Ch 35: The Darkness Within

Just as Alastor seems defeated, he combines with Shadow to take his merged form. With Grey and Alexander on the ropes, it seems he has won at last, but there is something coming he had not foreseen.

            Standing over Alastor, Grey said, “I ought to put an end to you once and for all! All the lives you’ve ruined, the countless people you fed to that monster! But I don’t have time for you right now. You’d better believe I’ll be back, and if anything’s happened to my friends, I really will kill you!” With a faint smile, Alastor said, “Excuses Mr. Greyson? Admit it. You don’t have the nerve to slay a defenseless opponent. It’s that weakness of yours again. No matter how strong you become, it shines right through…” Glaring at Alastor, Grey shouted, “Shut up!” Grey’s eyes suddenly went wide as he noticed the reflection in Alastor’s eyes, and he turned to block just in time as Shadow swung with his Blood King. Yet the demonic strength behind the strike was too much, and Grey went sailing over Alastor and bounced across the ground. As he struggled to get up on one knee, Grey looked up to see Shadow seemingly being absorbed by Alastor. The two became a mass of darkness that sat there writhing on the floor a moment. Then the mass formed into a kneeling man who wore a white suit with a black tie as well as red and black trim and cuffs. Over his suit’s coat he also wore a pair of black shoulder guards with glowing red lines on them much like the ones from shadow’s armor. His white pants had red symbols on them that stretched down both legs, and his shoes were pure black with black feathered ornaments attached to the heels. The man’s hair was slightly longer than Alastor’s, and was white with a streak of black through the front. Slowly he stood up and looked at Grey with his glowing red eyes. In Alastor’s chillingly empty voice, he said, “Now then… Where were we, Mr. Greyson?”

            Staring at his new opponent, Grey felt a bead of sweat rolling down his face as he said, “What the hell? Alastor?” Forming Acerbitas Desiderium again, Alastor replied, “I have merged with the Nameless One, and since he was the vessel containing the Nameless One’s power, I have merged with Shadow as well. Until now, using the Nameless One’s power has been hard on my body as well as my essence. That’s one of the reasons why I created the vessel, as well as to protect myself from the Nameless One and its madness that drives one on an endless search for power. I also chose a living vessel so that by merging I gain some of the vessel’s own power. While I have merged with them, it is my consciousness that reigns over the resulting body. So in other words, I am Alastor Bastille.” Dropping into a battle stance, Alastor added, “And I’m afraid I’m going to end this…” Alastor rushed at Grey with great speed, closing the distance as he channeled EDE into Acerbitas Desiderium and swung the scythe in an upward strike. Grey blocked with his swords, but was unable to hold onto them in the face of Alastor’s great strength. 

As Grey’s swords flew through the air, Alastor raised his foot and kicked Grey in the stomach, unleashing a blast of pressurized air as he struck. Blown across the room, Grey landed hard, having had the air knocked out of him. Swing his scythe down into the floor, Alastor unleashed the EDE within the scythe’s blade and a dark wave ripped across the floor at Grey. Struggling onto one knee and seeing the wave coming at him, Grey raised his arms in defense. Splitting apart, the energy wave began carving a circle in the floor around Grey, and Grey quickly thought in realization, “A rune circle?!” It was too late to move, and as the ground beneath Grey lit up with dark light, Alastor said, “Dark Gravity Zone.” Grey could not move as the gravitational pull within the entire area multiplied exponentially, and as he struggled just to raise his head and look at Alastor, Grey saw him gathering great amounts of EDE. Once he’d gathered enough, Alastor raised his hand and said, “Vortex Cannon.” Above Grey, a dark vortex formed and a wide beam of Corrupted EDE shot down at him, searing him with corrupted energies and blowing him sailing high into the air with a mighty blast. Limp as a rag doll, Grey fell back to the ground with a thud. The Gravity Zone faded and Alastor slowly walked over to Grey as he said, “You did well Mr. Greyson.” Standing over him, Alastor raised Acerbitas Desiderium and said, “Yet I will not fall to any power, not even the power of the heart…”

            Rushing at Alastor with his sword ready, Alexander shouted, “ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU WILL FALL!” Swinging Acerbitas Desiderium over his back, Alastor blocked as Alexander swung his blade down. Turning his head to look back at him, Alastor said, “I daresay dear brother… you’re almost as hard to kill as I am…” Alexander grinned, and channeling EDE into the damaged runes on his injured hand, he said, “Even if I am in such a state, I have a reputation to keep!” Then he chanted, “Magistri Zona!” As a red and blue rune circle formed beneath them, a blast of frostfire knocked Alastor away. Flipping in the air, Alastor landed on his feet and muttered, “Accursed spells…” Quickly Alexander knelt at Grey’s side, and grabbing Grey’s shoulder and shaking him, he said, “Grey! Are you alright?! Say something!” Shaking Grey again as he proved unresponsive, Alexander said, “I must heal him quickly, we only stand a chance together!” Alastor swung his scythe and unleashed a powerful wave of Corrupted EDE as he called out, “Not so fast!” Stabbing his sword into the floor, Alexander chanted, “Validus Terra Obex!” A dome shaped barrier of stone rose up around them from the dark green rune circle that formed, but it was quickly obliterated by the oncoming energy wave. Alastor approached the destroyed dome cautiously as the dust cleared, only to see Grey and Alexander were gone. Clenching the handle of Acerbitas Desiderium tightly, Alastor muttered, “A dark vortex. It’s clear where Mr. Greyson gets his ingenuity. No matter, you cannot go far in your condition. I can still track you down.”

            Within the torture chamber, Alexander placed Grey upon a table he’d cleared off and began to heal him as he thought, “I couldn’t think of anywhere else I could reach in my condition. Hopefully Alastor will not think to look here…” After a moment Grey started to come around, and Alexander breathed a sigh of relief and said, “You really gave me a scare this time…” Turning his head to look at Alexander, as his vision cleared, Grey bolted up and said, “What in the hell happened to you?!” His chest wound only partially healed, his hand still bleeding, and worst of all the red lines consuming his face, Alexander did not look at all well. Laughing weakly, Alexander said, “You’re no vision of beauty yourself. For now we must focus on the task at hand. Alastor will find us soon enough.” Sensing him just at that moment, Alexander’s eyes went wide as Alastor’s voice called out behind him, “I’m right here you know…” As Alexander turned around, Alastor swung his scythe and knocked his sword from his hand. Reaching out, Alastor grabbed hold of Alexander’s throat and lifted him off his feet. Grey formed his swords and shouted, “Let him go!” Alastor simply said, “Very well.” Flinging Alexander away like he was a toy, Alastor threw Alexander hard into the side of the wall. 

Alexander slid down the wall and collapsed against it, unconscious. Looking at Alexander in horror a moment, Grey turned back to Alastor and exclaimed, “B*****d!” Grey lunged at him, but Alastor simply evaded and swept his foot under Grey’s feet, sending him falling down on his face. Quickly Grey got up and turned to face him again, yet as soon as he’d turned around Alastor slammed the bottom end of the scythe’s handle into Grey’s face, and he staggered back and dropped his swords. Kicking Grey in the gut, Alastor knocked him onto his back and pinned him to the ground with the bottom end of the scythe’s handle, and as Grey struggled against him, Alastor said, “All worked up again. You just don’t learn, do you Mr. Greyson? Is he really so important to you?” Glaring up at Alastor, Grey said, “Alexander is my friend! I won’t let you hurt him!” For a moment Alastor laughed quietly, and then he said, “I guess I wouldn’t know what it’s like to have friends now would I? But then again, it still seems strange to me that you consider him your friend. After all, he’s lied to you about almost everything…”

            Calling his swords to his hands with telekinesis, Grey swung a blade at Alastor and said, “You think I’ll believe anything you say?!” Alastor released Grey and stepped back to avoid his flailing strike as he said, “Think Mr. Greyson! Think! He’s already hidden the truth about your dear parents, the Greysons. What’s stopping him from lying to you about something else?” Slowly getting up, Grey struggled to defend Alexander, saying, “That’s… he… I’m still waiting to hear why in the hell I should believe YOU of all people! Just why are we even talking like this?!” Spinning the scythe in his hand, Alastor said, “We can stop anytime you like. I merely thought I might see how you’d react if you knew the truth. Don’t you wonder why Alexander tried to kill himself back in the Temple of Umbra? Don’t you wonder what you’re going all the way to Loralu for?” Unsettled, Grey said, “How the hell do you know about that?” Flashing his faint smile, Alastor said, “What would you say, Mr. Greyson, if I were to tell you your father, your real father, is still alive?” Stepping away from Alastor, Grey quietly said, “What?” Staring back at Grey with his cold stare, “He told you that your real parents were dead, didn’t he Mr. Greyson? I’m sorry to say you’ve been deceived.” Staring in shock, Grey shouted, “But why?! Where is my father?! Why were we separated, why didn’t Alexander tell me?!” Alastor stopped twirling his scythe and returned it to a mass of EDE. Forming his twin swords once again, he started to move towards Grey as he said, “As much as I’d like to tell you, my words can’t be trusted now can they? Perhaps you can figure it all out in the afterlife…”

            Alastor seemed to fade and go out of focus, and then he split into three shadowy figures that quickly started circling Grey. Trying to follow their movements, Grey thought, “What the hell is this?!” Alastor’s voice called out, “Nothing but a little parlor trick compared to the incantation you used before. Though I still don’t quite understand what power you used against me back there, I’m quite convinced it employed some level of darkness. However, someone like you is not fit to be using darkness Mr. Greyson. The truth is, you’re just too weak…” Grey fired an energy sphere of light energy at one of the moving shadows with no effect and said, “That again?!” Alastor replied, “You will never escape your past. You’ve hidden the pain of the sins you’ve committed and put on a confident face, but it’s all a lie. The truth will catch up with you, the inescapable truth of who you are. Your own two hands ended all those lives. Have you forgotten, Black Knight?” A shadow fell over Grey’s face, and with a tone of suppressed rage he said, “Shut up…” The shadowy figures continued to circle Grey as Alastor said, “You were weak. Too weak to resist the Second Truth, the only true freedom from your past. Just like how you were too weak to protect your parents when I killed them.” 

Rushing at the shadowy figures, Grey slashed wildly with his sword as he shouted, “SHUT UP!” The shadowy figures struck back as Alastor said, “Doubt, regret, fear…” As they sliced through him, Grey fell to his knees as the doubt in himself, the regrets of his past, and the fear of his fate, all of it washed over him. As Alastor reappeared before him, he stared down at Grey as he said, “Do you remember the day of your parents’ death Mr. Greyson? All the proof is right there. You hid in the corner of a room while you listened to their screams. You may have been powerless then, but you could have tried…” Clutching his body, Grey’s face fell at these words, and he collapsed on the ground. Reforming Acerbitas Desiderium, Alastor raised the scythe and said, “Now, at last, it is time for you to die.”

            Suddenly, an aura of darkness surrounded Grey. Pausing with his scythe held in the air, Alastor stared down at Grey and muttered, “What is this? This power is almost like… NO!” Quickly he brought the scythe down, but Grey rolled aside, got on all fours, and jumped away as Alastor wildly swung again. As Grey disappeared into the shadows of the dark chamber, Alastor held his scythe before him cautiously and muttered, “This isn’t possible! He passed through the Gate! It should have been removed from his body! Even if it wasn’t, a test sample shouldn’t have resulted in this!” Noticing a bit of dust fall from the ceiling, Alastor looked up to see glowing red eyes staring down at him. He quickly moved aside as Grey dropped from the ceiling and swung one of his blades. Alastor struck with his scythe, but with an exceedingly powerful swing Grey countered with his other blade and knocked Alastor off balance. Alastor managed to jump back to avoid another swing, and held his scythe defensively as he looked at Grey, who was swaying and moving with strange, unnatural motions. On his face were what looked like red glowing tattoos, and his eyes were now yellow slits like a snake’s eyes. Staring at Grey, Alastor muttered, “Malum Vanitas…”

            In an eerie voice, Grey said, “Did you really think you could contain me Alastor?” Lowering his scythe, Alastor said, “For the sake of creating my ideal world, I will continue to try.” Grey sneered and said, “Your world won’t come to pass. I will consume all life! All power! All existence!” Raising a hand, Alastor said, “It still wouldn’t be enough to satisfy you. Now then, I will have you do as I say now…” Alastor seemed to concentrate a moment, but Grey merely laughed, clearly unaffected as he said, “Having trouble controlling two vessels at once?” Looking strained, Alastor dropped into a battle stance and muttered, “If I cannot control you, I will destroy Mr. Greyson and make it so there’s only one vessel. Like they say, kill two birds with one stone.” Grinning wickedly, Grey said, “Struggle all you like, but I’ll be taking back what’s mine!” The tattoos on Grey’s face glowed brightly, and quickly Alastor clutched his head as he gasped, “No…! You… will not… take me again…!” Slamming the bottom end of his scythe’s handle against the ground, Alastor said, “Destruction!” A black rune circle appeared on the floor and suddenly the entire tower began to shake. Opening a dark vortex, still clutching his head, Alastor staggered into it and disappeared. Awakened by the shaking of the room, as Alexander stood, he noticed Grey lying collapsed on the floor and rushed over to him. He was relived to see him still breathing. Then as the roof began to collapse, Alexander quickly picked up Grey, and with all the strength he had left he opened a dark vortex.

            Coming out of a dark vortex at the base of the collapsing spire, Alexander carried Grey over his shoulder as he struggled to escape from falling rubble and debris. Rushing in the direction of the tower where the secret passage to Underworld had been, Alexander looked back as the Infernal Spire buckled and collapsed, the eternal fires that had burned upon it starting to light the city ablaze. Reaching the tower and ascending it, Alexander made it through the catacombs and stepped out into the snowy expanse of Shadow’s Reach. Exhausted, Alexander set Grey down and sat next to him. Feeling at his chest, Alexander winced in pain just from touching it. The poison lines had spread all across his body, and from the way he was feeling he was sure that once he stopped using the power of the Nameless One he would be unable to move. Suddenly Grey sat up, and Alexander turned in surprise and said, “You’re awake already? Don’t sit up so soon, you’re in bad shape…” A shadow hung over Grey’s face, and acting as though he had not heard him, Grey said in a strange voice, “Alexander…” Concerned, Alexander got up on his feet again as he said, “Are you alright?” 

Walking in front of Grey, Alexander kneeled down to look at him, Grey sitting there silently as he said, “What happened back there? Why are you-” Lunging at him, Grey knocked Alexander over on his back and got on top of him. Quickly wrapping his hands around Alexander’s neck, Grey started choking him, and with an evil grin he said, “I will have my power back now, Alexander Bastille!” Staring up at Grey, as he saw the glowing markings on his face, Alexander thought, “No! It can’t be!” Struggling to breathe, to say something, at last Alexander choked, “Grey… fight… him…” Suddenly, Grey’s eyes went wide and he released Alexander. Getting up and staggering away as Alexander coughed, Grey clutched his head as he muttered frantically, “Not stop me… Seeker… Fate’s Requiem… Accursed Bastilles… All perish… The Horsemen shall ride… Last Remote… The throne… All will be mine…” Suddenly Grey collapsed, and quickly Alexander struggled to his hands and knees and started crawling over to him. Then he heard someone say, “There they are!” Rushing over to them at that very moment were Richter, Amy, and Mythra. With them as well were a large force of Daemonholm soldiers and paramedics. As relief washed over Alexander, he collapsed as well. Reaching him, Richter said, “Hang on Alexander, we’ll get you out of here!” Doing his best to look up at him, Alexander weakly said, “Look after Grey, he’s…” Alexander’s vision faded and everything went dark.