Here we are…day 45. Just five more days and we can all say goodbye to this facility and live…and i can finally move on from this damn project of carmen's! But it's time to go meet up with the leader of the architecture team. As a recommendation from one of the agents on the discipline team named crio. I took the wrist cutter ego we got from bloodbath. There was some irony on harming him with the weapon born from carmen's attempted suicide. I went down to the floor and found what look like…my home when I was a kid. Those days when it was just me, my mom and dad and kali…god those were days i wish i could go back to that…when things were so much easier. When I didn't have to worry about the horrors of the city. What greeted me here wasn't ayin…it was an old man…he will probably be what i look like in about 40 to 50 years.
"Greetings jon…i hope you like the scenery i created…everyone deserves a place to be comfortable. And i know this place is one of the few places where you can be comfortable." the old man said. I sighed.
"I see…before I can meet ayin. I have to talk with myself. Or rather the worst parts of my brain. The darkest and most weakest thought i've had manifested…you're the part of me that wants to go back to the days when things are easier…but also the part of me that's here to warn me…you're the least worst of my darker thoughts…if I continue moving forward. It's only going to be harder for me. I'll have to deal with the even uglier sides of myself…but I haven't come this far to give up now." i said. The old man version of me sighed.
"I see...be careful…otherwise you will fall in to the same darkness as he did…" the old man me said before he disappeared. Once the containment cell was constructed an abnormality was already in it. The abnormality looked like me when i was a kid. But when it breached it morphed into a crowd of red people. It's name was "Lament of innocence." a reflection of my more innocent times. It's breaching form reflecting those assholes who betrayed and tried to rob kali. It was business as usual. Fill the quota and deal with breaching abnormalities. And handle the ordeals. Guess i haven't mention that yet…breeching abnormalities wasn't the only thing we had to worry about. Certain monsters would appear after a certain amount of meltdowns. There was no consistency to what would appear…for the past four days we've been dealing with fixers. Fairly high ranked ones as well
The red fixer was a crimson robotic humanoid, his weapon being an arm device that could be either a laser gun or red laser blade. That very weapon would be his demise as after enough of a beating the arm gauntlet acted on its own and crushed the head of the fixer…get used to the betrayal of your own weapon thing…it's gonna be a running theme with these four fixers.
The white fixer was an angelic knight like humanoid with a spear/cannon hybrid. She also levitated. After beating her down her own weapon raised up and impaled her.
The black fixer seemed like a massive fan of the black forest story. Considering he was wearing a suit of black feather's complete with a yellow goggles. He also had a hammer that had a yellow eye on the front of the head with black and blood soaked feathers on the back. Which impaled him when he knocked him on his back.
The final fixer was the pale fixer. A mobster straight out of the godfather. But he ain't coming in with an old Chicago typewriter. No he comes with a hi tech pistol knife and suitcase that spits out a huge blue sharp tendril. And also allows the pale fixer to teleport around the place. That suitcase is shown to have a mind of it's own. Considering it took off its wielder's head after we beat him down.
The final ordeal was the claw…and god seeing that tall metal headed fuck brought back bad memories…garion didn't wipe out our lab by herself. She was only a part of the head's hit squad. Those squads consist of three. An arbiter, a claw and a beholder. The arbiter and the claw do the exterminating. While the beholders collect whatever info may be of interest and bury whatever info the head doesn't like. Needless to say, I handled the claw myself. I tore the bastard apart. After my rage was over. I wondered why a claw was here alone. They are usually a part of a squad. And I'm not seeing any arbiter or beholder. So maybe he just ended up here somehow? But it worried me if that was not the case…
Two days passed and I went back down to the architecture room. The room started to melt and turn a sickly green. I could see a brain in a tube and eyes in the wall. And also pictures of michelle gabriel and giovani. As expected two more abnormalities have shown up. And it was obvious at that point that every abnormality was going to be connected to me in some way.
The next one was called "why did I survive?" a gray humanoid with blood red eyes. It constantly cried bloody tears Holding an m1 garand the trademark weapon of the thumb. And a remington model 41. It sat in the corner like it was dead in its cell. It was a manifestation of my depression and survivor's guilt. It's name is something I asked myself one too many times. And those two guns were the ones I tried to use to take my own life.
The next one was called "memories of her." it was kali in the form of red mist. Her eyes closed. Her sword and everything was like red smoke. Even though I got her back…losing her was painful…and I never want to experience that again.
Day 48 came. And i faced another aspect of myself…one that looked like he hadn't shaved or showered in years. He looked utterly dead inside. This was my depression and survivor's guilt.
"Why do you continue to struggle?...the city isn't worth saving. Is a life in that hellhole really worth living?...wouldn't be easier to give up…to go to the afterlife…it would be better than here…so why? Why cling to life when it's so awful…when we failed everyone?" my depressed self asked.
"Because…ending it would move my sorrow to our parents. The ones who raised and loved us for years…that's what motivated me to keep going. And as much as i hate ayin for putting my friends' brains in those metal boxes…it was because of that i was able to have a second chance and make things right. Is it selfish? Maybe…but that's what's pushing me to finish this! And I will! I will leave with everyone! And we will live!" I yelled with the fire burning in my heart. my depressed self disappeared. And I got back to work.
The final abnormality was simply called. "Hatred." it was that ghost that was following me all this time…not sure when they got it boxed up. Still seeing it staring at me through monitor gave me the chills.
Day 49 came and the room was really becoming a melty mess of chaos. Machines pictures of parts of a body on the wall. Pictures of daniel kali and the kids added in…just to rub salt in my wound…jokes on them that wound has scarred over. I stood in front of another version of me, this one was wearing black armor and had long white hair.
"Why do you continue to do their dirty work? Ayin benjamin carmen. We both know their not worth finishing their work for. Carmen who took her own life the second things started to go wrong. Benjamin the yes man loser. And ayin the selfish prick who would deny those we cared about rest to continue his work a selfish psychopath full through and through. What we should do instead his sabotage this project." the other me said. It was obvious this one was my wrath and hatred. I shook my head.
"If we did that. We would allow the abnormalities to wreak havoc on the city. And before you make the whole the city is worthless argument. I get it. Most people are scumbags that are only out for themselves. But there a few people worth fighting for…and that's enough for me to not to give into my rage…i made a promise and i'm going to keep it! If your really me you know what i do when i make a promise." i said. The other me smiled.
"You keep it…no matter what." he said as he disappeared…with a sigh I got back to work.
Day 50. And the architecture room finally showed it's true form. A white room with black lines forming a tree. A desk in the middle. And the pictures i've seen on the wall. Everyone in a straight line. Though the picture of garion was smudged. The man of the hour stood up…ayin.
"Long time no see jon." he said with a smile. I pulled out wrist cutter from my coat.
"You have 30 minutes to talk. After that i gut you with this." i said.
"I was expecting you to use one of the blunt ego's to reenact that time you hit me with a shovel." ayin said.
"I was. But an agent on the discipline team gave me the idea to use this. And i agreed that it would be the best irony and justice using the EGO extracted from the abnormality born from carmen's attempted suicide. After all it was that incident that make you made the selfish psycho who wouldn't even let my friends rest in peace or treat angela like shit cause she wasn't the carmen sexbot you wanted! Your a selfish prick who is so broken up about his girlfriend killing herself that he continues her doomed research. No matter how much harm it brings to others!" i yelled letting out all my pent up rage against this asshole!
"I know…all these time loops and no progress was made…just like enoch's death. I knew i didn't have what it took to finish this…but you do. I'm sure you've noticed but the light is there within you. You used it to turn the sephirah human again. And if anyone can spread the light to everyone. It's you jon." ayin said…i yelled in pure rage.
"FINE! I'll i gotta fill the quota one more time right?" i asked.
"Thank you jon…" ayin said.
"Oh i'm not doing it for you or that weak and dumb activist! This project of yours has haunted me for years! If finishing it allows me to put it behind me! Then i'll do it! After that i'm leaving this facility with the sephirah and angela. I'm giving them all the lives you took from them! And i hope you realize that you won't live to see it…i'm still mad as hell for everything you did." i said as approached him with wrist cutter. Yet he doesn't even flinch or move in fear. He simply sighed.
"I know the pain i put on you jon…if seeing me dead will make things right…then do it." ayin said accepting his fate.
"How noble…" i said with venom. I stabbed him in the stomach 11 times. One for each of the people trapped in this facility by him and his selfish bullshit. Leaving his bloody remains i got back to work. During it I played a song through the speakers. One of my mom's favorites. Not ready to make nice by dixie chicks.
Aside from that. It was business as usual. Though when the quota was getting filled up the whole damn facility began to rotate. When the facility was fully upside down and the quota was filled a beam of light fired out. So this was what we were working for…it's finally over. I can finally move on.
"Congratulations manager jon…your job is over." angela said. I shook my head.
"There's still one last thing I have to do." I said. I walked over to Angela who tilted her head in confusion. I put my hand on her head. And the light from within came around and surrounded her. She fell to the ground suffocating. "Breath! You need to breath!" i yelled. Angela took a deep breath.
"I feel better now…but why do i need to breath…i'm an ai." angela asked. I shook my head.
"Not anymore…you're human now. Which means your free to live…you, me and everyone. We're all free now." I said with a smile. Angela teared up. And before I knew it she hugged me. Cried and screamed. Countless loops and countless eons of suffering finally coming to an end. After she was done letting out all of her pent up pain and sorrow. I pushed her away and played another song through the facility's speaker to celebrate the end. My way by Frank sinatra. One of my dad's favorite songs.
For three days the light shined upon the city. However hatred breached when it never did before. When it did it changed form. To a hulking monster with a claw on one hand and blades arm on the other. It was harder to bring down than even apocalypse bird or white night. Me binah and gebura all fought it. We were still out of breath at the end of it.
"Fucking hell! Now that thing was dangerous!" gebura yelled.
"Agreed. So tea time?" binah asked. Me and gebura sweat dropped. I returned to the main room. However I soon heard the stomping of the creature again and quickly aimed the black pistol of solemn lament at it. The creature morphed into a doppelganger of me. Laser blade hand with one. Magic bullet in the other. Mimicry on its back. And it was even harder. So this is what it's like to fight the white messiah. But with the help of gebura and binah i managed to bring it down. However it's last move was it's biggest. As it took it's eye form again and flew towards the light entering it and using it to transform into a massive abnormality. I was able to get everyone out before the facility came down. But the facility was destroyed the light gone and in it's place was a massive monster. To make it worse. It commanded the other abnormalities. Except a few. The magical girl abnormalities and the merc abnormalities. Funeral hood and free shooter. Despite that. This creature was immune to every form of weaponry. It seemed like we were screwed and so was the city. However the light within me manifested. Acting like energy grenades. I'm not sure why this was the only thing that could hurt it considering it used light to evolve into the huge abomination. But i'm not complaining. It took quite a few blasts to bring it down. But i managed. When it died it let out a shockwave that disintegrated all nearby abnormalities not even allowing them to regenerate. Me the sephirah angela the agents and the abnormalities that helped us all managed to get away fast enough to avoid the blast. And thus facility x-394 was gone. A giant monster carcass is what's left of it…we killed it. But it doesn't change the fact that we failed…again. All the sephirah was heart broken or pissed about it. Well except binah. She just seemed to not care like she usually does. Some went so far as to point fingers at me for this. While others defended me. While its true I had no control over that thing. It doesn't change the fact that I created it. Angela then approached me.
"Jon…i may have a way to gather light again…but i need that light you have." angela said as she reached out her hand. Even though everyone was free not was satisfied that our hard work went to shit because of that thing. So i gave her the light. And thus she created a new structure…the library of ruina. However i found myself being teleported back into the city. At my feet was a note.
"I'm sorry to separate you from those you care jon. But i have a task for you with the process incomplete people will instead of manifesting egos will instead become monsters as dangerous as abnormalities. This is known as "the distortion phenomenon." it's time for you to become the white messiah again. While i prepare the library. Protect the people from this phenomenon…i look forward to seeing you again manager…you are the best thing to ever happen to me…i'm sorry and good job -angela." the note read. I noticed solemn lament and mimicry on the ground near me. I picked them up and moved out.
Once again. I'm leaving alone…but i'm not sad…i'm not hurt…i'm not feeling empty…cause this time i know i will see them again…i'm hopeful but for right now….i have a job to do.