Chapter 9 - [Thanks to Cyan_Heart for aiding in this chapter! user/Cyan_Heart]
The moon began to slowly sink beneath the horizon, the sun faintly shining it's morning rays upon a sliver of the land. Reflecting off of the waters of a very small pond in the middle of the forest, the light shone on the previously mentioned figure. Clenching his fist and picking up a small pebble from the pile at his right, he flicked his wrist forward, skipping the stone across the pond. It bounces off of a tree and falls back into the water, sinking to the bottom as it lands atop another pile of stones. "He thinks he can command him..." Red Axe skips another stone across the pond, "He truly believes that Red Axe is just his toy!? His pet!? His tool to play with!?" He picks up another stone, clutching it tightly as it cracks in his hands, flicking small shards of pebbles into the water ahead of him. Closing his eyes as he sat down, Red Axe sighed. Thinking back to what had happened not hours beforehand.
Red Axe crashed into a tree, falling onto his hands and knees as he gasped for air. A tendril wraps itself around his neck as he's lifted into the air. Avalon growls, slowly stepping towards him. "He's disappointed..." Red Axe opens one eye, gripping at his throat as Avalon glared him in the eyes. "He had hoped you would behave. But it seems you need to be disciplined." Avalon slams Red Axe into the ground, launching a ball of black energy as he skids across the ground, stopping at Prisma's feet. He looked up at Avalon, "W-What do you speak of...? You think to command him-!?" A tendril rips through Red Axe's back as he cries out in pain. Avalon kicked him to the ground, appearing over him and stomping on his head. "In case you've forgotten, Red axe... HE was the one who CREATED you..." Red Axe looked at Avalon, one of his eyes being forcibly closed as he struggled to speak, "Created!?" - "Yes... From the energies of that boy." - "The 'Boy'...? The one that you buried deep within Red Axe?" - "Yes. That one... But there's something you don't quite understand." Avalon disperses his tendrils, gripping Red Axe by the throat and lifting him to his eyes. "He created you... He can unmake you as he pleases. He is your master, and you WILL be obedient. Because naughty dogs..." Avalon pressed his hand on Red Axe's stomach, covering his mouth with several black tendrils. "Will be punished." Red Axe's eyes go wide, his cries being silenced as material from his body began to suction into Avalon's palm. A large hole was carved in his torso before Avalon chuckled, dropping Red Axe as his body slowly began to regenerate. "Let that serve as a small demonstration... Disobey again, and he will do much more than that." Red Axe gasped for air once more, clutching his stomach as it completely healed. Avalon stared down at him with satisfaction. "Today's the day, Red Axe... Their final day. You are to go to the nations of this world... And you are to bring down the tyrants who control them." - "Tyrants?" - "Oh, yes. He tends to forget that he's... Left the sages. The CPUs and their candidates... You are to... decommission them. Avalon gave you a head start with those who tried to halt him before. You need only finish the job. If you encounter the boy, he is to be brought to us. ALIVE. Understand?" Red Axe remained silent... Silently looking at the ground as he stood up, "Do. You. Understand?" Red Axe gritted his teeth, turning around as he walked down the path, summoning a large red axe and resting it on his shoulder as he walked out of view. Avalon turns over to the rising sun... Looking at it as he smiled. "Look at it... Such a big, bright idol for them... A symbol of hope. Their 'Shining Star'... The wrong star." Prisma slowly looked up from what she just witnessed, "Y-Yes... But we are going to... Correct them... Yes?" - "But of course. Their lord must be pleased... His will must be carried out... Do not worry, master. He has not forgotten what you told him that day... Before you left... He will do what you told him to do..." Avalon reached his hands out towards the sun, clenching his fists. "...Lord Arias..."
Red Axe stood up, ripping his axe from the tree stump and looking at his reflection in the water. "...He made him... yes. Avalon created Red Axe... IMPERFECTLY!" He raised his axe, slamming it into the water in anger. "He cannot be perfect as he is... He cannot be strong enough... He cannot become whole... He needs a body..." Red Axe stared down at himself, placing a hand on his chest as if to wait for a heartbeat... But nothing came. "...He has part of him... He will become whole... Child... You and Red Axe. They will duel. He will win... And he... WILL BECOME A GOD!"
[Location Update: Lowee Basilicom]
I take a sip of the coffee, continuing to flip through the security cameras that monitored Lowee's streets while Ram nervously sipped on a hot chocolate I had made for her... I never liked coffee to be honest. The bitterness, the smell, the taste. Never needed or wanted it, but right now I needed it to keep me on my toes... The two of us flipped through the security cameras while trying to find Rom. Yet still we found nothing... Matter of fact the only being we saw on the streets were Gabo, who was off patrolling on foot. I rest my empty plastic cup on the desk, as I turn to Ram. "...So... You and I... We have some things to talk about." Ram quickly looks up, "H-Huh? What is it...?" - "I promised you I would explain everything that you asked yesterday... I intend to. But I also have some questions for you afterwards, alright?" Ram nods, resting her hot chocolate on the desk. It wasn't exactly a kept secret that she was struggling to keep herself together... "So let's start off simple. A 'Core'. A Core is... Well it's hard to explain without context. But I guess summed up, they're pretty much four individuals charged with maintaining a specific element in the universe. You got your water, your earth, your fire, etc..." - "Did you just say 'etc'?" - "Not important." - "Okay so... They're like... The managers of one of those things...?" - "Eh... Somewhat. Essentially, we are the incarnation of that specific element. It becomes us, and we them." - "Oh, so you're a vessel for... Let me guess, Fire?" - "Fire, yes. But I'm not so much it's vessel as I am its... I guess you could say I'm a manifestation of fire, putting it in your terms... I guess what you would call fire to me is just what I am." - "Wait, so when you like, fight, do you have to use yourself to fight?" - "I guess that's a way to view it? But it's not like I'm taking myself apart and using it to fight, my body itself is technically separate from flames themselves. I'm just the physical manifestation of... Wait, the essence of fire. That. That would be what a core is." - "OOooh... So like, you're fire, but you're not made of fire? You just command it?" - "Yeah, now you get it. Essentially my existence allows flames and heat to exist. Because of my manifestation, the people can live and be sustained everywhere. That's our purpose." Ram stares into space for a moment, contemplating her thoughts before slowly looking back up to me, "So... if you die..." - "Then fire and heat cannot exist, and if fire and heat don't exist..." - "We don't exist..." - "Right. Vice versa to every other core." Ram picks the chocolate back up, sipping it before burning her mouth. "Ow!" - "Genius." Ram sets her cup back down on the table, turning back to me. "But is that why you're so strong...?" - "Short answer, yes. In all truth? A core doesn't have a set amount of power, we pretty much have infinite power." Ram goes silent, staring at me with confusion as I tilt my head. "Ram...?" - "If you have so much power... Why didn't you stop him before?" I was worried that she'd ask this... It's a fairly complicated explanation. I sigh, resting my head in my hand. "Well, I guess... Well, just because we have theoretical unlimited power... It doesn't like- It doesn't mean we can use it all. There are restrictions that we have." - "The limiters? Do they prevent you from losing control or something?" - "Yeah. That and they pretty much make sure that nothing overflows, nothing that we can't control. Our bodies can only take so much, which is why even though we have theoretical unlimited power. We can't just go around basically becoming gods, if we can't handle it then our bodies give out and we could die." Ram's eyes go wide as she blinks a few times in realization, "That's why Gabo was so worried..." - "Huh?" Ram looks over to the monitor, quickly flipping through it, her pace increasing shortly. "Where...?" Ram gives a sigh of relief as the camera switches to a panel that Gabo was on, he staring at something at the other end of the street. "What's wrong? Why'd you switch to him?" Ram points at the screen, "B-Back when we were fighting that guy, when you did that green thing... Gabo said it was really dangerous. I think I get why now..." - "Oh... Yeah, it is. It's really a thing that you should only do in a last resort situation." - "Then why did you...? D-Did we really have nothing left to hit him with?" - "Of course we did. But again, why would I let him know that?" - "Right..." I look down at Ram with worry. She was trying her best to keep her composure, pulling every string of hope she can to prevent herself from breaking... But when that dam breaks, and the flood gates open... Let's just hope she can get through it. "But R-Raidea..." - "Hm?" - "When that guy hit you with the black stuff... Why didn't it do anything to you?" She does bring up a fair point... Especially regarding what Avalon asked me... 'Did you ever... Ever wonder the reason why all of your comrades fell prey to Avalon's gift upon exposure... All fell into his grasp... All... but you...?' I have been wondering. I'd been wondering why this... this 'Thing' this 'Gift' as i've dubbed it. I've wondered why it's affected everybody except me. I don't know why, but I have to find out. "I... I don't really knooooooo-" I draw out my 'O' in shock as my eyes glued themselves to the screen. "Oh you've got to be kidding..." There, sitting on the screen he stood. Staring at a black figure that stood across the street from him, it looked like the two were talking with one another... But all that came through was static? Ram clenches her fist and slams them on the table, "What the!? We beat him! Why is he back!?" - "Clearly we either didn't kill him... Or his regenerative abilities are far beyond what we thought." - "No... No No this can't be-" Gabo quickly activates C.O.A, summoning his mace as he quickly gets into a stance. The figure lowers its head, raising its arm as black tendrils form above it's head, taking the shape of an axe as it solidifies and turns a deep crimson red. It readies it in its hands as the two rush forward. I quickly turn to Ram, clenching my teeth and summoning my scythe. "Ram. Stay here, get people to safety if you can-" - "They're gone!" - "What do you mean they're gone!?" - "T-The other day Rom and I... We had to make a decision on what to do with the civilians...as the CPUs, we thought that the safest choice would be to send them to Lastation, Uni helped us!" - "Alright. Listen, you need to stay here. We need somebody protecting this place, i'm going!" I quickly turn around, before being stopped by Ram. I quickly turn around, catching something in my hand before looking at her, "Put that thing in your ear!" I nod, putting on the ear piece and rushing out the door.
(Earlier)
Red Axe stared up at the sky, putting his hand above his eyes to shield them from the sun's light. "Damn you sun... Always getting in his way..." He quickly steps out of the path of the sunlight, dipping into a back alley. "Very well then, 'Master' You want him to kill the CPU's? Fine. He'll do so... Surely if he threatens their safety... The child will come out." Small black tendrils erupted from his back, as they grappled onto the gutters and flung him into the sky. Diving down and landing in a puddle of black tendrils, he stared forward at the large tower in his path. "Now if his knowledge serves him right... The CPU's live in their basilicom."
The lid to a trash can rolls across the sidewalk, smacking into a street light and wobbling as it falls to the ground. The lid to a dumpster slams shut, Gabo walking away from it and walking towards the lid, "Goddamnit Rom... Where the hell did he put you?" Picking up the lid and tossing it to the side, he continued to wander aimlessly down the streets. "We just have to find her now... How hard can this be!? Why don't they recruit any of the other nations? Why is this our job? ...AND WHERE THE HELL IS THE SANDWICH I ORDERED!? THEY SAID THEY'D TEXT ME WHEN IT'S READY, IT'S BEEN AN HOUR! DAMN YOU TRAIN STATION! DEFINITELY NOT FRESH, OR FAST! Next time I'm definitely going with Bus Stop..." He sighs, kicking a rock in the street as he heads back towards the basilicom. "...Oh, right. Blanc, where'd she go? If she's still unconscious then I'm not sure how we wake her up..." He looked up at the basilicom, stepping forward and reaching out for the door. Just as he suddenly stopped, turning around. "...Who's there?" He turned around, sensing a strange... Familiar energy... Almost too familiar. Stepping away from the basilicom, he carefully watched the end of the street... as a single figure slowly came into view. "...No f*ckin way..." Gabo quickly walked further down the street. Soon being only a few meters away from the entirely blacked out figure. "Avalon... What the hell is this!?" The figure slowly tilted it's head, two bright yellow eyes forming on their face. "His name is not 'Avalon'... His name is Red Axe." Gabo cautiously stepped forward, staring Red Axe in his bright yellow eyes, "So what? You're a clone like Prisma? Or perhaps some reincarnation?" Red Axe silently stared at Gabo, before smirking. "Call it a long shot... But he believes you know already." Gabo kept his gaze locked on him. Narrowing his eyes as a small field of pressure erupted from him, small cracks forming in the road beneath him. "Can you guys please just give a straight answer for once!?" Red Axe shrugged, thinking for a moment before tilting his head, "Well, where's the fun in that...? Let's make a deal... If you can stop him from completing his assignment... And you truthfully can't figure it out by then, he will tell you." - "Wait... Your... Assignment?" Gabo's eyes suddenly go wide at the realization, clenching his teeth as he quickly activates C.O.A, summoning his mace as another burst of pressure expelled from him, causing Red Axe to slightly move back, Gabo's eyes now a silver color, glaring at Red Axe. "No... No. You've already taken one of them! I'm not... Going to let you take Ram too!" Gabo quickly shot forward, his foot being encased in a pure white crystal as he slammed his mace down at Red Axe. Red Axe quickly lunged back, the impact creating a small burst of pressure, blowing his hood around in the wind. "Heh... Glad to see you accept." Red Axe raised a hand, black tendrils erupting from the ground as they began to meld to his hand, slowly twisting and morphing into the shape of a crimson red axe, he grasped it and leapt into the air, flipping forward and slamming it into the ground. Large black spikes beginning to jut out of the ground in a straight line. Gabo flips over them, raising a palm before firing a large chunk of crystal into the ground. The crystal began glowing brightly, two beams of energy firing out of both sides of him as the spikes were blasted apart. Gabo kicking towards Red Axe, though being blasted back by a black bolt of energy. Skidding across the ground, he summoned two shards of crystal in his hand and speared them into the ground. Gabo slowly dragged to a stop, looking up as a large cube of black mass hovered over him, Red Axe holding a hand up high, his eyes locked on Gabo. "Die..." Red Axe snapped his fingers, the cube launching down towards Gabo... Gabo looked around him, gritting his teeth as he placed his hands on the ground, a faint light shining out from his palms as he locked eyes with Red Axe.
Making my way out of the basilicom, I quickly ran out the front door, "Gabo!" I rushed down the streets, coming over the small hill as he slowly came into view. "Gabo! Hold on, I'm comi-" My voice is quickly cut short yet again, as I suddenly find myself being thrusted into a building, dragged across the floor and once again pulled to an alleyway... We just can't get enough of these, can we? Is this a joke, author? Or is this some implication? Do you do drug deals in an alleyway? Are you homeless? There has to be some reason that you keep pulling me to this same exact scene- I'm quickly silenced by a harsh lash across the face. Two long wires slowly let go of me, retreating back into the darkness as someone steps forward. "Oh my Goddess, you people just won't give me a break..." The tall figure spoke back to me, it's voice very cyber-like. "Oh, trust in it... You will all get a break soon enough...". The figure appeared to be a tall, slim robot. It looked mostly chrome, with yellow highlights on it's chest, a blue visor on it's helmet, which had three gray spikes on top of it... Or is it thorns? I don't know what you call Anonydeath's attire anymore... Wait, yes I do. Questionable... It looked at me, the wires retracting back into ports in it's body. "But let it tell you... You can't be affording to take it." - "Jeez, Avalon really gooped up every single one of the sages, huh?" - "It's talents were useful to him. He knew that better then anyone." - "Alright, alright. So what backwards ass name did he give you?" - "It is named 'NS-B'." - "Okay, you keep calling yourself 'it', so do you go by gender neutral terms or...?" NS-B shrugged, "It has only called itself that. So it supposes so." - "Hey, I ain't one to judge... But I do question your choices of this occasion. Speaking of, it's been real nice meetin' ya, but I've got my kid to go save so... Yeah. Toodles~" I snap my fingers, expecting to teleport... Only for NS-B to give a soft robotic chuckle. "Oh, you won't be going anywhere..." - "What? Wait, what did you do!?" - "Oh... It really was nothing much. It just figured out how to block that pesky teleport of yours." Of course it would do that... Because why would anything be that easy. Flaring my eye as I ready my scythe, I stare NS-B in the eye. It raises a hand, snapping its fingers as numerous wires erupt from it's body. "Master commanded it to simply 'Capture' you... But it wonders how pleased the Master would be if it turned you to our side..." NS-B pointed a finger at me, the cables all shooting out at me. I lean back, slashing at them from below before leaping over the others, spinning around and launching a fireball at the wall. The force propelling me forward to NS-B. "Just as calculated..." It raises a hand out, a pink prism of energy suddenly forming around me. My movement was locked, my scythe vanished from my hand... A cable shot through the sphere, impaling itself into my chest as NS-B nods slowly. "Good... Very good... Soon we too will have a new friend-... Friend...?" NS-B's visor goes bright, as the sound of crunching glass echoes throughout the alleyway. "You wanna know something... NS-B...?" I clench my hand, my eye flaring even brighter as I slowly drag my hand through the prism... Despite the pain, despite the difficulty. I knew exactly what that cable was for... I manage to get a hold of it, my hand slowly engulfing in a bright blue fire, growing and changing to a bright white as I release a powerful burst of energy, shattering the prism as I rip the cable out of my chest. Falling to my knees as NS-B steps back, I look up at him. "Avalon thinks that you can turn me into one of his lackeys..." I slowly get to my feet, resummoning my scythe as I catch my breath. "But you'll find that, like you. I'm nobody's puppet... Neither is Blanc, or Gabo... Or anyone. None of us will be Avalon's slave!" NS-B slowly shakes his head, "Sl...ave? Oh... Oh Raidea, you're terribly misinformed..." - "Hm. Sure I am... I'm done with hearing you and your bullshit..." It sighs, well, gives a robot equivalent of a sigh. Before looking up, "If lord Avalon truly wanted you for that... He would have done it a long time ago... But he can't. Not only does he require you for something much more, but there's a stopping force amongst you all... That child." - "Gabo...?" - "Hm. Perhaps... Perhaps not." NS-B turns around. "Well, it's done what it could... It can tell you won't come, and there's no point fighting an opponent it can't beat. Best of luck." NS-B pixelates into black code, fading away into the darkness as I look down. A small USB drive on the ground... Yet another one of these riddles. Picking it up, I begin to examine it, before my attention is quickly turned towards the street. "Gabo..." I clutch my scythe, rushing out of the alleyway.
Gabo flipped back, pointing his palm forward as he fired a large bolt of energy towards Red Axe, who stumbled back, slowly shaking his head at the floor. "He doesn't understand... The two of them should be evenly matched..." Red Axe smirked, reeling his fist back, suddenly appearing in front of Gabo and punching forward. Gabo follows suit, the two locking fists as a powerful burst of pressure expelled from the two, the ground beneath them slowly starting to give way. Gabo locks eyes with him. "No matter how much I push on you... You're standing your ground..." - "Well of course he is... Afterall, they've pitted an unstoppable force against an unstoppable force!" - "Unstoppable!?" - "I'm sure you've noticed it by now... But both of our power has been rising this whole time!" Red Axe steps back, slamming his fist into the ground, the pavement spiking up around him as he created a large crater in the ground, causing Gabo to leap back. "After all... The longer we fight, the stronger we get! Right!?" Gabo steps back, sweat running down his face. "You keep saying 'We'... What do you mean, 'We'!?" - "Hah! He's shocked, you don't recognize your own reflection!?" Red Axe raises a hand, beginning to form a large black ball of energy, before being smacked back by a flying car. Gabo spearing a crystal chain into a nearby truck and hurling it at him. Red Axe slices the truck in half, before looking at Gabo. "He's so close... To hell with this. Who needs to capture a goddess when you can watch a god take shape right before your eyes!" - "What are you going on about this 'God'!?" - "Red Axe... He was but a fractioned half... A shell. Merely a copy made from anothers hard work... But he can be more... He can become a god... WE, Gabo. WE can become a god!" Gabo takes a step back, taking what was said into account, a headache beginning to form from the levels of Bulls*ittery present. "A fractioned half... So then I was right... You're just a flawed clone of me..." - "Yes... Created to serve Avalon... And with you? He can become more powerful then anything created... Anyone in this world! We already have the potential to do that, right, Gabo!?" Red Axe kicks forward, the entire street kicking up behind him, the rubble falling on the ground as he spun around, slashing his axe at Gabo, who promptly parried with his mace. Red Axe tilted his head, the two hurling energy projectiles at each other. "Afterall, the longer we stay in a fight..." Red Axe grins wildly to himself, "The stronger we get! Our power has no limits, Gabo! You and I could work together, we could have everything!" A large bolt of crystal pierces through Red Axe's shoulder. Gabo glaring at him, completely fed up with this. "I'm sick of you people trying to do all this s*it to us... We would never be a team, Red Axe. And do you know why?" Gabo stepped forward, reaching a hand out and pulling towards him, a large wall of spiked crystal forming behind Red Axe. "Because unlike you people..." Gabo snapped his fingers, the crystal imbedded in Red Axe's shoulder suddenly exploding, he crying out in pain as black mist filled the entire area. "I'm not a f*cking psychopath that gets pleasure from watching other people suffer... No. I actually care about the people in my life. I have an ACTUAL reason to fight for!" Gabo runs forward, shouldering Red Axe, and sprinting forward. Leaping into the air and slamming Red Axe's body into the wall of spikes. "And, UNLIKE you..." Gabo raises a hand, a colossal shard of crystal forming above Red Axe. "I want to grow stronger on my own... Not by relying on other people. So that, Red Axe..." Gabo points down, the crystal borrowing into the wall of spikes, ramming into the ground and glowing rapidly as it soon explodes into a large pillar of light, piercing through the clouds above and completely enveloping Red Axe's body. "Is why you'll never reach my level..." The pillar of light slowly dies away... Revealing Red Axe's mangled corpse, black tendrils scattered around his body as Gabo silently looks at him. The crystal wall retracting into the ground as he turned back to the basilicom. "Now give your Master my regards." Gabo slowly walks off... Leaving Red Axe behind as he made his way to the basilicom.
I slowly step out of the alley way, looking over to the direction of the fight, only to see destruction... The streets were completely ruined, the buildings looked like they were hit with a bomb, and the entire area looked like the aftermath of a failed protest. "What in the name of..." The sound of footsteps gets my attention, I slowly turn my head to see Gabo walking up to me. I look back to the aftermath, before looking back to him, chuckling in a sarcastic manner. "Think you got him?" Gabo smirks, "He'll be back." - "Not gonna finish him?" - "NNnnnope." - "Won't that come back to bite us in the ass...?" - "...Nnnnnope." I go silent for a moment, before shrugging. "Alright. Sounds good to me." I slowly look at the drive in my hands, looking down at the watch that was 100% on my wrist before and you can't prove that it wasn't there, I WILL CALL MY LAWYER. "We're running out of time..." I press the button on my earpiece that I just remembered I had. "Ram, are you there?" Rams voice comes through the headset. "Y-Yeah, I saw that whole thing! Are you two okay?" - "We're fine. I found a clue... I think. I'm gonna warp this drive to you, I need you to tell me what's on it, okay?" I snap my fingers, the drive vanishing from my hand, Ram acknowledging. "Alright..." A few seconds go by, before Ram finally speaks up. "T-There's a set of numbers... Uh... 2316.6, 106, 7732.1...? What does that...?" My external thinking cuts Ram off, "Those are familiar... They're coordinates... Lastation?" Fearing the worst, I look at Gabo. "Ram, listen to me. Stay there, you understand!? If you see ANYTHING, report to us immediately!" Ram acknowledges through the other end... No words were spoken, just a scared hum of her voice... I quickly grab Gabo by the hand, snapping my fingers as we teleport out of Lowee.
We arrive in a dimly lit room, the only light being the sunlight that pierced in through the large open door... "Where are we?" A soft whirring sound suddenly emits from above, as rows of fluorescent lights turn on from above. The door to the room suddenly slams shut, loud mechanical clicking coming from it as our attention is brought to a screen hanging from the ceiling, behind it stood a large glass tube. Inside it stood a short figure, but that was all we could see, there was a layer of fogged glass on the inside, hiding whoever was in it... Gabo pointed forward. "T-That has to be her, right?" I grit my teeth, looking up at the screen as it flickers to life, an ever too familiar voice coming through... "...NS-B? Are they prepared...?" Someone, presumably NS-B replies to Avalon, although their response is blocked by static. Avalon soon shouts something back at NS-B, that too inaudible... Before we can finally hear his voice once more. "He sees that NS-B left you a little... Something... He'll say the truth. That was NOT planned... He wanted this to be a show that you would enjoy much later on... But he supposes he can call this a pre-show... Something to get you all hyped up." A large screen, on the base of the glass tube suddenly lights up. Avalon chuckling before clearing his throat. "You see here...? For once, Avalon will give you the chance to save one of these false idols... Doesn't that sound nice...? And he'll make this even sweeter, for entertainment purposes... Should you save her, Avalon will cease all fire against her... Don't you think that's fair? Think of it as his way of giving back to you for... Someone's mistake..." I look up at the monitor above, anger fueling my voice. "Why? What's the point of all of this!?" - "He has grown so tired of repeating himself, Raidea... Honestly, he's had enough. He's given you more then enough clues... No more games, Raidea. The show's finally begun, and you've got the only front row seat to the end of this world..." There's a momentary pause, Gabo immediately running up to the tube, looking at it as a liquid begins to slowly rise from the bottom of it... "Oh, that... You two should probably get her out before that liquid finishes her off... And would you look at the time?" On the screen that Avalon was talking from, a five minute timer suddenly appeared, beginning to slowly wind down... "You've almost met your deadline... Does the candidate truly mean that little to you...? Clock's ticking... NS-B. Set up the barrier. You two won't just cheese your way out of this victory... Your teleport won't work so long as she's in the tube... And speaking of the tube." I run forward to the panel, looking down at the four differently colored buttons that sat on it. "Should you attempt to... Well, Destroy it, this entire factory will explode... Killing you two, and her... Now then... He'll leave you to it. Good luuuuck~!" Avalon's voice is suddenly cut off. Panic resting on my neck and shoulders as I take a shot in the dark, pressing the blue button at the top left of the panel. The screen flickers a few times before cutting to a large upside down 'L' on the screen, seven empty boxes below it, and a series of letters on the side of the screen. "Oh that's just... Barbaric." I swiftly examine the letters that were available, "A, S, J, U, C, B, V, H, E, R, N, I... What am I supposed to...?" Taking a shot in the dark, I quickly press the 'E' letter, The boxes at the bottom changing. _ _ _ E _ E _. "So it's a case of hangman..." Gabo quickly presses the 'I' button... A circle suddenly appearing underneath the top line. "Gabo, don't..." I scan the letters, looking up to see the liquid already at Rom's ankles. "Crap...!" Looking back down, I carefully pres the R letter, the boxes changing once more. _ _ _ E _ E R. I look at Gabo, "Try 'H'...?" Gabo presses the H key, the right three boxes going gray, spelling the word 'Her'. "...E her" I scan over the letters once more, 'We've got another chance... Maybe...?" I press the R key, a line beginning to draw down the head of the stick figure. Quickly regaining my composure, I press the 'V' key. _ _ V E her. "Wait... Save her!" I quickly press the 'S' and 'A' letters, the boxes going gray once more as the stick figure drops from the top line. Looking up to the clock, my eyes go wide. The time read '3:30', and was still going down... faster than it was before. The screen flickers back to the buttons, the blue one now having a large red 'X' over it. I swiftly press the red button to the right of it, the screen flickering before displaying a large grid. In the center sat a red square, to the right of it sat a line of green squares. The line slowly began to move up, all of it's connected squares following it. "Uh..." Gabo looks at the board, then back to me. "It's snake..." - "Uh..." The line continues moving, nearing the top of the grid. Gabo deadpans at me. "...Get the red apple, dad." I look down at the keypad in front of me, slowly taking the joystick that had extended from it, and pulling it to the right, the snake turning to the left and ramming into the wall. Pixelating as the screen flickers, returning to the menu. "Goddamnit dad..." We look up, hearing the sound of rushing water, the liquid now filling the tube at a faster rate, now up to Rom's waste. "Oh s*it..." I quickly press the button on the bottom left corner. On the screen appeared a virtual lock, a golden key right beneath it... I carefully touch the key, sliding it up into the virtual lock, it turns to the right and opens the lock. Virtual confetti and a party horn come from the panels speakers, with a few vidoes of people dancing to the side... A text box in the middle reads. "Uh... I didn't really know what to put here so... I'll congratulate you on having an IQ over 5... ~ NS-B." I shrug, the panel returning to the menu screen. "I can't tell whether I should take this seriously, on one hand i'm trying to, but on the other hand this is perhaps one of the least threatening puzzles ever... Not the tube part, but the actual puzzle-" - "RAIDEA!" - "WHAT!?" - "TIMER." I quickly look up, the timer reading '1:00'. "Ah, crapbaskets..." I press the final button on the panel, the screen suddenly brightening. In an instant, the monitor explodes, sending shards of glass across the room... Now in the large crater in the panel, was imbedded a speaker, a lever, and three different colored wires. Blue, then red, then yellow. A note was attached to the speaker, which now looked rather unusable... 'Turn off the bomb... What's the right order...?' "Oh come on, enough with these riddles!" Then again, I guess it wouldn't really be a puzzle if it told you what to do... I reach out to the lever, yet pulling it lead to know avail. Fifteen seconds have gone by... Which order is correct? In order they're presented in? There's no label... And knowing NS-B and Avalon they like to do things backwards... Gabo looks at the wires, point at them with a realization, "Wait, these are primary colors... Cut them in the right order..." Gabo quickly summons a crystal shard, beginning to saw away at the red wire... finally breaking through, then moving onto yellow... thirty seconds go by... Gabo begins to saw at the blue wire, before looking at me with horror, with fifteen seconds remaining on the clock... "I-I can't cut it!" I move Gabo out of the way, clenching my teeth as I grip the wire tightly, I place my foot on the glass tube, and pull back with all my might... The wire slowly beginning to pull out of it's socket... ten seconds... nine... eight... five... four... three... two... then one. I finally rip the wire out, reaching for the lever and slamming it down. The speaker emits a soft buzz, as the sound of clicking is heard. Like the clicking of a lighter... But nothing happened... I look up to the tank, the liquid at Rom's neck... before slowly being drained out of the tube... A sigh of relief washes over us... Just as Avalon's voice came back on the speaker. "Well, Well, Well, Raidea... It appears he misunderstood you..." I look up to the screen, the timer being frozen at '0:00' "Yeah. We played your game... Now let Rom go!" - "He shall let the candidate go, Raidea... But Avalon is surprised..." A crunching sound is heard, as numerous cracks begin to form in the glass tube. "Out of everyone, you were the one he expected least to... Pick favorites." - "Wait... Favor...ites?" I slowly look over as the glass tube explodes, running forward as I catch the person who fell... I slowly look down at them. It was a tall woman, who wore a medium length black dress, with open shoulders... She had black socks that went up a bit past her ankles... Her black hair was tied into two twin tails, each being held up by a small gray bow... "N-No..." Avalon chuckled, "As per the agreement... Avalon shall release the candidate... And he will agree to cease fire on them..." I look down at the figure in my hands... Slowly placing her on the floor... My head shoots up to the screen, expecting to find Avalon's grimy face... But there wasn't. There was a dark, empty room on screen, the only thing in view being a desk with a small lamp on it... The room slowly grows lighter, revealing a large wooden circle on the back wall of the room, painted in black on it was a large star... My eyes open wide in horror, as I finally recognize who was strapped to the star. "No..."
The doors to the Basilicom bursted open, a cold wind nibbling on her face as she sprinted throughout the city... Ignoring the whispers she heard around her, she frantically turned corners, searching in even the slightest possible places that Rom could be. And yet, nothing was found... Ram throws the lid of a trash can to the side, slowly coming to a stop as a loud familiar chime fills her ears... High above the city, with it's bell ringing loudly, the clock tower rang... Their time had run out. The empty city plaza that she once stood in was soon filled with gray figures... The cheerful melody that played over the plaza's speakers began to slow down, distort, as the sound itself seemed to weave inside of Ram's mind. All crowded around a large window, behind it sat several TV screens. "E-Excuse me..." Ram slowly pushed two of the figures aside, both of them looking down at her. Their faces completely empty, yet their gaze piercing her... She finally approached the tv screens... Seeing a sight of horror. There was a dark, empty room on screen, the only thing in view being a desk with a small lamp on it... The room slowly grows lighter, revealing a large wooden circle on the back wall of the room, painted in black on it was a large star... Ram's eyes go wide, small tears bubbling up in their corners as she stared at the small child pinned to the star... "I-I... R-Ro...-" Rom's form was held against the star by several metal rings. Her arms were stretched out in a t-pose, with the palms facing the back of the board. Her legs were angled with the heels pointed at each other. Her chin was held up, putting a strain on the back of her neck. With all of this, a bigger piece of metal was tightly constricted around her midsection, putting immense pressure on her lungs. The metal rings were placed around each of her fingers, wrists, toes, ankles, knees, shoulders, hips; anywhere that a joint was present. Underneath her chin was a metal plate, attached to a forklift of some kind. There was some kind of chain attached to the limbs, which could be faintly seen glistening in the corners of the video. Rom looked around in fear, her pupils shrunken as someone steps in front of the machine. Wearing their traditional black hooded clothing. "Ladies... Gentleman, and those of the other seventy-six gender pronouns... Hello. How are you all today...? He is just peachy... Now now, he's sure you're all just dying to wonder... What is this large, strange and definitely not threatening machine behind him? Which before he begins, you can actually buy a machine like this for fairly cheap with this coupon code, 'E9TA31CK.'" The other monitors in the window Ram looked through slowly switched on, the image of Avalon slowly coming through. The intercom which played the music slowly began to mimic what Avalon was speaking... Ram swiftly turned around, watching the virtual screens, signs, and other televisions in the area slowly flicker to life, tuning in to the same broadcast. Avalon clears his throat, "But to what he was saying... Here they see a peculiar sight, do they not? Someone chained to a large board... One of the CPU Candidates of White... Or as you all would call her, a 'Goddess' of Lowee... But how did Avalon capture one like her...? More importantly, why bother putting her through this...? The answer is simple." Avalon sits down in a black chair, which grew out of the ground in a series of black tendrils. "You all knew of his prior attacks... The one on Lowee, the one on Lastation, and Planeptune... He left Leanbox alone though. Because he hates it. So instead he completely just surrounded the island in a wall. Now none of you are getting out. F*ck you Leanbox. Ahem. But Avalon has a question for all of you... Even before his appearance, why were your lives so hard...? Why did it feel like every passing day was met with nothing but repeatedly bashing against a brick wall, hoping to break it down... But the wall never caved? Why did it always feel like, despite what you were led to believe... That there was something off about this world... The answer is quite simple." Avalon stood up, looking at something outside of the screen, "NS-B. Show it..." Just as the recipient began replying, the screen flickers rapidly, static overtaking it, making it impossible to hear what they were saying, just as it cuts back to Avalon. "I don't give a damn, just put them up!" A moment passes, Avalon looking at the camera as four images pop up. Displaying one of the four goddesses in each image. First Purple Heart, Then Black Heart, Green Heart, and Finally White Heart. Avalon nods, resuming his speech. "The four goddesses of this world... The Console Patron Units that stood to protect you. Avalon points at Purple Heart, "This one went away on a 'Vacation'..." Avalon slashes his hand, Purple Heart's image shattering. "This one resorted to running a factory." Avalon slashes away at Black Heart, turning to Green Heard with a deadpan expression. "This one was too busy playing a VMMO to notice him..." Avalon leaves Green Heart's portrait alone before turning to White Heart. "And this one... This one has done nothing but slumber while her nation, her own sister has been missing for three days... These are the 'Goddesses' that you've placed your faith into?" Avalon smirks, slowly shaking his head. "He knows, though... One of you has been looking oh so dearly for your darling sister... Well look no further, here she iiiis~" Avalon steps to the side, motioning to Rom as he bowed, as if displaying an artwork he's proudly drawn. He quickly stands up. "Avalon asks you... All of you... Planeptunians, Lastatians, Loweeans, and Idiots. How effective have your 'Goddesses' truly been in protecting you? How often have they fought the grand villain of the week, only to have their cities be reduced to rubble. How can you expect these CPUs to care for you, if they don't even care for their own kin..." Avalon sighs, "This world... Gamindustri... it's nothing more than the byproduct of false idols. False Idols that desire only to maintain an iron control over their citizens... That is not a life that's worth living... Yes?" Avalon slowly reaches his hand off screen, pulling it back as a small object was now in his hand. "But not to worry... Avalon has your back... He will end your sad lives you live, free of the clutches of the false 'Gods'... Unless of course, you can beat him to it...? Of which, there will be no need to eliminate this world if it can finally pull itself back on track... That is his offer to you all... Avalon gives you four days. Four days to track down and eliminate the goddesses... If not, he will do it for you." Avalon begins to laugh, turning towards Rom... "And to show you just how serious he is... And to kickstart this grand event... Let's signify the start of this new era with a symbol... Let's signify the descent of this worlds 'Shining Stars'..." Ram shakes her head, "N-No... No...!" Ram sprints up to the monitor, holding it with both her hands, the crowd of grayed out people looking at her, whispering to one another... Ram quickly let go of the TV, placing her hand over her ears as she blocked out the whispers of the crowd, her eyes glued to the TV screen, tears streaming down her face as she cowered in fear. Ram buried her face into her hands, softly muttering to herself, "S-Someone... Anyone... Please... help..." Ram slowly looked back up at the TV screen... Avalon points the object at Rom, lifting his finger up and pressing down on it, before stepping away... Leaving only Rom in the camera's view. A low hissing sound emanates as the chains slowly start to move away from Rom. As the chain continued into the ceiling and floor, the pile on the floor became less and less; the chain snapped as it reached the first set of rings. Rom's arms started to pull, as the rings around her fingers slowly tightened, halting the chain. As the chains pulled away, a single finger popped out of place, angling itself in an unnatural way. As more fingers dislocate, and a few toes start to tear, Rom screams in pain. As the final fingers dislocate, the chain pulls once more, stretching the fingers out. The wrist and ankles dislocate before the hands and feet fall limp, allowing themselves to be stretched slightly. A second mechanism turned on, as her elbows were snapped in the opposite direction, straightening out as the chains pulled. The knees came soon after, leaving behind deep bruises. Rom's breathing had become shallow, as her throat stung from the screaming, but it was all she could do; not even stopping to swallow the tears that she had been choking on. The part attached to Rom's chin started to slowly move upwards; the metal plate pushing against the underside of her jaw, as the metal ring strapping her head to the board wouldn't allow her to move any higher. Her shoulders popped, before letting the arm fall limp; a quick turning motion twisting the entire arm around, further breaking the bone. Her legs soon met the same fate, now having bone jutting out of random sections. Despite all of this, Rom was fully conscious; something was keeping her awake. At the base of Rom's neck was a harness of some sort; it had tiny claw-like attachments that dug into her collarbone. As the plate lifted her chin up even more, the harness separated, snapping her collarbone and allowing the forklift to move; the pressure put on by the plate struggling to move all released at once, as Rom's jaw caves in on the bottom, the top of the jaw being pushed up into her upper gums. Rom tries to scream, but the blood filling her throat made it impossible, and with nowhere else to go, the plate continued to push against the plate above Rom's head. One of Rom's arms tore at the elbow, the skin tearing, leaving muscle exposed. The four limbs had been fully stretched, looking much more like a long fleshy tree branch with the bones jutting out as twigs. As the bottom plate continued to push against the top plate, putting pressure on Rom's head in between; a gurgling noise came from the still conscious Candidate, starting to bleed from the eyes. In one final, gruesome movement, the plate above Rom's head pushed down; the bottom plate only having the fractured jawbone blocking it; as the front of Rom's head bursts outwards, the head being completely crushed by the weight of the two plates. Avalon slowly looks back at the camera, slowly clapping as he smirked. "A fitting end... Don't you think...?" The other screens around Ram suddenly shut off. The lights in the plaza glowing ever brighter, before suddenly exploding. The intercom cutting dead... The area around her goes pitch black, the only source of light being the TV screen in front of her. "Now that the few of them have some... Alone time... Oh Raidea, Gabo, Ram... He must applaud you on your efforts. You tried desperately to find her... And well, he supposes in the end... You found her. But, just like all else... You failed her. But don't worry, Ram... He's sure she would've forgiven you... If you had given her the chance." Avalon raises two fingers, putting them to his forehead and flicking them in the opposite direction. "Well... Best of luck with the mob, you three~ He'll be off now... The board's been set... Now it's your turn." Avalon gives one final chuckle, before the screen completely cuts to black... leaving Ram in a dark, desolate void.
End of Chapter [Thanks again to Cyan_Heart for designing the death machine and writing that cryptic $$ death scene... Seriously what the hell does he do in his spare time-]