#btw both yellow leader and proxima are women here

[eternal-work-in-progress]

hehehheheheheh I have been writing obsessively recently so have an Unnamed Ruined Reality Alternate Universe Oneshot

this is a concept I made and outlined with my friend and I have finally actually translated it into proper written word??? Unimaginable

​also woopsies general AU stuff before you read: Filii/Filiae/Filius/Filia all take the place of the species Steve! The different Filii use different languages so their subspecies name is translates (ie. yellow -> Galben in Romanian, aquamarine -> Aquamarijn in Dutch, violet -> Violetto in Italian)

Griffin ran from the room, away from his mother, away from the horror he felt while looking at her. Caliban watched him go. In disbelief, she muttered, “No… Why would you run…?”

She stood still, staring out the open door to the hallway, her cell’s only source of light. Something moved to her left and her head snapped toward it immediately. And she saw… Athena. The glorious, loyal, deadly, traitorous Athena. The poor woman looked exhausted. She turned to Caliban with no hate in her eyes, which Caliban did not deserve.

“Because he knows what’s best for himself,” Athena spoke softly but intensely. “And so do I.” The general turned to leave the room.

Caliban could not allow that. She… She wanted Athena to stay. Stay with her. Why wouldn’t anyone stay? Why wouldn’t anyone listen?! She’s not insane! She’s not dangerous! She shouldn’t be stuck down here! They’ll leave her here to rot. No, no, no, the queen of nightmares will not rot before her traitors do. This traitor will not leave.

The Queen stepped forward and her restraints tensed immediately, chain pulling against chain. Her head rolled forward, as though she had little control of her own body, as though she was possessed. The Queen was a caged animal. With a sudden and very raw anger, she screamed.

“ATHENAAAAA!”

The general stopped, bracing her weapon, but did not turn to the animal.

“YOU ARE NOT SO PURE.”

From the moisture in the air and the water sunk into the bricks, the general summoned a fist of water and ice to encase her right hand. It seemed she was preparing for a fight.

“YOU ARE A MONSTER! YOU ARE A MURDERER! YOU ARE A WARRIOR WHO HAS LOST HER FAUX GLORY. YOU HAVE KILLED THOUSANDS AND YOU ARE PRAISED. YOU ARE GIVEN TITLES OF RENOWN. BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE IMPURE.”

The general spoke lowly, something unreadable clouding her face. “I never said I was pure.”

“YOU TAKE AWAY MY SON AND EXPECT ME TO SIT HERE. WAITING FOR SOME SAVIOR.”

The general took a deep breath…. Athena kept walking away. But the Queen could still see her. The Queen continued to scream after her. She could not stop herself.

“ATHENA. WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT FROM THE SOLDIERS YOU HAVE KILLED IN BATTLE? WERE THEY NOT FILII LIKE YOUR ELITES? WERE SOME NOT CHILDREN? WERE THEY NOT SIMPLY ON THE WRONG SIDE?”

Athena kept walking.

“I ONLY ASK, ATHENA, WHAT I’M CERTAIN OUR FELLOW LEADERS HAVE ASKED YOU.

“I STAND ON THE WRONG SIDE.

“WHY HAVE YOU NOT KILLED ME?!”

The Queen fell to her knees, having lost the battle against her metal restraints. But her corrupted eyes remained trained on Athena’s figure in the hallway, which had stopped moving. The Queen finally remained silent.

…Athena returned to the room. She walked over to the Queen, standing over her while the infected woman sat in her shadow. The Queen stared up at her old friend with her furious red eyes.

“...We have not killed you because we so desperately wish to save you,” whispered the general, leaning down closer. “I vowed long ago to never kill without reason. To never take a life that could be salvaged.” She still held her weapon in her hands and weariness in her eyes. This was what she came here for.

The general stood back up, straighter. “...I am sorry, Caliban. More than you know.” She gripped the weapon tighter. “Let me grant you peace.” This was what she came here for.

And yet, she saw something shift in the Queen’s eyes. When the fury faded, her eyes held only immense tiredness. And yet she smiled softly. Caliban bowed her head.

Athena looked down upon her. “...Tell me truthfully, Caliban… Did the Darkness really help you?”

Caliban bowed further. Her friend heard pain in her voice. “Please kill me….”

Athena’s eyes widened, she could hear her own heart beating. After only a second of consideration, she took the risk of wrapping her best friend in a hug. Caliban could not return it with the chains around her wrists still pulling, but she leaned into the Aquamarijn, savoring this last comfort, this last moment of lucidity. When Athena spoke, her voice was small and quiet, “I’m so sorry, Cal.”

Then, there was silence for a long time. “...Rest well for us…” Athena whispered. She raised her weapon behind Caliban’s back. The Galben did not brace herself for pain or death. All she did was nod, still leaning on her friend. Athena felt Caliban’s warm tears fall onto her shoulder.

“...Tell Griffin…” Caliban said when she decided she should speak, “...I’m sorry.”

“I will, I will. We love you so much.” Athena let the embrace linger for a minute longer.

“... You were wonderful.”

The final blow was swift and simple, to her back. Athena dropped her weapon right after, wrapping both arms around Caliban. The Galben did not scream. She died as she lived.

In pain.

But loved.

Athena laid her body down gently. She didn’t try to stop any tears from falling. Taking Caliban’s hand, she sat next to her for a little while. Grieving. The Galben looked at peace, despite the scars of Darkness… Athena stared at her face, thinking of it all. Their laughter, their joy, their girl’s nights. Their fights and disagreements, their friendship growing deeper. The Darkness. The glowing lights on Caliban’s dress and jewelry slowly dulled. It pained Athena.

She didn’t have to watch, she knew. But she would anyway. Caliban was her best friend. Athena would sit and stay until she was completely gone. So she sat.

Amadeo, Chief Violetto, walked slowly through the underground hallways of the Outpost with a crossbow in hand. He wanted to be safe, in case Athena had been unable to handle the Nightmare Queen. He doubted that she would fail—she was the one who suggested this, after all—but… just in case. He hesitantly poked his head through the open doorway and scanned the room for any sign of a struggle or fight. There was none. Then he saw Athena, with Caliban in her arms.

“...Athena?” he whispered.

Athena did not look up.

Amadeo walked in further. The cell was so isolated. So dark and wet. They’d all regretted placing Caliban here. But her behavior was just becoming too erratic. He saw Athena sitting quietly, staring at the Filia Galben, who looked to merely be asleep. But the scars… They’d looked so shallow, but they’d run so deep. Amadeo knelt down next to both of them, facing the back wall.

“...We’ll miss her,” he said.

Athena gave a small nod. “Always.” She felt guilt. But she knew this kill was in mercy. Caliban’s last words rang in her head. Please kill me. I’m sorry.

Amadeo relaxed his shoulders and set his crossbow down away from the women. There was pain in him. There was always pain in him, but there were times when it became clearer. This was one of those times. “There was no fight?”

“...She asked me to end it herself.”

He leaned back and looked at the ceiling. “She was still there?”

Athena was silent for a moment. “Do you think… we still could have saved her?”

Amadeo had been in Athena’s position before. He took a deep breath. “...No. Whatever was left of her… It was just suffering…. You saved her.”

…Athena brought one of Caliban’s hands to her face, placing it on her cheek. It was already cold against her skin. “...How is Griffin…?”

The Chief Violetto sighed and looked back down to the wall. “Vaughn is comforting him. He knows this was all we could do.” He frowned sadly. “We won’t be able to give him a proper coronation. …But I don’t think it matters at this point.”

“There is nothing to rule over…” Athena said. Four. There were four Filii Galben left. Amadeo rubbed his face. He was… exhausted. They all were exhausted.

“...Where will we bury her?” Athena asked quietly.

“...I don’t know if we should with all that Darkness, Ath…”

Right, Athena thought.

“We could… ask the Rojos to cremate her?” Amadeo suggested. “It’s just… The Royal Galben tombs are unreachable…”

Slowly, Athena nodded.

“...I’m sorry. You were closer to her than any of us.”

Athena… gave a small smile. Amadeo assumed the gesture was meant for his sake, but she still stared at the corpse. “It is alright. I would rather her be at peace than in pain. Even if by my own hand.” But she had cried and would again. She grieved for every kill she committed. Amadeo knew.

He thought and thought in their silence. About the World Beyond and Below. About his fellow leaders. About death and sadness. He didn’t cry for Caliban, he couldn’t. He had no tears left in him. He thought about Pietro. How Amadeo had held his body in the same way Athena held Caliban’s. How the same thoughts had run through his head. How doomed and ruined everything felt.

But he had allies now…. He was not alone in an old, corrupted village. They would all comfort Athena. They would all honor Caliban somehow. Griffin would be given the title he deserved. They would all continue to try.

He shut his eyes and stood, grabbing his crossbow. “I will… go inform King Rei.”

“Alright.”

He… he walked away. And Athena was alone again. With a body that was slowly getting cold. More tears fell.