Nightmares of the past, present, and future

X

Welcome back to the story people, please review, fav, follow and enjoy. I made a few retcons here and there, Marx's power is a berserker mode of sorts and is activated through 'rage' so that's what I'll call it, I had to change the color to red because of the new form he'll receive. I needed a new color, that's all. Hope you understand that and enjoy the story.

x

"speech"/ 'thought'

X

TUESDAY NIGHT-AFTER FIGHTING KID

Marx had been sleeping in soul's room in his weapon form like usual, but tonight something was different. he was dreaming peacefully of his old family his birthdays, Christmases, and vacations, they were the times when anyone was happy, but it was when he started to lose himself to the pressures of high school along-side his problems at home, that he learned they were there for him.

His father stood up for him when the system failed him, all the torment he received from his enemies, his father was there and gave him permission to fight back, it felt good. His mother had tried to help him along in school when she wasn't paranoid. His sister tried her best to help him along in math and he did his best to show his appreciation.

His brother was dependent on him when he had broken his ankle and he took care of him with his best efforts. His life was hell most of the time, but when it wasn't he was happy, truly happy. He missed it the good times, then he was standing in his front yard, he could see it the same as it ever was, he was home.

(Play the Song: Mad World by Gary Jules from the Gears of War 3 soundtrack and trailer)

As he began to approach his front door, the ground shook under his feet and his home began to crumble and burn. He saw a picture of his family fly out of the living room window, the frame landed at his feet.

The picture was burnt, he picked it up, and the ends were heavily singed, and his face was burned off of it. his family ran out of the front door, but as they were about to reach him, a light shined from above. this light was not one of salvation, it was one of destruction his family was caught in it, and they were burned to statues of ash where they stood.

He braced himself, the light disappeared and the world around him faded to black. His family was frozen in front of him, their statues of ash didn't move. He approached them slowly, as he attempted to touch one of their hands, they disintegrated before his eyes.

He could only watch in horror as they all formed a collective pile of ash on the floor. Marx ran to the pile of ash and hopelessly tried to reform the ashes into his family.

The ashes simply blew away, he was alone in a world of darkness, no sound, no people, nothing. Only a bright light shining down on him in the empty void.

(End Song)

The light was one of hope now as it grew brighter a new world appeared around him. The forest where found Maka and Soul, he walked towards the direction of death city and there it was in all of its glory.

His friends were now standing there at the city's edge he ran to them as fast as his legs could carry him. He reached them and greeted them all then something happened.

(Play the Song: War by Sick puppies)

Shadow creatures appeared and surrounded them, they fought back against the darkness triumphing over their dark foes. As they were about to celebrate, an entire army of shadows appeared, the tide of darkness began to grow worse and blotted out the city behind them.

They kept fighting, righteously believing they could defeat the darkness all of their souls were in perfect harmony. Kid and the Thompson sisters were blasting away with his death cannon, Maka and soul were using the witch hunter, Black-Star was using a new technique, one that Marx had never seen before.

Tsubaki had become a beautiful, all-black katana, and tribal tattoos appeared all over Black-Star's body. Black-star was slashing at and destroying entire groups of enemies, he was unstoppable.

Marx was now being attacked and transformed both of his arms into guns and began firing into the hordes of enemies powering up into his 'Rage'. The power increase was enough to push back the shadows, but it was not anywhere close to being the kind of power he needed to stop them all.

He needed to reach Maka and soul, they were beginning to get overwhelmed and needed his help. He couldn't stand it, the feeling of being trapped while he watched them all fighting. using all their power and he couldn't stop them from getting overrun even, Kid was beginning to lose ground to the innumerable amounts of enemies pouring in from all sides.

He was now losing ground after his power boost wore off, he needed more power, he needed to stand against the darkness he wanted to shield his friends from their fate. He saw it coming they would all perish if something didn't change and soon.

Marx felt a new power rise within him a light of pure heart, this felt as if he could take on the world, his guns' power increased tenfold, he was now plowing through the hordes picking up the slack for his friends. they were in awe of his newfound strength as his power began to rise even more than in his beat mode. This surge of power was ignited with the powerful desire not to avenge them, but to protect them.

He transformed and swapped places with soul, Maka caught him and he began to resonate with her for the first time, he turned into a massive Browning M2 chain-gun modified for handheld use. They tore through the hordes of shadows like they were made of paper mache.

If Marx used standard ammunition the floor would have been painted brass from the many rounds that streamed from his barrel. He left the battle ground get covered with shadows faster than they could appear and disintegrate. He ended his resonance with Maka and swapped back with soul. Returning to using his guns and melee attacks.

His aura was blue now, not red and instead of him feeling a struggle for control and a lack of energy, it kept building as he fought and protected his friends from the shadows. The sparks of his aura were now blue and more frequent, like watching lighting being attracted to him.

the energy was reaching its max charge and Marx could feel the roof of his power a limit that seemed like a locked gate. He knew there was more to it, a reserve that he just couldn't seem to tap into yet, that lock needed a key.

The lock could be smashed by his power, he knew that much but it was a level of strength that he would have to train hard and fight to reach. He charged at the shadows breaking them into pieces with his guns and kicks, he was clearing it out leaving his family safe from all the shadows.

(End Song)

A wide circle of darkness had formed around them with the shadows retreating into it. and the power of his new blue aura and resonance with Maka are what did it, his wavelength had begun to feel almost peaceful, like a new serene feeling driving the dark madness away.

Then time stopped, Marx felt something new, a kindred spirit with a weapon of darkness. The kindred spirit was slowly floating towards him, his friends disappeared and so did the shadows, the circle of darkness remained.

This spirit was giving off the feeling of being trapped in a cage of madness and fear. Another soul, this one looking purple, was keeping the key and a Cerberus like being was guarding the cage.

The Cerberus was radiating madness, the purple soul was pure unrestrained evil. A black, snake-like spark swirled around the cage, almost like a chain. The spark-snake hissed at the peaceful aura of Marx, he continued on towards the cage and felt the snake try to bite him, it disintegrated at his touch.

The soul in the cage shuddered, like it was in fear of the peaceful being in front of it. Marx felt a warm pulse at the soul's touch, there was a small, blue, flame being smothered by madness.

The flame glowed a bit brighter at Marx's touch, he was giving it hope, he was giving it life. The Cerberus attempted to bite at Marx too, the Cerberus was smacked aside, and it whimpered, fearfully backing away.

He continued pulsing energy into the soul's flame, it glowed brightly, almost like a smile. The purple soul seemed to be angered by Marx's messiah like nature, it attempted to douse the souls flame with more madness.

Marx stood like a wall between the little flame and the tide of tar-like madness. The tar then turned into a large black spike and pierced through Marx's aura shield.

He took the stab to the torso and retaliated, breaking off the spike and throwing it like a javelin at the purple soul. The purple soul absorbed the javelin of madness unaffected, and black arrows began to form around Marx.

They slithered around like snakes, readying themselves to strike at their prey. He then gripped at the cage's bars bending them slightly, the little soul flame flickered again, hoping to be free.

The arrows struck and Marx was impaled multiple times, he then began to kneel down in pain before coughing up black blood and seeing the little soul flame connect with another one nearby, the new soul was orange with pigtails. He instantly knew it was Maka's, making an unconscious bond with the little blue flame seeming to bend the bars on cage even more, before it was dragged away, by the Cerberus and the evil purple soul.

He then began to fade into the darkness before catching a glimpse of an even greater power of madness. This power of madness radiated from them lone figure, the figure's power was standing to be more powerful than his own. Marx fought the feeling of fear he had towards this new figure.

The black blood oozed out of his wounds and he fought it at first but accepted it as a necessary evil. The madness was trying to corrupt him and became stronger the closer he came to the figure of pure madness.

He struggled, but felt the black blood bend to his will as it became a part of him. The black blood did it's work and began to heal its new host. His mind was struggling to fight the new voice he heard behind him. A little devil creature appeared behind him, it wore a black suit and talked with an eerie tone.

"Why struggle, it's pointless. Just relax and let me take the wheel. C'mon, the power of madness feels good, take a load off and come with me." The Little Devil beckoned with sweet words of freedom.

"No, I have people to protect. I can't lose my family. Not again, never again. I have battled my own personal demons before and you are no different." Marx responded bravely refusing to let himself be controlled.

"You'll give in, all you need is a little time to see things my way. The way to that little soul you helped is through me. I'll take the black blood back for now. You'll get a healthy dose of it later I'm sure. When that happens, then you and your new little family can keep it." The Little devil responded and with a wave of his puffy hand, the black oozed out of Marx's still healing cuts. And like that it was gone, the little devil grinned almost as if he knew that Marx would receive the black blood again later in the physical world.

The little devil walked away and another figure of the madness appeared, the one from before. Marx saw the figure approach and everything faded to black again.

THE APARTMENT-SOUL'S ROOM-MIDNIGHT

Soul had been sleeping peacefully, turning in his sleep and enjoying a good dream, then he woke up to go to the bathroom. he noticed Marx leaning up against the wall, same as ever.

Soul then went and did his business, after he came back, he saw Marx was shaking and groaning. He was having a nightmare; the nightmare was causing him to glow an ominous blue. Soul was a little freaked out by this and attempted to wake up his buddy.

"Hey, Marx! Wake up! C'mon dude, wake up!" Soul whispered in a worried tone. Marx simply groaned and a blue light was glowing from his grenade launcher. Soul had never seen Marx use his launcher once, ever. So, this was really freaking him out now, if that launcher went off, the explosion would wreck the apartment.

"Marx wake up! Wake up! Wake up, wake up!" soul was doing everything he could to shake his roommate into waking up but, Marx was still dreaming. Finally, soul lost it and punched Marx's shark eye, this woke up Marx and he let out a gasp.

"What, what happened, where am I?!" said Marx worried and sweat dropping.

"Easy buddy, you were having a bad dream. I woke you up, you had had this weird blue glow and your launcher was glowing too. Almost, like you were going to fire it in your sleep." Soul explained coolly.

"Well for what it's worth, thanks soul." Said Marx gratefully.

"Your welcome. It was only a bad dream, right?" soul asked a little worried.

"You have no idea. If that launcher had gone off there's no telling what would have happened." Marx replied with concern.

"We should tell Maka about this. Do you even remember what it was all about?" soul asked.

"Only that everyone we know was in it." Marx replied truthfully. He couldn't remember most of what happened consciously, which in this case would be a good thing.

"Yep, we're definitely telling Maka in the morning." Soul said confidently.

"No argument here my friend." Marx said coolly.

"Now let's get back to sleep." Soul said with a yawn.

"You read my mind." Marx agreed and they both went back to having pleasant dreams.

THE NEXT MORNING-BEFORE CLASS

"So, you can only remember that we were all in it. That's it?" Maka asked inquisitively.

"Yes, I know what I remember. I was just having a bad dream, everyone has them now and again. Whatever it was I'm sure it's fine now. This is not like last time." Said Marx truthfully.

"If you're sure, I'll take your word for it. But, if it happens again as bad, we will tell professor Stein or Sid about this." Maka said with concern for her partner.

"Naturally, it's protocol after all." Marx said coolly.

-END CHAPTER-

When He, Soul, and Maka actually meet Crona later along with Medusa, he'll unlock a new level of his 'Rage' ability, coupled with the black blood his fury is going to drive him mad. this event has left him a little unhinged. much of what he saw is the future, including Maka and Crona's souls bonding. all of the repairs he did to Crona won't last and neither will Crona's memory of the event. Medusa is all powerful in that world, Marx is not able to beat her there. physically though that may be another story. Soul receiving the black blood is a key event, therefore it will not change. Medusa will have an inkling of what it was but won't investigate it until later. I'M STOPPING FOR A WHILE TO WATCH THE SERIES. EXPECT DELAYS. DMANDOG056 OUT