Chapter Text
A Touch of Red
By evolution-500
Genres: Horror/Friendship/Romance
Feedback: Always welcome
WARNING: This story contains violence, coarse language, mature themes and disturbing imagery. Reader discretion is advised.
Disclaimer: KILLER INSTINCT is a property belonging to Rare and Microsoft while RESIDENT EVIL is a property belonging to Capcom. I do not own any of these characters.
Chapter Twenty-One: Monsters
Night fell over the Arklay Mountains as both Claire and Thunder walked together, the two of them heading toward the dark shape of Spencer Mansion.
Swallowing at their approach, the former tried to steady her nerves as best she could, but admittedly she was feeling nervous about the whole thing.
Was this really a good idea?
Were they really going to find anything?
What if they were approached by a guard?
More and more, Claire started to have doubts.
Part of her was screaming at herself for getting into this mess, while another part of her just wanted some closure or assurance.
'Besides, it's the right thing to do,' she assured herself.
Stopping at the entrance, Claire turned to face Thunder.
"Well," she spoke, gesturing to the mansion, "here we are!"
Thunder nodded. "Indeed." He then folded his arms, stroking his chin. "Looks like the caution tape has been torn through."
Blinking in surprise, Claire looked back to the entrance.
Sure enough, pieces of tape around the front door were fluttering wildly in the breeze, clearly looking as though some had broken through it.
Giving her companion a glance, she raised a brow. "Another trespasser perhaps?"
As Thunder opened his mouth to respond, one of the front doors opened, and a figure emerged, causing the both of them to suddenly stop and stare, causing Claire's eyes to widen in a mixture of shock and alarm.
"What the-?"
Watching them from inside, the being said nothing, her breathing raspy and heavy.
"Umm...hello?"
Stopping two feet outside the door, the being slowly stepped outside, exposing itself under the moonlight, its crooked and lanky form haunting and abysmal.
Claire stared in horror at the being before them, her eyes taking in its appearance.
Dressed in a torn, tattered and filthy grey hospital gown was a wretched vision - an emaciated, hunched back and pale woman with long spidery limbs that gave her a kind of orangutan-like appearance. On her ankles were a set of a manacles that clung so tightly around that they cut deep into the woman's skin, her wrists bound by wooden cuffs that were lined with iron.
Concealing the woman's head, however, was a hideous mask that looked like it was made from human skin, but it wasn't just the face of one person in particular, but a whole collection of faces stitched together.
Even worse, at certain angles, Claire could spot some hints of what its wearer actually looked like through some of the seams and holes, making the girl shiver in repulsion.
The woman stared at them for a long time, then started to approach.
As she did so, the wind suddenly picked and blew in Claire's direction, causing both fighters to sniff the air and violently whip their heads away.
"Ugh! Jesus!" Thunder winced, plugging his nose.
Coughing, Claire covered her mouth and nose. "Oh my God!"
"What the fuck?!" The Native American gagged, handwaving the air. "Jesus Christ, what a stench!"
Nothing could have prepared either them for the rancid smell that assaulted their olfactory senses.
It was the most foul thing Claire had ever smelled in her entire life, like rotting meat mixed with old onion, wet feces, sweat and unwashed clothing, as if the woman had never bathed in her entire life.
Christ, even from standing fourteen feet away, the woman stank to high heaven, the air so thick and pungent with the smell that Claire practically tasted it, making her want to throw up!
Stopping a few feet away from the pair, the woman regarded them both with curiosity, looking at one, then the other, her chains and manacles clanking with her movements.
The fighters stood tense before her, warily regarding the being with a mixture of fear and anticipation, waiting to see what her course of action was going to be.
For several seconds, the woman stared, her breathing haggard and coarse, the many faces of her ugly mask shifting.
Looking away, she let out a hideous, banshee-like wail, vanishing back into the building.
"H-Hey, wait!" Claire called, reaching out.
The door closed behind the enigmatic figure, leaving the two of them outside.
Claire started to move when Thunder suddenly grabbed her arm.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "Come on, let's follow her!"
He shushed her. "Quiet your voice, girl." Looking around suspiciously from left to right, he glanced over his shoulder before finally turning back to face Claire, his voice hushed as he spoke, "We need to be careful and think this through before we start leaping into action. I don't think it would be advisable for us to follow her."
"But she didn't attack us!" Claire insisted.
"She hadn't," Thunder nodded, "but that doesn't mean that she won't once we both enter. You saw that mask she was wearing."
Claire shuddered. "Yeah. Y-You don't think those are actual human faces, do you?"
"What I know is that this mansion holds secrets," Thunder replied, "and that thing came from inside, despite it supposedly being abandoned and filled with gas."
The girl watched as he glanced around their surroundings, checking for any guards or of someone approaching.
Exhaling, Hinmatoom looked back to Claire, his eyes staring down into hers. "Are you sure you want to do this? From hereon, there will be no turning back, and if we get caught, there's no telling what will happen to us. You could end up either expelled from the tournament, or worse, you could end up dead...and those are the more pleasant possibilities that I have considered. Anything could happen down there." Claire squirmed, shivering at the unsaid implication. "You do not have to accompany me, Claire. You are under no obligation to do so. You understand that, right?"
Claire crossed her arms. "Well, that's not true at all. You did save me, along with Billy and T.J., after all, so I do owe you-"
"You owe me nothing," Thunder cut her off. "Consider your company and conversation at the bar payment enough. What happens next will change everything, and the question you should ask yourself, Claire, is, 'Is it worth the risk?'" He then meaningfully looked at her. "Last chance, Claire. Do you wish to proceed? I will not begrudge you if you leave. Sometimes, the safest thing, if not the smartest, thing to do is to not go where you're not meant to be. If you come with me, there's no telling what will happen. I cannot guarantee your safety, Claire."
The two fighters stood before the solemn form of Spencer Mansion, its dark silhouette highlighted by the shining moon overhead.
Brushing back her ponytail, Claire tugged on the lapels of her red vest. "I'll manage."
"Are you sure?" he pressed.
"Yeah." Looking up at the big man, her blue eyes impishly twinkled. "Don't worry, big guy - I'll keep you safe. I got your back."
Letting out an amused grunt, Hinmatoom gave her a half-smile. "You got spunk, girl." The smile fell, his eyes and tone taking on a more serious air. "Keep close. There's no telling what trouble we'll find inside."
Nodding, Claire watched as Hinmatoom turned away and stomped toward the mansion's entrance, the former hurrying as she followed him inside.
"Wow, look at this place!" Claire gasped as she stood in the main hall entrance. "Granted, it's nowhere near as impressive as the Baron's, but still, compared to my home, this is impressive."
"Focus, Claire," Thunder rumbled. "We're not here for sightseeing. But even more, we need to keep quiet. Remember, nobody's supposed to be here, and the last thing we need is to bring any unwanted attention to us."
Wincing, Claire hung her head. "Y-Yeah. Right. Um...sorry." She then glanced around at the many shut doors. "Soooo, which way do we go then? I wasn't really conscious when that Lilith punk took me."
To her surprise, the answer came from the rattling chains and a woman's shriek from somewhere close.
"Well, I guess we follow her and see where she leads us," Claire shrugged.
Footsteps clacked along the entrance hall as Hinmatoom followed Claire to the back of the stairs when a creak somewhere from the upper level made him give pause.
"Huh?" Stopping in his tracks, Hinmatoom's figure froze stiff, his eyes and mouth widening in shock.
"...Tipyeléhne?" he murmured.
Sure enough, his little brother was staring down at him with a flat and emotionless expression, his clothing torn, his skill pale, almost sickly yellow.
Turning away, Tipyeléhne started to head toward one of the doors on the upper level.
"Hey!" Hinmatoom started to call out. "Hey hey hey, wait! Tipyeléhne? Where are you going?! Tipyeléhne? Little brother!"
Pausing on the doorhandle, the young man glanced back to him, and for a moment, part of Hinmatoom had hoped that the former would have done or said something, anything!
Instead, all that Hinmatoom was greeted with was a cold, unnerving silence and a flat stare that didn't register anything.
It was a strange and uncomfortable stare, a gigantic departure from the mirth-filled twinkle that Hinmatoom was so accustomed to seeing since they were kids.
There was no hint of recognition whatsoever, nor any hint of emotion emanating the young man.
Not even an inkling of what Hinmatoom would even call intelligence seemed to exist in those eyes, if at all, so much so that he couldn't help wondering if the unresponsiveness might have been a possible sign of his young brother having become an addict.
For several moments, Tipyeléhne regarded him without saying a word.
Finally, he looked back to the door and stepped inside.
"Tipyeléhne!"
Not even when called by name did his little brother even respond, much to Hinmatoom's growing frustration.
Swearing, Hinmatoom hurried up the stairs as he attempted to follow after his brother, his previous obligations forgotten.
Hinmatoom panted as he followed his brother, the moonlight casting its rays through nearby windows.
Running down through the the various corridors, Hinmatoom froze as he caught sight of a grey steel door with a plant decoration on it.
Approaching it, the large figure stepped outside onto an L-shaped section of the west terrace, casting his eyes along the ivy-clad walls and the railed balcony. A shape caught his attention, the figure standing with his back facing him, staring outward as he leaned against the rail in front of him.
"There you are!" Hinmatoom panted, wiping his forehead. "You've sure given me a bit of a workout."
Eagle said nothing, his body still.
Swallowing, Hinmatoom slowly approached. "It has been a while, Tipyeléhne. I'm sorry for the way things had ended between us."
Remaining unresponsive, Tipyeléhne continued to pay him no heed, his attention fixed on the moon.
"Why didn't you reach out to me, brother?" Hinmatoom questioned.
As his little brother continued to ignore him, Hinmatoom's brow furrowed.
"...Brother?"
As he reached out to touch his little brother's shoulder, Tipyeléhne slowly turned to face him.
To Hinmatoom's horror, maggots started to climb their way out from his brother's skin, the younger man giving him a wicked, demented smile as worms oozed out of his mouth by the bucketloads.
"What the fuck is this?!" Hinmatoom cried, rearing back in disgust.
Stepping toward him, Tipyeléhne grinned as his own flesh started to peel and burn away, revealing a fleshless skeleton with a headband and glowing red eyes, its arm bound by a hideous tentacled shield.
Letting out a yell, the creature slashed into Hinmatoom's right arm with a sword, the large man letting out pain-filled yell while the skeleton cackled in delight.
Clutching his arm, Hinmatoom stumbled back, looking at the injury and at the creature in shock, watching as the latter started to stomp toward him with a wicked gleam in its eyes that he didn't like at all.
"No no no no-!" The Native American grabbed the creature by its bony wrist, keeping it from stabbing him, the other hand pushing away at the driftwood.
Struggling for several minutes, Hinmatoom clenched his teeth as he tried fending off the demented being, his face red from exertion.
How the fuck is this thing so strong?!
Rearing his head back, Hinmatoom smashed his forehead into his attacker's, causing it to stumble away with a slight squawk, allowing him the chance to retreat.
Rushing back inside, Hinmatoom slammed the door shut behind him, sealing it as best he could as he panted heavily, his forehead damp with sweat.
Groaning, he glanced over at his injury, wincing at the damage.
Blood seeped into sleeve, causing it to darken.
Applying pressure to it, Hinmatoom stumbled away before suddenly freezing, his eyes widening.
Claire.
He needed to find Claire and warn her.
Cursing himself for his own thoughtlessness, Hinmatoom stumbled down the corridors, clutching onto his arm as he glanced in all directions.
He had stepped back into the main hall when a sword swung down, very nearly taking his head clean off, and it was only through Hinmatoom's quick reflexes that saved him from a cold and ignoble death.
Rolling out of the way, Hinmatoom looked up to see the skeleton trying to dislodge its sword from the wooden banister, the creature grunting as it tried to pry it free.
Using its distraction as an opportunity to get away, Hinmatoom turned on his heel and ran in the opposite direction, watching as the skeleton pulled its weapon out.
As he attempted to run to the other side, the creature vanished in a green haze, reappearing ahead of him.
Skidding to a halt, Hinmatoom turned to the other direction, running in the opposite direction, only for the skeleton to teleport again and tackle into Hinmatoom's side, knocking him through the railing.
Crashing to the floor down below, pain flared through Hinmatoom's arm and body as he fell indelicately in a heap, knocking all the air out of his lungs.
Struggling to get up, Hinmatoom looked up to see the skeleton teleport just a few feet away from him, its menacing red eyes glaring down at him with hellish delight.
Taking a step toward him, the creature's approach was slow and deliberate, its gaze taunting and wicked.
Rolling onto his chest, Hinmatoom weakly crawled through the debris as he attempted to get away, his hands shakily grabbing onto broken pieces of banister, looking for a makeshift weapon.
Looking up at his attacker, Hinmatoom tensed as the creature looked down upon him with its evil eyes, its teeth perpetually drawn in an equally twisted sneer.
Leaping high into the air, the creature suddenly let out a loud shriek as a pair of electrodes planted themselves into its head, the skeleton spasming and flailing as it collapsed onto the ground.
"Target located!"
Startled, Hinmatoom turned to see a number of armed security guards arrive on the scene, their weapons firing upon the skeleton.
Puzzled, he watched as the guards fired their tasers into its being.
Hearing a heavy set of boots approaching, the last thing Hinmatoom saw and felt was the butt of a guard's rifle as it struck his face before losing consciousness.
"Thunder?" Claire half-whispered. "Thunder?" Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ugh, Where did he go?"
'Did he just ditch me?' she nervously wondered.
"Thunder?" she repeated. "Thunder? Thunder? If this is some sort of joke, I swear this isn't funny."
No response came, the silence unnerving.
Hearing the rattle of chains, Claire sighed as she followed after the sounds toward a gate leading to a spiraling staircase.
Letting out a shaky breath, Claire opened the gate and stepped inside, feeling like Alice making her descent into Wonderland.
The stairway was long, dark and endlessly twisting.
As she descended further down, Claire noticed the passages becoming darker and grimier with every step.
Overhead lamps lit a series of concrete walls and floor on the upper levels, while a series of wax candles lay scattered across the floor, lighting the path ahead, guiding her down toward a narrow, stony tunnel.
Once she got to the bottom of the stairs, she turned right and headed deeper into the tunnels, the passageways becoming narrower and tighter, the ground lined with crude, worm-bitten rickety hardwood flooring.
Hearing the drip of water, Claire eyed the path ahead.
"What on earth is all of this?" she half-whispered, approaching an opening with two intersecting paths leading to different tunnels, while in front of her was a large steel door.
Approaching the latter, Claire grabbed the rusted handle, bracing herself as she peered inside, where she found herself greeted by what looked to be a mining shaft with an unfinished arch at the end.
Closing the door quietly behind her, the girl approached the end of the corridor before suddenly ducking to the side of the arch as she heard two armed guards approach from the right.
"Man, that was such horseshit!" One complained, his voice modulated. "I was this close to winning!"
His companion laughed. "Sucks to be you, pal. I told you you should've bet on the other one. You gonna try your hand again?"
"Nah, man," the other one shook his head. "I lost two hundred bucks already. I don't need to damage my wallet any further."
"Your loss," the guard shrugged.
As the guards departed, Claire watched and waited, the girl exhaling in relief.
That was close.
Taking a quick peak, Claire glanced nervously in both directions, keeping an eye out for guards and cameras.
Interestingly, there didn't seem to be many cameras, if at all.
Of course, it was always possible that they were just concealed, making her nervous.
Swallowing, she took a right and found herself in another passageway with a door at the end.
Pulling it ever so slightly open, Claire winced at the smell coming from inside, the girl almost stumbling backward, holding back a gag.
God, what a stink!
Taking a deep breath, Claire braced herself as she opened the door slightly and sneaked inside, where she found herself on a landing that overlooked a massive and dark but very spacious chamber, which was bustling with activity.
Ducking behind a pair of large crates, Claire quietly observed the scene before, watching with curious eyes as everything unfolded before her.
Down below, she saw a large gathering of men, many of whom had their backs turned to her.
Many of them appeared to be security guards based on the uniforms, although some of the men interestingly wore white lab coats along with a film crew that was setting up their cameras.
Hearing a roar, Claire flinched, turning to the right to see the source of the commotion, only to suddenly grow still, her eyes widening in shock.
"What...the...?" she whispered.
All around, she saw cages.
dozens upon dozens of cages, each one holding various creatures of different shapes and sizes that rattled against the bars, all of whom let out a series of unearthly and monstrous sounds, the air noxious, reeking of decay along with old and fresh shit.
Covering her nose with the collar of her shirt, Claire observed the creatures as they paced back and forth.
In one cage, she saw a beast that looked like a cross between a lizard and an ape, green and packed with muscle. Its squat-looking head appeared to be fused with its neck and shoulders, reminding her of a weird mix between a cobra and toad, its mouth lined with sharp teeth.
In another cage, she saw a freakish-looking thing that resembled a human skeleton, its thin, fleshy body covered in long fine hairs, its four pairs of limbs long, chitinous, insect-like.
In a third cage was a far larger being, a black spider-like creature that stood bipedally like a man, covered in dark coarse fur, its tiny, red eight-eyed head completely fused with its thick, barrel-like torso. Eight fur-covered limbs tapped relentlessly against the bars in agitation, its chelicerae dripping with saliva.
A fourth creature looked like a giant, hideous, malformed ape with huge, boney shoulder blades, its arms thick and heavily muscled, covered in throbbing veins, its hands large with enormous talons, its face fleshy with huge jutting teeth and abnormally enlarged veins. Slamming its huge hands against the bars, the creature let out a savage roar as it beat its chest, its tiny eyes pale and dead.
In other cages, she saw what looked like...skinned...dogs.
Everywhere she looked, she saw cages and cages filled with countless horrors, their shrieks, growls and snarls loud and grating.
What the hell is this?
Just what sort of fresh hell did she just step into?
Positioned in the center of this chamber was a large empty cage marked with all sorts of claw marks and bloodstains. In some sections, she could make out what looked like a mixture of old and fresh remains, all of which looked gnawed upon and completely ravaged.
In front of the cage, however, Claire saw the large gathering laughing and chatting amongst themselves beside a chalkboard, which was covered with a list of names and tally marks, but the most recognizable of the bunch was the Baron's bodyguard, Dieter.
Counting up some cash in his hand, Dieter waved in his direction. "Alright, people, gather round, gather round! Place your bets, place your bets!"
From her concealed position, Claire watched as the various men clamored and handed over their money to him, the bodyguard collecting and counting up every dollar offered.
"This next match-up is gonna be a fun one, fellas!" Dieter called before looking at the film crew. "Are the cameras almost ready?"
"Affirmative, sir," a camera operator nodded.
"Great." Dieter then held out his arms in a grand gesture. "Let's get this show started and bring out the first guest!"
From a passageway adjacent to their position, Claire saw a bright shape approaching, its approach marked by the distinct sound of sizzling.
Puzzled, the girl squinted her eyes as she tried to make out the details.
At first, Claire thought someone was carrying a lantern, but as the shape drew closer, she noticed the size of it growing larger.
Claire's eyes peeled open in shock as the distinctive form of Cinder emerged into the chamber, his fiery figure lighting up the tunnel around him.
As the fire being entered, Claire noticed a deathly silence and stillness come over all, the girl watching as the various personnel nervously backed away as it approached.
Accompanying Cinder were four guards dressed in heavy-duty fire-retardant HAZMAT suits, each one armed with what looked distinctively like a fire extinguisher, but she couldn't help noting that even when armed and outfitted, they were nervous around him just the same.
Turning in his direction, Dieter offered a broad smile. "Ah, Benny!" He greeted. "Welcome, old friend."
Claire watched as Cinder froze, the fire effigy stiffly and warily glancing around at the men surrounding him before returning his fiery orbs to the bodyguard, looking very unimpressed with the latter.
"...You didn't say anything about having a large crowd down here," the latter spoke.
"Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm a regular party animal," Dieter shrugged. "Besides, I figured why not have a little fun and make a little money on the side?"
Cinder scoffed. "You really are a piece of shit, Dieter."
"Pot calling kettle, Benny. The only difference between you and me is that I'm better at hidin' it when I need to. Being an asshole comes naturally to you," Dieter replied as he took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth, looking expectantly up at the fire being with the cigarette propped up in his lips.
Narrowing his eyes, Cinder flicked his fingers and produced a spark as he gave him the bird.
Rather than being offended or threatened, Dieter casually pressed the cigarette into Cinder's forehead before drawing back, puffing a thick cloud of smoke directly into the latter's face before clicking his tongue in disapproval.
"So then," Dieter clapped his hands, "ready for your close-up?"
Cinder grunted. "Like I have a fuckin' choice."
"Oh, come now, Benny. It's no so bad! You get to be on television! You wouldn't want to disappoint your fans now, do you?"
Clenching his fists, Cinder said nothing, his glare filled with anger, pain and what looked unmistakably like hatred, the fire around him swirling as embers flaked off of his body.
Crossing his arms, the fiery apparition harrumphed as he looked away, lifting his chin in the direction of the fighter's cage. "Who am I fighting this time?"
Dieter hummed as he smoked. "You and Glacius are quite popular. I was thinking-"
"No."
Dieter tilted his head, surprised by the interruption. "Pardon?"
"I said no," Cinder growled. "He's badly hurt from the last match-up. Leave him out of this."
Dieter stared at him, silently regarding the fire being, before letting out an amused chuckle. "Why Ben! Is that concern I hear in your voice?"
Cinder said nothing, his eyes angry and fierce.
Shrugging, Dieter puffed on his cigarette. "Well, we can always use his offspring like before. We've been gettin' a lot of requests for lime and gold-colored variants for some time. Think you can handle that, or is it too much for your so-called "moral code" to deal with?"
Cinder's eyes narrowed. "Fuck you, Dieter."
"So you're a pussy. Figures." The bodyguard shook his head. "You wanna know what your problem is, Benny? You're too soft."
"Why, because I don't like to hurt kids?"
Dieter scratched his cheek. "You say that as if it's a bad thing. You been to the Middle East, Benny boy - you've seen what kids were capable of when given the right motivation. Hell, some of the little bastards didn't even need any motivation at all for the shit they did. Tell me, Ben, how many of them suicide bomber brats did you off during your service?"
Taking a threatening step toward, Cinder cocked his fist only to stop as the guards raised their fire extinguishers. Looking to the latter on both sides, the former returned his hateful glare back to Dieter, the bodyguard smugly grinning.
"Aww, baby in a grumpy mood?" Dieter taunted.
Rearing his fist back, Cinder prepared to swing. "Son of a-!"
Claire watched as the guards sprayed Cinder with their fire extinguishers, the latter letting out a horrible scream of agony as he collapsed to his knees and tried to defensively raise up his arms.
To her horror, the flames on Cinder's being dissipated, revealing a blistering, shriveled up, red and pink burnt body with a bald head and a disgusting jack-o'-lantern-like face.
As the poor man shrieked in agony, Dieter stood over him with a lit cigarette, his visage cold and uncaring.
Raising up a hand, he signaled for the guards to stop. "Alright, fellas. That's enough. I think Cindy gets the point." Crouching low, Dieter puffed out smoke into Cinder's ruined face. "Listen, Benny, I know you like to do things your way, and I respect that, but here's the thing - there's a time and place. My guys here? They, along with a number of very important figures, are expecting a good show, and I'm on a schedule. You wanna be a little bitch, fine, but remember who your friends are. Oh wait...you don't have any. Think anyone will have a spare containment suit ready to help mitigate your condition to keep you from going supernova? You think anyone cares about you out there?" The bodyguard shook his head. "Let's face it, Ben - there's nowhere for you to go. Even if you escaped, what then, burnt man walking? I mean, it's not like you can visit the nearest hospital, let alone your own daughter looking like that. Not without setting them on fire, anyway. Then again, you always were good at hurting people, even before you turned into this."
The burnt man said nothing, his breathing harsh and ragged.
Taking another drag of his cigarette, Dieter exhaled as he clapped him on the shoulder. "You should be grateful, Benny boy. The reality is, you're right where you belong. Nobody's coming to help you, so you better get used to it and get over your pissy diva bullshit." Flicking his stub at Cinder's face, Dieter straightened himself and brushed his suit. "Now shut the fuck up and get into the fuckin' cage."
Claire sympathetically watched as Cinder weakly complied, the burnt man making his way to the makeshift arena.
As the cage shut behind him, a loud, wailing feminine moan echoed through the tunnels, causing Dieter and the guards to look up in alert.
"Ah, shit. Fuckin' Lisa again." Sighing, Dieter took his fedora off and swept his hand through his black hair, waving to the guards. "Come on, fellas. Let's get that noisy little bitch before she ends up causing more trouble. The rest of you, take twenty. Get something to eat, grab a beer, whatever - just fuck off."
With that, the group dispersed, leaving Claire and Cinder alone in the chamber.
She waited two minutes, then three, listening to their departing footsteps.
Once she was certain that they were gone, Claire got up and slowly started to approach Cinder, moving past the various cages, its occupants growling and pacing back and forth.
Clearing her throat, Claire spoke up. "Psst. Hey! Are you okay?"
Lifting his head, Cinder turned around to face her, blinking in surprise. "You..." he said slowly in recognition. "I remember you. You're that chick from the tournament some weeks ago. The one who was cheering for me."
Claire gave a light laugh. "Glad you remembered."
Approaching the bars, Cinder then looked around in various directions. "What are you doing down here? How did you get past the guards?"
"There weren't any around upstairs," Claire explained. "None that I saw. A friend and I had seen a girl in chains wandering around by the entrance, so we had followed her inside."
Cinder frowned. "Where's your friend now?"
She shook her head. "I have no idea. We got separated once we were inside."
Clicking his tongue, the burnt man thoughtfully hummed. "For the sake of your friend, I hope they're alright. If that girl is who I think it is, then your friend should be on their guard and not step foot anywhere near her. I know my share of psycho chicks, but the girl that I'm thinkin' of is fuckin' nuts. She'll kill whoever gets anywhere close to her."
Claire looked nervously over her shoulder, praying Hinmatoom was alright before returning her gaze back to the caged figure. "Do you know who she is?"
Pursing his ruined lips, Cinder nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I know who you're talking about. Sounds like Lisa Trevor. I don't know all the detes, but from what I heard, she had been one of Umbrella's early test subjects from years back."
"Umbrella?" Claire blinked.
"Yeah. Apparently they did a lot of dark shit back then that drove her homicidal. I heard from some of the guards that supposedly Umbrella had secret government contracts for bioweapons or some shit like that, and you can see the results for yourself," Cinder explained, gesturing to the various creatures in their cages.
Staring at the creatures, Claire nervously swallowed, looking back to the burnt man as she gave him a concerned look. "Is that what happened to you as well? Was Ultratech responsible?"
Cinder bitterly chuckled. "Oh, Ultratech had a hand in this alright. In fact, it was the Baron himself who made me into this freak."
"The Baron?" Claire repeated in a mixture of shock and surprise. "Baron Von Sabrewulf?"
"Who else?" the burned man waspishly retorted, groaning in pain.
"You're badly hurt," Claire murmured before suddenly moving to the cage door. "Let me get you out of there. You need medical attention-"
"Don't!" Cinder rasped, raising a hand. "Stop."
"But-"
"You can't help me," he winced. "No one can."
As Cinder let out a pained groan, Claire noticed a thin, filmy membrane or substance emerge from his ruined skin.
Some of the substance dripped onto the floor, pooling by his feet as it covered his entire body.
A few moments later, his entire form suddenly ignited, his voice becoming distorted.
Claire stood transfixed before the burning effigy, watching as he rose to his feet, his body completely ablaze.
As his form lit up the cage, Cinder's condition seemed to improve, his physique appearing much more muscular, a red aureola surrounding his being.
Letting out a rumbling groan, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. "Christ, this sucks."
Claire said nothing for a long time, her eyes taking his appearance in as she looked at him from top to bottom.
After a long while, Claire found her voice again and mustered up the strength to speak.
"S-So...y-y-you're...real?" she murmured.
The flames crackled off his body, embers flickering into the air as he said nothing.
"Does it..." Claire hesitantly questioned, "...does it hurt?"
Cinder was quiet at first, his fiery mass of a face looking around as he uttered a single word.
"Always."
"Does this form alleviate the pain somewhat at least?"
He scoffed. "Not really."
"Is there..." she said slowly, "...is there anything that I can do to help? Anything I can do to help you manage the pain?" As the fire being slowly shook his head in answer, Claire lowered her eyes to the floor, her heart aching with overwhelming guilt and pity as she struggled to find the words. "I'm...I'm sorry to hear."
Even as the words left her lips, Claire couldn't help wincing at hollow they felt.
The fire being said nothing, his features unreadable.
Brushing back her bangs, Claire bit her lip as she looked around before raising her eyes to meet his. "Listen...what's your name?"
Blinking in surprise, Cinder gave her a curious look, his brows perplexedly furrowing slightly in suspicion.
"I-I mean..." Claire said slowly, "I'm guessing "Cinder" isn't your actual name, right? My name's Claire. Claire Redfield."
For several moments, the fiery figure said nothing, silently regarding her, and for a while, part of her wondered if she had offended him.
His glowing red eyes were eerie to behold, otherworldly without any form of iris nor sclera, let alone pupils.
Looking into Cinder's eyes was an utterly haunting experience for Claire, for not only could she plainly see the sheer anger that threatened to bubble up to the surface, but she also saw his anguish, his misery, his bitterness and pain.
He looked like a man who had suffered unimaginable hardship, a man who had not only been tormented daily by the agony that perpetually left him in discomfort, but who seemed deprived of comfort, of contact.
Nothing could have prepared Claire for the sheer sorrow and sadness that she saw expressed through his eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him somehow.
For a long time, Cinder was eerily quiet, his fiery form sputtering and snapping in the darkness.
Closing his eyes, he then exhaled. "...Ferris," he spoke. "Ben Ferris."
Claire blinked. "Ben?"
Cinder gave half-hearted shrug.
Smiling, Claire nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Ben." Her smile fell. "Listen, is there a key somewhere? I'm gonna get you out of here-"
"No," he cut her off. "You can't do anything for me." Claire opened her mouth to protest, but he continued, "If I go with you, you will be burned. Or worse. As much as I want to, I can't put you and others at risk."
Claire looked helplessly at him. "But I can't just leave you. Not like this. You need help!"
Cinder gave a mirthless chuckle. "You don't have a choice, kid." Exhaling, he shook his head. "Look, I appreciate your concern. Really, I do. You seem like a nice person, Claire, but you need to get the hell out here. If Dieter finds you here, you'll be in a world of hurt. Trust me, the last thing you want is to be anywhere near him."
Looking conflictedly at the fiery figure, Claire's shoulders sagged as she realized the futility of her efforts.
Glancing around, she then looked at the other cages. "Are there...are there other people down here in need of help?"
Cinder let out a light though bitter laugh. "What a question. Honey, there aren't any people down here. Down here is where the monsters are. Now, if I were you, I'd turn right around, go back upstairs, and forget everything that you have seen and heard. It'll save you the nightmares."
The girl stared at the burning figure, then closed her eyes. "Alright." Opening her eyes again, Claire then gave Cinder a single nod. "I wish that there's more that I can do for you, but...thank you. Thank you for warning me. And...I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "You have nothin' to apologize for, Claire. But..." He squirmed, looking uncomfortable, "um...thank you. It's good to know at least someone cared, I guess."
Claire's eyes teared up as she gave a small but determined smile. "I'll..." she swallowed, "...I'll try to find a way to help you, Ben, alright? Ultratech isn't going to get away with this. I don't care how long it'll take, but I'll find a way somehow, okay? I promise."
Cinder made a noncommittal noise, looking unconvinced, but he made no effort dissuading her.
Sighing, he shook his head. "Don't keep promises if you know you can't keep 'em, kid. Goodbye, Claire."
Claire swallowed. "Goodbye, Ben."
With that, the girl turned around and made her way toward the exit, going back along the path from where she came.
As Claire reached for the handle, the door opened, revealing Dieter's grinning visage as he stepped into the chamber with several armed guards and Theseus androids.
"...Hello, Ms. Redfield."