As Echo runs up the front porch steps, soaked from head to toe in the torrential downpour, he turned his head to look back at his father. Vikta was still trudging through the thick mud to get to the front of the house. Echo turned back around and ran over to one of the rocking chairs on the porch. Shivering from the cold rain, Echo was now reaching down to undo the laces of his steel toe work boots which were currently plastered in mud.

As Vikta finally came up the front porch steps and sits down next to Echo, the young man flings his muddy boots onto the floor, and with a heavy thud, mud splatters all over the wooden deck. Vikta proceeds to do the same thing as Andrea throws open the front door and peeks outside. Looking over to her left, Andrea notices the other two busying themselves with their boots and utterly soaked from the rain.

Andrea yells out through the roaring storm, “Come in now! It’s not safe out here!”

A few flashes of lightning illuminates all of them in bright blue, and a thunderous clap quickly follows. The clouds were all momentarily illuminated as the thunderous boom reached them. The wind roared, and the freezing rain was thrown sideways onto the porch, soaking everything and everyone. Vikta and Echo flew upwards from their seats and rushed for the door as the storm was pelting them, and they nearly shoved Andrea out of the way.

Andrea stepped aside to let the two men in and slammed the front door closed behind them. She had gotten a bit too wet from the rain being pushed sideways by the wind and didn’t look very happy about it. Vanishing down the hallway for a few moments, Andrea comes back quickly with a few towels in her arms. Handing one towel to Vikta and another to Echo, she asks, “Shouldn’t you think about going down to the shelter soon?”

The wind started to pick up and howl as Echo spoke up, “Yeah, It’s cold up here and I need a hot shower right about now.”

Andrea pointed towards the dining room, “It’s warm downstairs, and I already brought your stuff down to your room in the shelter. Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up while you’re down there Echo.”

Echo strides over to the dining room and busies himself with drying off. Vikta and Andrea watched as Echo made his way over to the dining room door and jogged down the steps to the basement. The interior of the house was fortunately still brightly lit. The inside of their comfy home was warm and inviting in contrast to the cold dark of the storm outside.

The wind howled and whistled through the cracks of the house. The windows shuddered from the pressure of the tempest whipping all around them. Every few moments, it seemed to get worse and worse until the wind wailed a high pitch that made the whole house groan. Vikta’s expression got extremely worried as he stepped over to Andrea and hugged her tightly.

Andrea coughed from the strong hug and laughed, “Alright there, big bear. You can let me go now.”

Vikta gives a small chuckle as he lets her go and plants a warm kiss right on her lips. They embrace again for a few moments before backing up, but still holding each other’s hands as they spoke.

Andrea takes a deep breath before asking, “Since when did you become such a pussy?”

Vikta’s jaw drops and then his mouth curls up in a frown, “Since I fell in love with you.”

Andrea gives Vikta a big hug and a smile. The wind outside began to howl even louder now as the storm seemed to be reaching its peak. Every moment was filled with bright flashes of lightning and chaos. Vikta turned towards the dining room and attempted to lead Andrea but she tugged hard on his arms, and he stopped mid-step and turned his head to look at her inquisitively.

Andrea asks in a soft tone, “I… I want you to stay up here with me for a bit longer. Please. It reminds me of the night we had little Echo… That night when you had to…”

Vikta grasps her hands tightly and shakes his head. He bites his bottom lip and a single tear rolls down his face as he steps in close to her, his hands bringing hers up to his chest. By the time they were close enough to kiss, they both had tears in their eyes. They did not speak, they just stood there, crying in each other's arms. A memory that was too painful to speak of for the both of them.

Andrea sobs ever so slightly before speaking up, “Please… I don’t want to go through that again. Felix needs to find our crystals, or we’ll never get off this planet.”

BOOM... BOOM… BOOM…

Andrea and Vikta gasp and jump up in fright as they turn towards the sound of the three heavy knocks ringing out from the front door. The wooden floorboards of the front porch groan under the enormous mass of an entity shifting their weight from side to side in impatience.

A deep scratchy voice calls out from the other side of the door, “I do apologize, Andrea, but I couldn’t help but overhear that you may have misplaced your crystal. If you would be so kind as to let me in and tell me where your crystal might be, I might not have to bust the door down. It’s freezing out here, and you know how we Skeras loathe the cold. It would take a simple kick, and everything shatters inwards. My employer would be upset if I had to destroy property that belongs to the Takeda. Please… Open up, my dear.”

Vikta yells out, “Who is it and how do you know my wife’s name!? If you attempt to break in, I will kill you!”

The grave voice of the reptilian Skera growls and huffs as it screams out, “Vikta! Open this damn door before I snap your spine like a twig! It’s me… Lazarus! So, I would suggest you open this door before I rip this whole damn house apart! I’ve also brought some undesirable guests with me, and they would also like to come inside very soon. We have much to talk about.”

Vikta’s and Andrea’s eyes widen with terror as they both back up from the door slowly. Both crept backward on light feet and were no longer holding each other’s hand. Their moment of peace was shattered like brittle glass. Neither took a single breath. Neither dared to speak. Both still had tears in their eyes. Vikta and Andrea were struck with horror as they backed up towards the dining room.

As they continue to back up and finally reach the dining room, Vikta speaks precisely in a rushed whisper, “Get ready to move when I move. Stay on my heels the whole way down. He’s not going to let us go without a fight. Grab Echo on the way down, and I’ll get the guns.”

Lazarus calls out once again, “I can hear you in there. You can try to hide and fight back, but there’s nowhere to run to anymore. You’re trapped, Vikta! Give up now, and I’ll refrain from crushing your throat!”

Vikta yells out as he turns and tears off towards the dining room door, “Fuck off, Lazarus! I’ll make sure to put a titanium slug through your fucking skull this time!”

Andrea flips the bird at the closed front door and confidently bellows, “Bring it, you overgrown yard lizard!”

Vikta hops down the stairs step by step as Andrea finally starts sprinting for the basement stairs. The Skera releases an ear-blistering screech, and the front door behind Andrea explodes inwards. Splinters and rain soar everywhere, pelting the room with shrapnel. Pieces of splintered wood whiz by Andrea’s head, nearly clipping her by mere millimeters.

Andrea does not bother to look behind her as she grabs the door to the basement and slams it shut with a hefty shove. Andrea almost flies down the stairs in her attempt to escape her worst nightmare… A monstrous being who was supposed to be dead long ago. Grabbing the railing at the bottom, she swings herself around and runs for the hatch underneath the stairs. As Andrea climbs down the ladder and into the underground storm shelter, she reaches up and closes the hatch above her. While still on the ladder, she reaches over to another spot on the door and turns a small wheel which locks it with thick bolts.

The raging tempest on Keto is here, and it brought with it a demon. A demon from the past that has reared his ugly head and is out for more than just blood. The Sullivan’s are utterly trapped, and there is no escape from this concrete hell. They must fight back or suffer a fate worse than torture.