Disclaimer: I only own the story and my OCs.
Vengeance
Neil fell into a coughing fit again. The smoke is getting too thick, making it almost impossible to breathe. He needs to find a way out, fast.
His eyes darted left and right, desperate to spot an exit. The thick smoke, the heat of the inferno around him, and his own rising panic made the task seemed impossible to accomplish. He persisted however, and, to his infinite relief, spotted an open window in the living room, with the path leading to it relatively clear of fire and debris. He made a dash towards the open window and leapt through with all of his strength, landing on the soft, green grass of his front yard on his back.
Relief washed over his being. He allowed himself to let out a small chuckle. Panting from his dash, he rolled over to his front, kneeling on the grass. Joyfully, Neil sucked in a lungful of clean, fresh air-
And almost immediately fell into another coughing fit. He didn't understand; the air still smelled of fire and ash, and he felt as if an inferno is still raging around him. What is going on?
Neil cleared his vision, looked up, and got his answer.
His house is not the only thing going down in flames. The entire town is burning.
Neil froze in horror. Never in his life did he expect to see such a terrifying sight. Rows of houses are set alight by the merciless blaze. Screams of pain and terror echoed down the street like a nightmarish choir. The sickening stench of charred flesh soon filled the air, joining the smell of fire and cinders in the blood red sky. The flame burned with such ferocity that he felt as if the blaze burned mere inches away from his skin. Neil briefly wondered if he is witnessing the end times, that the gates of Hell has opened and the Horsemen have rode through his town, leaving behind Armageddon in their wake.
He didn't know how long he froze, caught in a trance, staring at the red blaze as it licked concrete and wood and flesh, until it is all reduced to ash and embers on the dry earth. His eyes wandered to the sky, and locked on to a red spot hovering above the town, seemingly at the center of the fiery maelstrom. Curiosity overtook him despite his shock, and he found himself squinting to get a better look. He then gasped, eyes widening, before taking off into a sprint, towards the heart of the fire.
To others, it might be nothing more than a speck, a stray ember wandering off to the sky. But he'll always recognize his best friend, even if he is supposed to be dead.
"Norman!"
Neil dashed towards the fiery image, past blackened wreckages of buildings he once visited and charred remains of people he once knew. He tried to ignore them, keeping his eyes fixed on the flaming being bearing the appearance of his late best friend.
"Norman, stop!"
The being didn't seem to hear Neil's call. He cursed under his breath, but he forced himself to run deeper into the town, closer towards the being. The smoke is exceptionally thick now, much thicker than where he was, and the heat is now has reached agonizing levels, as if his skin itself is burning. And yet, he persevered, brown orbs locked on the flaming being, his mind focused on his best friend.
Finally, he staggered into the town square, coughing and wheezing, and he nearly collapsed right then and there. Miraculously, he didn't, and he gathered enough strength to straighten himself and look up.
He now has no doubt that the flaming being is in fact Norman Babcock, even if he can barely recognize Norman in his new… form. His 'body' is an ever-shifting mass of violent firestorms, barely restrained to forming a vaguely humanoid shape, and his eyes… his eyes are alight, shining far brighter than the rest of his body, like twin suns against the darkness of space.
And those eyes are staring straight at him.
Neil's mind went blank.
"Wh-Whoa…"
Neil simply stared for a long while, horrified, yet awed, by his friend's form. He shook himself out of his trance, words returning to him, and stood up to meet Norman's burning gaze.
"N-Norman… how…? I-I thought you were-"
"… I reTURneD…" he spoke with a voice that reminded Neil of a blazing fire; chaotic, violent, and ever-changing.
"You… returned? Then… why are you doing this?"
"… tO EXAct puniSHMENt… and TO DEliveR JUdgemENT…"
"You… what?!" Neil shrieked, disbelief washing over him. "Why?!"
"… THe peoPLE OF This towN... HAVe comMITTED a greAT SIn… anD For thAT TheY MUSt paY… The ultIMATe prICE…"
Neil listened in silence, in horror, still unable to believe that Norman is saying such things.
"… I WIll hunT THEm doWN… EVEry lasT One of THEm… nO One caN ESCape mY HelLFIRE… No onE Can esCAPE… My VENGEANCE!"
Neil was left speechless. Silently, he began to doubt if the being before him is his best friend at all.
He quickly shook those thoughts away. How could he even think such a thing? His best friend is still in there somewhere, and he is going find him, even if it's the last he'd do.
With newfound determination, Neil took a step forward.
"Norman, you gotta stop this!"
"… whAT…?"
He took another step forward. "I admit, some of the people here were really mean and horrible to you, but… this?" Another step forward, and he could've sworn Norman hovered back. "This is not you, Norman. You're being meaner and far more horrible than any of them could ever be, and I know that you never, ever, want to be someone like that." Another step, and he could've sworn his glow dimmed. "You can still stop this, Norman. There's still time." One more step, and he stood face-to-face with the fiery phantom. "Please."
Norman hovered away from him, avoiding his gaze. "… nO… it'S Too lAte fOR RedemPtion… fOr thEm… or for me…"
Neil took another step, a hand reaching out towards his best friend. "Norman-"
"NO!" His head suddenly snapped back at Neil's direction, his eyes brighter than it has ever been. The flames composing his body grew dangerously violent, his humanoid shape disappearing into a chaotic maelstrom of white-hot fire.
"… bLITHe hOLLOW MuST PaY… BLiTHE HOLlOW MuST BURN!"
Neil struggled to stay rooted to where he stood. He looked deep into the flaming phantom's eyes, the only discernible feature left on him, and he searched, desperately, for any sign, anything, of his best friend in the enraged specter.
However, the only thing he saw in the phantom's eyes was unrestrained anger and pure hatred. That's when he realized that his best friend is really, truly gone.
Alas, the realization came far too late.
A pillar of fire erupted from the ground beneath him, and he screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed, until he stopped, and the roar of the flames became the only thing to be heard in that silent night.