13 days later

"Honeybun, it is time to get up. You have been in bed long enough. It's already 10." Michelle says down the hallway, trying to wake her daughter up. She only has trouble waking the girl once every other week or so. This being a relatively regular occurrence chooses not to overthink the matter. Wearing a yellow lily print sundress with her hair down and curled for the day, she makes her way to the door.

Opening the door, she finds her daughter still in bed, exposing her pajama shorts and a green t-shirt with a cartoon animal on it. Her hair is a total mess, while Half-covering her face, this would look absolutely cute. That is if you failed to notice the labored breathing and her body strewn about like she had struggled all night to get comfortable. She walks close to check on her and bends down, gently wiping the hair from her face, which now is red a puffy like a person overheating. Then, gently putting the back of her hand to check her temperature, she furrows her brows as her hand feels scalding hot on her daughter's forehead.

"Beatrice, please get the thermometer and a damp rag for me, please," Michelle says with a hint of urgency in her tone. She moves the child's arms from above her head and lightly brushes her fingers through her hair to get it clear of her face while feeling her hair as damp as the rag she will surely receive shortly.

"Here, Mrs." The head maid nearly speaks while quickly returning to the room.

Michelle begins to take her temperature and finds Scarlet is running a 103.8-degree fever. Seeing this, her eyes widen, and teeth clench as her thoughts drift to two weeks prior when she learned she would lose her most beloved child for an unknown period of time. She didn't know what to do as she refused to let some destiny or fate control their future, yet helplessness set in as she couldn't just wait around either while her baby suffered.

"Beatrice, get the others to bag ice and bring it here. We must try whatever we can to keep her from the hospital. The hospital shall be the absolute last resort understand." Michelle says while looking more severe than she had in the entire time Beatrice worked for their family.

"Understood, Madam," Beatrice replied while slightly bowing, showing her loyalty to her employer.

They pack ice around her extremities, trying to cool her off but only seem to be maintaining an equilibrium without gaining any actual headway in the fight against her fever. The constant influx of maids bringing ice and changing out bags with others while Michelle watches on feeling almost helpless brings about a steady rhythm as time flies after a couple hours, a change occurs.

Sirens blare as an ambulance makes its way down the mansion drive shocking several people in the room. No one seems to have called an ambulance, and Michelle has a look of horror on her face as she finds herself genuinely helpless. However, the wheels of fate are already in motion, and they can no longer be stopped. A security officer arrives with the paramedics while trying to avoid eye contact with everyone in the room. The paramedics make a quick decision and rush the girl onto a stretcher while making quick time back to the ambulance. Michelle follows along, refusing to leave her daughter's side for any length of time.

For Michelle, time flows too fast. It feels no different than watching a time-lapse. She gets on the ambulance when the next thing she knows, she gets off the ambulance, followed by being forced into a waiting room with no idea what is happening. Shortly after that, men in hazmat suits walk in and take over the whole wing her daughter is in, driving her to near insanity, so she rushes to try to reach her daughter. Fear and frustration fill her mind triggering her parental instincts, urging her to fight as she begins trying to push through the doctors only to be restrained and sedated. Finally, a man in a lab coat puts the iv in her arm. Moments later, she stops struggling and falls asleep.

***

They could not let their precious specimen die, and they know her mother will not let them do as they please. So, this is the only option left to hide her away. So, they must keep both mother and child pumped full of every chemical concoction they can to keep the child stable and the mother asleep. The pure absurdity to think of stopping progress and the holy god of science just to allow this child to be at peace.

"Subject zero is to be moved to facility Joutunhiem in the arctic. Falsify the death certificate and inform the family the remains were immediately cremated for safety. Send notice to the other facilities that we may have obtained the key."

"Time of death 12:15pm 7-12-2036"

"Yes, General! immediately."

Left alone in the room with the girl, the man's eyes flash bright gold as a smirk appears on his face. "Tho I'd go easy on you just because some other deity took pity on you? Yeah right." He leans to her ear, then whispers, "I'm going to make sure your soul is tortured in this body till you fall to pieces and nothing can save you. So, endure, fight, rage however you do it, make sure I get to truly enjoy this as it isn't too often I meet someone like you."

Lights flicker, and reality pauses for a moment as though holding its' breath waiting for something.

<I Swear the day I am free from this cage, we will come for you. it may take years, but we will come, and you will die>

*Click* the noise of something intangible falling into place. A change in the air as if fate or destiny just changed at that moment.

"what was I doing again? Never mind, so much work to schedule, I can finally work on my other projects to, this is so exciting!" The general says with a smirk no different than a troll staring at dinner.

A figure of a goddess flashes through the room with a frown.

"Damn, just missed the asshole. It's going to take forever to track all these clones down. Can't the brat just die quietly!" The goddess says before disappearing in place with a slight pop noise.

***

Michelle wakes up to find that she is in a hospital room with straps on her arms and legs with her husband sitting next to the bed. After taking in the space and everything she learned from Noctis through her daughter, she knows her daughter is gone. Seeing her husband without an ounce of emotion on his face causes a near-infinite sea of rage to boil within her.

"Where is "my" daughter?" She asks, her face devoid of emotion and colder than a statue made of marble floating on a glacier.

"The CDC said that she passed 12 hours ago, and due to the nature of the disease, they immediately cremated the body to prevent its spread." Richard King Replied with his deadpan face and business as usual voice.

"I see. Then call the nurses to release me. I believe that I need to go home and pack." So says Michelle equally business as usual, though the spark in her eyes says differently. Her inner sea of rage continues growing deeper and deeper till it appears to be an abyss from which there is no return.

"Don’t be has...” He begins but is cut off by his wife.

“It is over, and I wish to never see you again outside of court. Now, if you would be so kind as to notify the nurse as I am presently incapacitated, that would be appreciated.” Michelle replies.

This causes the first hint of emotion to grace Richard King's face since they began this conversation. He shows darkness in his eyes with a frown gracing his lips. Regardless of how he feels, he also understands that propriety requires him to comply with his wife’s demands despite himself. He proceeds to hit the call button and await the nurse. He explains that his wife is ready to be released and head home upon her arrival. The nurse sends the doctor to evaluate her and release her from the hospital.

Everyone around her, be it her husband, the doctor, nurses, or her personal security, all expected Michelle to be an emotional wreck after losing her daughter. To others, she appears to have simply become colder and indifferent, while inside, the boundless abyss of rage seems to have settled after growing immeasurable. While packing her clothes and several personal effects of her daughters, the only thing keeping her together is her daughters’ words.

“An event will happen that will make us disappear. Do not worry, though. We won’t die, well, at least not permanently, and don’t forget to prepare for an apocalypse.”

*Everything is going as she said, so I shall prepare, and however long it takes, I will wait for you little ones.*

###

A heavy, oppressive feeling takes over. I can’t breathe! Where am I? Why does everything hurt?

Darkness and pain are all she feels. Her fight or flight instinct is the only thing keeping her consciousness together.

“There we go. I got you, little one.” A melodious voice sounds out as soothing energy flows through her body.

Opening her eyes, Scarlett finds herself completely dazed. She’s in a white bubble floating in what looks like the middle of a galaxy with stars swirling around her. A dashing female who looks just like her wearing medieval armor caring her princess style while looking down at her gently. Her long crimson hair flows behind her like a river of blood reflecting the starlight from her surroundings. A small blush appears on Scarletts face as her illusory heart begins to race.

“Welcome home, sister.”