[center][b]The Devil is Among Us[/b][/center] Even with a prosthetic leg Joux's speed was astounding, the instructor was utilizing acceleration alchemy to traverse the rocky terrain as fast as possible. By the frantic nature of his movement it was quite easy to deduce that either this man was running from the impending catastrophe or he had uncovered something, perhaps a clue to how a Vile suddenly appeared on one of A.M.R.O's most secured facilities. Coincidentally the location which the instructor was approaching was the very cliff that existed as Ben's haven and undoing. "Finally here, this will all end," the retired Asylum consoled himself, clenching his wounded hand so as to prevent it from shaking. "Open gate 4, Authorization Joux Vulair, head instructor and prison overseer," heeding his command the ground began to cave in and a cylindrical elevator surfaced. Not wasting any time he immediately departed for the underground section, an area which technically didn't exist on Innocence. Even Julie was unaware of the underground facility that served an ulterior purpose at Innocence. "It has been a while, hasn't it Vulair. Welcome back to Tartrus my friend." A familiar voice greeted the instructor as soon as he stepped into the facility. "We are not friends," Joux scoffed, his callous attitude showing his disdain for the person that stood in front of him. The facility itself was a sight to behold. It spanned the length and width of the entire Island and yet all that it comprised of were four massive metallic containers. Each spread to extreme ends; the north end, south end, east end and west end while having a distance of several miles in between and the only point of connection, a frail pathway below which lay a molting lava pit. This was tartars. "What in god's name did you do?" Joux screamed, punching the metallic door which unlike the others was unlocked and didn’t have a sigil engraved into it. "This is your doing isn't it? Did you think I wouldn't notice the mayhem? A Vile appeared out of now where, it completely bypassed the first stage, how is that possible?" The instructor continued to scream, directing his rhetorical questions at the person in front. "I grew tired of waiting boy; we are going ahead of schedule. I am sure you can understand seeing as you already have the means to unlock the other 3 doors. You were waiting for such a distraction weren't you? My...my....and I am the monster?" The person smirked, his fingers brushing against the metallic container causing the massive structure to disintegrate. [b]"This world has no idea what is about to be unleashed upon it. The time of Asylums.....of A.M.R.O is over." [/b] ---------------------Xx-----------------xX--------------------- [center][b]When Sirens Are Silenced [/b][/center] "Damn abomination," the Chrono scoffed, blood trickling down her brow coloring her vision crimson. Unlike most Chronos, Julie had a weakness that often led her to the path of self harm. A kind heart is often battered and bruised; she was a testament to this and gladly bore its burden as atonement for the sin which was her birth. Very few Alchemists were born with the luxury of knowing who they were and when their "ability" would surface. While alchemy can be genetically transferred it also randomly manifests itself, even A.M.R.O has been unable to devise a pattern to an Alchemists 'surge'. All that is known is there is little to no difference between a human and an alchemist till the point the first surge occurs. A surge is that surreal occasion where a human makes contact with the force that is alchemy. He finds himself drawing from that pool of malformed energy for the very first time and the aftermath is near identical in most situations, an out flux of unstable power. It is at this event A.M.R.O is alerted to an Alchemist's presence and based on the strength of the surge they decide whether or not said Alchemist will be an asset or not. Julie's surge was a unique occurrence, not only had she caused the annihilation of a town of more than a thousand but this event occurred the moment she was born. There had been perhaps a dozen documented cases of a surge detected at birth, however nothing of such magnitude. Once could say this laid down the foundation for what she would become, a woman fearing the very nature of her ability, a woman unable to hold back. “To face me, is to face the end of days,” the Chrono whispered softly as she approached the shrieking monstrosity. “The trumpet beckons me to end it all,” with these words the entire Island shook, a violent tremor embodying the wrath of a Chrono Asylum. [b] “Now bathe in a river of flame.”[/b] As these words echoed towards the Vile they generated tremendous shock waves hurling the monstrosity into the ocean, several miles off and then in an instant the ocean ignited. It was a spectacle of raw unimaginable power, one befitting a practitioner of annihilation alchemy. This was no mere parlor trick, she hadn't summoned flames over the ocean, she caused it to explode. The very molecular structure of water had been compromised and reconstituted to cause a nuclear reaction. To put it simply there was no water surrounding the Island, only explosions that kept on going till a nuclear ash cloud formed atop "Innocence". "It's over," tears strolled down the Chrono's face as she felt her knees finally give out. "I didn't have to resort to destroying everything, my students are safe," she thought while heaving a sigh of relief and wiping away her gentle tears. The chaos and madness had finally subsided and a soothing serenity now returned to the Island of innocence. Ash gently fell from the blackened sky like snow while in the background sirens continued to sirens continued to blare, ensuring the evacuation continues on schedule. [center][b]However peace has but one fatal flaw, its fleeting.[/b][/center] The sirens could no longer be heard, only overwhelming deafening shrieks. Throughout the Island survivors had begun dropping to their knees, their ears bleeding. "How could it survive, why won't you just die?" The Chrono screamed; her eyes gaping as the silhouette of the Vile appeared, crawling out of the ocean. Its entire body was a tangled mess, flesh barely covered it and its face was no longer recognizable, its limbs being connected through torn muscle and bone. Even so it continued to approach Julie with the most carnal of desires ushering it forth, namely survival and destruction. "Oh God....there is only one explanation.....its approaching stage 3...." Not allowing herself to be overwhelmed by fear, Julie instantly began analyzing her priorities as the Vile slowly regenerated itself. Luckily she had already assigned her husband to oversee the evacuation of Rank A students as well as the Chrono candidates. With the main task completed, there was but one decision left. "This is Julie, contacting all students. The evacuation of all other sectors has been successful and only B sector remains. I am giving you all an option, either leave this Island within twenty minutes and live.........or chose to fight with me........and die beside me!" With that the telepathic line disconnected, possibly due to the interference being caused by the Vile.