Okay, this chapter took me a while, so be grateful please.
I don't like it as well as the other three, for my skills at detail seem to have dropped...
Please excuse my English, I am dreadfully bad at catching my errors.
Anyway, enjoy~
"Are you sure you don't enjoy watching these fools suffer?" A cloaked male asked, grinning as he examined the new victims.
"I only enjoy seeing the realization in their eyes when they live their lives correctly." The ill voice responded.
"And when they die?" The younger man almost sang.
"I mourn for them."
"Lies~ You love to see their blood spill. These worms deserve it all!"
"They are living beings with minds and souls. They are simply missing the skills needed to survive." The elder responded sharply. The younger stayed silent for a long while as the elder fidgeted with his newest mechanism.
"What of the first survivor?" The younger asked angrily.
"I underestimated the strength of a country, but I always correct my mistakes. Now enough of your questions. We must start our next test. But first, I have a mission for you." At the mention of a mission the youth brightened up.
"Yes?"
"Keep an eye on our sheep. Make sure he follows the rules." The older instructed.
"Of course sir! What may I do to him if he fails?"
"I already have something planned if that happens. Do not harm him." The sickly male warned, causing the other to groan angrily.
"Fine, whatever. Let's just do this already." The younger responded impatiently.
"The trap will begin once you shut the door. As for you, my dear Elizabeta, I suggest you open your eyes." The voice said, an odd amount of care in it. Elizabeta's eyes shot open, for she had woken from her slumber long ago.
"Who are you? Where am I?" She tried to move, but her body was restrained by two chains locked onto her wrists. "What are going to do to me?"
"Not just you, princess." The other man laughed, pointing to the other subject.
"Oh god, Roderich? Roderich wake up!" The Hungarian yelled, causing her partner to wake.
"El…Elizabeta?"
"Wonderful! Now we can begin~" The youthful voice chimed as the elder male exited the room. "As you already know, today you might die! Here is how this game works! Roderich, you broke Elizabeta's poor heart, didn't ya?"
"I…"
"Of course you did. After all, it really is the person closest to you that ends up tearing you apart, right?"
"What is wrong with you?" Elizabeta yelled, but the man merely chuckled darkly.
"A lot of things, babe." The man responded, laughing loudly.
"Who are you?" Roderich asked calmly.
"Why, I am your savior. I have cleared my test. Now it is your turn. The contraption…"
"Let us go, dammit!" Elizabeta demanded, earning a slap across the face.
"Shut your trap, bitch. I'm talkin'." The man snarled, "You are not in the position to try my patients." He joked, pulling at her chains.
"Don't touch her." Roderich warned, his voice still calm. The man turned to him and tapped on a black box tat encased the Austrians hands.
"How are you going to stop me?" The lunatic said, probably grinning. Roderich stayed silent, knowing he was at the mercy of the psycho. "Good, stay quiet. I will just let the tape explain for me." He said, taking a tape recorder out and hitting play before walking out. As soon as he shut the door with a loud bang, bright lights filled the room and the tape played.
"Hello Roderich, hello Elizabeta, I want to play a game. The two of you have support each other for a long time, but split up in the end. You tore her heart out without a second thought, Roderich, and today we will see if she justifies your actions. The box around your hands is made to remove your precious ability. Elizabeta is the only one who can decide your fate. You have two options, Elizabeta, sever the hands that broke your heart, or remove your bleeding heart and let him go unharmed. True love can only be fulfilled through sacrifice and forgiveness. Make your choice, forever take your loves joy in life, or spare him. Let the game begin." The tape clicked off just as a figure in black walked in.
"Let us go!" Elizabeta pleased as the man walked over to her. He silently handed her two triggers. "No! I won't play! I won't!" She yelled, thrashing about.
"I will have to kill you if you don't." The man replied coldly. "Take them, right to save yourself, left to kill yourself." She took the remotes and the man turned to leave.
"Stop." Roderich ordered. The cloaked male turned to give his full attention. "You will watch as you do this to an innocent girl."
"I already have to." The voice answered blankly, pointing to a hole in the wall. "Would you rather I stay here?"
"Yes."
"Very well then." He responded happily, "I shall observe your bloodshed from here." He chuckled, sitting on the floor and watching as if it were only a movie.
"Fuck you!" Elizabeta yelled at the man. "I won't do it!" With those words, she threw the triggers.
"In forty five minutes, you all get locked in here to die! I suggest you hurry and do as you are told." The man said angrily, handing the remotes back to her. "Chose, Hungary." She took the remotes once more, her hands shaking.
"You know we are countries?" Elizabeta asked, tears starting to fall from her cheeks. The man said nothing, and left the room quickly. "You bastard! Come back!" She yelled after him.
"Elizabeta, just cut my hands off already." Roderich said indifferently. The Hungarian shook her head violently, hardly believing what he had just said.
"No! How could I hurt you? How could I take your wonderful talent away? I couldn't, never! I don't need to be alive anyway, I never do anything but get in that way. You can take care of my country right? So I am not needed…" She replied, a shaky smile on her face, tears flowing from her eyes. She pressed one trigger slowly. A mechanical pincer slowly pressed into her chest.
"Elizabeta stop!" Roderich cried out. She let go of the button, blood trailing from it. "Please…I can't lose you. I…I love you too much to have you die in front of me. I would rather live without my damn hands, they mean nothing! Please, please don't leave me." He looked straight into Elizabeta's eyes, tears falling slowly from his own. "Please…"
"Roderich…" She was shocked at his reaction. She thought he didn't care for her anymore. "Okay." She said, smiling. "If you really want me to live…"
"With all of my heart, I do."
"Then brace yourself." Elizabeta as she pressed the other button. Blades began to rotate inside and started to shred Roderich's hands. He screamed in agonizing pain as it shattered bones and continued chop through his hands. "I'm sorry." She mouthed, turning away as the carnage went on. The blades tore at his muscles and mangled his blood vessels until they finally came to a complete stop. Blood oozed out of the black box and dripped to the floor. The chains around Elizabeta's wrists unlatched and she dropped to the floor.
"Are you alright?" Roderich asked. Elizabeta walked over to him and slapped him across the face.
"Am I alright? You had your hands destroyed and you are worried about me? Don't be so stupid!" She scolded, hugging him.
"I'm sorry for caring about you?" He responded questioningly. Elizabeta smiled and kissed him.
"Let's get out of here." She said happily. The two turned to the exit just as another door opened.
"What?"
"You mustn't leave them to die!" A voice cackled loudly.
"Them? Who else did you put in this?" Elizabeta growled, but the man was gone. "Come back!"
"You may want this." The man said from behind them, holding out gauze.
"Oh, now you care about us?" The Hungarian asked angrily, snatching the items.
"They need to be saved as well. Wrap yourselves us and go!" The voice said frantically before running off.
"I hope you die!" She yelled after him. Roderich held his arms out for Elizabeta to patch him up. She did so slowly as to not harm him further, but he still winced slightly as the cloth rapped around his open wounds. When she finished fixing him, she wrapped her own wound without complaints.
"Let's go." Roderich said and they walked towards the other door.
The two tested countries step into a room without lights. The door shut behind them and a single light fell upon a tape recorder, Elizabeta's name was carved into it. She it the play button, but nothing happened.
"You may have to take it from the string." Roderich suggested. With slight hesitation, she pulled the rape from it's harness and lights snapped on with the playing of the tape.
"Hello Elizabeta, welcome to your next test. I am sure you are all too familiar with the man on the other side of the glass." The couple turned to see a separate room light up beside their own. Trapped inside the small white room was a blinded albino.
"Gilbert!" Elizabeta called out, rushing over to the glass and pausing the tape. The albino looked up at her from his spot in the middle of the room. He stood up slowly.
"Elizabeta? Is that you? Man, what's going on?" He responded, grinning. "Is there a good reason for this blindfold?"
"Be serious for ten seconds will you?" Roderich scolded.
"Damn, he's here too?"
"Shut up!" The couple yelled together, making the Prussian grumble to himself. Elizabeta pressed play on the tape again.
"In this trial, you must decide to free the man in the cage, or let him suffer. For too long he has teased and tormented others. His ego is large enough to crush the spirits of those around him. So, today you will chose to save him, or crush him. The ceiling is already moving, each second you waste accelerates the movement of the gears. And the faster they turn, the sooner your friend is smashed into the floor. The only way to save him is to stop the electric current that powers the room. The device on the left of the room should help with that. You only have five minutes. Gilbert, you must unlock your own escape. The key's whereabouts will be revealed only when you are left in the dark. Will the two of you work together to save lives? Live or die, make the choice." the tape clicked off and the three nations could here the gears begin to turn.
"Seems like the trap started late…" Roderich stated, examining the room.
"Hey, guys? Is this for real?"
"Yes, moron, look what happened to my poor Roddy!"
Gilbert snickered. "Roddy? Really? That is such a…" He began to mock as the ceiling dropped a few inches. "Shit! What was that?"
"Elizabeta, let's just leave him, come on."
"No! I am not leaving him to die! He's my friend!"
"…" The two were silent, Roderich staring at Gilbert, and then staring at Elizabeta, and Gilbert just standing in confusion. "Really?" They both speculated at once, finding the information quite shocking.
"Yes really!" Elizabeta barked, barely able to believe they had to ask. "Hold on, Gil." She said as she flew over to the device. "This looks like an game room game…" She observed, glancing at the contraption. It was a simple box with two metal rods sticking out of it. A light flashed on, saying, "take me"
"Maybe I can help?" Roderich offered, stepping closer to the machine.
"No. You wait for the power to go out and help him with the key."
"But…"
"Are you in any condition to help me?" She interrupted, gesturing to his hands, or lack of.
"Right…" He answered, walking over to the glass window obediently. "Ready?"
"…" Elizabeta looked at the device in front of her. "I guess." She said, voice shaking slightly. She placed her hands on the rods lightly, and instantly electricity shot into her body. She screamed and jumped away.
"Are you alrig…" Roderich began to ask, but the falling of the ceiling startled him back to the attention of Gilbert's predicament. It stopped about half a foot from the Prussian's head. "Gilbert, sit!" The Austrian ordered.
"Why should I?"
"Sit on the floor, dammit!" Roderich barked, and the other nation did as he was told just as the ceiling dripped again, just missing him. "Elizabeta, if you want to save him, you must be quick!" He explained to her, his voice lined with fear.
"I…I'll try." She replied, stepping back to the machine. She took a deep breathe, and grabbed the rods once more, holding tightly. As the electricity coursed through her body, she clenched her teeth to keep from screaming out. Once the light snapped off, a picture of two eyes was seeable on the wall.
"Gilbert, the key is by your eyes." Roderich instructed him.
"But I can't see anything…"
"Take that damn blindfold off!"
"Oh yeah…" Gilbert laughed nervously as he removed the blindfold. He just barely saw a key taped to the inside of the cloth as he removed it. "Awesome."
"Gilbert!"
'Right, leaving, my bad…" The albino replied, rushing to the door, opening it and running out to join the other two. "Elizabeta, let go!" He yelled once he was out, and she did so, the lights turning back one and the ceiling slamming against the floor. The flesh on her hands was peeling away.
"Are you alright?" Roderich asked, rushing over to her. She nodded, smiling weakly.
"Do you want these?" The three looked to see the cloaked figure. He was holding more gauze and a skin ointment. "It has been seven minutes since you took the tape form the string." He added quietly, tending to Elizabeta's hands. He finished quickly and jumped away when Elizabeta tried to grab me. "I must not stay with you." He replied. "I must go." The scared voice sounded laced in shock. The man pointed to a door. As the three nations turned to it, the man ran off. When they looked back he was gone.
"I don't get this." Gilbert said, sighing. "What did we do?"
"Well, your ego is suffocating. That is your issue." Elizabeta explain, laughing a bit.
"Oh, so only we get tested? What about him?" Gilbert complained. Roderich simply picked up his arms for the Prussian to see. "Holy fuck! Your hands were cut off?"
"Shredded."
"Ouch. And your fine?"
"I have been better."
"I can imagine."
"Can we just go!" Elizabeta asked angrily, already waiting for them at the other door.
"Alright." The two muttered, following her through it.
The three nations walked quickly into the next room to see a maze set up for them. Two other nations were already inside of the twisted trap.
"Elise! Basch!" Elizabeta called out, running to the cage-like maze. The two blonde nations looked toward her voice. Basch was standing inside the entrance of the maze, a gate caging him there. Elise, on the other hand, was in the heart of the maze. She was tied to a chair and wore a collar around her neck. The cloaked figure entered from a door on the other side.
"Welcome to your challenge, Roderich. In this maze is an old friend of yours and his dear sister. I will skip the philosophy and tell you your next task. Help Basch get the key at the end of this maze and back to Elise before her collar goes off. That shotgun collar is quite the death trap, it would be a shame to see Elise's face blow to bits. I suggest you hurry to those valves. You only have ten minuets to go through the maze. Starting now." The man explained, almost singing the last two words. He pressed a button on the wall that started a large wall clock to count down their time. "Remember , team work does wonders in such a situation." The voice said as it was leaving, a sense of urgency in it's tone. Roderich examined the situation quietly as the others began to panic.
"Are you just going to let her die?" Basch yelled, breaking the Austrians concentration.
"Calm down." He responded quietly, walking over to the valves. He examined the entire cage and silence fell over the nations.
"Hey, dude, we should hurry." Gilbert said as he walked over to Roderich.
"Turn this valve for me. " Roderich ordered. The Prussian hesitated, but did as he was told. One gate pulled open. "There! Elizabeta, follow that path!" He instructed, and she quickly ran into the maze without another thought. "Turn this one, it should open Basch's gate." Again, Gilbert did as he was told, and again Roderich was correct in his assumption.
"It's about time!" The Swiss man growled, running through the maze until he was stuck once more.
"Listen up! We only have a few minutes, so follow the path I make and the orders I give. Got it?"
"Ja."
"Igen."
"…"
"Basch?" The Austrian questioned the silent nation.
"As long as you save my sister, fine. Just hurry up!" The aggressive man barked back.
"Of course. No one is dying today. Gilbert, those two valves." Roderich ordered. As the two free nations changed the maze, the players ran their courses quickly. After only a minuet or two, Basch had the key.
"Lead me back!" He insisted.
"You don't have the time! Throw the key to Eli." Gilbert yelled, turning one last valve to open the door to Elise's cell.
"But…" Basch looked to the floor, it was all metal grates. "If she misses it, Elise will…"
"Trust us!" The three tested nations yelled as the clock counted at fifteen seconds to go. Basch took a deep breathe and threw the small key. It managed to pass a few bars, but crashed into one right before Elizabeta and began to fall.
"No!" Elizabeta exclaimed, diving for the key. But she missed it. The group looked to Elise, the poor girl's eyes were shut tight and tears were pouring down her face.
"No… you can't…" Basch choked out, fighting tears himself. All of a sudden, something dropped on Elizabeta's head. She snatched it off to see that it was another key. Without a second thought, she ran to Elise and undid the lock, tossing the contraption away just as it went off. The maze opened up completely so the three could exit. They ran quickly, Elizabeta carrying Elise, afraid that another trap may follow this one if they did not hurry. As soon as they were free, Elise jumped out of Elizabeta's arms and hugged her brother tightly.
"Brother, I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again." Elise said, crying. He hugged her tightly.
"It is okay, sister. You are safe now." He assured as Gilbert and Roderich came to rejoin the group.
"Where did the spare key come from though?" Elizabeta asked, and they all fell silent until something fell on Gilbert's head.
"…!" Gilbert took whatever it was off of his head and brought it to eye level. "Gilbird! You got the key for us?" The chick chirped proudly. "Who's an awesome pet? Of course it is you!" The albino praised, grinning.
"There is a note tied to his foot." Elise noticed, taking the white paper off. "It says, 'The innocent shall be spared.' I wonder who wrote it…" She wondered quietly, handing the paper to her brother.
"It is signed by ,'An leon leis na croise deirge.'" Basch said, pronouncing the strange title as best as he could. "I wonder what that even means." But the nations had no time to think as another door opened.
"Last test~" A voice hissed, cackling as he ran into the room.
"I thought we were done!" Gilbert whined, placing Gilbird on his head.
"We should just get out of here as fast as we can." Basch stated, and the rest of the group nodded in agreement.
They chased after the man, the door shutting behind them. The room was extremely dark with only an eerie green light swaying from side to side on the ceiling. Fog flooded the floor and made it difficult for the five to see. A dim "Exit" sign was glowing in the distance of the room.
"The door is open. Leave if you can." The voice laughed before leaving them to play.
"I don't want to stay here any longer!" Elizabeta screamed angrily before stomping off into the dark room.
"Wait for me!" Elise responded, chasing after the stronger female.
"All we have to do is walk straight to the exit?" Gilbert speculated aloud. "Seems odd." Just as the words left his mouth and he began to walk, a wire stopped him. "What the…" He tugged the wire slightly, and a loud bang sounded along with searing pain in his arm. Gilbert screamed out, falling to the ground.
"Gil? Are you okay?" Elizabeta asked.
"Was that a…" Basch started to wonder aloud, but two more loud bangs interrupted him.
"Everyone stop moving!" Roderich and Basch ordered in unison. The room fell silent.
"Is everyone okay?" A voice asked form the darkness, but received no answer. "…" The man seemed to be talking to himself, but no one heard him quite well. All of a sudden, bright lights snapped on. The nations covered their eyes until they adjusted to the light. And then the room was clearly shown. Trip wires and shotguns decorated the ceiling and floor, along with three bodies and pooling blood.
"Elise!" Basch screamed, seeing his sister was one of the injured. He rushed over to her, dodging the wires. "Elise, please be…" but as he reached her body, he knew it was so. She had been shot directly in the head, and lay dead on the ground. He fell to his knees beside her. "No, no, no. Please, no. Not you. No. No! Please, God, not her." He cried out, tears slowly creeping from his eyes.
"Ro…Roderich…" The Austrian turned his attentions from the mourning brother to his ex-wife. Elizabeta was clutching her throat, blood pouring out from it.
"Elizabeta!" He yelled, running to her carefully. "Please stay with me. Don't die!"
"I…I don't think that is up to me." She responded, smiling softly as her body shook. "Get the others out of here…." She ordered sternly, kissing him on the cheek before falling.
"No… Elizabeta don't die! Please don't leave me!"
"Roderich… Basch…" Gilbert said quietly, struggling to stand as blood flowed down his arm. "We have to go." The two looked up at the Prussian, and nodded.
"Alright…For Elizabeta,"
"And for Elise…" Basch interrupted.
"We shall live on." Roderich finished.
The two stood up, and all three surviving nations turned to the door. The cloaked man was still there, talking to himself. Basch glared at him.
"You did this, you bastard." He said calmly, taking one of the shotguns from it's position carefully. "You should be dead!" The angered blonde yelled, aiming for the man and shooting. The figure did nothing to dodge the blow, and was hit in the side. He stumbled slightly, but held his ground.
"Le do thoil." The man said, walking forward a bit as the three approached him. "Le do thoil, mharú dom!" He cried out as the Swiss man pointed the gun at him again, the barrel against him head. The figure smiled slightly, from what the nations could see, and Basch pulled the trigger. But nothing happened. It was out of bullets.
"Dammit." Basch cursed, throwing the gun aside. Suddenly the lights shut off again.
"Maith dom." The man said, and footsteps could be heard, along with about three gun shots. The three quickly flicked them back on, only to see that the man was gone.
"Shit, he is just going to get away with this…" Gilbert growled as the three glanced at the morbid scene again.
"Let's just go…" Basch said, "We will come and kill him soon enough." With that, the three left in silence.
Oh, just so you know, I won't translate, because other than saying "yes" these words (which were roughly translated) are important to the story.
I am evil sometimes.
I don't feel that bad for this chapter.
You all asked for it.
Oh, and if you know the language, and want to correct me, do it via P.M.
Or private message me to guess who the cloaked figure is.
Just because I want to know what you all think.
I beg of you though, do not spoil things for anyone!
Or I will have to hurt you.
How is that even possible though?...
I do accept ideas, but I think I know where this is going.
I still do not know what to do with the Nordics though...
So is you want them in this, help me out~
Also, I obviously do not own Hetalia.
I don't remember is I said that yet.
I figure that is quite obvious...
Thank you for wasting your time on my story once more! -bows-
I will try my hardest to finish the next chapter quickly.
Unless the lot of you do not show your love.
Then I drop this story all together.
So, review please~
Good or bad.
Just do it!
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