Lost Within [Amor]

The smell of chemicals filled the air as he felt the metal caltwalk shifting beneath him. His armor was feeling heavy, clunky even in comparison. He knew this moment too well, and eh knew how it ended. White cloak with silver enochian embroidery around the edges, white feathers around the shoulders as the overly majestic armor sacrificed functionality for form and elegance. Sleek armor, stiff against the joints, hindering mobility in the most minute, yet instrumental ways as he stood with a curved swing-blade protruding from his forearm, at the ready for war.

Such a fundamental shift in philosophy from back then. But yet here he was now, about to make the same mistake. Unable to prevent it. Not wanting to prevent it. So complacent to make the same mistake over and over again, so assured that it was the correct choice that he was willing to do it all over again, and again each time he thought of it. Even knowing the outcome, he still chose this path. Was it simply fear of unknowing the consequences of another selection, or was it perhaps because he did not regret what he had become, even if he loathed it.

His flat mask remained fitted to his face, the eye slots only slightly large than his actual eyes, the eye black upon his skin contrasting the contact leses that greyed out his iris' and refracted light away from the pupil. He was trained, focused upon the man who stood there an arm wrapped around the neck of a young man, one that the foolish hero had known well. A small cough escaped the hero, as the villain stood across the catwalk, a knife to the boy's throat as he seemed to wheeze hysterically with a sadistic glee.

"It's over, James." He said, he sounded so confidant, but the pale young man didn't even blink. His mess of brown hair seemed greasy as he pulled the small, equally pale boy closer, the knife pressing into his skin, yet not penetrating quite yet.

"Over, Matthew? No. We're just beginning! Think about it! The endless possibilities here! This is what we've always wanted! We've got a shot, we can make it!" He seemed crazed, his eyes bloodshot and despite the smile it was clear to him what he was seeing. The glossy brown eyes with red and irritated sclera, the manic laughter and the accessory muscles used when breathing.

"It's not worth it. Let him go."
"Not worth it? Oh come on Matt. Don't be naive, it's not flattering on you. Think of all the good we can do! In this world, in this corrupt, horrible cesspool his death will mean more than his life ever will."
"James...please. Don't do this brother."
[color=yellow]"Matt..."[color] The man said to him, his eyes seeming to tear before he shook his head. His grip around the boy released. The heroic figure had felt at ease, his forearm swing blade unlocking and flipping back into it's sheathed position. He didn't trust it, even though he wanted to. He kept his opposite forearm trained at the man, the hidden wrist blade ready to propel out as an improvised ballistic knife. "You'll thank me one day..."

With a swift motion, James pulled his hand back, ready to deliver an exaggerated thrust into the boy's throat. The wrist blade ripped through the air, whistling like a warbler before embedding itself deep into the crazed man's arm. He released the boy, pushing and almost knocking him into the vat of chemicals. The young boy held on, his fingers slipping. As the cloaked hero attempted to reach for the boy, the crazed offender stood up, pulling the blade from his arm and piercing it into the hero's shoulder, twisting it to dig in. As the hero snarled in pain, seething and shouting he realized that this was not how it happened. He realized now that this was not the truth of what had happened. Everything up until this point had been memory...but now, in this moment it was fantasy. In reality he helped the boy up, and he had time to escape, to make it to the police, leaving the hero here to suffer a beating at the hands of a man he grew up with, one he once called his brother.

But now, it was different. The child was still holding on for his life, and the Hero didn't have the strength to lift the child up. The crazed man had the advantage here, and the hero had lost. Then something quite odd happened. The crazed friend had spoken, kindly and softly as if they were both reminiscing about the past for a moment. The hero cried out in pain as the blade dug deeper and deeper into him, the twisting beginning to slosh up his sinew like blended hamburger.

"You're just going to ruin this for us, aren't you? Just like you ruined our friends, your life...this poor boy's life. Would it be better if I just killed you, Matty?" He taunted. The hero wheezed as he turned his head to face his crazed friend, eyes narrowing.

"Yes." was all that the hero had said. The crazed man seemed to be disappointed, almost angered even as his sadistic spark was lost, no longer having the thrill of preying upon a target. He withdrew the blade and let out a vicious and dramatic roar as he slashed the blade across the hero's mask, then shoving him to leverage the hero over the catwalk safety bars and into the vat of chemicals. The crazed man stared for a moment and chuckled as he looked at the small boy, whom called out for the man whom had just perished trying to save him.

"You're finally free of his bad influence. Don't worry though...you're death will still mean something." He said as he slowly began lifting single fingers from the boy's fingers, after three from each hand, the boy dropped into the acid below. The young boy's screams were stopped, however and after a moment the boy seemed to suspend from air, a cable attached to him and suspending him from the ceiling, before he dropped to the ground. James glared, jaw clenched as he couldn't understand what had happened. He quickly went to the service ladder, sliding down it to the ground floor, looking at the boy whom was suspended there. a loud clang was heard before a large, saturated figure seemed to emerge from over the vat, dropping to the ground. The figure was in a black trench coat, a hood up. It's mask had a scar upon it, but tattered and ragged flashes seemed to be stitched to give a horrific look to it. blood was tinged around the mouth are as it smiled at James in a very signature way. The blade dropped form his forearm, but instead of being a spinning mounted blade, it was a loose dagger with a draconian hilt. "M-Matt? Pfft. What're you gonna do with that? We both know you don't have the balls."

"Matthew is dead. But worry not." The black-clad man said, his fingers seemed to have fused with his gauntlet, needles for fingers with syringed filled with strange glowing liquid. A propelled grappling cable shot out, the prongs digging into James, causing him to howl in pain as he was pulled by the powerful mini-motor. His eyes widened as he realized in the span of two seconds he had just been ripped off of his feet and was now on his knees before the very an he just dropped into a vat of chemicals. His mind was reeling over what his old friend had just said. "I gave his death meaning. Unlike yours, brother." With a slow and deliberate slice, howling of pain as James stubbled, his face was carved off slowly, leaving his corpse to drop to the ground, blood spilling on the floor as Humanity dropped the lump of flesh to the ground.

"What did you do!?" a voice called out. The terrified, suspended child looked as did Humanity to the door in the back. The sign that said "exit" glowing over it. There was a face that he didn't expect to see. An angered look fell upon the face, there was no mask, but the same feathered cloak and ornate design, signature spin blade and all. "He was our brother!"

"A comforting sentiment, I'm sure." Humanity replied, before realizing that the man, Matthew was not happy as his mounted spin blade whipped around, protruding forward and he took his Krav Maga stance. "You would be wise to reconsider."

"I won't forgive you. I won't let you get away with this! I hate you!" He shouted as he charged at Humanity. Humanity didn't seem concerned in the slightest as he flourished his dagger. Their blades flashed for three quick consecutive strikes, before the fourth, powerful blow from the draconian dagger absolutely fractured the spin-blade. Humanity's hand reached out and grabbed the unmasked young man's face, and pulled him close.

"I would think you of all people would have known by now..." He said as his dagger dropped to the ground. His hand now over Matthew's face as his index and ring fingers began to press into Matthew's eyes. I have no aversion to murdering fools. blood squished around the fingers of his gloves as his index and ring fingers sunk into Matthew's skull. He growled out and flailed, his arms spinning as his eyes were reduced to jelly under the pressure of Humanity's fingers, as the finger's curled and kept the skull clasped. His other hand finally came up as he slowly pressed his fingertips into the young man's throat, slowly pressing harder and harder and harder, releasing only to let him gaps, until the amusement ended and his shaking, tremoring body ceased to move. Humanity stood and looked over to where he had the young child suspended. The child didn't look horrified, or at all like one whom had witnessed a murder. His short hair and pale skin complimented by a worried look on his face, but not a look of fear.

"Does this mean...some people deserve to die?"