Caption (to assist readers):
- Everything is good. - = speech of the character
"All good." = character thoughts (during certain scenes)
*boom* = ambient or scenery sounds (similar to using other types of comic fonts)
This chapter is told from James Heller's point of view.
Everything that separates me and my last hope, a reinforced metal door from a completely sealed room. I question for one second how to proceed, even feeling it is a unnecessary act, as my future fate will no longer need this cell.
I open the door with brute force, like a canned product, and I pull off the door by throwing what is left in the hallway. Slowly entering the cell.
Pariah's appearance resembles a prisoner in perpetual imprisonment corpse, his skin appears dry with visible veins, kneeling on the floor and positioned at the exact center point of this room, his arms relaxed and chin touching his chest, with hair and beard both long . Would this be what an immortal prisoner who lost hope during his decades of isolation looked like?
*cough with an exhausting appearance*
- For decades without using my vocal cords. About being immortal and losing hope, my answer will depend on the direction of our conversation. - Pariah replies after coughing and raising his face and look into my eyes, my instincts scream and I feel my whole body shiver, as if this man who looks more like a mummy was a threat.
- It seems that so many years in prison didn't do you any good, you don't even know who I am and you already threat me? - I question Pariah's intentions while I don't look away, he really read my mind or maybe his personality shows signs of Paranoia.
- Come a little closer please, I'm still not in a position to have a conversation with you standing. - Asks Pariah, who seems to ignore my question or show any reaction to it.
I decide to slowly approach him, one step at time, even ignoring my instinct through my mental state, I cannot see him yet as a threat. After coming so far, I force myself to refuse this scenario.
- Thank you James, restrain yourself a little longer, I won't hurt you. - Pariah thanks with a side smile, at the same time I feel like my body has started to get heavy.
I don't have time to respond as I try to resist his unexpected invisible attack, I can feel like the gravity itself increased around me, I feel that can't take another step forward without forcing myself to free with a stronger counter.
- Don't be stingy, I'm only going to collect enough so we can both talk standing up, you are even overweight after consuming the two last tall guards. - Pariah declares as he extends his open left palm towards me, his appearance begins to rejuvenate while I feel that he is draining some of my mass in the form of atomic particles, imperceptible visible without amplifying my instincts, Pariah slowly stands up without any effort ignoring the gravity around himself floating until finally his two feet stamps the ground again.
-Let me go you bastard or I will make sure that you will not stand up again forever! – I scream furious, as I continue to stare at Pariah finishing his recovery using me, my inside fight grow stronger, with both my desire for hope and instinct for survival clashing inside my head.
Pariah's appearance is rejuvenated in years, his long beard was gone, his hair's changes make it looks health and clean, now he looks younger that his actual age by half, I can finally realize that his appearance features are similar to his late mother's, so similar that they could appear to be siblings with in Mercer's Memories. Even his powers look like a variation of his dead mother skills, I just want to believe the his objective will no be the same too.
- I am done, finally a body that appears to be alive again. Sorry, I already released you, let's start our talk again please. - Pariah asks as he lowers his hand, crossing his arms and presenting himself as someone completely different from his previous appearance, showing much more confidence in his subtle tone of voice.
- If you can read my mind, you already know why I left you still alive even after using my own body to recover yourself. Start talking or if you try anything again, I will make sure my previous words to be your next future! - I threaten Pariah, as I clench my fists finally free of that invisible pressure, I cannot suppress my killing instinct anymore, I will not be used like a puppet again, even if seals my destiny forever as the price.
You help me get out of here and I'll help you later in search of a cure for you to return to your fragile human form. This is my deal. - Pariah proposes, gesturing with his hands, as if his desire were proportional to my search for a cure.
- You will pay me back later by the little price of my help, setting free another fucked Monster who will not leave causalities in your way, because you are different of all the previous ones. I will not trust another potential terrorist and my cure will no be paid with innocent life, no deal. - I reply Pariah with exactly what I think at the moment, the price of another Monster released is not a deal, because I will not leave another menace like Alex Mercer be free in this country ever again.
- I thought there might be a minimal possibility of you accepting, well the loss is yours. I gave you a choice and everything that happens from now on is part of your Destiny. - Pariah declares coldly as he snaps his fingers with his right hand in my direction.
*James Heller's loud scream of pain*
- Stop Pariah! Don't do that! - I beg Pariah screaming as my left arm begins to slip out of my control, expanding into a black biomass that touches the ground until it separates from my body, finally free.
I always considered this possibility, that he never really died and that all I did was make him a part of me, a part that I would never let free again. A monster caged within another monster.
I watch the black biomass finally taking his body shape, while all I can do is focus on regenerating my arm that was ripped off, Pariah also watches after finally taking his focus off me.
*Alex Mercer's loud scream*
- Free from the infinite darkness at last! - Screams Mercer, as he returns to his humanoid form clenching his fists in front of his abdomen. He returned, now there three monsters inside a cell that I should never have opened.
- James Heller, we finally meet again. - Mercer greets me, with his devil smile that I never wanted to saw again, standing up with the confidence that this time he will not go down easy. Sealing my Destiny with my worst nightmare, burying my last hope of be human once again.