"Cthulhu... I've heard that before, isn't that some sort of 'Sea God' or somethin'?" Inquired Ace, fingers stroking through the blackened strands of Kima's hair, head rested in his lap,
"Prob'ly from HP Lovecraft's books combined cosmic horror by using his fears as bases for inspiration. Cthulhu is the most infamous of them, but he's not even the most powerful. he lies at home in his Sunken City of R'lyeh, dead, waiting for the stars to align at just the right moment so he can retake his Throne as Ruler of Earth preordained by his ancestors, 'The Great Old Ones's astronomical power," Explained Alex to the Ginger still in that same pose, arms draped over his knees, smug-like smile painting his lips,
"So, basically, we're sitting ducks in this place, aren't we?" June asked their instructor, constructing a gun shape with her fingers pointing it to Amara's head,
"Dunno, I didn't sense an ethereal presence when we came down here, well... besides the Dimensional Tear, anyway. But even if they were here, I'd probably deal with 'em so you four didn't have to. Plus, I don't really wanna bother sleeping beauty over there," Alex answered back, turning around, grabbing June by her neck, she childishly yelped, just pulling her close so she could stick out her tongue and now lay in his lap.
~He's so confident when he says that... if Ace had said that instead of Mr. Amara, then I feel like I'd feel more at ease; but honestly, there's this inescapable dread crawling up my spine. Why..?~ Katie couldn't help but feel the chains tighten against her wrists, weighing her down to this world, her neck spun so she could stare out that transparent window... what laid beyond was the lone sea. Then BOOM!
A tremor shook the very foundation of this deserted civilization, beds bounced from their embedded posture into the floorboards, slamming back down into their former position. Just seconds later, a claw crashed down onto the house's roof, caving in the ceiling's remnants to collapse inward, effectively destroying the bed, each new step this Giant formed new craters beneath their feet,
"The fuck is that?!" June cried curiously, sitting up, Alex rolled his eyes, unable to think to himself, ~Speak of the Devil~ while Ace tapped his hand against Kima's cheek, Katie jumped right off the bench running toward the window.
Al following in tow with Ace right behind them both, what the trio was met with was a monstrous image, as those tentacles that replaced its lips swirled around unnaturally like those of an octopus, the red illumination radiating off the center of its eyes... stared deep into the soul of the mortals before it. One hand grabbing onto the edge some inches away from the basic window, another BOOM discharged against the Castle, its demonic claws digging into the infrastructure, Katie whimpered as she stepped back. She'd seen so many horrible things she tore apart so easily back in that other World, reminding her of her powerlessness, a simple girl wielding a useless blade, at the time she felt powerful, all they were; just a few inches taller and wider than a human.
This... the 'Sea God' that Ace had referred to earlier, was this truly it? Even when she turned around hiding her mouth with the front of her palm, she could feel that overbearing malice cast unto her heart, an undeniable wave of hatred flowing over her... reminding of her the past she, unfortunately, fell victim to. Falling to her knees, back turned to the Sea God, she gasped for air, searching and searching for an answer out of reach,
"Why were you ever born into this world?"
"Crying? No one's gonna hear you... or listen, so just shut up and take it, like a real girl would,"
"I do this because I love you..."
~LIAR!!!~
Unable to comprehend her past actions, tears squeezed out the corners of her eyes, sobs breaking through her teeth, constantly gasping for air, June, and Kima running toward the men were interrupted as they tended to Katie,
"What's wrong with her?" Worriedly asked June as she helped her up, putting her arm over her neck, Kima doing the same yet with the opposite arm, then guiding her further so they could protect her,
~I'm guessin' the 'Sea God' here is reminding Katie of her past, she's dehumanized them like monsters in her head, something like Cthulhu here... just staring at us~ Alex communicated with them both telepathically... though, as they carried her away, Ace couldn't help but look back at them, and groan,
"Alex, I have a sort of... hunch," Wilder proposed to his teacher, and as if it were a nanosecond later, Amara gave him the affirmative with a gentle nod, leading the Ginger to run on over.
Skidding on his soles, he lifted Katie right up out from the girls' grip, holding him in his arms, Ace looked to them both letting out a heavy breath,
"I have an idea. I need you two to help Alex, I can take care of Kate here," Ace ordered,
"W-wait, what makes you so sure you can do it?" Kima questioned quizzically taking a step forward slamming her foot down,
"Nothing! If I die, I die, now shut up and go," Ace demanded, bringing Kima just a bit closer so he could kiss her lips and then throw her back, June grabbing her by her arm... whilst she was in shock.
Tearing around his skin, blood tore out from a hole he'd made at the tip of his finger, his thumb, more specifically, he sighed. A marking was made over her forehead, eyes still wide yet unresponsive, Ace had recognized this... as if he'd gone through it before. Without a shadow of a doubt, she was experiencing an innate psychological attack, however, it wasn't an external one, it was an effect that one comes into by their fractured mental state finally shattering. The best he could do was link their minds together... but as the descendant of the Reaper, his son, used his right thumb to touch against her forehead.
Intending to link their minds collectively so they could share thoughts, an invisible spirit had fused their spirits, and as they fell unconscious, Ace gasped... for this surrounding was not one he recognized. Divergence darting from side to side to quickly analyze the scenery around, he stepped back unintentionally, before his back hit a wall, and he fell right through the backdrop of this all-black Void. Comedically yelping then falling to his bottom, he gradually stuck himself up, it seemed so real. The sky's brightened blue shade, the clouds continuously forming indistinguishable shapes, birds chirping as they flew on past, even the way the wind moved, threatening to shed him of his pitch-dark shades, it all made him question,
"Is this really a dream?"
Even when he touched the grass blades ensnaring his sneakers, he could feel it brush against his extremities, yet there was one thing he couldn't help but not feel. Shedding his sunglasses off Divergence transplanted into his eye sockets, Wilder's patterned crimson eyes scanned around- no strain in his eyes. This presence was not his own, it was dark, cold, he could even hear the whispers of those he didn't recognize seep into his brain like a running liquid dripping into the tiniest creak. Beyond a doubt, this was not his soul's manifestation, for when he turned around, there was a singular blackened sphere, unable to remain brightened from the artificial rays of her sun.
A hand of light touching against this ball of darkness though thought to have a counterattack had slowly sunken into its side, for not only did he insert the tips of his fingers into this shape; but now, all he had to do was step forward. Tumbling inside, color fading, he turned to his hands- watching the pale coloration from his skin disintegrate, he stared ahead, with her knees brought up to her chest, the only vibrancy Ace's astral body held was that of Divergence's signature hue,
"Kate," Ace called out to his new partner.
"I'm as good as dead... just leave me be, I don't deserve to be here anymore," Kate's voice was drowned out, more distorted than usual, ridden with sobs she'd weakly croaked out, Wilder dared to take a step closer, then captured by vines... he was now locked in place, immobile.
"I'm so powerless... I can't even find the strength to fight such a thing. I hate myself so much, I wish I could do more, but I'm so pathetic; such a useless FUCKING pushover,"
The memories that would usually be kept within her mind were projected within the curved walls of this egg-like structure, flashes of the past overlaying each other, Ace was victim to this. Unable to move, information flooding his brain, unable to control the processing power of Divergence's enhanced analytics; it wasn't long before it all turned to snow again, and his head was left hanging in despair. While he had his own experiences psychologically, none of them could compare to the life she went through, years upon years of trauma and abuse, how could he ever help with that? But... as it was all cleared, pondering and wondering everything, he came to a singular conclusion unable to be contradicted,
"You accepted me here! If it were anyone else, your soul would be locked out, and you'd have already given up! I can tell you that you're not the one in the wrong here, you never did anything wrong in your entire life! I told you that you deserved love and I MEANT IT!! You cried into my neck, remember...? You killed all those monsters before, you saved me, and now you're a part of a group where people like you! Alex cherishes you, I cherish you, and June and Kima will too! But... I can't do it for you, Kate, I can't make you happy. What you're going through is rough, I can never relate to it, but everyone who makes you happy... may simply be temporary. In the end, we'll always die alone, no matter what happens, so you must be responsible for your happiness. In the end, Katie... it's all up to you," Ace's words were comforting, yet they brought a harsh reality to light, one she was unable to comprehend or understand.
After all, how someone like 'her' be able to overcome everything and be happy? Not to mention what he'd just stated, that, in the end, no matter what, she'll always die alone. Though, he didn't say she would specifically, she referred to it as 'them' as if to mean individually, for all the human race. Curling her head buried in her arms, she turned her neck, revealing her blue eyes, her darkened soul... stared into his own,
"How do you say something like that... while enveloped in the darkness?" Kate asked curiously, threatening to squeeze out more tears,
"You're not the only one who's hurting, Kate. Sometimes, it hurts so bad that I want to die, that I have a father I'd never met, one I'm fighting for, and I don't even know anything about him from a child perspective. Instead, I was thrust into this world of monsters and organizations without hesitation, no one was there to coddle me, I took it at face value for what it was. Others helped along the way, I appreciate them for that, but, truthfully, it was my effort. You can only ever rely on yourself and yourself only... that's just- the truth of the world of man," Ace answered, then chuckling gently, eyes batting at her, he bore a smile...
~That smile...~ In the core of her mind, this thought had echoed across the sphere they were inhabiting, leading Ace to smile as he looked around, Katie covered her face as if embarrassed,
"I've... I don't know. How someone like me could ever do something like that, by myself, I don't know the first step of finding my happiness. All I do is run and hide, feeling sorry for myself in the process," Kate admitted sorrowfully.
The veins snapped off his body, the darkness of his body like a deadly disease, all a simple step forward that he let out reverberated further, a shockwave. Not outward or forward, but inward to the soul, the ethereal manifestation of the idea of Ace Wilder in her subconsciousness spiritual core had returned to its former glory, the blackness surrounding his aura nowhere to be seen, his illuminating figure stood over her own. Cradled and sobbing like a child, his hand reached out, sliding her fingers against her palm, as she began the short journey on her way to ascendance, she stood proud and tall- but the darkness never fading, she stared ahead into his bright orbs of sight,
"I'm still... enveloped in darkness," Kate looked away as she stated this, as if ashamed of her presence still in her very own mind,
"It's not so easy, ya know, it won't happen quickly. You must learn to accept yourself on your lonesome, I won't always be by your side, and though that might make you sad, you have to accept that truth too. It's unavoidable and painful, but you must look right into the eyes of the beast, and move forward, no matter what. For the sake... of your happiness," Ace reassured the younger girl, reassuring her gently, the soft tone of his vocals went well with the usual booming nature, needless to say,
"We're in a pinch. Alex, Kimmie, and my little sister, they're fighting for their lives, so I need you to do me a favor... and fight with me. Channel every little bit of anger into the strokes of your Blackened Blade, lay waste to that monster that resembles your past, accept it all... end it all-
If you want to accept yourself truly and protect the new world you've been taken into - DESTROY. IT. ALL!"
And just like that, like a slumbering beast imprisoned in the chambers of their chains, a psychotic monster awakened, branding her Blackened Blade in her left hand- there they stood by the side, together. A low snarl bellowing from her throat to exit her clenched teeth, the front two morphed to fangs...
"Destroy..."
This is a story of acceptance.
To Be Continued!