Meanwhile in the smoking lands of Fallen Stone, Pixies writhed in pain, bruised and burnt, some with mechanical wings torn from their shoulder bones. Spiral walked mindlessly through the surrounding grounds, shell-shocked and silenced by the devastation of the Pixies he was used to living among.
“Please bring all injured Pixies to the Achrom Factory for treatment! This is a public announcement, all seriously injured Pixies should make their way to the Achrom Factory immediately!”
Spiral fluttered his wings hard, as Pixies started to lift and support the injured and they made their way to the large bellowing factory close by. The gates were wide open, and Spiral flew fast up ahead, where Sorrono was ushering Pixies into the chamber rooms.
“Master Spiral, I'm glad you are home.” Sorono spoke softly behind the silver Orium mask that now adorned his face.
“I can't get used to seeing you uncloaked, you look good…. brother.” Spiral said hesitantly before flying into the lobby entrance.
Spiral didn’t wait for a response, he felt uncomfortable already with the concept, he had only been told hours before that he had a twin. It was explained that out of the two fairies, Spiral had been fully formed with two wings rather than one and with the usual proportions for a Fairy whereas his brother Sorrono had not. Yet still, Spiral felt inferior to Sorrono whom he had always looked up to, his height and build forever towering over him. Sprial’s mind flooded with questions as he flew around the maze of corridors and pockets of space in the factory; why had his parents kept them from one another? Were they ashamed of his brother? Why not bring him up as their own? How is Sorrono not angry at them all for treating him so badly?
Spiral flew into the observation deck. His mother and father sat sour-faced looking through the glass panels that looked down on the chamber rooms.
“Mother, Father?” They both turned, and Carmella rose to her feet and flew to embrace her son.
“Spiral I knew you’d come to your senses and return to us.” She said running her spidery finger through his hair, Craven stood silent, his eye not leaving Spiral, and he could feel the heat rising in his body as his father’s stare bore into him, making him feel exposed and vulnerable.
“You came back because they have disowned you?” Craven said unflinching and his gaze not shifting.
“No, I warned them, I didn't want them all to die. I know those Fairies, father, it didn’t need to be this way. They have the cure, so you can get your wings back.” Spiral pleaded.
“That’s enough Spiral!” Carmella snapped, “Your father has had a trying day.”
“Fairies and Pixies and all things die in the end and that's ok if it's for a cause worth dying for.” Craven said, turning back to look over the window. “Come see… what death can do.” His father said, looking out as the chamber rooms were being filled with injured Pixies.
Spiral flew to the window, his mother close behind him.
“Why are you putting pixies in the compression chambers?” Spiral said quietly. “What’s that tube for? Have you adapted the chambers?” Spiral's mind raced as he watched Pixies in lab coats, close the large steel door, the press readied above them.
“Father! Father tell me you're not going to…!” Craven nodded at the stern-looking Pixie on the factory floor, who then slammed his palm into the large red button with no hesitation. The machine, cranked and whirled into action, red light spilled across the room from the machine’s spinning lights.
The countdown began.
“Stop! Stop this!” Spiral slammed his palms hard against the glass trying to gain attention over the noisy machine. “What are you doing? These Pixies, they have lives!” Spiral pleaded to his parents, frozen like stone as they watched the large roof press, concave into the chamber, leaving no space against the floor. Spiral froze as a black ooze filtered into the glass tube, thick and viscous, it filled the tube as it funnelled into large black barrels. Metal canisters that had the words HAIM on each one.
“You’re behind all of it!” Spiral whispered as his knees gave out and he sank to the floor.
“Get up darling, you're being silly.” Carmella said, tugging him by his elbow to his feet.
“Murdering Pixies.” He said forcefully, tugging his arm from her grasp.
“Don’t you talk to me like that! Sometimes we just drain them, these Pixies were too far gone, recovery was not an option.” Carmella’s long face looked stoney and her hair barely moved as she lowered her face in line to Spirals.
“It was a happy accident. I never intended to hurt anyone but a crazed Pixie broke in and he ended up squishing himself.” Craven explained. “After trying to help him, I was covered in Achrom and I had never felt stronger or sharper. So I found another Pixie, close to death and again the effects of Achrom were undeniable.”
“Undeniable! Achrom is made up of squished Pixies! I can't believe this!” Spiral flew towards the door.
“You leave now, don't come back!” Carmella said coldly.
“And they won't have you! You’ll go to the scrap like all the other failures I discard.” Spiral halted momentarily, memories rushing through his head - his past, his identity, his family… shattered. His wings whirred as he flew away from everything he’d ever known, a singular tear rolling down his cheek.