Rise Of The Black Ranger

The group turn around, Dillon and Ziggy having looks of unease on their faces while Axel just motioned his hand towards his sword, the group seeing that the larger Timberwolf had broke from its bindings and was bashing itself against the bars of the cell he was in.

“He can’t get through that right?” Dillon asked, placing his hand near his morpher.

“Remember when I said they keep getting out,” Shade responded with an annoyed groan, “he gets them all out.”

“This is gonna suck…” the boy muttered to himself.

“Pretty much,” Shade responds as they hear the wolf charge against the bars to his cell yet again before the sound of two more chains breaking was heard.

Axel brought out his broadsword while the boys used their morphers going into their suits and bringing their own respective weapons out.

“Yeah… this is going to be annoying,” Shade responds as they hear more of the chains snapping as one of the bars to the larget wolfs cage break loose being launched into the wall opposite to the cell as the wolf tried to force its head through the bars.

“Ah crap,” Ziggy groaned out as he and Dillon attempted to keep a good view of the wolf.

“Get ready everyone” Axel spoke as he and the boys readied their weapons hearing the growls from the wolves get louder.

“Don’t have to tell us twice” Dillon spoke as the wolf broke through the bar’s launching parts of it forward causing the group to move out of the way.

The large wolf came out of the cell before swinging his claw to the side, catching the other cell and pulling it forward and ripping the cell bar’s off.

The other wolf’s seeing this immediately began to pull against their bindings before their chains could be heard snapping as well.

“Here comes the cavalry” Axel commented as the group saw the other wolves walk out of the cell.

Two of the wolves stayed near the back of the group both having white coats with hetrochormic eyes, ones of them having one green and one blue eye whilst the others eyes were switched but shared the same colours.

Standing infront of them were three other wolves who’s arms seemed to be slowly changing shape, as the arms of two of them creaked and twisted before what looked to be swords formed from their arms.

Two other wolves moved ahead of them before reaching towards the back of the bladed arm before tearing it loose both wolves howling out in pain as their arms were torn free as the two of them turned towards Dillon and Ziggy.

The larger wolf then looked towards the third who recoiled back in fear attempting to stay away prompting the larger wolf to growl out in anger as the wolf stopped going towards the wolf.

A loud howl of pain could be heard as the larger wolf removed its arm the limb then morphed into a large greatsword with jagged teeth on the blade, the wolf tightly gripped its limb in desperation before immediately getting kicked back into the cell.

“What the fuck..” Dillon whispered as he covered his mouth, while Ziggy just looked on in horror.

Axel meanwhile just stayed silent as he tightened his grip on his broadsword.

The larger wolf meanwhile set his sights on Shade letting out a low growl before charging toward him, knocking into him and somehow sending him flying backward out of the cave before running off after him.

“Dad!” Dillon and Ziggy shout before attempting to run after him only for Axel to stop them.

“You two stay here I’ll assist lord Shade, just try to incapacitate these ones,” Axel told the boys before running to where the Wolf and Shade went.

“But” Dillon attempted to say something but Axel was already gone, “Ah crap…” Dillon then turned his attention back to the other wolves the boy seeing that they were slowly surrounding him and Ziggy.

“You lot wouldn’t be opposed to going back into your cells right?,” Dillon asked immediately getting growled in return, “I’ll take that as a no”.

“Dillon I’d recommend keeping your guard up” Ziggy spoke keeping his Axe pointed towards the wolves.

“Right” Dillon responded as he brought out his blaster and sword.

The wolves hearing this began to come closer to the boys as the boys could see nothing but pure malice on their faces.

The wolf with silver coat immediately bounded towards them, it’s claws reaching out to Ziggy who jumped back and disappeared the boy teleporting behind it, grabbing it by the leg and throwing it back, only to find the second wolf appear directly infront of him swinging the sword it had torn from wolves limbs towards Ziggy’s arm.

Ziggy attempted to block the swing with the flat on of his ax the sword hitting against it and grazing his arm the impact knocking him to the ground before thre wolf lunged forwards it’s free claw swiping towards his chest sparks coming from it when it landed the hit.

Ziggy just let out a shout of pain as he attempted to get them off, “Get off of me…” the boy gritted his teeth as he slowly began to push past the pain.

He then heard a struggle as he turned his head to see Dillon struggling to push off the other wolves who were attempting to overwhelm him, luckily he was able to toss one of them off, the boy attempting to run and help Ziggy.

But the other immediately barreled into him causing him to get slammed into the floor cracking his mask and having him hit the back of his head.

Ziggy shouted to his brother as he tried harder to push the wolves off of him, feeling one of them bite into the shoulder of his suit.

The other wolves then began to prowl towards Dillon who slowly pushed himself off from the ground pieces of his helmet falling to the floor revealing his eye and blood that slowly dripped from it as the boy began to stare into space the boy’s arms shaking.

“It was one hit, one hit and I can’t stop shaking…” The boy thought to himself his heart beating like a drum.

“Ĵ̴̛̜̦̼̙͕̍̕a̷̲̮͍̻͈͑͒͛s̵̯̟̝̓̈́̀͝ỏ̴̘̪̤̂̆̽ͅn̷̢̹̦͇͑ ̷̥̌͗ĝ̸̪̼̅́͊e̸̫͇̽̕͠ṭ̸͖̣̦̗̾̇ ̷̮͉̺͇̈͆u̴̲̿p̵̧̑́̓̎” Dillon’s eye’s widened as he heard the voice again, images flashing through his mind as he heard screaming and saw flames.

“Ỳ̵̘̎̆̐ö̷͇͖́ụ̷̢̹̣͐̍ ̸̜̀ḩ̴̀̌͠a̴̡͋̽̔̋ͅṿ̷͕̠̝̈́͋̆e̸̛͎̱̾̔͆͘ ̴̲̦̂̇͒͗ť̴̲̟̺̗̭͂ơ̶̬͉̬̹̤͐̆ ̷̡̯͓̗̪̀̈̈̎̃f̶̣̪̃̈̂ȋ̵̘̦̑̅g̶̨̳̈́ḥ̷̯̯̜͓́̍͑̈́͘t̶͎̺̀̿!” the voice screamed, the boy’s eyes beginning to flash in a familiar red glow before the voice shouted finally clear enough for him to understand.

“Jason, get up you have to fight!” the voice shouted as Dillon let out a howl, grabbing onto his helmet and ripping it off as one of the wolves lunged towards him.

the boy shot out his hand a small blue field appearing in front of the wolf before it expanded knocking it away.

Dillon then stood up to his feet, his hair shrouding his face as a low growl could be heard from him as saliva could be seen dripping from his maw the other wolves stopping as their attention immediately went towards him.

“Dillon?” Ziggy said trying to get his attention.

One of the wolves from before immediately stepped forward prompting Dillon to extend his claws as he looked up showing his eyes blood-red as the wolves rushed towards him.

Ziggy just propped himself against a nearby wall as he watched Dillon and the wolves go at each other before muttering, “I hope dad and Axel are faring better..”.

As soon as Shade had been knocked back he brought his wings out to control his flight backwards before stopping in the air as he turned back to facing the cave he had been launched from.

‘Okay… how the hell did he manage to hit me. I’m sure he should have phased though me like everything normally does,’ Shade thought to himself before he saw it barreling towards him wolf letting out a howl as he shoulder-checked Shade knocking him back again sending him flying further back.

Once Shade managed to straighten himself up again be continued flying back bringing his hand to the floor, his entire body jolting to a stop before rose back to his feet. “Okay. Enough is enough.”

He then pauses as he looks around finding himself to be standing in the same spot he had been when they entered surrounded by the cages of mutated creatures around him.

The wolf didn’t let up as he bolted towards Shade again, lifting up his sword and swinging it aiming for Shade’s wing, only for Shade to this time sidestep the wolf the blade embedding itself into the ground before Shade kicked the wolf in the side of its body knocking him into the front of a nearby cage, the force from the collision bending one of the bars.

“I’d stay down if I was you,” Shade warned looking at the wolf his hand moving to his side as flames appeared around his waist and his driver formed from it. Shade only got a growl in response as the wolf just stood himself back up, “I take that as a firm no.”

It then came up to its embedded sword before ripping it out from the ground the wolf tightly gripping onto it as it looked like it was about to charge him again.

“Okay then,” Shade responded before activating his eyecon, inserting it into his driver as his Parka ghost shot forwards from the belt striking the wolf in the chest knocking it back to the floor again.

After a second Shade’s eyes forced forwards on the wolf ahead of before he shouted “Henshin” pullingthe handle on the side of the driver with his left hand as a symbol appears on the driver, his body facing sideways crouched slight and his fights clenched, before a new voice shouted "Kaigan: Shade! Let's Go! Kakugo! Akuma-tekina Shade!" as he rose to his fet the Parka ghost attaching to his back.

The wolf in response just widened his stance as he ran towards Shade swinging his sword from the side which was aimed towards Shade’s neck, only for the chains around Shade moved wrapping around the wolf sword arm before throwing him to the floor the sword skidding away from his grasp, before the the sound of a bone snapping was heard from the wolf arm.

The wolf layed on the ground for a moment not making a noise before suddenly getting back up, the wolf looked towards it’s arm in silence looking at the chain before looking to Shade as it took one step towards him before feeling the chain tighten on its arm the wolf just staring at him.

“I wouldn’t try if I was you,” Shade warned the wolf as he took a step back the chain pulling him back to the floor again, “Stay.”

The wolf let out a low growl before using it’s free arm to grab onto the chain, only to feel nother chain grab one of his back legs as he fell back down attempting to get back onto it his feet, as his feel was pulled out from under him as he fell onto his back looking upwards as Shade placed his foot on the side of his head forcing him to look at Shade as he stared down at him before shouting, “Stay!”

“Go to hell!” The wolf snarled out towards Shade as he pulled against his bindings trying to pull his arm free to hit Shade, only to feel a chain begin to wrap around his free arm,..

“Damn you!” he shouted out.

“Will you behave now?” Shade asks placing his other foot against the wolfs remaining free limb.

“Never!” he heard the well yell as it tried to set itself free, before feeling something wrap around his last free leg, holding each of his limbs against the ground as Shade took his leg off them.

The wolf wriggled around on the ground gritting his teeth as a loud snarl could be heard from him and as the moment went on he progressively became more and more unruly.

“I would calm down if I was you,” Shade warned as he cancelled his transformation the chains still remaining around his limbs while Shade knelt down never to the wolf forcing him to look directly at him before smiling his teeth having turned sharper, “or do I need to take a bit off the ear?”

This cause the wolf to stop and look towards Shade with a malice filled glare before speaking,“Damn you to hell, you bastard”.

“Are you sure you want to talk to me like that?” Shade asks as he placing his hand against the wolf head holding it down and turning the wolfs ear to face him placing his mouth over it before running his teeth against the ear leaving a small mark.

The wolfs eyes wided as tried move his head away fear finally showing, as he felt his ear touch Shade’s sharp teeth as he moved, “Please don’t do that, anything but that!”.

“Will you behave and do as I say,” Shade asks moving his mouth away to speak, before placing it back rubbing his teeth over the corner of the ear leaving a mark but never biting into it.

“Yes, I’ll listen, I’ll behave!” the wolf whimpered out as it looked to it’s ear.

“Good. Now… what will you do for me if I agree not to take a small bite?” Shade asks rubbing his teeth against the ear again.

“I’ll follow you willingly, I won’t go against you I promise!” the wolf quickly replied.

You’ll follow me willing eh… tell me. Do you know who I am?” Shade asks moving away from the wolfs head before pushing the ear backwards to see behind it.

The wolf just stammered with his word before remembering earlier the symbol on Shade’s more so the eye that was on it, “Your….your Shade” the wolf said in response as the symbol started to be the only thing he saw in his head.

“Yes I am. Now If I do release you from your bonds, what will you do?” Shade asks as he releases the wolfs hands.

The wolf immediately placed his hands and head on the ground, “I’ll follow you and do what you say without question Lord Shade!”.

Shade simply nodded his head before placing a finger behind the wolfs ear a mark forming behind it before his ear legs were released, “do you have a name pup?”

“No I don’t they only called me by a codename Lord Shade” The wolf responded.

“I see. We’ll figure out what to call you later then,” Shade responds before releasing the wolfs back legs. “Now… I want you to help me stop the others, you started this so you help stop them.”

“Ok lord Shade” The wolf replied as he slowly went back to his feet.

“One thing, Stop with the Lord Shade. Either Shade or considering what I just did, Alpha works aswell I guess,” Shade suggests.

“Yes L- Shade” the wolf replied with a nod of his head, before Shade rubbed him behind the head.

“Is everything ok over here!?” they hear Axel yell as they see him run into the room as he saw Shade rubbing the wolf’s head who’s tail was wagging while Axel just tilted his head in confusion.

“I take it he’s not a threat anymore?” Axel then asked.

“Does he look like one?” Shade asks scratching the wolf behind the ear.

“No, but considering how he tackled you earlier… eh nevermind” Axel just responded with a sigh as he saw the wolf thumping his foot on the floor.

The wolf didn’t say anything it just showed enjoyment from getting scratched from behind the ear as Axel just shook his head.

‘Let's just go back to the boy’s they most likely need some assistance” Axel stated as he turned around and began to run back through the cave, worry showing on his face as the only thing he could think about was his two younger brothers.

After a moment of continued running he heard a commotion back at the area with Dillon and Ziggy, it sounded like a vicious snarl along with growling accompanying it as he heard a pain-filled yowl echo down the corridor causing Axel to double down on his speed as he rushed down the cave.

Once he made it back to the room what he saw left him terrified and confused, it was Dillon and the other wolves they were fighting but Dillon was acting strange.

It was like he was feral, a loud snarl could be heard from his mouth, his hair was much wilder than usual his hands were covered in blood and his eyes were just a haunting red as then saw Ziggy who was propping himself up against a nearby wall, assisting him he grabbed Ziggy’s arm.

“Ziggy what’s wrong with Dillon?” Axel asked his little brother who just shook his head, “I don’t know after he got hit by one of them I think something switched on in his head”.

As they spoke Dillon was just rushing around like a madman the wolves attempting to hit him but only getting to graze him in turn but once they got close enough they would feel grab them by the head and slam them into the floor before kicking one of the white-furred ones into a nearby wall.

The second one attempted to slash Dillon in the neck but once he got close enough Dillon immediately just a bit down on its limb making it let out a pained-filled howl as it made an attempt to have him let go which only made him bit down harder.

The black wolf from before just jumped over Dillon who immediately just bit off the flesh of the white wolf before grabbing onto the black wolf's tail slamming it back to the floor before extending his claws again aiming for its chest as he shot his hand forward he was going for the kill.

“Thats enough!” A voice shouted from behind the group as every wolf in the room was wrapped in chains and pulled backwards away from Dillon being bound back against the walls, while Dillon’s arms were bound to his side and his legs held together. “All of you calm down now!”

The boy was just letting out loud growls as he struggled against his bindings biting out randomly as nothing else could be seen in his eyes other than pure malicious intent.

“Dillon calm down, it’s ok!” Ziggy shouted to Dillon but was unable to get through to him.

Axel immediately walked up to the boy grabbing his head, Dillon attempting to bite him while doing so before Axel spoke, “Dillon snap out it, it’s ok, it’s over, look at me!” Axel shouted as the boy continued to growl towards him.

Angered by this Axel shouted, “Snap out of it!” before he hit his head against Dillons who at that moment went quiet before he shook his head the boy let out a tired breathe as he looked up to Axel one of his eyes going back to their dark brown while the other stayed the same.

“Axel?” the boy rasped out as he looked down seeing the chains, “Why am I chained up..” the boy then asked as he then looked around Shade and Ziggy looking towards him in concern before his attention went to the wolves who were covered in multiple injuries, “What did I do?” the boy said in a whisper.

Dillon looked to Shade, “Dad what did I do?”.

“From what I saw of it you lost control of yourself. Beyond that I have no idea I didn’t see much else,” Shade responds.

“The only thing I remember was getting knocked back and hitting my head and after that I heard the voice again, everything went red after that, I think i remember some stuff though” Dillon replied.

“What exactly do you remember?”

“I remember my name, some parts of the day I lost everything, and how I died…” Dillon muttered.

“Whenever you want to talk about any of it. I’ll be here to listen okay,” Shade responds as he places his hand of Dillon’s shoulder before he was released from the chains.

Dillon just rubbed his arms as he stepped forward before he placed his hand on his mouth and when he pulled it away he saw blood, “This isn’t my blood” he thought to himself before he looked to the wolves before realizing what he said, “I can remember my name the one I had before all this”.

“That’s great Dillon!” Ziggy said with a smile as he walked towards him placing his hand on his shoulder.

“What is it then, your name?” Axel asked as he walked towards them.

“It’s Jason, my name is Jason” he replied smiling towards them before it immediately dropped.

“But I remember how I got into this, my last day being a normal human with my sister and our friend in a diner” Dillon's voice went low as the events that happened back then replayed in his head.

“We were having a nice time with each other I was giving our friend shit for something that happened and not too long after two guys came into the diner they were jumpy and then one of them pulled out a gun they made it a hostage situation and the first guy grabbed me” Dillon paused taking a shaky breath.

After a moment he continued “Our friend he tried to help me but he got shot in the shoulder and the guy that grabbed hold of me got shot by some cops outside the place and once the other saw that he detonated a bomb he had in his bag it enveloped everyone in the diner and in my last moments of consciousness I heard nothing but their screams and then I woke up in Equestria”.

“I-Dillon im so sorry you had to experience that,” Axel said rubbing his little brother's shoulder.

“It’s fine it’s in the past now” Dillon replied before Ziggy asked, “Do you want us to call you by Jason now?”.

Dillon just gave a soft smile before responding, “Im ok with you guys calling me either it’s still me either way”.

“Whatever you say Dillon” Ziggy replied with a smile, Axel doing the same before Dillon looked to Shade, who almost seemed to look away from Dillon, seeming to not want to say anything.

Dillon looked to him confused before speaking, “Dad, is something wrong?”.

“No. Nothing’s wrong. Don’t worry,” Shade responded still looking past Dillon towards the injured wolves ahead of him.

“I..are you sure?” Dillon replied as Shade walked towards the injured wolves.

“Dillon leave him be for a moment, I think you talking about that may have opened an old wound from his past,” Axel said to his brother.

“Alright…” Dillon replied as he felt Axel touch the gash on his forehead the boy let out a low hiss of pain in response, “Ow.. “

Shade simply sighed as he heard Dillon and looked at the bound wolves, “what is it with you all getting injured.” After a couple of moments all of the wolves, Dillon, and Ziggy were covered by a faint crimson light as their wounds healed over almost like they had never been injured in the first place.

The wolves were surprised at what he did including the twin white wolves as the piece of flesh that Dillon bit off was back, the large wolf didn’t notice much of a difference since he could feel any pain from attacks that Shade had dealt to him but was grateful for it either way

“Thank you Shade” they heard the wolf say as Dillon and Ziggy finally noticed him, the two just backing up slightly out of surprise.

“Don’t worry he’s not a threat” Axel said to the two who eased up slightly, the two then seeing the wolf walk in front of the bound wolves before facing Shade and bowing.

The bound wolves look to the large wolf in confusion before looking to Shade, that confusion rapidly being replaced by fear, as they try to get free and their bindings to get away from him.

“He is not the enemy, calm yourselves,” the large wolf said to the bound wolves who once they heard him, most of them not stopping while just letting out growls while the two white ones quieted down.

One of the two white wolves simply looked up almost glaring at the large wolf, before the smaller of the two calmly said, “He is the enemy of the cult, and is ours to kill under our last orders.”

“You should be following those through a we were commanded,” the other white wolf added.

“Those orders don’t matter to me now, because Im following the true Shade” the large wolf replied causing the two wolves to look at him confused.

“What are you on about?” the smaller wolf argued, “that thing is not the real Shade.”

“We all saw the real one on repeat. We know him to be fake.” the other wolf argued.

“He has the mark the one we all know too well, it is him” He responded his voice remaining clear and calm.

“That is not him. The real Shade is a weird looking thing. Not a pony,” the second wolf argued.

The wolf just looked to Shade as he spoke, “Can you show them so they can see what Im saying is true?”.

The boys who just watching this unfold just looked to Shade before glancing back at the wolves, “you sure that would work, this lot seems to be pretty stubborn” Axel then commented.

“And the fact you’ve all seen it before it it hasn’t worked,” Shade points out, “I mean I only did one thing beyond normal and that was…” He then paused looking down at the large wolf before looking to the white wolves smiling as he rubbed his tongue across his teeth.

The large wolf noticed this and looked back to the wolves, “I think it would be better to follow him willingly” he said as the smaller of wolves looked towards Shade fear showing on their face as she realized what the larger wolf meant.

“He wouldn’t. Afterall, he’s not one of our kind it won’t mean a thing even if he did!” the larger of the two argued.

“You say that, and yet your in a room with three timberwolf hybrids behind him what does that tell you?” Axel commented.

“It means nothing! Just because he’s with you doesn't mean he is one!” the wolf argued as Shade walked to stand over the wolf, placing a hand against its neck and turning his head so one of his ears was facing towards Shade. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“He would,” Dillon said with a blank stare.

“Like hell, he would!” the wolf shouted, “He’s just bluthing, he has no authority for it to mean a thing even if he did,” the wolf continued arguing with a smug look on his face.

“I wouldn’t say that” Dillon replied with a smug look of his own before just turning his head revealing the mark that was placed by Shade before the white wolf saw the same mark on the larger wolf’s ear.

“This mark was given to the wolves in our pack by the alpha and who do you think it is?” Dillon added.

The wolves eyes rested on Shade before he shouted, “like hell he is!” as he began wreathing in his bonds trying to get both free of the chains and away from Shade’s grasp. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

“Just gonna say this, you would better off not resisting,” Axel said to the wolf, only for the wolf to glare back at Axel, as the older boy just brought his hands up, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you buddy” Axel said to the wolf.

The wolf just continued glaring at Axel beginning to growl at him before he suddenly froze up feeling something scrape against his ear before his eyes widened, “no… don’t you dare!”

“Will you behave?” Shade asked as he slowly ran his teeth over the wolfs ear leaving a scratch running over it.

“Go to hell!” the wolf shouted back in an instant, “I’ll get free! Kill you! Both you, those boys and that traitor!”

When the wolf looked at the boy’s the only thing it could see on their faces was just the intent to kill especially from Dillon who still had some of the glow in his eyes from before, “You’ll die before you get that chance” the wolf heard Axel turning his head to see him next to him.

“So again, I think you're better off not resisting” Axel reiterated venom in his tone.

Shade then paused bringing his mouth away from the wolf before he said, “you know. I heard one ear being bitten off is a horrible fate. But what if we take both of your ears at once?”

“I heard from one of the wolves back at the cave that a wolf with both of its ear’s taken are treated lower than normal wolves like their nothing but mindless fodder” Dillon commented adding, “They're treated like their lives mean nothing due to that, you want that to happen?” the boy finished his eyes directly on the wolf.

“Y-You wouldn’t dare!” the wolf shouted his eye wide and voice sounding terrified.

“What do you four think we should do?” Shade asked looking at the group.

“Just do the one ear, don’t want him to lose his will to live” Ziggy replied.

“I agree” Dillon nodded.

“I agree with the young one’s” the larger wolf responded while Axel just nodded his head in response.

“Okay then,” Shade responds looking back at the wolf again, “looks like my pack decided to show you mercy in some regard.”

“Go to hell!” the wolf shouts back again glaring at the entire group as he begins to growl at them.

“Say… do one of you want the honours or should I?” Shade asks. “I could use a large bite or two.”

“Y-You wouldn’t dare…” The wolf responded his voice now shaky and fearful.

“I wouldn’t mind doing it, if it will get him to stop being so full himself but if you want to do the honours go ahead” Axel admitted.

Shade didn’t respond for a second before he said, “Someone hold his head still.”

“No… you're not going to actually-” the wolf began to say before looking at Shades face his eyes turning into pinpricks as he began to struggle in his bonds again, “No! No! No! Stay away from me!”

Dillon walked up to wolf and grabbed his head making sure to have a tight enough grip to keep it still.

“Please I’ll do anything you ask! Just don’t do this!” the wolf screamed out in terror as he felt Shade’s teeth against his ear again, “Please don’t I’ll do whatever you ask! Just don’t take my ear!”

“If he doesn’t take your ear will you listen to him?” Dillon asked his tone devoid of emotion.

“N-never! I will never follow that fakes orders!” the wolf argued back.

“Then you’ve brought this on yourself” Dillon replied.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you all for this!” the wolf screamed again trying to force his head free from Dillon’s grasp, “And after I’ll make sure they cult gets your bodies to use as well I swear you will all suffer for this!”

“The same bullshit those bastards did to innocent children that didn’t deserve any of this!” Ziggy growled as he and the other glared at the wolf.

“They all are better that way! They are more useful to the gods like that than they would be otherwise,” the wolf argues back.

The wolf then felt Dillon’s claws beginning to dig into his head, the boy letting out a low snarl, “Those kids deserved to live normal lives, to live like kids not be turned into mindless monsters!”.

“Dillon… make both his ears accessible if you would,” Shade said his voice showing no sign of emotion.

Dillon did what he was told by angling the wolf's head so both ears could be seen.

“Ziggy, Axel. Which one of you want his other ear,” Shade added his voice not changing in the slightest.

“I’ll take it,” Ziggy said as he walked up to Shade and the wolf.

“Make sure to tear it slowly, draw it out as long as you like,” Shade stated.

“No…. you wouldn’t.” the wolf said before looking at both Ziggy and Shade. “You can’t!” the wolf shouted his eyes wide, and his breath erratic, “You can’t do this to me!”

“We can, and we will” Ziggy replied.

“TW-BER78! You can’t let them do this to me! Help me!” the wolf shouted in terror.

“You should have taken the chance this wouldn’t be happening if you did” the wolf replied going silent afterward.

Ziggy leaned forward opening his mouth and drawing it out for a moment to mess with the wolf and after a moment he immediately sunk his teeth into the wolf’s ear making sure to tug from side to side to make the pain that much worse.

“No! Stop! Please! Mercy!” the wolf screamed out in pain as he clenched his eyes shut tears falling down his face.

“Not a chance,” Shade responded as he brought his teeth to the other ear, before biting into it slowly biting through the ear but as the wolf began to scream again.

“No! No! Stop! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” the wolf screamed out his eyes still clenched shut, before Shade tore the ear free and the wolf howling out in pain as blood ran down his face from his missing ear.

“Your words mean nothing here,” Axel said to the wolf who began to feel Ziggy beginning to slowly tear off his ear.

“S-S-Stop it… D-Don’t do it.” the wolf said shakly now openly crying unable stop himself.

Ziggy didn’t stop when the wolf spoke it just pushed him further to do it and Ziggy made sure to be extra slow about it.

“P-please stop! I’ll do anything! I swear I’ll never harm you! Just don’t take my other ear!” the wolf pleaded.

Ziggy just snarled in response a he began to pull back the wolves ear beginning to separate from its head as blood began to slowly gush from it before the boy immediately ripped it back tearing it off.

“No!” the wolf screamed as he dropped to the ground as Dillon released him as he lay there sobbing, “Kill me… please kill me.”

Shade only looked to Ziggy nodding his head before spitting the ear he had bitten off out, as it landed on the floor infront of the wolfs eyes.

Ziggy did the same as he looked down towards the wolf, wiping his mouth of any of the blood, “Pathetic..” the boy then said to the wolf.

“K-kill me. Please. Just kill me now,” the wolf repeated his eyes focused on his ears on the ground.

“No” he heard Dillon say before hearing Axel add, “Death is too good for you”.

“Then… what will you do to me?” the wolf asked still looking at his ears.

“This,” Shade responded as glow appearing around the wolfs head, as he wreathed in pain a burning sensation being felt on his head as both ears slowly regrew on his head, before magic covered his body holding him in place.

“W-What did you do?” the wolf asked in shock as he felt his ears twitch.

“Dillon and… you who I need to name,” Shade began to say pointing at the larger wolf, “time for part two.”

“No! No more I beg you! Don’t do that again!” the wolf screamed as he tried to move away but found his entire body frozen in place unable to move an inch.

The two immediately walk over to the wolf, Dillon crouching next to him and immediately biting down on his ear while the larger wolf hesitated slightly, “Im sorry” the wolf could hear him whisper before he felt him bite down on his other ear.

“Don’t! I’ll behave! I swear! Not again!” the wolf screamed tear running down his face, “I’ll be a good boy I swear!”

Dillon’s aggression was showing on his face as he bit down and that aggression caused the boy to bite the wolf’s ear off with much more quickly while in comparison the large wolf was much slower with it, tugging on the wolf’s ear until it was ripped the way Ziggy did it.

“Not again please stop this. No more… no more,” the wolf sobbed as he was released falling back to the floor again not even moving a inch from where he lay.

“Bring his ears back” they hear Axel say as they see him walk up to the wolf.

“Okay then,” Shade responds with a smirk as the wolfs ears reformed again.

“Stop this. I won’t do anything to harm or threaten you again. You have my word. Just don’t take my ears again,” the wolf quickly said opening sobbing.

“Oh I believe you this is just to get the message across” Axel replied before biting off the wolves first ear clean off, “You’ll follow Shade, you won’t do anything or say anything harmful to anyone here if you do you will lose the other one am I clear?”.

“Y-Yes. I understand,” the wolf responded in defeat as he lay on the ground sobbing.

Shade didn’t say a word as he looked at the sobbing wolf then towards Axel, “once we finish up here, I’d like a word with you in private.”

“Understood” Axel replied with a nod as he looked back down to the wolf no emotion could be seen on his face before he turned to the other bound wolves, “Any objections?”.

None of the remaining bound wolves looked to say a word or even respond before the smaller white wolf looked to the group, before speaking in a pained voice “they can’t respond… never been taught to speak in words. I speak for my pups.”

“Then are there any objections?,” Axel asked before saying, “if you do join they won’t be hurt any further,”.

“None from me… but request to Alpha,” the smaller wolf asked looking at Shade.

“What do you want to ask?”

“Permission… to bear… yours next,” the smaller wolf requested as the chains disappeared as she turned to the side showing her belly to the group that was slight distended.

The boys just looked to her with wide eyes as Dillon just looked to his hands thinking to himself, “Did I hurt a pregnant wolf?”.

“No. Did not harm. Stayed back behind group. Don’t worry.” the wolf calmly said before adding, “mutated to talk to mind over distance. Me and him linked.” she added pointing to the wolf that had his ears bitten off.

“What do you mean by linked?” Ziggy asked confused.

“Can speak over distance with eachother. Pass messages or orders eachother.” the wolf explained. “Can hear others thoughts if wish.”

“That's cool and kinda terrifying at the same time now that I think about it” Dillon commented before adding, “Please don’t read my mind”.

“Too late… Sorry.” the wolf responds her head lowered slightly.

“Don’t worry about it…” Dillon replied.

Shade then coughed to get the groups attention before saying, “would you all keep an eye on them for me while I speak with Axel alone.”

“Um sure,” Dillon responded while the others just nodded as Shade motioned Axel to follow him.

“Axel… bring him with you,” Shade requested gesturing to the sobbing wolf.

Axel had just nodded in response and gently picked up the wolf in his arms, and followed behind Shade.

Once they had left the room they walked back through the room they had been thrown into many of the figures in the cages around the room dropping to the floor, and placing their heads to the floor with their hands beside them the second they saw Shade pass them.

“Ok..” Axel commented as he looked to the cages with a brow raised before looking forward to see that Shade was ahead of him he picked up his pace to catch up a bit, “Why are they acting differently now, what changed?”.

“I don’t know,” Shade responded shaking his head before stopping looking at the cells around him.

The room was then filled with a single sound as they heard almost everyone shout in unison, “Please forgive us for our transgressions Lord Shade! We your humble servents wish to serve you for the rest of time!”

Shade paused before raising his voice, “Your prayers have been heard, you will have my response soon.”

“Yes Lord Shade!” the entire room shouted at once, looking up for a momment to look at Shade before lowering their heads again.

“Through here,” Shade calmly says pointing to a small room beside them as he walked towards it.

“Alright” Axel followed him into the room before moving his arm’s a bit to get a better grip of the wolf.

Once they were all the room what almost looked to be a wall dropped from the doorway sealing them inside, “Okay then. Earlier you said you wanted to know if I had anything to make you stronger correct?”

“Yes sir” Axel replied with a nod.

“Of then, first put him down for the moment,” Shade requested gesturing to the wolf in Axel’s arms.

Axel immediately put the wolf down to the floor and moved away from him, “What now?”.

“Show me the mark on your hands,” Shade requested.

“Ok” Axel did what he was told holding out his hands towards Shade.

Shade then placed his hands over the marks as a spark moved up Axel’s arms before moving back down his arms the marks on his hands now pulasating in a red light before Shade pulled his hands away. “Now I want you to try imagine magic flowing through them, then after try to do the opposite okay.”

Axel nodded before closing his eyes doing what Shade told him to do and after a moment he began to see it, one of the marks was constantly glowing and the other went completely black entirely, “What’s happening, what do I do now?”.

“Okay in simple terms I gave you access to a weaker version of my magic. Do you remember what I did to you when we first met?”

He immediately got flashes to what happened that night before responding, “Y-yeah I remember”.

“Please tell me what you remember of that meeting,” Shade requested.

“I couldn’t move but I felt you making changes to my body adding things and I could only watch in my head an-” Axel said before shaking his head.

“Correct.” Shade calmly said, before adding, “you are able to do the part you don’t remember. But do you remember what I did to Kai?”

“You changed him into someone completely different, different personality and changed memories” Axel replied.

“Correct,” Shade responded before looking back to the wolf on the ground whose eyes were wide as he was scratching at the door they had come in through. “And we have someone else who needs a blank slate and new start.”

“N-No I’m not going to do anything to harm you I swear,” the wolf responded as he began sweating nervously still clawing at the door frantically.

“Then why are you so nervous then?” Axel said to the wolf about to walk towards him.

“I-I’m not I swear,” the wolf responded as he felt magic surround him again dragging him away from the door. “No! No! No! Let me go! Let me go!”

“Your a bad lier pup,” Shade responded glaring at the wolf before he turned to Axel. “I can't be around to handle dangerous wolves who mean us harm and control them. I want you to take that job for the wolves we capture if attacked that remains a threat to us.”

“How would I do this job then, how do I use that ability you gave me?” Axel asked

“In simple terms. Think of yourself as a jail warden for the new section with the cells in when needed,” Shade stated before adding, “As for using the ability, make the mark on your hand glow like before and place it on the targets head. I’ll join you inside his mind to lead you through the process.”

“N-N-No… stay away from me! Don’t you dare touch me!” the wolf shouted.

Axel took a deep breath as the mark on his hand began to glow again walking towards the wolf reaching his arm out towards his head before placing it on the wolf's head and in the next moment he was somewhere else.

“Where am I?” Axel said to himself confused as he looked around finding himself in what looked to be a large room that looked to have photos of the wall each with a knife through them, while at the foot of each of them was a pile of bodies piled on top of eachother.

He walked towards one of the corpses and flipped it over, seeing that it was Dillon looking back at him his eyes and ears were missing and his mouth was open showing that his tongue was missing as well, Axel just looked at the body to see multiple gashes and holes on the body that were still dripping blood, before he looked away covering his mouth turning his attention to the image above them.

He grabbed onto it and looked at it intently for a moment looking through the image to find Dillon in the background leaning against a tree his face the exact same as the body next to him which caused his hands to shake, “What the fuck is this?” he whispered.

“This is the mind of that wolf. This is his current thoughts of what he wants and how he intends to do it,” Shade responds as he walks beside Axel. “My guess is that he intends to kill everyone in these piles leaving them as they look here after he’s done.”

The older boy just looked at the bodies for a moment his vision stuck on their wounds before he spoke, “What do I need to do to reform the disobedient pup?” his voice showing no emotion.

“Simple. Grab the version of him here and do what you desire. You can seal the current him here to suffer for the rest of his life as a prisoner in his own mind, or erase him completely like he never existed.”

“And where is the version of him in here?” Axel then asked.

“I would assume he’s nearby,” Shade responded as they heard a scream from nearby them.

Axel immediately began moving towards where the scream came from Shade not far behind and once they found the source they just saw him killing a version of Ziggy who looked to be choking on his own blood causing Axel to clench his fist.

“You..” Axel began snarling out as he began to walk toward the wolf.

The wolf stopped dead slowly turning his head as Axel saw that the wolf's face and claws were drenched in blood with the remains of two ears in his mouth, before his eyes focused on Axel a sadistic smirk on his face, “Oh look another toy to play with.” He then looked back to the figure infront of him before plunging its claws into the eyes of the figure pulling them out before placing it into its mouth.

“Oh, I'm going to be the only one that enjoys this…” Axel muttered venom in his voice.

“Oh, you’ll be next when I’m done here. Just sit tight,” the wolf responds before walking up beside the corpse and raising a leg as a yellow stream of liquid covers the body, as it looked at Axel with blank eyes which the liquid filled before dripping the floor around the body.

“I'm going to rip you apart piece by fucking piece” Axel blankly stated before rushing to the wolf bringing out his claws, the wolf seeming to not care about Axel’s presence as he continued abusing the body beneath him.

Once Axel closed the distance he immediately sent a hook to the side of the wolf’s body landing the hit causing the wolf to lurch over.

“Wait… you hit me… how?” the wolf responds confusion in his voice.

“Because I'm not one of the figments of your mind, I'm real” Axel coldly replied before grabbing the wolf by its head and slamming it into his knee as it recoiled backwards before bumping into Shade’s leg before Shade stamped down on its back holding it in place.

“How are you here?” the wolf responds with a pained tone in its voice as it tried to get free.

“Im here because im rooting around in this head of yours, to change some things for the better I was contemplating having you trapped in your own head as a punishment, but I think im just gonna erase you and replace it with something else entirely” Axel replied, the wolf looking at him in the eyes.

“E-Erase?” the wolf responded a fearful look on it's face.

“Is that not the easy way out for him?” Shade asks, “I mean I’m sure if you trap him you can do much worse in that state. I mean we could remove his legs, arms, ears, teeth and bind him in a small cage alone forced to watch the world go on without him for the rest of his days.”

“You make a good point” Axel replied, “What do you think pup?”.

“Get the hell away from me!” the wolf shouted terror in its eyes.

“I mean… you could do what he did to the bodies to his as well… just leave him alive, bound and conscious throughout after we take everything,” Shade added, as they saw the wolf belong Shade shake his head rapidly.

“You won’t miss your arm’s or leg’s since you won’t have a use for them,” Axel said to the wolf as he reached his arm towards its head as the wolf tried to recoil away but was pinned in place by Shade’s foot.

Once Axel placed his hand on the wolf’s head and in the next moment, one of his arm’s disappeared the wolf’s eyes widened as he began to wriggle around more.

“What did you do to me!” the wolf shouted looking at the void where his limb was his eye wide in fear.

“And that’s one, onto the other one,” Axel said before he made the other limb disappear.

“W-W-What the-” the wolf said eyes wide as it attempted to wriggle against the ground helplessly. “Where are my arms!”

“I took them away” Axel blankly replied to the wolf, “Now for the legs” he then added.

“W-Wait what do you mean! What are you doing to me!” the wolf shouted in fear still trying to get free.

“I giving you what you deserve nothing more nothing less” Axel responded as the wolf's left leg disappeared.

“W-W-What the-” the wolf responded before Shade took his foot off the wolf back as he tried to move his last remaining leg as he tried to stand only to fall back onto the floor. “N-N-No way what are you doing to me! Stay away!”

The wolf could see a smirk on Axel’s face who said “You know just because I find it funny I'm gonna leave you like that, what’s the face for pup don’t like being on the other end of it?”.

“Stay away from me!” the wolf screamed as he tried to crawl away from Axel and Shade his one arm barely able to move him, his eyes going wider as he tried to get away from them.

“You're not going anywhere” he heard Axel say before he was pulled back toward him and Shade.

“No No No! Stay away!” the wolf shouted.

“Why not take an eye, he seems to like tearing them out of people.” Shade suggested.

“D-Don’t do that!”

Axel just wordlessly just brought his hand to the wolf's face and vision in his left eye went dark.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” the wolf shouted as he began hyperventilating.

“Calm down pup I'm taking both” Axel said to him.

“Axel… leave him one. He needs to be able to watch the rest of his life which he won’t live after all,” Shade points out, “Although why not make his ears match the physical version of him.

Axel nodded before he placed his hand on the wolf’s ear for a second before it resembled how it does in the physical world.

“K-Kill me…. J-just kill me.” the wolf said still wriggling it’s one remaining limb.

“Death is too good for you” Axel immediately replied.

“W-what are you going to do to me?” the wolf asked trying to back up from them.

“I'm gonna have you be stuck here in this head of yours while the other you live’s the life you won’t be able to” Axel responded.

“At least I have the bodi-” the wold began to say before howling out its pain as Shade grabbed the wolf’s tail before dragging him out of the room towards the other one.

Once they entered the first room they found it to be void of the bodies and images from before as the wolf looked around in confusion as he saw a single screen infront of him. “Now to set you in for the rest of your life.” Shade states before the wolf slumped to the ground his limbs seeming to spread out.

“This isn’t that-” the wolf began to say trying to move its arm but finding it unable to move an inch. “B-bad… what did you do!”

“Set you in your new spot,” Shade responds before tapping Axel on his shoulder. “Now we leave him and do the rest outside. Unless you have anything else you want to do to him before we leave.”

Axel just crouched in in front of the wolf the smirk on his face returning, “Maybe after this. If you're on good behaviour I’ll give you your limbs back. But don’t get’s your hopes up though” Axel said tapping the back of his hand against the side of the wolves face before backing away.

“W-Wait! Where are you going!” the wolf shouts at Axel.

“Going back to the physical world” the wolf heard Axel reply before he saw him turn to Shade, “So is leaving the mindscape the same way going into it, or is it something else?”.

“For me I just think of a door to leave though and… well walk away.” Shade explains.

“Alright seem’s simple enough, I’ll try my best with the job you’ve given me” Axel replied to Shade as he held his arm up to the side a moment passing before a wooden door appeared.

“Wait! You can’t leave me like this!” the wolf screamed at them as he heard them speaking about leaving.

“We can actually, so see ya” Axel replied before he walked to the door and opened it giving the wolf a short wave before walking through.

“Don’t leave me like this! Come back! Please!” the wolf shouted as Shade turned away before disappearing, leaving the wolf alone, frozen in a single spot.

Once the two of them were out of the wolf mind they found themselves back in the room, the wolf stood in place staring towards with a blank look in his eyes drool running down his mouth to the floor.

Axel shook his head trying to get his composure back, “That’s definitely gonna take a bit to get used to” he said before looking down to the wolf.

“You won’t need to go into the mind of every wolf. You can do most things from the real world unless you want them to be aware of things still and be forced to watch everything,” Shade explained, “now as for the fun part. You just need to do the same again but this time imagine what you want to mentally change about him out loud, then order him to repeat back and for,
minor visual changes just think them and they’ll slowly happen.”

“Got it” Axel nodded before crouching in front of the wolf and placing his hand on his head again and saying, “We are not your enemy, were your friends your allies, you have known us for a long time, your my son and your name is Silas, you are a kind and determined soul, now repeat”.

“You are not my enemy, your my friends and allies I've known you all for a long time, Im your son, my name is Silas I am a kind and determined soul” Silas replied as Axel patted his head, “Good boy”.

“Ok now for the appearance,” Axel said before placing his hand back down the mark glowing again as the symbol appeared on the back of Silas’s head before some of the fur on his body turned to the same color as Axel’s dark brown hair keeping some of the white coat on Silas’s face legs and stomach.

“Alright Silas im gonna snap my finger and your gonna be waking up from a deep sleep am I understood?”.

“Yes…father..”Silas slowly replied.

“Good, now wake up Silas” Axel stated as he snapped his finger Silas closed his eyes, the room completely silent before Silas could be heard yawning as he opened his eyes to the first person he see’s being Axel, “Oh hey dad..”.

“Have a nice nap Silas?” Axel said to him with a smile.

Silas just nodded in response as he rubbed his eyes, “Yeah, when did we get in here?”.

“Me you and Shade were having a talk and you fell asleep” Axel replied with a smile.

“Oh sorry about that then dad” Silas said in a disappointed tone.

“Don’t worry about it Silas” he heard Axel say before he saw him talk to Shade.

“So what now?” Axel asked.

“Is their anything else you need to know first before we head back?” Shade asks, before kneeling down infront of Silas.

“More so in reference to the ability you said I wouldn’t have to go inside of one's mind all the time so how would I do it for the ones like that?” Axel replied.

“Simple, If you have no desire for the target to remain as they are and remain aware. The process is mostly the same but it’s easier if they are unconscious or their defences are down,” Shade responds, “but the way it works may be different for you than it was for me.”

“Fair enough,” Axel said with a nod before adding, “Alright let’s head back to the others” noticing that Silas was looking at Shade intently.

“Silas?” Axel said with a brow raised as he heard him speak to Shade, “Y-your Shade right?”.

“Yes I am. Are you sure your okay?” Shade asks looking at Sila’s curiously.

“Y-yeah just really tired, how long was I asleep?” Silas replied shaking his head slightly.

“Only for a few minutes your probably just drowsy bud,” Axel said to him.

Silas was silent for a moment before letting out a low yawn, “Oh…okay”.

“Try and stand up we need to head back to the others,” Axel said to the wolf who drowsily nodded to him before slowly standing himself up.

“Might be an idea for you to carry the sleepy pup,” Shade points out with a smile as he rubs Silas’s head.

Silas just rubbed into Shade’s hand for a moment before feeling Axel gently pick him up, “Comfortable?” he heard Axel ask as he just nodded into his shoulder, “Good, now let's head back” Axel stated as Shade opened up the door as they left the room.

Once they had left the room they made their ways back past the rows of cells all of the figures inside once again bowing her heads to the floor as they past until they reached the caves.

Upon entering they found that Dillon and Ziggy were asking the white wolf from before questions they seemed to get a bit more talkative while Axel and Shade were gone, and the larger wolf was just laying around on the floor behind them it seemed like he was resting his eyes.

“Seems like you lot are getting yourselves acquainted” Axel commented everyone looking towards him and Shade.

“Yeah after you and dad left we started asking her about how her mind reading works and after that we started talking about other stuff” Ziggy replied.

“Anything I should be aware of?” Shade asks looking at them curiously.

“The ability is very efficient even the most drawn back thoughts aren’t hard for her to read from what we’ve been told” Dillon admitted.

“But can’t stop voices… it’s very bad.” the wolf responds, “I hear everyone in other room. All thoughts on Alpha.”

“Yeah being unable to turn something like that off sounds stressful…” Dillon commented.

“Cult kept me isolated. Seperate from pups to use me often,” she responds again her voice calm as she walks towards Shade, before rubbing up against his leg. “But need name. Alpha provide?”

“You sure your happy for me to decide that for you?” Shade asked looking at the wolf getting a nod back from her.

“Yes Alpha. I want you to decide. I want to belong to Alpha.” the wolf responds again happily nuzzling his hand.

Shade paused for a second before rubbing the wolf head, “does the name Reina work for you?”

“Yes Alpha. Reina is good name,” the wolf responds with a nod,before adding “also, my pups. Also yours. Will need names. Can you when able?”

“Of course. I will when I am able to,” Shade responds as Reina didn’t say anything in response as she contently rubbed up against Shade’s hand her pups quickly sitting beside her.

Shade slowly looked around everyone before smiling, “I guess we better get you all out of here to somewhere more comfortable for you.”

“Yes Alpha,” Reina responded still rubbing up against him as they saw the pups nod in response to him.

“Hey dad, while you were gone Ziggy mentioned that I used some form of shield right?” Dillon said turning towards Ziggy to confirm Ziggy giving a nod in confirmation, “Yeah a shield and I used it while I was going crazy earlier and I think I remember how to use it,” Dillon said to Shade.

“Why does it make me worry it took you going crazy to remember things.” Shade responds with a shake of his head.

“No idea…” Dillon replied with a sigh.

“Technically that only happened because he hit the back of his head pretty hard surprised he doesn’t have a concussion” Ziggy commented.

“Anyway, I think it might be good for you all to get some fresh air. I just need to get some people from the other room,” Shade calmly responds as a set of stairs appear beside them leading upwards.

“I’ll go with you Logan will probably not move from that spot if im not there,” Ziggy said to Shade as Dillon looked to the stairs before walking up, “See ya in a little bit then” they hear Dillon say out loud as the others followed behind him.

“Follow me,” Shade responds as he walks back out the cave back towards the previous room passing the cages of monster who once again began bowing the second they saw him.

“Feels weird to see them do that after earlier…” Ziggy muttered as he attempted to keep his attention away from the monsters until they left the room.

“It’s just as bad for me having everyone bowing constantly,” Shade responds as they entered the next room finding Logan pacing around the room an anxious look on his face, “Logan were back” the wolf heard Ziggy say, turning towards him before running and jumping onto the boy in a hug.

“I missed you..” he could hear the wolf mumble into his shoulder before patting his head, “I missed you too bud,” Ziggy said smiling at the wolf as Shade walked to Gil and Hiryur, finding the boy who was unconscious before sitting up looking Hiryur with a confused look on his face.

“You all doing okay in here?” Shade asks looking at the group.

“Well he woke up,” Gil responds, “but he isn’t really saying anything.”

“To be fair we didn’t ask him anything,” Hiryur points out.

“W-Who am I?” the figure asked looking at Shade with a pained look on his face, “I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

“It’s a long story,” Shade replied calmly as he walks to the other side of the bed sitting beside the young boy. “But to make it quicker, you were asleep for a long time.”

“Explains why I’m not tired,” the figure responds with a nervous chuckle, “But still… do you know who I am… and why something about him looks familiar,” he adds pointing to Hiryur.

“Do you remember anything?”

“Well yes. A faint outline of a egg… bars blocking my vision, many long thin spikes poking me and lots of colours… but nothing close to who I am.” the figure responds his head falling into Shade’s lap. “Do I know him?”

“If I said you are close does it help?”

“No… I doesn’t,” the figures responds with a shake of his head. “Do you know what my name is?”

Hiryur pauses for a moment looking at the figure before he said, “Ace… that was a name you were called in the past.”

“Ace?” The figure responds tilting his head to the side slightly.

“Well… I believe they referred to you as that… maybe their ace in the hole sort of thing.” Hiryur added as he looked to the ceiling.

“Why would someone call me that?” Ace asked looking at Hiryur curiously.

“I have no idea… I don’t know what they did to you for you to become that,” Hiryur responds before looking back to Shade, “Still… is it safe to move him?”

“Well…. Can he walk?”

“I haven’t tried mr… umm,” Ace began to say before pausing in confusion.

“Oh thats Shade… and also my dad,” Hiryur responds calmly.

“S-Shade…” Ace began to say his voice shaking as his eyes widened as he looked to try and back away into the back of the bed. “Stay away! Don’t touch me!”

The group all looked towards Ace in confusion before they heard him say, “No more needles… please no more.”

“It’s ok Ace that isn’t gonna happen anymore,” Ziggy said in a gentle tone.

“I- I don’t believe you… s-s-stay away.” Ace responded his voice shaking.

“Ace… He won’t I can promise you that,” Hiryur responds as he grips Ace’s hand the young boy almost seeming to calm down in an instant, “he hates the people who did that to you more than anyone.”

“B-But he’s carries their name… isn’t he the one leading them,” Ace responds back trying to avoid looking at Shade.

“I would rather erase that group that have anything to do with them. Honestly… I would wipe that entire cult from the face of the planet if I could find them all,” Shade responds, “and honestly… I will when I find evem a single one of the places they are hiding at, I likely will.”

“B-But I thought you were-” Ace began to say before being cut off.

“I’m not their leader. I may be the person that some of their founders viewed as a god but I will never lead them as they are.”

“Well… he does capture, reform and set them to work if they are capable of it,” Hiryur points out, “but in those cases he makes sure they are being watched at all times.”

“Well their former head scientist anyway,” Shade adds with a shake of his head, “I make sure someone always keeps an eye on her.”

“Who are you talking about?” Ziggy asked with a raised brow.

“A rather annoying pony,” Hiryur responded clenching the hand not holding Ace’s into a fist, “And the one who did the tests done to everyone.”

“And the one who created most of the cults equipment,” Shade adds.

“Just hope you never need anything from her,” Hiryur responds gritting his teeth as the hand he had clenched into a fist turned into a long bladed sword.

“Noted, should probably not let Dillon near her then might try to kill her” Ziggy muttered.

“Just… not alone and don’t tell him she’s responsible for what you have seen down here… she only did some of it from what I know… others may have been involved,” Shade responds.

“Dad… can we all head above ground?” Hiryur asks looking at Shade.

“That was one of the reasons we came back in here,” Shade responds with a smile, “if Ace can walk that is… if not I can carry him.”

“I think I can,” Ace responds nervously as he climbed out of the bed before trying to stand up only to fall forwards as Gil catched him, “No… I don’t think I can.”

“I’ll help him,” Gil responds as he lifts Ace onto his back, as he wrapped his legs around Gils body and rested his arms over his shoulders..

“Are we leaving?” Logan asked Ziggy who just nodded towards him the boy picking him up and carrying him on his back.

“The stairs from before are back from where we came right?” Ziggy then asked Shade as he pointed back.

Shade simply smiles before placing his hand out as an archway forming beside them with stairs behind them leading upwards a few moments later, “Yes if you want a longer walk.”

“Nevermind then” Ziggy said with a chuckle as he and the group began to walk up the stairs with him and Logan in the back.