The Purest of Evil part 4
"Hearts of Gold vs. Hearts of Coal,"
Lucas mashed his teeth both in pain and great annoyance. To allow himself to be taken by surprise in such way was both embarrassing and poor timing. He had only wanted to figure out where his head was at by finding someone who could sympathize with what he was going through. His humanity was starting to slip away and be replaced with cold hard logic. He didn't know how to handle these changes so that was why he sought help. However, numerous unforeseen factors kept getting in the way of that simply goal. First it was the strange visitors from some foreign land, then they wanted to kill him for some reason, Claus is somehow alive and helping them, he's struggling to not kill all of them, and the cold hard logic is starting to take command. On one hand he wants to understand why this is happening and hopefully this can all end with everyone happy.
On the other hand…
He found it far more unpretentious to simply kill them and move one with his life.
As he is in the hold of Kumatora, with Duster by their side, the latter of those plans was sounding much nicer. Kumatora and Duster got the drop on his attackers like last time and we're dashing towards the remodeled Castle Oshoe. It was the perfect stronghold and a great place to hold up until he could recover. Stone walls built from the cliffs from around the area, cut to perfection, and packed together tightly using the sap of the trees mixed in with a strong adhesive acquired from an abandoned Pigmask. The walls were grand, taller than the castle of old standing at least 30 meters high, and takes up 3 acres wide. A tower in the center of the castle merged with the castle structure which reveled little to anything that was inside. There are no windows in the front, a stone bridge connecting the castle to the mainland over a large gorge, and the bridge is made of a white stone similar to the castle. It was a proud standing structure that lacked many of the flaws of the Castle Oshoe of old, this something Lucas knew for a fact. It was a perfect fortress, he should know he built it. Kumatora and Duster rush over the bridge and into the castle. Duster sealed the doors behind them as Kumatora sat Lucas in the common area farther in the back of the castle. The couch cushions were also procured from the former Pigmask army, so Lucas was quite comfortable.
"Now why the heck we're you off by yourself?" Kumatora scolded with a frown.
"And I could have sworn one of those boys looked like Claus," Duster added.
"Yeah…a lot is going on," Lucas groaned out with distaste as he felt the bones in his spines jarring out of place with each movement he made. "It seems that these guys are really pressing the attack this time. It's do or die from how they were acting. No doubt they're gonna try and finish the job now that I'm in this condition,"
"Let me see," Kumatora moved to place her hands on Lucas' back but Lucas waves her hands away.
"The damage is pretty intricate. Better if I do it, but it will take time,"
"Which I doubt those jerks will be willing to give," Duster said as he looks into a pair of binocular like objects attached to a pillar. The device was perfect for seeing all guests before they actually reached the front door. Three boys were walking over the bridge and approaching the door. "That is Claus…how is he alive?"
Kumatora shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe it's not really him he would never-,"
"It's him," Lucas cut her off with an impassive visage. "I don't know any of the specifics, only that killing me is for some type of greater good,"
"That makes no sense, who are these guys, and how would they know where we'd go so fast?" Kumatora growled.
"I say we go ask our questions directly," Duster said facing the hallway ahead of them leading to the front door.
"I'm in agreement with that idea, let's do it," Kumatora stood from her seat next to Lucas. "We'll keep them busy for however long you need,"
"Just buy me ten minutes if you can," Lucas requested.
"Then you'll have twenty, lets go Duster," Kumatora asserted as she stepped forward with Duster not far behind. Outside the three boys approached the bridge to Oshoe Castle.
"Wow…Oshoe Castle of old…" Rob said with a dazzled stare.
"Yeah, place still looks like it belongs in a museum even when it was made," Victor stated with a slight frown.
"It looks really nice," Claus said offhandedly.
"Yeah your brother made it himself," Rob said.
"You certainly know a whole lot," came a voice from the castle wall. The three turned their eyes upward to see Kumatora and Duster standing on the wall looking down at them. "How'd you find us?"
"Please, in all of Tazmily if you wanted to hold up somewhere at this time Castle Oshoe was the best place to be during a crisis,"
"You know who we are, you know this castle, and you know Lucas. You know a whole lot for someone who is a complete stranger to everyone here," Duster pointed out with a sharp gaze. Claus glanced at the boys with him then back to Duster and Kumatora. "Claus would barely know us…since apparently that really is him,"
"What the heck do you think you're doing Claus!?" Kumatora barked. "You do realize these guys want to KILL your twin brother, right? You only have one,"
"I know what they plan to do," Claus admitted.
"Then why?!"
"You would thank us if you knew what good this was going to do," Rob interjected.
"That sounds like something we'd have to wait for," Kumatora leaped down from the wall to land on the ground.
"We prefer to live in the here and now," Duster said landing on his good leg from the jump.
"You two are gonna stop us?" Victor questioned in a mocking tone of disbelief.
"At the very least, you're not getting through that door without a few broken bones," Kumatora growled.
"Alright then!" Victor exclaimed with excitement as he led the charge with Rob flanking him. Claus watched them run forward with a pensive look in his eyes quite unsure of what to do if he was completely honest.
"You're my what?" Flint questioned again with his hands still firmly on the boy's shoulders, Alex he said his name is.
"Grandson," he reiterated for him. "And Lucas' son,"
"But…that's impossible…your younger then Lucas, but not young enough. It's impossible for you to be here,"
"Your right…I don't exist yet, but only in this time. I'm from Tazmily too, but twenty-five years in the future,"
"The future?" Flint questioned trying with all his brain power to wrap his mind around this phenomenon in front of him right now.
"I used a time travel device called the Phase Twister to travel through time with my…associate Rob. We came back in time to kill my dad,"
"But…why would you want to do that?"
"I don't want to…" Alex's eyes fall to the floor. "I thought it was the only way…"
"Only way to what?"
"Save you, save my mom, and save the future,"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know how much I should say. I don't even know if I should be talking to you right now. I could be creating a paradox that unravels time or creating in instability in time. It is a really complicated science,"
"Explain it best you can, why are you here to kill your father Alex?" Flint asked. Flint was able to gather that time travel was a game of cause and effect. A change in the past could drastically affect the future. If Alex does succeed in killing his father then he may just wind up never existing. But if he never existed wouldn't that mean this conversation never happened, so he never came back in time? And if he never came back in time would his partner still be there and would Lucas still be dead? Flint rubbed his forehead feeling a headache coming on. Alex let a small smile form as he looked at his grandfather struggling to understand.
"Normally, time is like a stream. Constantly flowing in one direction, but it is always constant. You can only alter the flow of a stream, that's just like time. Changing something in the past would only create an alternate future which may or may not lead to parallel worlds," Alex looked up to see the completely frizzled expression on his grandpa's face. Alex's smile increased in size. "Basically changing something in the future is a game a chance, who knows what may happen, that's why it's a fool's game. But with the phase twister this is different. The Phase Twister links our timelines together like a really long invisible string connects our Phase Twister with another back in the future. This connects our time periods," Alex paused to see if Flint understood that much. Alex could tell he's just about to lose him completely. "By killing Lucas here we can directly change our future and the change be rooted in made real,"
"But why though?" Flint asked.
"He…does bad things in the future. You won't start to see it until a few more years into the future,"
"Lucas?" Alex nods. "Your supposed father?"
"He is my father, grandpa," Flint felt odd chills with a child calling him that. Flint couldn't deny the obvious resemblance and the PSI powers were like Lucas as well.
"Whose your mother?"
"You wouldn't have met her yet…her name is Clara,"
"Clara…but how can-,"
"My presence being here is bad enough, so I can't give too many spoilers Grandpa Flint,"
"Being called grandpa is a spoiler in itself," Flint said then sighs. Alex lets his eyes wonder around the house they're in. He's fascinated by everything that he saw around him and at seeing the house that his father built. Alex looked toward Boney to see the dog didn't have a vicious glare towards him anymore, but more with unease. "I don't think killing Lucas is a good plan," Flint voiced his opinion.
"It was the only plan we had…Lucas in the future…he's a monster. Nothing is more powerful or more absolute. I've seen him split a person's atoms with a stare…" Alex shivered. "He even almost killed me once…"
"Lucas?" Flint asked in total shock. "That is not my son, he must have some sort of goal or maybe it's not as serious as you make it sound," Alex looked at Flint eye to eye. Flint could tell and knew that look. He saw it Lucas and even Claus, when they're simply so desperate. He remembered the looks shortly after the death of their mother and his wife. "Even if what you say is true…taking a life is not the answer,"
"What choice do we have?!" Alex exclaimed. "He's ruining everything he worked so hard to create. Everyone is in this false reality of happiness to cover up the sadness and despair. He eliminated the things that make people special, taken away their right for individuality, and making all decisions for the majority. The only reason there is a resistance is because of some misguided gesture of loyalty to old friends…that's the only reason…" Alex's eyes started to water up. He clenched them closed trying not to cry, but the tears came anyway. Seeing the boy like this made a relapse of memory come to Flint of seeing Lucas…Lucas the child he left practically all alone to raise himself. Flint did what he should've done with Lucas those years ago. He wrapped his arms around the boy tightly and put him in a warm embrace. Alex's sputtering stopped as he froze for a few moments. Alex was frozen like this for a few moments until he returned it with a tight squeeze of his own. Boney let out a soft bark as he nuzzled his head against Alex's hand. The boy smiled as he caressed the dog's head.
"We can find another way to fix this," Flint said.
"How, I can tell…the changes in him are happening. I've seen the look in his eyes…they're just like they are in the future. Even though he still has some gentleness…" Alex asked pulling away. Suddenly Boney let out a bark of realization as the brown dog rushed up the stairs. Flint and Alex watched after the dog for a moment until the dog returned shortly with a book in his jaw. "Oh my gosh…"
"Lucas's journal?" Flint questioned the dog. Alex quickly takes the book from the dog's jaw in wonder at seeing it.
"So this is dad's journal barely recognized it without the age on it…the one he kept for so long. I…I had seen it once but for some reason dad destroyed it and the computerized version," Alex opened it up then flipped through a few pages. "It doesn't take up a lot of pages but dad always has been long winded when it comes to writing stuff down," Alex flipped through a few pages reading quickly with widening eyes. "You're right Grandpa we can fix this in a different way. We need to find my dad fast!"
Kumatora's feet went sliding against the ground as she tries catching her breath. She wasn't aware that fighting these guys were be so tough. She was dealing with Claus and Rob at the same time. Despite the two clearly not working together long complimented each other well enough. With Victor's skills and gadgets Duster was constantly on his toes as well. Kumatora put her wrist together to unleash a concentrated PK Fire γ in a steady stream. Rob held up his hands stopping flames head on as the heat dispersed all around him. Claus circled around to unleash a PK Love beta. Kumatora quickly focused her attack downward to launch herself high into the air avoiding the blast. Then while in the air her hands crackled with electricity as she rained down lightning using PK Thunder. Claus raised his sword for the lighting to attract to it then merging with the lightning sword. Kumatora was in shock seeing that happen. Claus then shot the lightning blast off into the air. Rob looked at him incredulously.
"One life is enough," Claus said.
"This is… monumentally stupid…" Kumatora gasped trying to catch her breath. "If your good guys…then why not…find a different way?"
"Because we know what needs to be done. Look, I convinced his brother to go along with us after I showed him. I could do the same for you, show you why this needs to be done," Rob said.
"Show me what?"
"Rob, let's just get rid of them and kill the guy while he's still hurt," Arcane said creating an odd barrier around himself to protect against Duster's attacks. The barrier used Duster's kinetic energy against him in the form of a powerful shockwave. Duster was quickly thrown to the ground. "Time is something we don't have,"
"You guys are lousy good guys," Duster said backing away.
"Well you suck at this whole fighting thing. Heh, I heard you were supposed to be sneaky, one of the best tactical minds out there. Sure not seeing it right now,"
"Why not look down than," Duster smirked at him. Victor raised an eyebrow then looked down in time to see a thunder bomb with its fused already gone.
"Son of a-," the bomb went off in a electrifying shock throwing Victor to the ground convulsing slightly. "That's it!"
Rob recognized that tone, "Victor if you give me a minute I can-,"
"No, their chances came and went. This is so over!" Arcane removed his suit jacket to toss it to the ground. He took out strange looking black gloves. He clapped them together for sparks of blue electricity to dance off his fingers. "I couldn't bring most of my stuff on such short notice, but these should do," Victor reached out to and suddenly the electricity took shape into a hand with three fingers. It grabbed Kumatora and threw her into the castle wall while also shocking her quite thoroughly. Duster rushed toward Victor quickly. In his haste he forgot about his other opponents as Rob suddenly appeared from the air slamming down hard on his back and to the ground.
"PSI Restraints," Rob said pointing two fingers at Duster. He launched four ring like objects that wrapped around Duster's wrist and ankles. Kumatora winced as she tried moving then turned to see that Duster was trapped and now she had the attention of all three.
"Careful, she's gonna use it," Rob warned.
"Let her, not like she can use it like how we know she can use it," Victor waved him off.
"PK Ground!" She exclaimed placing his hands on the ground. Using her strongest PSI move she concentrated as the ground lashed out at them as it started to tear apart from under them. Kumatora had gained a lot more control of this ability realizing the destructive potential. She made sure to stay clear of Duster and even shifting the ground under him a little so he could work on getting free.
"Throw it!" Rob yelled.
"Alright, alright," Victor said throwing an orb at Kumatora. She made the ground spike up in front of her to stop the sphere. It explodes releasing not an explosion but odd energy. Suddenly, she felt the ground resist her control as all the power she had was thrown back at her. The ground went rushing at her at an alarming pace as she panicked holding her arms up and feebly raising a shield as if that would help. Luckily the entire rubble was blown to pieces by a blast of white energy from seemingly nowhere. The large assortment of earth that was threatening to crush her halted. "Damn…oh well I guess we gotta kill him the old fashioned way now huh," Through the smoke they saw a figure standing there, but once it cleared they all were surprised that it wasn't who they thought it would be. It was the Masked Boy again aka Alex, back from somewhere they didn't know, but clearly getting in the way. Victor mashes his teeth, "So the brat turned traitor like I thought he would,"
"You're not getting by me," he said with sternness in his voice as he stood in front of Kumatora.
"Oooo, look who grew a pair all of a sudden,"
"Well I can't say I'm surprised by this little development. You did have a weakness in you," Rob spat.
"Having compassion and having understanding is not a weakness. In all your efforts in trying to be what he doesn't want you to be you've let yourselves fall victim to seeing what real good is like. Killing someone like this…it's not right!"
"Like you have any right!" Arcane spat with anger. "You lived a little privileged life. High up in your castle you could do and be whatever you wanted. You were safe, you could be happy and ignore all the suffering that was going on right under your nose,"
"That may be true!" The masked boy cried. "But I'm doing something about it, and if we are gonna do something that doesn't mean we resort to something like this. The fact is he was hero…he showed everyone what good was and how to be courageous. He sacrificed so much…and you want to pay that all back killing him in cold blood! You compare him to the monster of the Pig King, but in fact we're the evil ones here!"
"You shut your damn mouth! Like you have any idea what we lost because of your heritage!" Rob barked pointing his hand at the boy with sparkling electricity dancing on his fingertips. "My entire family was killed! You wanna know why? Because they spoke out about him, in their own home they couldn't speak their mind. They say that then an hour later a bunch men come charging in and taking them away. They destroy the house, everything from photos to happy mementos gone! I never saw them again…I was five damnit! How in the hell did I deserve that?"
"You didn't deserve that…" He said in a friendlier tone. "No one deserves to see their life destroyed before their eyes. Ya know, he always said that the grass is always greener on the otherside,"
"Like we care one iota about what he had to say and anything!" Arcane was done listening as he held his hand out to unleash a electric blast.
"PK Love!" he retaliated launching a blast at the blast. The attacks cancelled each other out but created a thick cloud of smoke. "I didn't realize what it meant until recently. We can't always jump to assumptions all the time. There is always something we can miss that way,"
"Who cares!" Arcane exclaimed suddenly upon the boy. He brought his fist down into Alex's jaw enhanced by the electricity. Arcane grabbed the helmet on the boy's head then slammed him against the castle wall. "We can't live in this world without making sacrifices. We aren't killers, obviously or we would've done you in on sight. WE are the good guys…but like I said this is too personal for you so you lost sight of everything. This needs to happen no matter what you say," Arcane then stared deep into Alex's one visible eye. "And since in a few minutes you'll cease to exist anyway…I'll do the pleasure of having to see us kill him,"
"No you won't!" Alex used the direct eye contact with Arcane to his advantage as he tapped into Arcane's brain to make him arm grow slack. Alex frees himself then tackles Arcane to the ground. "I could've shut off every brain function you had just now, including breathing. But I didn't…even after you were going to kill him. That doesn't make me weak it makes me above the ideal that killing is okay!"
"We'll give you medal," came Rob's voice. Alex looked up to see fist slam into his face backed by PSI. The strength of the attack was enough to shatter parts of the helmet as Alex went rolling against the ground. He was dazed as he tried to get up but was kicked back down. Rob removed his dagger then slashed Alex diagonally from on his torso. Blood soon squirted out as fell back more until his back was against the castle wall. "I can't believe I actually thought this wasn't going to happen. Like father like son huh?"
"Please…Rob…listen…" Alex begged. Rob grabbed the scruff of Alex's shirt then hoisted him off the ground. "Please…" Alex begged with tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Those were the last words my mother said too," Rob positioned his dagger. "You were dead either way this turned out,"
"STOP!" Kumatora yelled as she managed to get her feet under her again but not having the strength to run over after being so thoroughly drained from her last attack. Rob brought his dagger forward to impale Alex.
"Okay I've seen enough," came a voice. As Rob's arm was stopped as the blade's tip touched Alex's chest. Rob turned his head to stare at Claus in bewilderment.
"What are you doing?" Rob barked. Claus jerked Rob to pull away from Alex while the boy was still in shock.
"This ends. I thought Lucas was supposed to be the bad guy, but after seeing all this. I don't know,"
"Then you should stop and think about that Claus," came a familiar voice. Claus' eyes widened as he turned sharply to see a face he hadn't seen in a long time. His father was standing farther off with Boney at his side. "Think about what you're doing,"
"Saving all you stupid people is what we're doing!" Arcane barked.
"Or die trying right," yet again another new voice enters the scene as Lucas steps out the castle front door seemingly recovered. At Lucas' presence everything stops. No one is sure what will come next or what to do next. Lucas looks at everyone until his eyes falls on the Masked Boy that fought to defend him. Lucas walks toward the boy on the ground casually with his hands in his pockets. He takes a knee in front the boy to look at him better seeing the pieces of the mask broken off. Lucas takes one hand out his pocket to remove the remaining portion of the mask away from the boy's face to get a full view this time with no protest from Alex. Lucas was still astounded. The first time wasn't a clean look, but this time he was sure of it. This boy looked shockingly like him. The swirl on his head is reminiscent of him, but also having a smaller swirl in front of it reminiscent of Claus despite the different color and his eyes were like his also having the bright cerulean color. It was uncanny so it couldn't simply be a coincidence. Despite the discomfort though Lucas puts on a smile for the boy. "So, can I get your name now?"
"….A-Alex…"
"Well nice to meet you Alex," Lucas said placing a hand on Alex's shoulder. "I'm going to guess that you're from somewhere far aren't you?" Alex nods. "So what made you change your mind about killing me?"
"Because…" Alex looked toward Claus, then to Flint, and finally back to Lucas. "I can't destroy my family…and…" Alex suddenly wrapped his arms around Lucas' waist tightly surprising Lucas greatly, but not as surprising as Alex's next words. "I really missed seeing you smile dad,"