The Damned Demon

In the Infinity Tower,

Anna lay reclined in a high-tech infirmary, her abdomen swathed in shimmering bandages that emitted a soft yet dark glow with each pulse. The sterile, white surroundings, punctuated by the quiet bustle of nurses, starkly contrasted the tension that hung palpably in the air.

The doors of the room hissed open, admitting Lila, who walked in briskly with a tablet in hand. Her expression was a mix of mock concern and reproach as she clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "Tsk, tsk, my pup, do you have any idea how close you were to causing us a huge loss by almost getting killed out there?" she asked, her tone layered with mock sternness.

Anna's fingers tightened reflexively around the edges of her bedsheet as she attempted to speak, her voice strained, "I-I am sorry, Doctor. I really wanted—"

"Shhh... Don't strain yourself, pup," Lila interrupted gently, placing a finger against her lips as she smiled reassuringly at Anna, "You don't have to worry about everything. We are going to take care of things," she assured her, though her comforting words seemed to only heighten Anna's sense of unease.

Before Anna could voice her concerns, Lila continued, "But in the meantime, I will let you have a chat with your cute besties," With a snap of her fingers, Lila turned and signaled for the nurses to exit the room with her as the doors slid open with a hiss.

Surprised and scrambling slightly, Anna reached for a white top lying beside her, pulling it over her head in a swift motion to cover her bandages, just as two figures entered the room nervously.

The first, shorter than the other, had delicate features framed by long dark green hair. Her ghostly green skin was almost luminescent under the clinical lighting, her large dark green eyes scanning the room warily. She was dressed in a long white dress that matched her peculiar appearance, a thick white collar around her neck pulsating with a dull red light.

The second was taller with midnight black skin, sported fiery red hair, and small black horns that protruded just above her forehead. Her arms, replaced by rusty metal prosthetics, clanked softly as she moved. Despite her daunting appearance, there was an unmistakable warmth in her dark red eyes.

"Cila, Mira?" Anna mumbled, a mix of happiness and surprise coloring her voice, though her smile faltered slightly under the weight of her suspicions—why would the Doctor allow such a reunion without a catch? Someone like her would never be this kind to let her meet her sisters.

"Anna!" Mira called out, her high-pitched voice chimed out of the collar which glowed with a red light, yet imbued with excitement. Her mouth remained impassive due to the device, but her eyes sparkled as she dashed toward Anna's bed and hugged her tightly.

"Mira, I missed your hugs…" Anna mumbled softly as she returned a warm yet firm embrace as if she didn't want to let go of her.

Cila followed more slowly, her smile fading into a look of deep concern as she approached, "Anna, what happened? Are you okay?" her voice trembled slightly, after seeing Anna in a room like this.

Mira, her face etched with concern, scrutinized the various medical apparatus surrounding Anna. Her synthesized voice, constrained by the collar around her neck, chimed out nervously, "Anna, did you get hurt?"

Anna, despite the palpable tension, mustered a reassuring smile and shook her head gently. "You two shouldn't worry. I am already feeling fine."

But Cila wasn't so easily placated. Her voice carried a mix of worry and insistence as she whispered, "But you weren't before, right? Tell us... what have you been doing out there? You can talk to us freely." She surreptitiously produced a small black device from her pocket, a jammer, showing it to Anna. "They won't be able to hear us talk."

Mira gasped in awe, her eyes wide behind her mask, "Whaaa...."

Anna's concern was palpable as she quickly responded, "Cila, you have to throw that thing out before they find out. You didn't steal it, right?"

Cila shook her head with a soft, reassuring smile, "I am not that daring nor would I put us all in danger. I built this myself using scraps I sneaked in from here and there, and the guards would never find out because I can destroy it in a second," Her expression turned serious as she added, "But that's not what's important now. You need to tell us why you got hurt. You are making us worry."

Mira's eyes, filled with concern, mirrored Cila's urgency, "Are they making you do dangerous things?"

Anna sighed heavily, the weight of her secrets pressing down upon her. Lowering her voice, she confessed, "I am doing specific missions for them. In return... they will let us all go free soon."

The revelation shocked both Mira and Cila, "Let us free? Do you really believe that?" Cila's voice was incredulous, tinged with bitterness, "Look at us... We are nothing but just failed lab rats except you. If you are doing this for us... don't do what they want. They will get rid of us anyway."

Anna's response was laced with a desperate hope, her lips pressed tightly together, "You don't know that for sure. None of you would pose a threat to them. So there isn't any reason to get rid of you all as long as I do what they want."

Cila, grasping Anna's hand firmly with her metallic hand, her eyes filled with pain and conviction, implored, "Anna... I do not like this. They are using you by keeping us hostage. You can't—"

"Then would you rather all of us die?" Anna cut in, her voice soft but firm, a weak smile trying to mask her fear, "If I don't do what they want, they will get rid of us all right away. At least now... we get to keep seeing each other like this....right?"

The weight of Anna's words hung heavily in the air, making it difficult for Cila to refute her words.

Mira, who had been silently absorbing the gravity of the conversation, finally spoke, her robotic voice trembling slightly, "We will always stay together... okay? No matter what, it's us against the monsters. S-So we can help as well. You shouldn't do this alone, Anna."

Anna's smile was tender as she swung her legs off the bed and pulled her sisters into a heartfelt embrace. Her voice, thick with emotion, trembled slightly as she spoke, "Just give me some more time. I promise I will think of something so that we can be together without worrying about tomorrow. If I could...even for another second, I wouldn't want to keep doing this..." Her words faded into a whisper, Arthur's face flashing in her mind, especially the look on his face when he found her injured.

She had never known she would feel such a different kind of fear in her life before.

Cila responded with a nod, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and sadness, "Then we will wait for you."

Mira chimed in brightly, "Mn, mn. I can't wait for us to live in a big, beautiful house with a pretty garden like the pictures we saw," her voice carrying a lightness that momentarily lifted the room's somber mood.

Cila's smile waned as a shadow of concern passed over her face as if she suddenly remembered something, "Anna, do you know what happened to that human 'boy'?" she asked suddenly, her voice tinged with worry.

"The Boy?" Anna echoed, confusion knitting her brows together as she clasped Cila's hand, "Why are you suddenly asking about him?"

Cila's voice lowered to a whisper, her words laced with unease, "I overheard the Doctor and Master talking about him with excitement...something about them getting close to achieving their plans because of him. He disappeared right around the time you left this place. Do you know what happened to him?"

Mira's expression was one of genuine concern as she added, "He was the only human who was so nice and sweet. Can we meet him again? He wanted to be our friend, and it was the only time we got to play hide and seek. I hope we can play again. It was so fun."

Cila chuckled and patted Mira's head as she said, "Silly, you are now too big to play such a game."

Mira pouted as she hugged herself and mumbled, "I am not that big...I was good at hiding..."

Anna's heart clenched, a tightness enveloping her as she struggled with her memories. Before she could formulate a response, the doors to the infirmary hissed open, startling everyone inside. Armed guards, clad in heavy armor, rushed into the room, their presence slicing through the momentary peace like a blade.

"What are you—" Anna began, her voice laced with alarm.

Before she could finish, one of the guards roughly seized Mira's arm, yanking her forward, "Hey! Where are you taking her?" Cila's protective instincts kicked in, but another guard easily grabbed her as well, pulling her towards him.

"Leave them alone!" Anna's cry was desperate as she leaped from the bed, her eyes igniting with a menacing dark yellow glow.

"Stay right there unless you want a bullet in her head!" one of the guards roared, pressing a pistol against Mira's temple, silencing the room with the threat.

Anna's body froze, her eyes reverting to their usual dark gray as she addressed the guards through gritted teeth, "What do you want? We didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh my pup, don't get so worked up," Lila's chuckle echoed across as she walked into the room with a smile, making Anna feel she wasn't wrong to think that something was wrong.

"You will be coming with us along with these two demon pups. Then you can find out what's wrong," Lila said with a wink as she snapped her fingers together, and the guards dragged them out.

"Anna…." Mira's voice was faint, her eyes darting towards Anna with a silent plea for help.

"Everything will be alright…" Anna silently mouthed, her heart pounding as she followed the guards, fear gripping her with each step.

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