Time of Dying

            “Jareth, I can’t do this any more.” Her words came suddenly.

            Jareth had been spacing off at a point beyond the campfire when she spoke, “Excuse me?”

            “This. I can’t do it any more.” She said again.

            “What do you mean you can’t do this, any more?” Jareth was looking directly at Angela now. His eyes fixed on her, his heart frozen with terror and what he thought she was saying. She raised her eyes to meet his gaze. That icy stare made him wince. It felt like her eyes were penetrating his soul.

            “I have to leave, Jareth.” Her gaze fell back to the floor. She couldn’t bear to see his reaction.

            Jareth stood, his voice shaky, “You can’t leave me, Angela! What about the zombies? You said we’d destroy them all together. Remember? We can take on any horde of zombies! We’re Jareth and Angela, the zombie slaying duo!” Angela would not look up at him. “What about all we’ve been through together? The blood we’ve shed for each other? We’ve risked our lives for one another and you’re just going to walk away after all that?!” Jareth asked, incredulous.

            “I’m sorry, Jareth.” Angela stood and began to walk away. She didn’t have the heart to tell him the real reason why she was leaving. She no longer trusted Jareth. He’d become steadily more unstable in the passing weeks they’d traveled together. She felt as though he was slowly going more and more insane, and that he would inevitably hurt her. The shift in his personality hurt her enough as it was.

            “Please Angela, don’t leave!” Jareth called to her. She didn’t look back, not for one second. She didn’t even twitch. Jareth took one step towards her, “Angela,” he began. As soon as she heard his voice again she started running. Jareth began to give chase, but the streets were too complex, and he lost her when she rounded a series of corners. Jareth walked slowly back to the fire they had made earlier and sat on the ground. She can’t be gone…Jareth thought to himself. He stared at the fire for a long while before he fell asleep for his first night alone in a long time.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *         

            Angela stopped to catch her breath after she lost Jareth. She leaned against a wall and took out the necklace Jareth had let her have a month prior. He believed that it was his good luck charm. That somehow, nothing bad would happen to him as long as he wore that necklace. Jareth had trusted in Angela, so he let her keep it. She never really appreciated the full implications of this action, and ended up betraying his trust when she left. Angela slumped to the ground, her back to a wall, and began to sob as she clutched the necklace close to her heart.

Jareth couldn’t see her tears when she began to walk away, and it was almost impossible for her to stifle her anguish when he had called out to her. She wanted more than anything to turn back and wrap her arms around him, but she believed that she needed to get out. Jareth had become reckless, almost like he didn’t care if he lived or died. His aim had become to kill or be killed. Angela couldn’t stop crying that night. Not even after she fell asleep, silent tears still rolled down her cheeks as she rested.

Three days later, and after great length, Angela and I came upon a small encampment. A few cabins scattered about the place. There were no traces of life, only trees. Angela walked a couple paces behind me as we walked towards the cabins. “Hello? Is anyone there?” I asked, putting my hand on Angel’s hilt. There was no response. Only the still sounds of the forest in the rapidly fading light of day.

“Don’t advertise our presence!” Angela advised.

“It’s getting dark and we’re here, so we might as well see if we can stay in one of these cabins for the night.” A sudden laughter came ringing through the trees. Immediately I wrapped my fingers around Angel. Angela did likewise with her blade. “Show yourself!” I commanded.

From the cabin in the center of the encampment the door swung open. An ominous figure stepped out, tall and imposing. His black hair was swept back with a few strands lingering in front of his face. A massive dark blue cape covered the right side of his body. He sported a yellow plaid vest over a royal purple long-sleeved shirt that was frilly at the end of the sleeves. Vertically across the left eye was a black line, and beneath the right was a similar line, though it did not extend above this eye. This man looked to be middle-aged and he was in seemingly good shape. “Ah Jareth, you’ve come at last!”

“Who are you and why do you know my name?” I demanded as I pulled Angel from her sheathe.

“Don’t you recognize your own father?”

“What? You’re not Jeff! Prove it if you really are!”

“I used to run the northwest guild.”

“Anyone could know that!” I insisted.

He let out a sigh, “You were born on the 25^th day of the third month of the year.”

“Why is that something that would prove that he’s your dad?” Angela whispered to me.

“Because nobody has ever celebrated my birthday, it was never really a big deal, so nobody would know.” I whispered back, “Dad why did you leave? Where have you been? Won’t you come back?”

“I think you’ll find all the answers you’re looking for in my eyes.” Jeff began leering at me.

Startled, thinking this was some trick, I took a step back, but nothing happened and no answers came.

“Satisfied?”

“No, I didn’t get anything out of that.”

“No?”

“No.” I said simply.

Jeff looked shocked. He leered again, still no effect on me. He turned his attention to Angela, leering at her.

“Okay what the hell are you doing?” I asked, becoming annoyed.

“This time I think your friend can answer your question.” He said.

I looked at Angela, “What the hell is he talking about?”

She looked at Jeff, and Jeff looked back, simply nodding. Angela nodded her head as well. Suddenly, unexpectedly Angela jumped on me, pinning me to the ground.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted in astonishment.

She said nothing, but instead pulled Sting out from her belt and poised it over me.

“Angela no!” I shouted, realizing what she was doing.

Still nothing was said as she drew back her hand to plunge the dagger into my chest. With my arms pinned to the ground by Angela’s weight, I resorted to bashing Angela’s nose with my forehead, knocking her off of me. Blood began to drip from her nostrils. Again, Angela came at me with her dagger, this time coming in with a blow meant to eviscerate me. Responding quickly, I grabbed her wrist, refusing to let her carry out the blow.

“What are you doing Angie? Cut it out!”

“She has no choice, she is mine now.” Jeff said, watching the fight, amused.

“Angela! I know you’re in there! Fight him off!” I said staring into her eyes, all the while struggling to keep her dagger from penetrating my flesh.

“Of course she is still in there. She can see this whole thing happening. It’s not like she wants to do this, I just have control of her will, her desires are still her own. She can watch, and that’s just about it. She may feel sorry, but she’ll continue her onslaught.”

“You bastard! Let go of my Angela!” I raised my leg and kicked Angela in the stomach, knocking her back. Free from her threat for the moment, I charged Jeff, Angel in hand, ready to kill.

He stood idly by, making no attempt to save himself. He only nodded again. Recovering from my kick, Angela threw herself in front of Jeff knowing it would stop me from killing him. He smiled malevolently before nodding a third time. As a response, Angela slashed upwards, towards my face with her dagger. She was too close for me to dodge entirely, and so her blade nicked a vertical cut over my right eye. Miraculously, my eye was not cut by her swinging blade, only the flesh around it. Quickly gathering my wits after the shock of this injury, I spun to avoid another slash from her blade, meant to be a follow up of the one that cut my face. With my back exposed, Angela seized the opportunity by slashing diagonally across my back and kicking me into the ground.

Lying face down in the grass, partially blind in one eye, and bleeding from an open wound on my back, I choked between clenched teeth, “How dare you deprive me of my Angela. I have one thing in my life that I care dearly enough about to put everything on the line for, and you try to take her away?” I swept my foot beneath Angela’s feet, tripping her and sending her falling into the ground. She lay, dazed for a moment. I had only a few moments to seize her disarm her. Racing against time I, and despite the burning agony of my every movement I leapt for Sting. I had managed to grab the hilt just before Angela emerged from her daze. “I’ll kill you!” I shouted indignantly at Jeff. With both the onyx handled Sting and the jade handled Angel in either hand, I charged angrily at my father.

I got no more than a few paces before he lifted the arm that had been concealed by the cloak. In his hand he held a light crossbow. With one swift action, he lifted the device and let loose the bolt. I barely had time to realize what was going on before the bolt tore through my left leg, just below the knee cap. I tumbled to the grass face-first. “Poor Jareth.” Jeff said simply.

I looked up at the man who used to be my father, “Why?” I tried to say, but could make no sound.  I grunted as a blunt object hit me in the ribs, turning me on my back. As I coughed up blood, I saw that it was Angela. She had gotten back to her feet and back on the offensive. I reached towards her with my left hand. “Ta- take-” Was all I could say.

“Now, dear say your good-byes. We must be off.”

My handed was still extended toward Angela. She looked at my hand longingly, seeming to scream with her eyes that she wanted to seize it and never let go. I was defenseless and hopeless, if I could not turn her, I would surely die. For one brief moment, I could swear that I saw her hand move towards me ever so slightly, as if she was trying to reach out to me. However, in the end my father’s spell could not be broken. Angela kicked me in the ribs a second time, a third, and a fourth time. She bent down to retrieve her dagger, which lay by my head. As she wrapped her fingers around it, she brought her lips into contact with mine. As soon as she had done it, she had ended it. She walked to Jeff’s side, and seemed to say something. To me however, it was nothing more than a squeak. It was a single squeak of defiance against the crushing evil around her.

“Angela!” I finally managed to shout. Running on nothing but sheer will power alone, I brought myself to my feet. “Angela…” I said again, voice quivering. My legs were shaking, and I knew that my will alone would not keep me on my feet forever; I needed to make this last attempt count. “Angela.” I said yet again, this time with anger in my voice. My brow furrowed as I glowered at Jeff. Slowly, I reached for Justice. Drawing him from the scabbard ever so slowly, this was as fast as I could go. I began to amble towards Jeff, with only the thought to kill him on my mind, even if it cost me my own life.

Angela’s eyes widened as she realized what it was that I intended to do. Her mouth dropped open as if to suggest, “Don’t make me hurt you any more,” Deeply saddened by the grim task she knew she’d have to carry out. She seemed to shake her head, if only slightly to warn me.

Want all, lose all. I thought to myself as I drew closer and closer. Finally Angela stepped in my way. We locked eyes for a long while before Jeff snapped his fingers. Lightning quick, Angela slashed a wound across my stomach, causing me to drop Justice and fall to the floor and pressed my hands on my massive injury to attempt to stop the bleeding. The two of them walked away, leaving me there to die. My wound stopped pouring blood within a few minutes. Broken in mind, body, and spirit I curled into a fetal position and cried until my consciousness faded completely. Want all…lose all…The phrase rang in my head one final time before the world went black.

The crowd remained silent through this display. They were not impressed with this turn of events. “Well, that was anti-climactic.” Zoma said, “I wanted to see a good fight! I will not grant you your reward.” Zoma snapped his fingers again, within a few moments Spyke arose from the dead, his wound healed, and completely unharmed, “You will engage each other in combat again, and this time it better be good. You may begin when ready.”

“Jareth, what the hell are you doing?!” Spyke yelled, “We are allies! I will not fight you!”

“Then you will die again!” Jareth grabbed for the sword strapped to his back. This blade he called Justice. “Is the woman you desire worth killing or dieing for? I guess you don’t think so because you don’t love her enough. If you really knew love, you’d know to put everything on the line for it!”

“I will not be told by others how I feel! I love Ruby, and I know I love her! Nobody is going to tell me otherwise! They do not have the right!” Spyke drew his fiery blade again, “How can you fight so fiercely for this woman?” Spyke gestured towards Angela, “She betrayed you! She almost killed you, and yet you still fight so ardently for her? Why Jareth?”

“That’s love,” Jareth said through clenched teeth.

“But she betrayed you!”

“Say no more of the matter! You were not there! She did not choose to betray me; she was under the spell of another man! She was turned against me by another. So I had to cut her out of my life, or she would end mine. You don’t know how heartbreaking of a decision it was! To kill or be killed by your lover?! I tried to bring her back to me, to break his spell, but it was no use.” Jareth raised his right hand to touch the line of puffy pink scar-tissue that extended vertically across his right eye. Tears began to drop from his eyes as he recalled the night, “In the end, I chose to preserve myself. So I forever bear this scar in memory of my love. I will not let this chance to have her back be torn away from me! I will have my Angela back!” Jareth curled his hand into a fist. “I will have my Angela back!” Grasping Justice with both hands, Jareth charged Spyke. The blade arced horizontally through the air, barely missing Spyke as he frantically ducked beneath the deadly swing of the blade.

“I see we must do this the hard way then.” Spyke was going to regret having to kill Jareth, the two of them had fought together, and Spyke felt a brotherly connection to him, though Jareth had never been one to socialize with the rest of the group, he was indeed a great warrior, and it would be a shame to kill him. Spyke quickly reached for the Seismic Dagger at his belt, “I’m sorry Jareth.” In a flash, Spyke plunged the dagger into the ground, immediately sending seismic shockwaves through it. While Jareth was off balance, Spyke swept his leg beneath Jareth, sending him to the ground. Placing a foot on his chest and a fiery blade at his throat, Spyke had Jareth pinned. “I’m sorry I had to do this Jareth.”

Spitting, Jareth said, “You shouldn’t be sorry for dieing.” The crowd roared as Jareth plunged Angel into Spyke’s foot.

“The first blood has been spilled!” Zoma cried out.

Recoiling from the pain, Spyke staggered backwards. Now that he was free, Jareth leapt to his feet. Aiming for blood, Jareth dove forward, thrusting Justice in front of him. Easily enough Spyke avoided the blade, Jareth smiled; Spyke had fallen right into his trap. As Jareth followed through with the thrust he smashed the butt of the hilt into Spyke’s left cheek, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Jareth quickly regained his footing as to not be caught off guard again. Panting, Spyke rose to his feet as well. “I will have my Angela back, Spyke.”

“I’m afraid I simply can’t allow that!” It was time for Spyke to go back on the offensive. With his left hand, Spyke grabbed the Seismic Dagger at his belt again. However, he was too slow; Jareth swung Angel, aiming for Spyke’s torso. The counter-attack was thwarted as Spyke pulled the dagger up in time to defend. In Jareth’s brief moment of vulnerability, Spyke shot out his right hand to grab Jareth’s face. “Now get out of my way!” Pure electrical energy surged from the gauntlet on Spyke’s wrist, pulsing through Jareth. Jareth’s body was wracked with convulsions as he dropped both Angel and Justice to the ground. Jareth soon followed his equipment. Spyke kept his hand on Jareth’s face, pumping the electricity into him until Jareth no longer struggled. Kneeling in the dirt, Spyke released his grip from Jareth. Steam poured heavily from the palm of Spyke’s hand, as it did from Jareth’s motionless body.

The electricity had singed Jareth’s clothes, and left some severe burns on his face where Spyke had held him. This was feat capable by Spyke’s Thunder Gauntlet. It was a magical item given to him by his grandfather before he passed away. It possessed the pure elemental energy of the lightning spirit; who ever wore it could call lighting from his or her fingertips. “I am sorry for you and your Angela, Jareth, I’m sure you understand the concept of killing for your love,” Spyke turned to Zoma, “Now that I am victorious, grant me my love back!” The crowd, once again remained silent.

Ultimate Showdown

            “Well, well boys, it’s down to only the two of you then? Too bad the rest of your party couldn’t make it.” Zoma’s voice boomed through the hallway.

            “Zoma! I’ll kill you!” Spyke shouted angrily, placing his right hand on the hilt of the sword strapped to his back, and his left on the dagger at his belt.

            “Now, now, don’t be in such a hurry to die.” Zoma hardly seemed interested in the little pest.

            “You’re going to be the one to die here!” Spyke yelled, drawing his blades. His sword caught ablaze, and his dagger trembled with power.

            “I think you would hesitate to raise your weapons against me, I have something you may want.”

            “I do not bargain with demons!” Spyke said, but he was listening to what Zoma had to say. Spyke had come to expect anything in his travels, but he was apprehensive about this deal. Through this Jareth remained silent, his hand clutching at the center of his chest.

            Zoma waved his hand, “You may want to rethink that policy.” Slowly a girl shimmered into existence before Zoma. She had brown hair, green eyes, and a cloak as blue as a sapphire, “Recognize this girl?”

            “Ruby!” Spyke called out to her. Ruby had once been a member of their dwindling party. She had been a wizard of sorts, a balance of attack spells and healing spells. Spyke and Ruby had fallen in love with each other, something Jareth would criticize them for. Jareth had been hurt before so it turned him into a bitter fighter. However, Ruby was torn from Spyke when during an epic battle, she was killed in action. Spyke has not forgotten this, and blames himself for her death. Now, tears welled up in Spyke’s eyes, “Ruby, could it be you?” Spyke’s cold exterior had melted at the sight of his late-love. Dropping his blades to the ground, Spyke took a step forward, “I thought you were dead?”

            “No touching!” Zoma said, “We have a bargain to make. As for you,” Zoma pointed to Jareth, “I believe I have something for you as well.” He waved his hand again, and again a girl shimmered into existence.

This one was quite different from Ruby, her hair was a beautiful red, and her eyes were a piercing blue. Jareth would often stare longingly into her eyes, feeling her stare penetrate his existence, but he didn’t care, his eyes were fixed on hers. This girl wore more form-fitting clothes, a burgundy top, with a matching pair of pants. Her belt was a brilliant red, and on this belt was a dagger with a black hilt. She looked just as beautiful as Jareth remembered her. He could admire her beauty anywhere, even by the dim green light of a magical fire. Jareth fell to his knees as tears came to his eyes as well, for she too had been slain in combat. “Angela…” Jareth whispered softly. Both his hands fell to his side as he mouthed the word ‘Angela’ again.

“As you can both see, I have something that you desire above all else in this world.”

The two warriors remained silent.

“You may have them back, however there is a catch! You must compete for them!”

“Bring on whatever games you may have in mind! I will conquer them and reclaim my love!” Jareth spoke aloud.

“You seem to misunderstand me dear child. You will compete against each other for your love. It will be a fight to the death! The winner’s love he gets to keep, but the loser’s soul is mine to reap!” Zoma snapped his fingers and in an instant they had all been transported to another location. They appeared to be in an arena, the stands full to capacity with spectators. In a lavish throne-suite Zoma sat with either girl at his side. Jareth and Spyke were in the dirt on the arena floor.

Within an instant, the fight was over. Like a man possessed Jareth leapt on Spyke with his jade-hilted dagger drawn. The cold steel of Jareth’s Angel pierced through the skull of Spyke, impaling the head. Defeated, Spyke fell face first to the dirt, his life blood pouring from him. “I have completed your ridiculous contest Zoma! Grant me my boon as you promised!” Bracing one foot firmly against Spyke’s back, Jareth pulled his dagger from the young man’s head. Wiping the blood on his pant leg Jareth sheathed Angel again. “Return my Angela to me.”

15 Minutes of Fame

“Because he knows I’ll kill him if he does.” Anger said through his clenched teeth, in a smooth yet slightly psychotic tone of voice. “Hell, I’ll kill them all anyway.”

“Why?” Reason tried to argue with Anger, I knew it wouldn’t cool him off.

“They’re interfering with my divine right.”

“Your divine right?”

“Yes, my divine right, they’re getting in my way of getting what I deserve. They’re obstructing it, and if they do not remove themselves from my way, I will make them pay for causing me the trouble.”

“You know she’s only struggling and juggling with other love interests because you’re not there. If you were things would be perfect.” Reason still insisted on trying to cool Anger off.

“That doesn’t matter, and it doesn’t make them any more worthy of her. They’re not, no one is, none but me. It’s part of my divine right.”

“Ya know,” Casanova chimed in, “how much could she really—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence or I’ll burn you to hell.” Flames began to rise from Anger.

“Reason, what makes you think that you will make everything perfect? Hmm? What happens if by the time you are within range, you’re too late and things have become too serious to turn back on?” Kenny had appeared from nothingness.

“Because she more or less said things would be perfect!”

“That doesn’t answer the second part of my question does it Reason? How about you Anger, care to venture a guess?”

“I’ll kill him.”

“I actually think that would be counterproductive.” Reason stated.

“I don’t care; he’ll pay for making me suffer, if karma doesn’t get him, I will.”

“Karma isn’t going to get him, even though he’s fucked you all up, it isn’t like it was his intention.” Reason always tried to be optimistic, Kenny hated him for it.

“Then I will get him damnit.” Anger kept his same psychotic tone of voice. “They don’t deserve her, only I do. If all who block my path to my love are not removed by natural forces, then I will have to intervene.”

“You put too much into this girl, is it worth the trouble?” Casanova didn’t believe in monogamy, he just wanted some action. I hate him for it, as does Anger.

“Anything is worth it for love. Do you understand that he has obscured our love? Things are not how they used to be, and he can’t just get away with that. So, with any luck, it’ll end.”

“Painfully.” Kenny added, “Yes, I’m sadistic.”

“No, no one deserves quite what you have in mind.” I finally said something.

“He does.” Anger bore a malevolent grin.

I’ve Run Out of Titles

“You have another problem on your hands Brian. You see, she can’t stand the thought of losing either of you, however in order to have him, she has to lose us, and in order to have me she has to lose him. Can you see how that’d be a problem? She’ll have to pick eventually. Will she choose you Brian? What do you think?” Kenny’s fangs had become visible.

“Shut up Kenny, you had your time to shine yesterday and you ended up being horribly wrong, now it’s my turn.” Reason descended on his wings, “Now get going.”

“Yeah but—”

“No, not buts, G-T-F-O.”

Folding his arms Kenny walked off.

“Now Brian, as I was saying love is like a diamond in the rough.” Reason began.

“Oh please don’t give me this shit.” I turned away from Reason.

“Hear me out. Love is like a diamond in the rough, when first presented with it, it’s ugly and worthless, but after working at it, it becomes a beautiful and precious thing. But it will never become that if you don’t work for it.”

“Then why is it that I always find the diamonds with the sharp edges?”

“You’re not the only one you know.”

“Well yeah, but I keep finding the ones with sharp edges.”

“That’s because you know what they look like; you haven’t seen any others, so you might not be able to pick one out.”

“Didn’t you have something else to say too?”

“Yeah but I forgot what it was, damn and I wasn’t supposed to. Well I have something else that might help you. Imperfections are perfect, and perfection is imperfect, I know you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, thanks I guess.”

Show Your Mettle

“Hey,” Kenny shoved me, “who the hell do you think you are Brian?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me; you know full damn well what I’m talking about.”

He was right, I did. I shifted my eyes to the left, just letting the silence that filled the gap become more and more awkward.

“Now look here kiddo, I don’t care who the fuck you think you are, you are not some hero and you can’t save everyone. I don’t think you can save anyone for that matter. Let me prove my point, when you were with Erin you wanted more than anything to be able to salvage her emotional wreck, but you couldn’t. In fact I don’t think it can be done, but that’s not the point. The point is you can’t do it and your simple presence isn’t going to make anything better for anyone. Just being there isn’t going to make everything right, and I don’t know what in the hell made you think it would. Now I can tell that you’ve noticed but we have one hell of a situation on our hands here and you do not have the capacity to deal with it. You can’t handle it, at the sign of any sort of mental problems you run and hide and hope to theoretical-god that it’ll just go away, but you know what it won’t! Now I know you don’t like me, and Reason tells you to ignore me but you can not deny the fact that sometimes, I really know my shit.” Kenny folded his arms, “You’re not a hero Brian, and you can’t save anyone. If you could you would.”

Kenny walked off into the horizon again, as he seemed to like to recently. I fell to my knees, staring into the sky. Everything had become a complex wreck. I used to think I was in control of things, but everything has spun insanely out of my control. Or did I ever have control at all? I didn’t want to believe Kenny, but he was right this time. I’m not a hero, the only reason I ever seemed to be was because the load was light, and things were not complex. Now though…I’m a civilian, just a spectator and it hurts. I hate feeling helpless, and I was.

I could hear Kenny singing as he walked into the distance, “The best part of believe is the lie…”

But why couldn’t I help? Was it my emotions? It must be. The way I feel for Rachel makes me biased, I can’t be the friend I once was for her, another thought that deeply plagues me. Damnit…

“What’s happening?” I stared at my hand. My entire body was trembling.

“It’s another split.” Kenny said.

“What is it this time? What’s left to fracture off from me?”

“Well let’s wait and see.” Kenny sat down and stared at me intently.

The moment had come, an agonizing burning feeling wrapped around my whole body as whatever it was began to break off. A swirling red mist rose from my body and took formation as yet another clone of me. Taking large gasping breaths I asked, “Who are you?”

“Anger.” He said simply through clenched teeth. Anger began to yell loudly and flames erupted from his eyes and mouth.

“Interesting.” Kenny said, looking at the flames.

“Why are you splitting off now? If you were going to do this, why choose now? I’ve been angry plenty of times before in this whole ordeal and now you choose to split off?!”

Anger just ignored me, steam rising from his shoulders, “This is such bullshit. Nobody deserves this! Nobody!” He shouted through his ever-tense jaw, this time flames shooting from his finger tips. His yells became inaudible as he curled his hands into fists of rage, Anger exploded into a column of fire. Kenny and I could only look on in awe. “I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them all!”

“Well you’re a fun one aren’t you?” Kenny said sarcastically.

“Shut up, I should kill you too. You’ve fucked me over as well.” Anger glared at Kenny.

“Brian, what have I told you?” A clone of me garbed in white descended from the sky.

“Oh great, here comes the ‘voice of reason.’” Kenny did air quotes.

“You cannot listen to any of them; you can’t be dependent on their thoughts! You must make your own choices.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Anger yelled. “You cannot give me all the answers I need!”

“Brian, don’t listen! Remember what I said, some thing has got to give and you can’t let that something be you!”

“That doesn’t change the fact that this whole situation is just utter bullshit!” Anger continued to yell. “The whole situation with my stupid sister isn’t helping either, that damn bitch. If she left and never came back I really wouldn’t care. She can go and die for all I care! That’s just one less idiotic, smoker-drinker in the world!”

“Oh my you are a fiery one aren’t ya?” Kenny said.

“What did I tell you about talking?” Anger screamed at him, “Is nothing sacred any more?! Why do I keep fighting this?”

“Because you’re in love damnit! That’s why we keep fighting and that’s why it’s worth fighting!” The voice of reason said.

“I feel like I’m losing the fight!” Anger clenched his fists.

“You cannot go quietly into that goodnight! At least if you fight you can say you tried! You don’t just want to give up and wonder for the rest of your life ‘what if!’” Through this all I remained quiet. I was letting my emotions drown me out again. I don’t know if I could stop it, but it wouldn’t be like last time, because this time at least I had the voice of reason.

“I say…” Kenny began.

“I know what you’re going to say Kenny, and I’ve told you to shut it!” Anger seemed to be getting more…well, angry. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, it almost seemed like everything was just piling up all at once, like all the anger was ready to come out. Anger exploded into a swirling firestorm. His yells just barely audible over the roaring flames.

I turned to the voice of reason, “Am I really losing the fight? I don’t know what to think, it seems like it fluxuates.”

“I think she is becoming less and less of who you fell in love with as her new relationship grows more and more serious. Think about it Brian. On another interesting note, did the two of you make fun of each other so much before her new boyfriend? Not that you can remember.”

“Actually I think we did.” I counter his cold words.

“Oh yes, but that’s when she was with Kalan, remember? An interesting coincidence, don’t you think?”

“I refuse to believe it!” I shout back at him.

“Of course you do. It’s just something to think about.” Kenny stood from where he had sat the entire time and walked into the horizon until he could no longer be seen.

“That can’t be right can it?” I asked Reason.

“I doubt it.” He looked concerned though. Maybe not because of what Kenny was suggestion, but he wondered exactly how well I was faring in the fight. Also the episode of scrubs we watched earlier that perfectly summed up my feelings probably isn’t helping him find clarity either. He grew his signature angelic wings and flew into the sky, leaving me, and Anger who was still wreathed in fire.

“You idiot!” Normally I’m calm and everything, but what Brian did yesterday pissed me off. Sure I feel compassion for the poor kid, he’s never had to sustain this kind of hell for this long before, so he may not know how to handle it perfectly, but letting Kenny bite him and poison him was just plain stupid. “That’s what happens when you listen to Kenny! Do you get that?! Do you understand now that you should not listen to him? Listen Brian, something’s gotta give and if you keep listening to Kenny it’ll be you.”

“But…” Brian began.

“No, there is no discussion. There are three parts here, you, Rachel, and Jeremy and one of the three has to give away, at the rate you’re going it’s going to be you, do you want that? Let me answer for you, no, no you do not want that. When you push me away you push her away, do you understand that?!” The only way Brian seemed to get anything was if I chastised him. “You never get things until after it’s too late! I am still shocked that you haven’t given way yet! She shows you infinite patience and what?”

“Then what the hell am I supposed to do? Just keep everything bottled inside? Then explode and kill everyone some day? What would you have me do?! This is fucking hard!”

I sighed, “Are you in love?”

“Yes and I hate it!” Brian’s wound seemed to pulse as he said this.

“The point is though, that you are, and you cannot fall out of love so easily as just to say that you want to. So you have to ride things out, wait until one of the other two pieces gives way! Out last them both. Did you see what she wrote? I know you did and I know it kills you, that’s what you get for listening to Kenny!” I began to yell at him.

“But I know, I know I’d be perfect again if she was without him, or here, or I was there, or something like that! I just know I’d be perfect again! But I’m fragmented and imperfect now, but that isn’t my fault! I didn’t break myself apart! Now I have to put myself back together without ruining everything! Do you have any idea how hard that is?! Give me some slack damnit! I don’t know what I’m doing!” The area where Kenny had bitten Brian seemed to be receding.

“You have to be strong! You and I both know that you are better, I understand that your ability to show it is being hindered but you need to try harder and observe things more damnit! You are so oblivious. Just remember, something has to give eventually, and you just have to last until then.”

Getting a little depressed again. This piece started to play out in my head last night, and it is told from the perspective of the White Voice from the previous entry. No Rachel, I did not right this entry to add insult to injury, I wrote it to vent my feelings, like I did with "The End" back in June last year.

Brian stood frozen, staring off into some point in space; it did not matter where his physical body was, for he had contracted into his own mind once again. I sat upon a balcony looking down at the scene beneath me. On this plane we were in a movie theatre-like setting. During most parts of the day the place would play Brian’s various day-dreams to no audience, or at least so we thought.

            Gripping his temples Brian shouted, “No, no, no! Shut up!” Brian pointed. In a row about six from the screen sat a boy dressed in all black, which is where Brian’s finger lead. Brian had an expression of horror upon his face when he saw who it was sitting there, “How did you survive?”

            “Shut up, I’m watching the movie!” It was Kenny, still alive. Even I was surprised by this; I thought he’d been killed in the blast that took Jareth, Spyke, Casanova, and the Fifth voice. Kenny ignored Brian and watched intently.

            “I asked you a question! How did you survive?”

            “I’ll explain after, come on this is my favorite part!” Kenny never took his eyes off the screen.

On the screen Brian stood on the ceiling of a room he’d never been in, so had to make it up himself. None of the details mattered, only the people in it. On the floor was another boy, oblivious to Brian’s presence, the poor bastard. I knew what was going to happen; I’ve seen this feature several times before, although the outcome could possibly have alternate endings, they usually ended the same way. Brian walked down the wall to come to the ground level with the other boy, “You’ve become quite a problem for me.” Brian said. The second boy turned around, and to no surprise it was Jeremy. Well actually it probably wasn’t, the boy on the screen was just an avatar that represented him.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“It doesn’t matter; you’ve caused me too many problems. Now normally I would just kill you and move on, but for some reason I feel like giving you options so listen carefully. One, you can break up with Rachel and never contact her again, and live. I’m sure the last part of that is appealing to you. Now you’re second option is that I kill you and it’ll have the same effect. Except of course you’ll be dead, which will be nice for me, but probably not for you.”

Jeremy lifted a finger as if to say something, but Brian cut him off.

“If you’re going to say anything other than a choice of the options I don’t want to hear it, now choose.” Usually this is the part of the movie I tune out of, but I can guess that Jeremy won’t give up so Brian kills him in some way. I’m not sure though. Kenny and Brian, not the on-screen Brian mind you, began to talk again.

Kenny patted the seat next to him with his hand, “Come, have a seat Brian, lets chat shall we?”

Brian complied by sitting to his left, “Now I’ll ask you again, how did you survive?”

“He wasn’t the only one to survive!” Across the aisle sat another copy of Brian. The real Brian looked toward the voice but Kenny did not, I assume because he knew who it was. I glanced as well, wanting to know. I was relieved to see it was not the Fifth, but worried that it was not Spyke, or Jareth. That only left Casanova. Sure enough, it was him, sitting in a seat eight rows from the screen. Due to the fact that he represented sexual desire, he was completely naked.

“I’m going to have to burn that seat twice…” I said quietly to myself.

Also being that he represented lust, he was better endowed than the real Brian. “We both survived in the same way.”

“Yup, I thought I was dead too, but turns out you’d only left me dazed for a few days, and honestly Brian if the fear of losing her didn’t kill me, I don’t think anything will.” Kenny said, leaning toward Brian, “After your explosion we hinged on the line between life and death, between being independent up here, or being integrated into you like Jareth and Spyke. Turns out though, heartbreak is so powerful that it leaves behind doubt and fear, so me basically.”

“And as far as me surviving, you’re a guy, so you can’t suppress your lust, sorry kid.”

“Damn.” Brian said.

“Come on now Brian, nothing has changed, you know that, I know that, and he knows that.” Kenny pointed to me up in the balcony, “So give up on her, she’s only hurting you.” To my shock, Kenny leaned in to Brian’s neck and bit him, but it was much more than a bite, Kenny had sunk his fangs into Brian’s neck. Brian did not recoil he was submissive. The lights were on in the theatre, I could see the wound where Kenny had bitten Brian, the wound and the surrounding area was turning blue.

“You’re right.”

“No Brian he’s poisoning you!” I shouted from the balcony.

Brian looked up at me, “Shut up you! Do you even honestly exist? I thought you were perfect, what I looked forward to being again, but is it even possible? Are you just an unattainable goal? I saw the way John crumbled under the same pressure I was under. You’re nothing!”

“Brian, you have to stand through the storm! Rise above it! This may sound a little like Kenny, but come on, she fell way too hard way too fast, it can’t last.”

Brian looked at me with an astonished look on his face, “Are you even a part of me? Can you feel my pain? Do you have any idea what this feels like?!” Brian started to raise his voice.

“Do not turn your back on me now! If you do you’ll never become integrated with me.” I leapt down from the balcony to the aisle.

“You be quiet! You know as well as I that these were all her actions, she chose this all! She holds the key to reintegration, but she doesn’t seem to be using it!” Kenny hissed at me.

“Why am I taking this?” Brian said, he began to writhe as Kenny placed a hand on his shoulder.

“That’s right Brian, writhe at the tip of the golden arrows of love, let them hinder your logic and reason, and let me drink in your misery like wine. Hatred is so exquisite!”

Brian began to scream from the pain, “Stop! Stop it all!”

“Yes Brian wouldn’t you rather be shot with a lead arrow? Love is pain, apathy is Nirvana!” Kenny enjoyed Brian’s pain; it was evident from the look of ecstasy on his face.

Soon Brian passed out, I was there to pick him up in my arms and hold him close. Protect him from Kenny as best I could. The blue area around his neck seemed to be growing, but ever so slightly. I sprouted large angelic wings from my back and wrapped them around Brian’s unconscious body as I ascended away from the theatre. “Don’t give up on me now kid, our time will come.”

From the theatre floor Kenny called out, “This is a dark hour for you! We may not have as much power without the Fifth, but we can still do a hell of a number on you!”

“Hey speak for yourself; I seemed to have some effect.” Casanova said to Kenny.

Ignoring him Kenny continued, “You’ll have to return to face me sometime! Surprise surprise, my cold hard logic defies your blind faith! I’m coming back!” Everything faded to black.

Epilogue

            Here I was on the lip of my world again, but why this time? I had already over powered everyone, who was left? “No one is here!” I said to empty space.

            “Nobody but you, and Bob’s Burger Boy here.” The voice drew my attention, who was left? Had I missed one?! Like the others had been, he was a copy of me, but he wore all white. He sat rather serenely on a rock eating what looked to be a loaf of bread, “Appreciate that JTHM reference?”

            “Who are you and how did I miss you?”

            “Aw you don’t remember me…that hurts. Well you see Brian, I only ever said anything a couple times. I’m basically a narrator; I was actually supposed to be you. I watched over everything, I saw your little episode the other day where you killed the five, good job with that by the way.”

            “Uhm, thanks?”

            “Look I pose no threat to you, I don’t have an opinion. I just watch.”

            I clutched my temples and the sky began to turn a deep blue color. “Augh!” I cried out in pain.

            “Hey watch it kid.” The narrator got up and walked towards me, “You don’t want to be bringing any of those bastards back to life. Calm down,” he placed a hand on my shoulder, “now what’s wrong?”

            “I’m afraid.”

            “Afraid of what?”

            “Of the answer to that question, I don’t want to know what it is because it might not be the one I want to hear.”

            “Then don’t think about it. Just focus on something else, if you think about it too much you’ll bring Kenny back, and from there it’ll bring them all back. As it is they still reside between worlds.”

            “I can still hear their voices echo; their last words still ring in my head.”

            “I know Brian, I hear them too, and hell I live here.”

            “What if the answer to that question is the wrong one?”

            “I said not to think about it.”

            “Why aren’t you part of me if you’re supposed to be me? Why are you still separate?”

            “Because I was meant to be ‘perfect’ you, you’re apparently not back to that level yet,” all five of my former voices’ last words echoed again, “but you have to give it time, you’ll get there.” As he said this the blue in the sky was replaced by a purple.

            “What’s that?”

            “John, the one you actually let help you. You associate him with the color purple apparently, so that’s what’s going on there.”

            I sighed, looking to the ground.

            “Come on kid, you’re on your way back, breaking free of the five and killing them was the first step and probably one of the most important.”

            “When will the voices stop echoing? When will I be able to hear myself?”

            “I don’t know that one, just give it time.”

            “Thanks, you sort of helped I guess.” I walked back to the Threshold, on either side were statues, the one to the left was that of John for helping me, the one to the right was Rachel because I couldn’t just have one statue because it wouldn’t be symmetrical and she’s the only other person I’d want to have a statue of. I heard the Narrator laughing at that as I crossed back to reality.

The End of an Act

            You can’t do this on your own. You need help. The text read, clearly, and plainly.

            No! I can handle it on my own! I’m fine! I insisted back.

            I am saying this from the perspective of a friend who cares about you, please, this is serious. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand her words; I knew she was right, but I couldn’t accept that possibility.

            It’s only under extreme emotional stress! I can keep it under control. I insisted I was perfectly fine, I was wrong. I knew it too, but I was completely helpless, I was no longer capable of making my own decisions anymore. I might as well have been dead. Things had never been worse, things could not get any worse, but there I was wrong again, I had no idea…

 “I hate this thing you have become.

This guy who's such a dick.

He doesn't want me to be happy.

He really makes me sick.

What happened to the one I loved?

He must be trapped inside.

He must be chained and knocked unconscious.

He must be gagged and tied.

That must be why I never see him.

Why he never comes to talk.

Why he never asks how my day was

Without a pout or just a scoff.

Why he doesn't say he loves me.

Why he doesn't ever call.

When you let out this newer you

My flesh begins to crawl.

He makes me want to hurl my dinner

Way back to three weeks ago.

Why can't you let my beloved out?

Why can't he say hello?

Why can't you be the way you were

When we were still fifteen?

Why can't I have the one you were

That treated me like a queen?

You changed, yes slowly, but it pained me

To see this "improved you".

That’s why I have this better one

Who treats me like you do.

Well I guess it isn't you

Who made me feel so loved.

It’s the one who's locked inside

That I’ve been thinking of.

Now he came into my life.

I guess that didn't help.

I guess you felt shoved to the side.

Like I put you on the shelf.

It’s not you, but that's a lie.

I miss the other boy.

The one you killed so bloodily

Who brought me so much joy.

He died so slowly, so much pain

Must have wracked his body so.

I should've seen it coming, though,

That a tumor was going to grow.

A cancer, malignant, inside his heart,

That pushed my love aside.

And now I’m left with this... this thing.

Because my Brian died.”

I was crushed, my eyes shot wide as the text repeated itself in my mind, line after line, word after word, until it got to the end. “Because my Brian died.” It was more than I could handle. Darting to my room, I fought the tears back, no, no, No, NO! I screamed. As normally as I could, I shut the door of my room, and from there I lost it. Holding nothing back I whipped my jacket to the floor, my conscious mind finally quit, exhausted from all it had taken. My body was wracked with convulsions, I fell onto my mattress, no longer in control of my own actions. My hands clutched my temples as I struggled to gain some kind of control. Not wanting my family to hear, I grasp the pillow to my face to stifle my screams. When I think it’s over, when there’s a moment away from the screaming, the cursing, the questioning, I cannot control my breathing, I take large gasping breaths, almost like panting. The process repeated for thirty minutes. For half an hour I experienced the worst pain I’d ever felt. After that I began to calm, after two agonizingly slow hours, at last a long needed rest came to me…

But as I slept and as I dreamed something more was happening, something significant, the first step in gaining it all back, if that was ever possible, took place in my own mind.

There I stood, on the threshold to my world, the war-torn landscape that had become my mind in the past few weeks. What do I do? I took a long sweeping glance across the area. It was depressing, the sky was completely blocked out by clouds, and despite the numerous impact craters littering the field, there was only a single body in the middle of it. Approaching it I recognize him, a young man I knew very well. Someone I saw every day, someone I’d endured so much with. Someone I knew right when I got up in the morning. It was me. Lying on the ground, quickly losing everything. Mortified, I take a step back. What is the meaning of this?

“I think it’s quite clear.” A low but soothing voice sounded. Soon a figure appeared from the smoke of a recent impact crater. It was Spyke, “You’ve done this to yourself Brian,” he spoke, “you only have yourself to blame, and look where it has gotten you.” He gestured to my body.

“Don’t listen to him! He is a fool!” A slightly higher voice, sounding more malevolent came from behind me. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, “She did this to you, make her pay.”

“This is you at your worst Kenny.” The voices seemed to be coming out of no where, but as with them all, this one has a figure to embody it, and this one was Jareth, the lovesick one. I used to call him redvoice, but I’ve done some remodeling. “You know, as well as I do this is his fault, were it not for him at all, you’d never be in this terribly desperate situation.”

“But you know that even to be a lie, if it wasn’t him, there’d be another. You my friend are barking up the wrong tree.” Casanova dropped from the sky to land gracefully between Spyke and Jareth. “This girl is not the girl you want to be with, look at all the pain she’s caused, all the destruction she’d brought.,” Casanova spread his arms to indicate the entire decimated field., “do you not see what I mean?”

“Shut up all of you!” I demanded.

The four of them laughed and a new, fifth voice, this time with no body sounded, “You say that as if you are in control my dear Brian, but you are not. You see we call all the shots.” The four fractions of myself nodded in agreement with the fifth voice.

“You’ve all betrayed me! Do you not see what you’ve all caused me to do? I’ve completely fallen from grace! I was perfect, I was there! You all tore me apart!” I yelled, temper flaring.

Kenny breathed in, invigorated, “That’s right Brian, let it flow, we all feed off of you, just your energy, your flaring emotions. You see though, you are wrong, this is entirely Rachel’s fault. You’re right, you were perfect, all up until she started dating Jeremy, then she changed, and so you changed accordingly. You’re not to blame at all.”

“But you see he is wrong!” Jareth exclaimed, “It is entirely the matter of him!”

“As much as I hate to say so, Casanova is right, if not him it would’ve been another. It is not him specifically it is the concept of what he stands for.” Kenny said.

“The problem with you both, is that you fail to see the fact that only Brian here is to blame. He let his emotions flare out of control, and now he’s lost it all.” Spyke explained.

“You’re wrong!” I shouted, “All of you! You are wrong!”

“You don’t believe that, you do no call the shots any more!” Spyke leaped into the air, landing to my right, “You are ours for the dividing, and you have no more choice.” He grasped my right arm.

“Let go of me!” I struggled to break his grip but to no avail.

“Yes dear Brian, you’re lost, this body is you, and it’ll be dead soon, and we’ll throw your beloved Rachel next to him soon enough.” Kenny grasped my left arm with a grip even tighter than that of Spyke’s.

“Give up Brian, it’s too late.” Jareth took a hold of my left leg.

“No!” I kicked violently, but only managed to writhe in their grasp, slowly losing more and more of myself.

“Find another my dear boy, she obviously can’t be right if she’d do this to you.” Casanova took my right leg.

“Let go!” I still struggled, to the bitter end. Their voices were all clashing, their arguments all colliding with one another’s. But above it all I heard laughter, that fifth voice, I knew who it was. I had never named him because he hardly needed to say anything, but he was the single most powerful one of my voices. He’d say or do anything to get his way, a fragment of Spyke.

He descended slowly with a syringe in his hand. This fifth copy of me was the key to my utter destruction, “My dear child, it’s over, give up, and let us run it all.” He was at ground level, approaching me.

“No! NO! You will not get rid of me! I’ll kill you all!”

“You are in no position to be making threats Brian.” The fifth voice said in a calm voice, “Accept it, you’ve lost, and fallen completely from grace, you’ve fallen so far, so fast that you cannot recover—”

“—as long as he is with her.”

“—as long as she is still with him.”

“—as long as you cling to her.”

“—ever.”

“No! Shut up all of you! You’re all wrong! YOU’RE ALL WRONG!!!” As the last sound of the last syllable of my sentence rang from my throat a wave of power emitted from my body.

“Fighting to the bitter end.” The five said together, still keeping me bound.

“IT’S NOT OVER YET!!!” My yells sounded louder and louder, the power I was emitting growing stronger and stronger, the grip seemed to be loosening. The fifth voice looked intrigued, but not worried, the air blowing his hair back off of his face. He looked just like me, which was an insult, this doppelganger was not me he only stole my image, all five of them did! None of them were me! “You’re,” a surge of energy, “not,” a second surge, “ME!” A third and final surge. The wave was too much for the five to handle. The third and explosive wave of energy broke their hold on me. I could not see where they went, I could not see anything, all I could feel was the energy pulsing from my body as it floated upright into the air, pumping ever more out.

Finally it stopped. I free fell for ten feet to hit the ground, in my own mind, physics couldn’t hurt me. I ached from head to toe, not a single nerve was without pain. Slowly I managed to stand, it was impossible to tell how long I had laid there. I stood within my own blast crater, upon climbing to the top I could see that the five…were dead. Kenny, Spyke, Jareth, Casanova, and that fifth bastard, all dead. Though they may all have been dead, their voices all still echoed across the plains of my mind. I could not tell which one was right. Or was it any of them? I’d have to find my own answer, but it would take time for their voices to stop echoing. I would climb back to my god-like position, I’d be regarded the way I should be, I knew it. But they all seemed right in one way or another, whether their logic made sense or not, I could make my own logic to explain their meanings. I needed time, but time was something I had seemed to run out of.

I was all alone now, my original body that had been lying on the ground before was gone entirely, and well he wasn’t much company anyway. Most importantly, I did not feel the grace of Rachel’s love. In my struggle with myself she must have slipped through my fingers. “Damnit.” I said, anger began to rise again, but I knew it was dangerous, I couldn’t risk bringing Kenny back to life. None of them controlled me anymore, “I’m back Rachel…I’m back…” but my voice was not heard by anyone, because she was gone. Had I come back too late? Would I ever be the same? I strolled the demolished lands to the threshold from which I’d come through what turned out to be six hours prior to this moment. The entire distance I felt alone, but what I did not see, who’d been there my entire struggle, were people, encased in an ice-like substance. Willing to help, if only I’d let them. I wasn’t to that point yet…I shut the door behind me, and put an end to the act I called “KrazyKenny415”.

My story starts the day you said I can't be found
the news so dark, heart stopped, I stood silent without a sound
It's over, they're finished, Jareth lies with Kenny and Redvoice too
Cold-blooded, they suffered, shot down by the one who still loves you
Sorrow swallowed their screams

I put the Strength of the world on my shoulders
I thought the Strength of the world was on my side
Strength of the world - the one true beholder
Ice in my veins - for how I almost died

I've seen my lover fade away, I've lost my whole life
There's nothing left to say

Avenge the pain killed you whenever I could
Almost suicidal, I never planned on coming back
I wanted it, I needed it, revenge was practically dripping from my teeth
Need nothin', to feel power, and bring you mind to its knees
I thought "Nothin' ta lose" vengeance ta gain (but I'm coming back some day)
So save her breath I'm close behind you (so desperate to feel the same way)
Sorrow swallows my own screams

I put the Strength of the world on my shoulders
I thought the Strength of the world was on my side
Strength of the world - the one true beholder
Ice in my veins - for how I almost died

I've seen my lover fade away, I've lost my whole life
There's nothing left to say

Sitting in silence with heaven above me I prayed every night it'd go away
While I search for closure I feel it no longer
I turned my cheek away
I stood before you; I sinned when I needed to
But I had left your side, to avenge my own pride

I've seen my lover fade away, I've lost my whole life
There's nothing left to say

I put the Strength of the world on my shoulders
I thought the Strength of the world was on my side
Strength of the world - the one true beholder
Ice in my veins - for how I almost died

So far for now all alone, a greater punishment on me has been imposed
A hero falling from grace, I miss my Rachel, will I ever be alright?

That's all she wrote...

It was dusk now, and the setting sun could be seen blazing through the trees. “Well this is great; we’re in the forest, alone, at night. Could this be a more life threatening situation?”

“It could be if I wanted it to be.” Brian said, “Plus it’s not night yet.”

“Come on, you changed the times of day before, do it again!”

“That makes things less dramatic.”

“So you’d rather us die?”

“We’re not gonna die.”

Jareth looked over his shoulder, “Brian, that is a giant vicious looking mushroom, probably not the only one residing in this forest, and you’re gonna tell me we’re not gonna die.” Sure enough a mushroom at least six feet tall stood a few yards behind Jareth.

“Hm.” Brian simply stated, “I don’t think my mighty pen will do me much good here, you can get this one Jareth.”

“What?!”

“As I said, you have a dagger and a sword, I’m sure you can take it.”

“Wow, thanks, you condemn me while you get to run away.”

“Now now, I couldn’t let you die, I’ll think of some way to help, in the mean time…” Brian pointed towards the mushroom.

“Bastard…” Jareth mumbled. He turned to face the giant fungus. Quickly he pulled his beloved Angel from her sheath at his waist. The mushroom didn’t move. Jareth edged closer to it, ready for it to attack at any moment, but it did not. “What the hell?” Jareth walked directly up to it and it still remained stationary, “Well damn it’s just a giant mushroom.” Jareth turned back towards Brian, “Hey Brian it’s just a giant—” The mushroom swung its top to hit Jareth, knocking him to the ground. Startled, but not defeated Jareth sprung back up and leapt at the thing, but again it didn’t move. Puzzled, Jareth halted his assault and stared at it. “To hell with this!” Jareth replaced his dagger and pulled out his sword. He swung it in a mighty arc to sever the stem. “I never liked mushrooms…” Jareth put Justice back in his scabbard. Jareth sat at the base of a near by tree and exhaled, “I just harvested a giant mushroom…”

Not any more than 20 feet away Brian stared up at the sky, screaming, “Why must you curse me so?! What have I done?! What are you trying to tell me!?! Answer me!!” Brian scrawled something on his arm. A mirror image of Brian seemed to appear out of no where! Brian and the copy were alike in facial features but with one main difference, where Brian’s eyes and hair were brown, this copy’s were blue. Another thing Jareth noticed was that the new one wore a long black coat.

“I think I can give you some insight.” He smiled evilly.

“Who are you?” Jareth stood placing his hand on Angel.

“This is Kenny.” Brian introduced him.

“Yes, so get your hand off that silly blade, I am of no physical harm to you.” An evil smirk never left Kenny’s face. “I think that they’re,” He pointed up, “trying to tell you that you’re going after the wrong person. So they set you with these tasks meant to show you that. But immaturely you deny them, and place the blame on some body else, hence why you’re journey here has begun in the first place.” His voice was eerily soothing.

“Be gone, you do not bring me good news!” Brian waved his arm at Kenny.

“Do I ever?” Kenny continued to smile as he faded with the remainder of the day light.

“Enough screwing around! I’m done trying to make this dramatic and captivating! Now it’s time for me to get what I want!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jareth asked, sitting back by the tree.

“I’ve been controlling this whole venture! What you say, what I say, what I do, what others do, ALL OF IT! In an attempt to escape from my world and essentially be a god! But I’m done with that! Things have escalated to a point I refused to acknowledge though Kenny thought would happen. It’s time to let you know everything I know!” Brian’s left arm shot out, hand open and latched onto Jareth’s forehead.

“What are you doing?!” Jareth screamed trying to pry Brian’s hand off his face.

“Stop struggling!” A brilliant light radiated and Jareth when limp. Brian’s arm shrank to its original length. He sighed, he didn’t foresee killing Jareth in the process of bringing him up to date on things, but then again Brian’s conflict existed in a realm beyond Jareth’s comprehension. Brian snapped his fingers and Jareth sat back up.

“…I see.” Jareth nodded his head at Brian.

“I’m glad.” Brian waved his arm once and as Kenny had, Jareth disappeared, integrated into Brian’s mind. Without the distraction of attempting to make his journey epic Brian was free to simply do what he came for. With a thought, Brian disappeared from the forest. When he reappeared Brian stood in a stone room, two guys, blindfolded, on their knees, with hands tied behind their back were on the floor.

“Where are we?” One of them asked.

“Oh how rude of me!” Brian said. He snapped his fingers and the blindfolds disappeared, “Welcome to Eternity, actually not for you,” Brian pointed at the boy on the left, “however you have caused me a great deal of anguish.” Brian pointed to the boy on the right. “What’s funny is you really have NO idea what kind of hell you’ve stirred up for me.” Brian placed a foot on his chest and pushed him over.

“What are you doing?” The one on the left asked.

“Shut up! I do not intend to kill you but you’re deeds cannot go unpunished!”

“What did we do?” He asked.

“The two of you, Kellen, Bradly, have done essentially the same thing. Where as it does not matter that you know what you did, it does matter that you did it.” With that Brian backhanded the one on the left, Kellen, sending him to the ground. Brian turned to Bradly who had tried to crawl away. He grinned maliciously, “There is no escape from me!” Brian’s voice became shrill, excited by the thought of his malevolent doings. Brian appeared in beside Bradly and kicked him in the ribs, “Don’t worry, I intend to put and end to you quickly, for as much as I hate you, my horrendous torments are not for your type.” Brian kicked him in the ribs one last time, “I certainly do enjoy that though.” With out another word Brian turned to face Kellen who only watched in horror.

“Please! Don’t! I have someone back home!” Bradly cried

“I’m well aware of that, hence why you are here!” Brian glared back at Bradly with a stare that would kill him if Brian permitted it.

“Forgive me!” He pleaded.

“My forgiveness will be earned in blood.” Brian turned to face Kellen again. A dagger materialized above Bradly.

“Please! No!” But it was too late, Brian had sent the command, the dagger descended and impaled his head, pinning it to the floor. His liquid life drained around him.

“Too bad, too bad you had to interfere. From what I understand we could’ve been friends under other circumstances.” Brian inhaled deeply, almost as if absorbing the life he’d just claimed, “Johnny’s back baby! As for you though,” Brian addressed Kellen, “my hatred for you ebbs and flows like a river in the different seasons. You would probably be relieved to know that right now I do not feel so much like doing to you what I did to the poor bastard behind me. However I am feeling vampiric, absorbing Bradly’s soul was pure ecstasy.”

“You said you didn’t intend to kill me.”

“You’re right, I said I didn’t intend to, not that I wasn’t going to.” Brian’s eyes turned yellow and his teeth sharpened. His hands twisted into horrid talons, Brian was lost in the moment, maybe he just didn’t care any more, but whatever the reason it didn’t matter. Brian inhaled deeply again, a red haze came forth from Kellen’s eyes and mouth and with it his life. Kellen’s eyes rolled back in his head as the last of the haze streamed into him. He lifted his head, the haze trailed up his cheeks, causing the visual effect of having tears of blood. With a thought Brian reverted back to his normal state. Looking at the bodies of the two who had caused him the most recent anguish, Brian dusted himself off and disappeared from his world until the next tragedy befell him.

Color slowly returned to everything as time resumed itself. “You want a dance?! How’s this for a dance!” Jareth could see Brian swinging a thick wooden stick, roughly two and a half feet in length, and crashing it into the sides of buildings. He stopped breathing heavily before looking over at a puzzled Jareth, “Oh!” Brian hid the stick behind his back and it was gone.

“What the hell was that about?”

“Don’t worry about it, we need to get moving.”

“Just where are we going?”

“We’re going up north, I got vermin to kill.”

“You’re taking me on some long arduous journey for some rats?”

“It’s a metaphor! I have some revenge to exact against a couple of people who’ve been causing me problems.”

“Revenge?! Murder in cold blood? No Brian I can’t be a part of that!”

“Jareth, Imagine if you would, that somebody got close to your Angela, how would that make you feel?”

“How do you know about Angela?!”

“Answer the question!” Brian was beginning to become impatient.

“Well putting it that way, I see what you mean.”

“Then let’s get going.” Brian started walking.

Jareth stopped to wonder for a few moments if he really should go along. Brian was already getting some distance on him, he needed to choose and fast. Angel seemed to be telling him not to do it but Justice was urging him to go.

Brian stopped to yell back, “Well?”

“Alright, alright!” Jareth ran to catch up with Brian. “Have you ever met these people before?”

“Nope, can’t say that I have.”

“What the hell? How can you know what you’re looking for then? Do you even know their names?”

“Yup, I know their names; the first one’s name is Kellen.”

“Kellen? Are you serious, you’re going to kill a girl?”

“It’s a guy’s name.”

“That’s a pretty girly guy’s name.”

“Yeah that’s what I said, but this guy I know from back home has a brother named Kellen.” A silence pursued the conversation as the walked between the streets. Brian didn’t stop to take in the sights, he had tunnel vision, all he could see was directly in front of him, and even then he wouldn’t notice even the most basic of details.

To keep up with Brian, Jareth couldn’t sacrifice and of his focus to the scenery. “How do you know where we are going?” Jareth asked.

“I don’t, I’m just heading north because that’s where I know what I’m aiming for is.”

“What they’re just directly north of here?”

“Probably not, but I’ll know when I get there.”

“The fact that you know very little about your targets, save their names is a really comforting thought.”

“Good, because I’m no psychologist I wouldn’t want to talk you through this.”

“I was being sarcastic…”

“Jareth, I practically invented sarcastic. I know when I hear a sarcastic remark, and I’m going to counter with one of my own.”

Another silence followed. The two were quiet for a time. Jareth was wondering how his friends would be. He thought they would do fine but without him being there he couldn’t be sure.

“I’ll bet it was wondrous…” Brian grumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing, so why did Taylor call you cactus?”

“Because when I first met them I broke into one of their houses to get away from some people. One of them said something and I grabbed a cactus that was near by to defend myself.”

“Did you really think that would do you any good?”

“I panicked!”

“You have a dagger and a sword, why didn't you grab one of them?”

“At least I have something to defend myself with, what do you have?”

Brian pulled out a pen, “This is all I’ll need.”

“What are you doing to do, write them to death?”

“Don’t worry about it; we have a change in plans.”

“You have got to be kidding me!”

“We’re still going after my revenge, but we’re changing the target.”

“Well what about Kellen?”

“I have somebody who’s causing me worse problems.”

“Well do you know this guy’s name?”

“Bradly.”

“What did he do?”

“Same as the other one.” Brian had a solemn look on his face; he didn’t seem to want to discuss the matter.

At length they reached the edge of the city, “Wait, you intend to take us into the forest?”

“So what, you’ve been there.”

“Yeah but I almost died! We can’t go back there, and plus there’s a guard, he doesn’t let people out of the city, only in.”

“Well I can take care of him, if anyone is going to stand in my way they are going to pay for their transgression. Stay here.”

“We should find another way north!” Jareth insisted. Justice seemed to be telling Jareth this was right though. He looked at it, bewildered. Why would the sword want this?

Brian crept forward with his pen is his left hand. He reached the wall of the city, which when he thought about it, was a major flaw. The doorway for people to come in was small, it couldn’t fit more than two people through it at a time, and if there was a rush of refugees the ones in the back would die. Brian wrote something on the wall, and snuck up behind the guard. Brian looked back at Jareth who was looking in another direction, probably so he wouldn’t be a witness. Brian reached his right hand over the guard’s mouth and plunged the pen into his heart with his left hand. The guard struggled, and muffled screams could be heard from under Brian’s hand. “Sssh, its ok now, its ok.” The guard ceased his resistance as Brian gradually brought him to lie on the ground.

Jareth ran to the wall to see what Brian had written. It said simply ‘The guard is a rapist.’

“Hurry up before anyone notices!” Brian said.

“How did you know the guard was a rapist?”

“I had to justify killing an otherwise innocent man.”

“That doesn’t explain how you knew.”

“No time we have to get going before nightfall.”

Jareth looked at the body of the guard, there was a hole on the left side of his chest and blood had poured out of it from all sides. I small pool began to coll