Family bonds (Complete)

The cries of many were drowned out by the singular words of a special few. Those who possessed influence and power far greater than the masses of plebeians frolicking in the first days of Dominus' campaign had finally seen the sense in his noble vision. A veil was lifted off the eyes of those he needed most in this game of politics and their congratulatory words only spurred his ego further. Where were his opponents now? Cowering in their offices whilst his supporters ransacked the popularity polls most likely. He felt like a juggernaut, the more momentum he gained the more invigorated he felt, and this was merely the beginning. The vast army, trained to capture, kill and sabotage everything that stood in his path was primed for war and the very large chance of rebellion. Adam knew that the Metahumans weren't going to go down without a fight, they were not cowards...simply misguided idealists with superiority complexes. There was a contingency plan for everything. They amass a rebel base, Dominus will snuff it out with fire power far beyond human comprehension. There was nothing that could defy the strength that the agency possessed and for all the paranoid arrogance that spewed from the middle aged leader there was no denying that he held a passion and persistence far greater than what many would agree to admit.

He had stolen the show with Lilia Ivanov, tugging at the heart strings of many whilst planting the seeds of interest amongst his viewers. The young Russian was an enigma, the very definition of ethereal beauty and sublime power and yet, she still remained a pitiful, weak little creature devoid of any courage or conviction. She was nothing more than a glorified puppet, a pretty little mannequin used for nothing else but entertaining his men and taking out the feral beings that roamed his land. The young agent had since exhausted herself from the stress of her unceremonious exposure to the masses and had since passed out from sheer fatigue. Adam had little care for her emotional fragility, her soul was an expendable factor when compared to the grand power she possessed. She was currently nothing more than a unconscious bundle of fragile bones and formal clothing strapped to the leather seat of the chopper. Her formal attire for well to her petite form, making the rather youthful girl appear several years older than what she really was.

They were headed for Alaska, home of Dominus HQ and where Adam was mainly stationed for the duration of this Cold War that was about to commence. He had several highly important meetings to attend and ensure that everyone was still running smoothly considering She was now practically in charge. It was expected that Lilia be handed over to Franklin Salters for safekeeping whilst her guardian, Skyler Snowden, made her way over to escort her back home. Adam knew for sure that Salt was more than likely going to fondle and play with the ballerina once he got his hands on her...but that was the least of mr Paxton's concerns.

News had quickly reached him that a particular agent had survived a rather unfortunate assassination several months back. Formalities were expected if Adam was to ever convince said agent to continue her loyalty to him, especially since she was none other than his adopted daughter Sheryll, otherwise known as agent Gossamer on the field. A freak coincidence, discovering that she was still alive, still capable of destruction and very much as dangerous as she was before. She was a crowning achievement in their bionics department but still remained a thorn in his side, a constant factor to the stubborn humanity that threatened to quell his goals. He believed her lost and yet it had been organised that they meet, father and daughter...just like old times.

Eventually the chopper passed through the snow that wafted from the sky and landed on a hidden pad extruding from a mountainside. Dominus HQ was built into this very land mass, perfect for defence and concealment from most threats. The fire burned bright within the thick rock, soldiers marched too and fro whilst scientists bustled away at their various experiments and duties...just the environment Adam expected of his men. He strode with head held high and yet a grim scowl covered his wrinkled face. What was he to expect of Sheryll, she was a fantastic asset and her survival meant added firepower, but why had she returned? To kill him? Such a thought made him lightly chuckle, there was no way she'd have the conviction to cut down the man who nurtured her all her life.

Passing Ward D Adam nodded at the head scientist before entering a cold metal door titled 'fitting room B7'. Excusing his two military escorts he hurriedly placed Lilia on a vacant seat, her limp form slumping forward like a rag doll. The entire space was cleared for him, the light was dim and the smell of burnt magnesium hung in the air, the previous occupants probably forgetting about the private meeting being held in the room. It was here, in this very place that Sheryll gained her power, a vice capable of slaughtering the most powerful beings in the world. It was here they would face each other and finally uncover what needed to be uncovered, where past, present and future had to be addressed before their bond grew any stronger..

It was only a matter of time before she arrived.

Sheryll paced back and forth uneasily, the cold metal walls of the chopper rattling and shaking with such intensity she was sure they would come apart. On the seat where she should have been siting there sat a small cardboard box, the lid made of a transparent plastic with a small note scrawled across it in permanent marker. It read 'Love Daddy'. The contents of the box were several doughnuts of various flavors, some filled with jelly while others were simply glazed with chocolate. Now normally, she would have jumped on such a thing, devouring its contents like some sort of ravenous beast, but as of that moment, the box sat untouched. The small adhesive used to keep it closed remained completely intact and yet it still seemed to put off an enticing aroma, as though the sweet pastries inside were calling to her. It was a legitimate struggle for her to not tear open the box and eat each and every delicious morsel with reckless abandon, but something inside her said no. Her mind raced with thoughts about what her father.... what Adam might have done to them. Poison? Unlikely, her superhuman physique could easily fight off most toxins. A micro explosive? Possible, he'd done something similar with the Goliaths, adding explosives into their armor's collars in case they ever decided to go rogue.

She stared at it, wondering what insidious trap he had planted within the seemingly benign package. More than anything, this was also a symbolic thing. She knew her father well enough that he likely had cameras monitoring this whole affair, their tiny lenses picking up every minute detail of her expression even while the suit she still wore sent biological information back to their database. That, and only that, was why she was considering the idea of him altering the doughy treats more and more unlikely. It stood to reason he had some sort of fail safe installed. Then she reconsidered yet again. Hargrave had brought her back to life over the period of the last year, this suit she was wearing -thought identical down to the most minute detail- wasn't the one she'd been shot in. It was a replica, a copy.
That meant the data it was sending wasn't being broadcast to Dominus HQ any longer. A ghost of a smile flashed across Sheryll's face. So he didn't hold all the cards after all. Hargrave was waiting in the wings. Then she remembered, she'd kind of slaughtered all of his men. Well... not her, A0193 had done that. She'd just been the fleshy meat puppet for the program at the time. Maybe the small bespectacled man knew that? Maybe if things went sour in this meeting she had an out after all. She would keep silent about it of course. Not only was the chance slim that Hargrave was even willing to give her a chance, even slimmer was the chance that she would get out of Dominus alive unless Adam wanted her to.
She was a spinning vortex of destruction, but he always had something up his sleeve. Not just that, but he knew each and every one of her weaknesses. Her internal conflict was finally broken up as a familiar voice echoed over the chopper's intercom.

"We're in the pipe, 5 by 5. Prepare for landing ma'am. Oh and uh... Good to have you back" It was the pilot who'd always given her transport on her missions, his jovial tone obvious even through the static filled blur of the intercom. Sheryll sat down and waited until the sound of the blades stopped spinning and the doors on either side of her were flung open. The door leading to the cockpit opened as the pilot stepped out and gave her a quick salute before hopping out onto the landing pad. Sheryll flashed him a quick smile before hopping out of the chopper's opposite door.

Not two seconds after she'd hit the ground was she surrounded by two lines of Dominus troopers, their visor's neon blue glue contrasting with the polished silver that made up their armor. For all the air of menace they tried to put out, it failed. These were obviously new guys, otherwise their armor would have been nicked and dented, the beautiful silver would have been covered in grease and ground in dust. She wasn't sure if this was another calculated gesture by Adam, but it seemed likely. She stood there, arms crossed until a man in his early thirties approached, a genial smile plastered across his face. It was obviously fake, a facade tacked on to put lesser minds at ease, but he didn't fool her. The man could just as easily order your execution wearing that same smile. Sheryll raised an eyebrow at him.

"Welcome back agent A0193, Mr. Paxton is waiting for you. If you'll please follow me" he droned, turning away from her and leading her out of the hangar, into an elevator and down a corridor.

Sheryll was getting nervous, there weren't in the administrative section any more, hell they weren't even in the low security areas. She'd been brought down to the testing labs, where so long ago she'd received the implants necessary to wield her wires. This place put her on edge, the connotations it carried were not pleasant. Finally, they stopped outside a door that read B7 on it. A sudden fear gripped her, she knew exactly what room this was. What lay behind that door? A firing squad? One of her sisters -likely Reaper- with a blade in hand? Or did Adam simply intend to have this desk jockey tranquilize her the moment she wasn't looking. The man just smiled and left, obviously satisfied that she could handle it from there. Scratch that option then. Placing her gloved hand against the cool metal, she let out a momentous sigh before recomposing herself. Her eyes an icy abyss from which there was no escape. If she was going to her death, she would do it with dignity. Pressing the door, it slowly creaked open, as though it hadn't been used in ages. Then she saw him. The man she had called father, the man who had ordered her execution nearly one year ago.

Adam Paxton.

"Hello Adam"

Only a few minutes had passed before the cold metal door to Fitting Room B7 was tentatively swung open, a sharp burst of air sweeping into the dimly lit interior before a slender body appeared. It was her, Adam's adopted child and the constant reminder of the trials and tribulations he has been forced to undergo as he created Dominus' army to what it was today. Sheryll was an imperfect weapon, the strength of a machine with all the flaws of a human. Her stubbornness and pride were always constant faults, even as a young girl she possessed quite a headstrong streak, always going out of her way to achieve what was necessary and reaping the rewards once she was done. She possessed courage and self control, two traits that Etoile and Reaper were severely lacking and yet even for all of her noble qualities she was still a fragment of a period within Dominus that Adam possibly regretted. So much wealth wasted on so many failed test subjects. Unborn children fitted with state of the art technology only to have their hearts quit on them halfway. Abandoned children herded into Dominus compounds, vigorously trained until their very souls had escaped them..leaving monstrous entities devoid of any direction. They also suffered an unfortunate fate. Sheryll was a success amongst the failures. A true testament to Dominus' perseverance in their cyborg division, the very embodiment of mankind's ascension into a higher plane of scientific discovery. But why...why did this meeting feel so uneasy? Why was the nagging morality of past actions and the burning threads of doubt clinging to his mind? This was a time for celebration, not petty trouble with women wearing super suits.

Her highly advanced armour clung to her form, faintly shimmering under the white light as its wearer stepped closer to the waiting table and free chair next to the unconscious Russian agent. Adam's eyes flickered as his intense gaze met her own, months of mystery had finally accumulated to this point and he simply allowed her to begin the awkward pleasantries. Would there be a passionate cry of burning hatred or the hopeful speech of a loyal soldier? Niether happened. Nor did she bound up to him like she once used to, all vigorous and enthusiasm replaced with a cold and aloof mood that eroded the already tense atmosphere. She did not greet him as 'daddy' or 'father', choosing instead to greet him by his name. What was this sudden formality? Had she finally accepted their rather strenuous relationship and whittled it down to something akin to a business partnership? Or was this the naive attempts at pinching his affections, threatening the love he once held for her as the hollow words rung into the room. He cared not for any attempt at garning his regret or sorrow, he does what he has to do because that is how the world works.

Clearing his throat Adam brushed a wrinkled palm against the cool titanium desk located in the middle of the room. Glancing over to Sheryll he allowed a thin grin to creep onto his lips, the next few hours were surely going to be interesting. Good morning Sheryll. Have you eaten yet? I assume you finished that gift I left you,", he uttered in a matter-of-fact voice, wiping some lint of the shoulder of his suit jacket. "I know you must have quite a lot of questions and I'm afraid I'll only have the resources to answer a few. A year can change things...I hope you know that..", he exhaled, crinkling his thick brow as he carefully placed a lock of sandy brown hair out of Lilia's face and behind her ears.

"I trust you have been issued reports of what has happened over the recent months," Adam continued in a rather monotonous voice, shifting a stray pen acros the desk as he glanced back at Sheryll with a flat stare. There was silence of the uncomfortable sort, eroding what was left of their initial awkward greeting. Shuffling in his place the Dominus leader nodded his head towards the comatose Lilia, "She did better than I expected the other day. Who knows what may have happened if she had another one of her childish tantrums. Quite pitiful if you ask me, she should be used it all by now..", he grimaced, looking the frail female body over with a scrutinising gaze, "Good thing you're back. She was under performing during your absence...Salters was forced to..discipline her for not behaving well enough,", Adam stated, completely apathetic to the suffering the you g agent suffered at the hands of Franklin Salters.

"I guess it's a good thing she now has a new owner. Lilia has moved on and found herself a mother . All that is left is you my dear, where do you stand with your family? Is there loyalty to the people who nurtured you for all these years or have you become a squabbling monster like Reaper? Do tell, there's no need to lie here..", he uttered, his steely eyes never leaving her own.

He spoke to her, his voice as callous and professional as he had been on television. She'd watched his speech, of course she had, because deep down, no matter what she was feeling, every little girl secretly wants to see their father on TV and go 'That's my dad'. She had even found it hard to remember exactly why she was mad at him when he stood at that podium, his normally sullen and subdued mannerisms laid aside in favor of a charismatic father only concerned with protecting people like himself. While she watched, she had forgotten. Forgotten everything that had happened, forgotten Reaper, Lilia, even Cilian had been wiped from her thoughts as she sat there, drinking in his words. When he was giving his speech, she was a little girl again, and he was her daddy. Now however, he was not on TV and the charismatic facade had fallen. Sheryll glanced over at the unconscious Lilia, the girl still dressed in the same attire she'd worn in Washington. Had they come straight here? It was likely. He spoke to her again, his first words edged with concern about whether she'd eaten, and how he was sure she had. In truth, the box of doughnuts lay untouched, her own paranoia about the man before her had prevented the woman from enjoying her favorite treat. Was that what it had come to? She was so afraid of him that she believed he would taint her food? She was in the heart of his empire, an area more protected than any other on earth. If he'd really wanted her dead, she wouldn't be standing here now. On some level, she was ashamed that she hadn't trusted him.

She had come in, ready for him to start spouting accusations and attacking her for any number of things. Instead, his first words had been those of fatherly concern. While she mentally chewed herself out, he continued, brushing a lock of hair from Lilia's face. Something inside Sheryll wanted to lash out, to tell him to keep his hands off the young Russian. Especially considering how obviously staged the events on stage had been. To the average onlooker, the events would have been touching, an adoptive father helping the lost girl find her real parents. To Sheryll however, it was an obvious ploy to garner sympathy for their cause. Lilia was one of Dominus' top agents and was constantly sent into combat. All that ran through her head in an instant. Then he abruptly switched on her, talking about reports and the like.
Sheryll had thumbed through some files on the chopper ride there, there wasn't much else to do. His abrupt change of topics had put her mind in a bit of a twist. Was that his intent? To keep her off balance? It seemed like something he might do, given his occupation. Then he spoke of Lilia, how without Sheryll there to guide her, she'd been under performing. In an occupation like theirs, a single mistake could lead to death. Sheryll glanced at Lilia, her icy stare cracking as she gazed at the unconscious girl. She couldn't help but remember the zeal with which she had assaulted the poor girl during her brief bout with amnesia. Was a bond really that easy to destroy? No, because in the end, Sheryll hadn't gone through with it. She looked once more at her father. His brow was furled and his expression was stern. He was gazing into her very soul with his steely eyes. His gaze was like a blade ready to pierce your heart, you could see it coming, but do nothing about it.

Then he said it, he called himself her family. He accused of her of being like Reaper, ungrateful and a monster. He wanted to know where she stood.

If she had been clear headed, had been able to see the situation play out before her, she could have easily seen his words for what they were, could have seen the precarious cliff on which she stood. She would have seen that -regardless of how she responded- he had won. If she said she was loyal, he would once again have control of the Iron Maiden. If she wasn't, then a repeat of the events one year prior were infinitely likely. To Sheryll however, none of that was clear. To her, everything was a jumbled mess. She had examined her memories, organic thoughts backed up by electronic enhancement.
She'd seen the red dots, the brief flash of black as the Deadeyes decloaked, their camouflage rendered inoperable as the flash from the gun's muzzle rapidly changed the lighting conditions faster than their cloaks could adapt. She'd seen these things and yet she was desperately trying to convince herself that she hadn't, that she was imagining it, or that they had been imposters. If that was true, why hadn't a rescue team picked her up? Maybe they'd be sent out and Hargrave's men had gotten to her first. She was arguing with herself, one half trying to block out the bitter truth while the other violently shattered any illusions created by the former. Sheryll could feel her heartbeat in conjunction with her father's blinking, as though every second his eyes were upon her, her heart stopped.

Finally, she managed to tear her gaze away from his own, trying in vain to prevent the first tears from falling down her cheeks. As soon as she felt the wetness hit the edge of her lips she spun away from him, doing her best to prevent him from seeing the sorrow she was feeling. She tested her voice softly, quietly repeating 'you can do this' until she could say it without choking halfway through. A single deep breath later she was looking back at him. Her eyes no longer icy cold, but filled with a flame lit from the moment she'd seen the red glint at the edge of her vision.

"Am I loyal? You really have the nerve to ask me that after what you did?! You had a team of those mute freaks you call assassins shoot me to death! ME! Your own daughter! How dare you accuse me of being a monster like that albino bitch after you did such a thing!" She yelled at him, the tears flowing once more, though this time she didn't turn away. Even as she said the words, some part of her was screaming that they weren't true, that she was mistaken. She hoped it didn't show. She was barely able to beat back the voice inside of her, if he denied it, she wasn't sure she could go on.

Adam stood still, his form steady and stoic as the air conditioning brushed against his tailored suit. He was a patient man, he knew his words would take time to digest, especially for Sheryll who looked exceedingly perturbed with what he had said. The enhancements in her brain would not allow her to outsmart him even for a moment, he held the leash; he was the master and she was the child and no amount of programmed verbal reactions could assist her in dealing with the sharp rhetoric that clung to his toungue. He noticed the wash of pain across her face, the biting pang of doubt and frustration as his words took effect, he knew her weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This was too easy. Sheryll's subdued emotions did not take long before they came gushing out like a torrent of childish naivety. Of course she felt betrayed, there was no denying such sentiment towards the very man who ordered that she be gunned down, but guilt was not something he wanted to dwell on and this outburst of pent up rage was everything he expected from her.

His eyes flickered over the face awash with tears, what would have been pity only sparked into a mild discomfort with such raw emotion. He allowed the years to flow freely and simply stood there, watching and waiting until the sobs were nothing but sniffles. "There is no denying it, I ordered they gun you down,", he uttered in a matter-of-fact voice, stepping around her the polished tabletop and standing in front of her. Clasping her cold slender hands in his own he stared straight into her tear stained soul, his face frozen with apathy. "You murdered 64 troopers, indirectly caused the death of several civilians and wracked up public damage far above your usual quota. You had lost all inhibitions my dear. You failed.", he quietly stated, clenching his jaw as he mentioned the deaths of the squadrons of troops sent after her. "I was not going to allow anymore destruction follow. I intended on making it a quick death, take you back home so no one else could steal your power...but a situation arose and you were lost. A ghost. You vanished and I was left explaining why a family of four had all been bisected to the American union.", he uttered, furrowing his brow as he brushed a finger against the cool metal that covered her forearm.

"You were a valuable soldier. What would have you done if Etoile had gone on a rampage? Let her live and fall victim to even worse offenders or give her a painless death?", he said, striding over to the sleeping teenager and picking her up without much fuss, she was an incredibly light girl when not in diamond mode. "Would you take the risk and let this very girl fall into the hands of Shade? Tell me! Use your head Sheryll! This is a war we're fighting, all sentimentality must be sacrificed for the greater good. You know that" , he lectured, placing Lilia's limp body into Sheryll's arms. At least there was now minimal chance of the brunette lunging at him with her hands.

"You have to stop thinking like a child, we already have Lilia for that and I will not allow a soldier like you to possess such petty resolve,", he scolded, his voice much louder than before. "Everything you once knew had changed. That French immigrant you were so in love with now has a partner and sources say he is due to be a father in the coming months...you see Sheryll, you have to let go. All of this drama is unecessary. I do what I have to do because I must! And I expect you to do the same..", he pointed, his voice thundering with reason and painful truth that no man would willingly reveal to their child. He felt her heart break at the news of Cilian's love life, another ridiculous thing Sheryll would have to forget if she ever seeked success like before; having schoolgirl tantrums was unecessary.

Her tears flowed freely, stinging Sheryll's face with their warmth. The fire she had within her was being beaten down by a lack of reaction from her father and her own self-doubt gnawing away at it until she was doing little more than sniffling indignantly. Then he answered her. The words destroyed the self doubt she felt in an instant, its place taken once more by seething rage, rage at being betrayed, rage at the pain she had felt as each shot pierced clean through her, rage at him for not even trying to deny it. However, before she could even muster up another tirade, he continued. He explained to her the reasons why he had ordered her gunned down. Most of it would have made sense to her, if only for one caveat.
A single piece of information tactfully left out that any other might have missed. She had killed sixty four troopers, that was the truth. However, she hadn't been herself. He had switched her out for that awful thing, a monster more bloodthirsty than Reaper and colder than the ice fields surrounding the base in which they now stood. However, even as the thought swirled in her mind, a single discrepancy stood out. Chelle had brought her out with relative ease, merely shaking her and calling her name. It'd never been that easy before. She'd slaughtered children with less than a thought during her deployments in Afghanistan and she'd turned entire villages into bloody paste just to get at one insurgent. The thought that a single woman had so easily shaken her out of it kept recycling itself in her mind. Had she really been forced into it? Had she simply acted of her own accord, forcing her conscious mind into some other place while she allowed instinct to take over? Maybe that had been why she'd attacked Cilian... a reflexive attack that she immediately regretted upon 'waking up'. Still, she couldn't be sure, maybe Adam had found a way to shut down the subroutine without telling her.

"Th-those things weren't my fault" she stammered out as he shoved Lilia into her arms. The thought that Lilia could go out of control was horrifying to Sheryll, almost as much as the idea that someone might have to mercy kill her. Adam continued lecturing her, telling her about she was a soldier and that it wasn't appropriate for her to act as she had. Sheryll angrily ground her teeth, though the anger was no longer solely focused on him, having devolved into a mix of rage and self-loathing. She waited for a pause in his speech, ready to yell at him once again.

Then he said the words that destroyed her like no weapon could.

Cilian had found someone else. He had moved on in her absence, not just that but he was going to be a father. What she had thought was a dry well suddenly hit a hidden spring as tears once more streamed from her eyes, falling onto Lilia's cheeks as Sheryll fell to her knees, barely able to keep the poor girl in her arms. With each tear, more and more of her anger turned to grief, each drop that fell melting her resolve more and more. What she had thought was true love had been so easily overturned. He hadn't waited more than a year to move on with his life. Did she mean so little to him? Was her affection that insignificant that he could simply shrug and make a life with someone else so soon? Her tears slowly began to stop, her rage at both her father and herself replaced with a boiling anger at the man she had once loved.

"He... moved on..." she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Her grip on Lilia slackened and she set the girl down on the floor, her own sisterly instincts overridden by a mix of rage and grief. Would everyone she loved betray her so flippantly. Did she really mean so little in their hearts that her death warranted no more than a shrug!

Deep down, far below the tears of rage and sorrow, there was a little girl. A sad little girl with no one to turn to for help. She was alone, no one truly wanted her.

"I...." was all she could stutter out. She was at a loss for words, the Iron Maiden had cracked, now little more than a silent wreck, noiseless tears dripping down her face.

His words were filled with a cold venom, painful truths and corrosive statements were more than enough to leave his adopted daughter a sobbing mess on the floor. There was barely any sympathy, maybe if this were a few years back but no. He had changed. Rather than comfort and console the emotional wreck at his feet he simply clicked his tongue and straightened his jacket. Slowly exhaling through his nose Adam patiently waited for the waterworks to subside, only briefly breaking the awkward atmosphere by handing the woman a few tissues to rid her face of the moisture. How utterly curious, to find out that his 'child' had fallen for someone, Adam sincerely thought it was a simply crush or a relationship built on lust...nothing more. Any good father would have marched straight up to Cilian and thrown a fist into that young man's face, berating him for causing their daughter so much pain, Adam felt no need to do it. Cilian, like the rest of his metahuman brethren was simply another parasite staining the utopia that Dominus' head so vigorously aspired for. Cilian was not a man, not a father nor was he the reason for Sheryll's broken heart. He was simply another mark waiting for submission, a target and nothing more. The very fact that said metahuman was now reproducing forced a grimace to cross Adam's face, a forced abortion was the most likely way to tackle such a problem and he had the resources needed to achieve such an evil goal.

"Sheryll, this is how the world works. There are no superheroes or good men, that is childish fantasy. There is never going to be a perfect person and you have tasted it firsthand. Now don't get me wrong, what this young man has done is quite despicable and I will personally make sure his demise is left in your hands. You can show him real pain, him and that little whore whom he just impregnated.", Adam gleamed, his eyes scanning the grey room surrounding him as he let those words sink in. "Cilian is the enemy. Thrones is the enemy. I will ensure that the Prince of thrones be brought to you like a peasant ...that is only if you truly focus on the situation at hand. You are the iron maiden! Iron is strong an durable, not a cowering mess!", he stated in a stern voice, raising his fists in the air as if adding extra punch to his lecture. "Your family is here Sheryll. Not with Cilian and that terrorist group. You have sisters and brothers you have been entrusted with and I expect you of all people to realise who it is you should place your faith in," he uttered in a more hushed voice, bending down to her level as he brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "Tell me, if you only had the choice of Cilian or Lilia over here who would you choose? The dashing heartbreaker or the sweet and innocent little flower? I think we both know the answer to that so halt those tears and stand up!, he argued, twisting the rhetoric even further so that his word became the only logical thing to listen to.

Tightening the silver watch around his wrist, Adam stood up and stared out into a corridor on the far side of the room, a faraway look in his icy gaze as he clenched his jaw. Turning once more to face his adopted child he cleared his throat and continued. "I think it's about time I showed you the true power of our organisation. Follow me.", he commanded, nudging Lilia back into Sheryll's arms before swivelling on the heels of his polished shoes and heading off into the distilled blue lights of the level 6 clearance corridor. He was venturing into the very heart of the mountain, his measured strides gradually taking him further and further into a section of Dominus only the most highest of priority members knew about. Strange equations were scrawled on the endless whiteboards, vials which lined the walls bubbled with strangely coloured fluids as a low hummin noise emanated from the central heating system. He never looked back at his adopted child and he did not actually care if agent Etoile had been dragged along, he was on his way to his crowning achievement and it was about time someone other than his hand picked science and medical team had a look.

By the time the cold air from the air conditioning surrounding the entryway had hit Lilia, the frail teenager had woken up with a stir. Bright cerulean eyes blinking away sleep as peachy lips spread into a gentle yawn, a few seconds of dazed half consciousness eventually faded away when she noticed the tears running down her elder sibling's cheeks. A low whimper escaped the young Russian's mouth before she tenderly brushed a dainty finger against Sheryll's face.Waking up to seeing such a strong woman in pain was exceedingly worrying and the best thing the gentle ballerina could do was comfort her sister as best she could, even if she did not know what was wrong. Words were unnecessary, particularly with Adam present and for the duration of Sheryll's slow walk behind her father Lilia embraced her in a tight saueeze, soft kisses brushing against tear stained cheeks and a shuddering jaw. If Sheryll was feeling pain then Lilia was going to do her best to share it or at least provide as much comfort as possible...even if she still remained quite numb from her period of unconsciousness.

Adam's lengthy walk eventually took him to two large titanium doors padded with extra security measures and locks, such an extreme entry was highly intimidating even by Dominus standards but Adam thought nothing of it...merely another way of safekeeping his most valuable assets.

"What I'm about to show you shall remain between us and us only. Be prepared my dear, this may irk you somewhat..", he quietly uttered, seemingly speaking to himself as he slowly opened the door to the mysterious room...

She was bordering on hyperventilating, her chest felt tight against the suit and the feeling was only exacerbated by the fact that she was holding Lilia once again. She had been shattered, body and soul. She had given herself to Cilian without hesitation and he had moved on like she was some cheap fling, little more than a mayfly in his life. Then her father offered her something, something that she didn't know she wanted until he said it. To hurt Cilian, to hurt the man who had so callously broken her heart. To make him and the whore who had stolen him suffer. If not for this thought planted in her mind, she might not have listened to his next statement. The false words becoming truths almost as soon as she heard them.

"The enemy... Cilian... Chelle... They're my enemies..." She said, mouthing the words even as she spoke them. Her eyes were wide, the tears now barely trickling down her face. The ones who had pretended to be her friends, had turned her against her father. They had made him hurt her. She had been tricked into betraying him and so he'd been forced to put her down like a mad dog. It must have hurt him even more than it hurt her. She understood now, understood exactly what had truly happened. She'd been living a happy lie and her father had once more shown her the truth, even if it was a harsh and bitter thing. Upon his command to rise she did so without hesitation, years of obedience finally coming once more to forefront.

"Yes sir!" She said enthusiastically. She wasn't feeling anywhere near that happy, tears still came slowly but uncontrollably, dripping down onto her adoptive younger sister who she still held tightly.

As her father moved out of the room, she followed him barely three paces behind, eager to please him. She had no idea exactly how calculated and self-serving his true intent was, no idea how she was little more than a weapon to be wielded. In those few minutes, she had gone from being rebellious and ready to fight him to the death to being an eager servant once again. He had managed to shatter the Iron Maiden and rebuild her to his liking in a matter of minutes, something Hargrave hadn't managed in a year's worth of surgery and enhancements. As they strolled down the hall, Sheryll felt something soft against her cheeks. Lilia was awake and kissing them. She had seen her older sister crying and was doing all she could to console her.

Sheryll smiled, like she had the day she'd met Cilian, and looked down at Lilia. She still didn't speak Russian but she hoped her tone would be enough.

"It's okay Lilia, big sister's here, I'm here and I'm not going to leave you again" she said softly, hugging the petite girl tightly against her. It was good to know she was okay. Sheryll worried about her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity and passing through several restricted areas, they came to a rather impressive gate. The door was sealed with heavy hydraulics and large pistons covered it in a crisscrossing pattern. Sheryll gazed up at it in awe. He had spoken of the organization's true power, what was it? A massive cannon? A new suit for use by the troopers, or maybe it was some kind of chemical weapon, one designed to only affect metahumans. She tilted her head as the pistons began to retract, each one hissing while it moved into the wall. A deep clunking sound was heard as the door slowly parted, the bright light from within the chamber blinding Sheryll. She heard her father say something about irking her, but she couldn't imagine a power source doing that unless it put off a lot of heat. She didn't like things that were too hot, it put her circuits on the fritz and melted her wires, fusing them to their spools unless she got away from the heat fast.

As the light cleared, she saw what he had been talking about.

It was a woman.

The lumbering door came to a slow grinding halt, like an ancient tomb being penetrated by ignorant adventurers. An alarm blared thrice before the safety precautions were implemented, a sharp hum buzzing through the titanium panelled walls like a swarm of bees had instantly been set alight behind the metal cladding. The sense of foreboding drowned the atmosphere like a heavy weight against their chests, even Adam felt a sharp shiver traverse the length of his spine. The heavy aura clung to the entrance like invisible cement weighing against their forms, slow tentative steps forward only added to the gravity of the situation. Their gradual entry into the stark white room invited a pungent floral scent which instantly enveloped them in a shroud of nauseating sweetness. Rich reds, violets and every shade in between speckled the walls with colour and an almost unsightly abundance of natural plant life covered the floor in a controlled mess of exotic flowers and domesticated roses. A single female stood frozen amongst the lillies, like a mannequin trapped in a void she stood perfectly still. Waiting. Watching. The angelic face, equally beautiful as it was horrifying was framed by an unkempt mess of brunette hair which fell down past her shoulder blades. The eyes, two starkly different colours, were unblinking deathly orbs...as if the pits of her irises burnt into the souls of anyone unfortunate enough to fall under her static gaze. She wore a simple white hospital gown, no blemish or stain marking the soft fabric that hung loose against the pale limbs that were littered with unsightly black veins. The instance Adam Paxton turned into the woman's view her head immediacy snapped to his direction, a gush of foreign gibberish spilling from her pale lips as she stared directly into Mr Paxton's eyes.

Taking a measured step forward Adam slowly nodded at the disturbing wraith of woman in front of him, a buzzing electrical screen of energy the only thing separating the two. Silence took hold of the trio that gazed upon this deathly figure, this lone female who reeked of roses and looked like death herself. A low gasp escaped the lips of a frightened ballerina, and in that split second Adam understood the terror of what was before them...the perfect weapon. "Sheryll, meet Jennifer. Your sister and...my genetic daughter,", he uttered in a somewhat strained voice, his gaze briefly faltering as he mentioned word of this mysterious figure being his child. "Blood of my blood and flesh of my flesh..a perfect being. She is the cusp of humanities evolution and my beloved child..", he said, not really saying it to anyone in particular, the voice merely drowning in the hum of the electric barrier.

"Whilst you may have thought that Lilia was Dominus' biggest secret you are mistaken, she is a mere showgirl compared to the divine power Jennifer possesses," he stated, almost awestruck with his own words as he shook his head in apparent disbelief at his daughter's untold power. As if this was her queue Jennifer let out a low gurgle, her neck craning forward as she gazed with unblinking eyes at Sheryll. "I know this may come as a shock to you but Jennifer has always existed, she has and always will be my only real child and I hope you can understand that..", Adam muttered in a matter-of-fact voice, carefully brushing a stray strand of honeysuckle hair from Lilia's cowering visage. "Maybe a demonstration is what you need to fully understand the immense power that exists within this room..", he uttered with a malevolent twang, gripping Lilia's frail wrists and yanking her back down to her feet. A pained yelp escaping the shivering girl's lips as she stared up in mute panic as her body was torn away from her sister's embrace.

"You will stay right where you are, any movement and that is a direct violation of my order. You will stay and watch,", he commanded in a stern voice, knowing full well that Sheryll would not appreciate Lilia being handled so recklessly. "Now now Lilia no need to panic, you're just going to clean up a few flowers..", he said menacingly, staring the cowering ballerina down as he forced her over to a panel by the electrical wall. Whimpers of utter terror fled the girl's tongue as she was hurriedly forced into an opening large enough to fit one person, her dainty fingers desperately clawing away from the very apparent threat that the frightening brunette monster posed.

The panel shut and electrical barrier swivelled around it until it opened up inside the private space of the lone female. The hyperventilating young agent stood with limbs shuddering as the pale, rose scented female snapped her gaze upon her. Two beautiful girls lost in a forest of exotic flowers, this could have been from the mind of an artistic genius; ethereal females embraced by nature herself. But such imagery was sacrificed by the sheer monstrous horror that Jennifer exuded, her fingers snapping and twitching as the single shivering ballerina tainted the perfect little paradise of hers.

"Sheryll...?", Lilia whimpered, the meek cry for help directed at her beloved sibling sent a fit of panicked anxiety that only became worse the longer she felt the gravity of her situation. Lilia was trapped inside with a monster. There was no denying the absolute fear and power that the black veined figure possessed and the instance she took a silent step forward Lilia's breath faltered, her lips shaking as she stared an angel of death right in the face.

"Let's see how long her diamond body will endure...", Adam whispered, nodding at the predatory creature named Jennifer. "Subdue her darling,", he commanded, pointing at the frightened young agent only several paces away from the gurgling monstrosity before her.

Jennifer lunged.

Sheryll felt a wave of scents pour over her, violets, lavender, basil and more. One however, stood out, nearly overpowering the others with its mere presence. Roses. Like the woman in front of them, the one who her father had called Persephone... whom he had called his real daughter. For the first time Sheryll understood how Reaper felt, that pang of jealousy, the petty hatred for the girl in front of her for something that wasn't her fault. It was this sense of inadequacy quickly shifting into a violent anger that prevented the full magnitude of Persephone's presence from affecting Sheryll as it had her father. Unlike Reaper however, Sheryll was angrier at Adam than she was at her newly revealed sister. It wasn't the girl's fault, nor was it hers. It had been her father who had chosen to keep this a secret for so long. Why hadn't he told her? Until recently she had been completely subservient to his whims, obeying him in all things unquestionably. So why now? What had changed that he was ready to reveal her? Did he have some new ace up his sleeve. Was he planning on having the two brunettes fight for his affection? Sheryll didn't want that. That was something Reaper would relish, but not her. No matter how angry she was it didn't quite reach that stage of homicidal single-mindedness that the albino agent possessed.

The field separating the trio from the deathly ill seeming girl crackled softly, the only proof of its existence was Persephone's almost unconscious avoidance of it and the occasional spark at the very edges where it met the walls. Then it opened, a small hole created a visible silhouette as the energy burned at newly created boundaries. Sheryll was amazed at how fine the control on the field could be without a visible operator. Her brief amazement turned to horror almost immediately after as Adam ordered Lilia through. Sheryll began an instinctive movement to stop the younger agent from walking into an obvious kill zone but her father's voiced boomed out before she could even finish a step. It was an order, one that moved through her whole body in a way that not even Persephone's ungodly aura could. Every part of her body save one screamed at her to save the younger agent. To lash out with her wires and destroy the field, plucking the young girl from the jaws of death and running as far as possible. The one rebellious piece of her, the singular part that didn't put all its power towards saving the young girl was also the only one that could initiate such an act. It was her mind, a thing that had been conditioned over the years to obey her father with religious zeal. Even during her rebellious times with Cilian a small part of her had been his. Now in the wake of her reunion with him, not even her love for the young Russian she called her sister could move her from that spot.

"Yes sir" was all she said in response to his order, her muscles stiffening until she was as rigid as a board.

Even when she heard her father lie to Lilia she stayed planted, watching as Lilia turned to her and cried out, Sheryll's own face a studied blank. She wouldn't show the girl any emotion. Lilia needed to be strong now. It was her only chance for survival. She wished she spoke Russian, if only to warn the girl of the obvious assault that was soon to begin. Instead, all she could do was glance over at Persephone, a small jerk of her head being the only visible motion. She hoped Lilia understood. If she didn't, this might be the end of the poor ballerina's time on stage.

Then Adam said it, he ordered the supposed 'true source of Dominus' power' to subdue Lilia. If the dark haired woman was conditioned in any way similar to Sheryll, such an order usually carried lethal connotations. Despite this knowledge, despite her love for Lilia, Sheryll couldn't bring herself to move even an inch.

"Father, is this really necessary?" She asked, hoping that she might be able to dissuade him before any permanent damage was done.

Lilia, a girl whose life has been filled with abuse, torture and varying levels of assault, knew the sheer emotional burns of having her virtue stripped away; to have her voice silenced as her mind and body were repeatedly assaulted. This torture, the sickening rituals the girl was forced to join in had permanently scarred her once innocent view of men and their 'needs'. But during this very moment, cowering under the deathly glare of this pale figure, Lilia felt a pang of intense pain like no other, one which tore away at her heart and shattered the feeble defences she had summoned over the years of torture. Betrayal. Betrayed by the very first person to ever show her proper affection in this dark world. Of all people, it was Sheryll who stood idly by watching as the hyperventilating teenager shuddered from the sheer terror of facing Persephone. The young Russian attempted to call of for her sister once more but there was no response. Nothing. Just a blank stare, wasn't Lilia's overwhelming fear and anxiety enough to warrant some sisterly wrath, wasn't Lilia worth it anymore or had Sheryll simply dragged her down to get killed like this. Away from her dearest mother Skyler and beloved friend Shayla. It was all too much. Heavy tears stung the girl's eyes, painfully honest sniffles echoed across the room as her cerulean eyes left Sheryll's, simply because she knew help was not going to come.

Adam on the other hand thought nothing of the snivelling ballerina's display; the girl was weak and had always been weak. Such a feeble creature who possessed such a magnificent power, quite a waste considering Lilia barely eliminated her targets. Sheryll voiced her opinion, was this truly necessary? No it wasn't. But regardless this was not only a show to display Persephone's power but also a test to see if his adopted child would break his orders and rush after her sister. "Would you prefer to take her place?", he muttered in a stern voice, raising his eyebrow as he glanced the cyborg in the face. This was all too easy. Lilia resembled the last connection to Sheryll's emotional attachments, scar this bond and she would forever be Adam's #1 puppet.

Jennifer, otherwise known as Persephone moved liked a wraith, silent and foreboding. Soft bare soles caressed the cold metal floors as the ghastly female stalked forward, her neck creaking sideways like a predator inspecting its prey. The voice of her father rung through her mind. A simple command. Subdue the little crybaby on the other end of the room. A throaty gurgle escaped the woman's mouth before a sudden surge of adrenalin coursed through the nightmarish veins. There was no warning, no battle cry or terrifying roar. She simply lunged, the speed of her movement crackling through the air as a white blur temporarily bridged the gap between the two females...one of which had appeared right behind the other. Charred black fingers gripped onto the back of Lilia's hair, tearing at the scalp as the other hand clasped onto the exposed neck of the terrified agent. Even without much pressure, blood freely ran down the gurgling females hands as her grip on the Russian's body tightened, the cringe-worthy sounds of hair being torn from its roots only adding to the horrifying spectacle.

Lilia squealed from the surprise attack, her legs kicking away as she desperately clawed at Jennifer's body. Fear had taken hold. This was unlike anything the girl had felt before. She feared Salt's lust and his squad's sickening obsession with her body, she feared Reaper's temper and the thought of losing Skyler. But this..this pure dread that had taken hold of her petite form was like none other. Her body reacted almost instantaneously to the threat, skin that was stained in blood and a cold sweat instantly shimmered into a far more beautiful, translucent variant..the soft light of the room refracting through the shimmering flesh as her entire being assumed its famed diamond form. The ghastly fingers that burrowed into her neck were now merely brushing against the indestructable skin, the last remnants of warm red blood providing a startling contrast to the cyan diamond form. Perfect defence met the perfect offence if seemed and for a moment a look of surprise crossed Adam's face, he didn't think the Russian would have the willpower to resist Jennifer's assault.

Far from being fazed by the turn of events Jennifer's eyes glimmered at the pretty display, softly cooing as the colours of the flowers in the room softy reflected off the diamond body. Although this seemingly childlike awe with the body was enough to allow some peace of mind Jennifer's grip on Lilia's hair never loosened, the whispery diamond strands of hair entwined with the charred fingers. There was no moment of warning before Jennifer raised both arms, lifting Lilia's body into the air and swinging the girl across the room like a ragdoll...the resounding THUD of diamond against titanium walls ringing across the space. Lilia's cry of surprise was quickly met by the nightmarish figure that lunged at her body. Thundering punches as quick as lightning pounded into the young Russian's face, ungodly strength met an indestructable barrier and yet..small cracks began to traverse the shimmering exterior. The ballerina's eyes wide with terriers she helplessly watched as her body was rapidly assaulted by this tranquil monster. The sounds of fists against the crystalline skin was more than enough to send shivers down Adam's spine, there were barely any forces in nature capable of even penetrating Lilia's diamond body, Persephone just happened to be displaying such a feat right now.

"So what do you think? Impressive is she not?", he exclaimed, a slow malicious smile spreading across his lips as he watched his daughter thrash the terrified metahuman girl. He was going to continue this little show as long as it lasted..it was all too amusing..

"I..." Was all Sheryll could say as she watched Persephone pummel Lilia, the girl's diamond form doing her little good against the persistent assault of the older woman. She began to move forward, ready to take her place in an instant, even if it meant her death. However, as her step began she felt herself seize up, her muscles refused to move, despite her vigorous commands for them to do so.

"Oooh you poor dear, what a sad sight this is. Poor little Lilia getting a beating and you can't do a single thing to save her. Dear me, dear me. What a conundrum" a voice said, echoing throughout her head. She tried to call out, found her lips unable to move and not a sound came up.

Though something did happen. An image appeared in her vision, thankfully blocking out the sight of her younger sister's torment. The screams had stopped too, though she couldn't tell if that was because Lilia had been pummeled into unconsciousness or if her ears had just been turned off. She sincerely hoped it was the former, the thought of her adopted sister being conscious throughout the entirety was almost too much to bear. The man The image superimposed upon her sight was almost as bad though.

It was Hargrave.

What do you want Hargrave! she thought, surprised as Hargrave glanced down briefly, like he was reading something.

"Oh my, someone's impatient. Not even a 'thanks for bringing me back from the dead' or 'I really owe you for reuniting me with my family', just 'What do you want?'. It seems you've forgotten your manners" he said smugly. He was literally reading her thoughts! She noticed his verbal tic appeared to have vanished, though she wasn't sure why. Did he truly feel so safe that he wasn't going to pretend to be timid any longer?

I repeat: What do you want Hargrave?

"Why, to save you my dear. To save you, from yourself. If you went in there now you'd share the fate of your much more durable sister. She can take it. You can't" he said listlessly, his eyes glancing down once more.

Why do you care?

"My impatient little friend, you don't seem to understand. I put a lot of work into bringing you back. Even more into making our little show convincing. I had to sacrifice three good pilots and several death row inmates dressed as troopers for it after all. Oh, you thought that was real? No, no, no. Had we wanted you or those other two dead: you would all be dead. Those memory flashes you were experiencing during your bout? Timed data releases to prevent you from crossing any lines that might prevent your acceptance back into the fold. Yes, we've been watching you since then and no, I'm not mad. You played your part perfectly my dear, excellent work" he chuckled, bringing his hand to his mouth and pulling it away in a sharp kissing motion, punctuating it further with an overly exaggerated 'Muah' sound.

He stood up, looking away from the camera for a few moments, a horrific grin on his face as a soft green glow touched the edges of his pallet.

"Oh well, that's all the time we have for now. Those pesky little Dominus signal jammers can be such a bother. Oh, but before I go, we've locked your lips about this little conversation... and remember, we're always watching. ta-ta" he said, waving as the image closed and the sound around her suddenly spiked. Her muscles were free once more, though she couldn't bring herself to move. Lilia's screams had frozen her in place.

"Please Daddy, please stop this. I understand now, just please stop!" She cried out, turning to her father.

She really hoped he listened.

Lilia's cries and squeals of terror at watching her defences slowly crack underneath the constant pummelling would have surely exhausted her if she were still 'human'. The diamond form reunited no oxygen not did it produce any fatigue poisons, she would be screaming for as long as her glistening body allowed it. The dead-eyed female who wrought such ruthless attacks on the horrified ballerina never stopped. Not even once the pale knuckles oozed black blood did she halt her relentless assault. There was no mercy. It was almost as if this pale figure was acting from instinct, like she knew nothing more than the pain of her prey and the death she mindlessly delivered. There was no guardian angel to rescue the young agent. No Skyler or Reaper...or Eric. She was left to her own devices and she knew that this gurgling creature would not possess the sympathy that many others held, Lilia was just another victim, another lab rat. There was barely any chance of Sheryll helping her; the brunette woman simply standing there staring into the distance as Adam rubbed his hands together, pleased with this display of brute ferocity.

Eventually the physical assault was all too much. Barely visible cracks in the diamond flesh began to spiderweb outwards. Whilst most would assume Lilia could feel no pain from her physiology literally crumbling under immense pressure she did, and it was a horrific feeling. Every splintered crack that traversed the shimmering flesh felt like a bone snapping, and it only got worse the more Persephone continued her ruthless assault. Black ichor from Jennifer's bloodied hands seeped into the fissures traversing the ballerina's skin and eventually when the sounds of shattering diamond scales began to hit the floor did the young agent's mind begin to waver. Her vision became blurred. The ruthless lunches became a monotonous thudding noise. THWUMP THWUMP THWUMP rang through her body, the pain never decreasing..only getting worse. If her body was capable of tears she would of been weeping, instead the only noise her mouth could muster was a terrified whimper, the thoughts of imminent death completely drowning every other thought.

All was lost. This was the end. A most terrible death indeed.

But no. Fate had other plans and a man's voice rung out through the chamber, shattering the physical assault until all that was left was a curious stream of gibberish and the tense silence straight afterwards. Persephone had stopped but her attacks were still taking effect. Diamond flesh was riddled with cracks and blemishes, the once beautiful shimmering skin tainted with the wet black blood of Jennifer's unsightly body. Even once Lilia subconsciously reverted back to her human form she was still a mess. Her pale flesh was not riddled with cracks or fissures but instead was covered in horrifying purple and black blotches. These palm sized bruises were equally painful as they were distressing to look at and no amount if dainty white clothes and stockings could hide the very obvious torment she experienced.

"Very good job Jennifer..", Adam praised, his smile wide and eyes bright with enthusiasm. Sheryll's cry for him to stop the horrifying display was just enough to warrant his attention, he really couldn't care less if Lilia perished at the hands of Persephone. She was a weak willed runt with no killer instinct. "You now see Sheryll. As of yet Lilia' skin has been nigh penetrable...until today that is. Persephone has the powers of a thousand Metahumans rolled into one,", he stated, walking over to the wall before pressing a polished red button. "Sde truly is a remarkable creature." Adam uttered before pressing the button. The electrical field was down.

Persephone however stayed perfectly still, throaty gurgles escaping her mouth as she stared Sheryll right in the eye. If Lilia could be subdued then so could Gossamer. But alas this was not the plan, Adam had succeeded in winning his adopted child's loyalty once again and breaking her bond with Lilia. There was however something else he needed to do to sever all ties to the people Sheryll loves. Lilia was an impressionable teenager; innocent, naive and ridiculously good natured, her love for Sheryll was like that of a jealous child's...a perfect sort to abuse and get rid of.

"Sheryll. Jennifer. Embrace your sister. You are one another's true family, nothing else.", he said in a stern voice with feigned compassion. Forcing the two into a 'sisterly bond' was an easy route, a sure fire way to garner the power of his two strongest experiments. But this was also a cruel move, allow the snivelling wrench on the floor to witness her beloved sister's ultimate betrayal, embrace her attacker and stab her in the back.

Family bonds have been strengthened.

Family bonds have been severed.

The horror before her which was powerless to stop continued for what felt like hours, the thundering smack of flesh against diamond was like nails on a chalkboard to Sheryll, its horrific cacophony only amplified by Lilia's screams, which had been reduced to pained whimpers. It was a sight out of someone's nightmares. Then, in a rare fit of humanity, her father listened. He called off his monstrous attack dog and praised her for doing so well in harming the poor Russian. He turned to Sheryll and spoke of how powerful Persephone was, a fact that she had to acknowledge. Scenarios played out through her head of combat with this monster, some of which she could win, if only by way of her superior intellect. Most however... most ended with her laying broken and bloody on the ground.

Then the field went down.

Sheryll readied herself, sure that her father was going to sic the crazed woman on her next, to truly show her why she must obey him. Her eyes began picking out variables, any weakness, the eyes, the neck. Probabilities streamed across her thoughts, maneuvers planned in an instant and discarded until finally a plan of attack she found acceptable was input. All her effort went for naught however, as Adam simply told her to hug the monstrous woman.
As Persephone moved forward, her arms wide, something in Sheryll snapped. Something deep down, like her former love for Cilian resonated in her. Amidst that room of white walls and multicolored flowers, some hint of reality had come undone within her mind. It was like someone had erased all but her and the brunette coming slowly towards her. Her mind couldn't process the input, her arms seemed to move of their own accord, even though she was willing them into action. She took a tentative step forward, and another, and another, until she was in the arms of her new sister... her sister. They had always been sisters, she just hadn't known it. The Reaper-esque pang of jealousy melted in that embrace, its venomous bile draining away from Sheryll's soul. She was embracing Persephone, whose silent response seemed to resonate in her.

"True family...." she said softly, repeating her father's words. Sheryll was in another place, false memories creating themselves there and then. A picnic with her father and Jennifer, a night spent watching movies, going camping. Where were they coming from? Something about these memories didn't seem right and yet she couldn't tell what. It didn't matter, she was happy. She was with her family again.