Chapter 10!
This chapter is very...sad...in its own way. :(
WARNING- Severe angst ahead, detailed descriptions of physical, mental, and emotional agony. In other words, EXTREMELY DRAMATIC CHAPTER!
Inspired by the song on the moon map: Nightmare, by Avenged Sevenfold! (No copyright intended!)
Special Thanks
xMechaSheikx - :) Thanks for the reviews! I love 'em. This chapter is very dramatic. I feel bad, cuz I make you cry a lot with these chapters...so, brace yourself.
X. The Push over the Edge
Edward Richtofen opened his eyes gingerly, wincing at a sharp pain in his temples. He cast his gaze around a room he was in, that was pitch black, unable to make out the slightest detail. He tried to move, but felt restraints against his arms and legs that held him back to a high-backed chair that was more like a throne than anything else. He was glad, though, in a strange way for the darkness. He knew that any light would make his headache that much worse.
He swallowed down his rising panic. Where had his recorder gone? It should have been on his shoulder, but he could tell it was gone. What had happened? He'd teleported...to that strange room with the pyramid. Now he was here. Restrained in total blackness, he felt certain that everything was quickly going downhill.
The silence made him uncomfortable beyond words, though. Nothing...no whispering, no talking, no voices from a distant place. It was as if the world had disappeared, civilization wiped away. A dreadful thought filled his mind. Was he underground? Buried alive? Or maybe in the pyramid even? No, he had remembered a jungle and people, primitives. He had been carried off.
Why was he here? Tied down to a stone chair and in pain? What if he were dead? Awaiting judgment in some dark place from some unknown entity? He cast the notion aside...it was just his fear getting the better of him.
Another horrifying thought occurred to him... What if he were some sort of sacrifice?... the ancient humans of the world were fond of those as far as he knew. Thoughts circulated in his mind by his imagination, unchecked and making him that much more fearful.
Just then, a small, dim, blue light shone from somewhere nearby.
"You are weaker than ever Edward, we plan to change that." A cold voice suddenly echoed in the silence.
Edward didn't respond right away, not trusting his voice to sound dignified. He shivered slightly...the voice was very familiar.
"Who are you?" He finally responded after he was sure he could speak right, but his voice was dry and weak.
"That is hardly important." Came the cold reply, keeping a fair distance. He could only make out the blue light and a faint human shape.
"Where am I?" Richtofen demanded, voice strengthening.
"The natives here call it 'paradise' or Shangri-La...but soon it will be hell. That's one reason why you're here. To lead them to that hell."
"Lead them to hell?" He was confused.
"Yes, to chaos."
"Why? What are you talking about?!" He was becoming certain he was in a nightmare. But the word choice and voice were both horribly familiar.
"You don't need to know...but first you must know hell to be able to lead into it."
"I don't understand." He heard footsteps approaching, the blue light coming closer.
"You will...very soon."
The footsteps stopped, still too far away to make out the details of the man.
Richtofen instantly felt intense pain in his head.
"Relent to us Edward!" A detached voice hissed into the room, as if the speaker had no body. "Becoming a human couldn't save you! You were destined to fall into this chaos again! Fate had already chosen, running from it was not wise!"
"I...don't know what...you mea-" He screamed suddenly as a twisting feeling filled his head.
The man in the room now spoke again, "Don't you dare lie to us! Even if you are telling the truth...you still can't escape destiny!"
The pain let up and the footsteps started again.
"So you weren't lying...I can't imagine how you thought it would be beneficial to escape just to forget all that had happened. Oh well, it no longer matters. Soon you will lead the annihilation of peace of all the worlds, starting with this one!"
Finally, the man's face appeared before him, illuminated by a glowing blue object in his hand, mere feet away.
It was Walram Fleischer.
"You..." Richtofen gasped in recognition, filled with fury. He struggled, shouting fiercely the worst kind of insults found in the German language.
Walram chuckled, smiling coldly a smile that never reached his eyes, his faultless face twisted strangely by it.
"You're a monster!" Richtofen accused.
"Look, I don't really care what you think, boy, the Masters have given their orders and I must carry them out."
"Masters?"
"Yes...the Masters of Chaos. How you have forgotten them, too."
"It was more...than a debt...wasn't there. The Illuminati. My father..."
"If you want to be real technical. Yes there is a debt, to your real father and mother. But you will never know what that means, will you? Actually, this might be helpful. We can do a real reconditioning!"
He was suddenly very close, glowering down at his captive. Richtofen met his gaze challengingly. Walram slammed his fist into Edward's arm with bruising force, baring his teeth in animalistic pleasure at his victim's cry of pain.
"Things are going to be very different after tonight! Very different. For everyone, and it all starts here, with you!" He growled. "The only way to be a god is to be cruel, ruthless, certain. Insane. That is why we must do this. I will break you and build you back up the way I want...the way they want! Over and over, until we get it right! It is how it should be!"
His long fingers grasped the tortured man's arm and twisted, snapping the restraints like paper, threatening to do the same to bone. The agonized scream that followed seemed far too loud in the small room.
"Every move ever made. The very meaning for our existence, all comes down to this. Chaos, total and complete. We cannot rule without endless mayhem and panic. The kind you will bring. First...we will expose your soul, then we will break your will." Fleischer hissed.
Walram let go of his arm and and raised the object in his hand, a syringe full of blue glowing liquid. Edward struggled in horror, the terrible memory of the Wittenau asylum victim's wild eyes flashing in his mind as Peter prepared the injection. He tried to stop the needle's descent with his now free hand, but was caught in Fleischer's unoccupied hand again. Walram growled and plunged the needle into the skin, feeding the solution into the bloodstream. It brought a terrifying pain in Richtofen's head, no, his whole body. He howled in pain and thrashed as fire raced through his blood, more desperate now than ever to escape.
"You will remember nothing here later, but the effects are still the same. You will change, and stay changed!" Walram declared in triumph.
The man tossed away the empty syringe and reached to his side and raised a long, deadly knife. He smiled at the flash of fear in his captive's eyes, and brought it down on his face. Blood spattered the stone floor, punctuating the terror. Edward bit his lip until it bled to stop a scream in his throat. It came out as a strangled whimper as blood dripped down his face.
"You have the power, as you are destined, to control everyone now. It is how we do things." Walram hissed, flicking the blood off his blade.
Edward could barely hear over a roaring now filling his head, like thousands of screaming voices, all begging for freedom. He panted in agony, sucking in at the air and trying not to cry out. His face was throbbing. His blood was on fire, lighting up his arteries and veins. It felt like his very soul was being shredded, mutilated, twisted. He was certain that he was dying from the inside out.
"Well, are you going to relent?" Walram growled.
Richtofen shook his head and the blade was thrusted downward into his thigh with merciless force. Edward twisted in pain and snarled back. Overcoming his agony, he yanked his arm free of Walram's grasp and punched the man's flawless face with surprising speed. Walram fell back with a yelp, tripping and nearly falling. Richtofen pulled the knife out of his leg with a savage war cry.
He held the blade up threateningly as Walram regained his balance, clutching his now bleeding nose. He realized something; he could now see Walram clearly even though there was no light. He could see the entire room, as if he had some new sense. It was small, with runes and hieroglyphs lining the walls and narrowed to a point at the top, like a pyramid.
"That wasn't too bad...you are stronger now...does this mean the change is starting?" The Illuminati man mumbled.
Richtofen felt wild as memories filled his mind, unlocked by the element. He drew his arm back and flung the blade at his enemy with determined force. Walram cried out as the hilt was instantly jutting out of his shoulder. He grasped at it, pulling the blade free with a gasp.
"I remember now." Edward declared, more memories flooding through him. "You...Vrilya...the Masters...the council...Samantha." He paused, sorrow washing through him. "What have you done with her, you piece of shit?"
Walram smiled coldly, his face and shoulder healing themselves as he spoke with inhuman speed. "I haven't touched her. What happened to her was entirely her fault. She thought she could control the device of chaos. She was wrong...the little snot is now a groveling human child. She can't be fixed!" He laughed.
Richtofen was filled with rage. He surged forward with supernatural strength, snapping his bonds, launching himself at the man before him. Walram ducked the first blow and avoided the second with a twist. Finally, Edward landed a blow to his enemy's arm, snapping bone. Walram screeched in pain, leaping back and falling to his knees. For the first time in a long time, Edward felt extremely powerful.
"Maxis's daughter? She is lost to you, Edward!" Walram croaked out loudly as him arm healed with unnatural speed like his face and shoulder had. He lurched up and stepped forward with extraordinary swiftness. Edward felt the dagger cut his side deeply before he could react, and pain flared through him. He yelled and lunged away from the pain, ducking the next attack that was aimed at his neck. He counterattacked the next blow aimed at his chest, catching his Walram's wrist to the hand holding the dagger. He flew forward, faster than light. Suddenly, he held Walram by the throat, pinning him to the cold floor, still holding his knife hand at bay. His rage made him tighten his grip rapidly. Walram choked, struggling to dislodge himself, but unable to.
"I will kill you! You monster of darkness!" Edward declared, grinning in triumph.
Walram's eyes were blazing with fear as he fought to escape. His free hand punched into Edward's side, but it didn't loosen the hold on his neck. Soon, Fleischer's strength began to wane as his fighting slowed from the lack of oxygen. His eyelids fluttered in panic.
Suddenly, as if intervened upon, Edward's mind burned with intense pain. His head felt like it was exploding, his consciousness being constricted in a tight grasp. He tried to ignore it, but it grew stronger. A familiar male voice filled his head.
"Release him Edward! You can't win now!" It was Sarth's voice, he now realized, demonic and distorted. "You have nothing to gain in his death!"
"More than you'll ever know!" Snarled Edward back. "...Father."
A hiss filled the room, like an angry dragon waking up.
Edward suddenly couldn't move or breath as the grip on his mind seem to tighten. He instinctively flung up mental defenses. He forgot momentarily about his enemy below him and gripped his head as it felt like it would burst.
"Then you leave me little choice, but to do this myself!"
"I will stop you!" Edward snapped at the voice.
In an instant, he felt pain explode through his chest as Walram took advantage of the distraction and plunged his knife into his enemy. Edward coughed, blood in his mouth. He gripped feebly at the hand holding the knife as the thick liquid rushed crimson down his chest. Fleischer shoved him back, yanking his weapon free as Richtofen stumbled back, staring at the wound on his chest blankly.
Abruptly, time froze and the only movement seemed to be his own beating heart, pumping more and more blood out of his body unknowingly. He felt the assault on his mind ease up.
"It's over..." The voice faded.
Richtofen's human mind began replaying memories. Every view of what had happened in his life was clamoring to be in the spotlight as if it were his last moments in life. His parents, the prisoners, Emily, Maxis, Group 935, Nazi, General, Wunderwaffe, funeral, they all flashed before his eyes along with others in a mere instant. His head spun with moments buried in his mind that he would soon lose forever as the element filled his bloodstream. Forgotten voices murmured in his head, painting the scenes in vivid reality.
I can't...breathe anymore.
It's going to be fine, it'll be fine.
No...listen to me...I won't make it.
Don't say that!
Take care of our child, Edward...raise him strong and proud. I know you will.
No don't go...
Richtofen breathed in a painful breath. "Emily...I am sorry I failed..." He murmured, falling to his knees as she faded from his mind...lost. Blood sluiced onto the cold stone floor, gathering there.
Come here, boy! You are going to make your father proud. Aren't you?
Yes!
Going to save many lives!
Many.
"My true father...I took more than saved. Forgive me." he moaned in pain, terrified and losing himself as he thought of his Earth parent.
Edward, silly boy, don't take the toys apart
But I wanted to see how they worked, Mother!
Come on, how about some fresh bread!
Oh yes! I'd love some!
He smiled bitterly.
"How ashamed you must be, mother, to see me this way..." His other Earth parent.
Then, he couldn't remember their smiles. Their names, names, what were their names! He cried in anguish, his head hurt so bad.
Welcome to Group 935.
"NO! YOU TOOK THEM FROM ME! GIVE THEM BACK!" He shrieked loudly at no one.
Abruptly, he slumped sideways, hitting the floor hard as Walram scrambled to his feet, moment unfrozen. Edward slowly came to his hands and knees, struggling. Fighting against all odds. A fresh wave of pain in his body and head made his vision swim and he clutched his head as terrible screams filled it. Screams that appeared to have no origins anywhere.
Walram was soon crouched in front of him, his gaze softening with sympathy that seemed surprisingly genuine. He nodded.
"It's done...all you have to do is give in to them..."
Richtofen's body seized up and pain filled him to his core. He cried out, looked up and spat blood on Walram's face in defiance.
"Stop fighting it! It will only make the pain more intense." Walram scolded, wiping the spit and blood away form his jaw.
"Ahhh!" Edward gasped, feeling light headed. "Fuck you! What have you done...to me, monster?!"
His enemy shook his head in disappointment. "Maybe you have too strong a will. What will happen first, I wonder? The mind snapping under the immense power, or becoming one with it. Also, you have a time limit. The Masters won't heal that wound as long as you fight."
Richtofen collapsed into his own blood groaning, feeling a nudge on his consciousness, too weak to resist. It felt like something was trying to break in. He twisted mentally, trying to push back as he felt the weight of centuries pressing in on his mind, threatening to crush it. He tried to fight the feeling, desperate to escape it. Edward screeched shrilly as he felt something give way within his wall of defense.
"It's working..." Walram breathed softly. "There now..."
Richtofen felt himself hiss as a cold chill stole over his body. His mind went blank for a moment and he stared at nothing. Uncomprehending.
"You will never feel better, Vrilyan, as what you are about to experience."
Then his world changed. The room swam in a faint red color, the taste of blood was stronger in his mouth. The walls seemed to widen and a wild cascading waterfall descended upon his mind, filling it beyond imagination with eons of knowledge. Races he'd never imagined, worlds and dimensions, all rife with unimaginable forms of life and technologies that seemed impossible.
"Tell me Edward, what can you see, when your agony paints the world in a different hue of scarlet? That is the feeling of the Masters taking over..."
"Just kill me..." Edward moaned miserably, not wanting to become the puppet. He realized what was happening...he was changing forever for worse. It was his last chance to escape what was to come. He couldn't bleed out fast enough, he realized.
The irony.
"I can't do that." Walram shook his head.
All of the strength remaining in Richtofen rushed from him, and he sighed, defeat destroying what was left of his will and mind. He was deathly silent for a moment, face shining with sweat and blood. His wounds instantly healed as if by a magical force. His mind was overridden with new thoughts, he forgot everyone and everything except what the Masters wanted him to know.
It felt like a dark curtain had been drawn over his soul, shrouding it in deep darkness.
Images flashed before his eyes rapidly. Suddenly, he sat up, pushing up to his full height. He swayed then steadied himself, staring down at Walram. But all he saw was familiar forgotten faces on people kneeling before him, ready to serve. Something wasn't right though about them. Their eyes glowed unnatural blue. Their flesh rotten hanging from bone. In servitude, forever.
"What do you see?" Walram questioned.
"I see...them kneeling to me...I am their god."
Walram sighed, rocking back on his heels. "Then I have done my work."
Edward grinned suddenly. "They look so strange," he laughed.
"Stay with me Edward, no need to revert to such a childish mind frame!" Walram reprimanded.
His statement was completely ignored. "And they make such cute noises."
Walram looked up, staring straight into the other's eyes. "Who are you?"
"I am the Great General Edward Richtofen, the smartest man in all of Group 935."
"You now serve no one but the Masters of Chaos." Walram sighed, giving up on trying to get the man to sound reasonable. "You are God. They of 935 must not know what you are yet, in time you will show them. But first, prove who you are by leading the natives here."
"Yes, you are right, but of course, you should bow to me as well." Edward looked down at him.
Walram stared in shock at the statement
He got onto his knees and bowed his head in respect, having little choice.
"And what do you say?...my servant." Richtofen smiled.
"My lord." Walram managed in horror.
End of chapter 10
Farewell to Richtofen's sanity. :,(
I want to let you know that the reason I wrote this chapter this way. It's because there's a humongous gap between what happened from Richtofen's teleportation to the jungle and his journey back to the prototype room...that has been speculated upon by many
I used some info I gathered, factors like Richtofen could barely remember Shangri-La(he says so in an in-game quote whilst pack-a-punching). The voices always seemed to cause him to suffer...he goes utterly crazy; from a well-meaning general scientist to a psycho-murderer, power-hungry, tyrant who doesn't distinguish between right and wrong...I don't think touching a device could do that alone...I believe something pushed him over the edge...and this was my representation of that.
I don't know what else to say...
I would still love to hear your opinions... :)