1With three more chapters left until the end, I'll keep this brief and start working on the next one. I thank everyone for reading, and want to wish everyone a happy holidays no matter which version of it you might celebrate.

Now...to Silent Hill.

His world was dark…he hated what he'd become. Each day had slowly changed from a series of never ending blissful happenings to the hell that he was now trapped in. It had all started when the man had returned to Silent Hill, when that bastard had begun to remember what had to be done.

He raged over his lost power, over that which he'd gained, but at supreme cost. There was nothing left to him, he was a spy, a traitor. He was simply a puppet to the greater power in Silent Hill now.

How long the man sat in the dark he would never know. He simply sat in pitch black, regurgitating his sufferings and chewing over them like a stale vomit. No creatures would attack him, and any that still retained a sense of humanity would find something else to put them out of their misery. He was a dangerous man, a crazy man, and most disturbingly…a desperate man.

Paul knew there was only one solution to end his humiliation at the hands of those that had caused his suffering. He had to kill them all. It didn't matter how, and it didn't matter if he survived it or not. Walter's blessing of immortality had been revoked only moments after leaving the hospital, allowing him the opportunity to die. It was one he planned to make good use of.

Another desperate and disturbed figure walked the streets of Silent Hill at that same time, a hate burning as deeply in his eyes as it did in Paul's. This man knew about suffering, about what it would take to destroy those behind Silent Hill.

Richard had invoked the power of Metatron's Medallion as he fell, knowing it was the only way to survive. All knew the power of the relic, able to protect a person from any harm in Silent Hill so long as they invoked its powers. Yet few knew just how the medallion worked.

In order to protect you, one had to sacrifice something in return. It was the nature of all magical items that you received nothing for free, but this one in particular carried a steep price.

He'd fallen, both from the tower and from the last bits of sanity that he'd known. Under no other circumstances had he intended to use the medallion, only to keep it from falling into Walter's hands…but as the wind had flown by his head, as the fiery ground had rushed up towards him, Richard had whispered the words to activate the medallion.

Instantly he'd felt a draining on himself, a pull on his very soul that felt like it was ripping pieces of him away. In a flash he'd changed, no longer was he the Richard that had fallen from the tower. Now he was something else, more primal...more angry.

The medallion hadn't slowed his fall, however, and he crashed into the steel pipework that made up the ground with a crunch. Bones snapped and crunched from the impact, shattering and piercing his skin and clothing. There was an instant of searing pain, a brief moment where he felt his entire body was freezing and burning at the same time, and sudden blackness.

The blackness gave way to a pinprick of light that danced before his vision, just out of arms-reach. "Name your terms." A voice said in his head. "What is it that you need."

He tried to open his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the strength to do so. Instead he simply thought his wish. 'The power to stop Walter, to defeat him, and destroy Silent Hill along the way.'

"You know what the price of such a request is?" The voice asked after a brief hesitation.

'I'll give it all...all and more if only you let me DESTROY Walter. To completely unmake him, and bring him crashing to the ground. I wish to end his hopes as he ended mine...to make him suffer as I now do.'

The pinprick changed color slightly, going from white to green and then red. While he'd felt nothing from it before, now he felt a seething rage barely contained within the light. For the first time he sensed a power that not even Metatron could wield coming from the medallion.

For it was no longer Metatron that was in front of him. Richard's answer had given another daemon, one thought long dead, the ability to find another vessel for a corporeal form.

"I can give you the power you seek." The voice said in a voice that Richard didn't trust for a second. It sounded too slick, too smooth...like a snake slithering on the smoothest glass. "I can give you such power as to make you immortal, power overwhelming."

'And what will you ask me to give in order to receive it?' Richard questioned the crimson light. 'Name your terms…demon.'

The demon began to whisper, first small petty terms that Richard easily agreed to, followed by increasingly difficult items. Concession after concession flowed from Richard as he did all he could to retain a firm grip on his humanity. Yet in the grips of his rage, the fear at bartering with a demon, and the pain of Sarah's death…he lost control of his agreements.

Only a few seconds later the demon sensed his advantage, and pressed it. Few had ever dealt successfully with the demon Richard now faced, not even Belial had been able to use words to his advantage against the form now worming its way into another human form.

As Silent Hill fell deeper into shadows and darkness, a broken body began to be reborn. Bones knit themselves back together, flesh and muscle winding their way around open wounds and battered tissue. Blood again pumped through destroyed arteries and severed vessels, and again Richard walked the streets of Silent Hill…though not as himself.

A new power was rising in Silent Hill, and Walter had been correct when he'd spoken to Richard on Asmodean's tower. Without Sammael, Silent Hill was falling apart. The magic that had infused the city was becoming more sporadic and random. Yet the powers of Sammael were not to be underestimated, for in the early days of his worship a number of ancient disciples had strayed. Each had intended to destroy the demon god, but had failed. In response Sammael had put the taint of his essence onto every relic and item in the city. It was no demon, lesser or greater, that Walter had ushered inside himself…it was the dark god Sammael himself. Ready to re-assume his power as the god of Silent Hill.

"I hate Silent Hill." A figure that Sarah would have recognized easily said as he stepped over the prone bodies of three Jersey Devils. Numerous bullet holes riddled their flesh, not surprising seeing as how the machine pistol he'd brought was now completely out of ammunition.

Throwing it to the side, he pulled out two of the three-shot burst VP70's he'd brought to the city. Two more pistols were nestled further back in hip holsters, and he had made sure to bring plenty of ammo for both.

This was the second time he'd been to Silent Hill…though the first hadn't been intentional. He'd been different then, living a life he now knew was impossible to ever go back to. How much he'd changed in just over ten years.

"I could be off the coast of Spain right now…" he muttered to no one in particular. "Find the President's daughter. It couldn't be much more simple of a job. Yet they gave it to Leon instead." Both of them had survived the hell of Raccoon City, but only he had survived the original fall of Silent Hill.

He reached up and touched a burn scar that ran lengthwise down his cheek, a remnant of an acidic enemy he'd damaged beyond repair with dynamite in the sewers of the city.

The branch of government he belonged to had long known about such things as The Order and Umbrella. Ever since Silent Hill had been permanently tainted by the demonic rituals of The Order, the government had realized that something had to be done. Since Alex Starr had survived the ordeal, managing to escape despite being badly wounded, he was asked to join a group so secretive that even after ten years of fighting for them…he still was unaware of their true purpose or name.

Alex Starr…a name from another life. One where he hadn't had to worry about every night's sleep, or constantly having to look over his shoulder. Still, if something good could be taken from his experiences, it's that he was always able to meet new people. Though most of them had tried to kill him at one time or another.

Getting his mind back on the mission, he walked further down the halls of the school building. Two other survivors of Silent Hill had gone missing three weeks ago. To them it might have only seemed like a day or two, but time moved differently in Silent Hill, giving it an eternal feeling.

He'd already searched the hospital, and had just entered the school when his least favorite air raid siren had sounded, signifying the change into a world more hellish than any he'd ever seen.

Somewhere in the city was Richard and Sarah, two people that knew more about Silent Hill and The Order than anyone else known to be alive. He'd been sent to get in, get them, and get out. Yet his superiors hadn't realized just how large the city was. He'd been searching for hours already and had found nothing except creatures, rot, decay, and terror.

Noticing that he needed to restock his supply of green chemical flares, he decided to call the school clean and return to where he'd left the his car. Hopefully it would still be there.

Turning, Alex heard a strange noise coming from the direction of the school he hadn't checked. With a sigh of frustration, he holstered one of his pistols and reached into a pocket of the black tactical vest he wore. Then, with a practiced motion, he cracked the chemical inside and threw the now brightly burning green light down the hallway.

Directly into a stationary creature whose very existence filled him with intense fear.

"You're dead." Alex said as calmly as possible when he saw Walter Sullivan standing down the hall. Only raising his pistol. "I read the reports, hell, I did the interview with Henry myself."

"It was only my mind that was destroyed, and I'm ever so happy to say that it's now fully restored." Walter quipped as he began to walk towards Alex, black clothing nearly perfectly hiding him in the shadows.

"And I'm supposed to feel better about that?"Alex asked incredulously. "That a madman now has the power of Silent Hill behind him?"

Walter laughed, drawing a curious smile from Alex and a twitch from his trigger finger. No bullets fired, but Walter could see that unlike Richard, his new prey wouldn't be as easy to kill.

Not many people could easily intimidate Walter, having tasted death twice, he knew that there was truly nothing to fear. Yet the man standing in front of him with the burn on his cheek came as close as he'd ever been. Walter could sense the fear in him, but also knew that it wouldn't control or force him into action like it had with Richard.

Instead, he decided to alter his plans a bit.

"They're both alive." He said simply, showing his knowledge of Alex's mission while holding his hands out to show he meant no ill will towards his target. "Though for how much longer I can't say."

"And they are?" Alex said just as simply, still training the pistol on Walter's chest. Sweat rolled down his back, but his hands and eyes never moved.

"Richard is somewhere in the city, and he has one of the Swords of Obedience. Though two more are still in my control. The final ones are lost to demonic gods I'd suppose."

The idea of three Swords of Obedience being in Silent Hill now intrigued Alex, but he resisted the urge to ask about them. His mission was to get Sarah and Richard out of the city alive. "And Sarah?" He asked after only a brief hesitation.

Walter had expected the news of the mystic swords to take Alex longer to process, but managed to cover his surprise well. "Sarah is in my control."

Alex nodded slowly, still not taking his weapon off from Walter. "Then by the power of the United States Government, I assert my authority to take her into custody. You WILL lead me to her, and hand her over."

Again, Walter laughed. "I'll do no such thing, Alex Starr. Years of effort are now coming to fruition, and I require her services for just a few more hours. Afterwards, I'll allow you to take what is left of her and Richard back to your government and make a full report that Silent Hill is in the firm control of a new God."

Shock caused Alex to lower his pistol a few inches. "You mean to say you've found a way to resurrect Sammael!" He gasped in disbelief.

"No. I'm not the one that will resurrect him. Instead, I will be the new God of Silent Hill, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that I keep that power!"

The chemical light dimmed and threatened to go out, and when Alex readied to throw a second, he heard wild footsteps running down the hallway. From behind Walter, a figure threw himself upon the so-called God of Silent Hill. Richard had tracked his prey, and now fought hard to secure the part of the bargain given to him by Sammael.

"You killed her!" Richard shouted, punching at Walter with his fists, and trying desperately to cause some lasting damage to his enemy. The two fought each other viciously, while Alex stood watching in awe at the fury of the battle.

He'd known as soon as Richard had tackled Walter, that there was nothing in his power that would separate the two. Instead, he waited until Walter pushed Richard off from him.

As Walter reached for the Ronin Blade at his waist, Alex grabbed Richard's arm and pulled him back along the hallway he'd come down originally. "Time to go!" Alex yelled as he pulled him, holstering his pistol and unhooking a grenade from his belt.

While half-running, half-pulling Richard, he pulled the pin out with his teeth and threw the projectile over his shoulder. "Three…two…one!" He hissed to himself while moving, when he hit one, he pushed Richard to the ground and followed suit.

A white hot explosion filled the air around them as splatters of phosphorous erupted all over the hallway. Walter screamed once, one of pain and anger before Alex could get Richard to his feet and get him out a door to the main lobby. A few more minutes of running and they had arrived at Alex's car…or rather what was left of it.

Broken glass and twisted metal lay surrounding it, and each of the four tires were so badly slashed that there was nothing left to drive on even if they could have gotten in. Surprisingly, every weapon that Alex had brought to the city had been placed on the ground beside a stack of ammunition.

The only other thing that was beside the weapons and ammo was a note, burnt on one corner.

Alex,

You have Richard, and I have Sarah. I'd suggest a trade, but after your cowardly showing in the school I wouldn't accept it anyway. It has come time to end the game. Both of us are survivors of Silent Hill, and both of us know where the end must come.

To the victor shall go the city. Bring your charge, and I'll bring mine.

Walter

"Do we go to Walter?" Richard asked eagerly as Alex lowered the note…too eagerly. "Is it time to pay him back for killing my wife?"

A strange look came over Alex's face, as he looked at Richard. "Killed Sarah? He just told me that he had her."

"Her body." Came the short, but angry, reply. A brief flash of red appeared in his eyes, causing them to glow crimson for a short time. Had someone else been standing next to Richard, they never would have known what the flash meant, but Alex knew only too well the power of Metatron's Medallion.

Reaching out quickly, he pulled at Richard's neck and revealed the leather cord that held the medallion. His move brought a cry of outrage from Richard, who jerked himself backwards while scratching at Alex's hands with ragged and broken fingernails.

Long narrow scratches appeared in the shooter's gloves that Alex wore, but no damage came to his hands. Instead, he yanked harder on the cord and tried to rip it from Richard's neck. As he did so, he felt a bolt of sudden excruciating pain rip through his body and propel him backwards.

"You'll never get this from me!" Richard screamed, reaching up with a shaking hand to grip the precious metals that made up the medallion. Suddenly realizing he was screaming, he lowered his voice, but kept his hand protectively on it. "I'll die if I take it off. That was part of the agreement."

Alex pushed himself off the metal grates that made up the ground, the fires had died down with the rain that had fallen earlier, and while he still felt heat radiating from underneath him, it wasn't nearly as hot as it had been earlier in the night.

As he regained his feet, he glared quickly at Richard, but couldn't stay angry at him for more than a few seconds. He'd been lucky to resist the torment of Metatron's Medallion in the last few days of his own personal hell the first time he'd been in Silent Hill.

"Do you have any water?" Came the question from Richard. The glow in his eyes had faded, now replaced by exhaustion. "I really would like a drink."

Without saying anything, Alex undid a clasp on his tactical vest and withdrew a small canteen filled with water. As he handed it to Richard, he took the time to also think about his conversation with Walter. He knew that to invoke the Medallion, one had to barter with a demon, but the exact wording of one of Walter's phrases.

"I won't be the one to resurrect him…" Alex said quietly to himself, bringing a strange look from Richard. The poor man looked horrible, and already was varying his temperament as badly as Alex had after two days of influence of the magical item. When the answer came to him, he nearly shot Richard where he stood.

"Your demon was Sammael!" He gasped in horror at the realization. When Richard made no mention to stop him, only lowering his eyes, Alex drew a pistol and put it to his charge's head.

"If I let you live, then Sammael might come back into the world. Above everything I can't allow that." He said coldly. "I've seen the horror he caused in this world, and bringing him back would undo everything I've worked for."

Richard made no argument, merely kneeled on the ground and held out the canteen. "Thank you for the water." He said simply.

"I don't want to do this." Alex said, thumbing back the hammer on his weapon. "But you've given me no choice."

"Give me the chance to kill Walter." Richard asked without pleading. "After he's dead, I'll destroy Sammael. He killed my wife, and I need to take revenge for that."

Nothing else was spoken as a pistol shot cracked through the night in Silent Hill followed shortly by a body crumpling to the ground.