I.
The darkness readily swallowed the six of the remaining lost souls of Silent Hill. It slithered over them with a frigidity that ate through to the bone and smothered them almost to the point of suffocation. Though it seemed forever, the torture only lasted a second. Michael emerged from the dark passage, unnerved but otherwise unharmed. But as his eyes adjusted to the dark, Michael felt a chill run up his spine.
Michael heard the others stumble into the room, quickly recovering from the disorientation of the jaunt. Their relief soon turned into foreboding as Christine and Trey immediately recognized where they ended up.
"We're back where we first met, the church," Christine broke the uneasy silence between the group. Michael and Trey both nodded in agreement, while Henry and Tina simply studied every part of the scene. "But I don't remember it quite like this," Christine added.
The pews were still in place, along with the altar where they first found Michael struggling with Father Tom. Everything was still there, but the atmosphere was starkly different. Instead of being a deceptive sanctuary, it was now a private hell haphazardly disguised as a church.
Dark, syrupy blood seeped through large cracks in the walls, ceiling, and floor. Maggots and other squirming, slithering creatures infested the rotten pews. On top of the altar, something gory pulsated and rocked with sickening sucking sounds. Faint lights swung back and forth over the entire scene, bringing life to the far-reaching shadows.
The atmosphere of the church wasn't much different from the darkness. Dense with evil, like a shroud of vice blanketing the entire room. It was colder than any other building they had been in, and the air itself felt heavy and thick. Even as they breathed the air, they all were aware that it felt evil and wrong. Michael glanced back and noticed the hole they entered from was gone. There was only a bloody wall in its place. Silence hung in the air, and a mist crept in through the windows and hovered inches off the floor.
"You know Christine, I think you're right. There's something different about the place, but I just can't put my finger on it," Trey jokingly replied. Michael shook his head, amazed at how Trey could keep his notable wit and levity knowing that at any minute, some powerful, dark force could leap out at them.
Tina pulled closer to Henry and he was glad for the comfort of another human's touch. He hadn't faced so many horrors in one day, and now, he was going to face something so terrible that he and the others may not even survive. His heart threatened to break his ribs from pounding so hard, but he kept his cool and surveyed the room along with the others. "Hello?" Trey's voice echoed through the church, but silence was the only reply.
"Trey I don't think you want to call out to whatever's out there. If it's some evil force, it probably already knows we're here," Tina commented.
"It never hurts to announce yourself anyways. Maybe Samael is in the bathroom. Evil deities do use the bathroom, right?"
Christine sucked back a laugh and Michael shook his head again. "You are so obnoxious. I take back all the good things I said about you earlier," Michael said.
Trey gave a lopsided grin then moved toward the altar with his crossbow drawn. Michael was to his right advancing with his gun drawn as well, scanning the pews and dark recesses. Henry, Tina, and Christine hung back, waiting for Michael's command.
When a door suddenly opened, Trey and Michael whipped their weapons around, ready to fire upon whatever demon decided to rear its ugly head.
"Wait!" Heather Mason called out. She threw her hands in the air and waved, signaling to Michael and Trey. They stood locked in place with their respective weapons—a 9mm Beretta and a rapid-fire crossbow—aimed directly towards the door.
Heather's voice reached them before her image emerged from the darkened doorway into the dimly lit church. She them a half-smile before adding, "So were you guys just going to shoot and ask questions later?"
"We thought you were a monster," Trey responded. Then he added, "Well, I mean you are a monster with that attitude, but, we thought you were like a gross-looking monster." When Heather narrowed her eyes, ready to whip back with a snappy retaliation, Trey grinned, "Welcome back."
Heather shook her head and smiled. "Thanks, and I brought some strays along. I think they can help us out a lot."
From the doorway, as if on cue, Cybil Bennett, Douglas Carter, and Harry Mason emerged from the darkness of the doorway and gazed at the teens. Michael and Trey stared back in disbelief.
"This is my dad, Cybil, and Douglas," Heather introduced them.
"Harry Mason?" Henry crossed the room to get a better glimpse of the man. But before he could say anything, Tina rushed over and threw her arms around Harry. Harry stumbled back, glad to see her but at the same time slightly embarrassed.
Tina pulled back, oblivious to Harry's uncomfortable reaction. "Harry, I'm glad you're okay. I thought that red headed pyramid thing may have gotten you. I was worried that you didn't make it out of that house."
Before Harry could relay what happened to him, Henry approached him and gave him a firm handshake. "I'm glad to see you're alive too," Henry said. "Tina told me that you helped her out a few times, but actually seeing you for myself is a relief. I didn't know what happened to you after that nurse whisked you away."
Harry smiled glad that they had made it through whatever horrors had been thrown their way. "I'm just glad that you found me when you did, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I don't know how you found me, but thank you. I owe you one."
"Looks like you three found each other okay. I really didn't think we would run into each other like this," Heather commented. "I was kind of worried." Her eyes fell to the floor. She seemed to be embarrassed about admitting her feelings.
"Hey, we're glad to see you too," Michael smiled. "All of us were faced with challenges, something that we had to realize for ourselves and why we were here. We may have been lost souls when we came here, but we're going to fight to get back to where we belong."
Heather looked at Michael and for the first time, she smiled. "I don't know how you do it. Despite all this, you've stayed positive. You've really been the foundation of our group."
Michael shook his head. "Don't think that I haven't been scared, that I haven't had my doubts, that I haven't wanted to give up. Because I have. But I knew that I could go on because all of you were there with me."
"Who writes your script, dude?" Trey asked, a comical puzzled look on his face.
"I—"Michael began but stopped. He noticed Cybil approaching Christine. Her stride was purposeful, but at the same time, non-threatening. He watched intently, ready to react if it was needed. Michael noticed Trey and Heather watching as well.
Christine took a hesitant step back, trepidation etched across her face. The last thing they had found out about Cybil was the diary they had found. Now, an important moment was upon them. This was the first time that they had seen each other since Christine and Sean first left Brahms for Silent Hill.
"Christine," Cybil said, her voice beginning to fill with emotion. "I—I'm sorry. You and Sean's involvement in all this is my fault. I know that Sean is—" she trailed off, not wanting to complete the sentence, as if somehow, it would conjure the image of him dragging himself across the floor towards her again. "This place, tried to turn us against each other, and I was an unwitting pawn in all of this. Heather was attacked by an evil version of myself, the one that planted the journal you read. Christine, none of that is true."
Christine sucked in a breath, relieved that Cybil hadn't actually written the diary.
"That Cybil, the evil one, is the one that attacked you that night. But still, I was responsible. I carried around that evil all these years and didn't know it. I thought that everything was over and that I could protect the both of you if I was strong, but I couldn't have been more wrong. It's cost me my son, I can't bear to lose you too."
Christine blinked back a sudden sting of tears. She didn't deserve this. Christine couldn't face Cybil, not after she was so easily swayed by a diary, haphazardly planted at their most emotionally vulnerable moment. She should have trusted in Cybil, who was more like a second mother to her. Yet, her trust for her faltered so easily. Christine was ashamed and embarrassed.
"Cybil," Christine managed to voice, through emotion cracked her voice. "I should apologize. "I didn't know what to think. After Sean then everything else, I just—" Christine floundered for the right words to say, but she couldn't complete a single thought. So many things ran through her mind and she couldn't focus on just one.
Cybil stepped forward and embraced Christine. It was more than a hug from a worried mother figure, it was a reconnection and a gesture of trust between the two of them. And Christine returned the hug, glad to be back in caring arms.
Despite the positive emotions overtaking them, Michael frowned. Something nagged at the back of his mind. They were in the church for a reason and they had found each other for probably the same reason. Something evil had led them here and it would make its presence know soon.
Trey noticed the Michael's frown and his searching eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Michael replied, "I'm not sure. But I don't like this. Something's not right. We were just all separated, but now, we're all back together in the first place we met, the church. I just have a bad feeling about this."
"Well, if you're going to start predicting things, let's try to predict something positive for a change," Trey replied.
"Wishing for a happy ending is futile, young man," a voice sounded from behind the altar. Killian stepped toward the altar, his orange eye aglow with evil intent. His face was contorted in an expression somewhere in between gleeful satisfaction and nagging anxiety.
Trey immediately aimed his crossbow at Killian's chest and Michael quickly aimed his gun.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Trey asked.
"What am I doing here? This is where I belong in servitude to my lord. It is you that are intruders in this world with your vile existence. But you have been summoned to bear witness to this glorious day."
"Thanks for the invite, but we'll pass on the resurrection of your dumb demon-god. All I want to witness is your crazy ass being put in a padded cell where you belong. Now, surrender quietly or I give you a few more orifices to spout your nonsense out of."
"Your catty wit and gall have grown tiresome, boy. I'm blessed by my lord. Your earthly weapons can't touch me." Killian haughtily replied.
"Dr. Killian," Tina stepped forward. "I don't know what you're planning, but you've got to stop this. You don't know what you're doing."
"Oh, but I know exactly what I'm doing, Ms. Grey," Killian hissed. His eyes narrowed and he glared at the group standing below him. "I've known what I was doing since I committed myself to serving Samael. This world is damaged and tainted, a foul incarnation of what this world should be. Samael will repair this desolate existence, and govern this world the way it was meant to be."
Heather replied, "Don't you see? All of you cult people are blinded by stupidity. None of this is right. Monsters? Killing? What person in their right mind thinks this is how things are supposed to be?"
Killian eyed Heather with disgust. "You heretical little bitch."
Heather was stunned into silence. Killian's prude demeanor had suddenly disappeared, and Heather was sure that was a bad sign.
Killian continued. "It is because of you and your denial that our lord's resurrection has taken so long. Your narrow vision and human frailty caused all this. You aren't even worthy of being damned. You're nothing and our lord will determine your fate."
Harry suddenly shot at Killian, but the bullet deflected and hit the ceiling. Still, Harry kept his gun pointed at Killian and advanced toward him, stopping next to Michael and Trey.
"Let's watch the name-calling. Otherwise it will take more than a deity's power to stop me from ripping your mouth off."
Killian hummed with glee. "It seems I may have underestimated your vitality, Harry Mason. I thought by now you would be dead. My hands are much more skilled than I thought. But the parasite should be born anytime now."
"What?" Harry said.
"Do you wonder how you are so connected to this world? Why you hear the sirens calling to you, your massive headaches? You were my backup plan, Harry Mason. If I had not procured a suitable host for my lord, you would have been the backup."
Heather kept her gun pointed at Killian, waiting for the aggressive move that would give her a reason to pull the trigger.
Trey made a grimacing face. "Wait, how many of those things are lying around? I mean, do you follow Samael around all day picking up his sh—"
"Sara," Christine realized, saddened the even after death, Sara knew nothing but pain and torture. Her stomach lurched at the thought of someone rummaging through gore until they found a suitable piece of uterus to nurse a parasite to life.
"So what's going to happen now?" Harry quickly asked.
In response, the pulsating mass on the altar suddenly shot out a long tentacle which pierced right into Harry's chest.
"Dad!" Heather screamed.
It retracted just as quickly, so no one even had time to react to the situation. Michael and Trey both fired at the mass but the arrows and bullets only deflected in random directions. Harry collapsed to one knee, held up by Heather who was at his side almost instantly.
"Are you okay?" she asked, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
Harry held his chest, hiding his wound from everyone. "I'm okay," he weakly said.
"No, you're not," Heather sternly replied.
Henry and Tina rushed over and pulled Harry back and put him in a sitting position on the ground. Tina forced Harry's hands apart and opened his jacket. His gray shirt was stained with dark blood.
"Here, use this!" Michael said, tossing Tina a first aid kit.
"I don't know how useful this will be, but let me try to patch you up. Take these too," Tina handed him two painkillers.
Harry took them, but already his breath was short and his face was pale.
"You sick, twisted bastard!" Michael shot. "What is the point of all this?"
Killian's mouth curled into a hateful smile. "You ask why, yet you really don't want a reason, do you? This is what I believe in and that's all that matters." Killian paused for a moment, his expression changing. "It seems as my pride has gotten the better of me. I've said too much. You will bear witness to the transformation of this world beginning with the birth of our lord."
Reaching behind his back, Killian pulled out a shiny object, a stark contrast to everything thing else. It shone brilliantly as if it was blessed, or cursed, with its own luminescence. Killian held it up for them to see and Michael frowned. "This is—"
"The Sacred Dagger of the Order," Michael finished. "A supposedly cursed artifact, said to be used in demonic resurrection ceremonies. Legend had it that it was buried long ago by priests before this town even existed. It is said that the dagger is the only weapon imbued with the power to resurrect demons as well as kill them. "
Killian's eyes shone with interest and delight. "It seems my lord's favor wasn't wasted on you. Yes, this is the dagger of which you speak, the dagger that will now bring forth our savior. A willing self-sacrifice of life shall bind our lord's spirit to this earthly plane. He shall be resurrected and remake this world into his desires, rewarding those that follow and punishing those that have rebuked him."
Killian was pale and sweating, his voice maniacal almost to the point of raving.
"Those who have served him will be rewarded with treasures beyond our wildest dreams."
Trey replied with a disappointed sigh. "Dude, you are so far gone. This storyline is so old. Bad guys—especially evil demon deities—don't keep their promises," he punctuated promises with two air quotation symbols. "Once they get what they want, they kill you. So your entire life of resurrecting your demon whatever was really just a big waste."
Killian either ignored Trey or already knew that what he said was true, either way, he didn't acknowledge the statement. He continued on with his speech as if Trey had not interrupted.
"The time has come and the audience has gathered for the rebirth of this world. You have been chosen to behold the ritual then submit your lives to Samael."
He handed the dagger to Father Tom, whose eyes less sockets began to ooze blood. Instead of showing any pain at the two gaping holes, he simply grinned, the same fanatical grin he had when Michael first met him.
"What are you going to do with that?" Christine gasped. She already knew—she heard Killian's explanation, but Christine couldn't believe that Father Tom would really go through with it.
Father Tom dramatically raised the dagger in his right hand and held out his left wrist.
"No," Tina whispered in stark horror. She helped Harry to his feet, and he seemed to be managing okay. The wound wasn't deep at all, but it would keep him from moving as quickly as before.
Father Tom's evil grin remained, even after he slashed both his wrists and blood gushed from the wounds. He heard the group's pleas to stop, but it only have him more fervor to take the dagger to his throat. With a single slash, his throat opened and the blood spilled over the pulsating mass and over the altar.
Tina buried her head on Henry's shoulder, while most of the others glanced away both repulsed and sympathetic. Father Tom's body fell with a heavy thud onto the altar then slid off and hit the floor. Michael looked up to see blood splattered across the marble top and the pulsating parasite Killian stole earlier.
Michael wasn't sure what happened, but nothing seemed different. Then he saw it. Something melted out of the shadows, something inexplicably evil. The only thing that Michael's mind could decipher was its eyes. The rest of its body was nearly indescribable, like it changed a hundred times every second, appearing to be transparent yet solid, big yet small, massive and diminutive all at once. Michael drew his eyes away for fear his brain would be scrambled trying to focus on the exact characteristics of the red-eyed, shadow being.
He had seen it before. Christine, Heather, and Trey had too. It showed itself to them earlier that evening, when they found the reel in a secret room of the movie theater. Even then, all Michael could perceive was the evil that penetrated everything it gazed upon. Then, in a moment of clarity Michael realized that the creature was what Claudia birthed, the unfinished form of Samael. They had been confronted by it earlier and now, it was here to become its full self once again.
Michael chanced a glance to see the indescribable shape smother the parasite then recede back into the darkness, the altar now empty.
Everyone looked at each other, not sure what would come next. Killian's laughter broke the silence and they turned to look at him.
Killian faced the darkness where the shadow disappeared with his hands raised in exultation and awe. A hoofed foot clomped on the wood floor followed by another one. A shaggy leg, a mix between a horse's and a wolf's, took shape. Then the upper half of the leg appeared, a strong thigh, muscular with prominent veins snaking across the pink flesh. The hips and torso were those of a gorilla, at least that's what Michael could compare it to. But the ribs jutted out of the skin and encased a grotesquely huge black heart that pulsated outside of its body. Its arms ended in long, bony claws, black and stained with the blood of thousands of victims. Then the head. It was misshapen with a large snout that puffed out a harsh breath every few seconds and two rows of jagged teeth that stayed exposed since the skin around it ended abruptly as if the cells had forgotten that lips were needed. The same crimson eyes from earlier stared into the room, now ovals of evil embedded into its head.
"My lord," Killian barely squeaked out. He stepped back in awe, as the others wondered what would happen next.
II.
"No," Heather whispered. Everything that she had done up to this point was to stop this day from happening. Cheryl, Alessa, and now Heather existed only to stop what her mother, Dahlia Gillespie had started over twenty years ago. And now, that day had arrived. Heather felt an instant pang of defeat, as if there was nothing she could have done to stop Samael from being birthed into this world.
"Yes, oh yes, Alessa. Your mother willed this to happen. Though it was not time for our lord to be awakened, certain factions of the Order were eager to see this day come. The prophecies and words of our scriptures would come to pass and we would be chosen to witness the rebirth."
"You're wrong," Heather replied. Though she attempted to sound strong, she was weak and drained. "You've only damned yourselves and everyone else, don't you understand that?"
"My lord!" Killian threw up his hands in front of the eight-foot giant. "Allow me to humble myself before you. It was I that contributed to your awakening. These wretches set forth to prevent your greatness from shining on this pitiful world. Now, as you have instructed, I have brought them to you for you to dispose of so you may remake this world in your own image."
"Killian, get away from there!" Harry Mason managed to scream. Though the man was responsible for all this and Harry's wound, and though he wanted to kill the man only moments ago, Harry didn't want him to die at the hands of Samael. That would only grant the demon the pleasure he wanted.
"This is what you wanted to see, what you wanted to know, wasn't it? You hoped to feast your eyes upon our lord, now he will deliver you to your deaths," Killian hatefully yelled back. Then he went stiff.
Killian felt a piercing pain shoot through his back and then a crunch and pop of something ripping. Then he fell to the ground, dead. He didn't even live long enough to realize Samael had snatched out his spine and ripped it from his body, throwing it across the room like a piece of unwanted trash.
Harry noticed Greg Wallace slip into the shadows and disappear out of sight.
Samael took a heavy breath, filling the room with a foul stench then turned its attention to them. The menacing eyes studied each of them then focused on all of them at once. Michael could swear the corners of Samael's mouth curled upward in a smile.
"Mike, I hope you've got a plan," Trey whispered as they took several steps back.
"Why do you always rely on me to have a plan?" Michael snapped back.
"You're the leader aren't you?"
"No, for the last time, I'm not the leader," Michael began then gave up. This was the wrong time to argue about who was responsible for getting them out of this situation. Then something crossed his mind. The symbol from earlier. The one at Felicia's. There was something about it that he couldn't remember. Then it came back to him.
The symbol commonly used in the ritual represents The Halo of the Sun. The outer two circles are charity and resurrection and the three inner circles represent past, present, and future. Usually, it is drawn in red. Black or other dark colors are acceptable as well, but blue is strictly forbidden as it places a curse on the deity being honored with the symbol.
The symbol was the key. If Michael could somehow replicate that symbol, maybe, just maybe they had a chance.
"Christine, take my camera," Michael reached in his backpack and tossed the small, tan case to Trey. "There's a picture of a symbol on there. Find that picture and I want you to make that same symbol."
Christine clumsily caught the camera then caught the blue marker Michael tossed.
"We'll make sure you're covered, just don't miss any details, okay?"
She still had questions, but Christine understood the general directions and knew there wasn't any time for a bunch of answers. She stole a glance toward Samael, who took a heavy step toward them.
"Michael, we don't have much time," Christine said.
Michael acknowledged her statement and rushed through the rest of his directions. "We're going to attack from the right side of the pew and the left side, while keeping Christine covered in the middle. Everyone have their weapons ready?"
Harry, Cybil, Douglas, Heather, and Trey all checked their weapons and gave a reassuring nod that they were ready.
"Mr. Mason, are you going to be okay?"
"Don't worry about me, let's just take care of this," Harry's kind smile was now a tense line of determination.
"Henry and Tina, can you two help Christine with the symbols and if there's anything else like ammo lying around, could you guys get it to us?"
They both agreed.
Without another word, Michael dashed to the right side of the church, navigating through the narrow pews. Trey and Heather followed as well, immediately grabbing Samael's attention. Michael stopped abruptly and fired off a round, but couldn't tell whether it affected Samael or not.
Heather and Trey fired off their respective ammo as well, but Samael didn't even flinch. Instead, he tore up the first pew and threw it at them. They quickly ducked as the pew hit the others with a loud crack.
Harry, Cybil, and Douglas began to fire, drawing the monster's attention. They were in front of the pews with little cover. Samael sucked in a large breath and when he let it out, searing flames poured from his nostrils and mouth. It was an attack with a short range though and they all were able to dodge it.
Despite the noise of bullets sailing through the air, various crashes, and the crackling flames at the front of the church, the replication of the symbol was nearly complete. Tina and Henry both pointed out the smaller details of the symbol that Christine would have otherwise missed. She realized that rushing would only cause mistakes, so despite the gravity of the situation, Christine took her time. It would only be a few more minutes before she was done. Christine hoped that the others would stay safe until then.
III.
"I don't think this is working!" Trey screamed as he launched more arrows at Samael. The massive deity phased out of existence suddenly becoming translucent. The arrows passed through Samael to the other side and stuck in the wall. Then the demon was normal again.
Samael held up a hand and several dark shadows crashed through the ceiling. Winged nightmares swooped down on the group then soared back into the air, their leathery wings cutting through the air with a loud whoosh.
"Take down the monsters!" Cybil commanded as she carefully aimed and fired at them. Though they whisked through the air, with a few shots, one fell. "Michael, I'm going to grab that dagger. We're going to need it."
"Heather, wait!" Michael shouted, but it was too late.
Heather hurdled the pews and dashed past Samael toward the altar. Samael noticed her out of the corner of his eye and swung a massive fist at her. She grunted and leaped on the altar, rolled to the other side, and then dropped to the floor. The fist slammed into the altar, riddling it with several cracks.
She didn't have a lot of time. Heather scanned the floor and tried not to gag from the copious amounts of blood that pooled on the floor. Then there it was, still in Father Tom's hand, the dagger. Heather stayed low and ran to the body and grabbed the dagger, but even in death, Father Tom still proved to be a pain in the ass. He held fast to the weapon.
"Let go!" Heather screamed as she tugged then finally snatched the dagger from his stiff fingers.
She looked up and Samael was already upon her. All she could do was brace herself. Samael backhanded her, hitting the entire left side of her body. With a groan, Heather sailed through the air but her fall was broken by Trey. The dagger however slid out of her hand and stopped underneath one of the few pews still in place.
"Are you okay?" Trey asked.
Heather nodded then scanned the floor for the dagger. "Henry, grab that dagger!" she called. They turned their attention to Samael who was stomping toward them.
Trey stood and grabbed Heather. They ran back over to the right, away from Christine, Henry, and Tina toward Michael. He fired over them as they passed by, but still he wondered if the bullets had any effect.
Michael leaped to the side as another burst of flame erupted from his mouth. Trey and Heather hid behind a pillar. Michael wondered if they had made a mistake by confronting Samael when he heard what he had been waiting for.
"The symbol's finished!" Christine shouted.
Michael breathed a quick sigh of relief, maybe they still had a chance. He stood and fired at Samael again, but a faint light from the other side of the church caught his eye.
Harry noticed Michael's curious glance, but didn't realize why until he felt a warm pulsating object in his jacket pocket. Quickly reaching in his pocket, he pulled out the Flauros. Harry held flatly in his palm to get a better look at it. Its soft white light was warm and soothing. Then a bolt of light shot from it and hit Samael.
It pierced completely though Samael's arm and thick, black blood oozed from the wound. Samael reacted quickly and shot a bolt of force from his hands that knocked Harry completely off his feet. He hit the wall hard then fell to the ground.
"Dad!" Heather screamed. She whipped around quickly, her eyes completely red. A hex bolt flew from her eyes and hit Samael in the midsection. Heather's attack caught Samael off guard and he stumbled back. Michael and Trey took advantage of the situation and fired quickly, the bullets and arrows finally tearing through Samael's flesh.
With a loud roar, Samael stood and the bullets and arrows were deflected once again. They had made progress, though it was small, and they all felt a glimmer of hope.
"Heather, you have to use the Flauros. You're drawing power from Samael's existence, the same as I am," Michael explained. "Harry is too, though his power is limited. I'm sure that the White Claudia has something to do with it. You have to focus your power through the Flauros and concentrate on the symbol!" Michael yelled. He prayed his voice wasn't lost in the wind.
Michael and Trey covered her as she dashed back across the church to Harry's side. He moved gingerly, while Cybil and Douglas kept the flying creatures away.
"Dad, are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, just a little winded," Harry replied.
Heather touched his shoulder. "We'll take care of this, just don't get yourself hurt anymore."
"You too," he said as he picked up his gun.
Heather held the small, ivory pyramid in her hand, advanced toward the symbol, and closed her eyes. She heard a flying creature shriek towards her, but she refused to break her concentration. If she was meant to be struck down, she would do what she could to the end.
The gunshot remotely surprised Heather but the sound of Douglas's voice let her know she had more time.
"Cover Heather!" Douglas directed as he shot another flying creature out of the sky. It hit the ground with a sickening thud. Cybil and Harry both fired at the swarm of creatures overhead. As soon as one or two would dive toward them, they would easily take them out.
Trey and Michael fired at Samael, but it was of no use. The bullets and arrows simply disintegrated as they neared. Michael glanced back at Heather, hoping she had enough time. When her eyes opened, they shone deep red. It was working.
The symbol on the ground glowed dimly and expanded at the same time, exactly what Michael hoped would happen. Now, all they had to do was force Samael into the circle.
"What now?" Trey yelled over all the other noise.
Michael replied, "We have to get him into the circle."
Before either of them could plan it out, Samael howled and swept his hand through the air. A wave of force knocked them back against the wall.
Michael shook off the daze that clouded his head. He realized that the ground was moving beneath him. Was it an earthquake? Michael sat up and saw that it wasn't an earthquake. Something was creeping underneath the dirt, like it was alive. Then hands erupted from ground and grabbed at Michael, holding onto anything they could grasp. His backpack, sweater, jeans, arms, legs—Michael batted at the hands but several more popped up and held fast.
He desperately glanced at Trey, who was in the same position. But the hands had begun to pull him into the ground.
"Trey!" Michael screamed. Then he too was being pulled into the ground. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.
IV.
They were going to lose.
The sudden realization hit Christine hard. They were in a losing battle. Samael was much too powerful, but what did they expect fighting a deity? Michael and Trey were trapped, fighting off hands that threatened to drag them into the ground. Harry, Cybil, and Douglas had Heather covered while she kept her power focused through the Flauros.
Henry held fast to the dagger that Heather retrieved earlier. She remembered Michael's description of the ancient weapon and was able to surmise that it may be the only weapon in their possession that could affect Samael.
"Tina, Henry, help Michael and Trey!" she directed. The both of them dashed over and tried to battle off the hands that pulled Michael and Trey farther into the ground. But the hands grabbed them as well and they were in as much trouble as the others.
There was only one thing left to do.
Christine blinked away hot tears and focused. She reached down and retrieved the dagger from the ground. Its power sent a surge of energy through her and Christine knew that she would be okay.
Then, she charged Samael.
Harry didn't notice Christine until the last second when she threw herself at Samael. He saw her plunge the dagger into Samael's exposed black heart. It tore past the ribs and pierced the oversized muscle. She dangled from Samael's chest like a small doll in the hands of a frantic child, whipped back and forth. Dark blood ran down Samael's chest from the wound and the creature bellowed moans of pain. Christine wasn't sure whether hr plan worked or not until a brilliant light shone from the floor.
The light spanned the church, totally disintegrating the monsters Harry, Cybil, and Douglas fought against and the demonic hands that held onto Trey, Michael, Tina, and Henry.
Samael had stumbled into the expanded symbol. But Christine was also trapped.
The outline of the symbol shone brilliantly. Its light shot through the ceiling and continued on for eternity, encasing Christine and Samael in its powerful luminescence. Its radiance bathed over everyone in the room, but it was ice cold, not warm like normal light.
"Michael, you have to finish it, now!" Christine yelled. She held fast onto the dagger, which somehow gave her a ghost-like quality. Though Samael tried to pound and pull her away, his claws simply went through her and he only injured himself more, tearing out his insides.
That dagger was the only thing protecting Christine from being torn apart by both Samael and the light of the symbol. Michael was sure that a single blow from either would mean instant death for her.
"What does she mean 'finish it'? Michael, get her the hell out of there!" Trey yelled. "Trey—" Michael began.
Trey sprinted toward the light and as soon as he reached the border of the symbol, he was blasted back. He hit the ground hard, but was on his feet again. He took another go at it with the same results. This time, Trey ran to the edge then turned back to Michael.
"Christine! No!" Trey wailed. "Michael, get her out of there!"
Michael felt nauseous. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Samael was supposed to fall into the symbol and Michael was supposed to use the banishing spell. But if he did it now, Christine would be affected as well. The only way to get Christine out of there was to stop Heather from using the Flauros, which would release Samael. The only reason why he was being hurt now was because of the symbol and Heather's combined powers. If he broke it now, there was no way they would be able to replicate the situation.
Michael glanced at Heather, who was holding her concentration, but sweat poured down her face, from holding Samael trapped. If he didn't do something now, the whole plan would fall apart, and they would lose. He felt his stomach sink as he realized he had no choice.
Trey saw it in his face, because he quickly turned away and shouted toward Christine. "I can't lose you—"
"That's why you'll come and save me," she calmly said. Samael remained frozen in the symbol, and Christine dangled from the handle of the dagger in the center of Samael's chest. Even in her translucent form, Trey could see the tears streaming down her face, but her voice remained steady. "Michael, please. This is the only way."
Michael placed a hand on Trey's shoulder. A nervous shiver shook him to the core both in anticipation of using the spell and the realization that he was losing a friend. Maybe two. Trey didn't shy away from Michael's touch, but kept his eyes locked with Christine's.
"The curse is upon you, Samael. Let this symbol bind your earthly body and trap your otherworldly soul," Michael declared. Then he finished the spell, "O let the power vested within me be used to trounce the evil grasping this world. One ounce of goodness shall vanquish oceans of evil—let this goodness shine forth though this worldly vessel. Let the proprietor of this evil be banished once again. Casses anima, ablegatio!"
Time stopped. There was no sound, no movement, nothing. Then, Samael howled, a painful bellow that started everything to crumble around them.
There were screams, but they were drowned out by Samael's continuous wail and the escalating rumble. Small specks of light gravitated toward Samael, disappearing into his body and as the seconds ticked by, more and more rushed to the center of his body until there was a flash and an explosion. The force threw everyone back and shook the foundation of the church. Some of the pillars shook and the ceiling cracked and began to cave in.
Michael coughed, trying to catch his breath after hitting the wall. He saw Henry back up against the wall, a chunk of ceiling barely missing him. Then a large black circle opened behind him and before he could react, he was sucked into it. It vanished just as quickly as it had reappeared. "Henry!" Michael called, but his voice was lost in the rumbling of the church.
Harry managed to knock Tina out of the way of a falling pillar. They rolled to the side as more of the ceiling caved in on them. Cybil and Douglas Managed to make it to a doorway, but the walls crumbled and obscured Michael's view of them. Michael caught a glimpse of Trey and Heather who stumbled toward him.
Michael stepped toward them, but the floor cracked and began to split, throwing him off balance. He fell into the wall and slid to the ground.
Trey and Heather leaped across the growing chasm and kneeled beside Michael.
"We're going to make it out of here," Heather whispered.
Michael looked up to see a huge piece of the ceiling crack then fall. Then everything was dark.
Epilogue
A breeze rustled small branches softly, and leaves tumbled aimlessly through the air until they met the ground. Michael watched in silent rapture, still reflecting over everything that had happened. He turned from the window and drew the curtains. He wished he could believe everything was normal, but he knew better. None of them would be the same again. And he knew that the evil wasn't truly gone. There was still Henry Townsend and Christine Mitchell.
The authorities hadn't found any of the bodies of the deceased students, so they had simply classified them as missing. Stacy, Felicia, Brent, Corey. According to the police report, all of them had disappeared into thin air. The university administration and local paper attributed the disappearances to some kind of college prank and nothing more, assuring parents and the public that they would turn back up soon. The news of the college was quickly overshadowed by eccentric movie stars and their petty melodramas. And shortly after that, the strange circumstances surrounding the college were forgotten about by the local populace.
But those affected by the disappearances hadn't forgotten. Michael McNeal hadn't forgotten. Then again, he knew the truth. None of those students would ever show up again, neither would the unmentioned people that were killed in Silent Hill. They were nothing more unwitting victims in a plot that was much bigger than them. But so was Michael. He managed to survive though, only because of the friends by his side.
Michael pushed a sweater into his duffel bag then zipped it, thankful he only had a few bags to load in his car. Because of his missing roommate, Michael had been given special permission to leave before graduation, which was only in a few weeks. He had been given a "pass" for all of his classes because of the psychological hardship of having a missing roommate. When the counselor said that to him, he couldn't help but laugh. If only she knew what they had gone through. She didn't know the meaning of psychological hardship.
Michael hadn't had any of his strange psychic premonitions since Samael had been banished. He figured that the strange ritual he had been subjected to contributed to his enhanced clairvoyance in addition to the White Claudia that was in his system. Enough time had passed for the chemicals to be flushed out of his system, and because they were no longer in the strange version of Silent Hill, Michael figured that the ability was gone for good.
He thought of the others then focused on two in particular. Henry Townsend was still trapped in his apartment. Michael had to find him. He promised he would find him, even if it meant going back to the strange world of Silent Hill. And then there was Christine. She sacrificed herself to deter Samael's complete resurrection. Christine had accepted her role and bravely faced it to save them. Now, she was gone, a prisoner somewhere in the nightmarish world of Silent Hill. Would she be the same when they found her? Would she even be alive?
Michael closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He determined that no matter what, he would find the both of them and stop Silent Hill, no matter the cost. He intended to return to the window to clear his mind again, but froze when he realized the curtains were closed.
He didn't remember closing the curtains. In fact, he hardly ever drew the curtains, even after getting out of the shower. Taking slow steps, Michael approached the curtains, the fear of uncertainty creeping over him.
Michael carefully reached for the curtains, suddenly realizing that he was vulnerable—he had no weapon to defend himself, he wasn't prepared for a physical fight, and there was nothing between him and the window. But still he grabbed the curtain and snatched it back. He froze.
The all too familiar scrawl that had followed them throughout Silent Hill had now found a home on Michael's window.
SOUTH ASHFIELD HEIGHTS, 302
The crimson words stared back at Michael, the red liquid running down the glass and pooling in the window sill. He took a few steps back in disbelief, nearly falling over his bed.
It knew they were coming. It wanted them to come. The evil was undoubtedly still out there.
A loud knock startled Michael out of his thoughts. He stared at the letters as he backed toward the door, afraid that if he turned his back on them, they would somehow come to life and pierce him through his back.
He opened the door and stepped to the side, somehow knowing that it was Trey at the door.
"It knows were coming then," Trey said.
Michael didn't respond. He couldn't respond. Michael realized that if they did pursue Henry and Christine, something even more gruesome would be waiting for them. They were lucky this time. But next time, they may not fare as well. They were walking to their deaths, but Michael made a promise and he wouldn't back away. No amount of intimidation would deter him.
Michael felt his fear turn into anger then merge with determination.
Trey noticed the bags on Michael's bed. "You weren't planning on leaving me behind, were you?"
Michael frowned. "I don't want you to go."
"The hell I'm not." Trey's voice quickly escalated. "Christine sacrificed herself to save us—all of us. I owe her my life and I plan on doing whatever it takes to save her from whatever hell she's trapped in. She trusted you to save her, and I'm here to make sure you fill that promise and not die in the process. So, I don't give a damn what you want or don't want. I'm going."
Silence fell between them. Michael wanted to argue, but it wouldn't accomplish anything. In the end, Trey would go regardless of whatever point Michael made. And honestly, Michael was thankful.
Michael's eyes fell to a few bags outside of the door. "Is that all you have?" Michael asked.
"And this," Trey patted his crossbow case thrown over his shoulder.
"Let's go," Michael said. He grabbed his two bags and slung his backpack over his shoulder, while Trey grabbed his own bags. Michael and Trey let the door slam behind them, and they purposefully and silently made their way down to the parking lot.
Michael easily spotted his car, a maroon, 2002 Nissan Altima. It was still in the same spot that he left it, despite the transformation it seemed the entire world had undergone. And it wasn't damaged in the least. He used the keyless entry to unlock all the doors and pop the trunk in three quick button presses.
As shoved bags into the trunk, a familiar voice called out to them. "It's about time you boys got down here. I didn't want to wait out here all day," Heather Mason said.
"What are you doing here?" Michael asked much more sharply than he meant to. He noticed a duffel bag thrown over her shoulder.
Heather either didn't catch the edge in his voice or simply didn't care. She replied, "I'm going with you. Why else would I be here?"
"We're going home," Michael lied. It was bad enough that he couldn't shake Trey but he wouldn't let Heather go too.
Heather frowned. "First of all, you're not a good liar. And if you are telling the truth, then you're the biggest liar I've ever seen."
"What?" Michael asked, puzzled.
"I don't believe for a second that the both of you are going home. But in the event that you are, then you're breaking your promise to Henry and Christine."
Michael exhaled loudly. It seemed that nothing was easy these days.
"Fine. There was writing on my window. It was an address and I presume it's Henry's address."
"Seems our favorite ghostwriter is still lurking in the shadows and still writing in blood," Trey added.
Heather replied, "South Ashfield Heights, Apartment 302. 452-555-2005."
"I guess the ghostwriter likes you better. He left you a phone number," Trey said.
"You are the most simple person I've ever met," Heather said. "I just looked it up on the internet. He's a pretty popular photographer actually, so it was easy to find his address and phone number."
"Oh," Trey replied.
"You can't go with us," Michael finally said.
"What do you mean I—" Heather began to argue.
"You know what? Nevermind. Just get in," Michael said as he slid into the driver's seat. Heather smiled as she climbed into the passenger seat and Trey hopped in the back.
"So, what's the plan, Mikey?" Trey asked.
"Why are you asking me?"
"You're the leader, right?"
"For the last time, I'm not," Michael sighed loudly and shook his head. "I'll figure it out when we get there."
"Cool," Trey said and sat back as a haunting song came over the radio.
"This isn't going to be easy," Heather ominously said.
Michael didn't need her to tell him that. There would no doubt be more bloodshed, more horror, and more monsters to deal with. There was no turning back for any of them though. As much as Michael didn't want them involved, they were chosen and now they had to see this through to the end.
"We'll be fine," Michael assured them as he pulled out of the parking lot. He quickly got on the highway, heading for South Ashfield.
The evil was reaching for them, calling them back to claim their souls. And they were answering the call once again.
End.
Notes:
Thank you to all of the readers that stayed with this story from the beginning to the very end. I appreciate all of the reviews and words of encouragement. You guys really helped make this story and I have to say that I couldn't have done it without you. Both this story and Silent Hill 3: Harry Mason, developed into much bigger stories than I originally intended. Now, I think at this point, they are two of my best stories so far and I hope to continue on with a sequel to this, eventually. Again, I appreciate every last reader, whether you left a review or not. I hope that all of you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it. Mike N.
Crazyb1tch85: I absolutely love your rambling reviews. If I write another Silent Hill story, I'll definitely be looking forward to your reviews! Hopefully, this chapter cleared up the situation with Michael's emerging (and now gone) abilities. I'm glad that you like Trey. I initially intended to kill him off in one of the earlier chapters. But as I wrote him, he became one of my favorite characters. He added comedy as well as being the resident bad-ass of the group. And he does have infinite arrows; it's mentioned when he first finds the crossbow. That is probably the only really game-type thing I really meant to put in there (a weapon with infinite ammo). I have seen a glimpse of the preview to the new Silent Hill movie. I hope they do a good job with it; as soon I get the chance, I'm going to go see it. We'll have to chat about it sometime.
KylieMason: I'm glad that this story could get your creative juices flowing. I'm the opposite way: when I see artwork, it makes me want to write. It's good that you enjoy the story and good luck with your art. I hope to see some of it posted up on the internet sometime.
Kathey: I appreciate the compliments. Let me know what you think of the final chapter.
PiRSquared: Like I said in my e-mail a while ago, I definitely appreciate the review. I did try to explain why Michael had the reaction he had, and hopefully you understand why Harry had the reaction he had as well. Both of them were connected to Silent Hill by means they weren't originally aware of. Thanks for the encouragement and hopefully, this final chapter makes this story complete.
DarknessinShadows: Yeah, I took a little while to update (business trip, writer's block, constant rewrites), but hopefully this ending closes the story well. Let me know what you think.
Shortey: Hopefully, this was the bang that you were looking for. Though it wasn't a happy ending, hopefully it left you longing for the sequel. It may take awhile, but be on the lookout.
Duelist-17: I'll definitely check out your story. I'm looking forward to it. Hope you like the ending.