Charon who never fell asleep could feel it in the air. A test is to be done today.
Kirell and the others awoke, but it seems only her and Balaam has a very upsetting dream.
"That's right... the only friend I had died in that stupid wreck... Wait no. Fuck." Balaam thinks realizing once again of his stupid situation, "Dam it! I don't fucking have anything!" Balaam thinks grinding his teeth.
Balaam pauses for a moment, "Wait that's not true. Still gots the fucking boner from yesterday. Great. Just great." Balaam thinks.
"So even if I get back other type of suffering might being waiting for me in real life." Kirell sighed.
"So what? There's nothing we can't do or overcome together! I'll be by your side! I'll take your pain! I'll carry all your burdens! I'll help you fight even when you want to give up. I'll force you to keep moving forward. Because if you can't find happiness. You make it." Balaam thinks listening to Kirell.
"You must of had a bad dream. I'm sure you were shown something you needed to know." Philio replied.
"Dam it... I forgot he was here. I should say something! I should what? I mean... what if all this is for nothing? What if I don't even get to see Kirell when I get back?" A voice in Balaam's head asked him in his own mental voice.
"Is that you Charon? Trying to get me depressed. Oh boo whoo. Poor old Balaam? Yeah well go fuck yourself! Nothing is going to stop me from protecting Kirell even when I get back!" Balaam mentally shouted.
"Maybe all I have to look forward to is pain when I get back." Kirell awnsered her voice echoed in Balaam's head.
"Geez using Kirell's own confessions that mimic my own feelings to fuck with me! Your really something!" Balaam thinks angerily.
"You are guaranteed to have a body of your own if resurrected... However in exchange I asked you to change your reason for resurrection. I can feel how weak your resolve is Balaam. How unstable it is. Today. I'm going to test it." Charon tells Balaam through telepathy.
"Bring it on!" Balaam mentally shouted.
"Resurrection isn't about happiness. It's about giving you the chance to find it yourself. Is there any thing you want to do when you get back? Is there someone you need to find?" Philio asked.
"I need to find Kirell when I get back... I want to be worth something in her eyes. I... I don't want to be hated by her anymore. I want... her to accept me..." Balaam thinks, "I want to be with Kirell. It doesn't matter as what. Just spending time with her and getting to be her partner is enough... yes... I see. I'm being selfish. I understand. It doesn't matter if Kirell's feelings will never be like mine. As long as she close by... I will be happy." Balaam thinks nodding.
"Hmm. Your resolve has fixed itself. Good. Today is the day when you will kill someone. I don't know who... but you will kill them. Who will depend on Kirell's actions. Her choices and her words. So I ask you... Will you put your faith in others and gamble your life on their choices and actions?" Charon asked Balaam mentally.
"Pfff. Please I was practically doing that anyways. It's not that different now." Balaam thinks.
"You will get your chance to unlock this secrete path but there's a catch." Charon explains and Balaam starts wondering about it, "You must figure out how to get Argo to shoot you along with him. If you alone are resurrected without Argo... Well... I'll punish you for waisting my time." Charon warned.
Balaam winced, "Alright. I get it. Don't worry. I get the message loud and clear." Balaam mentally explained.
"Good. Act normally than. All things shall fall in place... However... there's a chance you might leave Kirell today. Keep that in mind." Charon mentally tells Balaam who sighed.
"Seems I've been to much of pessimistic up until now." Kirell responded to Philio.
Balaam gets up now that his body has calmed down, "Yeah I was about to say something since you were looking so miserable, but looks like Philio worked his magic." Balaam stretched.
"How's your leg?" Kirell asked Balaam who blinked and tried not act shy.
"Feels a lot better today. I think maybe it's finally healed for the most part!" Balaam beamed.
"Good!" Kirell smiles.
"So is there anything I can do to help today?" Philio asked.
"Yup. Go kill someone." Balaam joked.
"I can die for you but not kill." Philio explained.
"Right. Just stay out of the way." Balaam nodded.
"I was expecting you to tell him to come along chunking rocks at least." Kirell pointed out.
"No silly. I'm not going to force him to help when I know he's not going to be of use. It's probably better to let him do his own thing." Balaam sighed.
"Oh!" Kirell blinked surprised.
"And hey..." Balaam was interrupted by Philio.
"Kirell can I ask you a question?" Philio asked.
"Uhhh???" Kirell looked at Balaam who just sighed and sat down.
"It looked like Balaam was about to tell me something important." Kirell mentally notes.
"Hold that thought!" Kirell ran over to Balaam who looked at her, "Is there something you wanted to say?" Kirell asked.
Balaam thinks about it closing his eyes, "Nah it's not important." Balaam seemed to have lost his courage.
"Oh okay." Kirell headed over to Philio.
"Wait there is one thing!" Balaam gets up.
"Huh?" Kirell turned around and Balaam hugged her tightly.
"Thanks... for staying with me this long." Balaam tells her close.
"Balaam?" Kirell looked confused and scared.
"I just felt like I had to say that... because my dream today... I Uh... lost a good friend of mine... And well... I felt the need to get that off my chest." Balaam looked fidgety.
"You too? What happened to them?" Kirell looked at him in shock.
"I don't want to talk about it. It's too painful." Balaam sighed.
Kirell hugged Balaam tightly making him blush, "I won't leave you. We're going to finish our tasks together." Kirell tells him.
Balaam holds her, "I'm scared... My task might make me leave you sooner than expected. But if I play my cards right. I'll be waiting for you on the other side. Please don't forget me if that happens or hate me." Balaam tells her as he just tried to hug Kirell until he felt at peace again.
"Balaam..." Kirell looked at him and nodded, "I promise I won't!" Kirell swore.
Balaam smiled and pat her back, "That's all I'm going to say for now." Balaam let her go.
"There's more?!?" Kirell was shocked.
"Yeah just Im waiting for a special moment." Balaam tells her, "I just want you to remember Kirell. If you get the opportunity... Make sure Hilde makes Argo stop. So I can stop and talk to Argo." Balaam decided.
"Right you can count on me!" Kirell nodded.
"Alright. You can say whatever it is you want monk." Balaam tells Philio.
"I see. Your ready to fullfil your task and Argo's task too?" Philio guessed.
"Yeah. Better that way. I trust Kirell alone with Hilde. But not Argo. So if I have to go. That's how I want to go." Balaam replied.
"But we might not even see them today." Kirell replied and the sound of gun fire went off.
"It's time." Ron spoke up his eyes glowing like fire.
"Charon?" Philio realized and Ron just smiled putting on his afro and wig.
"No way Charon's been Ron this whole time!" Kirell blinked.
"Heh if you think that's shocking it's about to get even more shocking when you hear what Imma say to Argo." Balaam beamed, "Come on let's go. This is perfect for a sneak attack. I still need to act like a bad guy. Because it makes you look a hecka better in comparison." Balaam admitted.
"What?!?" Kirell blinked, "Are you trying to get people to hate you so they'll side with me now?" Kirell asked.
"I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just following my gut. And my gut says. It's time for a sneak attack." Balaam runs out of the church and starts stealthing his way to Argo.
Kirell runs after Balaam along with everyone else and they get to a strange road with destroyed cars with sky scrapers all around them.
"I got lucky the undead is keeping him occupied. This is it Kirell. This is my chance." Balaam tells her, "Stay here. I don't wanting you get caught in our cross fire." Balaam explains.
"But you know you can't take him one on one. You need me!" Kirell tells him.
"I can keep him distracted for a little bit. But not to long. I'm sure he'll tell Hilde to get out of our way. You might met up with her." Balaam replied with so much clarity.
"Okay. Just be careful." Kirell nodded.
"Stay close to Philio. There's a lot of undead around." Balaam tells her running off to attack Argo.
Hilde falls in Balaam's way making his gun not shoot, "Dam not now. Not here." Balaam hissed.
"I thought I heard someone pull a trigger I see it's you Balaam." Argo sighed.
"Come Philio I'm going to attack from behind." Kirell starts heading the long way around a building with Philio.
"Let's end this. Just you and me. A final duel to the death." Balaam declared, "No hostages no using cheap tricks just pure gun skills." Balaam shouted.
"Very well. Hilde go hide somewhere safe. But not to far. I'm ending this murder once and for all." Argo tells her.
"Right." Hilde runs off.
"Now that the girls are out of the way it's time for us boys to play." Balaam begins shooting at Argo who shoots at him both dodging bullets.
Kirell and Philio run into Hilde at a strange building a bit far but not to far.
"Hilde? What are you doing here?" Kirell gasped.
"I knew you had to be around here Kirell. But who's that?" Hilde asked.
"So she's still hates me huh. And I thought we could be friends." Kirell thinks sadly.
"Ohhh more people I can help!" Philio chimmed.
"Hey I'm Hilde and the guy with the big gun is Argo." Hilde explains.
"This is Philio. All he wants to do is help people. A total weirdo." Kirell admitted.
"It's nice to met you!" Philio smiled, "Though... I sense you two have a lot to talk about so I'll be over there." Philio gives them space.
"Argo says your the enemy now. But I don't want to fight you." Hilde sighed.
"You need to put resurrection before friends." Kirell tells Hilde.
"I'm not going to do that! Are you saying that you'll kill me to be resurrected?" Hilde asked, but Kirell looked away, "See you can't even give me a straight awnser. I know your not that kind of person." Hilde explains.
"Sometimes you just gotta adapt to the situation." Kirell exclaimed.
"Exactly. That's why Argo and I'm attacking first this time." Hilde announced, "So I could met you once more." Hilde tells Kirell.
"Hilde?!? What are you thinking? Have you finally made up your mind to help us." Kirell thinks.
"You said you wanted everyone to get resurrected... but you need people to die for your task..." Hilde tells Kirell.
"Right." Kirell nodded.
"But why can't you just ditch Balaam and help me and Argo instead. If we kill Balaam I'm sure the rest of us can get revived." Hilde tells her.
"NO! IM TIRED OF EVERYONE TELLING ME TO LEAVE HIM! EVEN HE TELLS ME ID BE BETTER OFF WITH YOU GUYS! I BELIEVE IN BALAAM IVE SEEN THERES GOOD IN HIM! He hugged me when I was sad. He's only ever forgiven me every time some stupid stunt like stopping him gets him hurt! HE TRUSTS ME! He needs me! I won't abandon him! He got hurt cause of me! He's could of died cause of me but all he ever does is support me and he's okay with dying for me if it helps me with my task... I can't betray him not after all that!" Kirell cried.
Hilde was speechless, "Maybe it's cause I didn't get to spend time with him like you. Maybe your right. I just think Balaam is some big bad murder but I never got to know him. Even Argo seemed like a big scary murder to me..." Hilde nodded, "But if you don't kill Balaam... that means you'll kill me too." Hilde replied.
"I'll go after Argo first. I'm sorry Hilde. I have to save Balaam!" Kirell picked up a two by four and ran out of the building.
"Kirell..." Hilde was touched, "You love him don't you?" Hilde nodded, "I know what I have to do!" Hilde ran off as Philio followed her to watch.
"Dam it... this going south fast. Kirell? Is she here to help?" Balaam thinks feeling hopeful.
Kirell waved her stick around at Balaam to get his attention and try to signal him a message.
"I hope he understands." Kirell prayed.
"I see she wants me to create a distraction. Don't know what good it'll do. But here you go!" Balaam began shooting randomly as Kirell tried to sneak up on Argo.
"I had a feeling Balaam was aiming randomly. Guessed it was an ambush." Argo replied.
"No he knew!?!" Kirell gasped in horror.
"KIRELL GET OUT OF THERE!" Balaam shouted in panick.
"This is it Kirell." Argo points his gun at Kirell as Balaam runs toward them ready to tackle Argo down.
"Balaam what are you?" Kirell asked confused.
Argo gun won't fire and Balaam tackles Argo to the ground.
"Geez! I never seen Balaam so move fast!" Kirell was impressed.
Balaam held his gun to Argo's head in so much rage.
"Balaam don't shoot!" Kirell begged, "You wanted to talk to him don't you remember?" Kirell tells him.
"Your going to have to calm me down. And do a pretty dam good job." Balaam was pissed, "I never wanted to kill someone so bad in my life." Balaam explained.
"It's not working... Hilde how could you?" Argo asked.
"Uh just breath! Uh stay calm! Hilde I don't understand? You... I'm so sorry!" Kirell tells her.
"I see." Argo sighed and submitted to whatever fate Balaam has in store for him.
"Balaam's not shooting him?" Hilde was confused.
"He wanted to say something to Argo." Kirell explains.
"You know what fuck it! This hatred! This anger I feel! It's all me! Your going to fucking listen to me this time!" Balaam shouted at Argo, "You were like a dad to me! You raised me when I had no where else to go and got into a bad place! You made sure I didn't become like those other kids! The ones that just blow up and die. You made sure I wasn't expendable! Your partly to blame for who I am! You have no right to just! Fucking kill me or act all high and mighty! YOU TAUGHT ME HOW TO KILL AND SURVIVE!" Balaam shouted.
"Wait? What?" Hilde gasped.
"This seems oddly familiar... Creepily familiar." Kirell shivered.
"You... your the child that I'm suppose to kill. It was you... all along." Argo realized, "My beloved... adopted child." Argo held back tears.
"You fucking right and your fucking wrong! It's not just me! I'm only the part of that child you hated most! And they hated most." Balaam shouted.
"What?!?" Kirell blinked.
"Wait... so there's two of you?" Argo was in shock, "Where's the other?" Argo asked.
Balaam points to Kirell, "It's her. She doesn't know. But it's her. When she wanted to give up when the world got to rough I pulled us through the pain. I forced my way to carve us a better life... I took all the pain... I mean I tried too... And I tried to do all the killing..." Balaam started to cry and calmed down.
"Kirell. The first dream you had the one we said we saw someone betray us both and shoot us dead. It was Argo. You were remembering him. Still not convinced? How about our latest dream. Where I said my best friend died. By car accident. Sound familiar? Or how about your mom? How that drunk man tried killing her and you killed him first. And in order to protect you. She told the police she was the murder. How's that for on point? The day you asked to hold my gun. It's because you remember killing folk as a contract killer and you were good at it. After all we are Argo's best." Balaam replied.
"We... we were having the same dreams???" Kirell went pale.
"Your friend died in a car accident? Wait... could it be??? You both... your both my friend!?!" Hilde started crying.
"I think your starting to get the full picture now aren't you dad?" Balaam hissed.
Argo looked very shocked, "That day you killed me. I told you no we told you we wanted out. We wanted to turn a new leaf. Why... Why you have to fucking do that?!? Why did you kill us!?!" Balaam shouted, "Awnser me! I swear to the gods I blow your brains out right now! I don't even care about resurrection right now! I just want awnsers!" Balaam demanded.
"That day... I made the worse mistake of my life... I thought the child needed a lesson. They killed anyone in their path trying to justify their murder. They were out of control. They were like a monster." Argo explains.
"A MONSTER YOU HELPED MAKE!!!" Balaam hissed his eyes were glowing red.
"I had forgotten about the important things. Like how each kill nearly broke them. How they struggled to cope with what they did. Even in the end. I did what they did. I justified their murder. Saying I'd be doing them a favor by ending their suffering. I'm no better than the child before me right now." Argo sighed.
"NO!" Balaam shouted calming down which made his eyes turn back to normal, "I'm better than you." He grabbed Argo'a hand on his gun and points it at his heart, "I'm ending this. YOUR GOING TO GET REVIVED WITH ME AND KIRELL AND HILDE AND GOD DAM PHILIO!" Balaam protested, "YOUR GOING TO SHOOT ME AT THE SAME TIME I SHOOT YOU AND END THIS FOR REAL SO WE CAN BOTH MOVE ON AND WHEN YOU GET BACK TO THE REAL WORLD YOU BETTER BE THE BEST BLOODY FUCKING DAD IN THE WORLD TO ME AND KIRELL!" Balaam demanded, "You understand!?! I won't forgive you unless you do that!" Balaam shouted.
"I can't shoot you though." Argo pointed out.
"Not yet." Balaam looked at Hilde, "I know we don't know each other. But I need you to do this for me. Please. If nothing else for Kirell?" Balaam begged.
Hilde nodded tearing up, "Just say when."
"Balaam Wait! If your part of me than what will happen to you after your resurrection!" Kirell cried.
"Charon says I got my own body to be getting back too. That's why I'm doing this... Kirell. I was gambling with my life. A life that's not even mine to live. When I realized that after meeting you... I was even in more doubt of achieving my task. What if I come back but your gone do I just go alone or do I just die with you? What if we both come back but we're back to the same body again? Do I just take the backseat like I always do." Balaam sighed.
"Kirell. If I'm being honest none of that even scared me or hurt. What hurt the most. Was you hating yourself. And by that I mean me. Cause well that's what I am. Everything you've ever hated about yourself. You must be so disgusted with me right now! I bet you just want to shoot me yourself!" Balaam laughed.
Kirell ran up and hugged Balaam crying, "I'm sorry!!!" Kirell looked at Balaam in tears, "I'm sorry. I... I'm not mad. I don't even hate you right now. Your a great friend. I hate myself for hating well myself." Kirell cried.
"Pff." Balaam laughed and hugged Kirell, "Give yourself a break. Stop hating so much on us. Kirell. I know what your task is..." Balaam smiles, "It's to accept your a murder. To accept the suffering of life but most importantly. Forgive yourself." Balaam smiled
Kirell nodded, "I do. I do!" Kirell tells him.
"Your test doesn't end here with me. You have to keep going. I'll leave you a message. I'm sure Philio will give it to you when it's time to finish your task." Balaam swore.
Kirell nodded hugging Balaam, "I won't forget you. I will find you and your going to be like my brother!" Kirell tells him.
"Lame! I rather be your soulmate after all that's what we are." Balaam beamed.
"Yeah okay. I can't agrue with that." Kirell blushed.
"Welp. Sorry but this is where I leave you. Let me give you one hecka of good bye hug!" Balaam smiled and Kirell hugged him.
"See you on the other side." Kirell tells him.
"Yeah you too." Balaam nodded.
"And hey Balaam?" Kirell looked shy.
"Yeah?" Balaam asked confused.
Kirell leans in and kisses him, "I love you." Kirell tells him.
"I love you too." Balaam smiled feeling at peace kissing her back.
"Alright. Both of you ready?" Hilde asked.
Balaam gets his gun ready and Argo gets his ready as they glare at each other.
"We doing this?" Balaam asked.
"Yeah. Just one thing." Argo replied.
"Yeah what's that?" Balaam asked.
"I'm going to give you hell when you start dating my daughter." Argo pointed out and Balaam laughed.
"I look forward to it." Balaam smirked crying happily.
"Oh the count of three Hilde we shoot.." Argo ordered.
"One! Two! Three! Shoot Argo!" Hilde shouted.
Argo and Balaam shoot each other at the same time and start fading away, "I'm sorry Balaam. Here for you." Hilde gives him a letter as he's fading away.
"Thanks." Balaam reads it.
"I'm sorry for not believing in or supporting you and hope we can become friends in real life like the old life." The letter said.
"Thanks. Take care of Kirell for me." Balaam fades away.
Argo faded away unable to say anything.
Philio watched in tears, "Wow. They really did it. They both got resurrected. I don't believe it." Philio was so happy, "This is a happy day!" He explains.
"Balaam... I'm going miss you!" Kirell cried.
"Don't worry Kirell. I'm here. It's going to be okay. I'm miss Argo too." Hilde cried a bit.
They cry mourning thier friends loss before composing themselves.
"I have a message for you both from both of them." Philio smiled.
"Oh I got a message from Balaam?!?" Hilde was surprised.
"He said. I forgive you and no hard feelings." Philio explained.
"Seems he really was a nice guy." Hilde smiles happily.
"Argo wanted me to tell Kirell this. I don't know who to thank for what happened today. I finally got to confront the child I killed and hear them out. I won't make the same mistake again. I'm going to take care of you both I swear. I'm so happy that child despite all their hate still sees me as their dad and loves me. I'm glad my task ended like this. So thank you for that." Philio smiled.
Kirell cried, "Dad... I'm going to get resurrected with Hilde and the others and we going to find you and Balaam and we are having a group hug!" declared.
"Here's Argo's message you you Hilde! I don't know how to thank you. It was only thanks to your hesitation I was finally able to listen to what I tried to ignore. I'll make sure next time I'm listening better but if you ever catch me in the real world not doing it. Feel free to do something about it again. Even I need help every now and than it seems." Philio smiled.
"It wasn't really heart warming. But they did it. They both got resurrected." Hilde cried happily.
"It's Balaam. He's not the heart warming type." Kirell joked wiping her tears.
Charon comes out of hiding and clapped, "Ah... Beautiful. He finally expressed his true feelings. I couldn't of ask for a better showdown." Charon greets everyone.
"Charon???" Hilde gasped, "What are you doing?" She asked.
"He was pretending to be Ron and following us." Kirell ratted him out.
"Heh. I merely opened a new path and lightly guided everyone to the door. I'm truly happy to see you all have gone inside it." Charon explains, "But the test is not over yet. It's time for the three of you to prove your resolve. Go now. I shall leave this game and watch from afar." Charon explains.
"Wait!" Kirell hugged Charon, "Thank you for helping us." She tells him.
"Hehe. No thank you. I only made this game to find my successor because I grow weary of my own duties. But your interference forced me to come here and take matters in my own hands. These few days I've felt everyone's emotions ten fold and learned more about everyone that I was originally told. I never felt so alive." Charon beamed, "I think I'll be okay now with my job. Heh. And I still need a successor so there will be more games to come. And despite what happens I look forward to them and perhaps joining the fun. So thank you for that." Charon smiles.
Kirell smiles and nodded letting him go, "Sorry for being so rude to you." Hilde tells him.
"Haha I was with Balaam who's very fun to tease! Do you honestly think your justified rudeness hurt me? Not at all. I enjoy the honesty of you all." Charon explains, "Heh and teasing Balaam I admit. I'm going to miss pestering that silly boy." Charon laughed.
Philio smiled and looks so happy, "I'm guessing you finished your task huh?" Philio pointed out.
"Haha yes In a way I did. It's up to you all how this game finally ends. And than with it... your life can restart. I wish you all good luck and bid you farewell." Charon vanished into wind in front of them laughing in the wind.
Kirell hugged Hilde who hugged her back and Kirell grabbed Philio and made him join in.
"We did a good thing today!" Kirell was crying happily.
"Yeah we did didn't we?!?" Hilde was crying too.
"I'm so happy!" Philio beamed.
Kirell's compass stopped spinning, "It's not over yet." She let's go of them giving them a serious face as she looked at her compass.
"Let's get some rest before we head out. We just experienced a lot." Hilde offered.
"Yeah." Kirell nodded and they find a place to sleep along with Philio for the day that comes to an end.