Chapter 3: Memories
"I can see the sun high in the sky beginning to be blocked. The solar eclipse is what starts it all. The Paradigm clocktower chimes out twelve o'clock as the sun is completely covered. The city has a glow despite the midday darkness, like the atmosphere it's self is on fire. The streets are completely empty of people, but I can see them. Something has made them go inside and fall asleep at whatever they are doing.
"The ground begins to tremble under my feet and I have to hold on to a street sign to remain upright. When the sun is completely blocked and the bells have stopped ringing, the sky rips open with a purple light, and all of a sudden everything seems to freeze. The ground stops shaking and not even the papers blow around in the street.
"Without warning the purple light crashes to Earth in the middle of Paradigm City and a Mega Deus appears in a conflagration of smoke and flames. It's the color of blood and radiates heat, fire burning perpetually in its massive claws, the horns on its head spiraling into the air. It is Satan himself, the Devil Mega Deus, his features angular and cruel, including fangs.
"I see you approach him, your own Big O ready for battle as it always seems to be. As you fight against the Devil, I can tell how equally matched you are. You easily trade blows, and eventually come to a standstill, the Big O's hands fending off the red, burning claws.
"An unexpected, subtle wind blows through the city, like someone had just opened the door to an oven. I feel my skin ready to burn in such a blast, and the Devil opens its mouth, discharging a gout of white hot flame at the face of your Mega Deus.
"I watch as it melts, the entire machine becoming a puddle of liquid alloy on the ground, burning everything in its path. The Devil slowly burns away at the city, ashes floating in the sky like a gruesome parody of snow, everything becoming that powdery, gray substance eventually. I look down, and eventually even my flesh becomes like that, and everything goes white."
Roger finally looked up at her, "That's quite a dream."
"It's not a dream!" Amelia stood up, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. "The first time I saw this was during the day while I was wide awake. These are memories of the future, and if you don't believe me, we're all going to die the day of the eclipse."
Roger looked up at the passion in her face, the extreme belief that she had in her memories. He couldn't help but be struck by the beauty in her face as she fought against his skepticism over her memories. Finally he took her hand, which melted the angry lines from her features.
"I believe you, Amelia. I promise, when the time comes I will change the events which you've told me about. But only if you stop worrying about it."
Her cheeks reddened slightly, "You sound concerned."
"I don't like seeing such a beautiful woman so upset over something I can fix."
Amelia blushed again and realized her hand was still clasped in his own and pulled away gracefully. "Thank you for understanding Roger. I won't take up any more of your time."
He seemed a bit hesitant but nodded, "Thank you. I hope you'll find some rest now Amelia."
"I'm certain I will. Franklin will show you out."
Roger stood and shook her delicate hand, then walked out the library door. He looked down both sides of the hall and curiously wondered where the attentive butler was. He headed the way they came from the conservatory, wandering down the open halls, the temperature becoming more uncomfortable as he went. He eventually found his way back to the conservatory and found that the door was open, the steamy air that smelled of nature's perfume permeating the hallway.
He stepped inside and heard a moan coming from the plants, as well as a scrap of clothing sprouting out of the greenery like an exotic blossom. Roger rushed to the particular plant and found Franklin lying on a pile of dirt, blood crusting on his forehead from a blow. The negotiator lifted the butler out of the dirt and set him up against one of the heavy terra cotta planters.
"Franklin, what happened?"
The butler looked up, "Men in black suits broke into the conservatory. I heard glass breaking and came to investigate."
Roger opened his mouth to reply when the sound of something heavy hitting the floor interrupted him.
"Miss Amelia. You must go protect her."
Roger nodded and made sure the butler was steady enough to stay sitting up before he ran back down to the double doors to the library. He pushed against them, heaving when they wouldn't budge. He heard a scraping noise and could see that a bookcase had fallen against the doors. There was a sound of metal hitting against something heavy and a female cry of panic.
"Amelia!" He shouted, anger welling up inside.
"Roger!" Her reply was weaker than it should have been, and it gave him a surge of adreneline that helped him push the door and the bookcase further in.
He could see inside, where the two men that Franklin had described had cornered Amelia behind an overstuffed chair, the poker from the fire in her hand, which she swung to keep them back. One of the men lunged for her and grabbed ahold of the metal weapon, wrenching it out of her hands while the other charged forward, catching her slim body between his head and his shoulder and slamming her back against the wall, knocking the breath from her.
Roger pushed again and made enough room to get through the door, crawling over the bookcase and the fallen books. The one engaged in subduing Amelia finally lifted her over his shoulder and turned, eyeing Roger for a moment before heading for the other exit. His counterpart turned and drew a gun, sending Roger diving behind the battered couch. Shots hit the couch but were stopped by the thick leather and giant quantities of stuffing now coming out the exit holes.
He picked up a book and tossed it to the left, distracting the shooter while he ran out from the right, throwing another literary missile and knocking the gun from his hand. The intruder dove for the gun but Roger had already kicked it under a pile of books and was running after Amelia. The man in black threw himself into Roger's side, knocking him to the ground and taking a swing at his face before the negotiator could bring his his hands up to block.
One hit was all he got in before Roger blocked the second and fought back with a blow of his own that sent his attacker to the ground, blood flying from his mouth and nose. Roger touched the blood seeping from his lip and wiped it away on his gloves as he ran down a hallafter the other one. He found the other man in black trying to force a cloth of chloroform over Amelia's face while she struggled with all her strength to keep him from her face.
Roger pulled the man off of her and sent a knee into his side, doubling him over as he dropped the chloroformed cloth. The man in black struggled under him, then lashed out suddenly with his left hand, catching Roger in the stomach. The breath was knocked from his lungs and the negotiator let go, the man fleeing the instant he was released. Amelia kneeled down next to Roger and put a supporting arm under him.
"Are you alright?"
He nodded, composing himself as quickly as he could. "Did they hurt you?"
"Only my furniture. Come on, let's get that bruised lip taken care of." With an amazing amount of composure she helped him up and into the kitchen, through the library where she so very calmly walked over fresh bloodstains.
"I can see the sun high in the sky beginning to be blocked. The solar eclipse is what starts it all. The Paradigm clocktower chimes out twelve o'clock as the sun is completely covered. The city has a glow despite the midday darkness, like the atmosphere it's self is on fire. The streets are completely empty of people, but I can see them. Something has made them go inside and fall asleep at whatever they are doing.
"The ground begins to tremble under my feet and I have to hold on to a street sign to remain upright. When the sun is completely blocked and the bells have stopped ringing, the sky rips open with a purple light, and all of a sudden everything seems to freeze. The ground stops shaking and not even the papers blow around in the street.
"Without warning the purple light crashes to Earth in the middle of Paradigm City and a Mega Deus appears in a conflagration of smoke and flames. It's the color of blood and radiates heat, fire burning perpetually in its massive claws, the horns on its head spiraling into the air. It is Satan himself, the Devil Mega Deus, his features angular and cruel, including fangs.
"I see you approach him, your own Big O ready for battle as it always seems to be. As you fight against the Devil, I can tell how equally matched you are. You easily trade blows, and eventually come to a standstill, the Big O's hands fending off the red, burning claws.
"An unexpected, subtle wind blows through the city, like someone had just opened the door to an oven. I feel my skin ready to burn in such a blast, and the Devil opens its mouth, discharging a gout of white hot flame at the face of your Mega Deus.
"I watch as it melts, the entire machine becoming a puddle of liquid alloy on the ground, burning everything in its path. The Devil slowly burns away at the city, ashes floating in the sky like a gruesome parody of snow, everything becoming that powdery, gray substance eventually. I look down, and eventually even my flesh becomes like that, and everything goes white."
Roger finally looked up at her, "That's quite a dream."
"It's not a dream!" Amelia stood up, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. "The first time I saw this was during the day while I was wide awake. These are memories of the future, and if you don't believe me, we're all going to die the day of the eclipse."
Roger looked up at the passion in her face, the extreme belief that she had in her memories. He couldn't help but be struck by the beauty in her face as she fought against his skepticism over her memories. Finally he took her hand, which melted the angry lines from her features.
"I believe you, Amelia. I promise, when the time comes I will change the events which you've told me about. But only if you stop worrying about it."
Her cheeks reddened slightly, "You sound concerned."
"I don't like seeing such a beautiful woman so upset over something I can fix."
Amelia blushed again and realized her hand was still clasped in his own and pulled away gracefully. "Thank you for understanding Roger. I won't take up any more of your time."
He seemed a bit hesitant but nodded, "Thank you. I hope you'll find some rest now Amelia."
"I'm certain I will. Franklin will show you out."
Roger stood and shook her delicate hand, then walked out the library door. He looked down both sides of the hall and curiously wondered where the attentive butler was. He headed the way they came from the conservatory, wandering down the open halls, the temperature becoming more uncomfortable as he went. He eventually found his way back to the conservatory and found that the door was open, the steamy air that smelled of nature's perfume permeating the hallway.
He stepped inside and heard a moan coming from the plants, as well as a scrap of clothing sprouting out of the greenery like an exotic blossom. Roger rushed to the particular plant and found Franklin lying on a pile of dirt, blood crusting on his forehead from a blow. The negotiator lifted the butler out of the dirt and set him up against one of the heavy terra cotta planters.
"Franklin, what happened?"
The butler looked up, "Men in black suits broke into the conservatory. I heard glass breaking and came to investigate."
Roger opened his mouth to reply when the sound of something heavy hitting the floor interrupted him.
"Miss Amelia. You must go protect her."
Roger nodded and made sure the butler was steady enough to stay sitting up before he ran back down to the double doors to the library. He pushed against them, heaving when they wouldn't budge. He heard a scraping noise and could see that a bookcase had fallen against the doors. There was a sound of metal hitting against something heavy and a female cry of panic.
"Amelia!" He shouted, anger welling up inside.
"Roger!" Her reply was weaker than it should have been, and it gave him a surge of adreneline that helped him push the door and the bookcase further in.
He could see inside, where the two men that Franklin had described had cornered Amelia behind an overstuffed chair, the poker from the fire in her hand, which she swung to keep them back. One of the men lunged for her and grabbed ahold of the metal weapon, wrenching it out of her hands while the other charged forward, catching her slim body between his head and his shoulder and slamming her back against the wall, knocking the breath from her.
Roger pushed again and made enough room to get through the door, crawling over the bookcase and the fallen books. The one engaged in subduing Amelia finally lifted her over his shoulder and turned, eyeing Roger for a moment before heading for the other exit. His counterpart turned and drew a gun, sending Roger diving behind the battered couch. Shots hit the couch but were stopped by the thick leather and giant quantities of stuffing now coming out the exit holes.
He picked up a book and tossed it to the left, distracting the shooter while he ran out from the right, throwing another literary missile and knocking the gun from his hand. The intruder dove for the gun but Roger had already kicked it under a pile of books and was running after Amelia. The man in black threw himself into Roger's side, knocking him to the ground and taking a swing at his face before the negotiator could bring his his hands up to block.
One hit was all he got in before Roger blocked the second and fought back with a blow of his own that sent his attacker to the ground, blood flying from his mouth and nose. Roger touched the blood seeping from his lip and wiped it away on his gloves as he ran down a hallafter the other one. He found the other man in black trying to force a cloth of chloroform over Amelia's face while she struggled with all her strength to keep him from her face.
Roger pulled the man off of her and sent a knee into his side, doubling him over as he dropped the chloroformed cloth. The man in black struggled under him, then lashed out suddenly with his left hand, catching Roger in the stomach. The breath was knocked from his lungs and the negotiator let go, the man fleeing the instant he was released. Amelia kneeled down next to Roger and put a supporting arm under him.
"Are you alright?"
He nodded, composing himself as quickly as he could. "Did they hurt you?"
"Only my furniture. Come on, let's get that bruised lip taken care of." With an amazing amount of composure she helped him up and into the kitchen, through the library where she so very calmly walked over fresh bloodstains.
