Pandemonium

Stage Nine Part I

"Is this a chalice?" I stand in the center of the ninth floor looking into the cup that's there. It's a silver goblet type thing with a liquid. Dark and mysterious. Is this poisoned? This doesn't look anything like something that any sane human should drink. Does someone have to drink this? What will happen when they do? All of us sort of stand around it, looking inside, waiting for something to happen, and nothing does. "I guess someone really does have to drink this..." 

"You do it," Claude points to me. Of course he does. Why did I expect anything else? 

"What?" I snap my head around and stare at him. My eyebrows furrow and my distaste only grows. Just when I thought I couldn't hate him anymore, I do. He is filled with endless reasons to dislike him. 

"You're the Traitor so you do it. A fitting way to die, don't you think? Since you've betrayed everyone already just to get here. You shouldn't make it to floor ten." 

"I thought I told you to keep your mouth shut," Faust's eyebrow twitched and for a moment I thought I saw a forked tongue escape their lips. Claude tensed but closed his mouth tightly. Good. Keep it that way, please. 

"I'll drink it," he said.

"What?" everyone said at the same time. 

"I'll drink it," he repeated, picking up the chalice. 

"But, why?" I say, expecting there to be some sort of scheme behind the statement. I doubt he suddenly had a change of heart, so what is the truth? 

He doesn't answer. Instead he stares into the chalice and swishes the liquid around carefully. He doesn't move more than this, continuing the motion as if staring into a glass of fine wine. "I know I'm a terrible person," he finally said. "I killed my own wife and tried to murder Hendrix. I've caused a lot of problems." Wow. Why are you just now saying this? 

"You're going to use this as your atonement?" Pandora curls his fingers into a fist, his teeth clenched tightly. "After all you've done. After getting this far. You want to choose now to become a better person?" he snapped. "What are you really planning? It's impossible for us to trust you! Don't think we'll start just because you want to say you're sorry by dying. What is dying going to do? Is your death going to bring people back? Is your death going to change what you've done? Stop trying to make yourself feel better by pretending to be selfless. You're a monster. The only monster I've ever met. I don't believe for one second that there is a selfless bone in your entire body." 

Pandora's eyes widen and he closes his mouth, looking at the ground. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper." 

"You have a right to be angry with me," Claude began, "and you're right, I've done nothing to show you I'm actually worthy of keeping around. Which is why I'm going to drink this now. Because at least then you lot, that actually deserve to survive, will make it to the next floor." 

He moved the chalice up to his lips but they never quite made it to the rim. He grabbed Hyde's arm and pulled them close, putting the chalice to their lips instead. One wrong move on Hyde's part and the liquid would fall into their mouth. So much for turning over a new leaf. He can't even apologize properly without ruining the moment. 

"I don't know why but  you two have some sort of bond, don't you?" Claude stared at Faust, threatening to force the liquid down Hyde's throat. Their lips were tightly sealed but that wouldn't keep everything out and we don't know how much is needed to actually kill someone. "You can't hurt me as long as I've got Hyde here." 

Faust took a step forward but Hyde raised their hand to stop them. "I'll drink it," they muttered. 

"Hyde..." Faust froze, panic clear on their face. "Hyde, you already cleared one floor for us, don't do this, you'll die this time." 

"We both know that's not entirely the way it goes," Hyde smiled a bit. 

"Hyde...please don't..." Faust's voice cracked. "We made it to the ninth floor this time. After so long. Please...please don't-" 

"It's okay," Hyde assured, holding the chalice over where Claude's hands were. "It's been fun while it lasted. I actually got to spend time with you this time outside of that cage," tears welled up in Hyde's eyes as they thought about it. "I was free for a while...it was nice, Faust. I got to hold you in my arms without bars. We had a few laughs running around in death traps. Faust," Hyde's hands shook, trying not to lose their resolve, but they started crying regardless. "Faust..." they started again. "It's been so long, Faust, I thought you'd forgotten about me," their voice cracked. "I'm glad to see you haven't. I trust you. I'll trust you longer this time. I'll trust you...so...don't forget about me." Hyde lifted the chalice and the liquid poured out. They drank all of it, even though some overflowed and fell down their chin. Claude took a step back, holding the chalice as if it were a ward against Faust, and allowed Hyde's body to fall to the ground. Faust rushed forward and caught Hyde. 

"Hyde...Hyde? Hyde!" Faust wiped the strange liquid from Hyde's face and lightly tapped their cheek with their hand. "Hyde, please? I'll kiss you and die too. Don't think I won't!"  

"You won't," Hyde coughed and winced. "You promised," they said, quietly, "not to die by your own hands again...you promised..." all light escaped Hyde's eyes and their body lit up a shade of blue lighter than their hair. Hyde's body turned to a gelatinous liquid, falling to the ground and then through it somehow, likely traveling back to that cage we first saw them in. 

"Hyde!" Faust scrambled and moved their hands through the liquid, trying their best to keep it together and mold it back into Hyde, but it was no use. Most of it had slipped away already. As I watched this, I realized something. Faust never wanted to free Hyde from the cage. Not because Hyde was dangerous to Faust or to others, but because Faust didn't want to free Hyde only to have them end up back where they started. Glimpses of freedom, hope, to someone trapped forever, does a lot more damage when it's ripped away. Or maybe it was even simpler than that. Maybe Faust just didn't want to watch Hyde die. They were protecting themself under the guise of protecting Hyde or of protecting us. 

"Hyde!" Faust let out a blood curdling scream. The walls shook slightly as they held their face in their hands. Their tears turning the shade of blue from the remains of Hyde on their skin. It stained their clothing. 

A low cackle began from the surrounding area. The walls stopped shaking as the game master's voice came out from all sides. "Faust," he snickered, trying to stifle his laugh but unable to. This was the highlight of the entire game experience for him, apparently. "You've already forgotten the nature of our agreement if you think Hyde would ever make it past floor nine." 

"Shut up! Shutupshutupshutupshutup!" Faust's nails dug into the sides of their face, clawing down and cutting their skin. Blood melded with the dark tears, making it appear as if it was black to begin with. 

The laughing continued until Faust finally deflated, lying on the ground in a small bundle, hugging their legs. Then, and only then, did silence meet us once again. Faust remained still, not moving an inch, and Pandora carefully took steps forward. 

"Faust?" he knelt down and grabbed Faust's shoulder, shaking them slightly. 

"Faust?" he asked again, with no response. The grime of the floor stained the half of Faust that was lying down, turning their flamingo pink suit into a disgusting shade of filth. 

Faust moved their hand and grabbed Pandora's wrist, gripping it tightly, as their long nails continued to grow longer and dig into Pandora's skin. Faust's teeth transformed to fangs. Tiny horns poked out from their head, growing still, and a small pointed tail formed at the base of their back to circle around Faust's leg. They pushed Pandora away and pointed a finger at Claude. A small hissing noise escaping their throat as a forked tongue poked out from their lips. 

"You have two choices," the hissing noise resting on the 'S' and emphasizing it. Flames formed in the center of Faust's pupils and grew to encompass their entire eye socket. Their hair stood up on it's ends, waving and flickering with the pink highlights reminiscent of fire. "Either you die or I kill you."