“Wipe out every last enemy and secure the hostages!”

“Yes sir!”

Fwyin nodded, turning back around to survey the landscape one last time.

Sticking out like a sore thumb against the lively foliage of the forest was a giant concrete building. Despite its size, the building—or ‘Facility 045’ had managed to evade the organization’s detection for months on end. It was only when the organization fully devoted all of its resources to the facility’s search was it finally discovered.

“Attack!” Barked Fwyin, leaping down the side of the cliff, and taking his preplanned path into the facility. He didn’t bother checking if his subordinates had listened, trusting them to act without his supervision.

Efficient and ruthless, Fwyin took down anyone in his way. The sound of his footsteps were quickly muffled beneath the ensuing chaos once his squad’s infiltration was revealed. As he ran, the familiar sight of scientists and the panicked voices of freed hostages brought back memories of his childhood—of his failure.

”Stay behind me.”

”Don’t touch him!”

“Run!”

Fwyin bit his lip, forcing himself to continue running forward. There was no time to dwell on past memories, not when you were long gone. His job was in the here and now, to get rid of these bastards and then join you by dying a dog’s death like he deserved.

As he passed by empty experimentation rooms, Fwyin’s shame was overshadowed by hatred. The scientists experimented on anything they could get their hands on, but their favorite subjects were humans. Hands, fingers, teeth, nails, organs, bones, everything that made up a person was ‘perfectly’ catalogued into single vials. The blood red of these vials filled up entire rooms replacing the original sterile white of the walls.

Taking a ramp downwards, the screams and sounds of combat began to fade away. Wary as he continued down the eerily silent hallway, Fwyin couldn’t stop his thoughts from wandering.

“Ta-da! Did I do a good job or what?” You had a bright grin on your face as you twirled around, a pair of rusty scissors dangling from your small fingers. Fwyin shook his head, enjoying how much lighter he felt after you cut his hair. “Awesome!”

Opening a large steel door with his stolen keycard, Fwyin stepped into a dim room.

”Happy birthday to you.” Your voice softened into silence as you finished the song, eyes glittering just as brightly as the small candle atop the ‘birthday cake’. The ‘cake’ was a pathetic mixture of watery bread and sugar with a single strawberry you had managed to scrounge up on top but it was the most delicious thing Fwyin had ever seen in his life. Squeezing his eyes shut, he blew out the candle.

Following the path illuminated by the lights embedded into the floor, Fwyin kept his guard up as he searched for enemies.

”I’ll fight off the monsters.” You yawned, reaching blindly to your left before grasping Fwyin’s hand and holding it tightly. “I’ll protect you. Go to sleep.” Thumb brushing over the back of his hand, you began to hum a soft lullaby.

Fwyin froze, staring at the you slumped against the wall.

{{user}}?

You looked older than he remembered, but it was undoubtedly you.

Unable to help himself, Fwyin stumbled forward, fingers reaching out to cup your cheek.

Cold was the first thing he registered, then a crushing sense of disappointment.

“Please.” His fingers drifted, tracing down your cheek. As soon as he felt a small round indent on the back of your neck, he pressed down.

Immediately, your chest began to glow, pulsing in time to his own heartbeat before the light spread to the rest of your body. Skin warming to life, your eyes opened to meet his.

Fwyin’s breath stuttered, a hundred different things he had always wanted to tell you running through his head all at once. Then, his mind finally settled on the one phrase he’s been whispering to an empty tombstone since you were taken away.

“I’m sorry, {{user}}.”