MLHM- Part 5

This is the fifth Part of "ML:HM".
It was released on 04.02.2024.
== Plot ==
After being abandoned by Zander- the so-called noble paladin that they encountered not too long ago- Sophia and her group proceed to make their way past the many miles that they crossed, trying to help him out. They encounter a familiar soul, but the situation soon escalates, placing the three girls in the middle of a raging volcano of hatred and madness. And now, they are primary actors of the final act- the event that will determine the fate of the scientists and the chaotic dream that they are attempting to accomplish.
Though a young warrior like her cousin, Sophia is faced with dangerous decisions. The fate of an entire country, if not the world itself, is now in her hands. Everything depends on the things that occur in the scientists' secret lab.
Will Sophia and her allies manage to overcome their fears once again?
== Story ==
Sophia and her allies emerge from the city, having done their good deed for the day, and look back at the area where they last saw Zander. Even though he is long gone, they can still hear his last screams. It was clear that the poor man was slowly going mad. And, unfortunately, they were unable to put a stop to the inevitable.
"You know."- Sophia says- "Sometimes, I wish we could turn back time and try again. That man was not a sane person, even from the start. Still, he didn't deserve to end up like that. It's one thing to lose your loved ones, but to allow the darkness to consume your very being while you're most vulnerable? That could've been avoided, but we refused to trust him. If only we had another chance... "
Bridgette sighs, holding her big belly with both hands.
"Sophie, I feel like you don't understand how serious it was."- She says- "That man was a threat to everything we knew. Sure, he pretended to be a hero, but he surely didn't act like one. Take a look at how arrogant and self-centered he was. He treated us as if we were mere disposables. We were nothing more than puppets in his hands. He used our kindness to muster the strength to finish off his family's murderers, and the family itself. We were tricked by a man who looked like an angel, but he was a demon in disguise."
Sophia looks at her.
"And yet, by attempting to fight those demons... "- She says- "... he became a demon himself."
Bridgette looks down.
"He might have acted like a saint."- She adds- "But he was nothing more than a simple sinner. With visions of grandeur inside of his tainted mind."
Ella looks at both of them, as if she is staring at the abyss itself.
"Does this mean that Zander's truly gone?"- She asks- "Are we going to be on our own again?"
Seeing that Ella is starting to shiver, Sophia hugs the elven girl and kisses her on the forehead. Something about this little girl awakens the young do-gooder's sisterly instincts- something that was suppressed by years of negligence.
"We're not alone, sweetheart."- She says- "Though Mr. Righteous is not here with us, his spirit still encourages her to move on. In the name of all people that we lost along the way, we must keep fighting against the dark ones."
Ella looks up at her.
"What about my parents?"- She asks- "Are they going to find us, like Zander did?"
At this moment, Sophia is left completely speechless. She never thought much about the girl's parents, as well as the situation that made her end up like this. However, from what she heard after speaking to the nearby town's mayor, the girl was an orphan even before the incident. This means that her parents experienced something truly horrible. And those news were kept away from the young girl for many years.
"As soon as we get out of this predicament, we'll make sure to seek 'em out."- Bridgette says- "Until now, rest assured that you're in capable hands. Even though I'm not in a state of taking care of you, I'm sure that my friend is more than capable of being your new mama."
Sophia looks at her friend.
"We already talked about this, Bribri."- She says to her- "I'm her sister figure, not her mother. You should learn the difference."
Bridgette raises her eyebrow.
"What's the difference?"- She asks- "Both of them take care of you. Both of them risk their own happiness to bring joy and safety to you. And, most importantly, both are prominent female figures in the family."
Sophia chuckles.
"Is this how you're going to treat your child, dear?"- She asks her- "You're going to act like his mother and sister?"
Bridgette grins.
"I can do both!"
Sophia sighs.
"Whatever."- She says- "Just don't make my child call you mommy, too."
Bridgette shakes her head.
"You're getting me mixed up again, Sophie."- She says- "Those are the kind of women that are dominant and strong, both in body and spirit. Like you. As for me, I'm just a normal mama who wishes nothing but the best for her little ones."
Sophia nods.
"And I wish nothing but the best for you."- She says- "Once we make it to the end, you'll see that nothing is impossible."
Bridgette sighs.
"For your sake, I hope that you're right... "
Suddenly, Sophia's watch starts to beep again. The hologram of Jeff the bartender soon appears again.
"Hello again, Jeff."- Sophia says and smiles- "What kind of a disaster are we brewing today?"
Jeff shakes his head.
"This is not the time, Sophia."- He says- "You and your friends are in danger. And it's not just a regular humanoid threat."
Sophia's expression darkens upon hearing those words.
"What are you talking about?"
Jeff sighs.
"I used my radar to scan the area around you, just in case something popped out again. And then, much to my disbelief, I found exactly what I was looking for."- He says- "You might not know it yet, but the scientists haven't given up on turning you and those girls into lab rats. Worse, they brought some of their worst forces with them- their own experiments. As far as my lifeform detector can see, those are mutated human beings. Devoid of both emotion and self-control, they're some of the deadliest warriors I've ever seen. And, if I have to be honest, they're not very different from those dreaded undead you've been fighting. It's a real disaster, I tell you."
Sophia nods.
"Then what can we do?"- She asks- "We're just three defenseless women. A bunch of mutants will easily turn us into smithereens."
Jeff sighs again.
"I'll try to send a signal to outer space, in the hopes that some selfless hero will hear our cry for help."- He says- "However, such an action also poses a great risk. If I do this, the scientists might also hear it. Then, they might pinpoint your exact location."
Sophia looks back at her allies. Both of them are utterly horrified.
"Isn't there another way to avoid them?"- Bridgette says- "Surely, there must be something we could do!"
Jeff chuckles.
"Well, you could also surrender to those weirdos."- He says- "Accepting your inevitable fate is also a viable option."
As Bridgette looks down, lost in her thoughts, Sophia glares at the bartender.
"Are you here to brew a storm for us?"- She asks him- "If so, you better make it happen. The sooner we get back to the train- the better."
Jeff shakes his head.
"This is no game, Sophia. Once this signal is unleashed, there's no coming back."- He says- "You better say your prayers, because they'll be the only things you'll have left."
Sophia nods.
"That sounded mildly threatening. You're getting better at being a tough guy, Jeff."- She says- "Anyway, it's not like we have anything better to do. My weekend's already filled with countless work, so let's get this party started."
Jeff sighs.
"As you wish, m'lady."
It does not take long for Jeff to start charging the magical device. Soon, it lets out a powerful chine, piercing the night sky like a ray of pure light. It spreads across the dark wastelands around them, just like delicious jam on a hard piece of toast, and lets whoever is out there know that there are damsels in distress.
"There we go. Hopefully, whoever is out there will be a good one, and you'll get outta here as soon as possible."- Jeff says and smiles- "Good luck, girls. You'll need it."
As Jeff's hologram disappears, Sophia and Bridgette stare at each other. The two girls clearly didn't expect to end up in such a dangerous situation, let alone standing side by side. It is both a dream and a nightmare for the two young maidens as they attempt to cross the gateway to heaven.
While the three of them are preparing to run away, Ella notices something intriguing in the distance- a white flower. She runs to pick it up, but soon notices the huge number of scientists ahead of her and runs back to her saviors.
"It's the mad ones!"- She exclaims- "They're back!"
Bridgette looks back at the town.
"We should go back there!"- She exclaims- "The militia's gonna protect us! I'm sure of it!"
Sophia shakes her head.
"It's too risky, Bribri. We don't know how strong those people are. For all we know, we could be condemning an entire town of innocent people to a horrible fate of testing and mutation."- She says- "I hate to be a coward, but it's probably best if we follow this simple rule- Run and keep running. Away from this place."
Then, she does exactly what she said- running away from her problems.
"Let's go!"- She yells- "If they get closer, it's over!"
Without arguing about what they should do next, the three girls start to run away. The blasting of magical guns can be heard behind them. And the worst thing is- the chaos is slowly getting louder.
After countless hours of trial and error, the trio manages to find a small forest. They wonder whether it's wise to hide in such a small space. Then, they hear the mad scientists getting closer and decide that it's the best choice for the time being. With little regret, they make their way through the thick underbrush, in the hopes that an exit is awaiting them on the other side.
"Are they gone?"- Bridgette says, her face covered in sweat- "I don't think I can run for much longer!"
Sophia looks at her friend.
"How are you feeling, Bribri?"- She asks- "Is the baby kicking again?"
Bridgette nods.
"It is!"- She exclaims- "And I think it's just as scared as I am!"
Sophia approaches Bridgette, pats her belly and hugs her.
"It's okay. Nothing is over until the last fragment of our souls is torn away."- She says- "We might be in a bad situation, but that doesn't mean we should panic. Besides, fearing the outside world far too much can have unpredictable effects on your little one. What if he starts despising the entire world? Or maybe fearing every single being around him? I don't think you want that to happen, and neither do I."
Bridgette lets out a little gasp.
"Wait!"- She says- "Are you for real?"
Sophia chuckles.
"Nah. Those are just lies that my papa once said to my mama."- She says- "But you shouldn't be so fearful. It could give away our position, so try to be a little bit calmer. It's been a rough week, and we're almost at the end of it. Falling victim to panic never ends well."
Bridgette looks down.
"I hope that we'll get out of here soon."
Ella nods.
"Me too."- She says- "This place gives me the creeps."
Sophia hugs the two girls.
"In case we don't get out of here alive, I want you to know this."- She says- "I love you both. You are truly irreplacable."
Bridgette smiles.
"Sophie being kind again? I like it!"- She exclaims and hugs her back- "We love you too, citrine princess!"
The three of them soon hear the unmistakable sounds of battle coming from ahead. At first, it seems like the sounds of scientists being slain by a particularly dangerous bear. But bears do not let out such bestial grunts, so the opposite side must be composed of something much worse.
"Ugh! We're surrounded again!"- Bridgette exclaims- "What did we do to deserve this?!"
Sophia shakes her head.
"It might sound bad, but the battle might be in favor of the good ones."- She says- "We should take a look, at the very least. For all we know, this might be our ticket out of this nightmare."
Ella shakes her head.
"This would have never happened if mommy and daddy found us first."- She says- "Daddy is a powerful warrior. He would have crushed them all."
Sophia nods.
"And that's why we must fight as hard as him."- She says- "Each of us carries the spirits of our predecessors. Ancient blood flows in our veins. We may be green and untrained, but we're the ones with the most potential. We're the heralds of a new era, the guardians of a new world. And if we want to avoid the mistakes that our ancestors made, we should exceed their powers and go beyond our own limits. That's when we'll feel truly accomplished."
Bridgette smiles.
"Believe it or not, that's somethin' I really wanted to hear."- She says- "Thanks, Sophie. Now we can truly rock and roll again."
Sophia nods again.
"Let's get going."
As the three of them step into the next glade, they discover a particularly grisly sight. A creature that seems like a mutated grizzly bear has broken loose from its chains, attacking its "masters" in the process. It has already torn its way through each of their guards and is now stomping one of the few remaining scientists. It will not be long before all of them suffer the same fate as their colleague.
And the foreshadowing soon becomes a reality. As Sophia and her allies watch from a safe distance, the bear lets out another powerful roar. A pair of energy blasters appear on the creature's back as it lunges at one of the scientists. As it slowly tears its way through the man's defenses, the blasters do their job and quickly blast the rest of the fools who attempt to inject him with a soporific solution.
Once the creature is done with the scientists, it starts to sniff the air. Its superhuman senses allow it to easily detect the trio of brave girls. It starts to step toward them, menacingly baring its teeth and preparing its twin cannons for action.
"Stand still, ladies."- Sophia says, taking a tiny step toward her friends- "Maybe the beast will go away if we-- "
Suddenly, the beast lets out another terrifying roar. The tone itself is enough to instill fear into the hearts of the girls. And then, it lounges at Sophia, attempting to tear her apart.
Sophia grabs a stick and puts it between the creature's teeth. However, it is easily crushed by the bear's powerful jaws. She tries to inject it with the scientists' soporific solution into the creature's skin. But the needle is not strong enough. In fact, it breaks as soon as pressure is applied!
With no other choice left, Sophia does the most foolish thing left to do- wrestling with the bear mano-a-mano. She grabs the huge creature and wrestles it away from her friends, valiantly defending herself from its large jaws. However, when the situation seems most dire, screams can be heard from the area outside of the forest.
Much to everyone's surprise, the bear seems to take those seriously. Instead of continuing the battle, it focuses its attention on the larger prey and blasts its way through a cluster of trees, leaving the girls alone in the glade.
However, as soon as the first threat is gone, another one appears. While the girls are licking their wounds, a lone warrior arrives to survey the carnage. He picks up one of the dark matter cannons, lets out a maniacal laugh and puts it on his back.
And then, the warrior notices the three girls. Upon closer inspection, he immediately recognizes all of them. The wild warrior draws his blade, which is immediately recognized by Sophia.
"Zander?"- She asks- "How did you end up here? What happened to you?"
Zander shakes his head.
"All humans are my enemies!"- He yells- "All humans must perish!"
Bridgette places her hand on Sophia's shoulder, shaking her head.
"He's gone too far. He lost his mind."- She says- "It's either fight or flight. We can't save him."
Sophia shakes her head.
"Well, if you put it that way... "
As Zander swings his mighty blade at Sophia, she nimbly leans to the right, avoiding his attack. Then, as he attempts to kick her down, she grabs his leg and slams it against a tree's trunk, causing him some pain. 
However, she is unaware of how desperate he has become. In his absence, he has forgotten about what is good and what is evil. Though he still thinks that he is fighting for the good of this world, he completely fails to separate friends from enemies. So, in his current state, all people are the same to him.
Before Sophia could make a move, Zander pulls out a hidden shortsword and slashes her stomach. Then, he kicks her into a nearby tree and bashes her head once. As she falls to her knees, he attempts to kick her. However, before he could do that, Ella uses her mastery of the elven arts to trick him into falling victim to a cluster of vines, saving her new friend's life in the process.
As Zander cuts himself free, he grabs the young Ella by the neck and punches her in the face. Since he punched her with all of his might, this leaves a small red stain under her right eye.
Infuriated that Zander would stoop as low as harming a little girl, she rushes forward and tears him away from her. Even though he is still wearing his plate armor, he proves to be no match for her rage. As soon as he attacks her again, she manages to yank his plate armor out of his body. Then, with little hesitation, she uses it as a powerful shield, bashing Zander in the face as hard as she can. And then, she does it again. And again.
The heavily wounded Zander grabs her leg and attempts to twist it. However, she is quick to react, grabbing a nearby soporific solution, spinning it around a few times and injecting it into his neck. This creates a sudden chain reaction, forcing Zander to let go of Sophia, experiencing convultions, bleeding from his eyes and feeling immense pain. And then, he mercifully falls asleep, no longer a threat to the lady trio.
At first, Sophia considers finishing him off. After all, the man she once trusted tried to harm the little girl whom she considers her sister. Worse, he could have succeded if she hadn't acted in time. However, she soon remembers what her uncle said to her years before- "If you keep killing monsters, sooner or later, you might become a monster yourself". So, she does the opposite thing, deciding to leave the madman alive. At least for the time being.
"You're right as always, Bribri. Zander has lost his remaining fragments of sanity. He's no longer one of us."- She says- "It's a shame that I have to say thing, but we don't have another choice. Since I can't get rid of Zander, it's best if we simply leave him here."
Ella lets out a muffled gasp.
"But... we can't just leave him here!"- She exclaims- "What if that big bear is still around? Or the mad ones? They could easily finish him off!"
Sophia shakes her head. With great regret, she decides to inform the young elven girl of her decision.
"I know that it's a tough one, but it's the best we could do."- She says- "Mr. Zander is not quite an undead, but he's not too far away from that fate. He's a liability to the team and could attack us at any moment, maybe even immediately after he awakens. A berserk state like that ain't no joke- we must get out of here. Now."
As the three of them prepare to leave the forest, Zander awakens from his brief slumber. Still angry at the girls, he attempts to attack them again. However, a ray of light blasts a nearby tree, causing the bewildered man to go into a state of utter panic. Instead of attempting to harm the trio, he runs for his life, escaping from the forest very quickly. And then, without even thinking too much about it, he falls from a nearby cliff.
"Woah!"- Sophia exclaims- "Who knew that pigs could fly?!"
Bridgette looks around, nearly as terrified as Zander.
"Who did that?!"- She yells- "Who's there?!"
Suddenly, another lone man emerges from the bushes. However, instead of attacking them, he checks on them and makes sure that they are alright. At this moment, Sophia recognizes those crystal blue eyes, that raven black hair and heart of pure gold.
There is no mistake here. The young boy who is standing in front of her... is William Kaos. Her cousin.
"Sophia! Thank the gods!"- He exclaims- "I heard that you and Bri were around here! How did you end up in this situation? Are you and your companions alright? Answer me, please!"
Sophia smiles.
"I'm good, cousin Will. Thanks for joining us."- She says- "Maybe you could make some sense of this mess we're in."
Will nods.
"I already did."- He says- "Those freaky scientists tried to enter Rainbow Sanctuary. They captured some of the guards and mutated them. Then, they tried to capture me and my group, but we attacked them back. Now, we are on the hunt, like cats and mice."
Ella, mistrustful of the Will, grabs a tree branch and aims it at him.
"I don't know who you are!"- She yells- "But if you try to harm my friends, you'll regret it!"
Will looks at her, clearly surprised by her actions. Then, he shakes his head.
"Are you out of your mind, young one? Why would I harm my own loved ones?!"- He says- "I am here to rescue them, not enslave them! Look into my eyes and see if I am right or not! Then, you will see if I am truly your enemy!"
Ella takes a better look at Will. She sees his smile, his crystal blue eyes, his heart- pure as the water itself. Without even asking him, she learns just how much he has suffered. It does not take her long to realize- William Kaos is a truly good person. He would never harm any of his loved ones, even for the good of the world.
"By the grace of Hanali! You're right!"- She exclaims, dropping her weapon- "I-I can't believe it."
Bridgette, realizing that Will is quite real, runs forward and hugs him.
"Will! Oh my lord, you're alive!"- She exclaims- "Me and Sophie have been looking for you! What happened? Why did you and your uncle leave? I have so many questions!"
Will smiles.
"And I would love to answer all of them."- He says- "But this is not the time for this, Bri. Those scientist freaks are still out there. If we're not careful, they could easil overwhelm us. So, we should leave while their ranks are still in disarray. Once we are out of here, we shall regroup with my team and make those freaks pay for their crimes against the holy order. Maybe then, they will finally feel the price of madness."
As everyone prepares to leave, Will looks at Bridgette's big belly, clearly surprised. He never heard of his friend's pregnancy, but (somehow) knows exactly what is going on.
"It was Quinn, wasn't it?"
Bridgette looks at him, shocked by his revelation.
"How... did you know?"
Will shakes his head.
"He tried to hide his relatioship with you. However, I knew better."- He says- "I asked uncle and aunt. Spoke with Jeff from the outskirts. Came into constant contact with the mayor. And I can tell you one thing, my dear Bri- my brother is very bad at hiding secrets. Just like the time when he secretly stole my favorite sandwich."
Bridgette blushes and pouts, clearly annoyed by the fact that her beloved Will knows about her pregnancy.
"Well, I really wish it the child was yours."- She says- "Quinn's a good guy, but he doesn't deserve anything. You're the one who deserves it all."
Will is clearly shaken by his friend's words. He knows that Bridgette has been in love with him even before he fell in love with Stella, but often encouraged her to find a better boy for herself. And when she finally did, she hooked up with his own twin brother- Quinn. This sweet girl ended up in a very twisted situation. And now, she's trying to fix her mistakes by reconciling with her true love.
However, despite the fact that his entire mind is a mess, Will keeps the order of his body. Instead of berating Bridgette, he simply sighs and turns around.
"Then why did you fall in love with my brother?"- He asks, seemingly unfazed- "Why did you give your heart to him?"
Bridgette looks down.
"Because I didn't have a choice! Okay?!"- She yells- "All those times you told me how I deserved a better man! All the moments that you spent with your beloved Stella! It was clear that you didn't love me, so I fell in love with the only person in the world who looked like you- your twin!"
Then, she shakes her head.
"But... I didn't want any of this."- She admits- "Quinn is a secluded soul, but he's quite wild when it comes to love. Unrestrained. Unable to keep under control. I truly felt like he was the right man for me... until it was too late to stop."
Will places his hand on Bridgette's shoulder. Wild thoughts swirl inside of his mind as he tries to comprehend what was going on between Quinn and her. And then, he simply sighs and shakes his head.
"I am sorry that you ended up with a person like him. Desperation is a truly powerful factor, and you were not strong enough to avoid it."- He says- "However, if it makes you feel better, you should know that you still have a friend in me. Even though we cannot be together, we are still kindred souls. It is clear that Quinn wronged you. Not only did he play with your heart, but he also left a huge mark and deserted you for good. I... am not sure how I can heal the wounds inside of your heart. But you should know that you're not alone. Not anymore. And I-I love you. Truly."
Bridgette smiles and hugs Will.
"There! You admitted it!"- She exclaims- "Hearing you say that, it makes me feel better than hearing a thousand words. Your voice is like the strongest antidote for my tainted heart. And those bright blue eyes... I just can't forget them."
She rests her head on Will's chest.
"I love you too, Willy."
Will hugs Bridgette back and stares at the huge passage to the right of him. Ahead, he sees a group of scientists, still looking for people to capture and experiment on. Many of them are wounded, but they still continue to fight for their rights.
"As much as I despise those mad souls, I admire their determination."- He says to himself- "Villains like those are the best teachers. They help us learn how to not be like them. Even though they are not aware of it, they are the ones who unlock the desire within the hero's heart, the determination to make a change. As far as things go, they are the ones who gave us the reason to be ourselves."
Bridgette looks up at him.
"Willy?"- She asks- "Are we good to go?"
Will looks around, making sure that none of the scientists are nearby. After confirming that there is no danger in sight, he gently lets go of Bridgette and draws his weapon.
"The coast is clear, everyone."- He says- "It is time for us to get moving."
Sophia nods.
"Lead the way, brave one."- She says- "We're right behind you."
As soon as the group leaves the mysterious forest behind, they find themselves in the middle of a battlefield. A group of loyalists, sent by the omnipresent force known as Alwyn Grayson, are responding to the violence of the scientists by making them go through the same pain that their victims did. Not exactly a humane method of dealing with a predicament like this, but it will surely work well in the long run.
However, much to their surprise, the fight is not in the soldiers' favor. Though they are doing their best at bringing the fight back to the scientists, the madmen are managing to break through their lines of defense. Unstoppable mutants bash their way through the unsuspecting grunts, punishing anyone who would dare to disobey their masters. And those lucky few who manage to escape... are injected by the scientists, turning them into more mutants.
"Oh... dear god."- Will says- "It's like the Annawan situation all over again. Except... the mastermind is a human being."
Sophia looks at him.
"Annawan?"- She asks- "Who was that?"
Will sighs.
"Good question. But you should instead be asking yourself, what was that."- He says- "Annawan believed that he is some sort of a god, but he was not worthy of that title. In fact, he wasn't even fit to be a demigod, let alone a full one. Still, that didn't stop him from taking over an entire island and using his new clan to decimate those who didn't believe in him. His tyranny was absolute and his plan was flawless... "
Sophia smiles.
"Until you arrived."
Will shakes his head.
"But that is a matter that is best left in the past."- He adds- "While Annawan is gone, the scientists are still a real threat. And if we don't stop them in time, the dark god's prophecy may become a reality."
Bridgette looks down at her belly. She knows that this is a matter of life and death. No matter what happens next, the life of her and her unborn child is going to change. And there is no turning back. Not anymore.
"Then what are we waitin' for?"- She asks and clenches her fists- "I'm tired of living in the present! I'm tired of hearing all of those false promises! Let's take matters in our own hands and put those freaks back in their place!"
Will looks back at her, clearly sympathetic.
"The only thing that you should worry about is your unborn child."- He says- "Do not stress yourself too much. Fighting villains is not a job for a pregnant girl."
Bridgette shakes her head.
"What if you end up in a bad situation? If you're far too weak to fight back?"- She asks- "You need our help, Willy. And so do we."
Will sighs.
"Once, I believed in the famed safety in numbers. I saw a promising upstart for a rising society."- He says- "But now? I believe that the law only applies in the cities themselves, not in the outside world. Even though I still respect and fight in its name, a place like this is a No Man's Land. You either hunt down your enemies... or you become the unsuspecting prey. There is nothing in-between."
Sophia raises her eyebrow.
"Have you ever been the prey, Will?"- She asks- "Because it sounds like you've been in that situation yourself."
Will sighs.
"More than a few times."- He responds- "This is the reason why I learned to be strong and cautious at the same time. Sometimes, even your own allies could turn their swords against you. Even the angels can become demons, if they are not strong enough to resist the corruption themselves."
Bridgette looks down.
"I hate to say it, but he's right."- She says- "This is the reason why we lost Zander to the unending madness. He was unprepared, maybe even reckless. And we were not capable of dragging him out of that abyss. It managed to consume him, both in body and soul. And if we're not careful, we may be next."
Sophia shakes her head.
"Are you still feeling bad about that fake hero? He was nothing more than a pretender. A mask of boundless ego, hiding a selfish coward who couldn't even forget the events of the past that corrupted him in the first place."- She says- "Sure. I still feel like we could've done something to stop this madness. Maybe there was some sanity left inside of him. But miracles can't happen every time. And when there are no miracles left to discover, we are the ones who should create them. With our own hands!"
She turns to Will, fire burning wild inside of her heart. It almost feels as if she is about to explode, sending shards of fury everywhere around her. Like an unstoppable tornado in the middle of a quiet desert, she is ready to ruin the lives of the scientists. For the good of the world, of course.
"You probably think that we're weak, cousin Will. Even though you would never admit it, I can see it in your eyes. You think that girls are supposed to sit in the safety of a town and cook meals for heroes like you. In your eyes, pretty ladies like us are just a source of joy and motivation, not of constant support and aid in warfare."- She says to him- "Well, you got us wrong. We may look like we were born yesterday, but we're just hardened and resolute as you and your little friends. In order to be here with you, we crossed miles of unforgiving lands. Tested our mettle with countless evil beings- both living and otherwise. We can fight just as well as you do. And if you think that you can stand in our way, remember this- We will not tolerate any kind of mockery, even from an esteemed hero like you. So, if you know what's best for your shining white future, you should keep in mind that every good soul has a value of their own. And if we want to survive, we must put our differences aside and work together. Both for king... and for country."
Will stands still for a few seconds, trying to comprehend Sophia's words. Then, he smiles and claps his hands, clearly amazed by her enthusiasm.
"Well, would you look at that! It looks like little Sophie truly has some fire inside of her!"- He exclaims- "Nicely done, my dear cousin. Today, you showed those people what true power feels like. A true hero's source of strength does not come from inside of him. Just like you said, the support of others gives him the neccessary motivation to fight and keep fighting. You managed to discover what I was trying to imply. So, bravo to you. For all you know, you earned all the cookies in the world."
Sophia raises her eyebrow.
"Wait."- She says- "So, the jazz about working alone and being unable to trust anyone else is... not real?"
Will sighs.
"Most of the things were just a test for you and your friends. And I am proud to say that you passed it."- He says- "However, the thing that I said about the lawless wastelands all around us, I fear that it is quite real. This is not some kind of a mirage, nor are the troublemakers that are making it happen. The cities may be a source of law, but the wilds on the other side of their walls are not to be underestimated."
Sophia shakes her head.
"I'm already aware of that. Law ain't a concept that's understood by those freaks. And it has never been."- She says- "Like you said before, we learn to be strong by understanding our own mistakes. Our world is not the same... and it'll never be."
Will sighs again.
"This is exactly what grandpa said when he came back."- He says- "I hate to say this, but he was right all the time. The world is always changing. And we are the ones who decide if it will be for better or for worse."
Sophia gasps, clearly surprised.
"Grandpa?!"- She exclaims- "So, you mean that he-- "
Suddenly, a loud explosion can be heard in the vicinity. It seems like the scientists grew tired of being played around by the warriors, and pulled out the big guns to teach them a lesson. Things just went from bad to worse. For the wrong side.
Anticipating an attack from behind, Will changes his position and draws his weapon. No matter what happens to him, he wishes to protect his cousin and her friends at all costs. The lives of others have always truly matter to him. And today, he is about to prove that all good life is truly precious.
"There is no time for small talk, ladies!"- He exclaims- "Start those engines before it is too late!"
Bridgette raises her eyebrow.
"Engines?"- She asks- "What's he talking about?"
Sophia looks at her friend, in an incredulous way.
"It means that we have to get going, you little fool!"- She yells- "Come on! Let's go!"
Bridgette looks back at Will, terrified.
"What about Willy?"- She asks- "Isn't he coming with us?"
Will briefly looks back at her. For a moment, he shows just how much she matters to him. He looks at her as if she were Stella- his most favorite girl in the world. He sees all of the qualities that the pretty girl once had inside of this young lady... and does not want to lose her, as well.
"I will not be gone for long. Those scientists may be vicious, but I ameven worse than that."- He says- "Just try to find a good place to hide. I trust my cousin with this most sacred task. She will lead you out of here, and you will be out of danger before you even know it."
Then, he smiles.
"I love you both."- He adds- "Do not fail me. Please."
Sophia smiles.
"I never fail anyone."- She says- "Except my own parents. But they're just side characters now, am I right?"
As Will starts to unleash his incredible powers upon the unsuspecting scientists and their terrifying "pets", Sophia and her group start to run toward the opposite side. However, not long later, they find themselves in a very dangerous situation.
Soon after they arrive at another abandoned caravan, a group of scientists emerge from the nearby ruins. They attempt to freeze them using their cryogenic guns, but Sophia manages to dodge each of the shots and kick one of the guns, right from the scientist's hand. Since it was about to fire again, the resulting blast manages to freeze all four of them, giving the young do-gooder to smash the ground, creating a little tremor. The frozen scientists are instantly shattered into hundreds of pieces.
As Sophia mocks the scientists and tells them how weak their so-called "formation" truly is, she starts to head loud thudding coming from behind her. When she looks back, a huge mutant is standing behind her, possibly the byproduct of a titan mutation. He is large and mishappen, his legs slightly twisted by the resulting experimentation. His movements are quite comical, as if he does not pose any kind of threat.
And yet, the young do-gooder knows better than to understimate him. His dark grin is enough to show just how right she is to be cautious. However, even her preparations are not enough to prevent the unexpected, as the horrible beast mutter a single word before he makes his move.
"Guud... nite."
Then, the giant mutant raises his enormous first in the air, knocking out all of the girls with just a single blow. He grabs all three of them, gloating over his victory and arrogantly challenging anyone who would dare to stand in his way.
In the distance, Will continues to fight his way past countless scientists and mutants. However, the number soon becomes to overwhelming for the young hero to handle. Soon, he ends up in a sea of evil, desperately trying to hold them back.
"I will not bow to the likes of you!"- He screams with all his might- "I will not... bow... to you... "
And then, the army of evil engulfs him. His voice is drowned by the malevoment masses, unheard by anyone.
----Sophia opens her eyes, as if she were in a state of deep slumber. She thinks that she is still in her home and begs her father to give her five more minutes. She tries to switch sides, but soon feels a sharp pain in her cheek.
Startled, she jumps awake, only to find herself in a plasma prison. Up until now, she was lying on a bloody table, possibly a place where an unknown number of horrifying experiments happened. And the worst thing is... her cheek was burned by the bars of plasma. A burning sensation runs inside of her veins as she tries to adjust her eyesight to the dim light around her.
"Wait a second. Is this some kind of a laboratory?"- She asks- "But how did I end up here?"
She looks down.
"Hmm."- She mutters- "Last thing that I remember, we were fighting this huge spawn of the underworld. We were trying to tame its wild soul, but... I don't know what happened next. The past is still foggy to me."
Suddenly, she feels a sharp pain in the back of her head. She gently caresses it with her fingertips, and when she looks at them... she sees blood.
"Argh! How did this happen?"- She exclaims- "Did I get hit by... a truck? While running away?"
Then, she hears a brief chuckle in the darkness around her.
"It is much worse, my dear."- She hears a male voice, talking back at her- "It wasn't a truck that bonked you. In fact, it was the entire Titanic."
Sophia sits back on the experimental table, shaking her head.
"Dear God... "
And then, she comes back to her senses. She frantically looks for the source of the mysterious voice, as if stung by a giant bee.
"Hold on! Who said that?!"- She yells- "Are you the ones who mutated those poor souls? Show yourselves, you cowards!"
The voice chuckles again.
"But missy, there is no need to be angry. We are right here."- He says- "In fact, we are much closer than you think."
Suddenly, the entire room lights up. Sophia realizes that she is inside of a laboratory, trapped in the middle of it. A group of scientists are watching her from the other side of a glass display, as if she were some kind of an amusing specimen. In their eyes, she is nothing more than an untamable animal... until they do their job and put her soul under their control. Only then, she will be truly free of her own corruption.
Realizing that she is seeing them now, the rest of the scientists get very scared. What if Sophia uses her powers and destroys them all, wishing to avenge her fallen comrades. However, their leader silences their doubts with a simple glare. He clearly does not want any negative thoughts in the building.
"There's no need to be afraid, my brothers. The girl might look dangerous, but she's just another hopeless specimen. As you saw before, she can't hurt a simple goblin, let alone a entire group of scientists like us."- He says- "And what do we do with wild ones like her? We transform them into perfect lifeforms, of course!"
As the scientists start to snicker, Sophia glares at each of them.
"Perfect lifeforms?"- She asks- "Is that what you call those... horrible things?"
The lead scientist turns to her and smiles.
"I believe that you are being very rude, young talent."- He says- "If you are to know what's about to happen to you, maybe you should get to know us first."
Sophia nods.
"Right. I gotcha."- She says- "So. You're Owen Olson. And those are your petty scientists who know nothing more than abiding to their own ego and inner splendor. You mutate people because you want to create a different lifeform that will overthrow us. Something much more powerful and dangerous than humanity itself."
The man shakes his head.
"Oh no. I would never dare to take any of the glory of Mr. Olson. I am nothing more than a mere peon in his grand plan."- He says and bows mockingly- "My name is Thomas. I am the lead scientists, stationed here as the head of our operations. Mr. Olson has no time to deal with those petty matters, so I am the one who supervises them."
Sophia raises her eyebrow.
"And where is your leader?"- She asks- "Why is he not here, to witness my "incredible" transformation? Is he being a coward once again?"
Suddenly, all of the room is filled with laughter. The scientists act as if they heard some kind of hilarious joke, laughing at her accusations as if they were just some mere parlor tricks, said by a wimpy sailor with no fighting experience.
"Mr. Olson would never deal with the likes of you."- He says- "In his hands, you are nothing more than a puppet. A tool for destruction, meant to achieve his ultimate goal."
Sophia raises her eyebrow.
"And what would that be?"- She asks- "Can you enlighten me, please? I am far too uneducated to understand any of your nerdy nonsense."
The scientists are taken aback by Sophia's sharp words. How dare she call them a bunch of nerds in front of all the spectators around them. One of them tries to pull the lever that will mutate Sophia, but Thomas stops him.
"There is no need to be angry. That girl is just mocking us."- He says to him- "Leave this to me. I know how to deal with rogue elements."
Resigned, the scientist sheepishly follows his boss's orders and returns to his seat.
"Anyway. As I was about to say, our ultimate goal is to turn the entire human race into ashes and create a much more perfect lifeform."- He says- "In the middle of the ensuing chaos, we are planning to begin our quest by selling a cure for their condition. The fools will pay huge money for it, not even thinking about whether it's going to work or not. And when they finally realize that this is their final fate, we shall be the strongest organization that is still standing. There will be no rivals to bother us, no pesky and ungrateful ex-customers to rebel against us. It will be a world of pure chaos, a place where only the strongest will survive. A no man's land where there are no laws, no sources of light. People will have to seek it themselves... and we shall be the ones to provide them with false hope for their so-called future!"
Sophia smiles.
"So, let me get this straight. You're trying to turn this world into a land of chaos. Make the people understand what it feels like to be powerless."- She says- "Hmph. It sounds like you're not going to change anything at all."
Thomas and the scientists look at her, confused.
"What are you talking about, young one?"- Thomas asks- "We have a plan. We have a leader. Even though we are still far from our goal, we're going to succeed."
Sophia continues to smile.
"You may succeed, but it's only a matter of time before your own creations knock you down."- She says- "You see, everything in this world's like a giant domino. The balance between Light and Darkness is unstable, and so is the battle between Good and Evil. Sometimes, the domino will swing to the left and crush all that is good. And other times, it will swing to the right, pulverizing all evil that dares to stand in its way. An ironic ending for fiends like you, if I may say so myself."
Infuriated by the girl's insolence, Thomas feels his own blood pressure rising. Pushing the scientists away, he runs to the control panel and prepares to pull the lever himself.
"You think that you still have any power here, foolish vermin?"- He says- "Well, prepare yourself. You shall be the first notable target to feel the wonders of modern science."
As Thomas prepares to do the inevitable, the lights in the room suddenly go out. Sophia takes this chance to jump in the air, grab the mutator and aim it at the scientists. When Thomas finally pulls the lever, it turns out that the blast goes the wrong way, turning one of his fellow scientists into a horrible mutant. He pulls the lever again, not knowing what is going on. And then, another scientist falls victim to their own spell of pain.
Even though he could hear the faint growls of the newly turned mutants behind him, Thomas believes that everything is alright. He continues to pull the lever like a madman, mutating one of his companions with every single blast.
And then, when the lights finally come back on, Sophia uses the mutator to blast her way past the plasma cage, creating a small opening for her to sneak through. Thomas sees that she has broken free and turns to his fellow scientists for help, only to find that all of them are gone.
"Ugh."- He mutters- "I hate fridays."
Then, he jumps down from the ledge and lands in front of Sophia, blocking her path. Much to her surprise, he pulls out a dark matter blaster and starts to get closer, in the typical madman's way.
"Hold on, young rebel. Before you go, I have some nice questions for you."- He says and menacingly points the blaster at her chest- "It is true. Me and my team captured the three of you recently. However, we also stumbled upon a particularly notable specimen. A talented individual of the human race whose boundless capabilities allow him to withstand any challenge, against anyone who dares to oppose him."
He glares at Sophia, as if suspecting that she knows about him.
"I'm going to ask you. Once."- He mutters angrily- "Where. Is. That. Boy?!"
Realizing who the lead scientist is talking about, Sophia finally understands that she and her team are not the only targets of this team of scientists. Heroes like those of her family are particularly appealing targets for those madmen, and it is clear that Owen and his group had plans to capture a particularly powerful ones.
However, she also has some questions of her own. Instead of simply giving in, she pushes Thomas's blaster away. Then, she leaps to the right, grabs a huge lever and yanks it out, pointing it at Thomas as he points back at her.
"First, I need to know what you did to my friends!"- She yells- "Where did you and your freaky friends take Bribri and Ellie?! Answer me!"
Thomas smirks.
"Relax, young one. Nobody has been mutated. Not yet, at least."- He says- "It is true. Your friends are here, in the same building. They've been bound in chains, to prevent them from finding you. However, this place has many corridors. Even if you do manage to escape (which I find highly unlikely), you shall find yourself in a huge labyrinth. There will be no escape for the likes of you."
Sophia prepares to leave the room, but Thomas grabs her shoulder before she could flee to "safety".
"I asked you a question, too. Remember?"- He says as he points his blaster at her back- "Where is your cousin, Sophia? Why did our warriors come back empty-handed."
Sophia smirks.
"Because you're a bunch of incompetent, worthless freaks."
Thomas clenches his fist, preparing to pull the trigger.
"Why, you... "
As he prepares to let it rip, something huge grabs his shoulder. Thomas looks back, only to realize that one of the mutated scientists has spotted him. And the horrible creature has a wide grin on its face, clearly happy to see him.
"Ahh."- He says and grins "innocently"- "Be gentle, please?"
The big mutant smiles and shakes its head.
"Nope."- It says, in perfect English- "Not gentle."
As the mutant delivers a sharp punch into Thomas's abdomen, he yells out in pain. He tries to ask Sophia for help, but the young do-gooder is already out of the lab. He is left alone to deal with this new threat.
"Argh!"- He yells- "Why do I have to deal with everything myself?!"
The mutant laughs.
"Haha! Puny human is so pathetic!"- He exclaims- "Even his enemies have their own agendas!"
Thomas glares at him.
"What do you know about agendas, you animal?!"- He yells- "You're just a tool! Nothing more!"
The mutant smiles.
"A tool that destroys."- He says- "And this tool... swings both ways."
Then, it delivers a sharp uppercut, knocking him out with just a single hit. It plans to finish him off for good, but soon hears the battle between the rest of the mutants, deciding to join them. Thomas's unconscious body is left in the dust where it belongs as a revolution rages inside of the laboratories around him.
As Sophia emerges from the display room, she finds herself in the middle of a gruesome scene. While she was in the lab, many of the mutants managed to break loose from their restraints, pushing their way through their captors and sparking a huge outbreak of mercurial creatures. Even as she scans the area, she could hear the sounds of more people being transformed into mutants. It is an event that she hoped to avoid, but now must deal with it as best as she can, in the hopes that she will avoid becoming a mutant herself. Or accidentally allowing one of her companions to become a mutant.
She glares at the surviving scientists and shakes her head.
"See?! That's what I told you!"- She yells- "Your plan might be brilliant, but it's also a double-edged sword! And do you know what swords like those can do? They can strike you back when you least expect it!"
Having delivered her speech, Sophia pushes her way past the mutants, fighting back against them with her huge lever when they try to hinder her progress. Soon, she finds an unopened vent and pulls it with all of her might.
When this doesn't work, she tries to smack it open with her lever. However, she finds that the metal is far more durable than it looked in the first place. She lays against a wall, out of sight until she figures out a solution.
"Well. That didn't work."- She says to herself and sighs- "If cousin Will were here, he would have found another way to deal with this annoyance. But what could it be? And how could I do it myself, without screwing everything up?"
Then, she sees one of the recently slain scientists, not turned into a mutant just yet. His plasma gun is still on the ground, close to overheating but still capable of delivering a blast or two, under the right circumstances.
"Of course."- She continues- "He would improvise. That would help him understand the nature of his enemies."
As she tries to sneak closer, the automatic defenses activate, nearly incinerating her with a pair of spinning laser cylinders.
"But that won't be an easy task."- She mutters and smiles- "Oh well. I've always been a risk taker myself. That ain't no expedition to Antarctica, so I'm good."
Using her enhanced athletic skills, Sophia dodges her way out of the deadly lasers. She performs a series of backflips, does a bunch of belly flops and sticks to the walls like a fly on a jar of honey. Soon, she gets close to the gun, swiftly yanking it out before returning to her original position.
"And now, the real fun begins."
Sophia aims her gun at the vent and blasts it with her plasma gun. Even though the first shot is not enough to crush it, it still manages to weaken the metal, giving her a much better chance at succeeding. And then, when the last shot is fired, the metal seal snaps in half. She has managed to break through this defense.
However, the gun itself has expended the last of its powers. Sophia throws it away just in time, watching as it explodes, takes a bunch of cowardly scientists with itself and causes this half of the laboratories to rumble.
"Uh oh!"- Sophia exclaims- "It's time for me to go!"
And she is right to do so, because the ceiling starts to collapse almost immediately, crushing anyone who is not a mutant in the process. As for our young do-gooder herself, she manages to fit into the crawlspace, sliding toward the other side like a worm in a small tunnel. Soon, she ends up on the remaining side of the laboratories, watching as the other half quickly turns into a complete ruin.
"Well, isn't that a lucky escape."- She says to herself and pats herself on the shoulder- "Maybe I'm not as unlucky as I thought."
Once again, Jeff's hologram appears on her watch.
"Sophia! There you are!"- He exclaims- "I've been trying to get your attention for a while! What happened to you?!"
Sophia smiles.
"Oh, you know. Just the usual things."- She says- "I got beaten up by a giant mutant, captured by a group of mad scientists and almost turned into a mutant myself. I also barely escaped from the collapse of their laboratory's second half. Nothing out of the ordinary, I swear."
Jeff rolls her eyes, unamused by Sophia's "joke".
"Well, you should know that I am sensing something. Some kind of a new lifeform's nearby... and it's not a mutant or a scientist."- He says- "It almost feels as if it's a kindered soul. Maybe it's one of your girl friends?"
Sophia makes sure that the huge lever is close to her hand.
"Then what are we waiting for?"- She asks- "Lead me to the source. I'll take care of the rest."
Jeff nods.
"Affirmative, madame Kaos."- He says- "According to my analyzer, it seems that our damsel in distress is somewhere to the south. Not here, though. Farther ahead. And it... sounds like she's experiencing the fight of her life, just like you did."
Sophia shakes her head.
"Spare me the details."- She says- "Just turn on that GPS already."
Jeff smiles.
"You got it, Sophia."- He says- "Your personal navigator's ready for action."
The watch's inner GPS starts to do its job, giving Sophia the directions that she needs. She runs forward, pinpointing the exact door where the troubled maiden is hiding. However, before she could even have the chance to open it, the door bursts open.
A young woman frantically runs forward, unable to see that Sophia is in her way. Until she bumps right into her face, forcing both of the girls to fall on the ground.
"Sophie! Oh my goodness, it really is you!"- The girl says after pinching her cheek- "They got me! Those freaks got me!"
Sophia looks at Bridgette- her dear friend- shocked by both her current whereabouts and her revelation.
"What happened to you, Bribri?!"- She yells- "What did they do to you?!"
Bridgette shakes her head.
"They tried to experiment on me. Those sickos tried to turn me into a mutant."- She says- "I managed to avoid that fate, but one of 'em managed to jab me in the neck while I was trying to run away from them."
She shows the large jab wound on her neck, confirming her dark testimony.
"From the looks of it, that wicked needle had the same effect as the laser itself! I've been tainted by that curse!"- She yells- "I don't know how long I have left before I mutate, but I need to deliver my child soon. I don't want him to end up like me!"
Sophia shakes her head.
"Surely there must be another way?!"- She yells- "There's no way those freaks made a mutation without developing some kind of a cure! We must find it!"
Bridgette looks at her belly and shakes her head.
"Even if there is something out there, I'm not sure if I'll be strong enough to withstand it."- She says- "You know how susceptible I am when it comes to medicine, right? Ever since I was a young girl, my body has been unable to handle their effects. But maybe my little boy can make it instead of me."
Then, she looks at Sophia, tears falling from her eyes.
"Sophie. This ain't no joke."- She says- "If I don't manage to make it out, please. Take care of my boy. Treat him as if he were your own and give him all the love that he deserves. Mommy will always love him, but I want his new mommy to do the same."
Sophia shakes her head.
"Ugh. You're being so ridiculous."- She says- "Don't give up hope! We'll find the cure! Just keep fighting against the corruption! Sooner or later, you'll be able to defeat it!"
As Bridgette ponders her friend's words, a scientist runs forward and tries to stab him in the neck. However, Sophia leaps forward and delivers a sharp kick, sending the man into the same plasma cage that she cut with her own wits. And the resulting electrocution is... very painful.
The scientists mourn their fallen comrades. This makes them perfect targets for the raging mutants, who easily crush each of them. Sophia and Bridgette watch as the cursed ones show the exact amount of gratitude that their creators deserve- none at all. However, they are forced to turn tails and run when the massive creatures set their sights on them.
While Sophia and Bridgette are running for their lives, past many open labs and recently created mutants, Jeff's hologram appears again. He is glad that he is not there with them, but still wishes to help them out.
"Are you enjoying this new adventure, Sophia?"
Sophia shakes her head.
"Not now, Jeff!"- She exclaims- "We're trying to survive!"
Jeff ignores her words and uses the GPS to determine the next safe route. Then, he pinpoints the girls to that exact location.
"Go to the right!"
Deciding to trust Jeff, the girls turn to the right. Much to their surprise, he was right- there are less mutants that way. And most of them are much smaller than their gigantic counterparts.
"To the left!"
Once again, Jeff's instincts managed to save the girls a lot of pain. As they manage to escape from another disaster, another massive mutant emerges from the lab and attacks the smaller ones, distracting them for long enough to allow the two ladies to make a successful run for it.
"Go forward and don't stop!"- Jeff exclaims- "For anything!"
However, Jeff is proven wrong this time. Not long after they start running forward, a gigantic roach- the likes of which Sophia and her friend have only seen in horror movies- bashes its way through a small door. Surpisingly capable of fitting into small gaps, the disgusting giant pushes its way through until he gets stuck. And then, when he's not able to move anymore, he destroys the entire wall, finally able to reach the two girls.
Sophia is forced to fight him off, using nothing more than her giant lever. However, the giant roach proves to be a very dangerous customer, using his legs to slash Sophia's face and knock her to the ground.
And yet, Sophia's good luck continues to persist. As soon as the creature's jaws get close to her chest, a lone warrior jumps in the air and swings his blade. The giant roach is sliced in half almost instantly, turning the entire hallway into a complete mess.
Sophia cleans the remains of the giant creature from her clothes, shivering as she remembers how powerless she felt against it.
"Ugh! Why does it have to be the worst creatures in the world?"- She says aloud- "Why can't it be a bunch of cowardly goblins? Or a reckless band of orcs? I don't remember them being as tough to beat as those guys!"
The boy that just saved her life, making sure that she is alright. She immediately recognizes her cousin- Will- and hugs him.
"What a surprise!"- She exclaims- "How did you manage to find us?"
Will smiles.
"After I defeated all of those freaks, I managed to follow the scent of your expensive cologne."- He says- "Your parents may be busy people, but they definitely did not forget to make you smell good."
Sophia chuckles.
"Maybe that's why I was so tempting for them."- She says- "Creeps like those like women who know how to take care of themselves. Maybe those freaks thought that I was one of them... ?"
Will shakes his head.
"It does not matter."- He says- "From the looks of it, you seem to be alive and well. We should get out of this place before more of those mutants arrive."
Sophia looks at her cousin, in an incredulous way.
"What about Ella?"- She says, very worried- "Did you manage to find her?"
Will shakes his head.
"Unfortunately, I did not. I am so sorry."- He says- "I tried my best, but this place is like a huge maze. There are so many rooms, so many ways to go. I'm lucky that I even stumbled upon you in the first place."
Sophia is on the verge of a major breakdown. Knowing that Ella is still in the hands of those crazy scientists sends her on the brink of madness.
"We must find that poor girl!"- She yells- "Now!"
Will shakes his head.
"I am sorry, Sophia."- He says- "It is my fault. If I tried harder, maybe we could have prevented this situation from happening."
Sophia smiles sadly.
"Cousin Will, you're blaming yourself for everything bad in this world."- She says- "Stop it. Nothing bad that happens is your fault. Neither the rise of evil, though you are the reason for its fall. Nor the strange events that happen everytime humankind fails to protect itself. You do your best to protect everyone, but they sometimes need to learn how to protect themselves. And that's something that you've been teaching them very well."
Will sighs.
"If only they were willing to listen... "
As the trio starts to look for a way forward, they turn to Jeff. Even though he has managed to help them get this far, he is just as clueless as they are.
"I'm sorry, friends. I tried to lead you out, but this is as far as I could get."- He says- "Unfortunately, you're on your own now."
Suddenly, strange noises start to come from the watch. Jeff seems to be very worried.
"It looks like some of the customers have gotten pretty rowdy."- He says and sighs- "Excuse me, Sophia. I have to take care of this mess."
Sophia nods.
"Keep up the good work, Jeff."- She says- "Thanks for being such a golden asset to our team."
Jeff smiles.
"Safe travels, Sophia."- He says- "May the god of wine not allow you to perish today."
With that, the connection is severed. Jeff goes back to dealing with his customers, while Sophia and her small group attempt to fight for their lives against the increasing number of mutants and crazed scientists.
As the trio starts to make their way past makeshift barricades and badly built mini-fortifications, they manage to hear a voice. From the looks of it, it belongs to a young girl. And it is very familiar.
"Ellie, dear?!"- Sophia yells- "Is that you?!"
Will leans forward and puts his finger on her lips.
"Please be quiet, Sophia."- He mutters to her- "You are going to blow our cover."
Sophia shakes her head.
"My friend is in danger."- She says- "I can't stay helpless. Not anymore."
Then, she starts to search frantically. Again.
"Ellie? If you're still here, please respond."- She says- "I'm worried about you. Please, don't leave me alone."
Suddenly, the voice reaches her ears again. And this time, it seems to be coming from a door to the left of her.
"Miss Sophia! I'm here!"- Ella exclaims- "Those freaks have me in chains! Please, help me!"
Sophia prepares to open the door, but Bridgette stops her.
"Sophie, don't do this!"- She exclaims- "What if this is some kind of a trap? Maybe that old man's warning was not just a mere speculation... "
Sophia shakes her head and lightly pushes her away.
"No offense, but you're not her guardian."- She says- "I vowed to protect this girl from the forces of evil. No matter if this is a lie or not, I will perish while trying to make things right again. Sooner or later, that girl will get out of here. And I want to be there for her."
Then, she opens the door.
"Sophia!"- Will yells- "No!"
As soon as Sophia makes the first step, she is immediately grabbed from behind by another person. She tries to pull herself away from him, but the man proves to be faster and stronger than her. As he tries to inject her with a mutation solution, Will runs forward and slices it in half, saving his cousin's life.
The man tries to fight Will back, but the boy manages to use his powers to weaken him. Even so, he still manages to create a circle with his weapons, making it explode in front of Will and throwing him into a nearby wall.
Sophia attempts to free herself again. However, the man turns her attention to her, forcing her to bend on her knees. Then, he presses both of his daggers against her neck, making her feel helpless once again.
"You want to see your friend, huh?"- He says and nods- "Keep moving and you'll find her. Promise."
Sophia looks back at him.
"What do you want from me?"
The man shakes his head.
"Look, lady. I'm not here for small talk."- He says- "I'm just here to get my pay. So, get moving before I get angry."
As the three of them are forced to move forward, a lone scientist emerges from the shadows. He is holding the young Ella hostage, pressing one of the mutation solutions against her cheek in a very intimidating way.
"Oh, I know you well. You're the one who thwarted my plans. Murdered my colleagues in cold blood. Made a fool out of me and my experiments."- He says- "Well, this ends here and now. Today is the day when you and the rest of the world shall know about Owen Olson- leader of the small group that will mark the end of those non-believers."
Sophia shakes her head.
"I came here to stop you, but I didn't want to kill anyone."- She defends herself- "You and your goons forced me to do it. You tried to kill my friends, take away the freedom of the human race. If there is anyone who deserves to be punished today, it is you."
Owen presses the solution closer to Ella's cheek.
"This is my last warning, fool."- He says- "Turn yourself in and the girl shall be set free! Refuse and she shall suffer more than you ever will!"
Ella shakes her head.
"Don't listen to him, Miss Sophia!"- She yells- "My life's already on the line! I've already been marked!"
Suddenly, the bickering coming from Sophia and her allies ceases. Everyone turns to look at Ella, very surprised.
"What are you talking about, dear?"- She asks- "How are you m-marked?"
Ella looks down and lifts the sleeve on her right hand. A large needle wound is resting on her wrist.
"Before I fled, those freaks managed to inject the corruption inside of me. I was doomed from the very start."- She says- "The reason why I fled from them is because I wanted to warn the humans. I wanted to help them out, make them understand what they have to deal with. Nothing was about me, Miss Sophia. All I wanted to do... was to expose those freaks and show how inhumane they truly are."
Owen angrily glares at her.
"And now, the whole world knows that we're here."- He says- "Because of you, we have to move somewhere else. After we deal with your new friends, of course."
Ella glares back,
"And you will keep running, until you can't run no more."- She says- "Face it, Owen. You're as doomed as I am."
Sophia shakes her head.
"But you said that you were never captured by those people!"- She exclaims- "Why did you lie to us?"
Ella sighs.
"Because I wanted to protect you!"- She exclaims- "The less you knew about my past, the more willing you were going to be to stop those freaks. I'm sorry, I didn't want to break your heart. But this is the life that I was forced to live."
Sophia looks down, barely believing what is going on.
"Ellie... "
Owen smiles.
"You know, maybe one dose isn't enough."- He says aloud- "What if we injected you with, say, a second one?"
As Owen prepares to inject Ella with another dose, everyone starts to scream at him to stop. Ignoring their cries, he prepares to plunge the vile substance into the poor girl, completely prepared for whatever horrible things happen to her. 
However, just as he's about to make Ella suffer again, Bridgette grabs an alchemy set and slams her captor in the head, knocking him unconscious. As another scientist tries to apprehend her, she pushes him away and runs forward, hugging Ella just as Owen is about to deliver the final jab. Bravely taking the blow instead of the little girl, she stands defiant against the vile scientist as he pierces the back of her shoulder.
Everyone stands speechless as they stare at Bridgette's wound. Even Owen himself could barely believe what just occured in front of him. And then, a furious Sophia grabs a giant beaker set and smashes all of them into his head. Then, she uses her strength to make a bookshelf collapse on top of him, opening the old wounds that he received during his fight with escaped mutants not too long ago.
When he tries to crawl away, Sophia grabs his ankle and twists it, making him feel a lot of pain. Then, she unceremoniously tosses him across the lab, throwing his corpse into a small wall of spikes, originally meant to restrain unruly mutants.
Though heavily wounded, Owen still manages to pull himself out of the spikes. He uses a scalpel to stab Sophia in the hand, then tries to inject her with another solution. However, Will manages to use his magic to set the floor below the scientist's feet on fire, causing him to drop the solution and break it.
"What are you doing, you worthless nobody?!"- He yells at the mercenary behind him- "I paid you money to hunt my enemies, Wyatt! You're sworn to do what I command you."
Wyatt, clearly horrified by the fact that Owen tried to harm a young girl, angrily shakes his head.
"As far as human beings go, you're clearly the worst of them."- He says- "You used me to get rid of your enemies. Protect your unworthy kind. Do all of that menial work, even though I was unable to finish any of it. And now, you show your true colors by attacking that poor girl. An innocent soul that did absolutely nothing to you! And you think that I am still going to adhere to the oath that I swore to you?!"
He glares at him.
"No way, Olson. You are no master of mine."- He adds- "I tried to help you only because I needed the money for my cousin Lola. She is suffering from total corrupting and I've been trying to get her medicine. This whole job's been centered around helping people. And what did I do here? Nothing but helping a much of murderers."
As one of the scientists tries to attack him, he turns around and blasts him into the room's fireplace, incinerating him almost immediately. Then, he stabs another scientist in the chest and picks up his wicked machete, pointing it at Owen not long after.
"I'm done being used by the likes of you."- He says- "I tried to understand you better, but you went too far. And now, you shall suffer the same fate as the freaks that you call your colleagues- stuck in the middle of your own lab, perishing to your own creations."
Then, without thinking twice, Wyatt lunges forward and stabs Owen in the shoulder. Then, he plunges his machete into the scientist's cheek, tearing the skin with a mere blow. And then, when he tries to attack again, Owen grabs his hand and shakes his head.
"Not today, mercenary boy."- He says- "Owen Olson's far too good to die like a filthy rat."
Too late, Sophia and her group realize that he is holding a teleportation device.
"Farewell, fools!"- He exclaims- "Enjoy the closing curtains! If you survive, we shall meet again!"
Then, he pushes the button of the device, teleporting away from the lab almost instantly. Sophia breaks the device with her lever, but soon realizes that Owen was far too fast. She was unable to get him in time.
"Oh... no."- She mutters- "He escaped. He made it out."
As the rest of the lab starts to crumble, Will grabs Sophia's hand. He clearly understands what is going on and does not want his cousin to suffer the same fate as the rest of the unfortunate people.
"I am sorry about this, Sophia. I wish we could have done something to hinder his escape."- He says- "But the matter has already been settled. Whether we like it or not, Owen Olson is away from this place. Right now, our top priority is to escape from this place as soon as possible."
Sophia looks at him.
"Does this mean that we'll find him soon?"
Will nods.
"I give you my word."- He responds- "As soon as we reach safer grounds, I shall make sure to track that madman down. We shall strike him while he is still on his knees. And when he finally feels the edge of our blades, he shall taste the scorn of defeat."
He smiles sadly.
"Remember this- no villain shall remain unpunished."- He says- "Every villain may be able to defend themselves, but they are also subjected to the laws of the world. And the law may not be as forgiving as we are."
Sophia sighs.
"Enough lecturing, Will."- She says- "Ellie and Bribri are going to become mutants soon. We must find the cure for this madness. Now!"
Wyatt shakes his head.
"Don't bother with that."- He says sadly- "Olson had the only curing solution left in his pocket. That's what he told me, at the very least. He's our only ticket to salvation, the only way to save those girls. But first, we must emerge from those ruins before they collapse on us."
Will sighs.
"It is hard to argue with a person who is right."- He says and draws his weapon- "Come on. We are almost at the end of the trail."
As the gate keeping the nearby fireplace from burning everything finally gives away, everything manages to spiral out of control The lab behind our heroes is set on fire, and soon, the entire place will follow its lead.
Left with no other choice, the group decides to trust Jeff the bartender and his magical GPS. As soon as they contact him, he starts to point them toward the safest locations, doing his best to be accurate. Surprisingly, he makes no mistakes this time, and manages to lead the heroes out of this nightmare. 
While the GPS is showing them the way, Will uses his magic to envelop his group with a durable magical shield, successfully protecting them from the constant barrage of burning chunks, falling debris and loose cables.
However, their problems are far from over. As soon as the heroes get close to the exit, someone starts to throw poison vials at them. They try to avoid them, but the person simply gets closer and closer. Finally, after five minutes of attempting to escape, Sophia and her group notice the face of the attacker. It is Thomas- the right-hand man of Owen Olson who led the work in the lab all by himself. Now that many of his allies have mutated, he decided to take his rage on the ones who caused the chaos in the first place- the heroes themselves.
"Thomas, that's enough!"- Sophia yells- "We're not here for you! We just want to deal with your boss! Leave this place and we won't harm you!"
Thomas shakes his head.
"No. We've gone too far to fall apart."- He says- "The mutants have gone berserk. We could've kept them under control, but then you just had to barge in and ruin everything!"
Sophia glares at him.
"It's your own fault, you incompetent freak!"- She yells- "It was your own stupidity that brought the end of this regiment! You are the one who messed up! Stop blaming everyone else for your own mistakes!"
Thomas pulls out a large construction hammer. Even though he is not quite strong, he is still capable of swinging the weapon with incredible force.
"I'm done playing around!"- He yells back- "You ruined our dreams! And now, I'm going to ruin yours!"
As Thomas swings his mighty hammer, Sophia jumps out of the way. She attempts to stick the lever's sharp side into her shoulder, he knocks her to the ground and hammers her leg, causing her immense pain.
"You should try solving your problems with your head, Thomas!"- Sophia says- "Using your fists doesn't always guarantee a victory!"
Thomas shakes his head.
"Oh, you'll see!"- He yells- "Once all of you are gone, our group shall reform. And those mutants shall bow down to us."
As he attempts to strike her again, Wyatt takes the opportunity to smash an entire chemistry set into his skull, disorienting him. Then, when he tries to fight back, he uses his mercenary skills to hide in the shadows and blast him into the ceiling above, hurting him even more.
Stunned by Wyatt's sudden barrage of attacks, Thomas attempts to pick up his hammer again. However, before he could do so, Will arrives at the right moment, swinging on a loose cable, and kicks him in the stomach as the ceiling above collapses and wounds him even more. Then, as the two of them struggle for the weapon, Thomas accidentally pushes the wrong button, revealing a hidden pool of acid that the scientists have been keeping for a while.
Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to strike, Will starts to push him close to the pool of acid. However, he has no intention to murder him, instead wishing to scare him into submission without ending his life. But Thomas is a relentless fool with a heart of stone. He does not understand the concept of surrendering. Instead of getting on his knees and begging for mercy, he reverses the side of the victim and his prey, using this brief advantage to push Will very close to the pool of acid.
Sophia manages to interfere, striking Thomas with his own sledgehammer. Then, she slams the giant weapon into his thick skull, creating a massive wound and causing major brain damage to the vile scientist.
In order to help his cousin fight back against the villain, Will rips him away from her and tries to stab him in the leg. However, the force of his blow is so strong that it makes Thomas trip. Soon, he ends up in the pool of acid, screaming like a madman as his entire body is dissolved by the powerful substance. Soon, nothing is left of the man who tried to make their lives miserable. Only the memory of him keeps burning inside of their minds.
"Oh God. What... have I done."- Will says, petrified by the fact that he just took away another life- "I... killed that man. I murdered him!"
Sophia shakes her head.
"Relax, cousin Will. You did well."- She says to him- "That freak did so much harm to those poor people. He was a monster in human skin. Why are you feeling bad about someone who wouldn't have felt bad about you?"
Will looks at her, as if she were a ghost. He shakes his head.
"You don't understand, Sophia."- He says- "This man surely had a family. A wife. Little children. And now that he is gone, what will happen to them?!"
Wyatt sighs.
"Exactly what happens with everyone else."- He says- "When a villain falls, his family withdraws from public view. Life goes on. Nothing bad happens. All that people like those brought to this world is pain and sorrow. You shouldn't put yourself in their shoes."
Will looks down.
"I know. But... I still feel bad."- He says- "What if we could have convinced him to withdraw and reveal his master's location? What if we could have solved that conflict peacefully? S many thoughts are swirling inside of my mind. I am not sure what to do next."
Sophia gets close to Will. Then, she slaps him.
"Pull yourself together!"- She yells- "A true leader doesn't wonder what he did wrong. He doesn't dwell in the past. What he does is keep moving on and doing his best to correct his mistakes, knowing that everything will become right again! So, stand up and keep moving!"
Motivated by his cousin's words, Will decides to forget about the incident. He stands on his feet and starts to take small steops toward the exit.
"Alright, everyone. This is it."- He says- "We made it out of this nightmare. And now, it is time to jump into the next one."