The airship cut through the darkening sky like a silver specter, its engines humming softly as it soared towards Manila. Below, the Spratly Islands dwindled into the distance, their rocky silhouettes swallowed by the endless expanse of the South China Sea. Inside the airship, the only sound was the soft hum of life support systems and the faint beep of medical monitors.
Ereia lay motionless on a makeshift stretcher, her pale face a map of fine lines and darkening bruises. IV drips snaked into her arms, pumping precious fluids and medications into her ravaged body.
Erebus sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her face with an unnerving intensity. His hands were clenched into fists, the knuckles white with tension. SeventhSight stood at the edge of the group, his eyes flicking between Ereia and the others. Kairos was checking the medical equipment, his blue skin tinted purple by the faint light of the instruments.
SeventhSight moved closer to Erebus, his footsteps quiet on the metal floor, the soft hum of the engines masking his approach. The dim light of the instruments cast eerie shadows on his face, accentuating the sharp planes and angles of his features, “Erebus, we need to talk about what happened back there,” he said, his voice low and even, but with a hint of tension beneath the surface.
Erebus didn’t look up, his gaze still fixed on Ereia’s face, his eyes burning with an inner intensity. His jaw clenched, the muscles working silently beneath his skin, the tendons in his neck standing out like corded rope. His hands were still clenched into fists, the knuckles white with tension, the skin stretched taut over his bones.
The air was thick with tension, heavy with the weight of unspoken words. Kairos stood silently at the edge of the group, his eyes flicking between Erebus and SeventhSight, his expression unreadable. The medical equipment beeped softly, the only sound in the silence.
Erebus’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze still fixed on Ereia’s face. His voice was low and rough, like the rustle of dry leaves, “What’s there to talk about?”
SeventhSight’s expression didn’t change, but a hint of frustration flickered in his eyes. He knew that tone, had heard it before. It was the tone of a man who was holding himself together by sheer force of will, the tone of a man who was one step away from losing control. The airship hit a pocket of turbulence, the cabin shuddering slightly. The medical equipment beeped louder, the lights flickering for a moment before steadying. Ereia’s body shifted slightly on the stretcher, her hand falling off the side.
Erebus’ eyes flickered to Ereia’s hand, hanging limply off the side of the stretcher. He reached out, his movements slow and jerky, like a puppet on a string. His fingers closed around her wrist, his grip gentle but his touch cold. He lifted her hand back onto the stretcher, his eyes fixed on her face. He whispered, “What did they do to you, Ereia? My daughter…my little girl…” his voice barely audible over the hum of the engines.
He repeated the question, his voice growing louder with each iteration, the words spilling out of him like blood from a wound, “What did they do to you?! WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU?!”
The cabin was silent, the only sound was the roar of the engines and Erebus’ ragged breathing. SeventhSight and Kairos exchanged a nervous glance, their eyes wide with concern. Erebus’s face was twisted in a grimace of pain and fear, his eyes wild and unfocused. And then, suddenly, he fell silent. His body went still, his chest heaving with exertion. A single tear rolled down his cheek, hanging from his jaw like a diamond.
The voice came to him then, echoing in his mind like a scream in a cave. It was a voice he knew, a voice he had thought he would never hear again. It whispered, “Erebus…Erebus…what have they done to your child?”
Erebus’s eyes widened, his body tensing like a spring. He looked around the cabin, as if searching for the source of the voice. But he knew. He knew that voice. Erebus whispered, “No…it can’t be…you’re gone…I defeated you…”
Oblivion: (laughing) Defeated me? Erebus, you merely delayed the inevitable. And now, your daughter suffers.
Erebus’s face twisted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury.He snarled, “Get out of my head!”
“Oh, Erebus…you know I can’t do that. You know I’m a part of you now. And soon, I’ll be the only part that’s left.”
Erebus’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with tension. His jaw worked silently, the muscles twitching beneath his skin, “You’re not a part of me. You’re a monster. A monster I’m going to destroy.”
Oblivion: (chuckling) A monster? Erebus, I’m the future. And you’re just a relic of the past. A past that’s soon to be erased.
The voice in his head was like a rusty gate scraping against concrete, the sound sending shivers down Erebus’s spine. He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, his heart racing with fear, “Shut up! Just shut up!”
Oblivion: (laughing) Oh, Erebus…you know I won’t shut up. Not until you face the truth. Your daughter is dying. And there’s only one way to save her.
Erebus’s eyes snapped to Ereia’s face, his heart twisting with pain. He felt a hand reach out and grab his shoulder, SeventhSight’s grip like a vice, “Erebus, what’s wrong? What’s happening?” Erebus didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was too busy listening to the voice in his head.
Oblivion: (whispering) You have to let me in, Erebus. You have to let me take control. Only then can you save your daughter.
Erebus’ eyes were glazed, his pupils dilated like black holes sucking in the light around him. His skin was pale, his face twisted in a grimace of pain and fear. SeventhSight’s grip on his shoulder tightened, his fingers digging into Erebus’ skin like claws, “Erebus, snap out of it! What’s happening?”
Erebus didn’t respond. He was trapped in his own mind, the voice of Oblivion echoing off the walls of his skull like a madman’s laughter.
Oblivion: (whispering) Let me in, Erebus…let me in and I’ll save your daughter…I’ll save her from the brink of death…I’ll save her from the Carrionborn…
Erebus’ eyes flickered, his gaze focusing on Ereia’s face. He saw her pale skin, her sunken eyes, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. He saw the IV drips, the medical equipment, the sterile white of the stretcher. And he knew. He knew that Oblivion was right.
Erebus responded, “No…no, I won’t let you…I won’t let you take her…”
Oblivion: (laughing) Foolish mortal…you don’t have a choice…she’s already mine…her soul belongs to me…
Erebus’s body tensed, his muscles coiling like springs. He felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins, his heart racing like a jackhammer. He was going to lose her. He was going to lose his daughter.
Erebus’ face contorted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury. He felt a scream building in his chest, a scream of rage and pain and desperation. And then, suddenly, he was calm. His face smoothed out, his eyes glazing over like ice. He felt a strange sense of detachment, as if he was floating above his body, watching himself from afar.
Erebus whispered, “Okay…I’ll let you in…”
The voice in his head fell silent, the laughter and the whispers and the screams all fading away into nothingness. Erebus felt a strange sensation, like a cold wind blowing through his mind, and then…nothing.
SeventhSight’s grip on his shoulder tightened, his eyes narrowing, “Erebus? What’s going on? What did you just say?”
Erebus didn’t respond. He just sat there, his eyes fixed on Ereia’s face, his expression blank. Kairos moved closer, his eyes flicking between Erebus and SeventhSight, “Something’s wrong…something’s very wrong.”
SeventhSight’s eyes were fixed on Erebus’s face, his gaze intense and searching. He was looking for something, anything, that would tell him what was going on inside Erebus’ mind. But there was nothing. No emotion, no thought, no hint of what was happening behind those blank eyes, “Erebus, can you hear me?” His voice was low and even, but with a hint of urgency beneath the surface. He was trying to keep his cool, but it was clear that he was getting more and more agitated by the second.
Erebus didn’t respond. He just sat there, his eyes fixed on Ereia’s face, his expression unchanging. Kairos moved closer, his eyes flicking between Erebus and SeventhSight. His face was twisted in a grimace of concern, his brow furrowed and his lips pursed, “We need to do something. We can’t just sit here and wait for…whatever this is to pass.”
SeventhSight nodded, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed, “I know. But what can we do? We’re not exactly equipped to deal with…this.”
Kairos shook his head, his eyes wide with uncertainty, “I don’t know. But we have to try something.” The two of them stood there for a moment, looking at each other in silence. They were both thinking the same thing, but neither of them wanted to say it out loud. And then, suddenly, Erebus spoke, “I’m fine. Just…give me a minute.”
SeventhSight’s eyes narrowed, his gaze intense and searching. He was looking for any sign that Erebus was telling the truth, any hint that he was really okay. But there was nothing. No emotion, no thought, no hint of what was happening behind those blank eyes, “Erebus, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.” His voice was low and even, but with a hint of urgency beneath the surface. He was trying to keep his cool, but it was clear that he was getting more and more agitated by the second.
Erebus didn’t respond. He just sat there, his eyes fixed on Ereia’s face, his expression unchanging.
Kairos moved closer, his eyes flicking between Erebus and SeventhSight. His face was twisted in a grimace of concern, his brow furrowed and his lips pursed, “Erebus, snap out of it! We’re about to land!”
The airship was beginning its descent, the engines roaring as it slowed and dropped towards the Manila Base. The cabin was filled with the sound of rushing air, the windows rattling and the metal creaking. Erebus didn’t respond. He just sat there, his eyes fixed on Ereia’s face, his expression unchanging.
SeventhSight grabbed his shoulder, his grip tight, “Erebus! We’re landing! Get up!” And then, suddenly, Erebus was on his feet. He moved quickly, his body tense and his eyes blazing with fury, “Get away from me!”
SeventhSight stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Kairos moved forward, his hands outstretched, “Erebus, calm down! What’s wrong?” Erebus didn’t respond. He just stood there, his eyes fixed on the window, his expression twisted in a snarl.
The airship touched down on the landing strip, the engines dying with a whine. The cabin was silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the three men.
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