Cole had finished visiting his mother for the day.
Every day, after the midday sun, he would go to his den and sit with her for hours. His mother Lilly, in her human form, was bent over one knee with both of her fists slammed together. Cole was pleased, knowing that the markings on her arms and fists glowed a bright gold, as did the patterns across the cavern walls. It was a sign that her life's essence was still intact. She was still alive.
She was still out there, somewhere.
Lilly was in the exact same position as Cole's human body; he was settled in front of her, though his mother's figure was a lot larger and bulkier than his – the result of years of training and discipline.
Cole used a certain language when he talked to his mother. It was used just between the two of them, but the rest of the pack understood it too. Except for one of them.
It made sense that the azure wolf didn't recognize it as well as the rest of them. She hadn't been born into his pack, nor had she been born a Wolfwalker. Cole had first seen her a long time ago, just outside of the forest, when he had only been a boy.
Ever since he and his pack had healed her wounds, it hadn't been long until they had accepted her into their ranks. Having merely been a cub at the time, Cole had approached her with curiosity, apprehension, and fear. The first time he had found her, she had been curled up in a tight ball, shivering and terrified. On the other hand, she held a powerful trace of humans, a scent foreign and menacing that he found on his mother when she returned from patrols.
He remembered his mother warning him not to get too close to her, at least not for a little while. Cole felt his hackles raise when he thought about how he'd almost had his face bitten off by the azure wolf, the one time he had gotten a little too close. Having been born in the wild, Cole never truly understood her origins and the way she had felt about everything. His naivety and curiosity outweighed other signs that had been warning him, and had it not been for his mother looking out for him, he would've had his muzzle torn to shreds.
Just a second before disaster, his mother dove in front of him, snarling and revealing her bared fangs at the she-wolf.
Cole had been driven away, scampering off into the shadows of the den with his tail between his legs. His mother, who'd been the Alpha of the pack, had easily taken the wolf down and pinned her to the soft ground. She made sure that the azure wolf understood how outmatched she was in size, position, and dominance. Once the situation had been dealt with, she'd turned to Cole with a chilling gaze, fierce anger clear in her eyes.
He'd yapped and whined in pain when his mother nipped his ears as punishment, making sure he'd learned his lesson and wouldn't pull something off like that again. His mother had barked for another pack member to escort him to the rest of the wolves, and Cole watched as she vanished into the den, staying with the azure wolf for the rest of the day.
Returning to the present, Cole flicked his right ear as the subconscious feeling lingered. He rubbed his paw over it and let out a breath. As he gazed at his mother, he felt a subtle wave of grief floating in his chest. Before any of his emotions escalated, he dragged himself out of the den. Somehow, visiting his mother every day seemed to make him feel worse each time.
Cole shook that thought away almost as soon as it came to his mind. He was completely fine, nothing else. There was absolutely nothing to be concerned about. She would return in no time, and no more pestering townspeople would destroy their forest. Everything would be fine. He'd be able to join her and fight them off once and for all.
He stopped.
He remembered Kai. He hadn't fought him off.
Cole formed a wolfish grin as he thought about how close he'd been to driving him away, but then realized that he'd also allowed him to follow him to his den. He continued to ponder as he made his way down the broad, jagged stone pathway that led into the forest. Several members of his pack trailed him, followed by a few others, which eventually became a stream of gray pelts following their Alpha. It was nearing dusk, which meant that the forest was theirs at night. No humans would be bothering them at this time.
As they all walked along the forest path and slid through secret passageways in the bushes, Cole eventually sniffed out a large stream not too far away. The rest of his pack were panting and craved fresh water, and some of them pawed the ground impatiently – mainly the cubs.
Once they reached the stream, Cole and his pack laid themselves on the soft moor and gently lapped at the clear water. Once the Alpha satiated his thirst, he stared at his reflection, which was distorted from the ripples that came from the other wolves. He huffed as he looked at himself – he looked like his mother for the most part, but her pelt was riddled with different shades of brown and some hints of black, like his. Cole thought that he must've inherited his full black pelt from his father, who he had never known or seen in his life.
His fur was extremely shaggy and was fluffed up to twice its normal size, which he inherited from his mother. At least they resembled each other in that sense.
Cole searched his pack and noticed that the azure wolf hadn't returned yet. At some point during his mother's visit, she asked him if she could patrol the edge of the forest in case there were humans wandering nearby. She'd looked like she'd recently woken up from a nap, so he didn't think it would be a problem letting her go a little early. Even though he was aware that everyone would be asleep during the night, it made sense if she wanted to exert her energy watching the town. He trusted her anyway.
But now he was beginning to doubt himself and his decision. Even though the forest was theirs at night, he began to wonder why she hadn't returned. He didn't think she would take this long to patrol the area. Cole then began to wonder if something had, in fact, happened to her. He let out a distressed growl as he struggled to believe it. The she-wolf was one of their best and most agile hunters. He couldn't believe that she could have been caught so easily.
Cole's fur began to stand on end. He was suddenly reminded of where his mother could be, of where she was currently, but he couldn't bring himself to accept that thought. It wasn't possible that she'd been captured by humans. Cole would tear anyone, limb from limb, if they ever thought of doing that to her. And that was a big if.
Out of nowhere, three gray wolves from Cole's pack jolted to their paws and perked their ears. Their muzzles shot into the air and sniffed for a few moments, then drew their lips back into a snarl. Before Cole could properly register what was happening, the wolves raced along the stream and dove through a narrow space in the trees.
As the other wolves gathered themselves, Cole sprang to his paws and listened intently. His nose caught the faint scent of lavender where his wolves had disappeared, but then he scrunched his nose when he traced something sour along with it. He dove after his packmates and slithered through brushes and winding trees. Flecks of dark green, brown, and gold whipped past him in an endless blur, various scents mingling as one clear scent grew stronger and stronger. He finally recognized a smooth path that led to a familiar opening and raced straight to it.
Moments before he broke through the final line of bushes, he heard numerous terrified yelps and a fierce snarl.
Cole realized that the first cry came from a pinned human boy, who he immediately recognized as Kai. He flattened his ears as he stared, confused and intrigued that he was in his forest. Cole let out a short yip, and his tail perked up and began to shake – that was, until he noticed the three wolves who had been keeping Kai down.
The other yelps Cole had heard came from his very gray wolves, who had backed away from Kai when the azure wolf approached them with a snarl. Her hackles were raised, and her claws tore into the dirt below. For a moment, Cole was extremely relieved that she was back, but her behavior showed that she was on full alert and was protecting Kai from the others.
Cole looked at his three pack members, and they all held looks of apprehension and excitement. Then it suddenly dawned on him.
"Hey! This doesn't count!" Cole scowled at them. "I did say bonus points if you catch any humans coming too close to our territory, but not him!" He stiffened when his hunters sent him puzzled stares. "You know what I mean," he added, much to the disappointment of his packmates.
By then, the she-wolf had stepped away and was calming herself down. She licked her fur to smoothen it out in neat tufts, allowing Kai to slowly push himself up on his elbows. His clothes had already been muddled in dirt and it hadn't even been that long.
"You aren't telling them that I'm a threat, right?" Kai asked, his question followed by a nervous laugh. "Or food?" He raised his hands in submission with a strained smile plastered on his face, but he looked a bit shaken up after the attack.
Cole rolled his eyes and dismissed his ridiculous remark. He howled contentedly and circled Kai, pressing his snout against his clothes to breathe in a fresh, flowery scent, and the brunette returned his welcoming gesture with a laugh. Beneath that smell, however, there was a strong layer of something bitter. Kai must've caught on, because his face slowly reddened and he said, "That's just sweat. I swear I took a shower."
Once they had all settled themselves, the she-wolf curled around Kai so that he could lean on her side. He was a little uncomfortable at first but quickly grew used to it when she wasn't bothered. Most of Cole's pack ran off into the woods, enjoying their freedom in the cool night air, while some stayed behind to look after the cubs.
Even though Cole knew Kai wouldn't be able to understand him word-for-word, they still managed to communicate successfully. With bright, intelligent eyes, Cole gazed at him with a look that only asked, How come you're back so soon? What were you doing around here?
Kai tried to explain, but Cole instantly sensed fear coming off him in waves. It was so strong that he himself felt tense. Even the azure wolf looked fearful.
"Look, I didn't mean to barge in on your territory like this, least of all at this time of night. I just... had to leave that place," Kai lied with a quick wave of his hand. "I couldn't stand the smell in there. It was a lot worse than usual tonight." It felt weird lying to a Wolfwalker, but he really wasn't sure how to explain what he'd seen in his nightmare, or rather, what it warned him of.
Cole watched him for another moment, then began to growl. Kai's eyes widened – he wasn't sure why he was acting like this. Then, with a jolt, he realized that Cole knew he was dishonest. The brunette mentally kicked himself. Of course a Wolfwalker could catch on to that, they weren't stupid.
"Alright, alright!" Kai said quickly. "You're right, I wasn't being entirely..." He trailed off and pulled his cloak over him as gusts of wind raced past him, swiftly sweeping through leaves and spindling tree branches. "It's just that earlier tonight, I... saw something in a nightmare, something I never would've thought would happen in that town. Or anywhere else."
Cole tilted his head, as did the azure wolf, and Kai paled as he recounted everything. He told them all the details, where he had been, how it had felt, what he had seen, who he had seen. He told them about the storm, the destruction of the forest, with the trees having been splintered and sliced right off their stumps. Cole had given him what appeared to be a perplexed look throughout most of his story, but Kai didn't notice the female wolf's reaction. Her ears were pressed against her head and her tail was pressed very firmly into her hind legs.
Once Kai had finished explaining everything, Cole lifted himself to his paws and shook himself. He didn't know what to make of Kai's ridiculous 'nightmare', or whatever he called it. He really did look shaken up, and Cole smelled it on him too, so maybe that did prove that it was something serious. But he just couldn't bring himself to understand that something like this was real.
It was like Kai said: it came from his mind.
There was nothing to be scared of. Cole figured that humans were just easily terrified.
The Wolfwalker made a gruff noise in his throat and turned away. He didn't have the patience to listen to some made-up tale about two old men who really hated this one kid; a kid who apparently had supernatural ice abilities and would have possibly gone on an unhinged killing spree had he not been held down.
In truth, another part of him did feel sick at the idea, which gave him all the more reason to ignore it.
The point is, Cole would rather race across the entire forest in fifteen seconds tops, thank you very much.
"W-wait, where are you going?" Kai asked, scrambling to get to his feet. He nearly tripped over himself but caught his footing just in time. Cole was already a few feet ahead of him, and he was leaving fast. Kai almost missed his tail vanishing in the thicket. "Hang on a minute, wait!"
Before he knew it, Cole was gone. It was early in the night, but still dark enough that he could barely see anything move if they blended in well with the forest. Kai's chest tightened with fear, and his breathing was soon becoming quick and erratic. As he slowly felt himself begin to tip over the edge, he felt a soft prod on his right hand. He swiveled around in shock, only to see the she-wolf press her muzzle into his palm. Gently.
Kai inhaled a sigh of relief. "Just you," he said heavily. The brunette knew that it wasn't his place to randomly intrude on their territory, but this was the only place where he knew he could stay. Just for that night, at least. It almost felt like home to him, even though he'd been terrified of this place yesterday. Hilarious.
Kai also found it a little unsettling that the female wolf knew exactly when and where he was when he was in danger. Right when he'd been pounced on by Cole's wolves, she had come in and dove in front of them, despite being slightly smaller in size. Regardless of that, though, she was next to him and was somehow calming his nerves. He wasn't complaining.
Instead, the she-wolf helped Kai find his way to follow Cole. With one hand placed across her soft fur, the brunette kept up with her pace as she slinked after her Alpha. It took them a little while until they reached his den – mainly because Kai struggled to make his way through the dark, but he adapted surprisingly well. Once they finally trudged inside the cavern, they found the entire pack lounging around the sides with Cole standing in the center. He had transformed into a human, which stunned Kai for a moment. He knew the raven-haired teen could switch forms, but it still shocked him to see it happen in real-time.
With his heightened senses coming into effect, Cole felt Kai approaching him from behind. He turned and scowled at him with crossed arms, much to the brunette's confusion.
"Look, what do you want me to do about your dream?" the Alpha snapped. "Don't you see how crazy it sounds? It's all made up! Even if you don't believe that, how else can you prove that those guys removed the blood from their hands so quickly? How else can you prove that the little kid shot ice from his back?"
Kai felt his anger beginning to boil. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been trying to come to terms with that myself! Maybe if you'd just sit down and hear me out a little more, it'd be easier to get it into your thick, rock-headed skull!"
Cole had had enough and let loose an agitated snarl. His hands flexed inward, which revealed long veins that traveled up his muscled arms. If he'd still been a wolf, his claws would've been completely exposed and look like he'd be ready to tear something apart.
Much to his shock, however, Kai returned a similar reaction. He drew his legs apart, hunched his back, and began to growl back at the Alpha. Despite being smaller in size, the brunette didn't back down. He felt just as threatened, and this time, he wasn't afraid to show how he truly felt.
Before anyone could do anything, Cole suddenly dove straight for Kai, arms outstretched, and teeth exposed. The smaller teen yelped in surprise, and the two shuffling figures continued to tumble all over the den, fighting for the upper hand. The gray wolves sat back and watched with confusion, while some others gazed at the two in amusement. Not even the she-wolf stepped in to stop the fight.
Cole grunted in pain when Kai finally landed a hard kick to his stomach, but by the time they had finished brawling, the raven had clumps of the brunette's hair clutched in both of his fists, hovering over him with a fierce expression etched across his face.
"If there's one thing you should know," Cole began, breathing heavily, "it's that you never challenge the Alpha in his own den."
Kai squirmed beneath his hold, wincing when his hair was tugged on. Still, he had enough sense to know not to keep up the fight, so instead he lay still, admitting defeat.
"I wasn't the one who jumped at you!" Kai exclaimed furiously. "And let go of my hair!"
Cole obliged, and the brunette shuffled his way out of his grip. Gingerly, he tried combing his hair into its natural position, only for it to sag and stand out in odd places. Kai sighed angrily.
"This is worse than I thought," Cole said carefully, making sure to stand a few feet away from him. Kai turned his way, a look of confusion and disgust displayed on his dirtied face.
"Uh-huh. If you're talking about my hair, then I agree. Not that it doesn't make it your fault!" he shot back, wiping leaves and small sticks off his clothes.
"No! Don't you see?"
Kai stopped fiddling with the tangled strands and watched the Wolfwalker, who was staring at the ground, looking both worried and thoughtful.
"Your... your instincts are kicking in," Cole told him slowly. "I jumped at you to test whether or not you'd run. Any human would have – especially you, knowing how you were like yesterday" - Kai shot him an indignant glare at that remark, but the raven-haired boy continued - "but now? You didn't back down, didn't even show any signs of it. You were challenging me."
Kai shot him an incredulous look. "What the hell are you talking about? I wasn't challenging nothing! I was threatened... you were getting ready to attack me!"
"I was trying to put you in your place," he said sternly, "but you held your ground. Of course, I won, but you would've been scampering off by now." Cole eyed him suspiciously. "And don't think I didn't notice you left your crossbow," he added.
Kai's eyes shot open, and he reached behind him, only to groan when he felt nothing. How had he forgotten the one thing that was meant to protect him in case something like this happened to him? He didn't even remember where he'd left it!
"Y-you aren't getting any ideas, are you?" Kai stammered. Sure, he'd just been pounced on and fought Cole for about a minute, but at least he made it out alright. Not without a stab to his pride, that is, but whatever. That part didn't need to be addressed.
Now that he thought about it, however, Kai should have been terrified of Cole. He should be running to save his life right now. But weirdly enough, he felt indignant. Like his brief battle with Cole slightly pissed him off.
He'd better not command his wolves to eat me, though, he thought irritably. Then Kai quirked his brow in surprise. Since when did he start thinking like that?
Cole suddenly barked out a laugh, clutching his sides in mock amusement. "No! What do you take me for, huh?" He frowned when Kai shot him a deadpanned look. Then he looked down at himself and grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth. "Oh, I get it. Guess that's the charm of a Wolfwalker! Threatening as anyone ever can be."
Kai grimaced. "Uh, no. No, no, no, no charm whatsoever." He felt Cole staring daggers at him, but the idea pleased Kai. "First off, that's my thing; second, can you please explain what you meant by instincts kicking in–?"
As if on cue, a fresh cool wave washed over the brunette, stunning him momentarily. It touched his face and his body with a caress so gentle, he sucked in a tight breath. It was normally still and warm inside the den, but nothing like a powerful gust of wind would plunge inside. It was strange... until Kai blinked his eyes closed, then slowly reopened them...
Kai stumbled backwards as he saw the empty black space, the same thing he'd seen yesterday. He blinked as fast and as hard as he could, but nothing changed. The only thing that caught his attention was the strong scent of the Alpha standing before him, still in his human form. Kai's chest began to heave as the smell of the raven-haired boy fell off in a long, golden stream. He saw that he was completely bathed in a soft, glowing hue, as if he was nothing but a shining boy made of gilded gold silk.
He yelled in fear, grasping his chest to calm his beating heart. That didn't ease his nerves, but he desperately tried whatever came to mind.
From the corner of his eye, Kai finally noticed a different scent trail. It was familiar, this one a gentle tone that shone like polished sapphires. He slowly followed it, trusting his nose as it led him to the figure of a tall woman. She stood, poised and proud as one could be. She held her head high and gazed right at him; lips pursed and eyes focused. Her hair wound around her shoulders and down her back, seemingly as soft and welcoming as the touch of silk.
After looking at him for a few moments, the woman carefully made her way towards him. Suddenly realizing what was happening, Kai immediately began to back away.
"Wait! Wait, wait, get back! Don't come near me, please!" He flinched when the woman came closer, and he quickly felt his body warming up. He was confused as to what was happening, but... the aura circling her was enough to comfort him. To put him at ease.
At last, when it seemed like she wouldn't do it, the woman laid a tender hand on the side of Kai's face. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Kai felt a sudden surge of emotion well up in his chest. Tears formed in his eyes, and placidly, they rolled down his face. Kai sagged in place, and his face crumpled. His shoulders dropped and he couldn't help but cry even more. In the cold, dark space of his mind, the caring glow emanating off the woman offered him a strong sense of comfort, like that of a mother.
Kai wasn't sure if he just missed his own mother, or if he'd been stressed about everything that had happened lately, or if he just wanted to understand all the complicated things that were suddenly coming into his life. He sobbed as he faced the ground, and his tears vanished into the unending dark space. Whatever it was that was bothering him, he didn't try to stop it. Everything came pouring out, and, with just a moment's hesitation, he allowed the azure woman to pull him into a relieving embrace.
It took a few moments until Kai felt something tickle his face. After blinking his tears away, he carefully opened them to see the azure wolf sitting directly in front of him, head pressed against his. Her eyes were closed, but she was breathing evenly. The exhales coming from her snout were brushing against his face.
She opened her eyes when Kai shifted around. She stood up and slowly padded away from him, gazing at him as if she were checking whether he was alright.
Kai blinked a few more times, then rubbed his eyes. He looked over at Cole, who was staring at him oddly. The brunette sucked in a breath and headed for the opening in the den. He didn't dare look back.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Cole called to him, but Kai didn't turn around.
"I'm just... going to sit out for a while," he said softly. It was still night. He had time before he had to head back. But in the meantime, he just needed to get his head set on straight. He needed somewhere to breathe, to think. He couldn't stay here, in the den.
When Cole didn't respond, Kai made his way to the entrance. As he walked along the jagged stone path and past the cascading waterfall, his heart suddenly ached. He thought of Ember and wished he could be with her. They stayed with each other almost all the time. But he also knew that she'd gotten hurt, and it had all been because of him. He tried not to let it tear him apart. She was most likely at the Dragon's Den, and the Keepers there would mend her well. He only had to hope that she would be recovering by the time he returned, or at least the next time he would see her.
Walking deeper into the forest, Kai turned his head up and peered through the leaves and tree branches, leaving dappled patterns across the grassy moor. He could faintly see the moon's bright glow tonight. It was nearly full, too. He felt himself shiver as he gazed into the ivory white eye in the inky sky, speckled with heaps of stars all around.
Trusting his instincts, he ventured off into unknown territory, hoping to find a safe space to think for the next few hours of the night...
. . .
It was dead silent.
Not a soul was awake in the town.
No one was walking down the streets for fear of being caught.
Which made it perfect for Lord Acronix as he sat in his throne room, awaiting two others that night.
As his doors swung open, he flashed a grin when he saw Cyrus Borg wheel himself into the room, followed by a thin, tall boy with withering white hair and extremely pale skin.
The highly-named Cyrus Borg, a middle-aged creator and inventor, mainly worked for Lords Krux and Acronix — and had been ever since the two brothers had obtained their title as Lords. The inventor had clean, combed hair that was flattened to one side of his head. He wore a black wool turtleneck and a fresh, gray suit over top, and his plain pants were of the same brand and color. Seated on the bridge of his nose were a pair of aviator glasses. He shifted around in his wheelchair, and a nervous expression was visible on his face.
Acronix paid no attention to him, however.
Instead, he glared at the boy, who shriveled beneath his stare.
"You," he sneered. "Welcome back to my chambers, boy." The Lord Protector gestured around his room, and he walked back to reveal a treatment chair near the back. It held numerous straps and belts from one side to the other, which both men knew was to keep the boy down.
The boy, however, stared at the seat without a trace of unease. He followed Cyrus Borg while Acronix waited for them to approach him. Impatiently, at that.
"S-sir," Borg began, carefully strapping the boy into the chair and fastening the belts, thankful that he wasn't resisting this time, "you know that I never mean to question your rule and the orders you give, but I must ask... are you certain that this switch is necessary to implement?"
"What are you implying?" Acronix snapped, causing Borg's hands to twitch nervously. "My brother isn't around to do this for us. And both of us agreed to make this permanent."
Hearing their distraught voices, the boy slightly shifted in his seat.
Acronix abruptly slammed his fist into the side, leaving a small dent in the metal.
"You don't move, do you hear me?" he snarled at the boy, causing the younger teen to hold still. His bright teal eyes held pure fear as they watched the Lord. Reluctantly, he nodded at him.
"Good," Acronix said snidely, watching him with disdain. Cyrus Borg didn't utter a word and instead finished with tightening the belts.
"Now," Acronix began in a dangerously quiet voice, "you have all of your tools. Don't you?" He watched with a keen eye as Borg unhooked a large box from the handlebar of his wheelchair. Inside were various tools, such as screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, crowbars, screws, and many nails. As he positioned his wheelchair next to the treatment armchair, Acronix was satisfied when he saw the inventor pull the boy's shirt up and open a large hatch on his chest, creaking as it did.
He sat on his throne and waited as Borg got to work. Said man carefully inspected and repaired the switches in his chest cavity, but he made sure to focus on one in particular. This one looked like any other switch, but had it not been for the withering tape that wrote 'Memory', it would have been easy to mistake the levers.
Hours of the night had gone by, and the boy barely flinched or squirmed throughout the entire process. He laid his head on the headrest, as quiet as a mouse in the dead of night. Once Borg had finished his job, he wheeled himself away and made room for Acronix to approach the teen. His chest cavity was still exposed, only it was littered with wires, buttons, and switches. They appeared as good as new, and the young Lord was mildly impressed, to say the least.
"It's a job well done, Borg," Acronix acknowledged, giving a brief nod of his head. The inventor returned the nod and quietly sighed in relief, only to freeze once he heard the Lord's next words.
"But, that can't be said if the test fails, right?"
Cyrus Borg swallowed bile. He knew that the Lord did this roughly every month and called him in to fix the boy, but it still sickened him. Acronix didn't need to do this in front of him. He didn't have to.
As he collected his belongings, the Lord Protector knelt before the boy and stared deep into his chilling irises. The switch was still out in the open. Acronix looked down at it for a brief moment. The boy didn't move a muscle.
"What say you, Zane?" said the man in a mock-pity voice. "Sad you'll lose your papa again?" His fingers hovered over the memory switch, twitching as they hung so close to it. The boy merely tilted his head to the side. He gazed at Acronix, a look of momentary confusion written on his face.
"What is... a papa?" he asked. Acronix huffed out a laugh. The poor kid. He was too sincere. Without the two of them knowing, Cyrus Borg watched them, eyes wide open in horror. He knew Dr. Julien, but he was sworn to secrecy. Any slip-up, and his head would come off in a clean swing.
Before anyone could react, Acronix latched onto Zane's memory switch and flicked it, his grin spreading wide when his bright eyes slowly dimmed into a dull gray. His movements ceased, and instead he lay on the treatment chair, limp and peaceful. Borg nearly let out a cry of pain, but he held himself.
Acronix watched for a moment longer, just to see whether or not the boy was truly lifeless. Then he smiled.
"It is indeed a job well done," he finally told Borg, making his way to close the chamber's curtains. "You're free to leave. Your next scheduled time is a month from now, remember that well."
Borg made his way to leave the chambers. But not before Acronix shot him a horrible glare.
"You remember that. Otherwise consequences will be due."
Heyo. :D
This might be the longest chapter in this story! With that being said, I wanted to apologize if this chapter seemed a bit rushed or not up to its usual quality. I had a strong idea for this part but wasn't sure if it came out as well as I'd hoped. Either way, though, I hope you enjoy it and look forward to what's coming next!