingernails.
-"So...there are Seven?"-
Logan nodded. -"Seven of the deadliest, most gruesome, and merciless Fallen. It is said that they were the first ones along with Bassilisk to fall from the Heavens. His most faithful followers and supporters."-

Kate sighed. -"Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse..."-
Logan glances at her while she stares at the floor.
-"These Fallen are extremely dangerous and you managed to come out alive after Malphas's attack, so now you have experience but you should know..."- Logan paused. -"Malphas is the weakest of the Seven."-
Kate tensed her jaw as her anxiety worsened.
-"You shouldn't leave our sight anymore..."-
-"I'm not a baby, Logan, I can take care of myself."-
-"Clearly..."- Logan said with a hint of sarcasm, his eyes traveling her body. -"...But we can't be too careful."-
Kate sharply sighed and rubbed her eyes.
-"You should go and rest, do you want me to walk you to your room?"-
Kate shook her head as she turned to leave. She thanked Logan for listening to her and closed the door behind her.

Logan looked back at the book and slammed it close. -"Damn it..."-


Kate made her way around the building, slowly exploring the rest of the rooms she hasn't checked yet. All rooms were cleaned and cleared out by Rai, Ivee, and Naoko but one room in particular on the first floor caught Kate's attention. She went in to find a rusty blackboard and in front of it, on the floor was a very well-hidden loop, a basement door.

Kate, curious as to what was down there, pulled the door open. It was heavy but she managed to rest the door against the blackboard behind it. A stairway to a dark and dusty place awaited her. She made her way down, trying not to choke on dust particles.
-"What in the world could be down here?"-
Kate descended the stairs to find a dark room, lit only by the moonlight peeking through a small basement window.
Old tables topped with blueprints, beakers and stoves aligned the walls, and posters on recipes and chemistry facts adorned the walls. Shelves filled with jars of various shapes and sizes with questionable contents stood in the back of the room.
Kate walked deeper in and picked up papers to see what they were working on, but science language wasn't her forte, and found herself choking on needlessly long words and numbers. She walked over to the shelves in the back and curiously peeked at the jars. Fetuses floated in the viscous liquid that made Kate recoil.
-"Creepy..."- She whispered. Disgust still on her face, she looked to her side and found small glass cases, they resembled jewelry displays so it caught her attention.
All the cases were empty except for one. It contained a brilliant oval red stone, adorned with ridges in wave patterns, unpolished.
-"Oooh..."- Kate opened the case and picked up the stone. It felt like any other unpolished jewel, nothing special. The case didn't have labels so she couldn't tell what it was.
Seemed harmless so Kate shrugged her shoulders and placed the stone in her pocket, walking away from the shelves.
She yawned and walked back up the stairs.
-"I should show this place to Rai, he might enjoy it."-
Her voice cracked as she picked up the door again to close it.
-"For now, I need rest."-

Kate opened the door to her room and was welcomed by her comfortable bed and new furniture Rai and Ivee picked out for her. She loved her new room, but her anxiety was on a rampage so all she did was head straight to bed. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door behind her. Kate turned to look at the door. The building was still new to her and considering the demons that might come for her anywhere she went, her awareness was at an all-time high. She slowly walked over to the door, opening it to reveal nobody.
Kate, confused, took a step forward and looked in every direction. It must be her exhausted mind playing tricks on her. Kate closed the door and went to bed, turning off the lamp and closing her eyes.

Late that night, Kate was sound asleep. The room suddenly turned cold and unbodied whispers filled the silence. Kate moaned and turned to her side, trying to get warm. Her body slowly started sinking into the bed, something was pulling her in. Kate woke up frantically and started screaming as the bed swallowed her whole.

She felt like she was free-falling into the pitch-black abyss and the temperature slowly increased by the second. Every scream she did were mute as if the noise was being sucked into the thick nothingness. Kate reacted to this and her clothes changed to her armor in a bright white flash. During that flash, she saw the tunnel walls that surrounded her and they were all moving and hissed at the light. So many monsters, so many fallen creatures screeched in unison as Kate passed by them.  The blackness opened up, revealing a chamber, made out of the same material she saw once before in a nightmare. It was real and she was there. Kate landed on her feet, stumbling a little due to her soreness. She looked around, tense and confused as noises and cries echoed around her.
-"Not again..."- Kate sighed while trying to stand straight. She began walking forward through one of the tunnels. Her head was swollen with many thoughts of Bassilisk, the Seven Fallen, and her probably dying there and no one ever knowing. Her family or Rai, even Logan wouldn't know.
-"Bassilisk!!"- Kate called out. -"What do you want from me now!?"- Her voice echoed into the walls and tunnels and the creatures hissed at the vibrations. Kate was already extremely uneasy and scared so the creatures made her muscles tense up. She wanted to scream and cry but she always managed to push forward and keep walking. A while later, she saw large metal doors lightly wrapped in chains, slightly cracked open. The darkness in the room was cold and sad. Kate felt like someone was calling her in. This strong female energy poured out of the door like a draft and pulled Kate in. She pulled the chains off the door, making them crash onto the ground with a loud thud. The door creaked loudly as Kate opened it. It was heavy and it felt like it hasn't been opened in a very long time. As soon as Kate entered the room, a strong scent of cinnamon engulfed her nose, it wasn't overpowering, and it was more like incense, inviting and warm. The room was dressed in red, several small dim candles adorned the shelves and floor.
A beautiful red velvet bed centered the room which confused Kate, how can such a beautiful room like this be in such a dreadful and scary place? In the middle of the bed, a hauntingly beautiful woman sat in an elegant position. Extremely long deep black hair that looked like silk threads of how straight and smooth it looked. Her pale white face was hidden slightly behind the hair, eyes were deep pools of blackness. Her lips had a red tint to them with a juicy glossy finish. She wore a silk robe adorned with gold accents. Kate blushed at her presence.

-"Come here sweetheart."- The woman whispered seductively as she extended her arms, palms presented as if wanting a long-awaited embrace. Kate's body surrendered to the woman's call and walked forward.
-"Who are you?"- Kate asked with utmost curiosity. She felt her body floating and gliding toward this beautiful mysterious woman.
As Kate slowly fell into the woman's arms, their skins touched each other. She felt warm, protected but a hint of heartbreak made Kate sigh sharply as the woman hugged her into her bosom. Kate closed her eyes and drifted into the subconscious. The woman's heartbeat was steady and slow.
As Kate fell unconscious, she heard the woman's voice once more.
-"I had everything taken from me...including my child. I want my child back!"-
The voice grew scary and louder. Kate snapped out of her dream-like state and pushed away from the lady, who had turned into a wrinkly gray being with long thin arms and fingers, Her hair remained silky but her face was sunken and dry.
-"Give me back my baby!!!"- Her voice screeched into Kate's ear and she dropped down to her knees, desperately covering her ears.
-"I can still hear her!!!"- Kate backed off as the woman stood up from the bed.
-"Stay back!! I don't want to hurt you!!"- Kate shouted as she drew her sword.
At that moment, the woman stopped screaming and fell to the edge of the bed. Soft whimpers were heard as the woman covered her face with her long wrinkly hands.
Genuine sobs and wails escaped the woman's throat as Kate attempted to not join in. Her wails of pain were contagious, Kate felt every ounce of pain in them.
Kate felt compelled to say something or even console her, but she was a monster, so she refused to get close.

-"I-..."- Kate managed to say.
The woman whimpered as she pulled her hands away from her face and stared at the falling tears that flooded her open palms.

Then Kate noticed the heavy and sharp shackles around the woman's ankles. Her long silk hair, fused to the wall behind the bed. Her long red silk robe fused with thorns pressed into her skin.
-"Are you a prisoner?"- Kate asked with a hint of sadness in her tone.
The woman looked up at Kate, her face back to her fair beautiful self.
-"You weren't supposed to see me!!"- The woman extended her nails toward Kate, impaling them in the wall behind. Kate accurately dodged them as she stood still within the five sharp rods.
Kate looked at her with empathy and the woman hated it.
-"Don't look at me like that!!!"- The woman withdrew her nails and extended them again.
Kate somersaulted to the side, once more dodging the nails with ease.
-"If you're one of them, why are you their prisoner?"- Kate asked.
-"I said don't look at me!!!"-
-"You're suffering...maybe I can help!"- Kate firmly said.
-"No one can help me!!"- The woman began crying again.

Kate stared at her, eyebrows frowned in sorrow and worry as she sat against the wall.
-"My name is Katerina...what's your name?"- Kate whispered as the woman wiped the tears off her face and looked at Kate.

-"Huh?"-

Kate repeated the question in a caring tone.
-"What is your name?"-
The woman is shocked at Kate's engagement, even after she attempted to kill her.

-"My...name is Elyon."-
-"Elyon...I can't tell you that I know what you are going through, but what I know is that if my mom lost me, she would be extremely devastated. Who did this to you?"-
Elyon whimpered. -"My baby was all that I had that was part of him...and it was Lord Bassilisk who took them."-

-"I understand..."- Kate stood up slowly and took a few steps toward Elyon.
-"You are not a bad and evil person...I can tell. You are in deep pain and need support."- Kate whispered.
-"I was never a bad person, all I wanted was to live my life with the man I love, but they also took him from me!"- Elyon's face tightened in another crying frenzy.
Kate walked toward the bed and slowly sat next to Elyon, trying her best to not startle her or cause her to attack.
-"Why are you treating me like this?"- Elyon turned to look at Kate. Her glossy black eyes seemed innocent but angry.
-"Because you need kindness more than anyone else right now..."- Kate gave Elyon a soft smile.
Elyon's face was pale in confusion and unfamiliarity.
-"I haven't spoken to anyone else besides Lord Bassilisk in so many years."-
Kate slightly frowned but shook it off.
-"He has spoken plenty about your kind..."- Elyon sniffled.
-"My kind?"- Kate asked.
-"Yeah, Seeds? god's whores...or something like that."-
Kate frowned, offended by Bassilisk's choice of words.
-"I know I asked this before but...are you a prisoner here?"-
Elyon sighed a no.
-"The chains on your ankles and the door say otherwise."- Kate looked around.
Elyon sighed once more. -"I don't know what I am...I was brought here after they killed him..."-
Kate remained quiet, thinking how such a beautiful and good woman was dragged down here. Kate stood up and turned to look at Elyon. -"Come with me!"-
Elyon was shocked at the offer.
-"What!?"- Her voice cracked under her panic as she scurried away from Kate.
-"I want to get you out of here."- At that moment, the door to the room opened abruptly and various Fallen creatures dashed in and grabbed Kate, covering her mouth and holding her head still.
Through the door entered Bassilisk. Walking slowly with his arms behind his back. Kate's soul reacted and she started to panic, thrashing from the Fallen's grasp but it was no use, they wouldn't let go. She tried screaming but her ribs were extremely sore. All she could do was whimper.
Elyon watched in horror as all this happened.
-"My Lord Bassilisk, please, have mercy on her!"- She begged. Bassilisk walked past her and caressed her face with his hands.
-"You did good distracting her."- He said in a low husky voice.
Kate's eyes widened at the words as Elyon shook her head at her, denying what Bassilisk said. 
He slowly approached Kate as she tried to get away.
Bassilisk closed his face to hers, looking into those dark blue eyes that glared back at him.

-"You have a very strong and very luring scent..."- Bassilisk grabbed a piece of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers before taking a long sniff.
-"Ahh~ It just makes me want to choke you."- He growled at her while Kate's heartbeat was strong and fast. Bassilisk closed his fist filled with her hair. -"I want to keep you locked in a glass orb, for myself."-