Kiana crawled away from Dez, heart pounding with guilt and relief. Was she really leaving it all behind? The thought of Susan's endless accusations seemed almost preferable to the fear tightening her chest—assuming, of course, she survived.
As she crawled, she thought about the mess she left. She and Susan tried to foster order whenever Susan remembered. Leaving these men to face The Eyes felt wrong. It felt cruel and cowardly—traits she never associated with herself.
But the fact of the matter was simple: if they didn't escape, they were destined to die, and if she were honest, she couldn't be certain the men within those walls didn't deserve this fate.
Hooks certainly was the vindictive schemer he was. The Company had known what they were doing when they had selected him as a Pupil for The Eyes. Incredible latent A-Energy, a sharp and cruel mind which seemed attuned with The Eyes, and a survival instinct one simply couldn't teach. The man had chosen to come here to force along Dez.
The other's deaths both suffered and potential had been sad. But Kiana had spent half her life within the A-World; you didn't last long without thick skin. But it was the deaths of Harry and Hector, and the leaving of Dez, that made her feel as if her stomach was sinking lower and lower.
Harry and Hector, by all metrics, had been flawed but good men. Susan had always told her she trusted those types more than anyone, and with the full context of Dez's circumstance, Kiana held onto it; she couldn't help but see him as a victim.
Yet due to Hooks and The Company's meddling, she had been forced to aid him. Ensure his safety and survival through it all, even if that means sacrificing him at some point. Both parties surely would recognize her as a danger, one worth the effort of taking care of. So when Dez had selflessly offered her the chance to escape, even preparing to defend her while she did so, she took the chance.
But as she slowly crawled her way through the maze of vents, and while she discovered they must've been designed well before safety standards were, well, standard. She couldn't help but wonder if Dez would somehow survive this all.
The man had a good chance, better than he knew. It was plain to her that Hooks intended to use him as his fellow Pupil. Was the reason Kiana had attempted to steer Dez away from the man, as well as the fact that he seemed by far the most sane of the group?
Hooks and Vance were nearly psychotic, Hector and Harry had been better but were simply odd in their own ways, and Mug and Goof had been decent enough, but a bit simple.
Dez, however, had been grounded, with a sharp mind and a willingness to aid, but tempered by morality and consideration. Clearly, the recent events had taken a toll on the man, and the deaths of his friends had only caused more damage. Yet Kiana had seen for herself that Dez rose to the occasion, even facing down Olaf purely to ensure her own survival.
Kiana wiped such useless thoughts from her mind; however, as she took a turn from the vent, leading to a downward-sloped path. However, just as she prepared to slide down, she flinched in terror as she saw what waited below.
The eyes were somehow crammed within the vent. The massive red balls of power were locked onto her, measuring her, preparing themselves.
Terror and her athleticism merged perfectly in that moment. Kiana is managing to crawl backwards at a speed most would balk at. Flinching as a thunderous sound of banging metal chased after her. She fell backwards through a hole in the vent, falling into another vent path big enough to allow her to somewhat stand. Kiana rolled through the impact and pain and sprinted down it, flinching as a loud thud altered her. The Eyes weren't far behind.
Kiana used her A-Energy at max throttle, tearing down the vents and around them like a beast, but The Eyes kept up all the while. Eventually, Kiana happened upon a fan who was somewhat blocking her path. With a curse, Kiana barely managed to slip through it before sprinting on as she heard The Eyes collide with it at full speed.
Hoping the collision stunned her pursuer, Kiana turned the corner of the latest vent path, flinching as bright green light flashed brightly the second she did.
In a moment, Kiana was torn apart, her body broken down to the very atom. It was painful, it was relaxing, it was a blinding light, and drowning darkness. She attempted to scream, but had no way to do it. Besides, what was she?
Just as fast as the terror set in, Kiana blinked and cried out in joy as she realized she somehow could. Then she took in the sight…
She was floating hundreds of feet in the air, so high that the ground below looked tiny in such a way that humans never truly got to see it in person. She marvelled at it all, stunned at the view and the change of scenery.
Before she could question it, however, whatever held her there disappeared. Kiana cursed as foully as she could as she fell through the sky. Quickly and rather uselessly noting she was somewhere tropical, falling at terminal velocity…