Gods of a Different Kind

Many faces of Death

Warning, this chapter is going to be very graphic, if you have a very active imagination do not proceed.

        Darkness is all that welcomed Infelix, he had lost control of his own body long ago. He dared not think of what had caused him to change, for if he did, the visions would appear... He could never get the sound of screams out of his head, at times it sounded like a dying animal, at others it was his own voice. But he knew who it was, is, and will be. Himself at different times of his life, when he first began changing, when he went through the pain of being torn apart, of having his very mind ripped from his body, leaving it nothing but a husk for the monster to ravage. When his mother died... when his father tortured him for his own sick experiments... when he killed the deer out of anger, when he lost his mind... when he-he... tortured those children.

        He tried desperately to believe that is was the monster that did those things... but he could feel, see, and hear everything, it, himself, the other, the monster, did. He felt the crunch of the Childs head beneath his boot, he felt the resistance of flesh meet his blade with the bound mans hand, who he later hunted down. He was glad that he had survived, that the one god that had survived had saved him from his grasp. He wished dearly he could be welcomed at deaths door, but he knew it would never come. For his soul belonged to his own father, he could never truly die, even if he were to take his own life...

        Infelix cried deeply, hoping for any relief from the prison of his own mind... He was brought back to the sound of an angry voice.

                "DAMN IT THAT WAS MY FAVORITE FEDORA." Infelix had been paying little attention to the fight, he knew the gods could not defeat him... as much as he would enjoy the feeling of deaths sweet embrace he knew he would only end up back in his fathers dominion, just like the eleven times before someone had managed to stick a knife in his poisoned heart. He had even attempted to take his own, which only ended with him being... punished before his father.

        He lost interest as he felt his back hit the wall, it would not even leave a bruise. If the god could do so little damage to him now, he dreaded thinking what would happen now that his other was angry... He tried to block out the sound of bones but ultimately failed... he had never succeeded once in doing so.

        Suddenly, he heard his other talking, he could never tell what it said, only the constant spite, anger, and venom in his words. But there was another voice... it appeared in his mind, but it could not be understood, as he had no control over it. HE felt a white light overtake him, then a feeling of peace... then darkness.

        ***

        "One mans dream, is anothers nightmare. But what if the one man is not one? For death, like yourself, has many faces. Some show mercy, some less then so. Dreams are often a minds representation of past experiences, or hidden horrors within our minds. To escape your past you must recover the truth, kill yourself, and become one. Sleep Infelix, Sleep."

        ***

        "Subject one twenty seven shows signs of success, must investigate further. Ironic isn't it? Fail over a hundred times then succeed on the one that showed the least promise. Will need a way to erase subjects morality, or else all will be for naught. Will also need to change subjects mind, body, and soul, not smart enough, strong enough, or cruel enough. Perhaps I should have started with this one instead of my favored children. Doesn't matter now, but I will need a way to keep a leash on him, do not believe he will follow for no reason... subject is awakening... tests shall proceed."

        A dark shadowy figure stood above a small child, likely from the ages from nine to twelve. The child was stirring from whatever nightmare it has been forced to go through, the figure paid no attention to the Childs pained gasps, focusing more on witting in his notebook. On the other end of child a man, barely twenty. The subject. Bound to a chair with strange torturous devices attached to said chair.

        ***

        "Test was a success, safe to say subject has lost sense of trust for other beings, unlikely to regain. Quite proud from ingenuity to destroy it, took many trys but succeeded in time. Turns out best way is to have subject go through pain, misery, and emotional insecurity to lose trust. Found that this test showed most success. Took inspiration from a 'movie' from a place called earth, surprised mortals are capable of such cruelty. Need to investigate earth potential in recruitment.

        "Have subject trapped in metal binds, have small child on opposing end of subject. Tell child before hand that their one chance at survival is the subject, and that if they want to escape that upon being freed they must press a button, hidden from subject, that will break subjects bones. Tell child likely result is saviors death. Mortals will go to immense hardships to insure their own survival. Even possible death of savior, or at least crippling and pain.

        "Have subject go through immense pain to free child, then to have child betray, little ashamed that I could not think of it, must find a way to thank earth for idea. Gift basket? Perhaps not endless torture? Not sure.

        "Shall now play video, again surprised at earth capabilities. Should capture as soon as possible, capture of earth will ensure dominance over other realms."

        ***

        A man groaned as he awoke from his haphazard slumber, his first thought was to try and force himself upright but gasped in pain as razors shredded into his face. What was he going to go through today?

        "Attention subject, now will be a test of how far you will go for others. In front of you is a child. If you wish to save said child you must go to immense means to ensure its survival. Every thirty seconds a spike will be sent into the child, each into a vital artery. The time will start once this message ends or if you decide to act for yourself"

        The man  attempted to get a good look at what encased him, but failed.

        "To free the child three buttons must be pressed. One is beyond the mask of spikes in front of you, likely you will be blinded in order to free child. Another to your right hand, upon pressing said button bear trap will spring. To left is barbed wire, with a healthy dose of salt. If you can endure said pain and crippling child will go free. I suggest you take action... now"

        ***

        "Success. After many trys said objective has been achieved. Subject has been split into many different 'personalities' decided to name the three dominant ones.

" Infelix, most like original subject, likely holding onto strange sense of morality, thought that this one would hold much promise, hopes dashed once subject still went thought pain for others, while disobeying orders upon threat of torture.

"Infirma, shows least promise, weakest of three, will cry for victims instead of acting, too weak to act, will follow orders upon threat, likely from fear, still weakest, prefer others over this one.

"Lastly Ira, decided to pick this one over others, will not help those in need unless ordered, no morality, will be good assassin, will follow orders without thinking, even without threat of torture, too bad this personality cannot exist without others, or will be have destroyed others by now."

        ***

        "Subject escaped not long ago, appears it was Infelix's idea. Took previous logs before escape, unsure how subject managed to escape, made sure to keep subject in bonds before leaving alone. Seems only two out of the three minds agreed to the idea, as Ira seemed to be distracted yesterday, as if he was fighting off some unknown force. Didn't pay attention yesterday, should have, this could have been avoided, will not make same mistake again."

        ***

        "A jungle of concrete, a maze, hidden horrors within" Infelix gasped while running through the corridors. "No escape, must follow the pipes... be quite you, you are not helping..."

        "Whispers in the dark, my own mind, unknown horrors. Find a way to end pain. Death? No, too risky, cannot trust Ira. He is not named after wraith for nothing. Give in? No, to give is to take, and to take is to steal... Does not have to make sense I am in control... quite Ira, your voice serves no purpose here. Hmm... Infirma that could work... but you only wish to end your own pain, you care little for others, not strong enough to act... Free the previous? No we have all seen him, he is nothing, we are all figments of his mind... Contact the others? No, they are too weak to be of service..." The man continued to talk to himself as he ran through the corridors, paying little attention to where he was going, content with wandering aimlessly while his father searches for him.

        "Read the journal? You only wish to stop for him to catch us, you were always his favorite you pompous fool. You know nothing of the pain we others have gone through, but you are not in control I am, If you wish to continue talking I suggest you watch your voice, you are giving me a headache. Although I do wish to know what he has done to us, me, myself, you, and him. Very well, my curiosity has been peaked.."

        ***

        I cannot believe you still stand behind him after seeing the horrors he has put upon us... It is not justified, you are nothing more then a pawn to him, but you are too foolish to see it. Infirma you seem quite from this revelation... What no response... something not right... What have you done Ira! You... killed him? How? Not possible, does not make sense... you will not kill me, I am smarter then you, I am dominant, I control the body now, so long as I have say you will never be in control... If I have to take my own life to make sure you will not harm others I will, but until then I am content with this control and free thinking I have come to know."

        Growls came from down the hall, raspy, deadly growls. The huffing of dead lungs echoing down the quite hallways.

        "Seems father has unleashed the hounds... Come Ira I doubt the hounds care for your life as much as they care for mine, they only know how to kill, not how to capture. If you wish to live I suggest you help me with this predicament... Fine, I will fight them alone, I do not require your cruelty to defeat the mutts"

        The man stood, keeping his back away from the source of the sounds.

        "Come on dogs, your meat is here" From darkness came the dead. Parts of the hounds bodys had already decomposed, but that did not matter much to their already enhanced strength.

        With a lunge the man set himself upon the dogs, he became an animal, while at the same time mumbling to himself, likely from the voices in his head.

        "Killing does not require... cruelty... mercy killing, they are suffering..." The man mumble while dodging the many attacks from the hounds, they could not land a blow on the speedy 'human'. The man sent his foot into the skull of one of the smaller hounds, his first kill. Although he did not enjoy killing innocents, these animals are no longer animals... little more then fancy battle slaves.

        The man stumbled, the dogs took it upon themselves to rid this menace from themselves. A grunt of pain, a recovery, a snap, a crack, a hit, a bite... An infection.

        ***

        Ira was quite happy at the turn of events, upon the infection setting itself into his body he regained control. He did not show the mutts the mercy that Infelix had, instead opting for breaking the bones of the creatures, disabling them, knowing they still felt pain did little to slow his assault. He killed them slowly, even when he knew victory was in sight. Before long all of the mutts were broken down, and killed.

        "Time flys when you're having fun ehh Infelix... what not going to justify that with a response ehh? No matter, I'm sure father will be here soon. What you think he will allow the infection to kill us? No, you are wrong, perhaps if it was only you but I am different. I am favored, unlike you and that dead weakling... Ahh still haven't found the body ehh? No matter. Trust me, that weakling is gone... I sure as fuck am not going to tell you how I did it, I will just tell you I was only able to do it because he was weak, too bad you are not the same ehh? Well what is the point of having those weaker then you if you cannot prove your strength against them? Bah, I am growing tired of this useless conservation, goodbye."

        ***

        "Hello father. I am in control again. I have also found a way to kill the other parts of my mind, too bad if I tell you he will find out and will destroy me."

        "I enjoy that you think I will reward you for returning after escaping... I do not care if you were not the one who did it, you must be punished."

        "Wha...What do you have in mind father?"

        "Have you heard of my undead called patchworks?"

        "No... father I'm sorry please anything but that."

        "I care not for what you do and do not want. You will accept your punishment and enjoy it. Do I make myself clear?"

        "Yes sir..."

        "Good, sorry I cannot spare any painkillers. They are in short supply right now"

        ***

        "Get it over with..."

        "You cannot rush perfection." Dead Wind said as he began cutting along his sons jaw, carefully removing the skin, muscle, and bone. Ira did not call out in pain once.

        "There that was to bad was it? Now to add in the replacement..." Dead Wind then melded metal into his Childs jaw, then carefully replacing the skin and muscle over it.

        "Now to replace the rest, although metal is expensive so I have opted to use body parts from previous living beings. Do not worry you will not always be a hideous freak, for your soul belongs to me. Upon your death I can remake you how ever I please. This is just punishment..."

        ***

        "I am sorry you have had to relive these horrors, although it was not I who decided to do so. For the the book is gaining control... you do not even wish to think what Licens is going through."