The Deepest Darkness

By Alize Remix

Summary:Tick has lost both Sofia and Paul during the trails Reginald Chu put them through. Blinded by anger when he faced Mistress Jane, Tick's lost of control of Chi'karda killed her. Master George has no way of communicating or rescuing him. Tick is all alone with Reginald who has taken him on as his apprentice. Features a Dark!Tick.

Author's Note: This is my take on how the second book should have been. Much love goes out to the real series. Please support The 13th Reality series(it's really good, believe me). I'd love to hear from any readers on how I can improve this fanfiction.:)

Disclaimer: I do not own the 13th Reality.

Part I

Realizing You're Completely Alone

"For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" - John Greenleaf Whittier

Sofia and Paul were dead. Mistress Jane was dead as well. And it was all his fault. It was all his fault.

.

.

.

The moment he saw Mistress Jane hit the wall he knew her neck snapped and she was dead. He had killed someone. He had murdered someone. His heart beated harder against his chest. His breathing became faster. What would his family say? Would they even want to see if they found out what he did? He was forever stained, his hands were stained with the death of his enemy.

Tick did not mean to kill Mistress Jane, he honestly didn't. When her hands wrapped around his neck, he didn't think anymore as the air left his lungs. He could no longer breathe and couldn't focus on anything. The images of his decreased friends, family members living in the Prime Reality without him, and Master George and the others flashed in his mind. He couldn't allowed himself to die, he couldn't let his friends' deaths be in vain. He needed to come out of this alive.

That's where everything went down from there. When he began freaking out, his control of Chi'karda was lost and it attacked Mistress Jane in self defense. All the anger, sadness, and pain he had felt in the last few weeks took immediate aim for Mistress Jane and she was no more. His Chi'karda saw to that.

After the entire journey he had went through, what did he really have to show for it? His friends were dead, Mistress Jane, his one semi-friend in Chu's prison, was dead, and worst of all, Master George had no way of rescuing him. He was alone now. He was all alone.

Being so wrapped up in the moment, Tick did not realize someone had opened the metal door that had locked both him and Mistress Jane in before. A dark shadow figure stood over the fallen Tick. Smirking, the man placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. His grin slightly twitched as he felt Tick flinch at his touch but quickly re-bounced.

Reginald Chu smiled coldly at the broken boy before him. "Congratulations, Atticus," He let his eyes wander over to Mistress Jane's lifeless body. "You've won."

The outcome of the short lived battle had surprised Reginald Chu, something that was not easily done. The small, thin, underage boy had somehow managed to gather his Chi'karda, even though he had made sure his specialized room blocked out any and all Chi'karda, and quite literally ripped Mistress Jane off him and killed her in the process. Both amazed and a bit frightened by this, Chu had to made sure he chose his next move with extreme caution.

Atticus was in an unstable condition meaning he could react very violently to anything that dare approach him let alone do him harm.

Now that the boy had risen against his challenges and defeated each and every one, not without a few sacrifices of course. Oh yes, the boy would surely blame Chu for the friends he lost, though it truly washis fault. He must chose his next move carefully, he was walking on thin ice with Atticus.

"Sir," called one of his scientists. "Atticus,"

"I am well aware of the fact that our dear old Atticus has won, thank you for informing us, Grettake." The scientist's ears went red and he turned back to his screen. Chu wondered about the boy's mental health now. Even killing someone by accident would leave permanent scars in his mind. He wondered how he was going to side-step this major hole. If he misstepped, no doubt he would be the next one tossed against the wall.

He finally reached a decision. "Open the door."

"Sir?" Some of the other scientists called out but were silenced by a glare from Chu. They obeyed his command and opened the door for him. For the first time in a long while, he took a deep breath and exhaled.

He was met with an Atticus on his knees staring blankly at his hands. God only knows what was going through the boy's mind. Chu made sure to keep his steps quiet and stepped closer to the unresponsive Atticus. As he drew ever nearer to the boy, he was reviewing what words he would speak first to the boy. Almost lost in thought, he finally reached the boy who seemed lost in his own world. Which he probably was.

Managing a tight smirk, Chu pushed out a hand and placed it gently on the boy's shoulder. He almost frowned when Atticus flinched away from his hand. Didn't the boy know he was not trying to be a threat but offering a friendly hand? He pushed down the feeling of anger and a ping of sorrow that swelled in his chest. He pulled out his trademark smirk once again. He had to show the boy he meant no harm.

"Congratulations Atticus." He could not recognize the softness in his voice but kept going glancing over to Mistress Jane's dead body. A sting of guilt worked it's way into Chu's mind. It was his fault she was dead, it was his fault Atticus was forced to kill her. He shook away the terrible thoughts, this wasn't the time for them. "You've won."

Reginald could have slapped himself. What a horrible thing to say after he's just taken someone else's life. A loud sob broke the silence Chu had left.

The boy was crying uncontrollably in his hands. Atticus's entire body was shaking as he dug himself deeper into his knees as if hoping to just sink into the floor. For a moment, Reginald was at a lose at what to do. He had never dealt with a crying child. He had no experience on how to comfort a distressed pre teen. After a couple of seconds of uncomfortable sobbing from the boy, Chu took it upon himself to pat the boy lightly on the back.

Atticus took notice as he lifted his head slightly off his knees and looked at Reginald. Chu felt taken back as he stared into those dark brown eyes of Atticus. The way the boy stared made Chu feel as if the boy could see through him, into his soul.

"W-what do you-u-u want?" The boy managed to say. Not feeling very confident at the moment but was glad that Atticus hadn't attacked him, yet, Chu offered a bright smile that Attius, as he predicted, did not return.

"To take you to your new room." The boy's eyes widened and looked almost frightened. Of course, a voice in the back of Chu's mind said, he's still a boy of Master George's. From the tales Master George probably told the young children, this was to expected.

"But...but..." His eyes dratted around the room wildly as if searching it for an answer. Chu's breathe hiked. He must not let the boy's emotions get the best of him.

"Shh, it is alright." Chu, as gently as he could, grasped Atticus's shoulder. Atticus winced and tried to push away from the man who took his friends from him and put him through so much pain and suffering. Reginald quickly released his grip on the boy and stepped a foot away from the boy. He must give the boy space to breathe and relax.

Tick's breathing slowed down when Chu spoke again. "I am not your enemy, Atticus."

Rage suddenly filled those usually mellowed brown eyes of his. Mr. Chu barely had a moment to prepare before he was pinned against the wall just as was Mistress Jane by Atticus's Chi'karda. Atticus stood up wobbling side to side trying to stead himself. "How...can you say that?" The boy demanded.

"Atticus-"

"NO!" Tick's voice had changed into a deeper, much more scarier tone. Almost as if he was a demon possessing him. "YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO TAKE MY FRIENDS FROM ME. YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO MAKE ME A MURDERER. AND NOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY YOU'RE NOT MY ENEMY?"

"Atticus, please-!"

"NO! YOU LISTEN TO ME!" Then something happened that shook even Reginald Chu right down to his core. Something so unexpected, something so terrorizing, Mr. Chu's heart almost jumped out of his chest.

Atticus's eyes had turned fully and completely blood red. "ATTICUS!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" If there was any time Reginald had ever been frightened in his entire life, it was at his moment where he truly believed he was going to die. A short thirteen-year-old would be the death of him. Oh how karma was laughing itself straight to hell with this. One the most intelligent men in the history of all the Realities would soon met his end at the hands of a boy he had hoped would be his apprentice. What a way to go.

Fate would have had its way had the floor and walls not opened and drew out all sizes of weapons imaginable. Atticus took no notice of the weapons pointed directly at him but continued to focus all of his attention on Chu.

Before Mr. Chu could even begin thinking about acting his lips had already started to move. "STOP! DO NOT FIRE! I SAID DO NOT FIRE!" Panic spread throughout his body and Reginald began struggling to free himself from Atticus's hold.

Tick finally acknowledged the weapons and dropped Reginald at once. He sank back into his knees as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. "I didn't...I didn't mean...I-I-I-" Reginald rose to his feet immediately and ran towards Tick. The boy raised his arms up across his face awaiting a hit to come from Reginald. Chu took a moment to shake himself from the shock before slowly and gently placing a hand on Tick's shoulder again.

His tears broke and Tick looked up at Chu through tear-filled eyes. "They won't hurt you. I will not allow it." The hardness in Chu's voice surprised even Reginald Chu himself.

Tick blinked once at the man. And then he fainted.

Somewhere from under the Grand Canyon Master George was sitting at his office with his head in his arms. He had failed Sofia, Paul, Sato, and most importantly, Tick. Oh yes, Tick. Master George let him and his friends walk right into Reginald Chu's plan, he let Tick and Sofia keep going even after the Glass Tunnel had taken their friend, Paul. He let Tick continue even after he'd lost Sofia in the accident that Mistress Jane caused. He willingly let Reginald catch Tick. This was all his fault. He had made Sato go to the Fragmented Reality even though he knew how dangerous it was for him. And now Sato was strapped to a bed in confinement having lost his mind.

And the worst part of it all was that Master George let it happen. And he couldn't do anything about it now.

Sofia was dead. Paul was dead. Sato had lost his mind. And Tick was trapped with the most dangerous man in all of the Realities.

End of Part I