Chapter 14: The city

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The city

Angel paused.

His Golden eyes then scanned Morgan from head to toe.

"...Strange."

*FWOOSH*

One flap of his wings and he was in front of Morgan. Instantly.

"Do... I know you, boy?"

Morgan didn’t answer. He threw both hands forward.

Green lightning erupted.

*BAAM!!!*

Angel didn’t even move. He flicked one wing and the attack split apart.

The stray blast carved a hole clean through the mountain behind him.

"Wai... You’re the son of that wimp. Liues Martel... or am I wrong?"

"Noo!!"

*FIUUU*

A single feather shot from his wing like a spear.

*SHUNK*

It impaled El through the shoulder and pinned him to a tree.

Angel didn’t even glance at him. His eyes never left Morgan.

"Don... don’t touch him!"

Liues stood up, bloodied and bruised, putting herself between them.

Angel tilted his head. Then smiled. Pleasantly.

"Mrs. Liues. I barely recognize you under all that dirt and blood. What are you doing out here?"

"You... monster!"

"Oh, don’t be like that." He waved a hand. "Your husband was a monster too. So this is your son, huh?"

His gaze shifted to Morgan. "How did he become a Calamity? What did he do?"

Liues said nothing. She just stared at him, venom in her eyes.

Angel sighed. Then snapped his fingers.

The golden Realm warped. Then Collapsed.

And just like that, they were back in the woods.

But it was dark now. The moon was high. And from the trees, things were starting to crawl.

"Take them to the capital."

Angel didn’t look back. He began floating toward the distant city lights.

From the treeline, a man stepped out. Tired eyes. Cigar in his mouth. Hands in his pockets.

"Doppelganger."

The man exhaled smoke. "We done?"

"Yes. Pick them up. We’re going to the city."

The man flicked his wrist.

Two more versions of him peeled out of his shadow and walked toward the prisoners.

"Don’t touch me!!"

Morgan’s eyes flared. Green lightning crackled at his fingertips—

A notification popped in front of his face:

`[Insufficient Mana Points]`

`[Failed To Use Power]`

"What— now of all times?!"

The doppelganger ignored him. It grabbed Morgan and slung him over its shoulder like a sack.

The others did the same with Liues, El, and Juda.

They walked.

For hours. Through the dark.

Angel floated ahead, silent, wings barely moving.

---

They didn’t go through the capital gates.

Instead, the doppelgangers dragged them into the tunnels beneath the city.

An hour of walking through dirt, piss, and darkness. They finally arrived to what looks like a city.

But it wasn’t.

It was a slaughterhouse with

Rows of cages, Torture racks, Bodies hanging from chains like animals

This was where the Safety Commission dumped every Calamity they didn’t kill on sight.

The doppelganger handed Morgan and the others to a guard. A fat man with stained teeth.

Without a word, they were thrown into a rusted cell.

In the dark, Morgan could see them.

Humans chained to the walls. Skin on bone. Eyes hollow.

Hunger had drained the life out of them.

The guard shoved Morgan in. Then chained Juda and El to the wall.

Juda’s legs were black now. The rot was spreading.

"Please..." Liues grabbed the bars. "Help him. He’s dying—"

"Ha. You crazy bitch!"

The guard shoved her. She hit the floor.

"How can you be this cruel! He’s gonna die!"

The guard leaned in, grinning.

"Missy, do I look like I give a fuck?"

Liues went quiet.

*CLANG.*

The cell door slammed. Footsteps faded down the hall.

Liues scrambled to Juda. She tore a strip from her shirt and started tying it around his legs.

"...Don’t bother, Mrs. Liues," Juda whispered. "It’s pointless. We’re already dead."

"Don’t say that!" Morgan stood up. Fists clenched. "I’m gonna break us out of here."

From the dark, one of the chained prisoners laughed. Bitter. Wet.

"Haha... and how? Cough! Cough!"

The man looked half-dead. Every laugh ended in blood.

He looked at Morgan and grinned through broken teeth.

"I know how..."

A translucent screen appeared in front of Morgan.

`[Do you wish to Trade with the System?]`

The cell went silent.

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