The Deadman

Helena took the cloak that one of her men handed. She looked down on the demon they were holding while the machine was tearing through the gap.

Her eyes went on a figure that stepped in their direction. He wore a full body suit under his formal suit. His face was covered and his limbs reinforced.

Seeing that this person was standing. She faced him with her spellforce rumbling.

“This needs to stop. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I disagree. We know.”

“Then you are all ignorant. This amount of korium alone… you’ll turn the skies into orange. A world where every living being melts under it.”

Helena blinks and throws a spell. The figure drew something in the air and neutralized her spell before it could manifest. She raised a brow. She was familiar with it.

“I see that we are dealing with an Agent of CASE. It seems that you have invited yourself to this island alone.”

“I ask you again. Stop this. This machine needs to stop before it can start emitting further.”

Helena tilts her head and presses her earpiece. The men in power armor turned their rifles on the figure. Before they could fire however, he moved suddenly, he bounced off the wall, and approached them while shooting the barrels of their rifles with such reckless accuracy. He put his free hand backward and flung himself as this spell threw him in their direction.

She casts a spell of protection but instead he twisted his body, and on his left forearm was this barrel. She could tell from glance that it was some armament and then he slashes it on a wide arch, emitting this laser that leaves a mark on their power armor.

Then he formed a symbol with his dominant hand. Throwing this ball of water that was followed by a ball of fire. When the water met the fire, it released this steam that temporarily blocked their vision. It only took them a second to adjust, but it was enough for him to throw multiple wind scars that tore through their armor.

Helena retaliated, throwing a bolt of lightning that the figure dodged accurately. The rest of Helena’s soldiers focused their attack on this figure, and yet this suit that this person was wearing caused the bullets to be reflected. She could see the lines on this man’s suit wither, and he was leaving ashes that were falling inside his suit.

She couldn’t direct her fire. She looked around and noticed that none of the defensive mechanisms were working. They didn’t target this man at all. The rest of the defenses were pinning down her men on the side.

“A decker?”

She levitated and summoned spells of her own.

But it was like dealing with a creature. She was magically enhanced, and yet how this man moves made her even more wary.

She retreated.

Then she saw her men falter.

Their knees buckled as the demon, who was barely defending itself, woke up and with a glance. The men that were firing at the demon screamed.

“What!?”

The figure landed.

“Are you surprised by this? You are dealing with nefarious beings. Creatures that don’t care whether you’re emotionless or not. I don’t know if Silva has met a demon before, maybe she has met creatures, and destroyed sanctuaries, but a demon, a creature like that can’t compare.”

“You speak so lightly as if you know my Teacher.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t know how you folks manage to catch a demon, but that is a demon that imitates Marbas. I know. Because I have felt that fear a long time ago. You need to stop this.”

Helena Curtens glanced at the demon that was taking the shape of a humanoid with the head of the lion. She knew of Marbas, the creature from hell that has the answers to secrets that are truly hidden and mechanical arts. A creature that changes the living into the shape.

She wondered if this was the goal? To summon a demon that would allow Gia Silva to gain what she needed.

But a transaction with a demon requires a hefty cost.

She didn’t want to think about it.

She desperately didn’t want to think about it.

But yet she knew it well that her mentor had been destroying sanctuaries and had recently caused the death of entire races.

The soul she had gathered was enough to converse with the demon.

She knows.

And yet her loyalty belonged to her Mother.

If this sacrifice would allow her mother to get what she wanted. It didn’t matter what she had done. If she gets what she wants then maybe she can find the answers that she desperately seeks.

“I can tell that you understand! You know it. I know it. You know what it means to summon a demon. I might be ignorant to some wisdom, but I know enough that this wouldn't end well! We need to stop this machine now!”

“I’m sorry. That can’t happen.”

The figure stepped forward, with his reinforced fist raised and pulled back.

“I know.”

She felt a punch on her right cheek. Then, she saw the man’s fist, landing on her stomach. Before she could gather her power, the man tackled her on the ground, and put her into a chokehold.

“If you aren’t going to help me stop this. Then sleep!”

She elbowed the man’s armor. It didn't work. She tried to speak words of power, but she could only feel the man tighten his hold around her neck. She tried hard to pray the elbow off her, but it was too late.

She was Mage. But she had been unchallenged for so long that a man who could move like that and threw spells while wearing such armor was beyond. 

A man bred for battle. With instincts and reflexes that she was able to simply match while being in the vicinity of a demon that was shaking her soul.

“Sleep.”

Helena Curtens fainted.

But before she lost consciousness.

She saw creatures that were summoned by this demon charging at the man.

There weren’t only creatures.

She saw the power-armor of the Hellrunners approaching.

And yet she saw no fear or hesitance in the man.

 

***

 

At the heart of the machine lies Gia Silva.

She stood in front of this ethereal figure that was slowly manifesting itself into the realsplace. The demon that she had captured was not a vessel that could hold the soul of a demon from hell.

One hundred years.

She had enough time to understand that even her knowledge had limits. That limit was overwhelming. It was breaking her inside.

She had tried a method back in 1997, but it was not enough to summon one. She had failed miserably. She understood that she needed more.

She needed more time.

She needed more knowledge.

She thought that maybe in her own way she could do it.

The idea was to create a hybrid of magic and science.

She studied the Wisps after so many years and imitated their ways of travel.

She broadened her mind and created technology that surpassed the current technology.

She had dedicated her life to it.

To reach a certain goal.

But years passed.

And despite her single-minded determination.

Her tests proved no result.

No reward that would gladden her soul.

And she was losing that fire.

To keep that fire lit she found korium.

She tried to use korium to supplement her lack of power and yet it was simply raw energy. It was during one of her trips that she saw korium mixed with magic and fragments of the soul.

But that wasn’t something that would give her progress.

No, she came to realize that the path that she was taking would take her years.

Years upon years of studies.

She might have created technologies that could prevent her own rotting, but nonetheless, her patient was finite. She couldn’t stop herself from wanting to achieve progress and the more she trudges this path.

The more she realized that she had limits.

That in the end she might not be able to achieve that dream.

Her dream in the first place was in the realm of impossibility.

An impossibility that required her to believe that somehow she would become the light of a lighthouse that would lead those who had passed back to her.

Those who she had consulted told her that it was impossible.

That even if it was possible, it would require a certain amount of power that the current world lacked. There were simply too many disruptions. She was trying to recreate a miracle that even in an age where the gods walked among men, where there were horrific beasts and monsters, giants ruled the lands, and nearly godlike heroes and magicians went on great quests.  A time where these men created myths and legends that lasted for ages.

An impossibility.

As years passed she felt her heart worn.

That maybe she wouldn’t be able to achieve her dream.

But Gia Silva’s heart burns like fire.

If she had despaired, then maybe she would have found the courage to let go.

Oh, she would have tried to if she didn’t spend so long and sinned so much to reach this far.

Despite spending so many years.

She turned to the ways that empowered her again.

This time she was willing to even sacrifice thousands of souls for her goal.

She had hunted creatures of legends and stored their souls on korium.

She had burned down sanctuaries.

She had destroyed an entire dominion and harvested their souls as an offering to this demon who she was told to have answers to knowledge. Methods that could be her only way of  truly achieving what she wanted.

The machine was nothing more than a device that would allow this demon to slip from the cracks and slowly materialize itself and allow her to ask the questions she wanted to ask.

Secrets that would help her achieve the impossible.

Perhaps she would ruin the world.

Turn it desolate and cause chaos upon the world as she brings forth an existence that shouldn’t be allowed to step on this plane of existence.

Her soul trembles.

Her mind was on her stepdaughter who was guarding the scene. She had lost her connection to her daughter and maybe she had lost against the primal fear that the demon was bleeding out. Her heart worries, but she couldn’t let go of this.

She needed to hold on.

Manipulate the energy into creating this gate that would allow this demon to slip through.

She could feel the energy passing through her veins. She could feel her soul on the brink of tethering. Her soul is strong. It was robust and yet the energy coming from the korium and the souls in it was slowly crushing.

The pain was so much that she had turned her pain receptors off by force. She could feel her body tearing and yet she held on to it dearly as if letting go was unquestionable.

Hold. You must hold on. Grab it. Don’t let go. Don’t you dare to let go after all of this, she scolded herself.  You already did too much, sacrificed so many for your own selfishness. Don’t let those sacrifices be worth nothing. Don’t you dare let go. Don’t even think of letting go. Keep it steady. Direct the flow. They hate you for what you’ve done, but don’t let that distract you from asking that question. You need to. You have to.

Her soul faltered, but her will was like fuel to her soul. She manifested her strength and gathered her strength to continue.

But as she gathered her strength she felt someone’s presence. She opened her eyes lightly and saw a figure prying the doors open. It was a figure that she was not familiar with. This figure reached out and tried to move her when her defense shield, that was coating her like a bubble force this figure back, his body slammed on the sturdy interior of the chamber where she was helping manipulate the energies flowing from the korium.

She wondered if this figure was the cause of her losing connection to her daughter.

The figure stood up with his limbs intact. She glared. Before the figure could let out work she used her powers to slam the figure up and down, battering him from wall to wall, ceiling to floor until it didn’t move.

She was sure that would be enough.

And yet this figure stood up despite the damage that he should have taken. She wondered if it was the armor. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter to him.

She didn’t need words.

She didn’t need anyone to convince her otherwise.

Her invisible hand grabbed hold to the figure only for her invisible hand to lose control. She looked at the figure and saw that it drew a sealing symbol on himself.

“Miss…,” the figure said. “You need to stop this madness.”

Blood leaked out from his face plate. She noticed that there were lots of places on his armor that were damaged. Slashed, battered, pierced, and shot at.

How much time had passed since she started operating this machine?

“Miss… I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve here. I know that you are doing something… I know that you are achieving something that makes your men… the people outside fight fiercely enough to achieve it. I don’t know shit what your goal is. A goal that is important that you’re trying to fuck over an entire world for.”

His voice modulator distorted. She could tell that his life essence was trembling and his soul was barely holding on. Exhausted and beaten.

“But this ain’t right. I’m not moral enough. I ain’t saintly enough to care about what you intend to do. I should have known better than to interfere with you folks!”

He grits teeth behind that plate covering his face.

“Nonetheless, the little bit of fucking decency in me knows that if this shit continues. We’d be on a path without no return. I don’t care if you believe me or not. I can tell that you can easily destroy me… but stop.”

She raises her eyes and stares him down.

“I can’t do that.”

“Please.”

“No.”

Nothing could.

There was simply nothing that could convince her to stop this from happening.

The figure seems to understand that and yet he tries.

She wondered if he would resort to his fist?

He should.

Because she wouldn’t hold back.

Why would she care about a stranger who knew nothing?

She raised her invisible hand and slammed it against the man.

It was a force that only a True Mage like her could manifest. The man’s back slammed forcibly on the entrance.

And yet…

Despite all of that.

The man took something out and stabbed it in his chest.

He stood up with slow and steady steps first before charging.

She readied herself only for the man to run past her and slammed his fists on the conductors that were controlling the flow.

“I ain’t much, but I’ve seen enough to know enough.”

He twisted the conductors and pulled back.

The faceplate protecting his head cracked.

“I don’t really know what makes someone go this far. I’m guessing you don’t care as long as you achieve this goal. It’s not power, no, even your name alone commands it. How could a prodigy… How could someone understand? Maybe you don’t remember me, miss. I still remember guarding you after the death of your family. Can still remember it. Is it them that you want to bring back? I understand that. Dealing with demons… then finding to use that demon to your own advantage and bring them back… but let me ask you this. Answer me, please. Have you thought of those who are behind you? The ones who have to be hurt for this? Maybe you have and maybe you have still picked this path… but I want to somewhat believe.”

He pulled forward, tearing through the conductors.

His words wouldn't reach.

He knew that well.

She lets go of her control and lashes her power like a whip through the plate until it tore through the chunk. He avoided some of her blows, but with him trying to pull the conductors. It was a task that further damaged his body.

“... that you still have some decency to understand this shit will turn everything above us into burning orange.

Then as if he had finally run out of power.

He kneeled.

He coughed out blood.

His fingers couldn’t pull the conductors out fully.

Gia Silva snorts and destroys the seal protecting his body and throws him sideways, head first on the wall. She tilted her head, watched the motionless figure barely breathing struggle to live.

I need to continue… I need more time. Need to fix the conductors. Just a pebble on the road. This means nothing.

She tethered the flow of energy and then accessed the emergency panel, configuring the machine to continue the process, rerouting the flow again.

She went back to her original position and then tried to focus her mind on the continuation of this experiment. Just a bit more and she can manifest the demon fully.

Gia Silva would make progress.

She would be able to reach her dream.

Not far from him, the figure who was at his last breath muttered. Blood flowed out, creating a puddle.

“I tried… I really did. Never do act like this usually. Never did try. Still… I tried my best. In the end… that’s all that mattered, right?”

She gave him no reply. She was uninterested with the words of a dead man seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It was nothing but a weak whisper. The whisper of a dead man that couldn’t stop her.

The energy that was built up was at the final stages. 

It was not far.

She could finally reach it.

And at the moment of her victory.

A weakened voice murmurs weakly.

“So it’s alright now, right? Your Kato did his best… I really did try my best…  Your Kato... did.. his best...”

Gia swings her head and sees the dimming eyes of the man who whispered those words.

As the warmth on his face fades.

A heart sinks.

 

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Book 1 Epilogue

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