~Lucas~

Darkness. I glanced around, eyes darting to and fro. I'm here again, but something's different.

The stars glimmered even brighter, but they went unnoticed for my attention was taken by the smoke arising from the west. A temple was located there, and as I struggled to walk, the echoes of screaming people reverberated throughout my ears. Burning houses caught my attention, and I realized that this wasn't the original podium from my repetitive dreams anymore. This wasn't the world I've learned to live in, but something different—more sinister.

Instinctively—and as if on cue, my feet began running towards the direction of the temple. It was as if someone—or something—gained control of my body.

Streaks of iridescent red wafted around and clogged my airways, flitting their way through the blackness. The temple had a dull greyish glow, and the runic incantations seemed to come off the aged walls, calling out to me.

And mysteriously so... I understood.

'Here lies the room of prophecies, where the twelve signs slumber'

A clear puddle lay on the ground, and my heart suddenly went to a standstill when I saw a pair of vermilion-red irises staring back at me.

*****

"Hey, time to get up."

I forced my eyelids open after hearing Daiz's hushed voice, and glanced groggily at the wall clock.

12:58 am.

"You're early," I remarked as I rubbed my eyes and got up, just in time to see the door fluttering open with a small creak, and Leslie's head poking through. Small blond curls cascaded down his face—who happened to be three shades paler.

"D-do you have anything you want to bring along w-with you?" he stammered, opening the door a little wider. "Daiz can squeeze it in his backpack."

I shook my head in reply and only proceeded to grab a dark navy jacket inside the walk-in closet that the doctor had previously prepared for me. The entire room felt cold with two pillows, the unforgiving tiled floor, mahogany walk-in closet, and obviously, a blanket. A barred window sat adjacent to my bedroom, making me feel much more like a prisoner.

I tiptoed my way out and saw Daiz leaning against the wall, his backpack the size of a small hut situated itself beside him. "Yo," he began, saluting for a moment before the smile on his face faded into a grim-looking one. "Looks like we're heading off earlier than planned after all."

I shot him a questioning glance, and the latter simply pointed a thumb behind him, and as if on cue, Keina and Frederich appeared, expressions laced with urgency. When Frederich's eyes landed on mine, he quickly ran up to us, followed by the surprisingly timid Keina.

I crossed my arms in skepticism and raised an eyebrow. "What's going on here? Is this another trick or what?"

Daiz's worry faltered as he broke out into a guilty smile, and he scratched the side of his neck. "I think there's a lot we need to explain here, huh?"

I nodded in reply, and Leslie fidgeted before speaking up. "Lucas, you see... we've been looking for an opportunity to form a plan ever since day one—ever since Keina and Daiz first met. The plan to escape was concocted, but our main problem was that our every moves were monitored by the Nyx staff members, so we can't really talk that freely."

"Cameras were planted all over the place to keep those dudes updated on whatever stuff we do or say. That stupid wall clock on your room, brother Lucas? It's bugged too," Daiz began, biting his bottom lip so hard I nearly grimaced on his part. But what's worse was the fact that I actually thought the room was safe enough when it wasn't. Cold shivers ran down my spine, and my hair stood on ends. They were watching our every moves like a bunch of creeps, for crying out loud.

"There were cameras in the library and in the cafeteria as well—heck probably everywhere except for the bathroom. Guess they finally learned that there's such a thing called 'privacy'," he continued, and I almost sighed in relief.

"So that's why you were writing in codes," I mused, turning to Leslie. "And that's why the safest place to go was the bathroom, but you had to do it in a code since they'd suspect us if we go altogether."

"Yes. There was a unidirectional camera on the chandelier, so I couldn't get to you that freely, and when you questioned me, I kinda freaked out a bit. Glad you got the message though." The latter simply chuckled nervously.

"We disabled the security system and all the cameras as well," Keina added with a triumphant smirk. "Thanks to Frederich and his achievements in hacking. All hail to the mafia scion." Because of the praise, Frederich's chest puffed with pride as he raised the pair of glasses up his nose.

"It was quite the task, I must say. It's making the NASA look like amateurs." He grinned at Leslie mischievously before turning back. "I rewired the cameras by an hour, ranging from whatever happened on 11:00 - 12:00 am in an endless loop. If they'd look into the footage of Daiz's room now—in which they won't because Keina prepared an extra strong dose of sleeping meds—they'll only see him snoring peacefully while snuggling with his purple stuffed cat, Vee."

"Leave Vee out of this," Daiz spoke through gritted teeth, shooting evil glares at the four-eyed nerd.

The fog clouding my mind cleared up, and I grinned. "So all that cheerful attitude, that facade about liking this place, they were all—"

"Lies. All of them," Keina interjected. "We all want to return to our normal lives too. No one would want to be experimented on, duh."

"So you don't believe anything Doctor Apollo said?" I inquired, heart suddenly yammering with the urge to end this conversation and just sprint away. But the doctor claimed that he can cure me of Lucifer's curse. And ever since I got here, he's nowhere to be found. I needed some answers, because what I'm experiencing right now just crossed the boundaries of science and myth.

"Well, no," Leslie answered, shaking his head. "Personally, I think that guy's nuts."

"Then what about those abilities he stated that we have? Are all those fake too? That knowledge, sugar cube, super numb powers, the art of stealing?"

Keina stared into my eyes for a few seconds, standing still. "Well, that part I can vouch to be real. We're very much unique, Lucas. And our abilities are only growing. Those treatments the doctor told us that we need—they're making our talents blossom wider, broader, making us more... like us. Powerful descendants of an ancient cursed human-turned-to-demon."

"Though I don't really believe that we'll die if we don't get that stupid treatment." Daiz cut in, and I instantly regretted my earlier assumption that he's just a mindless, happy-go-lucky jock.

"Your theory?" I questioned, craning my head to the side. Daiz's gorgeous viridian green irises formed themselves into slits, and a cheeky grin filled with confidence entered his naturally white face.

"Isn't it obvious? Doctor Apollo's keeping us here because we're his key to those essences of the gods—the Deemos. A scientist must keep his specimens close, and of course, that means lying through his teeth just to get to us. Like the fact that we must stay here to get our treatments. He just wants us to get stronger so that he'll be able to prove that we're more superhuman than normal kids, and then we'll help him find all twelve Dragon balls. What happens next? Tata, children. Next stop: Nobel Prize."

His explanation left my jaw slack with surprise, but I shook my head in disapproval. "But what if he's telling the truth? We won't know for sure because the doctor never really made his intentions clear to us. What if we're really gonna die?"

Daiz turned to me, still chowing down on his bottom lip. I could sense impatience and anger—and also sadness inside of him for some reason—but I'll never dare forget what's my goal. Getting rid of my literal inner demon.

"Well, if we're gonna end up dying... then I'd rather do it by my family's side. At least—even in near death—I'll be able to stay with them." A visible sliver of pain slashed through Daiz's placid expression, and as he nodded at his three friends, I frowned even harder. He was right, and if I were to die soon, then I'd like to spend it with my dad.

"We don't have time to chat. We need to scram now," Frederich ordered in a stiff tone, grabbing me by the arm and briskly walking off, guiding us through the winding hallways. Keina and Leslie swiftly followed close behind, while Daiz's footfalls—though slightly heavy and forced—made no sound as he walked ahead of us.

I wondered how Keina managed to slip in those sleeping drugs while the cameras were still on, but those thoughts could wait. These maze-like hallways helped in making my headache worse, and Leslie anxiously looked back from time to time, I noticed that his hands were slightly shaking—probably from all the nervousness.

"Are you sure you didn't miss anyone?" I asked Keina, and she scoffed in return. "No. I made sure to give some extra dosage for the guards and for Hermes just in case."

"Yes but," I spoke hesitantly, and Frederich stared at me. Our quick and quiet pace continued, and Daiz still made no sound as he checked the intersections for extra precautionary measures.

"But I'm still worried about our treatments. What if we get an episode while we're still on our way home? No one will be able to help us."

"Nah, I'm supposed to get my treatment tonight you know," Leslie chimed in, still looking back from time to time. "Supposed to be hooked onto those machines from 9:30 pm until sunrise, but look at me; nothing's happening to my body at all. I'm perfectly fine and kicking." I ended up sighing in defeat and shrugged. "Okay fine. So what's your plan?"

We reached a narrow hallway in which contained a metallic grey door with a scanner. "Where's the security card that I stole from Doctor Apollo?" Keina questioned, turning to me. I stashed my hand inside my back pocket and handed it over. She smiled before inserting the card on the scanner, and another one popped out—a fingerprint scanner.

"Shoot, how're we gonna get past that?" I cried out, but the purple-eyed girl only smirked in response. "These things don't really scan your fingerprints, they only work on a specific set of binary codes—in which they translate." Keina's grin grew wider as she began rewiring the system and quickly typing in some binary numbers.

"I found out the binary code for Hermes's password, actually. All staff members of Nyx have this strange password and greeting that only applies to each one." A shrill beep rang out after Keina's explanation and a mechanical voice spoke up a greeting.

"Welcome, O mighty protector of all things fluffy and fierce."

"Was that Hermes's very own greeting?" Daiz blurted out unconsciously. "Weird dude."

The door opened with a soft hiss, and a slow gust of fresh air greeted my lungs. "Finally, we're out," I mused, sighing in satisfaction, but Leslie jabbed me on the ribs and shook his head nervously.

"Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of our worries. Frederich had a hard time disarming the wire filaments all over the jungle. As thin as spider webs, Lucas. They're supposed to be out the entire night in order to get their monthly repairs, but the task finished earlier than planned, so now they're up and running again—ready to fry anyone who crosses. It doesn't kill you, but you'd wish you were."

I swallowed the spit forming inside my mouth hesitantly, and my shoulders slumped back in disappointment. It looked like I was the only one without any prior knowledge about their plan.

Daiz crouched down, and Frederich signalled for us to follow as well. "Okay, here's our plan. There aren't any guards all over the place because the staff usually rely on their sensors and technology, but there are cameras that work individually all over the place, so we'll have to take them out. At the same time, Frederich will find the safest route to avoid the traps, so that we'll be able to get to shore. If we're extra lucky, there'll be a boat waiting for us." Daiz explained as he looked at me.

"And one of us has to disarm cameras located on the walls of each building," Frederich chimed in with a scowl.

I craned my head in reply. "And who's gonna do that?"

A sloppy grin formed itself on Daiz's face, just like a Cheshire cat. "Well, you must have some sort of ability, right?"

------------------------------------------------------

What will happen to their plan?

What do you think Lucas will do or say?

And what do you guys think about the actual plan of Daiz?

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