Immortality. To live forever. For years, Becker had sought what truly meant to live forever. To be an immortal. For that reason alone, he became a doctor. What better way to understand immortality than to study the most mortal element of all? A living creature. While he excelled at his profession, gaining recognition as a talented surgeon, a knowledgeable physician. He was no closer to his goal than he was when he started.
Becker carried out less than ethical treatments on patients to help them live longer. Which only resulted in a worsening condition. Failure upon failure. Becker began to lose hope that he would ever understand what it meant to be immortal or how to reach the state of everlasting life.
After losing a patient to a disease, Becker discovered the missing piece in his investigation. The metaphysical aspect of life. The soul. Becker didn't really believe in the existence of the soul. There was no measurable evidence of its existence. But what if there was a method? A method that wasn't registered in books of science or theology.
And so his search for a method to measure the soul and how it influenced its host body. His mad search to measure the soul led him to a particular individual. One that promised him to show him the method of not only measuring the soul, but how to extract it and how to create a life of his own.
It all seemed too good to be true. But what did he have to lose? Becker was seeking knowledge and this individual would gladly provide it. This new knowledge opened a new horizon for Becker. A world of endless possibilities.
It was a path that lead him down a world of darkness, and eventually into the ranks of the Council. He promised them immortality, and they gave him the resources for his research, however, all that crumbled apart in one night.
The experiments to reach immortality had broken his body, and barely held together. Now, the only thing that kept him going was his hatred for Gustav and determined to get Natalya back. His experiments on her were far from over.
"Give me back the girl," Becker slurred. "You still have no idea what she is."
Yes. That knave with a gun and a badge didn't know the treasure he was carrying in his arms. Becker had to get her back. There was a chance to repeat the banquet.
"The girl stays with me, Becker." Gustav replied.
"You fool!" Becker roared. "You've already caused enough harm. Give her back to me or I will take her from you by force."
Becker took a step forward, and in spite of his broken appearance, Gustav felt an air of darkness surrounding him.
"Ansem, take the girl and leave." Gustav said as he handed Natalya to Ansem.
"What are you planning to do?" Rosya asked.
"I'm going to take of Becker," Gustav replied. "I'm going to put down this madman."
Rosya handed Gustav his gun, unsure if she should allow him to face Becker. She had seen what these people were capable of.
"Don't get yourself killed, do you hear me?"
"Get going," replied Gustav, releasing the safety of his gun.
"You're not going anywhere!" Becker roared and, with a hand gesture, blocked the exits to the room with a semi-transparent wall that resembled a waterfall. Then he faced Gustav and flashed a grin at him. "You're going to put me down, detective?
Becker reached underneath his robe, then began to draw out his hand. Something thunderously roared and flung Becker backwards several feet, causing him to yell in pain as he slammed into the floor. He let out a yell of pain as he slammed into the floor.
"Ugh!" Becker cried out.
This was the first time getting shot. The pain was excruciating, His body going into shock. Becker modified his body extensively, but very little of his original body remained.. He had not attained true immortality, and now his executioner was drawing close.
Becker heard the click of the gun and stared down the barrel of the gun. The detective's expression was cold, devoid of emotion. Death had come for him.
"That's a lousy way to end it," a voice said.
A high above the detective, a shadow manifested. Becker recognized the voice.
"Detective, above you!" Ansem yelled.
"What?" Gustav lifted his eyes and saw the shadow raising its hand. A ball of lightning was taking shape.
The shadow hurled the ball of lightning, transforming into a spear at Gustav. It tore the air as it flew down. Gustav barely could dodge the attack, which left a circle of energy around Becker, preventing anyone from getting close to him.
Gustav opened fire, but the bullets stop in mid-air when they reached the energy circle.
As the shadow descended, it began to take the shape of a cloaked figure. Its cloak was the color of blood, a golden mask cover its face. And it landed right beside Becker.
"Quite a sorry state you're in," the figure said, examining Becker's broken body.
Then it turned its head to face Gustav. "You don't want to die here, at the hands of the unenlightened, right?"
"No," replied Becker. "My can't die before I achieve my dream."
"Do you wish to continue your research?"
Becker's lips twisted into a grin. "Yes. There's still much to do."
"Good," the cloaked figure said. "Then let's leave this place."
The cloaked figure drew out a short sword and slashed down before the astonished look of everyone.
"That thing killed him..." muttered Rosya.
"Didn't you come to save him? Why did you kill him?" Gustav chided, as the cloaked figure lifted Becker's head.
"Detective, you're too loud."
The voice didn't come from the cloak, but from Becker's severed head.
"How's that possible?" Gustav said in disbelief.
Becker's head shouldn't be alive, let alone speak, after being severed from the neck. There was something dark, beyond logic, unnatural that kept his head alive.
"We're leaving now," the cloaked figure said, looking at Ansem. "But not before leaving you a little toy to play with."
With a motion of its hand, the briefcase that Ansem was carrying began to shake violently.
"This isn't good." Ansem said, trying to contain the briefcase. His power diminished by holding Natalya and trying to break the spell Becker had cast.
The briefcase flew high into the air and its latches flew open, spilling its most recent contents onto the ground.
It was a terribly misshapen creature, its arms and legs mangled, spikes and bone protruding from its flesh. It no longer resembled the human being it used to be. Then it slowly rose its head and looked at the cloaked figure standing before it.
"Poor creature, let me help you." Forming a sigil with in the air, the cloaked figure invigorated the misshapen monstrosity.
The sound of cracking bone and the screams of the creature echoed in the room. The creature had not regained its original shape. It had become more monstrous. Its massive size, claws had replaced its hands, razor sharp spikes covered its body. This was a terrible threat that Gustav had no idea how to defeat.
"ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!"
"This is goodbye," the cloaked figure said mockingly as it faded into thin air.
"Is that..." Rosya said after inspecting the monster's face.
"Yes," Ansem replied. "That creature is what remains of Richard Aimes."
Now the outside matched the monster that was hiding inside Richard all this time, thought Rosya.
Richard charged forward and swiped at Gustav, who barely could dodge the giant claw heading his way. After it missed him, Gustav discharged a few shots from his pistol.
He might as well be throwing pebbles at the creature as the.45ACP ammo barely grazed Richard's skin.
Gustav noticed Rosya aiming her gun. "Rosya, stop, or it'll attack you next!"
He had to find a way to defeat the monstrous Richard, but it clearly outmatched him. And no experience fighting monsters.
"Gustav, here!" Rosya tossed the semi-auto rifle at Gustav.
Gustav rushed to grab the rifle as the monstrous Richard charged at him. By a hair's width, avoided the giant claw and released a barrage of fire. The bullets from the rifle were a little more effective than the pistol. However, Gustav could not land a head-shot. Even if he did, there was little guarantee it would bring down the monster.
"Ansem! Don't you have anything to destroy that thing?" Rosya asked.
"Got nothing," Ansem replied. "The one in the crimson cloak messed up the only tool I had."
"Then we have nothing?" Rosya was desperate. The monster could kill Gustav at any moment, and she had nothing to help him.
"Ugghhh..."
Ansem and Rosya finally noticed that Natalya had finally woken up. Thanks to the efforts of Ansem, the spell they placed her under had faded away. Her eyes had recovered their natural light, and no longer resembled those of a doll.
Natalya looked at Ansem. "What's going on?"