Fatal and Walker exit the vents and find themselves in a completely different part of the facility.
Fatal: When they said this place was a maze, they weren’t kidding.
Walker: No, they weren’t.
Awkward silence.
Fatal: Since when did you become so hard to talk to?
Walker: Probably around the time we stopped talking.
Fatal rolls her eyes.
Walker: I’m going to release Big Tank now.
Fatal: Oh, come on, before you do that, please tell me what’s happening with you? You spent years angry at Adrian for doing exactly what you’re doing now!
Walker: And just like Adrian, I’m doing it for an important reason.
Fatal: No, you’re not! You’re just trying to give yourself an excuse because you’re traumatized over everything that happened to the students last year. You thought it was your fault, so you ran away because you believed you were protecting them, but you actually put them in more danger.
Walker: I’ve heard this all before.
Fatal: So?
Walker: So, you’re wrong.
Fatal: No, I’m-
Walker opens the portal and lets Big Tank out.
Big Tank: Ah… alright, what’s going-
Big Tank notices Walker and Fatal look annoyed with each other.
Big Tank: Am I interrupting something?
Walker: No, let’s get going.
Walker continues down the hall. Big Tank turns to Fatal.
Big Tank: Are you-
Fatal: I’m fine!
Fatal follows Walker.
Big Tank: *sighs* (Great… I’m stuck with this now.) Hey?! Where are the two girls?!
Chagrin smiles as she approaches Wirths with the fan.
Wirths: Oh, so we’re going to play like that, huh?
Chagrin: Of course, isn’t castration the most humiliating thing that can happen to a man?
Wirths: It might, but not for me. My only goal is science. Endeavors in pleasure don’t interest me.
Chagrin: You’re so boring!
Wirths: Maybe, but I’ll tell you what I’m not.
Chagrin: Hm?
Wirths: A pushover.
Wirths speeds behind Chagrin and attempts to chop at her neck, but she blocks his attack.
Wirths: Huh?
Chagrin: You’re also predictable.
Chagrin throws Wirths over her shoulder, smashing him into the ground.
Wirths: You’re just as perceptive as your counterpart.
Chagrin: I’m better than her, that’s for certain.
Wirths laughs, then immediately leaps up and attempts to punch Chagrin. Instead, she dodges and pelts him with punches to his chest.
Wirths: *groans*
Chagrin: You may be smart, but you fight dumb.
Chagrin uppercuts Wirths, smashing him through his desk.
Wirths: (Perhaps I should have taken up the Queen’s suggestion to train for combat more.)
Chagrin creates a spiked whip and lassos it around Wirths’ neck.
Wirths: *choking*
Chagrin: It’s time for some fun!
Chagrin begins throwing Wirths against various objects in the lab, the ceiling, and the walls of the Soulvania.
Wirths: (She’s much more wicked than her other self, perhaps I should calm her down.)
Chagrin creates a spike strip on the ground and smashes Wirths’ back into it.
Wirths: *pained choking*
Chagrin: What was that about you not being a pushover? I can’t help but feel you were wrong about that!
Chagrin pulls on the whip, causing his neck and back spikes to dig deeper.
Wirths: *pained choking*
Chagrin: You wouldn’t have stood a chance against Saige, so against me, you’re nothing more than a punching bag!
Inside Saige’s mind, everything begins shaking momentarily.
Saige: (I guess he didn’t listen when I said not to let Chagrin out of her restraints. Psychic Constructs is originally Chagrin’s quirk, so she knows how to use it better than I do. That mad scientist doesn’t stand a chance against her.)
Saige looks around at the various memories.
Saige: (Just like I never did…)
A rift opens, allowing Saige to see everything Chagrin sees.
Saige: (Wh- why is he naked! And I’M NAKED! CHAGRIN!)
Saige falls to her knees in defeat; she starts crying.
Saige: (Why did I have to get stuck with her… Hayze has made peace with almost all of his personalities. And even though Khaos is similar to Chagrin, hatred is a lot easier for someone to suppress than shame. I guess I just got unlucky with her. I developed a more flirtatious and less modest personality, so I wouldn’t get embarrassed as easily. Then I trained my butt off to get as strong as possible. At U.A. West, nobody could touch my skills. I was lightyears ahead of everyone, including the third-years. That gap wasn’t as wide once I transferred to U.A. Main, but I was still far ahead of Justus and Silver. When you’re as strong as I was, you don’t need to prove anything to anybody, but that was just an excuse so that I didn’t have to risk being humiliated in a fight. Between lowering my modesty and avoiding fights, I essentially removed the main avenues for Chagrin to take hold of my mind. But she wasn’t gone. I still had insecurities and embarrassing memories that I could never eliminate. I ran from my problem, but I never solved it. It’s funny; I stopped being so much stronger than everyone else because I searched for Hayze all summer… because he ran from his problems. Maybe deep down… I knew both of us needed to stop running, but he did, and I didn’t.)
Chagrin releases the whip from Wirths’ neck, and he catches his breath.
Wirths: Why would you do that?
Chagrin: Because what’s the fun in killing you now?
Chagrin transforms the whip into a power drill.
Chagrin: It would be much more fun to make it hurt.
Wirths gets to his feet. He has massive and deep gashes in his lower back.
Wirths: You’re twisted. I like that.
Chagrin: I think I’ll start by drilling into the language center of your brain.
Wirths: And I think I’ll start by turning the tide of this battle.
Wirths runs over to a cabinet, grabs a syringe, and fills it with a chemical.
Chagrin: What are you up to?
Wirths: You said it was time for some fun?
Chagrin: Yes, my fun.
Wirths zooms next to Chagrin and injects the chemical into the forearm of her unbroken wrist.
Chagrin: Huh?!
Wirths: How is this for predictable?
Chagrin kicks Wirths back and lunges at him with the drill.
Chagrin: Enjoy your lobotomy- huh?
Chagrin’s forearm and hand go completely numb, and she drops the drill.
Chagrin: What the?! What did you do?!
Wirths holds up the chemical: it’s novocaine.
Chagrin: *grunts* What the hell? You just have that lying around?
Wirths: I know, I don’t use anesthesia on my patients often er… at all, but I like having it around, and it’s a good thing I do. Now one of your hands is broken while the other is numb.
Chagrin: I can still destroy you.
Wirths: Good point.
Wirths reveals the syringe and quickly injects it into Chagrin’s right ankle.
Chagrin: *frustrated grunt* This sensation is so strange! It feels like my hand and foot aren’t attached to my body!
Wirths reveals the syringe.
Wirths: Yes, numbness can be pretty difficult for a person to deal with, especially when it’s being injected into significant limbs.
Chagrin: Oh yeah? Well, it’s not difficult for me-
Chagrin loses her balance and starts to fall backward.
Wirths: Here, let me help break your fall.
Wirths speeds past Chagrin as she’s falling; she lands on her ass.
Chagrin: Ow- wait… why didn’t that hurt? D- did you just make my butt numb?
Wirths laughs at Chagrin.
Wirths: I thought it would be humorous! It was! Hahaha!
Chagrin blushes.
Chagrin: Shut up! I’m gonna make you pay for that!
Wirths notices Chagrin’s face.
Wirths: (Well, well, well…)
Justus wipes blood from his ears.
Justus: *under his breath* Dammit...
Terus: What’s wrong? Are you starting to regret being born? Because now you know how I feel!
Terus kicks Justus in the chest, knocking him down on his back.
Terus: I bet you thought his final speech before he died was about you, right?
Terus steps on Justus’ chest.
Terus: Well, all you are is a bastard and nothing else! Don’t ever think you can be anything more!
Justus: *pained grunt*
Terus pulls out one of her Mecha-Sonic pistols and aims it at Justus’ head.
Terus: Let’s see how many decibels it takes to liquefy a human brain.
Justus: Our Father… Was a great man… And don’t you ever say otherwise!
Justus smashes his fist against the ground with extreme force. As a result, the ground shakes, and Terus loses her balance.
Terus: Huh?!
Justus grabs Terus’ ankle and starts spinning her round and round.
Justus: Take this! Wheel of Justice!
Justus chucks Terus at the Soulvania wall at a high velocity.
Terus: I’m not going down that easy!
Terus pulls out her second pistol and rapidly fires sound blasts at the wall. Each one slows her down until she eventually comes to a safe landing against the wall.
Terus: *nasal grunt*
The sound waves from Terus’ barrage echo off the walls and strike Justus’ ears.
Justus: AHHHH!
Terus: Give up! You don’t stand a chance! Struggling will only bring you more pain!
Justus falls to his knees again.
Justus: (This echo chamber amplifies her attacks beyond Boom’s level! How can I combat this?!)
Terus: You like that, huh? Well, take this!
Terus fires two sound blasts at Justus. They send him flying back and sliding into the Soulvania wall. The vibrations painfully course through his body.
Justus: *groans*
Terus: The great Justus Grey, reduced to a fool against the terrible Terus Summers. How ironic. Our dear ole dad should have spent more time picking his favorite.
Justus gingerly gets back on his feet.
Justus: He probably would have liked your fighting spirit if he knew you existed.
Terus: *frustrated grunt* You don’t know when to stay down!
Justus: I’m sorry that our father put us in this world the way he did, but he’s gone now, and you don’t need to be burdened by him anymore.
Terus: That’s easy for you to say!
Justus: Huh?
Terus: My mom was a high school dropout that made money by dancing at a strip club! She could barely support herself, let alone a child!
Terus pauses.
Terus: But that didn’t stop him from knocking her up and never looking back. Our life sucked; we didn’t have anything. We lived in a crappy, rundown apartment. She tried to be a good mom, but it only lasted so long before the burden of being a single mother was too much, and she left me standing in a parking lot at 6 years old.
Justus: H- how could she do that?
Terus: Because she didn’t have a choice, that’s why! If I was her, I would have done the same thing! She was afraid to try and get child support from him because he was so influential and powerful. She was scared that… well, she’d disappear.
Justus: He was a hero; he wouldn’t have done something like that.
Terus: How was she supposed to know? He’s the one who left her as a teenage unwed mother.
Justus doesn’t have a response.
Terus: I was homeless or in foster care for the next 8 years. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that my daddy would show up and tell me he wanted me to be his sidekick, and my life would change for the better. It was a stupid dream, but I was a little girl, and I thought I was the greatest hero ever’s one and only child. You already know that he never came and rescued me; instead, my Queen had to do it. She took me in and gave me everything I could have wanted, a home, food, warmth, and a mother figure, but she could never give me the one thing I always needed, my dad. I spent the next year training to get stronger, helping the Queen set up her enterprise and prepare for when Colossus would finally come to get me.
Terus’ grip on her guns tightens.
Terus: But then you showed up! The rumors started circulating that there was a boy with an exact replica of Colossus’ quirk and that he was his son! I didn’t want to believe it, but when I saw how he looked when he gave you that gold medal during the Sports Festival, I knew. That was the look of a proud father. So, not only was I not his lone child, I WASN’T EVEN HIS FIRST! That’s when I started researching, and I discovered more of us. All with similar situations leading up to our birth, I wasn’t unique like I thought; I was just another bastard! He loved you and didn’t even know I existed! My life was terrible because of him, and HE NEVER CARED!
Terus is hyperventilating. Justus doesn’t know what to say.
Justus: (Father…)
Terus: So when you say he was a good man, remember that he may have saved plenty of lives but ruined his children’s lives.
Justus: I’m sorry…
Terus: For what?
“ Justus: Shut up, dad. I-
Colossus: Don’t call me that!
Justus is taken aback.
Colossus: I gave up my right to be your dad a long time ago; I don’t deserve to be called that. “ - Chapter 23
Justus: I once felt similarly to how you do; I despised him. He may not have known you existed, but at least it gave him an excuse for not being there for you growing up. I’m not saying I know your situation or exactly how you feel, but trust me, just because we rekindled our relationship in the last year of his life, doesn’t change the fact that he ignored me for the other 17 years. That being said, he didn’t take pride in how I came into this world, and the same would have also applied to you. If he knew about you, or any of his other kids, he would have treated you the same way he did me.
Terus: Yeah… right.
Justus: I’m not lying.
Terus: I’m not saying you are. I understand and agree with everything you’ve said.
Justus: Then- then why did you sound skeptical?
Terus: Because that doesn’t mean I have to like it!
Terus fires two more mecha-sonic bursts at Justus.
Justus: (I can’t let her keep pelting me with these attacks.)
Justus dodges the sonic blasts, but they collide with the wall, and the resulting sound waves pierce Justus’ ears.
Justus: AHHH!
Terus smiles.
Terus: (I got a little greedy by getting close to him. He doesn’t stand a chance against my ranged sound blasts, so I’ll just kill him from a distance to be safe.)
Justus’ ears bleed again.
Justus: (The echoes and reverb of his room make her attacks impossible to dodge. How the hell am I going to avoid them? Unless…)
Justus starts running at Terus.
Terus: *nasal grunt* Fool.
Terus fires two more sonic blasts at Justus.
Justus: (They don’t move at the speed of sound until after they burst.)
Justus slides underneath the sound blasts and continues his charge at Terus.
Justus: (So all I have to do is hit her before they reach the opposite wall.)
Terus: (Shit! He realized my weakness! Whatever, he can dodge them all!)
Terus begins rapid-fire shooting off sonic blasts.
Justus: (This might be my best chance at landing a blow, I can’t let her stop me!)
Justus dodges every sonic blast en route to Terus.
Terus: (No!)
Justus reaches Terus and winds back a punch.
Justus: Hammer of Justice!
Terus: No chance!
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Terus blocks with Justus’ shield, absorbing the attack.
Terus: Outshined by your own shield!
Justus: That’s what I was hoping for.
The thrusters on Justus’ boots power on just as the sonic bursts begin impacting the Soulvania wall.
Justus: Justice Breaker!
Justus rocket kicks Terus in the chest, instantly breaking most of her lower ribs and causing her to puke out blood.
Terus: AHH!
Justus grabs his shield and leaps back as the soundwaves pierce his ear.
Justus: AHH!
Terus sits up against the Soulvania wall as Justus is brought to his knees again.
Terus: You… You tricked me!
Justus: Maybe I did.
Terus: *frustrated grunt*
Terus fires two sonic bursts at Justus, sending him flying back.
Justus: *groans*
Terus slowly gets to her feet.
Terus: (I won’t let him beat me… I WON’T!)
Alexis and Ash’s chambers continue to fill with water.
Alexis: (We’re running out of time here, we’ve gotta figure out something, or else it’s over for us.)
Alexis looks up at the grate.
Alexis: (I know I’m slim, but there’s no way I fit through those bars, and I can’t imagine anyone will find us soon, so the only other option is stopping the water.)
Alexis looks down at the water.
Alexis: (The only thing I’ve got to work with is my underwear, and I’m pretty sure fabric isn’t stopping running water.)
Alexis’ eyes widen.
Alexis: (That’s it!)
Alexis pulls on the back of her panties and rips off the paper tag.
Alexis: (It’s small, but it’s all I’ve got.) Ash! Does your underwear have a tag?
Ash: Uh… yeah? I think so. Why?
Alexis: It should be made out of polyester paper; I can use that!
Ash: Oh, okay!
Ash rips the tag off her underwear.
Ash: What are you going to do with them?
Alexis: I’m not sure, but at least it’s something.
Ash: Maybe there’s something up top we could use?
Alexis: I wouldn’t know without being able to see up there, and I’d have to be drowning to do that.
Ash: Let me give it a look.
Alexis: But Ash! You’ll drown if you go astral!
Ash: Not if you keep my head above the water!
Alexis: I see!
Alexis levitates both tags and places them like rings on Ash’s middle fingers. She then hoists Ash’s body out of the water.
Alexis: *struggling* How’s that?
Ash: Good, I’m going astral now.
Ash’s astral form leaves her body and ascends upward and out of the chamber. She looks around and sees that their room is filled with dozens of these water cages.
Ash: (Great… this is their dungeon.)
Ash looks down at the grates and sees there is a keyhole to open them.
Ash: (Okay, now where is the key.)
Ash notices two grunts standing outside the doors. She phases through and inspects them; one has a key.
Ash: (Yes!)
Ash takes over the grunt with the key’s body.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Hey, should we check on the prisoners?
Grunt 2: Uh… no? The Queen said not to go in there, remember?
Grunt 1 (Ash): Oh, sorry, my bad.
Grunt 2: Okay… (weirdo.)
Grunt 2’s walky-talky goes off.
Ivy: *walky-talky* This is Ivy to the Dungeon guards.
Grunt 2: *into W-T* We have names, you know?
Ivy: *walky-talky* The astral girl is unconscious; we think she’s trying something.
Grunt 2: Like what?
Grunt 2’s eyes widen, he turns to look at Grunt 1, but Ash knocks him out by bashing him in the head with his gun.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Sorry…
Ash picks up the walky-talky.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Alright, we’ll check it out.
Ivy: *walky-talky* Good, don’t dawdle.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Okay, now I just need to get in there and unlock the cages-
Ash tries to enter the dungeon, but the door has a code lock.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Ah crap…
Paul continues his barrage of punches and kicks on Hayze.
Hayze: *groans*
Paul: I heard you went and got yourself some new powers after you got me put behind bars. Too bad you can’t use ‘em against me!
Hayze: *grunts* Yeah…
Hayze slowly gets to his feet as his bruises and cuts heal.
Paul: Oh, that’s right, you have this stupid little healing ability. It was so useful to you back then, so I’m sure it will be just as helpful now.
Hayze: Listen.
Paul: Huh?
Hayze: You want to kill me, right?
Paul: Ha, of course!
Hayze: I’ll gladly let you do it if you let me stop your friend from attacking Blair.
Paul laughs hard.
Paul: I just spent the last five minutes beating the shit out of you, and you think you have the grounds to negotiate? You’re a fucking fool.
Hayze: *frustrated grunt*
Paul: You couldn’t just let me get that robbery done quickly; you just had to be the HERO?! Didn’t you?! Well, guess what? I got 15 years because of you, and I’m gonna make you pay for each and every single one of ‘em!
Hayze: You know what’s funny?
Paul: What!
Hayze: That was the most important day of my life, and I haven’t thought about you once since then.
Paul: Why, you little!
Paul charges at Hayze and tries to punch him, but Hayze moves out of the way last second.
Paul: *frustrated grunt*
Hayze: You’re nothing more than a glorified grunt.
Paul: Are you calling me weak?
Hayze: And generic.
Paul: I’m gonna enjoy beating the life out of you!
Chad looks over Blair’s stunned body.
Chad: My, you are so beautiful.
Blair: Stay away from me!
Blair punches Chad in the face and knocks him back; she slowly starts to get up.
Blair: You are fucking degenerate piece of trash!
Chad: Honey, please, save the fighting for when we’re married.
Blair: What the hell part of no aren’t you understanding?!
Chad: Oh, I understand you’re upset, but once we’re all done, you’ll be the perfect wife.
Blair: Wh- what’s that supposed to mean?
Chad: Blair, you can even admit that your personality is a little… undesirable.
Blair: Shut up!
Chad: See? So, I’m just going to make some “modifications.”
Chad reaches into his bag and pulls out a power drill.
Blair: What… the.. Fuck is wrong with you?
Chad: What could you possibly mean, Blair?
Blair: How could you say you love me when you’re saying you want to lobotomize me! That’s just fucked up on every level!
Chad: Blair, when you disfigured my looks, you made me a better version of myself. I should do the same for you. Your personality is addictive, obsessive, and brash, so I must improve you.
Blair stares at Chad with terror in her eyes.
Blair: I’m sorry.
Chad: Hm? For what?
Blair: It’s clear that what I did to you messed with your mind. I should have never done it… you hurt me badly, but I was the one in the wrong.
Chad: No, you were right. I’m better, and soon you’ll be too.
Blair gulps.
Blair: Look… maybe we can make a deal here.
Chad: Oh really?
Blair: I’ll agree to m- marry you if you force your friend to spare Hayze, Alexis, and Ash’s lives. Anything you want to do to me is fair game. Just leave them out of this!
Chad looks at Hayze.
Chad: No.
Chad tases Blair again.
Blair: ahfdalsfhasjfhasdlfhasdfjahsdklh.
Chad: He has to die.
Blair: Wh- why? You already said you’d make me forget about him…
Chad: Because he took my girl, and I want him dead for it.
Blair: *frustrated grunt* I’LL NEVER LOVE YOU!
Chad revs the drill.
Chad: I know, but if this version of Blair Maddox won’t love me, I’ll make one that does.
Blair: I HATE YOU!
Chad: And we’re going to fix that. Just like you fixed me.
Chad grabs handcuffs from his bag and cuffs Blair’s wrists and ankles.
Blair: *frustrated grunt*
Chad: Now, I can finally return the favor after all these years.
Chad pulls out a blow torch and starts heating the branding stick. Hayze notices what’s going on.
Hayze: Hey!
Hayze starts running towards them, but Paul punches him in the jaw, knocking him to the floor.
Hayze: *groans*
Paul gets on top of Hayze and bends his arm behind his back.
Paul: I can’t say I agree with what the little freak is doing, but it looks like it’s pissing you off, so you’re gonna sit here and watch it happen.
Hayze: I’m gonna kill you!
Paul: Those are some funny last words.
Paul shoves Hayze’s face into the ground.
Hayze: Blair…
Blair looks over at Hayze.
Blair: Hayze…
Chad finishes heating the branding stick.
Scarlett: (This is it, Hayze. This is the moment that you must make your choice. Will you watch and allow your girlfriend’s body and brain to be violated by my subordinate? Or will you save her from the agonizing pain by using Soulvania?)
Hayze: (I… I won’t!)
Scarlett: (Really? Hm… I guess we’ll see if your attitude changes when you hear her screams as her flesh sears.)
Hayze: (I… I…)
Scarlett: (This is it, Hayze, make your choice.)
Chad approaches Blair.
Chad: Now listen, sweety, this will hurt A LOT. Trust me, I know.
Blair: Fuck. You.
Chad slowly lowers the branding stick.
Hayze: (If I bring him into a Soulvania… I’ll be doing exactly what she wants. I’ll be stooping down to their level.)
“ Eve: You’re selfish, you’re a liar, you’re arrogant, you’re dangerous, and you’re not welcome here. You talk about being the hero who saves everyone and becoming the next greatest hero ever. But, from everything I’ve seen, you’re a villain. “ - Chapter 111
Hayze: (But…)
A ring of shadows appears around Hayze, circling him.
Hayze: (I’LL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE BLAIR!)
Paul: Uh… what the hell?
Hayze begins laughing menacingly.
Chad: Huh?
Chad stops.
Khaos: Hayze may not be strong enough. But I sure am!
The whites of Hayze’s eyes have changed to black, and his irises are now white.
Paul: What the hell?
Khaos raises his hand, and black fog emits from it.
Paul and Chad: A Soulvania?!
The Soulvania begins to form, knocking Paul off Khaos and flying into the room’s wall. The Soulvania also ejects Blair and takes shape around Khaos and Chad.
Chad: Wh- Blair, my love!
Khaos laughs menacingly as he stands up.
Khaos: I wouldn’t be worried about her right now.
Scarlett smiles while watching from the monitors.
Scarlett: (I got him to use my Soulvania, and I get to drown his friends? Talk about a buy-one-get-one-free sale.)
Scarlett clicks a button, and the water inside Alexis and Ash’s chambers fills faster.
Alexis: Ah! What the hell!
Ash hears Alexis’ muffled screams.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Shit!
Ash begins randomly punching in combinations on the keypad.
Grunt 1 (Ash): Please! Please! Please!
Blair looks at the monitors displaying Ash and Alexis.
Blair: Hayze! What are you doing! Now Alexis and Ash are going to drown!
Khaos: Hayze isn’t here right now.
Blair: K- Khaos!
Khaos: Everything’s under control now, hot stuff.
Blair notices Khaos and Chad are in the Soulvania.
Blair: Wh- wait a second! He’s mine! Why did you take him!
Khaos: That’s unimportant.
Blair: No, it isn’t! He’s my responsibility! Chad is the way he is because of me! I should be the one to put him down.
Khaos: *groans* You’re annoying me, you know that?
Paul gets back up and notices the situation.
Paul: Hey! He’s mine! What the hell are you doing?!
Chad: I didn’t do this! He did!
Khaos: You’re right, and I’m gonna make this painful.
Paul: *frustrated grunt* Damn you!
Blair looks down.
Blair: But… I… I should be the one to fight Chad.
Khaos: No, you’re not.
Blair: Wh- why?
Khaos: *sighs* I’m just gonna let him tell you.
Khaos’ eyes revert to normal.
Blair: Hayze?
Hayze: Blair, I’m sorry I didn’t do something sooner. I just couldn’t stand the thought of using this Soulvania thing myself.
Blair: You shouldn’t have! It was my fight!
Hayze: I know, but I couldn’t stand letting you get hurt like that, so we’re ending this.
Blair: But… I should fight my own battles.
Hayze: And so should I, but look who’s left.
Blair looks at Paul.
Hayze: You said you should be the one to kill Chad because of what you did to him.
Blair: I hate to admit it, but what he did to me was probably one of the most shaping moments of my life… defeating him would be like dispelling some demons once and for all.
Hayze: Yeah? That guy was the man I fought the night Dr. Moore gave me the Quirk Serum. Losing to him was maybe the single most crucial moment of my life. Killing him would be like dispelling my demons before I could be a hero.
Blair: Really?
Hayze: Yeah, so while I protect you.
Blair: I protect you.
Hayze: Exactly.
Blair: Alright, that works for me.
Blair uses her lava to burn her way out of the handcuffs.
Blair: What about Alexis and Ash? They only have a few minutes left to live.
Hayze: The Vampire Queen told me that if we defeat her two goons, she’ll stop the water and tell us where they are.
Blair: I see... So we just have to kill them in about 3 minutes, right?
Hayze: Yup, and then we hope she’s a woman of her word.
Blair: I guess there’s no turning back now.
Khaos’ eyes return.
Khaos: No, there isn’t.
Paul runs over to Blair and holds his hand in the air.
Paul: If I can’t kill him, I will take out his girlfriend instead!
Chad: No, don’t!
Paul creates another Soulvania around himself and Blair. The two Soulvanias push up against each other and form an 8.
Blair: You have no idea what kind of pain you just inflicted upon yourself.
Blair approaches Paul.
Paul: Bring it, girly!
Scarlett watches with a smile on her face.
Scarlett: (I guess Hayze found a loophole in my plan. It’s alright, there’s no way they’ll kill Chad AND Paul in three minutes.)
Khaos conjures his executioner’s blade from the shadows.
Khaos: Tell me, Chuck, what’s your favorite limb?
Chad: I understand you wanted to protect your girlfriend, but Blair is mine, and I’m unwilling to share.
Chad pulls out his drill and stun gun.
Chad: On the bright side, now I can kill my competition myself!
Chad fires the taser at Khaos.
Khaos: Shadow Sneak!
Khaos sinks into his shadow.
Chad: Wh- what?
Khaos appears behind Chad.
Khaos: Right arm it is, then.
Khaos slices Chad’s right arm clean off.
Chad: AHHHHHHHHH!
Chad falls to his knees with pure terror on his face.
Khaos: Now, tell me, what’s your new favorite limb?
Chad starts crawling away from Khaos.
Chad: Stay away from me, you monster!
Khaos grabs Chad’s ankle and drags him closer.
Khaos: Left arm? If you say so.
Chad: NOOO!
Khaos chops Chad’s left arm off.
Chad: AHHHHHHHH! HELP ME! SOMEONE PLEASE!
Khaos laughs menacingly.
Khaos: You know what, it’s time I finally got a look at this branding of yours.
Chad: No! Please!
Khaos rips off Chad’s face mask revealing the gross disgusting mess of a branding.
Chad: Don’t look at me!
Khaos: Hahaha! You don’t have any arms to cover up your shame, but you made it sound like you were happy you got this mark?
Chad: That doesn’t mean I want people looking at it! I’m hideous!
Khaos: Huh… What's your name again?
Chad: Ch- ch- ch- Chad…
Khaos slices both of Chad’s legs off.
Chad: AHHHHHHHHHH!
Khaos: It’s Matt now.
Chad: AHHHH! PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP ME!
Khaos: Quit screaming, or your dick is next.
Chad stops screaming and looks at Khaos with tears and fear.
Chad: You’re a fucking monster…
Khaos: I’m a monster? You’re the one who killed three girls because you were obsessed with the same initials carved into your face as a young boy. You fetishized and stalked Blair, creeping in on her private moments. You planned to lobotomize and brand her to suit your desires. You aren’t even human.
Chad: Pl- pl- pl- please, spare me! I’ll- I’ll leave her alone! She’ll never see me again!
Khaos: You’re right… she won’t.
Khaos notices the blow torch and branding stick on the ground.
Khaos: So, let me acquaint you with the rules of Khaos.
Chad: Wh- what?
Blair and Paul face off.
Paul: Well, aren’t you cute? Your boyfriend was a pretty big pushover, so I assume you’re the one who wears the pants in the relationship.
Blair stares at Paul with a stern expression.
Paul: What? You don’t have a sense of humor?
Blair: I saw what you were doing to him.
Paul: Huh?
Blair: When he died recently, a piece of me went with him.
Paul: What are you talking about?
Blair: So now whenever I see him in pain, I feel a thousand times worse.
Blair cracks her knuckles.
Blair: I’m gonna make you pay for every punch and kick.
Paul: Hahaha! Well, there were a lot of them, girly, so I-
Blair: Laval Lambasting!
Blair fires a stream of lava that catches Paul off guard. It hits his knee and incinerates his leg clean off.
Paul: AHHHH!
Paul falls over; his leg wound is already seared shut by the molten lava.
Paul: What the hell!
Blair: Funny, I didn’t know my lava could get hot.
Paul looks and sees the residual lava melting through the floor; he gets a terrified look on his face.
Paul: Look, girly, I didn’t mean to attack your boyfriend! I- I- I was just following orders! I promise I’ll stop! Just please, don’t kill me!
Blair creates a cannon from her magma armor and points it at Paul.
Paul: Please! Please No!
Blair: Here’s a lesson: don’t fuck with a girl with anger issues.
Paul: PLEASE, NO!
Blair: Molten Core Meltdown!
Blair fires a lava blast at Paul that melts his body and kills him instantly.
Blair: Good riddance.
Khaos starts heating up the branding stick with the blow torch.
Chad: Pl- pl- please, have mercy!
Khaos laughs as he tosses the blowtorch aside and approaches Chad.
Khaos: First Rule of Khaos: Khaos shows no mercy!
Chad tries to crawl away, but Khaos steps on his chest to hold him in place.
Chad: *whimpers*
Khaos: Second Rule of Khaos: Whenever Khaos appears, someone must die!
Chad pisses himself.
Chad: HELP ME!
Khaos: So why don’t you OBEY THE RULES!
Khaos jams the branding stick into Chad’s forehead.
Chad: AHHHHHHHH!
The stick slowly burns through Chad’s skull and digs into his brain, killing him.
Khaos: Ah… it feels good to be free.
Both Soulvanias disappear. Scarlett has a shocked look on her face.
Scarlett: Perhaps I… underestimated them.
Khaos looks over at Blair.
Khaos: (I’ll be nice… for now.)
Khaos ceases his control. Hayze looks at Chad’s disfigured corpse.
Hayze: (Good…)
Blair: Hayze!
Hayze: Blair!
Hayze and Blair run to each other and embrace.
Blair: Are you alright?
Hayze: Yeah, what about you?
Blair: I’m fine. This was… creepy and-
Hayze: I don’t want you to ever think about him again.
Blair smiles.
Blair: Okay, I won’t.
Hayze: Yeah, and thank y-
Hayze sees Paul’s melted corpse. Blair spots Chad’s disfigured corpse.
Hayze: Let's both work on our anger a bit.
Blair: Yeah… that’s probably for the best.
Hayze looks at the monitors with Alexis and Ash on them. They’re both pressed up against their grates.
Hayze: (Alright, Scarlett, we defeated them, so stop the water.)
Scarlett slams her fist against the table.
Scarlett: (A deal is a deal.)
Scarlett deactivates the water.
Alexis: Huh?
Ash: It- it stopped!
Hayze and Blair breathe a sigh of relief. A door opens to the right of them.
Scarlett: (If you exit that door and take a left, you’ll reach a door with two guards in front of it within the next few minutes.)
Hayze: (Thank you for keeping your word.)
Scarlett doesn’t respond.
Hayze: Come on, let’s go save Alexis and Ash.
Blair: Right.
Scarlett watches Hayze and Blair leave the room.
Scarlett: Well, that endeavor could have gone better, but no matter, I still have plenty of lines in the water.
Silver and Sydney continue down their hallway when Silver suddenly stops.
Silver: Do you hear that?
Sydney: The sound of your voice? Yes, and I could go without it.
Silver: Not that… listen closely.
Sydney stops and listens. They can hear the faint sound of water dripping.
Sydney: Water?
Silver: Did you use your quirk anywhere?
Sydney: No…