The Battle
As they finally went to the secret place, Tylex then paused and turned to face Connor. “I have one more thing to say, before going in Connor. Darkany wanted me to tell you this, before her memories got erased. I’ve been practicing it before you all got here, but it may not sound right. Here goes..”
He took a deep breath and then spoke, “Sílim go bhfuil muid inár n-aonar anois… I-I don’t know what it means, but she believes that you do. So do what you need to do and try to gain her memories ok?” He pat his back, opened the door and ran in with everyone.
As soon as they got in the door slammed shut behind them, and a dark chuckle filled the room around them.
“Well, well, well… It seems that my best-est friend has betrayed me… Typical Tyrone… I knew you would do this to me, so I erased her memories about you on purpose that way if you do betray me. You’ll be the first one to go.”
The team went off to attack but something seemed to hold them down hard. They couldn’t see what it was but the color looked black and it reeked of blood.
“But first a clip of my favorite little doll.”
They all looked up at the screen, that started to appear, and a video started to play. It showed some supplies and a iron brand, in the coal, heating up. “I’ll begin with how I took away so much memories from her mind.”
“Though she bravely tried to fight it at first. I must say she’s such a huge tease and a fighter when we tried to work.”
It then shows Dark trying to break free from the restraints.
“You would’ve been proud at how strong she was. Yet I’m shocked that Tyrone hasn’t done much to her, nor she has ripped an arm off of him. I think they planned something and acted in the torture room. Seems I was right that they worked together to bring you imbeciles here.”
As Tylex ripped the clothes, he held back his tears, then moved her hair away from her chest.
Dark grew nervous as the 500 degree iron grew close to it. Then Dradiax pushed it hard to her chest.
Dark then screamed in agony.
“Oh how I love those screams of agony. Music to my ears mmmmmm~” He moaned
“I kind of feel a little bad for you weaklings. Darkany always tried to call your names, mostly Connor and Garm hehehehe, her screams and cries for their help makes her even more pathetic than before. She even tried to list every name she could remember, while i cut her with my claws. Connor, Garm, Kat, Clock, M, Rudy, Ruby, Roxie, Josh, Lilly, Sam, Analisa, Bret, Sapphire, Logan, Brooke, Tyrelle, Kip, Grim, Spark, Creator, Bo, Tyrone, and many more.”
“But after many serums, cuts, shocks, and burns she finally began to lose her memories about all of you. My project was nearly complete, until I found out about something.”
He then looked at Connor and grabbed him by the neck.
“You tend to mark my toy and claim her as yours? That bite mark you left on her never let me touch her. It brings that horrible shocking pain to my dick and lingers there for hours. Thanks to Slaanesh, she finally unmarked it and now Dark can be mine. I’m really pissed that you came right before i planned to have my fun”
“But it’s fine though.. Hehehehehe.”
He then brought him close, “Because after I’m done killing you and your friends I will fuck her on your corpse and she will scream my name and not yours.”
Dradiaiix then looked at the group, and spotted the familiar owl.
“I gotta say I’m glad your bird friend told me that he didn’t want her with you, and planned to have someone erase your memories of her. Surprised you remembered in two weeks, but it doesn’t matter. This gave me a huge chance to make her my toy. Speaking of toy!”
He then whistled and the sound of heels started to come closer. The black things around them started to loosen and it went out fast. Dradiax turned and made Connor looked at the the doors opening. Everyone else looked at the dark room, and there appeared Darkany.
She looked so….. Sinister, insane, and different. She had too much marks on her body, the burnt skin that had Dradiax’s name on it, tendrils bent in opposite angles, and black blood is pouring down from her head. She also seemed to hold a younger human’s heart that’s still beating…
“ Yͪͣ͛͂̏̈ͪ̓ͤ͊̄̃҉̢̢͍͕̮̲̫̙̼̗̺͙̣͈̙͚̭̫͡ͅę̔̑̾̈ͩͬ͑ͨ̂ͬ̈́ͯ͊ͣͪ̆̚̚͟͜͜͏̼̠̥̤̯̪̭̳͉ͅş̷̛̪̭̙̪̩͎̲̍͂̇͒ͯͫͤ͐̓̃͆́̕ ̨̅͊̋̉̌ͮ͂̊̾̄͊́͘͏̳͍̦̙m̘̬͈͉̰͉̫̤̼͇̱ͯ̐ͤͦ̿ͩͦ͟͞y̵̵̵̸͚͖͍̜͖̗͖̩̜̪̼̪̘̽͌ͨ͆ͣ͡ ̼̜̼̼̻̪̱̻̫̫̦ͫ̽ͪ̈̍̃͗͛͆ͤͮ͊͆̓̆ͮ́͢͞ͅl̡̤̦̯̝̺͎͙̥͈̭̖ͥͦ̐ͪ͟͝ǫͭ̔ͥ̃͌ͪ̄͟͏̵̧͇͈̹̪͎̜̳͖̠͎͚̞̦̪̗r̡͙͉̳̲̮̺̜̹̤̟̜͎͙̀͊̓ͤ́̈́̌̀̂ͨ̉̕͢͡ͅd͙̰͎̮̯̫̤̹̖̗̤̼̖̬̻̈ͬ̉̎͌̿̿̈́͠?̈̐̿̉͒̿̚͟҉̵̘̼̮͓̲̺͖̘̯̫̬͇͍̠̦̟͇̕̕ “ Dark said in a raspy sinister voice.
“Darkany.” Connor said in shock.
@katphantom69 @garmthehellhound @the-works-speakeasy
The darkness was overwhelming. The smell, oh lord that awful smell. Trying to get away was now impossible, something held them down. Kat watched as the horrid demon Dradiax came out of the shadows and sneered wickedly at them. Kat snarled back at him.
“What have you done with Darkany??! Where is she??!”
She growled, hers and Omicrons eyes glowing bright red now with anger. Dradiax just laughed and taunted all of them. He talked of how he tortured her, of how she screamed for them, for them all , in pain and misery. Asshole even showed videos. Kat was seething in rage. She wasn’t the only one. Conner was starting to change and she shivered at the raw power coming off him. It was frightening yet a tad alluring, for no matter her age or many years of training, her demonic power would never even be an ounce as powerful as Conner… a true demon prince. She took a step back worried about him but turned to look as Dradiax called someone forward from behind closed doors.
The clicking of heels slowly filled her ears and the sensation of being held in place lessened until it was no more. Looking up, her eyes widden in shock and fear as she looked at the figure standing infront of them. It was Darkany , but at the same time… it wasn’t. She looked so different, so fucked up… so … broken.
Suddenly the earth beneath their feet trembled as Uncle Owl summoned some ruins. Omicron hissed in warning, she turned back to see Conners body shed away and bring forth Garm…. oh he was pissed. Roaring out with all his might ready to destroy… even the one they were trying to save.
Kat and Omicron looked at each other and nodded. They ran out to help Garm fight but also to keep him away from Dark. The 2 must not fight each other, for if they do one would certainly end up dead.
Dradiax laughed maniacally as he watched the madness unfold. The battle… had begun.
Dradiax smirked as they all looked so shocked and angry, especially Connor, as Dark appeared to the light. He saw them get ready for battle and once Connor transformed and ran at them he tapped his claws together and pointed at him.
Dark then ran at Garm smiling while the black blood flew out of her head. She jumped at him to attack but suddenly was tackled by two of his helpers. Tylex and Kat held her down and tried to keep her away from Garm. Dark hissed and roared in hate and anger and threw them towards the wall. She looked back at Garm ready to attack but felt a force holding her back.
“I c-can’t hold her down much longer Kat. DO SOMETHING!” Tylex yelled, while struggling. Dark screeched in anger moving forward little by little.
Dradiax grumbled at the two holding her back but then focused on Garm and Uncle Owl. He smirked and prepared to fight back.
@garmthehellhound @the-works-speakeasy
Uncle Owl seems completely disinterested with everything going on. He reaches into his vest pocket and produces a silver pocket watch on a matching chain. He clicks it open, and checks the time, sighing. “You’re late, James. Furry Grey one. Knees.”
Suddenly, a single bullet whizzes past Claude, blasting out both of Dradiax’s kneecaps. “How many times I gotta tell you t’ never call me by that name.” A Damned Soul comes riding in on Kip, who doesn’t seem too thrilled about being a horse. “Howdy folks, Name’s Diamondback, most feared desperado this side’a th’ Rio Grand- Least, used t’ be…”
He turns to Uncle Owl and tips his hat. “That debt paid yet?” “Only if we win,” Claude responds with a grimace. “Yessir.” The Damned Bandit spins his pistol’s chamber, removes his cigar and spits. “SHUUUUUUEEE~ When the old bastr’d said you’d be an ugly som’bitch, he sure as Hell wuddn’t lyin’! Y’look like a goat’s carcass got fucked by a leper! Jeeeezus…” he fires another shot into Dradiax’s shoulder, scattering more blood.
Dradiax grunted a little then growled at him, “You think your silly toy gun can defeat me?”
He then tapped his claws once again, alarming Dark, and pointed at Diamondback. “Take care of this cowboy, while I handle the big boy.”
Dark then looked at Diamond and growled more. She tried to break free but Tylex kept her in place. She moved little by little and screeched in anger startling Tylex.
“L̴̪̟̜͕̹̇̂̃̇̃̓͑́͒͛͝E̴̬̽̅͋͊̔̌̿̎̈́͘̚͝͝T̸̟̠͕̦̜̲̯̜͓̭̅͛ͅ ̴̡̞̖̗͑̀͗̊͑̒͂͛̈̅ͅM̸̟̟̙̹͖̦͓̰͚̋̍͑̏̂Ȩ̴̧̪͖̼̜͇̗͓͓͎̫̯̿͌̌͛̈̓͒̌̈̍͘͜͜ ̵̢̩̮̬͍͖͔̩̹͋̈́̅͋̕͜͝G̴̨̪̼̼̞̣̫̯̫͍̲̈́̓̓̀̓̒̊͠Ǫ̵̝͈͇̼̫̥͍͎͙̣͖̬̃̋͛̇̉̿̀ ̶̛̟̫͓̋̓̏̎ͅÝ̵̢̧̧̨̲͈͖̫̺̻̲͙̠͜ͅÖ̶̧̪̈́͗̌͗̋̉̀̑͠Ȗ̵̧̨͚̼͉̘̺̤̱̪̤̗̲̯ͅ ̸̢̢͉̱͎̩̻̤͕̣̃̔̆͐̂̔̈́͜ͅG̷̨̦̙̤̪̗̯̳̱̲̹̥̀͂̈́́͂́͐ͅA̷̘̘͇̟͓͇̓̒̋̒̔̐̈́̓̊͒̋̕͝ͅͅͅY̷̥͒͑̐̀̀͝ ̷̱̬̙̪͕͉̀͆̅̎͊͆̕͜͝A̷̩̪̬͉̿̈̽̐̉̂͊̉́̀́̕͜S̷̡͓̭̝̱̣̑̂̉̿̌́̒̕̚̚̕͜͠Ş̶̬͉͈͉̥̮̰̘͉̽̅͒̇͗̏̉̕ͅ ̵̖̜̮̗̜̫̈́̂̂̍̒̊̈̓̍̍̈́̕ ̵̦̮̮̜́̈́͐͛̀̄͘͝͝͝ͅͅÂ̸̢̛̱̣̦̙̳̗̝͎̬̞̦͔̲̜̒̈̂͛͛̾̈́̌͆́̀̚͘Ń̵̢̼̻̭̰̱̀͆̈́D̵̛͇͔̣̣̔͊͒̈́̂̓̇̓̋͋̊́̐͠ ̸̗̼̦̪̏͒̒̄̒͘̕L̵̡̨̛̝͎͕̗͍̖̟̙̳̙͓̗̒̂̔̑̅̈̌͑̓͛̒͘͝͝E̴͍̘̹̗͍̻͕̠͒̂̐͂͋͊̉̈̀́̈́͝T̶̖̘̤̯̬̪͕̱̟̤̎͂̿ ̷̭̳͓̞̭̙̭͓̅̓͋̕͜͠Ḿ̸̼͙̰̖͉͕͍͐̀̓E̴̻̫̞͈̪̗̻͕̍́̈́́̏̊̆̄͠͝ ̴̢̢̠̫̳̻͉̖̭̣̺̹̅͐̓͗̾͑͜A̷̧̢̦͚͍̰͚̠͇̙̦͚̺͐͋̊̈́̍͠ͅT̶̡̝͈̫͔͔͛̑̉͋͋̈́͌̑͋̈́͘T̵̬̥̝̜̣͈̰̳̩͕̤̙͉͐̍̎̌͌̋̈́͒͊͜Ả̵̦͛́͒͘̕̚Ç̸̮͉̖͌̈́͒̔̒͆̔͊K̸̢̲͇̬̰͍̙̫̬̦̩̮̟͆͒̓ ̴̨̪̝̙͔͎̋͐̽̐̄̓̀̐͜T̴̜̼͈̮͙̙̱̻͎̤̜̰̠̍̅̿͊̒̄̀̆͗͂͗̔̕H̷̨̛͔̪̯̎͒̿̊̋̔̊͜À̸̼̬̩̍́̐̌́̅̈͒̑̕ͅŢ̷̛̛̞̳̖̥͈͍̈́̅̈́̌͗̑̐̐͋̒̕͝ ̷̡̙̠̻̭̹̳̠͐̀͋̅͠͝S̸̡̢̡̞̲̞̘̬̿͒͒͗̏͜Ǒ̶̙̮͙̭̈͒̄̂̀̂̒͠N̴̼̋̓́̂̌ͅ ̴̧͕̯̝̪̮̱̟̳͛̏͗̈́̽̏͘͜Ǒ̶̧̘̗̙͎̠̫͆͆̂̔͋̈́̏́͘F̴̧̛͖̙̫͍̼͎̖͌̌̑͒̆̇ ̵̡̩̮̠̜̝͇̼̲̀̀̋͋̔̔̿̂͗͌̎͘͜͠ͅẢ̵͍̬͇̐͐̌̎ ̸̲̗͉͚͕̻͈̪͋̑̃͛̋͛̀͛͋́̓͘̚B̷̛̖͔̥̦̣̣͉͛͐͛̽̀́̾͑̀̆͠Ï̶̛͙̝̘͖̔́̔̂̑̄͋̌̈́͋̾͑̐͜Ț̶̲̝̮̈́̊̏͆̽̉̐͊͐͑̔͘͝͝C̶̨̧̢̮̫̱̞͔̼̜͍̾͌̔̏Ḩ̵̨̛͉͓̠̞̫̱̝̇͂̿̉͊̄̽̌̋̉̍͝͝ͅ!̵̨̛̛͙̳̲͇̣̠̤̠̞̬̩̘̉̓̇͐̊͐̏̓̀͊̿͝!̶̢͍͎͇͈͎̤̟͈̲̊̓̊̌̕̚!̴̧̛͔̯͔͒̀͗̏́̌̌̌!̷̛̮̫͖̠͉͈̝̃̏̇͒̈́̕͜!̶̧̺̞͑̓̿̐!̴̨͈̜̮̬͔̊!̸̢̗̗̫̦̣̟̅̀͆̐̊̽́̄́̊̕͜͠͠͝ͅ!̸̩͉̞̗̭̹͖̦̙͉̾͑͆̎͌͆̀̀́̀̐!̴͖͙̹̣͚̫̻̖̳͎͗̎́̎̏̎̂͒́̽͝!̷̢̬̩̰̔͂̒̈́̐̀̈̀͋͜”
Diamondback levels his pistol at Darkany. “Y’know, I ain’t never shot a lady before… tell me when boss!”
“Not her. We need her alive, the Goat on the other hand… I’ll debate that later.”
Kat snarled and made Omicron coil around Dark tightly to hold her in place.
“Grrr! I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold her Tylex!”
She said as she jumped out of Garms way.
Tylex ran towards Dark and held her face, “DARK PLEASE!! Remember us Dark!!”
Dark screeches at him in anger trying to break free from Omicron.
Tylex thinks for more ideas but then holds her in an embrace, “I won’t give up on you Darkany. No matter what you do to me I’ll never give up!!”
Dark growls at him and bites him hard on the shoulder, ripping chunks of skin from it, making Tylex cry out in pain. She struggled and struggled to break free and kept ripping chunks of skin off his shoulder.
Tylex held her tight and calmly said, “Remember you always do that when we first met? You always seemed so feisty at times and evil at the same time… When we first met I always thought you were a guy hehe.. but then after seeing your face….. I fell in love with you.”
Dark screeches and tries to fight against his embrace.
“I always tried to impress you, but surely it never worked. I became so angry that you never accepted my love for you, but then I suddenly realized that I need to let you go….”
While tears fall from his eyes, he held on to her tighter, “You fell for someone, that isn’t me, and I need to accept that. I… I still love you Dark b-but… I’m letting you go…”
The ground shook with the force of Garm’s charge. Dradiax turned to face “the big boy” as he put it but his look of readiness quickly turned into one of dismay and horror at the sheer size of his foe. Garm gave a sudden leap forward that closed the distance, and Dradiax has just enough time to get his own blades up. They collided and both went rolling, Garm, Quickly recovering his footing and unleashing a barrage of attacks. Dradiax was a good, but this was like fighting against the tide, like trying to stop the wind. He got his blades up for most but others landed and tore into him. And he howled in pain and fury
Yes, this is what he wanted. Bloodshed, violence, it was his heaven, his nirvana, and he was the lord of his realm. His enemy lunged with his long curved blade but Garm turned his right side and hooked the blade along with the arm it was attached too with the hook of his axe. Dradiax was pulled off his feet and he went tumbling to the ground, but Garm was not done. He raised his left axe and brought it down on the pinned arm. There was a beautiful arc of blood as the arm went flying and sailed into the air with the force of the blow. Dradiax howled as his blade arm was severed.
Garm gave an inhuman laugh as the blood flowed. The pain in his head wasn’t gone, there was was more work to be done, and death to deal out. Dradiax opened his mouth and there was suddenly a piercing scream that made the walls reverberate with sonic force. And suddenly the pain Garm’s head was redoubled. His foe wasn’t down yet and that sonic scream bought him precious moments to get away. But the hell Hound doesn’t let his prey get away, they can run but not hide. He would bring this whole place down if it meant killing.
Omicron didn’t lose his grip as Tylex jumped on him to try and calm Dark down. Kat jumped away avoiding the clash of the two other demons. The walls trembled and cracked sending rocks tumbling all around them. Jumping away, Kat landed besides Uncle Owl and looked over at him.
“Now what do we do?!”
She asked concerned and in fear. Omicron was getting slashed a bit and wouldn’t last much longer.
As Dradiax screeched tylex let go and held his head in pain. This gave Dark the chance to escape and then struggled once more. Omicron used all his might to hold her down, but after many slashes he lost his grip a little and Dark took control.
Dark freed herself and charged at the first thing that harmed her master.
Garm.
She roared, and jumped on his face to grab hold of his hair. She then started to use her tendrils to hold him down and wrap her legs around his neck. This didn’t harm him, but it’s distracting him that way Dradiax can gain more strength to fight back.
“DARK NO! THAT’S YOU LOVER YOU’RE FIGHTING!!!!!” Tylex cried out to her. ‘This can’t be happening. We need to gain her memories back before it’s too late! But how?!’
“Simple. First we need to render her unconscious, After that I can work on her.”
A scream of rage, and something leapt on to him and stabbed his midriff and clung on to him by the neck. The wounds closed as soon almost as soon as the were opened. Something was wrapping itself around him attempting to strangle him and restrict his movements. Better to try and put out a fire with oil than this. Dropping one of his axes and with a surge of strength he grabbed on to her and pried her off. No matter how strong, clever, or determined you were, there was always someone worse. She struggled and screamed as he held her by the arms and tendrils. She was going no where.
He squeezed. and something popped in her arms and the scream of rage became a scream of pain as blood dripped from her crushed arms and crushed tendrils and into her eyes.
Garm laughed, and the walls, laughed, and the blood god laughed with him.
Something was tugging on his head. Another annoyance. He dropped his other axe to swat at it but it did no good. Something else was in front of his face. A small something, like a little ghost. They were all crying and screaming at him to stop. The tugging on his head became more incessant as they pulled on him to stop.
He blinked at them, he knew these little ones. Why? Where? Why where they trying to stop him from killing his prey? It was his right! He was the strongest! They began to whisper something to him, and to the woman.
“Sílim go bhfuil muid inár n-aonar anois.”
And suddenly everything clicked into place.
Dark screams in pain as her arm begins to bleed. Luckily she still can heal from it, but it’ll take a while. Then suddenly a small ghost appeared in front of her. She hissed at it and tried to swipe it away, but something in her tried to stop her.
The small crying ghost floated beside her and whispered, “Sílim go bhfuil muid inár n-aonar anois.”
Dark’s eyes widened in shock.
‘I… I think we’re alone now’ , She thought in her head.
She shut her eyes tight, screeching, and holding her head in pain, as memories started to appear. It kept going, like a shit ton of water going in a water balloon fast.
“G̩̘̬̣͇̬̪A͇̬͙̲̳͝ͅA̻͇͡ẠA̖A̟̫H̤̟͙͉͢ ̗̙͔Ţ͉̺̤H̭͇̱͟E͓͝ ͚̩͍̹͙́F̰̘U̯̙̦̗̮ͅC̪͎̹̺͔K͓̠̺̠̼̝͓̀ D̴̺̟̤̻̳ͅͅI͖̼̗̳̪̺͜D̬͍̙͜ͅ ̳͖̞͢Y̧͎̮͚̤O̯U͏͍͓̲̟ D̡̞͓̙̖̣O͈̯͓̼̖̼̗ ̙̙̝͍̟̣̲͡T͔͍̗͟O̼͚̤̳͎̖̗ ̘͕̥͙͉̗̳M̗̤͚͚͙̜̤E͈͓̘Ḛ̛̳̖̖̱͔E͙̹̬̦E҉̙̞!҉͎͚̫͉!͙̼̲!̴̰͉̼ͅ!͢!̠̰̲͎̪̥͙͢!̣̲̟̼̻͈”
Something shifted In Garm’s brain and the sea of pain subsided, just a little. He recognized her now. And a wave of horror and shock spread over him. He loosened his grip enough but also enough to still firm and gently set her down.
Dradiax had retreated back further into this lair, and he would get his soon enough. But right now his full attention was on Dark.
Garm opened his mouth and hoarse words came cracking out through a bloodied throat.
“D-Darkany.”
She clutched her head more and then her eyes snapped open. She remembered everything. Her friends, her other side, her children, and her lover.
She remembered when she opened the door and saw him dancing and lip sync to that song. The way he looked…. The way he sound.. “Well, hello?”
She remembered his other side too. The buff, tall, scary man that she knew and loved as well.
She felt the grip loosen from Garm and the way he set her down gently. She remembered how he always became gentle, whenever she or everyone is around him. Thanks to Connor.
“D-Darkany.”
She looked up at her lover and held his hand, that was holding her gently, and said through a soft yet raspy voice.
“I remember Garm. I remember you, Connor, our children, and friends.”
Diamondback spits into the dust and coughs. “Hellooooooooooo? We’re in the middle of a battlefield and I sure as hell ain’t gonna stop tah puke! Can we wrap this up yet, cuz I gotta debt to pay.”
Dark looked at Diamond with a small glare, “Then go get him Woody. You, Kat, Tylex, and Owl can go battle him. Weaken him more, if you can.”
She looks up at Garm, and rubs his neck gently with her tendrils. Then she looked back at Kat and Tylex and gave them a thumbs up.
Tylex ran and hugged her tight, “I’m so glad you’re back!”
“Don’t touch me, or I’ll rip your arms off.” Dark said seriously yet jokingly. “You do what you need to do, and once you’re done your lover will be safe.”
Tylex nodded and went to go fight Dradiax, “I know where he went, follow me!”
Garm nodded at Tylex but then turned back to Darkany.
“ @katphantom69, Uncle Owl ( @the-works-speakeasy)take Dark and get out of here. She’s in no condition to fight.”
He then pulled open small pouch on his belt and carefully pulled out a long glove and handed it to Darkany.
“The bairns missed you.” And he pressed his forehead to hers, “and I missed you too.”
He turned then to diamondback and Tylex , and hefted his axes.
“We’ve got some hunting to do.”
Tylex led them deeper into the sanctum, through spiraling caverns smelling of sulfur. Occasionally a wail from one of the lost souls above could be heard. It was hell after all.
“The final room is just up ahead.” Tylex said feeling his way through the darkness.
They then rounded a corner, but instead of room there a large hole in the wall.
“I- don’t…” Tylex Stammered, “This wasn’t here…”
“Well.” said diamondback, “looks like our quary has a few surprises still. C’mon big guy.”
Garm nodded and stooped slightly passing through the hole.
The tunnel seemed to go on for what felt like a mile, occasionally the trio would find spots of blood on the ground. Dradiax has obviously been this way. It wasn’t long however before a pinkish glow could be seen up ahead.
It was then they saw it. It looked like an obsidian black altar, Dradiax slumped against it an odd smile on his goatish face.
“Well, you took long enough.” He said through bloody teeth.
“Dradiax,” Tylex said, “it’s over. We’ve lost.”
Dradiax only snarled “I haven’t lost anything you traitorous bastard! Always following the strong because you’re too weak to do anything for yourself. That’s you Tylex! A failure!”
Tylex narrowed his eyes “I am not a failure! I’ve been in your shadow for too long following whaf you’ve been after. Today I started living for myself.”
Diamond back gave a huff, and suddenly a loud gunshot echoed. And Dradiax gave a sudden help of pain before he felll forward, a bullet hole right between his eyes. Both Garm and Tylex suddenly turned surprise and shock clear on their faces.
“You were droning on. I hate those moments where everyone needs to get their feelings across. Just kill the fuckers and have done.”
“But that take all the fun out of it!” And all three of them whirled to see Dradiax getting shakily to his hooved feet.
It was at that moment they noticed the wires and cables attached to his back like some kind of bizzare life support. The lights came on then, and they saw what this room was meant for. Hundred of large glass tubes each one filled with a flourecent pink fluid and person. The same person. Every single one of the tubes, contained a perfect copy of Darkany. All of them in their tubes hooked up to the very machine keeping Dradiax alive. Each one looked as though they could be sleeping. Abruptly they all opened their eyes and stared in unison at the trio. All of them had a vacant dead expression, as if eyeing a stone on the ground or an ant crawling on a log.
Tylex looked around in horror, everywhere he looked her dead eyes where upon him there was only one question he could think of “Why?”
“Because she is mine.” Dradiax laughed, “no matter what you do, no matter where you go, she will always be mine.”
Garm felt the fire inside of him grow to volcanic fury. These copies were not his love, these were empty shells made for the sole purpose of owning the woman he loved. If he did anything today, he would see this place burn.
Diamondback whistled, “Well now, I’ve seen some crazy shit in my time, but this takes the cake.”
“Soulless, every last one of them.” Claude says, appearing from the entryway, Diamondback swearing under his breath due to the shock. “They aren’t even alive. He’s replicated the body, but such a primitive setup can’t replicate it all. Fitting. A primitive machination made by a primitive being.”
He turns to Garm and Tylex. “You two should go. He’ll be here soon, and we wouldn’t want him to get distracted.”
Dradiax laughed evily and then tapped his claws. Half of the clones looked and him, once Dradiax pointed at the boys they all looked at them with no expressions. They climbed out of their individual tubes and seemed to eye them spiderlike as they crawled along the walls. And then seeming all at once they kept at them, silent as shadows.
“Too late!” Roared Garm!
Tylex held most of them, with his powers. He then got bitten in the leg and screamed in pain. He stomped on the clones head which exploded in black liquid.
Garm had no qualms about killing these lesser versions of his love. There was only one for him and she wasn’t here. And none of these fakes could ever compare. He let his axes fly in a flurry of steel and a shower of black oil-like sludge, the pink fluid, broken glass from the tubes.
A hail of Hellish Steel sinks into Dradiax’s legs.
“Well now, It’d be rude tuh cut an’ run now, Mangy! Party’s jus gettin’ started!”
The Clones lunge at the Gunslinger, But pass through him. He laughs at them.
“Smoke is smoke, stupid!”
Claude sighs and checks his pocketwatch.
“We don’t have time for this. He’ll be here in forty seconds.”
Dradiax growls in pain, while getting healed. He doesn’t have enough strength to become stronger.. He may need help from Slaanesh.
Tylex tore through many clones growling in anger, “What else has he been keeping behind my back?!” He saw many clones at once, and used power to shield himself from them. He looked at the other and yelled, “WE NEED MORE BACK UP!”
“That’s time.”
A large plasma bolt sinks into Dradiax’s leg, then exploding, blowing most of it off and scorching the flesh on his arm. The Slayer has arrived.
Dradiax howled in pain but the machine quickly began regeneration of his severed limbs.
Garm continued to swing wildly with his axes, becoming whirlwind of blades. Diamond and Ceaseless wheel opened fire with a barrage of bullets. Uncle owl and Tylex created a barrier where no one the clones or Dradiax could escape from. The problem was the the clones just kept on coming!
“Garm!” Someone shouted and he turned to see @katphantom69 in her beast form Darkany clinging to her back running down the tunnel towards the fight with the children following close behind.
“Sorry!” Kat called as she lept into the fray, “She can be very persuasive!”
Dark wouldn’t accept a no for an answer. Kat soon found herself charging into the battle into her beast form.
“Sorry!”
She said to Garm
“She can be very persuasive!”
She snarls as she used her claws to slash the dark clones in half. Omicron curled around some and bit them in half. She charged more as Dark rode on her back slicing clones with her tendrils in disgust.
The boys looked at the girls shocked, for sure Garm is going to be pissed a little. “HEY DRADIAX!!” Dark yelled
Dradiax looked and saw Darkany pissed. Dark jumped off of Kat’s back and tackled him down, “YOU SON OF A BITCH THINK YOU CAN MAKE CLONES OF ME?! I DON’T THINK SO!”
“USE THE KIDS!” Tylex yelled Dark then pulled out her glove and her kids appeared.
Dradiax smirked, “You think they can handle destroying the clones that look like their mother?”
Dark chuckled, “Yeah. Because those clones smell like your ugly ass.”
The kids smiled and started to attack some clones, ripping them up piece by piece. It gave Uncle Owl and Tylex a chance to take a breather and fight again.
(Enough bearing around the bush time to finish this saga)
As the lifeless clones fell all of them have a howl of ecstasy that set Garm’s teeth on edge. The blood that fell from they was a sickening black tinged with pink. The smell of discharged gunfire and plasma from Diamondback and Ceaseless wheel as well as the stent of gore. It was utter chaos, but with his comrades, his family behind him, he knew this was a victory.
All of the clones fell left and right, bu gunshot, by teeth, and by his axes. However that’s when Garm saw that Dradiax, his eyes open and glowing a familiar purple-pink. was destroying his own machine. His wounds had healed enough but perhaps it was just a momentary burst of strength. That’s when he noticed what was behind the machine, a tall marble statue of a lithe, tall, feminine figure. He knew that being all too well.
“Lady Slaanesh!” Dradiax called out, “Prince of Pleasures, She who Thirsts, Great Lord of Excess! Hear me!”
There was a new feeling in the air of something sickeningly sweet. The Clones at once seemed to feel it like a rush of pleasure, and all them moaned and groped whatever was closest to hand. Even if they died while doing so, they cried out in pure sensory overload. A pink sheen had risen around them. Uncle owl pulled a small handkerchief from his vest pocket and covered his mouth as he coughed out whatever he was breathing. Diamondback remained unaffected but he felt a strange tingling running up his bones. Primal was moanig out a bizzare purr, and Kat was doing the same. Even ceaseless wheel with his helmet having air purifiers seemed to be slightly reeling. Garm shook his head in confusion as his rage seemed to dwindle and Dark breathed heavy as though under a great strain. Only the Children seemed unaffected as they flew about their mother in worry.
From all around a silky voice resonated and even its voice seemed to send rushes of disgusting pleasure through the crowd.
“Dradiax, my sweet child.”
Some of the clones began visibly mutating at the mere sound of the voice, their hands becoming elongated crab like claws or whip like tentacles, still making their exhilaration of primal pleasure. In that voice, Garm felt the experiences of all who had over endulged themselves in all manner pleasures. He saw a woman taking another line of cocaine off a mirror, a morrbidly obese man gorging himself on food, a couple in the throes of violent sex. And under it all, drive for pure perfection of the senses. To experience something to pure and perfect, that all pales in comparison.
“My lord, my god, my true master!” Dradiax called, snapping Garm’s attention back to the present and the rapidly mutating clones crawling over his body. He slashed at them, crushes them, and saw othersstruggling amidst the tides of sensory overload.
“I pray, I plea, give me the power! Give me the strength to destroy my enemies! Let me kill them, and I will give their souls to you my lord!” Dradiax cried, his body writhing with pleasure as the spectral body of Slaanesh stroked his face. Slaanesh cooed and tittered at him and petted his chest, making him seemingly start bucking.
“My sweet, you know the rules. In order to gain, something must be given in return.”
“Yes! Yes, my goddess! Anything you ask! I will give these souls to you!” Dradiax gestured at Garm and the others.
“Mm.” Slaanesh pouted, her voice sultry. “Their souls are not yours give. You must give me something you have claimed as your own. You know of what I speak of.”
Dradiax was whimpering as he writhed to the Prince of Pleasures’ touch.
“I- I- I can’t!” He moaned, and there was more than just pleasure in his tone, there was deep pain and hunger. Garm was too busy cutting through more clones, now true Daemonettes of Slaanesh, helping others regain composure, all the while fighting off the influence of Slaanesh, to notice the exchange. Claude ran up, still coughing and tapped his cane on the ground, and cleared a bubble of space in the air around the team. Abruptly the clones reverted back to mere humans, what’s more their screams went from pleasure to agony as their forms melted to black goo, without the powers of Slaanesh in the bubble of void Claude created, they could not hold their forms.
“What evah’ you need to do, be quick about it! I can’t hold this freak off long!”
From inside the bubble of void, they couldn’t be touched by Slaanesh. Diamondback and Ceaseless wheel stood up and shook off the feelings they’d been having, Diamondback experiencing what life felt like again, and Ceaseless Wheel feeling a strangle calm fall over him that dulled his rage. But now both had looks of rage.
Garm pointed to the two of them and then at Dradiax. They both understood and raised their guns. From inside the bubble they had the best chance. Both of them raised their guns and fired, only for the Daemonettes outside the bubble to throw themselves into the oncoming fire, exploding in gore.
“Well?” Slaanesh’s voice cooed as they stroked Dradiax, his body in both in the midst of unspeakable pain and pleasures.
“Y-y- yes.” Dradiax whispered his voice a mix of slobbering and gibbering madness
“What was that?” Slaanesh teased “Yes?”
“Yes! YES!” Dradiax finally roared finally achieving release from Slaanesh, but his screams didn’t stop. They reached higher to octaves that no one should ever reach. The gang all covered their ears and screamed in pain as their ears split, bones rattled, and Claude dropped the bubble, unable to fight off the wave sound. And underneath it all, the mad laughter of the Prince of Pleasures.
When Garm opened his eyes he looked up to see Dradiax being lifted into the air by the essence of Slaanesh. Dark and the Children had run up to stand beside Garm, ready for whatever was coming. She looked up at him and smiled, ready to fight by her lover.
Instead a bright pink beam of light shot through the air and struck Darkany directly in the heart. Her face still had a shocked expression as it hit the ground. The children couldn’t even get out a scream of horror before they vanished in a puff of mist.
The entire group was silent, at first. Then Garm let out a roar, a roar such primal fury and agony it set the walls rattling the force of which made the Daemonettes cower. The scream of sound from Dradiax had been piercing and conveyed such pleasure it hurt. This however echoed with the emotions of rage, it was like a thunderclap. It echoed throughout the halls, blowing the roof off the cavern and a great fire erupted across hell at the fury of the son of Khorne.
Dradiax still in the pink light of Slaanesh began his hideous change. The Daemon Prince of Slaanesh had come.
(Part 2 coming later today, feel free to add on your own perspectives from this part)
Blackwell’s bones still hummed with the energy Slaanesh had infected him with.
When it left him, he thought about why it made him so sad. He had never been a good man, he’d always been a sinner, a theif and a murderer. Whatever Slaanesh did to him, it brought him back to that, That sickly sweet taste of sin. It felt good.
But it was wrong. He knew it was wrong. He wouldn’t accept whatever daemonic offer he, she, or it had. He’d suffered too long, been redeemed just enough to taste what being truly good felt like.
And deep in his soul, there came a burning feeling he couldn’t quite describe. It felt like he was on fire, it hurt like hell, but it came with it the purification of whatever almighty he had experienced.
It was burning away his sins.
JAMES BUCHANAN BLACKWELL
A voice called out, clear, calm, stern and precise. A woman’s voice.
YOU HAVE LED A LIFE OF SIN, BUT YOUR DESIRE FOR RETRIBUTION HAS STOKED THE FLAMES.
The burning feeling got stronger, Blackwell dropped to his knees. His chest felt like a furnace had opened up and poured molten steel into his heart, which spread through his veins and coated him in burning metal. Blazing energy shot out through his empty eye sockets and screaming mouth.
Now surrounded by fire and smoke, chains snaked their way and wrapped themselves around his arms and across his chest, diving into the inferno.
WELCOME TO THE GHOST RIDERS.
The inferno shrunk to fit under his new clothes, black leather and denim, steel chains and blackened bones. He laughed with a voice like a crackling flame, deep and menacing with his signature southern drawl. He donned his black hat, dust evaporating and holes mending.
James Blackwell was gone.
Now there was only Ghost Rider.
The screams of the three, warriors coalesced into one bellowing chorus of rage. The Ghost Rider, the Slayer, and the Son of Khorne.
Garm held Darkany in his arms as his back ignited in hellfire making his wings burn. He held Darkany is his arms her pale face, still a look of shocked confusion. It had been so sudden, he hadn’t even had a chance to say anything before it happened.
Suddenly her body was lifted out of his arms and pulled away, towards the now glowing Dradiax. Garm reached for her but it was like his face hit against a wall, he screamed and roared in animalistic, primal fury, but he was fighting against the will of the chaos god of pleasures itself, and their will would not be broken. The Ghost Rider and the Slayer both attempted to break through wall but to no avail.
“Yes!” Cried Slaanesh “Such magnificent pain, such exquisite agony of death and rebirth!” They’re voice was one in the midst of great pleasure, but for the three it only doubled their rage.
Kat helped Claude sit up while Primal continued to fight off the Darkany Daemonettes, protecting them both, but it was Claude who saw it first. At first only whisks of black shadows coming from Darkany’s body but soon it was like a flood gate opened as he realized it was her entire essence, her power, her souls being drained into ths light of Slaanesh. And worst of all, as to happened, she let out a wail, a final death rattle, and was then truly, and utterly still.
“Sh- she wasn’t dead yet.” Claude coughed as he watched the scene unfold.” Kat looked up at everything and couldn’t help it, she cried for everything. The unfairness of it all, the cruelty of it all.
At the back of the group silent tears fell down the face of Tylex. Covered in gore of the Daemonettes he’d been fighting. This is what he’s been fighting for all that time he’s worked with Dradiax. Dark was dead, truly and wholly dead. In the end, Dradiax used her up, just as he did with everyone and cast them aside. He’d known all along he would do the same to him in the end. However, in this moment, it had never felt more of a reality.
“The new son, is born!” Cried the prince of pleasure, “Arise and stand Demon Prince!”
Suddenly, the light burst apart like bird breaking from an egg. Leathery wings unfurled from the light, the large figure of the prince, and a deep throaty laugh came from beyond the wings. A lithe snake like tail uncurled, with thick barbs dripping with poison at the tip. Four arms stretch out, each one tipped with instruments of pain, a scythe blade, a stabbing fork, a crab like claw, and a hand with five long whips for fingers. From under the wings, an enormous mouth could be seen, filled with row upon row of shark like tears. Most disturbing of all of this, was the mouth itself which was split disgustingly wide, all the way down to his chest. It turned to the trio and the large mouth turned up into a smile and it unleashed its long tongue, and it laughed in the way only madmen can.
“Now, my child, kill them for your lord.” Slaanesh cooed.
Suddenly the wall blocking off the three Warrior was broken, and the three of them charged; the ghost rider blasting fire, the slayer firing a barrage of plasma, and Garm raising his now flaming axes and letting fly blow after blow of berserk force. All found their mark, all had no effect.
Dradiax laughed again and lashed out with his whips and poisoned tail. The wounds had no effect on either Garm or the Ghost Rider, but the slayer felt the poison, and dropped his gun as his skin blistered and popped, dissolving away. The slayers rage would not be stopped however, and fighting through the pain biting it way into bone, he fired again.
The crap claw arm reached out suddenly and grabbed the Ghost rider in its iron pincers, and it slowly began to crush and break the Rider. In response the rider turned up the heat attempting to cook the the chitonous shell, but it was like trying to heat tungsten, showing little to no effect. His screams of fury turned to screams of pain as he felt as his bones crack as though he was being crushed by a slow hydraulic press.
Garm hacked and slashed, his own demonic axes seeming to have the best effect against Dradiax’s skin, however the tail acted as both weapon and shield, often turning away blows, while the blade and fork moved in rapid succession like a fencers foil. The two traded blows, each wounding the other, both rapidly healing.
“In the end, cousin,” Dradiax sneered, his voice a sickening grate of flesh, “looks like we both get Darkany. I get her life and powers, and you can have whatever is left of her corpse!”
And like that the two flew at each other, both a twisting, roaring mass of blades, claws and teeth. The air around them was filled with blood and fury. The Slayer joined the brawl, his left arm hanging by thread, and in his other his crucible sword. Dradiax threw the Ghost Rider then and he went flying and crashed into the wall. Too broken to continue, beyond shooting trying to shoot from his position. The blade of the crucible actually did real damage against Dradiax’s toughen hide, these didn’t heal as fast, but the pain was starting to get to him, no longer something he could move aside with his rage. Before long he too collapsed.
Garm swung with his axes and used his teeth, the battle making him stronger, but the pain seemed to only Dradiax just as strong. The two were polar opposites, yet seemed to fuel each other’s own powers. They slammed against each other making machines and rocks fall all around the group.
“Get the other two! We need to leave before they bring this whole place down on all of us!” Claude called out. Tylex, using his powers stopped many of the falling rocks and machines that threatened to crush the group. Kat, tears streaming from her eyes ran up and got the Slayer, clutching what remained of his arm and she began helping him back towards entrance. Primal gently lifted the Rider up on to his back being careful not to damage him further.
“Die!” Dradiax roared Garm’s stabbing sides, showering both in a stream of gore, “Die, you fucker!” Garm didn’t seem to feel it, instead he drove his axes deeper Dradiax’s shoulder, tearing away bone as well as flesh. All the whole both seemed to bring the entire place crashing down, the very ground shaking from the force of their war.
As the two fought, the group hurried to get out of the chambers they raced through the caverns trying to get away from the force of the battle. As they left Kat looked over her shoulder at Darkany’s body. Claude seems to read her mind, as he limped away, trying to drag the slayer with him.
“We can’t go back for her, we need to go!” Claude shouted.
“But-” Kat began,
“No time! We’ve gotta move!” Claude retorted.
Tylex blinked away the tears as tried to use his powers, but it was getting harder and harder to maintain focus, suddenly the cavern ceiling gave an enormous crack as it started to fall, he reaches out and stopped it, but had to continue holding it.
“Go! All of you, go!” He cried and the group had to double time to get through.
Dradiax’s mouth finally found good purchase and he bit down hard, his razor teeth ripping a massive amount of flesh off Garm’s chest and this was more than he could heal in one go. Dradiax drank of Garm’s blood and his pain he could taste agony. He laughed and he knew he’d win.
Tylex knew he couldn’t hold the ceiling up any longer and his powers slipped as the rocks began to fall. And like a domino effect as they began to fall so too did more. Kat looked up and screamed as she and Primal tried to cover the group up as best the could, but they all knew, this was the end.
Suddenly all sound stopped. All was still, nobody, or anything moved. Down the hall, a well dressed man, with Anatolian features walked down the cavernous tunnel towards the group. He looked at Claude and smiled a sad smile.
“What a pair we make.” He said “Both trying to fix timelines we know to be inevitable, both unable to forgive ourselves for it.”
He reached out then and in shimmer of golden light the group was gone. He continued to walk down the broken collapsing tunnel, sometimes jumping over, or stooping under large chunks of rock that were about make impact with the ground. He entered the end chamber to see the blood bath all around with the bodies of Darkany Daemonettes, the two demon princes in the midst of combat, and finally, Darkany herself laying on the ground, her face a mask of agony. He looked at her sadly, before running a hand over her face, smoothing it to one of sublime sleep and peace. He looked up then and saw the two battling each other and frowned even deeper. He’d come because he felt the warp presence of a new Demon Prince, but this was perhaps more than he bargained for. He didn’t like helping Garm, but here in hell the afterlife, the warp, call it what you will, his powers weren’t limited like they were on the material plane. He shone his light on Garm and he too was gone. He looked at Dradiax and cursed him for everything he’d done.
He punched Dradiax then, and when time renewed the force would drove him into an open portal that he’d created, sending him deeper into the immaterial plane. Lastly he walked to Darkany and cradled her head in his hand.
“You have suffered the most from this, you are innocent in this, yet you have also committed great atrocities against mankind.” The Anatolian said. “We’re it not for the fact I owe your man a favor for what I did, I would not take you out of here.” He said.
He knew she couldn’t hear him, but he still felt they were words that needed to be said. He picked her up then, and carried her away. As he walked, he heard the whispers of the four lords of chaos. Even with time at a standstill, the whispered in hatred of him.
“Anathema.” The called him.
But, the Anatolian, the Anathema, The Emperor turned his back to them. They would not win this day, and he wouldn’t even both giving them a response. And he opened a gate out of hell, and stepped through.
(Part 3 will be coming up tomorrow)
Death and Rebirth
Garm blinked as he felt his wounds heal. The scene around them had changed. Gone was the darkness and the machines, the daemonettes, even the overwhelming pressure of hell. Instead he stood in a large field. Slow rolling hills crested the horizon as the sun slowly set across a perfect deep blue sky. Somewhere, the bleating of sheep could be heard. In the distance a cottage house stood at the end of a dirt road. He turned and saw the whole group.
“W-where are we?” Tylex asked.
“My home, in Northumberland county England.” Someone said, and everyone turned to find the Emperor, cradling Darkany’s body in his arms.
Garm gripped his axes ready for a fight, but one look from the Anatolian, and he felt his body shrink back to human.
“Now, now. I didn’t bring you out of there just to fight you.” He said, and his voice carried the weight of a father warning children against misdeeds.
The Emperor walked towards Connorx who found he had no strength left to hold up his axes. Gently, the Emperor laid her body down on the grass.
“I’m so sorry.” He said to Connor, and he meant it. “For all my power, I can’t raise the dead if their soul is gone.”
The Emperor turned to Claude, who only shook his head sadly.
Connor looked up at the Anatolian, and felt his eyes go misty. Something came up in his throat and he tried to push it down, but couldn’t. A sob escaped and another. He collapsed, he couldn’t stand anymore. Looking at her body, he saw the the Emperor had healed the burn mark on her chest, taking away Dradiax’s name. Her face no longer looked in pain, it was as calm as a peaceful as if she were asleep. Connor, looked up to the sky, unable to look at her stillness, and wailed. But the sky had no answer to give, save for a returning echo across the English countryside.
Kat clung to Claude as she sobbed, and clutched his sweater vest. She cursed and swore but He could do nothing else but hold her as a slow tear rolled down his own face.
The Ghost Rider had no words, he was no stranger to grief and loss, but it never got any easier seeing it happen. The Slayer too had no words to give. He saw that his arm had been restored, and that was good. But seeing the grieving demon prince over his lover, he couldn’t say he felt all that bad. More over he felt cheated, that he was unable to finish his fight. Although, he did have to admit, even though he knew what Connor was, his cries hold only pure human grief.
Primal went to Connor and could only nudge him gently. He didn’t like Darkany, but he had remembered how kind Connor had been. And despite his misgivings about her, somehow he understood that Connor had loved her deeply. He let out a sad growl and gently rested his head on Connor’s lap, trying to give what little comfort he could.
Tylex too looked up at the sky. He shed silent tears as his head swam with the irony of it all. Had he been able to accept that Dark loved another, had he not sold out his very soul for Dradiax’s cause. He cursed his own cowardice, and dug his fingers so hard into his palms they bled. He knew the pain he felt then was only a fraction of what he deserved. But his mind turned then, as he remembered someone did care about him. He had achieved what he’d sought after for so long. And yet, even as he thought ofJolene, he knew that despite everything, he deserved to be alone.
“Hey!” A voice cried out from across the hills. And people turned, and a few mouths fell open. Connor wiped away the tears and for a moment it was as though he was seeing double.
“Dark?” He whispered.
No, it wasn’t. The figure coming over the hills wore a faded yellow dress, and worse thick eyeglasses that highlighted her deep brown eyes. Her face was the same as Darkany, but it carried more kindness to it. A large denim book bag had been slung over her shoulder and she jogged to the group.
Kat was the first to realize who it was.
“Tiff!” She yelled as she ran toward her friend. She threw herself into Tiffany’s arms, and her sobs redoubled.
“Darkany, she’s- she…” And the sobs came again.
“I know,” Tiffany said sadly, “I could feel it when it happened. But that’s also why I came. Mal, Red, and Grim brought me here with these.” And she gestured to her bag, “I think I can save her.”
The looks of shock and hope filled amongst the crowd. Even the Emperor’s face showed surprise at the sudden turn in events.
She pulled opened a black leather bound book and both Tylex and The Emperor recognized it.
“Where did you get that?” The Emperor asked.
“It was the old time that held told the magic for creating dark side demons. I got it from the old cult that created Darkany to begin with.” She showed it to him and he read along.
The Emperor’s Anatolian features went from confused, to worried, then hopeful, and then worried again.
“Girl-” He began but then corrected himself, “Tiffany, are you sure? I can help with this but it’s still dangerous.”
She looked at Connor, and to Tylex, and to everyone.
“Yes.” She nodded.
“Alright,” and he nodded back at her, and he pointed to Connor, “Pick her up,” he said gesturing at Darkany’s body. “We need to do this inside my lab!”
(Final part coming later tonight)
The heart monitor in the laboratory beeped steadily with Tiffany’s heart beat as she slept a dreamless sleep. Next to her, on a separate hospital bed, Darkany’s body lay still. The Emperor has dressed them both in hospital gowns, and he himself was dressed for the surgery he would have to do in order to pull this off.
Meanwhile, Connor stood outside the laboratory doors pacing back and forth in anxiety. Others around him were in various states of anticipation or sleep. Kat sat on the floor, her body rigid save for a slight shaking in her hands. She had transformed back into her spectral body instead of her chimera form and she stared at the wall, looking for anything to occupy the suspense. Tylex too sat slouched against the wall, his head cradled in his arms. His mind couldn’t help but race with doubts. He didn’t know who this “Emperor” was, but he could feel the actual fear Connor had for him, and through his own power he could feel the power from him. If his own power was a burning torch, The Emperor was a burning sun.
The Emperor’s home has miles and miles of underground labs and chambers, many filled with technology that mankind had lost or he had built himself. In one room, the Doom Slayer was repairing his armor and reading the extensive library of information The Emperor had gathered on demonic forces. The Ghost Rider had long since departed for heaven, stating he had business with an angel. Upstairs however in what was the Emperor’s actual home, Claude sat in an easy chair by a roaring fire, quietly napping while Primal lay snoring by the fireplace.
The Emperor reached into Tiffany’s bag and retrieved the second vial she had come with. He has the open black book showing him the entire process that was needed to complete the surgery. In truth, what he was doing felt more like magic to him than actual medical procedures. Tilting Tiffany’s head up, he opened her mouth and poured the second vial down her throat. The first she’d already taken, and it had put her into the sleep that would prepare her mind and body for what was about to happen. He’d examined the vials she brought with her, and it was a mixture of many different kinds of magic and chemistry. As he held her mouth shut and triggered the body to swallow the concoction, her heart rate began to speed up as her chest began to glow a bright orange, the color of metal in the forge.
“Here we go.” The Emperor said, and he grabbed his tools.
From outside the room the trio could see the bright light and Connor began to mumble prayers to his mother in old Irish. Tylex realized he’d been holding his breath and slowly exhaled. Kat however started pacing herself. All of them hated not knowing what was happening, and worst of all, not being able to help.
The cracking of ribs being cut away was never a pleasant sound. Especially for this level of surgery The Emperor was doing. He’d opened Tiffany’s chest on her left side, being as delicate as possible. He could stop the bleeding and heal almost any wound, but in order to save Darkany, sacrifices must be made. And for Tiffany, she was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice.
With the final rib bone out of the way, the Emperor could see Tiffany’s glowing heart, and knew from the text it would restore Darkany. Taking the third vial and a scalpel he cut away a piece of Tiffany’s heart. Her heart monitor never changed its rapid pace, and he could see her heart heal over immediately the missing piece, restoring it back to full. He delicately place still glowing piece of the heart in a tray and turned back to Tiffany Carefully, he placed each cut rib back into place, each time he extended his hand, and a bright golden light shone briefly and the wound was healed. Soon it was as though she’d never been cut open at all. He chest still glowed however, and The Emperor took it is as a sign every thing was still working.
The last vial was a deep purple, almost black as ink. He recognized the Dread King’s magic in this one. This was a darkside vial, and it was the final piece necessary to restore Darkany in both heart and soul. Opening the vial, it smelled like living shadows, and he slowly poured the vial onto the piece of Tiffany’s heart. It had an immediate response, as the golden light from the heart piece turned a deep purple, indicating its change from light to dark.
From outside the surgical room, Connor could feel the power eminating from the room, and the feel of the dark itself coming from behind the door and the surgical curtains. Tylex and Kat felt it too, and both stood to watch through the window in the door.
According to the text, this piece of flesh now contained the very essence of a dark side soul. He picked it up gently by a pair of large tweezer, and brought it to Darkany. It took a slight effort to open her mouth as rigor mortis had begun to set in. Gently he set the glowing flesh on Darkany’s tongue and close her mouth. Despite her closed jaws and lips the light was bright enough to shine through her flesh. He saw them, as it seemed to have a will of it own as is moved down her throat and into her chest. There it stayed and shone brighter with purple light just as Tiffany’s shone gold. The two lights flares and seemed to intertwine and there was a final flash, and both were still.
The door opened then, and The Emperor stepped out removing his mask and hairnet. He sighed deeply and he looked up at the three.
“Well?” It was Kat who spoke first.
“I don’t know who your friends are,” The Anatolian said as his face broke out into wide smile, “but never let them go.” And he stepped back inside to show Tiffany sitting up awake a tired smile on her face. Darkany was sitting up slowly blinking her face in confusion around her small ghosts hummed about her nuzzling against her arms and face. All three of them ran in at once then, Kat flung herself at Tiffany hugging her, Connor likewise wrapped his arms Aroind Darkany who’s eyes widening in surprise.
“Connor?” She said, “W-what happened?”
“Nothing, Love, I just- I swear I will never lose you again.” And he kissed her everywhere, her eyelids, her nose, her ear, her lips. He touched her and held her as if just trying to reassure himself she was really alive.
Tylex could only watch as he rubbed tears from his eyes. All of his worries and fears had been set aside. He looked at Connor and Darkany, and just for a moment, felt a twinge of the old jealousy. But to his surprise, he found it was a small thing, as he realized, he had someone else who was waiting for him. Suddenly, The Emperors arm wrapped around his shoulders. He looked up at him and saw a fatherly grin on the Emperor’s Anatolian features.
“That’s a good choice to make, my boy.” He said
Tylex frowned, could this man read his thoughts? As in answer, the Emperor smirked.
“I sense you have psychic abilities.” He said, “I also understand, your previous mentor never really taught you much beyond simply giving you purpose. But he forged you into an unpolished hammer. But you are capable of becoming a finely edged blade. I could teach you if you wanted.”
Tylex, stared at The Emperor in shock. Then his face fell into a doubtful expression.
“I don’t know,” he said “I’ll still want some time to think it over.”
The Emperor only smiled warmly and said “Take all the time you need.”
Kat pulled herself away from Tiff then and went up to the Emperor.
“Can I ask you a question?” She said.
“Of course.”
Kat looked from Connor and Darkany back to The Emperor, “Why? Why do all this? Earlier you were willing to kill Connor and probably would have been willing to kill Dark too, so why go through all the trouble of that only to bring them both back? You even showed me a vision of the future, of what could happen, so why?”
The Emperor looked from her to both Connor and Dark, and back to Kat.
“I see that there’s a little bit of humanity in everything. And sometimes, that little bit is worth fighting for. And also, between you and me? I’ve always hated the idea of prophecies, most of the time, they’re utter shite. So I figured, ‘what the hell.’”
Connor rocked Dark back and forth, and she had given attempts to stop him, she only leaned into his chest as the Children sang in joy around the two of them. As he looked into her dark eyes, the words just came out.
“Marry me.” He said.
Her face was shocked, and had she looked up so would have everyone else’s.
“A-are you sure?” Was all she could find the words to say.
“Yes. There’s no one else for me, love.”
She flung herself at him, sobbing and crying, shouting yes yes yes, over and over.
The next morning, as the sun shone over the North English country side, Darkany walked in a field of grass towards a makeshift altar thst had been together, wearing a white dress that The Emperor had given her for the occasion, cut in a simple design and pattern, wreath of flowers in her hair. Connor stood where Claude, uncle owl stood as the parishioner, Kat was the maid of honor, Tylex, the best man. Around the Children threw flower petals and were the ring bearers.
It was a quiet and simple ceremony. But for Dark and Connnor, it was the happiest of days.
End.
(It is finally done. Thank you @harbardgrim for finishing it and everyone for joining in on this crazy adventure.)
Epilogue-
Tylex sat across from The Emperor as the warm fire roared next the two of them. It had been three days since the wedding, and Tylex once again found himself in the presence of this entity that, until three days ago, had been the only thing his former enemy had feared
“So, Tyrone.” The Emperor said using Tylex’s actual name, “You’ve had time to think over my proposal, yes? What do you think? Would you be willing to learn from me?”
Tylex looked down at the cup of tea The Emperor had prepared for him and saw his own frowning reflection.
“I guess,” he began “I don’t really understand why you want to train me, or be my mentor or whatever. I had that kind of relationship with Dradiax, I guess I just don’t get why you would want me to jump back into it with you.”
The Emperor nodded empathetically, “Tell me Tyrone, what do you think you are?”
Tylex looked up, unsure if he should take offense or not.
“What I mean to say is, do you think you are human? Because, let me guess, you can’t seem to truly die. Stab you, burn you, slice you in two, and you just keep coming back. Right?”
Tylex was warry now, The Emperor wasn’t just right he was dead on.
“How did you-“ Tylex began
“Because,” The Emperor interrupted, “We are the same. I also can’t die, much as people have tried. I was once nailed to a cross for three days and buires after I was presumed dead. It took me three days to recover. But I did so nonetheless.”
Tylex’s jaw dropped. The Emperor wasn’t just making himself out as the savior of mankind, if what he said was true, he was the literal savior.
“I’ve come up with a word to describe what we are, Tyrone. We are what I have dubbed as ‘perpetuals.’ No matter how hard we try, we just can’t seem to take that step into that long good night.” The Emperor said.
“But, how?” Tyrone asked, unable to come up with a better question.
“How? Why? I can only guess for you. I have suspicions, and there are others like us, but they are so rare and few apart we rarely ever meet.”
Tylex looked back down to his tea.
“I always assumed, it was Dradiax, or Slaanesh brining me back.”
The Emperor Scoffed, “Those tumors upon reality are no more responsible for your rebirths than I am. I want you to know, I am sincere in my offer, I will not lie and withhold information from you. I sincerely wish to see you grow and become something great.”
Tylex, looked into The Emperor eyes, and there was no lie in them.
“I don’t know.” He said at last, “I just want to have a normal life for now.”
The Emperor smiled and only nodded, “Son, you can have as many of those as you want.”
DAMN IT GRIM I WASN’T READY!!!!
A postscript- The Pleasure Palace of Slaanesh
Dradiax couldn’t understand what had just happened. One moment, he had been in a fight with Garm, his enemy, now perhaps even his cousin, and then it was if time had frozen. The last thing he remembered was seeing a bright golden light and suddenly feeling his chest cave in as though he’s been hit by a battering ram. He blinked and then, he raged. His victory had been stolen from him, he’d lost his prey, his battle, his war! And worst of all, he didn’t even know how.
“I see you now see the threat posed by the Anathema, my sweet.” A silky voice cooed.
Dradiax turned then, and her realized where he now stood. This was the pleasure halls of Slaanesh. The Dark Prince’s very chambers. All around him, it was as though the walls themselves writhed in agony and pleasure. The smell of intoxicants and flesh were all around him. This is was unlike anything he’d seen before. And sitting at the end of the great hall, in a Throne of marble and flesh, sat his lord. He knelt immediately, and attendants, demonettes and all manner of pleasure demons caressed his body.
“The Anethema, lord?” Dradiax asked trying to ignore the pleasures around him.
“Yes,” Slaanesh hissed, “The one who is strong enough to stand against us.”
But something didn’t add up to Dradiax. “If they are the enemy of our kind, then why aid Garm. Is he not the son of Khor-”
And suddenly the rage of Prince of Pleasure was upon him, the very halls around him seemed to sudder in fear and Demons around him quailed and died.
“Do not speak of the Blood Wolf!” Slaanesh roared.
Dradiax shivered and kept his eyes focused on the ground.
“Why the Anathema aids the young Riastrad, I cannot say. I doubt even Tzeentch could figure that one out. But this is not a loss. You will have your victory yet, my sweet.” And Slaanesh’s voice went from broken glass and knives to sweet caramel.
“You are newly reborn my prince.” Slaanesh continued, “We must hone your powers to its perfection. And then, when the time is right, we may begin again.”
“Yes, lord.” Dradiax growled in delight.
“Let’s start with the basics,” Slaanesh started “When you are in the material realm you can’t hide easily looking as you do now. We must shape your human form.”
- End
(Just finished reading this on my 15 min break and holy shit this is badass! This fucking made my night!)
