Hundred yanked her sword back, and Ten promptly collapsed. 404 just stared, astonished.

“…1225, are you alright?” Hundred asked.

1225 gingerly turned her head. “I’m okay…it’s just my shoulder. And maybe my neck…Hundred, what did you just do??”

“She’s not dead. And we probably don’t have much time before she retaliates,” Hundred turned to 404. “Is there a way to get the generator out of here?”

“N-not the whole thing,” 404 replied. “But I think you can move the core. Most of the machinery is just to sustain and amplify the core’s energy over our sector. If you remove the core, we should still be alright…we just won’t be able to leave the premises.”

“And if the core is destroyed…?”

“Then it’s all over.”

“Alright,” said Hundred. “Show me how to remove it.”

+++

A few minutes later, the three Phaetons were running down the main hall, towards the front entrance. 404 was carrying the generator core.

“…So what made you switch sides?” 404 asked. “Or were you planning to betray Ten from the start?”

“I didn’t know at first. But when she started talking genocide, I made my decision.”

“Genocide??”

“Ten does want to give “life” to the Phaetons. But she also wants to keep it from the Living Ones. Not only that: she wants to make them our slaves, and sacrifice them to the Exhaust to make more “life” for us.”

“Like a role reversal…” said 1225.

“That’s horrible! I knew she couldn’t be trusted, but she’s even worse than I imagined!” cried 404. “And to think, Fifteen and 86 were ready to turn on me!”

“I can’t speak for 86, but I was never going to turn on you.”

Fifteen opened the double doors before them. “I just wanted to hear what everyone had to say,” she continued. “I think I’ve heard enough now.”

“Fifteen! What happened out there?” 1225 asked.

“Look for yourself.”

The Phaetons stepped outside.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The sky was pitch black. Not a single ray of sunlight shone through the dome of Exhaust. If not for the streetlamps lining the walkways, no one would have been able to see anything.

Additionally, the space was eerily quiet and desolate. The crowds were gone, and the screaming had stopped altogether.

“Everyone’s gathered on the field. They’re scared, but no one’s been attacked yet. I had the Phaetons form up around the Living Ones just in case,” Fifteen explained. “Right now we’re just trying to keep everyone calm while we figure out what to do.”

“I’ll tell you what you can do…DIE! Starting with you, Hundred, you backstabbing TRAITOR!”

Firewheels exploded out of the double doors. The onslaught was more furious than anything the Phaetons had faced before. They could do nothing but stand with their swords braced against the attack.

“Get the generator into the crowds! It’ll be safe there! I’ll handle Ten!” Hundred shouted over the noise.

“TEN is doing this?!” 404 exclaimed.

“I’ll explain later! Just get out of here!”

The two captains retreated with 404 as quickly as they could, leaving Hundred alone to face Ten’s wrath.

+++

“The dispersion, I think, is really the best the Exhaust has to offer.”

Hundred was hit from the side.

“You’ve got projectiles coming at a Phaeton from all sides, unexpectedly out of the darkness...”

Hundred was hit across the face. She heard solvent splatter the floor.

“The violence, fear, and chaos are all maxed out; it’s so…spectacular. I really think most Phaetons would rather face the core being than the firewheels.”

Firewheels ran over her limbs, burning and crushing them all at once. Hundred was finally forced to let go of her sword.

Ten picked it up. “Oh, Hundred…I guess we weren’t meant to be after all. I can accept it…but you have no idea how angry I am that you betrayed me. Really, you don’t.”

She snapped the sword over her knee.

Then she grabbed Hundred’s hair, pulling her head back. “The moment I saw you, I felt like this world wasn’t big enough for the both of us. I passed it off as jealousy, as something I shouldn’t have felt. But now I know I should have trusted that feeling. So, let’s come up with a plan to take you out of this world, shall we?”

She held a finger to her lips, musing. “They say less is more, so…maybe I’ll just stab you to death. With this half of your own sword. It would be so painful~. And you know, you’d probably be the first Phaeton to die in such a brutal, intentional way. You’ll go out with honors!

“And then…I think I’ll resurrect you as one of my puppets. Like 911! I had to reorganize her mind a bit while she was being Revitalized, just to get rid of those pesky ideas about helping 404. And I think I could do a similar thing to you. Just, maybe, instead of reorganizing your mind, I think I’ll erase it—”

“W-we’re all…waiting for you!”

Ten turned around. The darkness subsided, just enough to let the facility lights illuminate the form of a lone Medic Phaeton.

She nervously twisted a red braid around her finger. “Ten, we…everyone gathered on the field is eager to hear your words!”

Ten stood up and began walking towards the Phaeton. She jumped, but continued to speak.

“Y-you’ve been o-our only source of wisdom, all this time,” she went on. “Today we’re surrounded by the forces of death, and we don’t know where else to turn for answers. P-please…prophesy to us!”

She fell to the floor, bowing down to Ten.

“…You have a point. With the Exhaust here, there’s no reason not to begin. Revenge can wait; I have a revolution to ignite,” Ten muttered.

She grabbed the Phaeton by the arm and flung her towards Hundred’s broken body. “You’re a Medic, right? Keep the heretic warm for me. When I come back, she’ll be executed.”

With that, Ten left. The darkness continued to subside, until the solvent-stained walls of the main hall became visible.

Hundred turned to look at the face of her savior. A pale 112 was printed on its left side.

“…Everything’s going to be okay. I’m here to help you,” 112 whispered.

Hundred closed her eyes.