Endless Evolution: Last Star

Adam followed Lola, glancing at her clothes - a loose black and red dress and navy tights. Lola didn't look like a ward, more like a tour guide, which is exactly what she was.

"Appartly, this is your first time in prison, isn't it?" Lola asked with mild interest.

Adam nodded.

"Yeah... I won't hide it, I expected this place to look a little differt..." Adam glanced back at the walls with built-in blue lights suring them in this passageway.

"I see... It's noticeable. Lately, though, fewer and fewer Phantoms imprisoned, and some prisons have ev closed. Not that there are very many, but that's the trd. I'm not sure if it's because the Phantoms are committing less crimes, though." Lola shrugged carelessly.

It seemed that, unlike Raina, she didn't feel so strongly about the Phantoms.

It might have seemed strange to some since the prison ward was a member of the Azure Lotus. In that case, it would make sse for the Phantom prisons to be just like normal prisons.

However, Prago didn't own this prison as well as Azure Lotus. They had some influce, but the administrative buildings were always under the governmt's jurisdiction.

If Prago or Azure Lotus wanted Fall Hill Prison to exist under the geral rules, they had to change all the Phantom prisons in the Citadel. Obviously, it could only be done if Azure Lotus became significantly more influtial than Dark Order or Crimson Path.

"By the way. Are you a member of some Big Three organization?" Lola asked as if it was very important to her.

Adam shook his head, "Nah. I hav't made my choice yet and I don't know if I will. However, after what happed, I will definitely never join Azure Lotus. Although, some of my frids are members of Crimson Path."

Lola smiled as she stopped abruptly.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Adam threw her a puzzled look.

Lola removed part of her dress, exposing her shoulder and turning to Adam.

Oddly ough, on her shoulder was a tattoo of a black cross with drops of blood dripping from the ds - a blood cross.

"That's... That looks almost idtical to the emblem of the Crimson Path." Adam muttered slightly surprised.

The emblem of the Crimson Path was a silver cross with five crusted rubies with dripping blood.

Lola nodded.

"I only rectly joined the Crimson Path, so my cross doesn't have rubies yet, they have to be earned, you know? Especially for ordinary people... Well, it must be, because my tattoo is differt from the ones the Phantoms have." Lola whispered with a bitter smile.

"Hmm?" Adam gave her a questioning look with obvious curiosity.

"Here..." Lola pointed to her tattoo, "As you can see, the cross is not silver but black. Furthermore, if I had rubies, they would be smaller than those in Phantom's cross. However, of this is necessary. Both humans and Phantoms get tattoos at will. But carrying the emblem is mandatory for active involvemt in the organization."

Adam nodded.

Prago also had an emblem of a blue flower with six petals.

Adam looked a. No one was rushing them, so this was a great opportunity to learn Lola's motivations and a little more about the Big Three, the Crimson Path.

"Lola, I don't mean to be rude, but why did you decide to join Crimson Path? I mean, it's pretty obvious that for common people the best conditions are in Azure Lotus or Proud Wing, but not in Crimson Path." Adam asked.

Lola smiled, covering her shoulder with her dress.

"Well... It's a long story, but I don't mind sharing it with you. It's all about one Phantom. You could say he became an adoptive father to me. At least that's what I always thought." Lola muttered, pressing her palms to her chest.

"Unlike the idiots that join Azure Lotus and especially Proud Wing..."

For a momt, a look of contempt appeared on Lola's face. Obviously, as a member of Crimson Path, she disliked the members of the Proud Wing.

"Unlike them, I've se monsters since I lived in the slums... One day, I climbed up a nearly destroyed tower that was only slightly higher than the walls. Th, I saw Dead Lands and how the monsters destroyed a military helicopter, tearing the m apart."

Adam nodded slightly. He knew what Lola was talking about, because he was from the slums too, and he knew that there were such towers. Anyone could climb them if they wanted to, ev a child.

Sure, Three Rings also had many high points, but some were only accessible to military or departmtal employees. However, of those where the average person could get to, it was impossible to see Dead Lands.

It was all about perspective and the size of the Citadel. It was so big that the residts of the First Ring could only see the Second Ring and part of the Third Ring, they couldn't see the slums, let alone the Dead Lands.

"I see... I'm from the slums as well. Until a month ago, I had the opportunity to be on one of the towers." Adam took a deep breath, remembering the years in the slums.

He had come out of them only a month ago, but it seemed to him that he had lived there in a past life, perhaps ev longer ago. It wasn't surprising, though, considering how much his life and himself had changed.

"Seriously...?!" Lola's eyes wt wide as she walked over to Adam and took his hands tightly, "Unbelievable... Slum Phantoms are so rare... since almost no one there has a dect bloodline. The chances of igniting a Spark being in the slums are far less than in other regions."

Adam shrugged with a carefree smile, "Well, I just got lucky. Sometimes it just takes a little fortune to change your life, doesn't it?"

For some reason, Lola's gaze grew darker as she took a step back.

Adam raised an eyebrow, puzzled, not realizing what was causing Lola's reaction.

"Sorry, it's about my story. This Phantom saw me in the tower, he was standing on the walls of the Citadel. Next, in one leap, he reached me, picked me up in his arms, and smiled broadly. That same day, he took me to his house, where there were several slum kids like me."

Lola continued, "He was a member of the Crimson Path and a pretty strict person. I did maid work, trying to keep the house clean, and I was happy with everything. Thanks to him, I finally stopped worrying about a roof over my head, and not having anything to eat. I got a taste of what real life was like."

Lola paused for a momt:

"Ev though he was a member of the Crimson Path, he treated me very well, as if I were his daughter. Damn, that year was the first time I got nice clothes and wt to the movie theater, and it happed many times!"

Adam continued to list without interrupting. He realized that Lola's situation was not unique. It or something similar had happed to hundreds of people, especially those in difficult situations.

Lora took a deep breath.

"Phantoms and humans are unequal, it's true, that's why we have to do differt things. I'm not capable of fighting monsters, but I can clean and cook, someone can build and paint. So we have to do everything within our abilities!"

Lola put her palm to her chest, taking a step forward with a proud look.

"However, I can't cook, clean, or live if Phantoms don't kill monsters, that's the key differce. That's why I joined Crimson Path - because we ordinary people should make it easier for the Phantoms to fight monsters so that we can live and get up in the morning in peace. That the quality of life will rise, and there will be a lot less kids like me - living in slums and starving!"

Adam nodded.

"I see... Thank you for your sincerity, I understand a little more now. However, humans can fight monsters too."

"Hmm?" Lola looked at him, puzzled.

Adam pointed to his ear where his earbud usually was.

"Operators, Harvesters, military, blacksmiths, departmtal workers, and many others. They may not have weapons to cut through the skin of monsters, but they make sure our swords are sharper and more accurate than ever."

Lola nodded understandingly, with a slight smile on her face.

"Yes. You're completely right, they're helping - doing what they can as they should."

Th, Adam held out his hand and asked:

"You were talking about the Phantom who took you in. How is he now?"

Lola's face darked as her fingertips trembled.

"He died. On one of the missions, his squad was attacked by a monster that was too strong... No one survived."

"I'm sorry..." Adam lowered his head.

Lola shook her head.

"You shouldn't be. He didn't die only because he was a Phantom, but because ordinary people who have never left the walls of the Citadel don't die from monsters. Phantoms suffer far more than we do."

Adam nodded.

After a short pause, they headed onward, to the gate leading to the F-Zone of the Fall Hill Prison!