DISCLAIMER - All characters are property of Square Enix. Vincent, unfortunately, does not belong to me.
Beginning of the End
All there was was darkness.
Thick and heavy, almost solid, it surrounded him. Suffocated him. Vincent struggled, a silent scream threatening to rise from his throat, as panic took its chilly hold around his chest.
What the hell is happening to me?
Vincent felt himself slowly bobbing back to the edges of conciousness. His mind was a confused tangle of thoughts and voices.
Something is not right.
Then he remembered.
Hojo…. That bastard. He shot me. He fucking shot me.
I should be dead.
Vincent opened his eyes. His head felt as though it was stuffed with sand. He turned a bleary eye around the room, trying to clear his head. He was lying on some sort of examination table, in what Vincent realised was the basement of the Shinra Mansion.
Lucrecia. What happened to her? Lucrecia…..
And suddenly, there was pain.
Pain, like a white-hot blade, searing through his head and down into his body.
Vincent screamed.
He half-fell, half-fainted from the table and lay face down on the floor. He was trembling in agony. His mind felt like it was being torn in two….
My….. I'm…… what is this!
Vincent pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, and vomited. He retched until there was nothing left, and lay panting on the floor, tears of agony and frustration in his eyes. It was then he noticed the puddles of dried blood, on the floor, the table. From, he realised as he looked down, the ugly wound on his chest, and the mangled remains of his left arm. The shot from Hojo had been at point-blank range, and had done a lot of damage.
No…. I must get out of here… get help……
Vincent managed to stagger onto his feet, swaying dangerously. The pain was intense….. It felt like it was inside not only his body, but mind….
'Where there was one, now there are two'.
Vincent spun round, steadying himself on a laboratory bench littered with instruments.
'Who… who said that? Show yourself!'
'I am with you'.
Vincent, now almost sobbing in fear, sank to the floor.
'What… what has he done to me……' he whispered weakly to himself.
'It cannot be fought against. We are bound for eternity'.
'Get out of my god damn HEAD!' Vincent pounded his temples with his fists and tore at his hair in frustration and confusion.
'It is futile. We are one'.
Vincent could now feel the… thing, whatever it was. An entity all its own, inhabiting a corner of his conciousness. The alien feeling was terrifying.
'You know, don't you.'
Vincent felt his resolve weakening. The thing's mind was slowly melding with his own, interlacing with it, weaving itself into the fabric of Vincent Valentine.
I'm…. I can't……..
Vincent stood up.
He raised his face, and howled. A howl that was not human.
A howl of triumph.
---------
'Well well well'.
Hojo stood over the unconscious Vincent, a sneer playing about his thin lips. He adjusted his glasses.
'Now it's time for the second stage of my… little project'. He laughed a high, cold laugh.
Next time, Valentine, you'll think twice before you interfere in matters that don't concern you.
You should thank me. I'm rebuilding you.
'You there'. Hojo gestured to a low grade scientist who was aiding him. 'Bring me the equipment'.
Hojo set to work.
--------------------------
Vincent's eyes snapped open.
What now?
He was, again, on the table in the laboratory. Vincent looked down, dreading what he may see this time.
And with good reason. He let out a gasp of horror.
What the…….
Vincent's damaged arm had been repaired. In it's place, a mechanical metallic claw. Vincent tried to flex his fingers. A needle of pain shot down his arm, but the pointed tips of the claw moved slightly.
'It is also now a part of you'.
Vincent's eyes widened, then he remembered.
Oh yeah. Him.
Vincent decided to ignore the voice for now. He put his hands to his chest, and felt….
More metal.
He looked at the place on his chest where a bloody, badly-healed wound once was. Now, there was a round metallic plate, covering the area.
What is this?
I'm…. I'm becoming less human.
Vincent sat up and swung his legs over the table. He expected to faint or fall again, but felt surprisingly…good. Strong. Regenerated.
As he stepped down, he noticed a note, folded on a bench in front of him. It was obviously intended to be seen by him straight away.
He looked at the thin, spidery handwriting on the front.
'Vincent Valentine'.
Hojo's writing.
He unfolded the paper.
'Vincent,
Well, if you are reading this, I guess you're awake. And that means you have seen the results of my project.
I must say, it went very well. I was trying out a technique long forgotten about, last used in the times of the Cetra. You see, with the correct materials and of course, spells, I was able to infuse your conciousness with the summoned spirit of a demon. That demon is a part of you now.
The Galian Beast, as it is so called, has the ability to take over your conciousness and body. When this occurs, you will no longer be Vincent. You will transform into the Beast.'
Vincent stood, open-mouthed in horror. But he read on. He had to know.
'When this occurs, the consequences may be unpredictable. You will have no control over its actions.
Also. I took the liberty of trying out some of my new cybernetic research on you. As you can see, the results are most promising'.
Vincent chuckled to himself, but there was no humour in it. That bastard. He's taken away my humanity, my life, but he's just happy at a successful experiment.
'Oh, and finally, a major effect of demon infusion is an interesting one, to say the least. Immortality.'
Immortality?
'You will not age. Your hair will not turn grey, your skin will not wrinkle. Biologically, you will remain your current age for all eternity.'
A chill coursed through Vincent as the full, horrifying consequences of this began to dawn on him.
'Of course, you can be killed like anyone else - but, you will never grow old and die.'
But everyone else will.
Everyone I have ever known. Or will know.
'So, there you have it. My present to you. Hope you like it.
Oh, and you may like to know, my other experiment is proceeding to my satisfaction. We expect him to be born any day now.
Yours,
Professor Hojo'
Lucrecia.
Vincent sank to his knees and wept like a broken-hearted child. His breath came in huge, racking sobs. He pounded a fist weakly on the floor.
'It's…. my… fault… Lucrecia… I…'
What can I do? Lucrecia… beautiful Lucrecia.'
Vincent sat with his head in his hands. Remorse and guilt consumed him, heavy, like a lead weight on his chest.
It's my fault. My… sin.
'Sin?' Galian Beast had been silently observing the proceedings.
Yes. I must atone. I deserve punishment for what I have done… what I have allowed to come to pass.
The Beast remained silent. The motives and feelings of humans confused him. He decided to stay well out of it.
I must stay away from people. I am a danger.
I will lock my self away… and sleep. That will give me time to atone.
Vincent slowly walked towards the door. He knew the mansion well, and knew where to go.
The Shinra have gone. No one will come here anymore.
Vincent pushed open the door and stepped into the cool, musty hall. He turned to the old, wooden door to his right and opened it. Pushing his way through cobwebs, he reached the far side of the room, and found what he was looking for.
The coffin at this side of the room was empty.
Vincent sighed, and shed a single tear.
Lucrecia.
His heart heavy, he stepped into the coffin, lay down, and slowly pulled over the heavy lid. He closed his eyes.
And soon, began to have nightmares.