Anna

Why?

She couldn’t understand. And she could not move a single muscle, being hooked on the blade of the scissor like a marionette on a single, deadly string. Pictures flashed through her mind, pictures of the four of them having fun together and enjoying themselves. All the years, the long nights and fun times. And now?

Why… Why do you do this kind of thing, Hendrick? she thought. No… You aren’t the real Hendrick, are you?

You are something else.

Before she could ask herself more questions, Hendrick’s voice burst through the heartbeat. It was sharp and clear, without doubt.

“Oh, lord of the machines, heart of the factory deep below. I have come to offer you a sacrifice. A sacrifice as the price to let me continue on my journey. Please, be gracious and accept my offer!”

Anna felt a light push on her back, her body first balancing straight, then starting to move forward as the blade of the scissor slowly slid out of her chest.

And once again she heard Hendricks voice, this time quieter, “At least try to smile, Ann…”

It didn’t sound like him at all, his tone filled with mockery and joy.

“You have finally served your purpose…”

He chuckled.

“...and you have been of great use.”

And as her vision began to blur further, and her field of view was redirected down the pit, she got a better look of what had hidden below them for so long.

And she fell down the endless seeming pit,

as her eyes were too weak to even form tears.

---

Hendrick?

Hendrick glanced around, the metallic creatures waiting patiently for his action. He looked down at his reddened scissor, then up to where Jim was standing. He was where he had expected him to be.

He saw Jim stare him down, his expression saying more than words ever could. He heard his shouts and screams, the words he called him.

But he did not care.

His lips formed a smile, which was met with pure anger. As he saw Jim get tackled from another metallic human and pinned down, he turned around, towards the floating stairs that had just appeared, and started crossing to the floating platform which hovered over the middle of the hole.

The portal was now activated, did glow in its usual blue colour. The metal which was spun around the portal’s round shape was decorated with runes of unknown language, faintly glowing in blue light as well.

All the puzzle pieces were now in place. It was time to get rid of that stupid butterfly and end this once and for all. He had everything where he wanted it to be. Now it was only a question of if his plan would work.

And then he would finally be free again.

He could finally return to his true self.

And so he stepped forward through the gate,

blue particles enveloping him as he made his way towards the third and final stage.

---

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Jim

I’m going to kill him. I’m going to fucking rip him apart.

Jim got dragged down by a cold hand, tried his best to fend off the countless attacks of the machine creatures around him. He pushed one away, got up again.

His shoulder wasn’t the only thing he had to worry about anymore, a cut across his chest burning with every of his movements. He slowly got the feeling these things aimed at cutting around his stomach or chest, but at the same time not too deep, as if they tried to not damage his insides.

This would also make sense since these things harvest organs. He could definitely use that as an advantage. Maybe the only advantage he still had left.

He got pushed forward by his unbound rage, slicing up more than he could count. Hendrick’s smile stayed fixed inside of his inner eye, fueling his hate even further.

Why did he do it? Why?

Jim held his arm upwards, prepared for another strike as he got caught off guard from behind. A blade met his arm around the elbow, sliced through it in one clean cut as it flew through the air before falling down with the scissor still in its grasp.

Jim stared at the stump which was left of his right arm in terror. Then, before he could react, something sharp enter his left leg. This time it got stuck at its bone, didn’t slice all the way through. He let out a noiseless scream as his glance shot around fast in terror. He pushed the creature away with his own weight, the sharp object leaving his leg as he rolled himself off sideways but lost balance.

He then started falling towards the ground.

---

Hitting the ground had indeed turned out as very painful, his legs now hurting with every single step. Yet, he had somehow barely managed to get back onto his feet, held his scissor which he had retained from his cut off arm in his left hand now.

Even if he was about to die, even if he had to endure all of this pain, he would at least take that son of a bitch with him. He saw more metallic creatures approaching as he remembered Jack’s words:

‘The blood and guts of his enemies, of course! Isn’t that obvious? He never gives up, and he always comes out on top, whatever happens to him.’

And he held up his weapon with a shivering grip, his eyes locked forward ready to face whatever came at him.

But as soon as the first creature attacked, his weapon was struck out of his hand.

He stumbled, then fell as the creatures leaped on top of him, holding him down as he was unable to move away.

A single tear run down his face,

but it hadn’t been caused by physical pain.

And as he could feel his stomach being cut open,

and he was able to view upon his own innards,

the creatures suddenly stopped.

And in disbelief, he saw something appear in front of him.

Out of nowhere, particles sparked and formed into a round mass of blue,

from which a human figure emerged.

It was rather tall, wearing a black suit with a red tie. There was a familiar white mask hiding away its face, carrying a giant inhumanly looking grin.

The creatures around Jim backed off and bowed in awe in front of the being. It raised its voice, said, “Don’t worry. You will not die.” It then added, “Excuse the rough manners of these creatures, it wasn’t their choice. They only followed commands.”

Jim trembled all over. He did not understand what was going on, but he had stopped caring about that long ago. The only thing he had still wanted was to protect Anna, to be together with her. But now, there was only one thing left to do.

“Ki… H…”

“What?” The creature tilted its head lightly to the side.

“I-I wi… ki… him…”

He could have sworn the smile on the creature’s mask had grown a little wider.

“You seem to be determined.” The creature hovered a few inches over the ground, floated closer to Jim.

“You are lucky today.”

It pointed towards Jim’s cut open chest with one finger. The wound closed up immediately. The pain vanished.

“Let me… kill him…”

“If you follow my conditions, you might get another chance to do that, my child,” the masked creature said.

“I will do… anything…”

The smile on the mask grew even wider, and it was as if reality itself flickered for a second.

It held out a single gloved hand towards Jim.

And the being raised its voice once again,

every sound being silenced in awe as it spoke,

“Let’s make a deal.”

-----

Stage 2 End

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