Resonance of the Abyss

This cellar's infrastructure was enormous, possibly there was as much space as outside. This must have taken a lot of time and labour, above anything else capital.

Someone is secretly funding whatever they are doing for sure.

This new room was not much different from the ones I had seen just now, the same humongous walls with intricate designs. Just that, there were a lot of cradles in which newborn babies were put.

Many nannies were present too, for taking care of the babies. This whole thing seems like a ritual.

I wanted to get closer, yet I didn't as it was not the best choice of action for the time being.

The babies were well fed and taken care of at the very least. Finally, at last, they started talking..mumbling.

"This should be the 127th baby born this month, this number should be enough for our plan or do we need more?"

The person talking was an adult male, quite tall with a toned physique, his left eye was missing from its socket, covered by a fatal claw scar.

Another person replied to him, who was also an adult male.

"Yeah, you are right. We needed hundred babies for our experiment but having extras is never a problem."

This one was average in height, the striking thing about him was his bald head and his huge physique.

According to what he said, they were doing some kind of experiment with children. But what could they possibly do?

I stealthily got closer to them, trying to hear what they were talking about more clearly.

The wounded guy grabbed a baby from one of the cradles, he later on put the baby over his head.

"People!, once we succeed, we won't have to live in this wretched place. This baby in hand, and all the others present here. Many of them would become the beacon of our survival."

Every person looked at the baby, the wounded guy was holding with yearning eyes. As if that baby was their last hope, or the ones in the cradles.

Beacon of their survival? Babies, newborn babies? How could they possibly do something, even the mysterious 'cosmic energy' can't make babies grow faster. What could these bunch of lunatics do?

"People!! Most of you might think it's cruel, giving such heavy responsibilities to newborns who can't even talk. But we don't have such leeways. We can't live here, nobody can except those powerful Astras who are coiled up in their homes, unaware of us, unaware of our struggles."

He paused for a second, taking a deep breath before continuing his speech again.

"So, even if this is cruel, even if this inhumane. We have to do this for our survival, for our children's survival. For a better future, in which we battle hardened warriors will save our planet. Unlike those who stay at their homes, never facing any hardships. Because of those people our planet has been devastated to this extent. It pains me that such people have been living in the upper levels unlike us battle hardened warriors."

This guy is literally brainwashing these people, twisting the truth at such a level. These people have never faced any creature above mortal level.

Battle hardened warriors? What kind of joke was that, these people won't survive against the weakest mortal rank from the upper levels.

This level of brainwashing is practically a rebellion, they are preparing for a rebellion but the way they are doing it doesn't make sense at least for now.

Do Larrisa and Acreid know about these people? Maybe that was why they sent us here.

Maybe I should regroup with the boys too, having them would make finding their ritual easier.

But I just had a fight with them, my pride won't let me do such a thing. Still having them together will be better…. I'm scared, I don't want to admit it but I'm definitely scared.

Even if I have enough strength to kill all these people, I can't handle them without doing vital damage. I can't keep up with the guilt of killing a human being.

...

Whatever excuses I was making couldn't hide the simple fact that I was scared..so scared that I couldn't fight them even if I was Planetary in power.

Deep down I even knew the reason too, it was not because of the sheer numbers of these people even if the whole sector attacked I knew that I was capable enough to handle them.

It was not even the fact, I couldn't handle the guilt. I had already killed a fair share of people in the previous timeline.

There was no problem with bloodshed too, I could handle the stench encompassing the cellar while coming here, normal bloodshed was childs play for me. I was more than capable of keeping a sane mind while seeing open guts.

The problem was deep within me, an inherent trait that I could never hope to change. The trait which haunted me in my previous timeline too.

I was woken from my self deprecating thoughts by the wounded guy's still continuing speech.

"My fellow brethren! Follow me through this door with those babies in hand. Together we shall create a warrior like us who will live for the betterment of our survival and for our mother planet."

Hearing his deep thoughtful speech, all of them picked a baby in hand. They started marching towards the singular door which was situated straight in front of them.

I took a deep breath, fighting with my palpitating heart. Made a move forward, using Junia's convenient tech I copied their clothing.

Changing my clothes, hiding my face under a mask. I picked up a nearby baby and joined their fray.

After I moved through the door, I was met with another confusing set of doors.

"Just how did they make such a place, so secretly or maybe they are being ignored intentionally."

Whoever they are, they are probably working for something big.

I moved in a line like everyone else was doing, when my chance arrived a strange man wearing a big robe showed me the direction where I should go.