Superboy wakes up in a prison.
In the cell, sitting across from him, there's a teen that looks like another offshoot clone of Clark.
He learns in bits and pieces that he's been captures by a shadow government organization hellbent on ridding the world of anyone "ecto-contaminated", or anyone who has ever been dead.
Since he'd died before, even though he came back, he set off their sensors.
He doesn't remember how he got caught, doesn't remember what he was doing prior, but the walls are made of a weird material that glows green and cancels out his powers. It also doesn't hurt him.
Diluted kryptonite? He'll have to steal some and give it to Tim.
According to the kid, they've been forcibly detained to "serve their sentence for illegal immigration from the Realm of the Dead to the Realm of the Living" by way of routinely allowing themselves to be subjected to medical procedures. They are always being watched, they aren't the only ones captive, that apparently his entire high school had been condemned to it as well as some literal ghosts, and if he struggles then they won't give him the mercy of sedation while they do their experiments.
And Kon can't use his power to escape, or free this kid, or free any of the other prisoners. It's the worst case scenario.
Thank fuck he's best friends with a paranoid Bat that might have more contingencies than the Big Bat Himself.
Kon activates the only subdermal tracker he'd allowed Tim to place under his skin, and settles down to wait.
A prison of this design, but more high tech and with less privacy. Apparently the idea behind it was that you couldn't see the guards, but they could see you, and the lights would move at random to make you think they were paying attention all the time.
Since I was informed that I didn’t actually fix anything with the last part, here is the final part of this series. Here are parts one and two, in case you need them. Hopefully this will be a more satisfactory ending.
Hold On
Watching Gordon disappear into the darkness was difficult. His little brother had tried to hide it, but Virgil’s medic’s eye had caught the winces of pain. He knew Gordon’s back was hurting. He also knew calling his brother out on it would cost them valuable time they didn’t have, and accomplish nothing. So he let him go, waiting until Gordon was out of sight before sighing and switching his communicator to a direct line to John.
“He’s doing too much, John. He’s going to burn himself out.”
His space brother responded immediately. “I know, Virgil. After this, he’s on mandatory downtime for the next week. You both are.”
Moving to secure a beam that was coming loose, Virgil shook his head. “I can keep going.”
“Funny. That’s exactly what Gordon would say. You’re both grounded. You’re way over your flight hours.”
Later, Virgil would blame himself for distracting John, because the warning they got was not nearly enough.
“The building is coming down now!” John’s voice blared from his comm. “Get out of there!”
Years of rescues had trained Virgil to respond to that voice, and he was out of the building before he consciously processed he was moving. Behind him, the debris thundered to the ground, collapsing where he had just been. He rested his hand on his knees, breathing heavily. That had been close.
Static filled the comms, and he froze. “Gordon? Gordon!?!” He and John both shouted. Only the static answered them. Virgil plunged back into the debris, frantically yanking beams out of the way to get to his brother. He vaguely registered John shouting for EOS, too focused on his own work, but her reply had his blood running cold. No data transmitting? That could mean a suit malfunction, but there was another, much more terrifying option, and in this situation, it seemed more likely. There was simply no data to transmit.
He didn’t even notice the static had cut out as he sat heavily on a convenient beam. Gordon was gone?
*******************************************
Virgil’s brain was refusing to work. He had let Gordon go into the building on his own. He had distracted John, delaying the warning that could have saved Gordon. His little brother was dead, and it was all his fault. How could he continue? How could he face Scott? How could he live with himself? What could-
“Virgil!” John’s voice shook him out of his spiral. “I’ve got something. It’s very faint, but it matches Gordon’s last known location.”
Virgil sprang to his feet. He could blame himself later. Right now, he had a brother to save. “I’m coming, Gordon. Just hold on.”
*******************************************
He had been digging for hours, and his body was refusing to continue much longer. “John, tell me something good.” He begged.
“The closer you get, the stronger the signal gets. It must have been all the debris blocking the signal. I’ve got his vitals. They’re fairly weak, but that’s to be expected. I don’t love his heart rate, though. It’s far too high. I think he’s panicking, Virgil.”
“I’m almost there, Gordon. Hold on. I’m coming.”
One last push, and Virgil was clearing the final bits of debris from his brother’s position. He had to be careful now. One wrong move, and things could crumble further, crushing Gordon. He could see the bright blue boot of an IR uniform peeking out from under the slab in front of him. “Gordon? Can you hear me?”
“Virgil. Am I glad to hear your voice.” Gordon was trying to hide it, but Virgil could hear the relief in his voice. “I can’t move right now, so I’ve just been waiting for you to get here.”
“I’ll have you out in a minute.” Virgil promised. “Just hold on.” He lifted the final slab, and Gordon was free. “Hold still.” He ordered, attempting to check for injuries before moving his brother, but Gordon had other plans, As soon as the slab was gone, he was up, forcing himself to his feet, despite the obvious pain he was feeling. Though from the haunted look in his eyes, Virgil knew better than to protest.
“All right, get home you two.” John ordered. “I’m coming down tonight, and if you don’t hurry up, I’m going to beat you home.”
Virgil slung Gordon’s arm over his shoulders, and they started heading back to Two. They all had a lot to process, but everyone was alive, and at the moment, that was all that mattered.
For the third time on this mission, you silently cursed Nick Fury and his crappy intel. What you had been told would be a quick and easy scouting expedition had quickly turned into an all-out fight for survival. The team had quickly been ambushed and everyone was forced to scatter to different areas of the building, leaving you currently on your own. And what’s worse was that the gauntlets which helped you regulate your powers had decided to take this moment to malfunction. As you dove behind an overturned table trying to avoid three HYDRA soldiers’ bullets, you watched as your gauntlets sparked once then went dark. Great. Just great.
“Concussion…. Concussion do you read me?”
You vaguely heard Steve calling for you on the comms but you are too focused on fixing your gauntlets to really pay any attention. It wasn’t until your entire team started screaming your name that you finally responded, “Sheesh. Can everybody just calm down? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“It only takes a second to acknowledge a hail.” Steve sounded annoyed but you could hear the relief in his voice as well.
“I’m sorry. My gauntlets were damaged. I’d rather not use my powers without them after what happened last time. And judging by my current situation, I have a feeling I’m going to need them.” A small bomb exploded a few feet from you, showering you with dirt and debris. “Sooner rather than later it seems.” Pulling out your gun, you laid down a round of suppressing fire as you charged out from behind the table. Making it to the next room, you slammed the door behind you. Wincing as you looked down to see a small trail of blood flowing from some shrapnel in your arm, you cursed Fury for the fourth time.
“Where are you?”
“Top floor, but beyond that I’m not quite sure. There are a bunch of computers and a big screen on the wall. A control room, maybe?”
“Are you safe?”
“At the moment. I don’t think those guys can get through the door. It seems pretty sturdy. I just need a few minutes to fix my gauntlets, then I can come meet you guys.” You hissed as you pulled a piece of shrapnel out of your shoulder then turned back to your broken gear. “Tony, you don’t have an extra power core do you? One of mine appears to be cracked.”
“Why would I have a power core for your device?” Tony asked.
“Because you know I always forget to bring extras and you love holding it over me?”
“That does sound like me, but no, I don’t. You should be able to reroute them enough to still allow for a few blasts. You’d have to use them sparingly, but it would be better than nothing.”
“Okay, I’ll give that a try.” After a few more minutes of tinkering, your gauntlet flickered to life. “Got it! Okay, what’s the plan?”
“Can you make your way to the first floor? We have almost everything we came for. By the time you make it down here, we should be good to go,” Steve said.
“Ay, ay, Captain.”
“I’m not that kind of captain.”
“Technically, it’s an honorary title so….”
“Just get down here.”
“Ay, ay Captain.” You chuckled to yourself as you duck back out into the hall. The coast seemed clear as it appeared the HYDRA soldiers from earlier had given up trying to get to you. However, this soon proved to be a faulty assumption as you rounded the next corner and saw them standing at the end of the hall, guns drawn.
You smirked as you lifted your hands and sent a wave of energy hurdling in their direction. Or at least, you tried to. As the concussive force you summoned traveled down your arms, the vibrations knocked something loose in your gauntlet causing them to once again black out just before they were needed. Without the gauntlets to direct your blast, the energy exploded from your fingers in all directions. You felt the entire building shake as you were thrown backwards, skidding limply down the hall.
As you struggled to remain conscious, you once again heard the comms roar to life as everyone tried to figure out what just happened. Weakly, you clicked on, “Guys, I think I screwed up.”
Steve’s voice was instantly in your ear. “What happened? Are you okay?”
You groaned as you struggled to sit up. The room was spinning and slightly out of focus. “Something went wrong with my gauntlets. They shut off right as I shot off a blast. Without them, it went wild in all directions.”
“Are you okay?” Steve repeated.
“I think so. I got thrown back quite a distance, but nothing seems to be broken. My head is killing me though.”
“Wait a second…. Concussion…. Did you just give yourself a concussion?” Tony and Sam both burst out laughing.
“Where do you think I got the name? It is one of the major side effects of being hit by my blasts. Remind me when we get back and I can demonstrate.”
Both men gave a speedy apology, but you still faintly heard them snickering to themselves. Rolling your eyes, you examined the rest of the hallway around you. “I think we have a bigger problem. Both the ceiling and the floor took some major structural damage. There are cracks all through this part of the building.”
“Which floor are you on?” Steve asked.
“Top. It seems somewhat stable at the moment, but I don’t think it will take much to send everything crashing down.”
There was silence on the other end of the comms. When Steve finally began speaking again, he was using his “Captain” voice. “Okay. Falcon, Tony, fly through the upper floors and make sure everyone is clear. If this place does start coming down, we want to minimize casualties. I’ll go find Concussion. Since she won’t be able to use her powers, she’s going to need back up. We can regroup down on the first floor then retreat back to the Quinjet.”
“Cap, I can still use my powers, I just won’t have as much control as I usually do without the gauntlets.”
“If you get into trouble, do what you have to do to get out of it. But if the building is already as unstable as you say, I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. So just hold tight until I get there. I’m on my way.”
You pulled yourself over to the wall and leaned heavily against it. You hadn’t experienced a blow back from one of your blasts in the eight years since Tony had helped you build your gauntlets and you had forgotten how bad the aftereffects could be. You laid your head back and closed your eyes.
Soon, you heard footsteps rapidly approaching. Pulling out your gun, you pointed it towards the sound. However, you lowered it seconds later when Steve rounded the corner. He hurried over to where you were propped and examined you for injuries.
You swatted his hand away playfully. “I’m fine. I just forgot how bad these blasts can be. Can you just help me up?”
Steve just chuckled as he offered you his hand. You stumbled slightly as he helped you to your feet, but you were soon able to regain your bearings.
Once again raising your gun, you said, “Why don’t you go first, and I’ll cover your six.”
“Are you sure? It would probably be better if we stay next to each other.”
“I’m fine. And there are too many corridors and doorways around here. We need to spread out a little to get the best coverage.” Steve nodded but you could still see he was hesitant to leave your side. You rolled your eyes, “Geeze, how many times do I have to say it? I’M FINE!”
“Okay, okay. But if you start to feel weak or need a break, let me know.”
“Same goes for you, old man.”
Steve shook his head as he started down the hall, muttering under his breath, “Why do I even try?”
You allowed him to get a fair distance ahead of you, then followed after. You both had made it about halfway to the exit when, suddenly, four more HYDRA soldiers appeared out of one of the corridors to your right. Both you and Steve opened fire, easily taking them out. However, it appeared you weren’t quick enough as you both watched in horror as one of the soldiers dropped a grenade from one hand and the pin from the other. You knew that the roof and floor which were already creaking in distress wouldn’t sustain another blast. And with mere seconds before the grenade detonated, there was no way for either of you to run to the stable part of the building at the end of the hall. However…. there was still one way for Steve to reach safety.
As the two of you exchanged a look, Steve seemed to realize what you were planning. He took a step towards you, but before he could protest, you mouthed, “I’m sorry” and slammed your wrists together. A massive concussive blast hurled from your hands knocking into Steve just as the grenade exploded. He went flying backwards before slamming forcefully against the far wall. But that was the last you saw of him as the floor disappeared from beneath your feet. Between the grenade and your blast, the damaged building couldn’t maintain its integrity and the hallway collapsed, taking you with it.
You crashed into the floor below, landing hard on your back causing the wind to be instantly knocked out of you. However, you didn’t even get a second to catch your breath before the rest of the rubble rained down on top of you. You managed to throw your arms over your head in an attempt to provide some protection, but it did little good. Soon, what little air you had been able to get into your lungs was forced out once again as a large piece of the ceiling smashed into your chest, pinning you firmly to the floor. Even though you were now completely buried beneath the rubble, this one large piece was causing the most trouble. You tried desperately to move, to find a way to shift that piece off your ravenous lungs, but it was no use. You gasped frantically, urgently, trying to get some air but you soon felt yourself getting lightheaded, vision blackening around the edges.
Suddenly, you heard a distant voice calling your name. You tried to answer but your lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. The debris around you began to shift and after a few seconds, Steve’s face appeared in a gap in the wreckage. Spotting you, he began flinging huge chunks of metal and stone across the room, his enhanced super soldier strength allowing him to lift the pieces with ease. Just as you felt yourself slipping into unconsciousness, the stone crushing down on your chest was removed. You gulped down lungful after lungful of air trying desperately to replenish your body’s supply. Through the blood pounding in your ears, you vaguely heard Steve speaking to you and you gave him a weak thumbs up as reassurance that you are okay.
However, now that you were able to focus on something other than your lack of oxygen, you were feeling the effects of your fall. Practically every inch of your body ached, your skin felt scraped raw, and you felt the crushing pressure from the debris that still covered your bottom half. But you were alive, which was honestly more than you had expected.
Steve ran his hand lightly over your head as he checked you for any major injuries. When he didn’t find any, he sat back to assess the situation, “Are you okay?”
You chuckled softly. “Better now that I can breathe. And don’t you ever get tired of asking me stuff like that?”
“Yes. Yes, I really do.” He stared at you intensely. “What were you thinking? Your blast might have been what caused the collapse. If you hadn’t used it to push me out of the way, the damage might not have been as bad.”
“Yeah, but if it had been, then you would have fallen too. And then who would have saved me from underneath all this stuff?” You cut him off as he tried to argue. “Listen, can you just finish moving this stuff off of me so we can get out of here? The team is probably wondering where we are.”
Steve grunted in annoyance but he began clearing the remaining debris that was covering you. But then as he moved one of the larger pieces, you heard him swear.
“Language!” you yelled jokingly. But when you saw Steve’s face, you grew worried. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Don’t move okay. Everything’s going to be alright. I just need to call some backup.”
“Steve, what’s going on?” He tried to stop you as you struggled to a sitting position, but you were able to maneuver enough to see what had caught his attention. You paled at the sight of the three-inch-thick piece of rebar that was jutting out of your thigh.
Steve grabbed your hand reassuringly as he spoke into the comms, “We need medical attention immediately to the eighth floor.”
“What happened?” Sam asked anxiously.
“The floor collapsed and Concussion fell. She landed on some of the debris. I was able to clear most of it off her, but she’s been impaled by a big piece of rebar. It’s stuck in her thigh, and there is a lot of blood.”
Tony clicked on immediately. “I’m on my way. Just hang tight, kiddo. You’re gonna be fine.”
You nodded but then realized no one but Steve could see you. “Okay. I’ll just wait here.” You laid back down as you tried to wrap your head around the situation.
Steve looked at you anxiously. “Didn’t you feel it?”
You shook your head. “I felt the pressure of the debris, but that area is just kind of…… numb.” You both exchanged a worried look, not quite sure what that meant for your condition.
Suddenly, Tony landed next to you. You could hear him muttering to F.R.I.D.A.Y. as he tried to assess the extent of your wounds. You couldn’t quite make out the words but based on the tone of his voice, you figured it probably wasn’t good news. Finally, he leaned down and retracted his faceplate, giving you a good look at his face. Yep, not good news.
“Okay, kid. So, good news first. F.R.I.D.A.Y. doesn’t register any broken bones or any major concerns besides the leg. Just some bruises, a possible concussion, and a few cracked ribs. Now the bad news is, F.R.I.D.A.Y. thinks that the rebar has nicked your femoral artery so if we try to lift you off, there is a good chance you could bleed out. Now, I can try to cut the other end of it off so we can move you with it still sticking in you, but there is still a good chance it will shift enough that it does more damage or slips out enough that you still bleed out.”
“Great. So, is there a third option?”
Tony hesitated. “Not really, no. Those blasts you set off compromised this entire section of the building. Whatever’s left of floors above us is pretty unstable and could collapse at any second. We need to clear the area ASAP.”
You nodded. “Fine. Then we go with option one. You yank me off and see what happens.” Tony stifled his chuckle as you rolled your eyes. “Oh, grow up! You know what I meant.”
“Maybe watch your phrasing next time.” Tony turned to Steve. “So basically, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to lift her off the rebar then you press on the wound as quickly and with as much pressure as you can. Got it?” Steve just nodded grimly. Tony looked around. “Does anyone have something we can use to stop the bleeding?”
“Steve, take my shirt. It’s pretty dirty at this point, but it’s better than nothing.” He nodded again as he unzipped your jacket. Not wanting to jostle you more than necessary, he tore your shirt in half and removed it from your body. Always the gentleman, he averted his eyes as he rezipped your jacket. You smiled and gave him a reassuring wink. He blushed deeply, which just made your smile grow larger. That is until he started removing your belt.
Handing it to you, he muttered, “You’re going to want to bite down on that. I’m sorry.”
You nodded as you grasped the situation. Whatever happened next, it wasn’t going to be pleasant. Steve helped you sit up as he slid in behind you, positioning it so you were leaning against his chest. He reached his left arm across your body to grab your right hand. His right hand was at the ready with what was once your shirt.
Tony straddled your leg and placed his hands just below where the metal jutted harshly through your thigh. Placing your belt securely between your teeth, you nodded at Tony. After a second of hesitation, he jerked your leg free.
You knew that this experience was going to be painful, but you had not expected this. A bloodcurdling howl tore from your lips, muffled by the belt clenched firmly in your mouth. Your body arched back violently, slamming into Steve as you writhe in pain. He tightened his hold on you with the arm he had wrapped across your chest, and you squeezed his hand so tightly you were sure if not for the super serum, you would have broken a few of his bones. As he crushed your shirt into the gushing hole in your leg, sending another wave of agony through your system. Your jaw was clenched so tightly it felt like you were about to bite straight through the belt and your body shook violently as your muscles strained from holding themselves tense for such a long period of time.
Slowly, you were able to regain some of your composure. Your chest was once again heaving as you struggled to return your breathing to normal. As you reached up to pry the belt out of your mouth, you sagged against Steve’s chest, your muscles screaming out as you finally allowed them to relax. Your leg still hurt like hell, but the pain had dulled enough that it was bearable. However, you weren’t out of the woods yet.
Glancing down, you watched as Steve desperately pressed your shirt into your wound with both hands but blood still hemorrhaged between his fingers. You gazed weakly up at Tony but he just stared at your leg in confusion as he tried to figure out what to do now. Then, he glanced down at his hands which were still covered by his suit and you saw an uneasy realization wash over his face. As the two of you locked eyes, you understood what he was thinking and you nodded weakly. “It’s the only way Tony.”
“Nope. We’re not even considering this.”
Steve looked back and forth between the two of you, not sure what you were talking about. But you ignored him as you stared Tony down. “You’ve got to do this. We don’t have another option.”
“I can’t. If I make even the smallest miscalculation, it could kill you.”
“Then let F.R.I.D.A.Y. do it. Her calculations will be perfect. No mistakes.” He still hesitated but you knew you didn’t have time for this. Already the blood loss was starting to affect you. “Tony, I’m fading too fast…. We need to stop this bleeding. I can’t last much longer.”
Tony thought for a moment, glanced back down at your leg, then nodded. Steve was still staring at you confused. “What are you talking about? What is he planning on doing?”
You gently smiled at him. “It’s okay. It’s the only way, but it will be fine.” You dropped both of your hands so they rested gently over Steve’s, which were still pressed firmly against your wound. You nodded up at Tony.
Lowering his faceplate, Tony said, “On the count of three…”
“Three!” you yelled. At that same moment, you grabbed Steve’s hands as tightly as you could and, using his bewilderment at what was going on as a distraction, dragged them away from your wound. As soon as you were both clear, Tony pointed his repulsors at your leg and a thin, tight beam blasted you precisely in your wound. Steve cried out in protest but your screams of agony drowned him out as pain once again rushed through your body. Finally, mercifully, Tony turned the repulsors off. Smoke trailed off the cauterized scar that was once a gushing wound. You weakly turned your head so you didn’t gag on the smell of your own roasting flesh.
Steve glared up at Tony as you lay limply in his arms. “What the hell did you do?”
“What he… had to,” you managed to croak out. Steve looked down at you anxiously but you continued. “It was…the only way to….stop the bleeding….Knew you wouldn’t….approve…”
“Damn right I don’t approve!”
“Language…” you whispered, a ghost of a smile flickering on your lips. The bleeding might have stopped but the damage had already been done. You needed medical attention and a blood transfusion as soon as possible.
Tony seemed to be thinking the same thing. “I’m going to fly her to the nearest hospital. Then I can come back and help with your extraction.” He bent down and Steve gingerly transferred your weakened form to Tony’s waiting arms.
Steve shook his head. “Sam and I will be fine. Just get her help as quickly as you can.”
You grasped for Steve’s hand. “’m sorry Cap…. be safe….”
“You too.”
You smiled again. “I’ll be on….feet ‘fore you….get back…”
Steve nodded with a smile. “I don’t doubt it.” Then looking at Tony, he said, “Go.”
Without having to be told twice, Tony took off with you in his arms, exiting the building through the hole you had made in the ceiling. You rested heavily against his metal-coated chest as the two of you soared through the sky. Reaching up, you pressed the comms to connect you to his suit.
“Tony….” you managed to whisper. He looked down at you, concern obvious even through his mask. “You better… hurry.”
CW: Earthquake, crushing, blood mention, trapped, fear of death
[Masterlist]
Tool took another shuddering breath and tried to suppress a cough. It would only make things worse, the bookcase shifting just a little farther down. The debris above them creaked, sending little waterfalls of dust and plaster.
An earthquake. The ground moved from underneath his feet, car alarms blaring and rumbling from outside. Tool had run, tried to hide, but the wall had crashed down on him. The thunderous noise finally stopped, but he was still trapped. He was on his back, not only sections of drywall and frame pinning his legs to the ground but also the man’s expensive bookcase.
Tool had thought they had somehow come out unscathed at first. Everything was sickeningly silent, with only a distant alarm or creaking breaking up the quiet. They had tried to push the debris off, but a blinding pain shot through their ribs. Tool cried out, unable to move. Tool’s head fell back onto the ground, trying to catch their breath. Cautiously, they reached down to the place where the pain was most intense.
They screamed through gritted teeth at the feeling of something shifting under his hand. On top of that, their hand came back red.
More dust drifted down from the ceiling and he couldn’t hold back the cough this time. It was a seizing pain in his chest, worse than anything else he had ever experienced. He wheezed out a breath after, trying to calm down. They tried to look towards the door behind them, arching their neck and twisting the best they could.
The room was a disaster, trophy shelves broken with their content scattered among the dust, bricks strewn around the room, water dripping down.
“H-Help!” Tool called out. The breath started another coughing fit so strong they thought they might pass out. Tool grit their teeth and tried to push again. They strained and pushed, but there was only the creak of metal and dust left on their hands.
“Help!”
Tool’s head fell back, tears streaming down his temple. He was trapped. Stuck. The air was being crushed out of his lungs with no one around. No one to save him, no one to be with him when he passed. The house creaked above him and he was struck with a terror that no one would ever find him. No one was looking for him here – if they were looking at all – and the house might burry him whole.
Terrified, they tried again. They cried out, but no one came.
~
When Tool opened their eyes again, it was dark. They were cold, hands and feet numb. Everything was blurry, the world around them whirling. They let their eyes drift closed, starting to shut out the world.
Heavy footsteps. Voice, more than one. People were navigating through the rubble, searching.
Tool’s mouth was dry, but he still tried to call out. “H-H-help.” It was pathetic even to his own ears. He took a deeper breath but ended up inhaling dust, triggering the coughing. More pain, piercing through his chest and back. Breathing was harder after, everything seeming farther away.
But the voices were louder. Saying something, but the meaning of the words kept slipping away.
A beam of light was bouncing around the room, finally landing in their eyes. Tool squeezed them shut, desperately trying to keep from coughing again.
Someone was touching him, someone’s hand was touching his neck. There was a voice above his head, talking to someone else.
An oxygen mask was placed on his face, and he could hear the slight hiss. Tool shuddered, but tried to look up. They must have been very good to just have a mask – but the face above them wasn’t the Mechanic.
Deep in the forgotten wilderness lies a castle. It wasn't always forgotten, and it wasn't always wilderness. In fact, it used to be a small but prosperous kingdom.
The king and queen of this kingdom ruled fairly and justly. They only ever made one mistake in the entire time they ruled. Unfortunately, this mistake would prove to be the downfall of their kingdom.
Now, you may have heard this story before. A faerie's curse. A sleeping kingdom. A beautiful princess, awoken by true love's kiss. You were told that it had a happy ending. That's what always happens in fairietales, right?
At least, that's what everyone likes to hear.
Unfortunately, much like real life, stories don't always end how they should.
In this such tale, there was a curse, and there was a kingdom, and there was a princess, and even a brave and dashing prince, come to save the day. The difference was, he failed. And so did the next. And on and on, until they stopped coming.
A faerie's rage caused walls of thorns to surround the castle, entrapping the bespelled occupants. Asleep where they stood, some were lucky, and happened to fall onto their beds, where they slept peacefully. Others were less fortunate. They happened to be walking down stairs, or fetching water from a well. But nobody cares about their stories. People only want to hear about the prince and princess.
But, as the story says, a prince came, gallant and daring, beloved by the princess herself. He tirelessly wacked away at the forest of thorns, with their beautiful, blood red blooms. He made progress indeed, but in the end, the brambles bested him. Starving, exhausted, and bleeding, he finally fell to his knees, a mere arm's length from the castle gate. The path he made grew shut the next day.
The second prince made it barely halfway before becoming hopelessly entangled in the briars. The more he fought, the tighter the brambles became. His skeleton is still hanging there, choked to death.
The third prince made it the farthest of all. He fought his way through the thicket, only to burst through the castle gates and impale himself on a guard's sword, still faithfully protecting the castle, even years after the flesh had decomposed from his bones.
More princes came, and each time, they fell prey to the faerie's trap. Eventually, the princes stopped coming, and the castle became a thing of myth.
So what became of the castle, and the faerie, and the princess, and even the commoners and castle staff?
The castle stands still, buried in its evil thicket of thorns. It's foundations are crumbling, and nature is slowly creeping in.
The faerie has long faded from existence, as modern technologies push out the need for magic. You see, magic only survives if there are people around to believe in it. But, before she faded completely, the faerie was content in the knowledge that she had won.
As for the common people, and even the nobles and king and queen, well, they were not the subject of the curse, but only unfortunate casualties. Those who were lucky enough to be in a favorable position when the curse struck stayed in that position until their bodies withered from lack of food and water. Because of the curse, they lasted longer than a normal body would have, but they still eventually succumbed to nature and are are only present as skeletons scattered about the castle, or food for scavengers, or the dust blowing across the empty courtyard.
The princes are also present as well, though just as bleached bones stuck in the thorns. Their finery is faded, and swords tarnished and blunted. Had you not known the stories of the bones, they would be indistinguishable from the remains of commoners, as we all are in the end.
And I'm sure the question you've all been wondering, what became of the princess? Is she still there, beautiful as ever, waiting and waiting for a prince that will never come? Or has she too, been lost to time, and is naught but dry bones, in a shiny crown, on a bed of silk? Since the princess was the one to bear the faerie's wrath, the princess did indeed bear the curse longer than the others. But her curse had another twist. She remains conscious throughout the entire ordeal, and is finely in tune with all the others in her court.
What does this mean? It means she knows. And feels. She felt it as each life in her court was extinguished. She felt it as the maid fell down the stairs, and as the serving boy fell down the well. She felt it as the old woman who did the mending was the first to die as her body gave up, and as her mother was the last. She felt it as each and every prince, daring to come to her rescue, fell to the thorns. And she felt it as her own body bent to the ravages of time, and aged and decayed, and she could not move, she could only feel.
And in the bleached white bones, in a decaying, forgotten castle belonging to another time, another story, the beautiful, cursed princess, the sleeping beauty, beautiful no longer, still feels.
