Chapter Nineteen: Everything You've Ever Dreamed Of
As i walked my eyes glanced to the stone wall beside me, The smooth flat stone slowly but surely giving way to more natural and malformed rock. The path before me warping into that of a long tread through a cave.
The same moment i had dismissed the power of my authority the blades that had burst from my back had crumbled into ash, It was certainly convenient considering the low height of the tunnel i found myself within now.
It was after our battle, The floor next to me had opened to a staircase, The stone parting like water Before me.
An invitation...
From Her.
That was what lead to where i was now, Treading along to the climax of this twisted journey that awaited me on this path.
Why.
Why.
Why.
It assailed my mind, Why?, Why out of billions, Me?, Why put me through such hurdles and tribulations. What purpose did this suffering and hardship hold?, Just what malignant intelligence could devise such a thing, Let alone enforce such cruelty and pain willingly.
This seething hatred and unending confusion gnawed at me, Running through my mind over and over and over again. Holding my mind like a death grip it encircled my mind.
Why.
Why.
Why.
"Quite the mystery, Isn't it?".
And there she stood.
The final obstacle before me.
"Gorgon".
I couldn't help but spit out her name, it was like a poison and i needed to get rid of it as fast as i could. I glared at her, The gaze she returned with was nauseating and simply fuelled my anger as bloodlust bubbled at the edge of my mind.
"My!, Look at you. So strong, so majestic. Ah~, You're even better than the day we me-".
I lunged.
My fist smashed into her face and exploded from the impact, Gold blood trailed the air as she was sent flying. The stone underneath me exploded as i jumped after her and grabbed the woman before she had a chance to fall to the ground, I pulled her close as i readied my reformed hand.
I threw my fist to strike her again but-.
"Tch!".
Instead, My fist was snatched by the jaws of a serpents head.
Before i knew it i had let out a cry of pain as something had suddenly slammed into and pinned me to the wall. I clawed at the snake tail with my left arm, Luckily still free, the dark purple scales failed to break.
I stopped and instead pushed against it, I glanced at her as i tried to push myself up. Dark purple scales covered the edge of her face and had completely covered her forearms, Her hair had lengthened and ended in serpents heads with the lower half of her body having become a snakes tail.
With a grin she started to slither towards me.
"Hmm~, How rude...but that is something i love about you. So head strong, Your like a natural disaster that refuses to end..."
She leaned close to me mere inches away from my face.
"...I can't help but find you so intoxicating~, Carving away at the world and yourself so remorselessly. Yes...".
She was breathing heavier now, A noticeable heat radiated off of her.
"...More...".
Just what the hell was she doing?.
"...Show me more...".
Wha-!?.
Before i knew it.
She had kissed me.
I hadn't resisted, Less out of some sense of attraction but from the sheer dumbfoundedness at what had just occurred. The very act had seemed foreign to me, Alien even and had left me unable to process how the situation had changed so drastically.
I gaged, She tasted like poison. But that alone wasn't what caused this reaction.
I cringed in pain, The sensation tormented me as my body was damaged by her poison as quickly as it regenerated.
I shot for her throat and desperately squeezed as hard as i could to escape this kiss, Squeezing harder and harder as i pushed her away. The resistance she gave forced me to try harder to push her away. She shifted her tail, Keeping close but inadvertently loosening enough to let free my right arm. Quickly i grabbed her face and pushed, Gorgon grabbed my arms as quickly as her snake heads bit down into them.
Now, it was simply a matter of time for either her neck or position to give out.
Harder.
Harder.
Harder.
I kept pushing harder.
Harder.
Harder.
Harder.
I pushed harder and harder until.
A loud, Audible crack resounded in the air.
Her tail fell to the ground, The snake's let out a hiss before going limp alongside her arms...
Her neck had gained a noticeable deformation from the dislocated bone...
Her neck was broken...Right...It was clearly broken...And yet...
She was still alive.
Shit.
Guess i didn't go far enough.
"Wonderful~, Such a wonderful feeling!~. But..."
"Yeah...It's not enough".
Another crack and her neck was back in place and already we were racing towards each other.
Why.
Even as we brutalised and mutilated each other, I couldn't help but wonder.
Why.
Even as we tried our hardest to outpace our regeneration, I couldn't help but ask.
Why.
Even as we bashed our fists into the others face, I couldn't help but demand.
Why Did you choose me?.
Why are we trying to kill each other so badly?.
Why do i hate you?.
Why are you obsessed with me?.
Why...
Tell me...
Tell me already...!.
Tell me god damnit!.
Tell me...
Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...Tell me...
"... Just tell me already..."
"Tell you...?".
We were both drenched in blood, Red and gold mixed together as we locked eyes.
"...Why..."
It was strange.
Looking into her eye's, It was like a lucidity had broke through the mania that seemed to loom like a mountains peak surrounded by sea of clouds.
It scared me.
It didn't feel like i was looking at her...It was like there was...Something...Else... Bigger...Greater...Looking through her at me...It felt like looking at a picture of the ocean.
Just a vast, Open, Expanse of...Something...Something i didn't know...Or...Did i?...
I don't know...
"...Isn't that a silly question...".
What is this...
Just what the fuck is this...
"...Why you, Why do all of this...?".
Just then...Something in my mind shifted.
Don't...Don't say it...
It was as though the next words she would say...
If i'd hear them...I'd shatter apart.
So don't...Please...Don't say it...
Don't...
She smiled so sweetly...
"...Because i love you, Of course~".
...Ah...
So, That's why...
So...That's really the reason...
So...It's really because she loves me...
...No...
There's no way...
There's no way in hell...
There's no fucking way in this shit hole that that's the reason why she ruined my life...!.
I couldn't help but be fucking livid.
Seriously?, That's it?...The person who did all of this...Who took everything from me...Who's actions lead to so much pain...
Has the motivation of a fucking one dimensional shit stain...
I couldn't help but chuckle...
I couldn't help but break out into a cackle...
I couldn't believe it...I couldn't believe such bullshit excuse.
He was laughing.
A Cacophic, Maddened laughter.
A joyous laughter...
Yes, Joyous. It only made sense.
They were together now, Emotions laid bare in a truest form that they could reach.
As far as she was concerned, Nothing mattered now.
Together, They were invincible, Inseparable. There was no one or thing that could separate them, Fate itself bound them together and together would the serpent and the aggressor be bound forever more.
She slithered towards him, Reaching out as she approached the cackling madman too wrapped up to notice or care about the person who's very existence had repulsed him.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Inch by inch.
And...
He stopped laughing.
Her arms flowed over his shoulders.
He stopped laughing.
She leaned in close.
He stopped moving.
She moved closer.
And...
She paused...
"...?!".
She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.
Gorgon glanced down to check what had stabbed her.
And was shocked to see a sword sticking out of him and piercing her.
There was a hole, Edges cracked and flaking; The rest of the weapon was there... Along with the hand that held it.
Dark grey fingers wrapped around the black handle, A two hander but oddly longer with a long navy-blue blade extending from it; A stream of lavender energy ran from a connected pair of rings on the guard across the swords surface.
Her hands snapped to grasp the blade; Skin nicked leaving a thin trail of gold along the swords edge. With an inhuman grip she pulled to dislodge the weapon from her body, It barely budged, She pulled again and again it failed to move the slightest inch. Again, With all the might she could muster from her serpentine body she pulled the sword away.
"... So, That's what being insane is like...".
Gorgons' eyes snapped from the weapon and towards the hole in hades body.
And saw an eye.
The sound of cracking stone and wood choked the air as his body...Opened in a sense.
A silver and black clade hand burst through between his neck and left shoulder, The cracking intensified as it pushed causing a fissure to travel down further and further as the hand pushed more and more until it connected with the hole.
And his body slit in half.
Revealing hades himself.
His fingers stabbed into the obsidian shoulder and tore the entire right side of his old body off, The action causing most of the left sides chest to flake off.
Her eyes trailed up his silver chest and met his gaze.
Hungry.
Those eyes that pierced straight through her were hungry.
Aimless.
Encompassing.
Overwhelming.
Hunger, Like a remorseless black hole.
"Still, That's your reason huh, I don't understand why but...I don't care either. That's just you, Right? Afterall you're a finger...No, Cell, A notable part of an infinitely greater whole".
She didn't understand.
His attention, His full attention was on her and her alone. Yet gorgons own attention was elsewhere.
She was shaking, Uncontrollably and without warning, The chilly grasp pierced her trembling from. Was it the strength he had grown into and surpassed, Did her mind recognise him on some level as a predator? or...
"... Ah... I see".
Was she being devoured from the inside?.
She didn't understand.
Except for one, Crucial thing.
"..I'm..."
A twist.
And his blade cleaved her upper body in half.
Most of his old body fell and flaked off from the action, A golden pool was forming from the goddesses' body. He stood there, Looking on at the body of the woman that he had come to despise and saw her severed face...
"...'Not alone anymore'..." he finished.
And saw a look of content on it.
Hades slowly placed a hand over his chest, Eyes locked on her as a gust of wind picked up around him.
"Is this what you really wanted?" or was it what she wanted. He didn't know, The gorgon here was an avatar or something similar, Only now did hades realise how blind he was to the greater workings of the world he had just realised he lived in. It was frustrating to be so blind but too was it humbling, No matter how temporary, The recklessness that had led him onward had become yet another thing to surpass in this murky path that he rampaged on.
"...?!".
The wind raged around him throwing his cloak and hair about, Dirt and rocks sent flying as he turned-
Hades was met with a blinding light.
The creaking and churning of machinery filled my ears.
I was surrounded by nanomatter, Explained why it was so dark. The material cracked away as i, More or less, Swam through it which i hope won't ta-.
"AH?!".
...That...was surprisingly short...
Hopefully no one sa-.
"Took you long enough".
...Shit...
Wait...
My head snapped up and...
"...BB...?!".
There she was, In front of me.
But...Was she really?.
Right, There's only one way to be sure.
I stood up and moved over to her, My boots echoed in the air as neared her.
"Normally, You don't take so long... In fact i think this is a new record for you senpai...".
I eased a little at her words, That friendly and cute tone was like music at this point...But.
Why was she so sad?.
"...How long".
I stopped a few millimetres from her, My worry was plain to see and was only growing by the second.
"...I waited. Waiting for you to wake up, I waited and waited...Day in and out for you to wake and just laugh it off...But...".
What.
Don't tell me...!.
"...BB...How long was i gone...".
There was hesitation but...She turned to look away.
"... Too long..".
...No...
There's no way...
"... You're really milking it, Huh?".
...Oh come on...
I turned to look were that voice was and...
"...Zero...".
"Hades. For the record, You were unresponsive for a few months. The little melodrama you two have going on is a little entertaining, Though...Yes you definitely need to improve as an actress".
... Goddamn it...
"ZERO!, I would gave told him!" she sighed "C'mon, He's been doing nothing while we've had to fight off almost everybody on this stupid rock. Might have a little fun to pay him back for tha- AH?!".
"DUMBASS!, WHO THE HELL GOES AND ACTS LIKE THE WORLDS ENDED TO SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH HELL?!".
Goddamn it!, Fuck it i'm to care about the consequences!.
"...That's... Quite the violent technique, Your first time?".
"KYAAAH!, Z-ZERO!, DO SOMETHING!?".
"Hmm...Maybe. But, This could be useful as a reference to deal with my 'wife'... Let me think on it".
Gah?!.
"DID YOU JUST KICK ME?!".
Next thing i knew, BB and i were in a grapple.
"HOW IS THAT WORSE THAN GROPING SOMEONE?!".
"OH, LIKE YOUR ANY BETTER!".
Fun.
That's what i'd describe this as.
Just simple fun, Even if it was hard to believe.
Things were going to be brighter from now on, This new found optimism flowed through me even as i was Suplexed into the floor.
"Father?".
... What?.
Before i knew it, Something smashed into me.
The world revolved as we both spun threw the air before smashing into a wall.
No longer spinning around i could now get a look at what just jumped...
"Father!, Your back!".
That was... A lot of red...
...Wait...
"...Quietus?...".
Before me, The girl who's hug was crushing me, Was indeed my daughter...
Which means...
No...
I'll deal with that later.
"It's been a while, Hasn't it?".
Stroking her head i was surprised by how silky it was.
"Yeah!, But your here now so we can make up for all that lost time, Right!?".
"That's right. So, How about you tell me all about what you've done while i was gone".
Physically, Her development seemed complete...But...No, I'll deal with that later too.
Looking at that bright smile of hers, I couldn't help smile myself.
I was back, Everyone was still here... Right.
Everything would be fine from now on...
Wasn't it?.
AN: Apologies for the time its taken to write up the chapter.
With chapter nineteen finished we've officially reached the final halve of the first story arc!.
...yay...
I've also started to put Iron Tide up on AO3, Though i'm rewriting the first three chapters to add more to them along with bringing them more in line with latter chapters...though writing in HTML is going to take a while to get used to...