Bad Blood (Samhain)

Lucius was released from Gravitas' power, but soon he was gripped by something far worse. Each word, each sentence, it made it all make a lot more sense. Lucius' eyes widened, he knew before Gravity Man was finished talking what this was all about. Blood Tithe was alive, Samhain brought him back. Would be an easy task for someone not bound by the basic laws of physics. Fear jolted through him. He was scared, scared for Lucas, scared his secret would get out, but most of all scared of what Blood would do. He knew everything Lucius was, and he was the horror within him. This was bad, very, very bad.

"Oh......no, no no no no no.......NO!!!" Lucius yelled after rubbing his face. After that, in a fit of anger he whipped around and slammed his hand into the wall, which exploded with red energy in the next second before disappearing entirely. Lucas was going to find out, best case scenario, and the worst.....well that was too difficult for him to think about. Lucius obviously had Hector look for Lucas, even though he knew the AI wouldn't find him. It was hopeless. There was only one thing he could do now.

"This......this doesn't just suck...... Gravitas, this is worse then you imagined." Lucius said before walking out of the room. He was in danger of losing so much today. It was nearly checkmate, and he saw it coming...that was the worst part.

"Hector.....get into contact with Nicolas anyway you can. This concerns him just as much as it does me. I have a feeling he might not take to kindly to what i did, but it's the only move i can make right now." Lucius ordered as he walked out of the hospital. His mind was racing all over the place. He was going up against beings that could ruin him, including himself. He had to play this smart to get out of it intact.

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Lucas and Wic-Kid eventually found the book they were looking for. It didn't look old really.....but the writing on the front page was truly chilling. At one point he just stopped reading. All he had to do was get the book, right? He didn't have to read it or decode anything, and he was glad for that. However, when he looked away he found himself somewhere else entirely.

It looked like the republic palace, yet....more elegant, if that were possible. A boy sat in the room, water in front of him and a couple chairs they were presumably supposed to sit in. Lucas had no idea what was going on, but he knew he had to play along. Running from this place seemed like the dumbest idea imaginable. The boy spoke, not really giving information......but asking a question Lucas didn't know how to answer, or if he even should.

"I don't even know who you are... How do you know my name?" Lucas said. How was he supposed to know what brought him there? He didn't even know what brought him into this world.

"Ah, I'm sorry. My name is Castiel and I'm an angel." The angel said with a soft voice and his ususal smile, watching as Wic-Kid sat in the seat and placed the book on the table. "I know this must be alarming, but I pulled your name from your friend's mind. Wic is just trying to help their mother. But you want something as well..." He said, looking with a soft shine in his eyes as he tilted his head to the side. He was genuinely warm and nice as it turned out...however Lucas was able to see something that many people could not. He was witness to the true heart and mind locked within the darkness. Something that was fighting to get out...but failing miserably.

"I'm an angel...I can't enter your mind without your permission so I'm afraid you'll have to tell me what I can do for you." Castiel said, assuring Lucas of the fact his thoughts and his mind were safe.

"Do you think you could do for him what you were going to do for my mom!?" Wic asked, seeming rather anxious to get to the point. Castiel looked to Wic with a slight confusion before looking back to Lucas, as if looking for clarification on what the costumed witch kid was talking about. Wic looked to Lucas and nodded, as if trying to prod them into telling the angel exactly what they needed. "I know he'll help, just gotta tell him." Wic said, rather sure of it and genuinely thrilled to help Lucas get rid of his plight. But he just had to ask for it...

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"Unfortunately I don't believe you'll be reaching Mister Flamel any time soon, Lucius." A rather familiar voice would ring. It sounded like Hector, but there was certainly more of a sting to it's words, a form of sadistic pleasure in it's ability to insert itself into Lucius' mind and interrupt his plans. There was a bit of a chuckle coming from the corrupted A.I as Lucius' technology seemed to deactivate in mass quantity. "Hahaha- my oh my. Surrounded by your own country, in your own government. Secured behind your own walls....but never so exposed. Oh water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink, eh Lucius?" The A.I chuckled as it used it's dark intent to slowly form it's own visage in Lucius' mask. A red and black sphere that bounced, vibrated and sparked.

"Oh relax Lucius....I'm not here to destroy you...this time. In fact I believe our interests actually align today. Fancy that." The A.I confessed, of course if it told the truth or not would be entirely up to Lucius to decide. "You see...I'm afraid my creator has a bit of an obsessive interest in your tank-bread degenerates...primarily your son. You see, if his intentions are what I suspect them to be...well then you see I have quite a problem on my own end. As much as it pains me I would very much like to see your victory over my creator's in this matter. Self-preservation you see..." it said, clearly looking out for it's own self over the overall plan of whatever the wretched monstrosity it was created by. Though Lucius had thrown the paper and the comment revealed to him aside, it was unfortunate that this only delayed his reception of information. Perhaps a bit too late...

If i know angels, and i like to think i do, this whole 'you have to say it' seems fishy. But I'm not playing Drifter, I'm playing a two month old child. Yeah, can't really be suspicious. Lucas didn't really understand, but for some reason he trusted the two people with him. They were sorta his age, what could they do to harm him? He hesitated to speak, nervously holding his arm with his other. But finally he did, quietly but they could likely still make out the words.  

"....I....i want to die. No......that would be too painful for my siblings.... I want to have never existed. I was made to be some weapon, my mind feels like it's not even my own. So why live? I'm......I'm nothing but a monster." Lucas said. He was fighting back tears but failing. It wasn't about his powers any more. Even if they were gone, what was he? Some rapidly aged scientific abomination? Or perhaps it was worse then that. Lucas was smart, it wasn't difficult to realize the forced similarities between him and his father. Deep down Lucas knew he was his fathers clone.

But of course, though not wrong, he wasn't right either.

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Lucius stopped in the hall, a smirk forming across his face as he heard a familiar voice. He knew who it was almost instantly. Honestly he had wondered if Hector was duplicated as well. It seemed likely considering the similar tech Blood Tithe was using, but then again it was kind of another being, and Sin copying just Lucius was a possibility. Either way, he found this thing funny.

"it seems everything that spawns from me is irredeemably arrogant, even if they have no reason to be." Lucius said, returning the snide tone the AI used with him.

"Your creator? HA! That's rich. Make no mistake my friend, he didn't create you, i did. And if you keep being a belligerent little thing, I'll pull you apart piece by piece." Lucius finished. He was actually interested in what this thing had to say, but then again he couldn't actually trust it.

"If you're trying to help me, why stop me from reaching Nicolas? You should set what you want straight. I thought i wrote you with a better priority protocol." Lucius said with a small chuckle. While he talked, Hector was at work. After numerious upgrades his detection systems weren't so easily bypassed. He was getting ready to switch the entire system to a back up and delete the old one. That would likely throw the Intruding AI for a loop, and even if it wasn't a surprise, it's not like he could do anything about it.

"Wrong again, Lucius. I was created by Blood Tithe. I am not a construct created from Sin's power. I also stopped you form reaching Nicholas because I'd like you to use that brain of yours that you so pitifully waste..." Rot said for a moment with a sigh of annoyance, though in truth the A.I was more amused with Lucius at the moment then he was his own creator. "You're going to the most suspected person, admitting your abuse of their aid. Not to mention that you'd think of all people you'd know Samhain is obviously expecting you to do that. Counting on it even." Rot confessed in that moment before seeming to trail off, cutting out a little. Something was jamming him, but what was it?

"I'll ma-is q-q-ick, as it seem-eem-eems I don't have- don't have- much time." The A.I stopped speaking and immediately Lucius would likely notice the walls of the hallway slightly altering. Well actually it was drastically altering as the fine finish of paint that sat upon it chipped away, peeling in rather fancy handwriting as it revealed a message.

Another friendly warning from writing. Writing on the wall...literally at this point. Lucius had a choice to make. He could trust Rot and risk the warning of this other entity...or trust this other, unknown entity and risk it all. The choice he'd make left them both in suspense.

"A-are-are you liste-istening you meat-sack-meat-sack?"

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   "That... Lucas that's something I won't help you with." Castiel said with a sigh and a slight groan. If nothing else he took pity on Lucas, that much was quite apparent. The pained look in his eyes as he watched Lucas beginning to cry was very, very real. Wic wanted to say something but couldn't really do much...they knew the pain of what it was like. That moment where you just wanted to stop existing. But perhaps there was simply nothing to be done about this. Wic reached out and put a hand on Lucas' shoulder...sort of reassuring them that at least someone was there to back him up. Even if they didn't agree.

 "I can't help you escape existence..." He said with another dejected sigh before his light blue eyes rose up and he looked to Lucas, pondering a moment and clearing his throat. "But I know someone who can help you...someone who wants to help you... quickly everyone close your eyes." Castiel instructed to have Lucas and Wic both do so. As they did though a figure stepped into the room, breathing as their heavy boots tapped against the floor. The same old metallic body, though shrouded entirely by a tattered cloak. He definitely looked like a hermit, or a beaten up Jedi of some sorts.

  "Lucas..." The voice said as the figure moved a hand forward, the metallic claws dissipating as a human hand reached out and placed itself on Lucas' shoulder. "Lucas you must listen to me...Don't open your eyes yet..." Blood Tithe instructed as he sighed. He truly sounded more and more like Lucius in the present moment.

 "Lucas listen to me. You are my son and I have wronged you. There is nothing in this world I could ever do to atone for what I've placed upon you. But I need you to understand...I am ashamed. I'm ashamed for what I've done...I've done a lot of things Lucas. I regret many things... but Lucas..." Blood Tithe said as he let out a sigh and got to his knee, so that his face were at face level with Lucas' own. The construct waited a moment before sighing. "I don't regret what I've done here. If I had it to go back and do it again I would...every single time. Because every single time would be the guarantee that I would have you here. Lucas I know I am a monster...I know how you feel and I want you to know that I'm so sorry for the pain and the torment. Lucas... I've done terirble things and I've taken a lot of good things out of this world... but I've only ever put one good thing in it." Blood Tithe said as his other hand raised up and patted Lucas on the head.

  "Lucas you've shown me a will power so great that I'm left in awe. You've struggled against this adversity and held yourself together in the face of impossibility. Lucas if you were to open your eyes you would truly see the worst of me...a monster in both body and soul. You would probably be frightened...scared or even hate me.." Blood Tithe stopped a minute and took a deep breath in before looking back at Castiel whom looked with a bit of a smile on his face before grabbing at his chest, grimacing with the pain that filled his heart. "I would not blame you...and I could not hate you. Lucas...I want to help you...and I have the means to. I don't know if I can entirely fix my errors, but I can alleviate some pain...and that will in turn lead us to a cure. If you will allow me to help you."

 "Please do not give up on your life Lucas. You are not a monster. You were never a monster. The fact you refuse to become a monster is proven by the very fact that you sit here still as you always have been. Lucas you must stay strong in all that you do and you must remember that I am proud of you. Not for who or what you were bred to be, but what you have CHOSEN to become. In those choices if you truly choose to not be a monster...to not be like me...even if that brings you into the battle as my opposition...I will still be proud of you." Blood Tithe concluded his little rant as his hand moved from Lucas' hair to his cheek a moment. "I love you my boy. Nothing will ever change that. Not anything done, nor anything that either of us will do. I promise you that. I can also promise that I will find a way to do more than simply ease your pain...I will fix the damage I've done. Even if it takes me to the end of my days. Please...let me help you."

  The plea was made on behalf of Blood Tithe as Castiel stood there and listened, still grimacing in pain, hoping that Blood Tithe would receive the "okay" from Lucas in order to proceed to the next step of both their plans. Saving Lucas...and saving Samhain.

Lucius was disinterested with the corrupted AI. No, he wasn't going to fall for something he created. Whatever it wanted it clearly wanted for itself. Besides, it would help him little in the end.  Sure it made a good point, but trusting it could lead him to even worse ends then if he were to go to Nick. Honestly Lucius didn't know what to do, but he wasn't listening to this delusional thing one more second.

"Enlist the help of someone else, because there will be a cold day in hell before I do." Lucius said, just as Hector switched the system to an entirely new one, firing up his tech once more. Now going to Nick was a little bit less appealing to Lucius, but then again it's not like he had another option. He figured when the AI cut out Samhain or Blood was jamming him, but then he saw the words on the wall. Odd.

"Then do so." Lucius said. He wasn't sure if he had to write it or just say it, but if there was no response he would get a pen and write it on the wall. Really it seemed to be all he could do without causing more damage then what was already done. But he didn't know what was happening with Lucas right now.

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Lucas seemed disappointed, but then again that was mostly because he had little hope in his condition. He couldn't even escape through death it seemed. Even so, the angel seemed to at least have something to help Lucas. He was told to close his eyes, which he did. An odd request, but this was an angel after all.

Lucas knew who it was just by the sound he made as he stepped. Well, sort of. But if Blood and Red were the same person in the end, yes, he knew exactly who it was. Lucas was almost scared. He felt like it was his father.....but it just seemed like a far darker presence this time. The same with the voice. It was undoubtably Lucius, but there was something wrong.

Still, he listened. As Blood Tithe spoke.....Lucas understood. He didn't know about the episode with Sin or Blood's creation......but he understood this was indeed his dad, just following a path into darkness he may never return from. The tears were still rolling down Lucas' face, but he kept his eyes closed even while wiping them away. The things Blood was saying hit him hard. He didn't believe Lucius cared, he didn't........feel loved before this. Despite Lucius' every effort to help Lucas it was only at this point that he felt someone cared for him.

"Okay.........do it." Lucas said just as he opened his eyes. What he saw made him gasp, but he remained calm.

(Sorry about this post.....its not as good as I wanted it to be but I'm on a phone.)

Lucius' wish had been granted as he found himself in a rather nice room. The dim lighting was enough to set a soothing and calm atmosphere, especially on the cream colored walls that were decorated very carefully with paintings of a most superior artistry. A stone fire place was present, grey slates with the occassional black while fire danced upon the log, crackling as if the flames gnashed upon it with firey fangs. Lucius was standing here, in front of a desk, a rosewood chair with emerald green padding over a memory foam cushioning. A nice and very well crafted rosewood desk accompanied it, though what Lucius saw at the other side of the table might have been slightly expected.

  A fair skined young man with indigo eyes sat with a book opened on his desk, a pen in his hand as he seemed to scribble in the notebook. The only true "loop" that was likely to throw Lucius was that rather than the traditional shaggy brown hair, this "familiar face" seemed to have forter sides and his hair all at a mess up top, somethng that might have been in "fad" with teenagers...or made him look like some prick in a boy band.

  "And so the "redeemed" Red Tide appeared before the mysterious force." The young man said with a smirk as he leaned back and folded his fingers behind his head. "I don't think I need to write that you were both confused and yet somehow expecting this to make it so... But anyway, I know how to help you find your kid." The author said as he let out a sigh and made a motion with his head, a door with a magical circle on it stood before him, though the door looked rather...imposing. Perhaps formidable would be a more agreeable word. The door simply looked like something you'd expect to see on the world's most secured area in the world. "Look. I'm not exactly the same person you know, but I think you need to realize by now...any time you see this adorable little face around is the same time your mind, or your pride is about to get brutally raped... if you're a villain that is." he said causally as he walked around the desk and put his hand on the handle of the door.

 "You're not a villain though...are you Lucius?" he asked, almost teasing at this regard as he cocked his head to the side, seeming to have a slight interest in Lucius' response. "I'm looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds." He said with a wink before pressing own on the handle and pulling the door open, revealing a grand foyer, stairs and probably the most majestic and celestial estake. The entire sky was the cosmos, stars filled the sky as nothing but the void of space surrounded them. The lights that hung from the celing were quite literally stars. Meanwhile the doors were made literally of gold. But it was all so hollow. All so vacant... and Lucius was here. Alone.
 
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"Thank you...Lucas." Blood Tithe said as he stepped back and looked over to Samhain, nodding. To everyone else it was simply Castiel nodding wiht a bright smile as he picked himself up, grabbing his bum leg a little. "The way you were made was though ways that I-.... that Lucius was untrained in. So he consorted with another whom knew a great deal. But whom he consulted with was just a man. In order to right my wrong...I've turned to something more knowledgable." Bood Tithe said as he looked to Samhain. Samhain cleared his throat and stepped up to look at Lucas.

 "A very wise and gifted man used hundreds of years of work to help your father create you. What I'm going to do is give this...man.... is the power to pull the fundamental power from within you and remove it. From there, I will place in a barrier, a sponge, a wall if you will. A walll which will stop you from creating more energy. So in essence what we hope to do is negate your powers, and cause permanent inhibitions on it while...it- he...while he figured out how to undo what was done." Samhain said with a smile before he placed a hand on Blood Tithe, Blood Tithe surging with a cyan and royal blue flame that empowered him. Blood Tithe placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder and looked sympathetically at him.

 "This will not be painful, but it will feel like pressure is being released. Flooding forward. But when the wall is put in...it will be very painful. And even after the pain is gone there will be times when you are tempted to try and call upon your power. Believe it or not there will be days when you desire your power, when you wish you could call upon it to do even the most noble of things. This temptation is a scratching sensation...and the wall is very powerful, but it is only as powerful as you are." Blood Tithe said as he placed a hand forward, open as if expecting Lucas to hand him something. "The wall will itch...but I advise you not to scratch." and when he said that Lucas' energy did begin to pour forth, like a very thick umbillical chord tethered to hic chest. The energy was violent and like lightning as it sparked out, branches violently protesting it's sudden uprooting and removal, disintigrating and utterly erradicating a chair, and a glass and anything else it touched, even going as far and as powrrful as to deconstruct and shear apart the very fabric of the subspace where they were within.

  A torrent of reds and blacks were present, like a vulture that circled over Lucas, waiting for Blood Tithe's resolve to fade, so that it might strike like a cobra upon Lucas and reclaim it's place. Blood Tithe proved to be more powerful however as he used his own powers to reign in and assimilate the energy to his will. His own red energy reached up and coiled over it, eventually forcing and suppressing it into a sphere. Next it was Samhain's turn as he stepped forward with a sigh and a smile to Lucas. "How does it feel?" He asked, genuinely curious and happy for the young boys freedom. Despite popular belief it was likely a conflicted feeling. Like you had so much energy that you could run a marathon...but your body was so sluggish. Things of that nature would fae, though Samhain did not truly know ALL of the feelings, and he looked to Lucas for input, to see how he was feeling, what he was individually experiencing.

  "Alright lad. Remember. Don't scratch the proverbial itch." He said before taking a dep breath and nodding. His own power found it's way to Lucas and Lucas himself was shroudedin the cyan and royalblue fire. The fire would not burn, though the pale golden light of celestial nature would singe and a hellish pain would fill the child as his very essence was gaining a mild addition. Meanwhile, Blood Tithe stepped aside and his massive gauntlet had a small energy vacuum in the center of the palm. As the circular slates opened and the power was sucked in, Samhain finished his task, allowing Blood to move besides Lucas and kneel again.

  "Lucas! Are you alright?" He asked, seemingly genuinely concerned to all parties concerned. Samhain smirked a moment as he prided himself in this good deed, despite his slightly selfish angle within it. In that moment he let out a sigh as he realized something was amiss. Looking to the room around him it was still in great elegance, however some of the room was utterly shredded about, leaving only a mess of vibrant colors handing from the walls or disintigrated object left behind as ash. He felt something...something bypassing his magical barrier... Lucius...

  "We've got company...." Samhain said with a slight shock in his voice, wondering how Lucius managed to reach a place as safe and protected as this. Blood Tithe placed his hand on Lucas' head and chuckled a little before hearing those words. Once he heard those words his eyes hardedned and his hand withdrew, his expression turning solemn. For that one moment of humanity was now gone, whisked away by three words. The man within Blood Tithe was dead once more...and the monster turned to Samhain with a slight growl of irritation to his voice.

 "Then perhaps I should greet him..." Blood Tithe said as he immediately made his way towards the nearest door, a rather grand and massive door actually, hidden so perfectly behind the drapes that Lucas' rampant powers had destroyed. It was time to come face to face once more. The Man and The Monster.

Lucas was quite frightened at the sight of this corrupted image of his father, but he kept calm and listened. Lucas always knew their was more to the story then Lucius had told him, but realization that he knew this much, and probably a way to help him, was upsetting to say the least. He was told how he would feel through each step, and he took a deep breath, ready for whatever happened next.

In the next moment, energy shot from Lucas, involuntarily and completely out of the boy's control. Like Blood Tithe had said, it didn't hurt. It almost felt like relief, like he had so much weight on his shoulders and chest, and it was being removed. Still though, the sensation was powerful, and he couldn't help but yell out. As the energy was removed, the genetic device implanted within every fiber of his being strained for energy, but it found none. It would no longer continue the assault on Lucas, it could no longer attempt to change him. After the first phase was done, the angel stepped forward and asked how he felt.

"..L-like I've been fighting my entire life, none stop to keep a force at bay. And now...it relented." Lucas said in the best way he could. Of course there was more to it then that, but he felt that best summed it up. He felt light, and like he just drank a huge coffee, yet didn't have the strength to lift himself. In fact he felt he might drop any second.

Next Samhain would engulf Lucas in two of his own energies, which looked rather dangerous but they didn't burn on contact. Instead it was as if someone had plunged their hand deep in Lucas' chest, then lit his entire insides on fire, acid in there somewhere as well.

"AAAhhhhgg!!!!! D-daddy! HELP ME!!!!........Please." Lucas cried out, letting slip the whole Daddy thing as he looked toward Blood. But soon the pain would fade, and he hit the floor with a plead and a whimper, seemingly knocked out.


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Lately every breath i take in feels like it's burning my lungs. The air itself seems to be thick with despair, or perhaps it's just the guilt i can't shake. What do you do when you look at how you were and see a monster? How do you get rid of the feeling that you're just the same as before? With every victory, every inch i take toward my goals, i lose another piece of my soul. And now I've sealed a similar fate to the only legacy of mine that actually matters.

I didn't mean this for him, not for any of them. Not Lucas, not Daniel, not my dear Isabella. But they followed and continue to follow until the bitter end, for me. Why for me? Why do i deserve love if all I've ever done is take it away from others? I don't think God himself could answer me that. But it's all for a greater good i say, i justify. But i know in my heart that just makes it worse. Sure in the long run, people would be happier if i won, safer. But what about those I've watched suffer for this dream of mine? Do they get to be happy? Safe?

Lucas was never supposed to be my son. No, he was just another one of my pawns at first. And the two others had it even worse, they weren't even supposed to survive my little experiment. I tricked and i lied my way into the circles of trust of two i needed. Travis Masters and Nicolas Flamel. Travis had the means to create an artificial body, and Nick had the rest. The old man was always suspicious of me, but he saw that flutter of good, and gave me what i wanted.

So now Lucas is a living paradox, imbued with a device forged from a philosophers stone and fueled by his own energy producing body. The pain he goes through, it's like none other you could ever imagine. I did that, i made my son that way. And for what? More power? A younger face? Some false innocence i lost long ago? I suppose it doesn't matter now.

So here i stand, in front of a familiar face, but somehow different as Blood Tithe is to me. He speaks like the boy, he acts like him. But there's more darkness, I've had it so long i can see even the smallest amount. Who is he? Why are these people so attracted to my affairs? Am i destined for greater things, as my beloved said? Or is that just my pride talking? Where am i? Where's Lucas? Am i too late?

"Silus?" I asked. But he went on to speak without answering directly, more adult-like then Silus in all honesty. He seemed to be writing, and from what he said, well perhaps that was of more significance then one could see. However, i was only worried about Lucas. I don't care about the nature of these reality warpers any longer. The only thing i cared to answer was the boys question. Was i a villain or not? Was i good or bad? I have no idea really, so i answered as best i could.

"No one is the villain of their own story." I said. A quote from one of my favorite authors as a boy, i think it summed up my point of view quite nicely. After that, the massive doors in this...room? Were opened. I hoped they would lead to Lucas, but it's not like i had any other choice.

"That makes two of us." I said before walking through the doors, finding myself alone. But just as i thought this little space was empty, my HUD went hot. Four others were here, one being Lucas it would seem and another had a rather familiar set of technological signatures. Blood.

"I know you're here, Lucius. You really are a pitiful little thing, first you're Sin's slave, now Samhain's. I know by my very nature, that must eat at you every second of your sad existence. And by the way, your AI is a traitor." I said over my communicator, hoping Blood would pick it up. Either way we would meet face to face soon enough.

Blood Tithe cringed a little, his jaw clenched when Lucas was in pain, he turned his eyes to Samhain, whom shot him a warning glare not to try anything stupid. Of course Samhain was simply fulfilling his part of the deal. When Lucas snapped out, accidentally calling him by a title that was rightfully Lucius'...he froze. His voice modulator turned off on a whim as he placed his hand out on Lucas. Without the modulator his voice was far more recognizable for Lucas, probably unable to be discerned in all honesty. "I'm here. Just hang on." He said to Lucas, rubbing his back as he lay there. He looked to Samhain and grunted. It was high time he faced off against Lucius once more...
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"Slave? I suppose in the sense that I have a contract... I am a slave to said contract yes." Blood Tithe responded as he stepped out from around the foyer and began stepping down the immaculate stairwell, his hand not touching the railing as his hands were clenched down by his side. "As far as my A.I being a traitor....well. Let's just say some things are almost humorously predictable." Blood Tithe said with amusement in his voice rather than anger. Of course of all the powers he had at his disposal through his alliance with Samhain...the future was always apparent. His ability to do anything about it was another story entirely. It amused him however, that Red called Rot a traitor when it was birthed into life this very way... Hector, on the other hand was destined for a betrayal not of his birth...but by his choice. A true testimony to how far Lucius would fall. Sadly... Blood Tithe would not live to see that day, from the vision Samhain had bestowed to him. But to this he remained amused, for Lucius would think nothing more than Blood had somehow predicted Rot's betrayal.

"The true thing that "eats away" at me is the fact you still breathe, however. I couldn't even tell you why, in all honesty. Though I suppose that's just part of our charm, now isn't it?" Blood asked, truly delaying the process of combat for a moment. His mind was, how one would say "otherwise distracted" by the previous events. Just seeing Lucius there, smug from his victory over him the last time. Truthfully Blood Tithe knew he was in danger here. Even though he was whom he was, he would not discount the fact that he was weaker now than ever before. But he knew that Lucius was ready, and he had every reason to fight. "I have something to ask you..." Blood Tithe said as his head turned to the side, seeming for him to look over the area. The tone in his voice shifted, changing, something not quite like the typical yelling or snarky superiority. Of course the question that came was probably not what one was expecting.


"What makes you different from me?" Perhaps the most shocking part was the genuine curiosity. Of course Blood Tithe continued to walk down, drawing upon Red Dead Damnation as he did so, allowing Lucius to draw his sword if he so chose, reaching the floor, an even field in a compelled sense of honor (or vain pride) it would seem. Trying to keep some distance, Blood began to circle around Lucius, not actully even raising his firearm for a moment as he seemed to just circle, tending through paces, trying to think, contemplating.

The concept that Hector would betray him was always something Lucius considered. After all the AI was made in such a way it could think freely, but that was beside the point now. The tension in this space was building, Lucius could feel it. It was like before. Sure he was more a match for Blood now, but he had sincere fear. Not a lot, but when you are talking about Lucius a little fear for combat is quite something. The fact of the matter was he could lose, and Lucas could die. He had to take this seriously.

He smiled when he heard Blood respond, letting him talk, feeling out his speech patterns and the emotions in his voice. It mattered more then you would think. He seemed as confident as ever, and as prideful. Like before, the similarities he had to the monster made Lucius sick. But he couldn't let that get in his head, not now. Long seconds of waiting, nerve racking moments before the second clash took their time passing before the monster showed.

A gun was drawn, one that looked like something Lucius himself would make. Though he never saw the need for such weapons. If Blood was using it over his energy it must have been quite special. He would need to keep track of that. It seemed Blood had been busy, he had much more tech then when they last met, something Lucius himself allowed to get outdated as he transitioned to a more political position.

Lucius drew his sword, and listened to the question as Blood circled him. Quite shocking to say the least, just the way he said it. It was an honest question, one Lucius knew would need to be answered before they came to blows.

"........Absolutely nothing"

Could that be true? This thought crossed his mind but he knew it wasn't true. No. They weren't the same. They were not the same in any sense of the word. To believe so was foolish. Maddness! They were two entirely different creatures. One was a villain. The other was a monster. But that was neither here nor there. The truth was they were not the same... but who was the Villain and who was the monster? Perhaps that was a matter of insight. A matter of perspective or perception. All that came from Blood Tithe was a chuckle of disbelief.

 "Agree to disagree I suppose." Blood said as he reached up with the talon and energized weapon, named so fittingly for both himself and Lucius. He seemed to look at Red differently, looking at him with something more than inherited rage. "Acta non verba ad undas." With that he fired his first shot at Lucius, but no sooner had the shot fired had the lumosuperior thrusters triggered and Blood Tithe propelled himself towards Lucius. His teleportation placed him with his gun against Red's sternum, leaving Red less than a second to react to the gun and the oncoming bullet which Blood had passed with blinding speeds. The staging of this assault was making it quite clear that Blood Tithe had every intention to hitting Lucius, one way or another. To deflect the gun, or the energized bullet that was quickly closing in. There was always a way for Red to do both; however there was one indisputable fact to the way this battle was initiated.

  This battle would end the same way it began...

 With blood.

Lucius was irritated with Blood, not enraged like he was before, just irritated. Why ask a question like that, then simply brush it under the rug when you don't get an answer you can't dispute. Lucius wouldn't be so easily dismissed.

As for the attack, Lucius didn't even need a second. He simply thought and activated his repulsive field before the bolt hit him. It would simply bounce off, and Blood, well his own speed system would prove to be his undoing, at least for this attack. You see, he would run straight into it at the speed of light, which would likely send him flying back a good fifty feet at least. Of course, this shorted out the field, but he had protected himself and that's all that mattered.

"It's probably best you let you're actions speak for you, because after all you aren't actually saying anything of value. What would you  have said if i had given a reason for why we are different? You likely would have smugly laughed and told me i was wrong, right? You don't want to agree to disagree, you want to play devils advocate." Lucius said, using any time gained from the pulse to speak and prep his own teleporter. And with that, he would charge Blood, giving himself a height advantage with his thrusters as he closed in, swiping downward with Cora Zen and porting away before he landed. His destination was actually on the opposite side of Blood, where he hoped to blindside his dark half with another swift chop, taking full advantage of the superhuman speed his gauntlets provided.

"I do what's needed, not what's considered right by others. This isn't the monster vs the villain, this is just me against me pushed to my limit."

It was a well played move by Lucius, the barrier did prove to be quite effective, but Blood Tithe only growled a little. He tried not to listen to Lucius as he spoke, however he couldn't help but hear him. His voice. That smug, broken little toy of a creature dared to mock him, dared to taunt him. HIM. He was not going to forget this at any point, but fortunately for Blood Tithe, he had more than prepared for this. Lucius was running at him, charging as Blood Tithe started towards his feet. His eyes fixated upon Lucius and that infernal blade. What a mockery he was. You're not the only one who can throw people around He said as he watched with his cybernetic eye, looking for something, anything to exploit. Finally when Lucius chopped down, Blood Tithe brought his claws up, going to meet with the blade, however instantly Lucius had teleported away. Trivial tactic. If nothing else Blood would have thought Lucius smarter than to try one of his dirty, underhanded tactics against the very culmination of his entire darkness. When Lucius ported, Blood Tithe unleashed his bloody torrent the energy blasting out similar to that of the repulsive field, however in good measure, Blood Tithe added a little extra to his blast, moving his right arm to try and intercept where he believed the attack would be.

Scan completed. The voice in his head said, though it only brought revulsion and loathing to the evil Lucius' mind. While his entire defense was not effective, he had to admit it was partially due to his own compromised mental state. His blast fired off a little too late, meaning that Lucius would only be hit AFTER Blood tithe was hit, and Blood Tithe's arm was mis-calculated ever so slightly, meaning that the sword had simply nicked the plating on his right arm before slashing deep into his side.

With the entirety of what transpired going on, Lucius reached up and moved his shoulder around before cracking it as he rotated it. He needed to keep his mind focused, he needed to keep it steady. "May I suggest actually avoiding enemy attacks?" The snarky Artificial intelligence asked with a bit of a pompous scoff.

"Help, or get out of my equipment you filthy rat." Blood Tithe said to himself aloud before fixating a lock-on to Lucius' signature and drawing out his beloved weapon of choice once more. Red Dead Damnation's barrel to the groun in his left hand as he walked, like a predator circling it's prey. Lucius would no doubt be up again in a moment, and he didn't have any time to waste.

The problem with fighting someone that is pretty much a carbon copy of you is that they tend to know your tactics....and how to use them against you. This could go back and forth all day if they didn't get crafty, but fortunately they both were. When he got close, Lucius used the time to initialize a scan of Blood. It might not have been complete, but it would do the job. After that, well he found himself being thrown back much like Blood had been, only this included the corrosive power of Bloods mockery of an energy, which burned at Lucius' chest plate and eventually into his flesh. A painful wound, but nothing that would hinder him. Besides, he managed to cut Blood. He thought of it as a good trade.

"Calibrate Cora Zen to the frequency that will inflict maximum damage to the scanned materials, only activate the vibration just before the cut to conserve power." Lucius ordered to his AI as he grunted and staggered to his feet, already Blood was doing that menacing walk thing toward him. He had to think quickly, and quickly for him.

In all honesty what Lucius had equipped were relics, he had spent so much time improving projects like Hector and the Sanctuary he neglected himself. Of course, he had decided awhile ago to take less of a combat role in his efforts, but this was different. Now he wished he had installed his prototype scanning system, his motion stabilizer, and of course he wished he had made the upgrades to Cora Zen he had thought about. But if Lucius was one thing, he was adaptable.  He would make due, even against his most dangerous foe to date.

"Calibration complete, but I would suggest making maneuvers for ranged combat. He has far too many options for just throwing you aside." The AI said. It might have seen odd to take combat advice from Hector, after all Lucius was quite skilled enough to figure something like that out. But in the heat of combat, sometimes he overlooked things. Not that he did in this instance though.

"Noted." And with that, Lucius pulled his blade back, wielding it left handed as always, then raised his right hand and sent energy forth. It was a wide pulse in the monsters direction, one easily strong enough to incinerate a human instantly, but that wasn't the entire point of the attack. Just as he unleashed it, a few key points on Cora Zen were thinly coated in Red Energy to allow Lucius to manipulate the sword. He would lob the blade directly at Blood just as the pulse of energy dissipated, and regardless of if he missed or not, he would pull it back with his power.

Red Dead Damnation whipped out around to the front as a bright flash of energy fired out at Cora Zen to try and knocked it off trajectory, when that didn't work, Blood Tithe made a barrel roll off to the side. During the roll he discretely acted to prepare an attack. Next as the roll turned into his posting, he turned to Lucius throwing something that was concealed in his hand. The next thing anyone knew, several small little marble like sphere were inbound to Lucius' location. Cora Zen would be recalled to Lucius through his energy, and Blood Tithe would prepare for another assault, this time reaching onto his bandaleer and grabbing a very specific syringe and jabbing it into his arm.

Well, missing the attack was unfortunate, but he would have been disappointed in Blood if he made it easy, so he just calmly brandished his sword and spun on his heels to face Blood once more, seemingly unphased. Pride was a big issue here, if either of them made a mistake and missed, it was like a wound on it's own. Or at least that was the assumption for Blood, since he seemed to share Lucius' proud nature.

Lucius saw several spheres rolling toward him, they were a bit too small to see but his scanners had no problem picking them up. He knew they were likely bad news, but nothing more then a destraction it would seem as Blood injected himself with something. Now, there wasn't an easy way to avoid such things, as they could be anything. But Lucius just activated his thrusters and rose a good twenty feet above them, hoping for the best and making sure to add in the protocol to automatically activate full power to in his thrusters if the spheres exploded. It was at this point he decided to perhaps keep Blood busy while he gathered information on the new tech and perhaps the effects the injection had on Blood. So he sent three whipping energy arcs toward Blood, hissing through the air and cutting the floor like butter to form craters on impact.

Well it would seem as though Lucius would rise up and avoid the spheres. Sadly, they did not explode. In fact upon further examination it would reveal that they were in fact just marbles. They didn't explode, they weren't super durable. They were just marbles. Blood Tithe let out a little growl as he looked to his belt, where he pulled them from, and realized that a particular someone must have gotten into his equipment again. Honestly he was beyond livid, though he played it off as being part of his plan all along. All he was missing was announcing it was part of his plan and manic laughter. But that wasn't exactly his style.

Three energy waves were sent at Blood, though he honestly had been anticipating it. Raising his gun he fired out a shot to collide with the first slicing wave, though two more incoming gave enough power to shred through it and continue onwards towards him. His eyes widened as the second wave bounced off of his right arm's plating, as it was designed and then second dug and tore through his entire shoulder and torso, digging very deep and causing concussive damages. Blood Tithe staggered backwards, as he raised his gun to fire out at Lucius again, hoping by a long shot that he could manage to blast the son of a bitch's thruster.