So far, Katie hadn't explored or seen much of the capital city. She and the others trained by the Slayer only frequented three locations; the arena, the dining hall, and the barracks. But now that she was getting to walk through its streets, beside the Slayer no less, it was like exploring a new world with a personal guide. Which, to be fair, was damn near exactly what was happening.
"I think this is the most in awe I've ever seen you...not even when you were inside my fortress did you look so amazed..." He commented, referring to how she looked all around herself and took in every detail.
"Can you blame me? The architecture, the style, the general atmosphere of everything. It's like I've walked into a children's book about a knight going to save a princess or something." She said, "Like seriously, despite being so technologically advanced, the people here blend it with a simpler way of life and create something...wonderful." She described, trying her hardest to think of the best word to sum it all up.
"Yeah...a lot of the time I spent here when I first arrived was staring up at the night sky...in addition to the stars, there's a bunch of colors that stretch across the whole plant...I'd compare it to the aurora borealis, but...it's vastly different in a way that you can only understand by experiencing it..." He told her.
"Really? I don't think any of us have seen in the time we've been here." She admitted.
"That's because it's tied to the Wraiths' energy...the gods of this world and the Sentinels...when they're at peace, they focus their power into the planet itself for many important reasons...but at the moment, they're using their power to support the Sentinels fighting on earth...so the skies will remain dark until the war's over..." He explained.
"Huh. Is the light their power?" She asked. "Yes..." He answered.
"Wow. So they're powerful enough to encase an entire planet in their energy. That's...insanely terrifying." She said, hoping it wasn't rude.
"Mhm...you and the others will probably meet them once the fighting's done..." He replied. "After learning that fact about them, I'm honestly a little scared to." She confessed. "Everyone is...don't worry..." He assured.
"Were you?" She asked.
"No...but after everything I'd seen...can you blame me?..." He responded with a question. "No, not at all." She said.
Falling silent after that conversation ended, the Slayer and Katie continued to walk through the city. Neither saying a word as he waited for her to get to what she wanted to talk about, and she was nervous to talk about it.
"...Hey, Will." She spoke up after five minutes went by, "Could...we go somewhere that has
absolutely no one? What I have to speak with you about is, well...sensitive. To put it mildly." She requested.
"Of course..." He said, which made her smile.
"Thanks. Sorry for making us go out of the way." She apologized.
"It's no problem...what's the point of speaking to me privately if people are walking by?..." He rhetorically asked.
Now leading the way instead of walking beside her, Katie was surprised to find that the Slayer was taking them outside the city and through one of its gates.
"Holy shit! Are those dragons?" Katie asked with widened eyes as they went through. A large group of Sentinels carefully guiding the beasts in, keeping them calm and taking them somewhere else.
"Courtesy of Charlie...long story...I'll tell you later..." He answered.
"Uh...okay..." She replied, both curious yet confused by what "story" could make sense of that statement.
Venturing further from the city than just outside the gate, the duo wouldn't stop walking until the capital was a good half-mile behind them.
"Alright, this should do..." He said, finally coming to a stop.
"You really go above and beyond in everything you do, huh?" She asked with a smile, amused that that location he had in mind wasn't even in the city.
"You wanted privacy; this is as private as it gets..." He answered as he walked over to a nearby rock and sat on it, "So, now that we're here...care to share what's on your mind?..." He asked.
"Yeah...about that..." She began, taking a moment to let out a sigh to help steel her nerves, "Before we go ahead with this, I need to know one thing. Are you comfortable with talking about...what's going on with you?" She inquired.
"That could mean a lot of things, could you specify?..." He requested.
"What's...going on in your head. And, to be even MORE specific, what do you see?" She said.
"Are you talking about my nightmare?..." He asked, even though for him it didn't make sense since they already talked about it.
"No. More...long term to put it in...some way." She answered, "Alright, I'll just come out and say it since I'm wasting time by being cryptic like an idiot." She decided, bracing herself for how he'd react to this, "WAY back when we first met, and after you killed me when you walked me through your fortress, I saw piles of what I now know is rabbit food. Yet every pile I saw had some amount of dust on it. Combine that with the nightmare you mentioned and all that time you spent in Doom both before and after you met us...and...I'm just worried about your mental state, is all." She explained.
Hoo boy, that was an immediate nosedive into heavy shit, and she knew it too. This is why a part of her before this moment had been screaming at Katie to NOT bring this up to ANYONE, especially NOT the Slayer! But she never got around to telling the others about what she saw when
she was in the fortress, for when it came to mind was right before Doom invaded and all the other crazy shit happened. So that is why she couldn't keep herself from bringing it up now, they were preparing to fight Doom for HOPEFULLY the last time, and she needed to talk to him about this as otherwise, she might not get a better chance.
"...Correct me if I'm wrong...but did Vega tell you, Angel, and Cherri that I sometimes had hallucinations of Daisy?..." He asked, thinking back to the night of his first party when they went shopping.
"Will, it's one thing to see a person or object that seems like it's there, and it's an entirely different ballpark when you believe so much that it is real you put out food for it." She told him.
"...Heh...yeah...you're right..." He agreed, seeing no point in trying to deny that. "So, how bad was it? And please, be honest." She asked, ending with a request.
"To the point...I forgot she even died..." He answered as he looked towards the ground, "I know that sounds absurd...they ripped her fucking head off and put it on a spike for christ's sake...but...all that time I spent entombed in Doom...the isolation in my fortress above my world...the only sounds to fill my ears belonging to machines...at some point my mind swore that it heard the sound of tiny feet moving across the metal floor...then I'd see out of the corner of my eye a brief appearance of brown fur...but one day there she was...sitting out in the open clear as day...after that...it didn't matter what either Vega or Samur tried to tell me...I believed that she was there..." He confessed.
"When did you snap out of it?" She asked as she came over to be closer to him, "Or, if you didn't, when did your mind focus on other things?" She added.
"When Samur showed up and told me there was another Hell for me to deal with..." He answered, his gaze still focus on the grass beneath his boots, "I'd been itching for a fight...both he and Vega knew that...but as we all learned much later, there was more to that suggestion than I knew...of course, that didn't matter then...all I needed to know was that there were more demons to fight...that's what made those visions of Daisy less frequent..." He shared.
"Huh, how eerily fitting that is." She admitted as she folded her arms over her chest and held onto them tightly, "That's the whole reason I'm bringing this up, Will. I'm worried about how things will be when the fighting's over for the last time, no more monsters to kill, and when you can finally put down your chainsaw and guns. All of us want you to have a normal life; how could we not after everything you've done for us? But I'm scared that when you can't shoot or punch anything anymore...you won't be...you." She said.
Another break in their conversation happened afterward, as the Slayer didn't know what to say in response right away. Because the truth was that he didn't know what would happen either, he wanted a peaceful life, sure, but could he even HAVE one was the real question. He'd been given glimpses of what it'd be like, hanging out with his friends, living at the hotel or Slayer Studios, and both of the parties he'd received even if one did end in disaster. But trying to imagine days, weeks, months, and years where there was nothing to do but live, nothing to prepare for, and no reasons to be vigilant, which had become his nature, he couldn't do.
"...Before I say...anything to that...could you answer a question of mine?..." He requested while tilting his head back to look at her.
"Seeing as how I blindsided you like an asshole with this sounds fair to me." She agreed.
"Did learning about what happened to Helsa bring this up...and I don't mean what Valentino did to
her...but what became of her as a result?..." He asked.
"Yeah, it did." She answered truthfully, "I never knew her personally, but I still knew who she and her family were because, ya know, best friends with the royals and everything. And to think of her as anything other than the smug, superiority complex bitch that she's been her whole life is, as weird as it may sound, soul-crushing. The fact even someone like her could be broken so severely it'd change her completely is horrifying. Yet here, sitting in front of me, is someone who's been through more shit than anyone else in all of creation, and for the most part, he seems to have his shit together. But what if it's only because he has something to take it out on, a target for that pain, insanity, and aggression? And when it's gone for good, he ends up like Helsa? Imagining you in that kind of state makes me sick to my stomach. So, I just...had to talk to you about it. I know I may not rub myself on you like Angel. Cook and fawn over you like Nifty. Or obsess over you like Verosika. But I do care about you and want you to have a life again." She told him as her expression softened, "Because...that's what you did for me. Even though the only thing I deserved was to burn with those...things..." She said, thinking back to her time spent imprisoned with the demons.
"You shouldn't say that, Katie..." He replied as he stood up from the rock, "You may have been a bad person in your old life...you might've killed someone for all I know...but it'd take a lot more than one, two, even a dozen or fifty bodies before you could be compared to them...you've changed and because of it you've got a better life now...one that you're happier with, right?..." He asked.
"Of course. I might not be the face of Channel 666 news now, but I can even begin to count how many ways my life's improved." She answered, "But, again, that's because of you." She reminded.
"Right, and maybe if we're lucky...you guys can do the same for me..." He suggested, "The last time I had peace, I was alone...only the silence of space and my damaged mind to keep me company...but with my day-to-day life being surrounded by people who care about me...who knows...maybe that's all I'll need to start working my way back to normal..." He reasoned.
"Pfft, yeah. A group comprised of lunatics, sluts, evil geniuses, and former sociopaths. With Charlie, Vagatha, and Nifty forming the rainbow bunch." She scoffed.
"Which category do you fall into?..." He asked.
"One part lunatic, the other sociopath." She answered. "Hmm...not sure about that..." He argued.
"Oh yeah? Then how'd you sum me up?" She curiously inquired. "Strong, confident, capable, and intelligent..." He listed. "So...sociopath." She slowly said with a smile.
"If you actually believe that still describes who you are as a person...I'd be more than happy to throw you back into another cell..." He offered, making her laugh.
"Considering our relationship now, I might be into that." She countered, "Poor, helpless, sexy me. Trapped by the big, strong brute of a man. Helpless to stop him from doing whatever he wants with me." She described.
"You're spending too much time with Angel..." He said.
"That is a possibility. Good thing I'm spending the day with you." She replied, "So unless you got
more to say, could we maybe get back to that?" She asked.
"Hey, you're the one who dragged me out here to talk about how I'm off my rocker..." He reminded.
"I asked for privacy. You're the one who chose the wilderness." She replied.
"Heh, good point..." He complimented, "But yeah, I'm good to head back and walk around the city some more..." He told her.
"Great. Then let's go." She said.
With that weight off of her shoulders, Kaite could now enjoy the rest of the day she had alone with the Slayer as they headed back to the capital. But while the air was a bit clearer between them, there was still something Katie wanted to ask.
"Um...Will..." She spoke as they walked, "If it's okay, there's something else I'd like to ask you. And I promise it isn't more heavy shit like what we just got done talking about." She promised.
"Even if it were, you could still talk to me about it..." He replied, which made her feel better.
"Good to know. I'll remember that for the future." She said, "Anyway...this is going to sound stupid...but...would it be okay if we wrapped our arms around each other? Not in a romantic way, but just to...I don't know...make it better? Or to make us feel better about what we just talked about?..." She asked, trying to think of a better reason than she wanted to do it, "Actually, you know what? Dumb fucking question. I'm sorry. God, that was so fucking-"
Before she could continue to rant and feel embarrassed for asking something so childish, the Slayer wrapped his arm around hers. And yet, when this happened, neither he nor she said anything about it. Instead, all Katie did was look at their arms for a brief second in surprise, then at him with the same expression as a smile appeared on her face. And, until they got to the gate and the city where people could see them, she even rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes to enjoy this wonderful moment that would soon become a memory with a single thought engraved into it.
"Everything's going to be okay."
Meanwhile, In Abaddon's Circle...
Life, as in the process of creating another creature past one's self. That was something Abaddon was VERY hesitant to try. Even when everything was okay and no war happened, their original garden was nothing more than what their circle of Hell was now, a beautiful lush landscape that went on forever.
But they believed that with their current company, Helsa, she might get bored from looking at nothing but green grass, healthy trees, and an endless blue sky. So, for the first time, they would take a crack at creating a living organism that wasn't a plant. Sure, it would be simple things like bugs and other tiny forms of life, but hey, even ancient beings need to be mindful of what they're capable of. At any rate, it didn't matter to their guest if all they could make was ladybugs and butterflies, as Helsa watched all of them fly about with a smile and her eyes filled with wonder.
And if that perhaps sounds a little strange, well, that's because Abaddon did go an extra mile to make them more interesting by having them glow with the same colors that made their shapeless form. So, all around Helsa flew these bright multi-colored insects, which helped to pass the time
when Vega wasn't there. Thankfully, his absence was about to end, indicated by the appearance of a portal that both of them recognized.
"Hello! I'm back!" Vega greeted while coming through, "And, I brought with me some confections from the Sentinel homeworld before I left. I'm not too familiar with your tastes, Helsa. So I brought a little of everything. We have various bread-based foods, meats, fruits and vegetables, sweets-"
Before he could continue naming all of the things he brought, Helsa had gotten up from her place on the ground, walked over, then hugged him to welcome him back.
"Aw, thank you. That's very sweet." He said in appreciation, lightly patting her on the head. Abaddon also came over, but their body flashed a few different shades of purple when they did. "I have the food stored in a pocket dimension." He responded, answering the question they asked
of where the food was since they couldn't see it, "Think of it as one big refrigerator I've made. The
food will never spoil or rot inside of that space." He explained before looking down at Helsa, "Which brings us to the most important question, what would you like to try first?" He asked.
Releasing him from her hug, Helsa hurried back to where she was sitting to get something. Picking it up from the ground, the object was a dry erase board. Vega had given it to her for the obvious purpose of communicating with him and Abaddon. And while he COULD talk to her telepathically, he didn't want to put any pressure on her, for that would still, in its own unique way, be a form of communication where she'd have to speak.
Taking the attached marker off from its side, she wrote on the board's surface that she'd like to try the meat, then showed it to Vega.
"Huh, I'll admit. I wasn't expecting you to choose meat for the first course." He confessed before opening another portal; only this one was much smaller. Big enough to where his hand and arm could fit through and not much else, "Do you want raw meat, cooked meat, some form of a sandwich? The choice is yours." He asked.
Scribbling again on her whiteboard, not needing to erase what she wrote last time as it could do so on its own, long story. Helsa wrote that she'd like a cooked dish, topped off with please and thank you. Without needing to do anything else other than pulling his arm back out, Vega retrieved from the small portal a fully cooked plate of meat, made to look like a steak and with silverware, and handed it to her.
"Would you also like a beverage?" He asked while handing it to her, to which she nodded, "Very good. Tea, soda, water, or juice?" He inquired.
Since she had to set her whiteboard down on the ground to take the plate from him, Helsa maintained a solid grip on the dining ware with one hand and held up the other to show him one finger.
"Ah, a good choice if I do say so myself." He replied as he stuck his hand back in and pulled out a glass of fresh, delicious-looking, and ultimately refreshing ice tea.
Handing that off to Helsa, she gave him a smile in return before turning around and going to her spot to enjoy her meal.
"Hm?" Vega hummed as Abaddon moved next to him, another series of purple lights flashing across their form, "Ah, of course. Come, let's talk over here while Helsa enjoys her meal." He said.
Abaddon had requested to know how things were going with the war, the Wretch, and everything else. So, the two of them distanced themselves from Helsa by about twenty feet so they could talk outside of her earshot. Neither of them wanting to upset or distract her with their conversation.
Meanwhile, In Urdak...
What happens when you take two tech-obsessed demon geniuses and give them free access to highly advanced divine technology? Sir Pentious and Vox, in an almost catatonic-like state, staring wide-eyed at the possibilities before them.
"Are the two of you alright?" Samur asked, getting everything ready for their work.
"Sorry, Samur...we're just...intellectually overwhelmed..." Vox answered, trying his best to regain his composure, "I remember once when Vega said I'd get a chance to learn more about the Maykr technology. And yet here I am, working alongside you on a project that even someone of your status has never done before." He explained.
"Aren't we supposed to be working with the forge master on the gates?" Sir Pentious questioned.
"I told her and the Wretch what alterations needed to be made. After that, it is up to the three of us to make the required parts." Samur replied.
"Oh, okay. Will we also have some time for a personal project I have in mind?" He asked. "An addition to the war effort?" Samur inquired.
"Yes, but also no." He said but confusingly, "After the meeting, Will pulled Vox and me to the
side and asked if we could come up with something for Loona and Daisy. Apparently, both of them want to fight too or contribute in some way." He revealed.
"Did he have anything in mind?" Samur asked.
"Nope. He trusted me to think of something all on my own. FINALLY, someone recognizes that I am brilliant and have something worthwhile to add to the team." He proudly answered while crossing his arms.
"US. He trusted US." Vox corrected, "I was there TOO." He added.
"Shh, please, just let me have this one moment of someone appreciating me." Sir Pentious whispered, sounding more desperate and heartbroken than he ever has before.
"...You do know that I appreciate you." He said.
"You don't count. You're my friend. when your friends appreciate you, it's no different than when your mom is the only person who follows you on social media." Sir Pentious argued.
"Gentleman, there is a time and a place to talk about Pentious's crippling self-worth issues." Samur interjected, "Right now, I'd appreciate it if we could focus on the task at hand." He requested.
"Right, yeah, no need to talk about the sad state of my standing in society and our social group." Sir Pentious agreed as he slithered over, "So, what's first?" He asked.
"We're making an Argent filtration system. Which will ensure the energy is stable and safe for use within the gateways." Samur answered.
"I assume, to avoid a repeat of Velvet's explosions?" Vox guessed as he walked over as well.
"Correct." He confirmed, "But also, to make sure no one is exposed to an unhealthy amount as they pass through the portals." He added.
"What counts as an unsafe amount?" Sir Pentious inquired.
"What you were exposed to in the former Divinity Machine." He replied. "...That...That was an unsafe amount?..." Sir Pentious asked.
"We now know that in hindsight, seeing as how your friend Angel Dust received a new set of breasts as a result." He answered.
"So...we were just...guinea pigs?..." Sir Pentious asked.
"Not at all. You were never in any danger; I wouldn't have allowed you to receive the Argent if that were a possibility. When I say unsafe, I mean any amount that can lead to a drastic change in the recipient. You may consider that to be the minimum effect of too much Argent." He explained.
"What would a more severe amount do, then?" Vox inquired.
"I've run a few simulations, and so far, the worst outcome I've determined would be the violent detonation of a person's soul. While not destroying it, as that is impossible, it would scatter the soul in countless pieces to various realities throughout creation." He informed.
"Huh...nice to know we're ticking time bombs then..." Sir Pentious said.
"Careful, your pessimism is showing." He joked, which got a chuckle out of Vox.
"Great, SO glad that's becoming a thing now." Sir Pentious replied with an annoyed expression.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." He apologized before turning around to face the two of them, "We're ready to get started on our work. Are they any more questions before we proceed?" He asked.
"Yes, but it doesn't pertain to the filtration system," Vox said. "That's alright, what is it?" He inquired.
"We don't know much about them, but is there anything we can do to help with the Blood Maykrs?" Vox asked.
"No. But I appreciate your willingness to help." He answered, "As it stands, they are finished. All that is left is for the angels and drones to make the last of their weapons and armor. And, in light of our sabotage failing, we're more than likely going to deploy them by tomorrow or the next day." He informed.
"Does that mean WE'LL be fighting so soon as well?" Sir Pentious asked. "It does. Nervous?" He responded.
"No. Why would I be nervous? We basically have only a day or maybe two before going into a war that will decide the fate of everything. No pressure." Sir Pentious said, making him chuckle.
"Then, why don't we distract our minds with this work for now?" He suggested.
"Gladly." Sir Pentious accepted before the trio of geniuses got to work.
Meanwhile, In The Sentinels' Forge...
BJ had seen a lot of mind-boggling things in his lifetime. Most of which were incredibly fucked up Nazi shit. But seeing green ghost wolves jump into giant mechanical dogs, possess them, then walk about as if it were normal has officially taken the number one spot on his "Never thought I'd see this in my life" list.
"You okay?" The forge master called out from close by while lifting her welding mask, noticing how he was just standing there looking at the beasts.
"Yeah...just...trying to make sense of...this." He replied while gesturing to what was happening in front of him.
"Heh, sorry. I guess I should've prepared you a little better." She apologized before flipping her mask down to cover her face again, "It's funny. We're not used to how strange our lives are to outsiders because we base it off of how our king handled it when he arrived." She told him.
"You mean grandson, right?" He asked, walking over to observe her work on the gateway she was handling herself.
"Mhm. I mean, I know he'd been fighting the demons for some time before we got to him and brought him here. But he took to our way of life and the things unique to our world so easily. So we assumed others would too." She answered.
"Yeah, I can't even begin to imagine all of the horrible things he's seen in his life. But shit if I'm not proud for how strong he's been through it all." He admitted.
"Have you told him that yet?" She asked.
"Not yet. I plan to have a proper sit down with him and catch up once the shooting's done." He answered.
"I think he could use that. It's clear as day to anyone that he respects you. And it's not hard to understand why." She complimented.
"Thank you. That's very kind of you to say." He said.
"No need to thank me, just stating facts." She assured, "However, I must confess that when I learned a demon had earned his respect as well, I believed it was some rumor created by the troops." She shared.
"I can understand why. The Doom Slayer, the bane of evil everywhere. Not the first person you'd think to make nice with the very thing he set out to destroy." He replied, "Speaking of the Wretch, where is he? After we finished making more of the Panzerhunds, I went to his workbench, and he wasn't there. Neither were his grenades." He told her.
"I asked my forgers about that when I got back, and they told me he left for the arena to acquaint the king's allies with the new gear." She informed.
"Huh, in that case, do you mind if I head out? Your people know the ins and outs of the robot dogs, so they don't need me looking over their shoulders. And I can't help much with these gates as
they go well beyond my wheelhouse." He said.
"By all means, if we should have any need of your expertise or assistance, we'll send for you." She responded.
"Great, see ya later then." He bid farewell before taking off.