Dreams of an Absolution

"The more the light shines through me...

I pretend to close my eyes

The more the dark consumes me...

I pretend that I'm burning bright,"

Burning Bright (Shinedown "Leave a Whisper")


Dreams of an Absolution

Chapter 15

The city of Townsville! A harmonious community a wretched cesspool of deceit and corruption with once happy people...who now live in fear of their greatest hero the greatest evil they've ever known.

I never asked for this...I never chose to be their salvation I chose to protect them, I made an effort to love them unconditionally. I will never turn my back on the city of Townsville I will never close my eyes again, I will never let them control me again.

As long as I draw breath as long as my heart beats

I will never give up!!

XxXxX

The city streets were barren and empty. A gust of frigid wind shattered the solitude, pushing aside filth and garbage in its wake. A plastic bag fluttered through the air, undeterred until it was sucked in by a passing vehicle. The driver didn't seem to notice; she had more important things to worry about.

Looming over the horizon, like a twisted black monolith, an offering to all things evil, was a forgotten observatory. Not long forgotten, but forgotten nonetheless. They'd overcome, just as they always had. She had overcome, only to find a greater blackness at the edge of darkness. That monolith, that citadel of sinister intent, was her destination.

The gaily painted vehicle skid to a halt, throwing up a cloud of dust. The door flew open and the occupant, the sole defender of this corroded city, the last vestige of hope and serenity that remained, stepped out into the night air, staring at the monstrosity lit only by the pale light of the moon. Though it was creation of man, of her own two hands no less, it still loomed like an ominous extension of the underworld. Glaring down at her with a wicked gleam, the light of the dark moon overhead reflected against the blue-silver paneling. It was a beacon, a marker that let her know just where her journey was to end. That lone gleam in the pit of blackness showed the way to darkness greater than any other.

The citadel was not just a monument to a lesser evil, it was the refuge of the ultimate evil. The rat hole where her final enemy lay in wait.

With a determined sigh, she took on the final distance by foot. The night air grew more fierce, as if threatening to overwhelm her should she refuse to turn back. Turning back was the furthest thought from her mind, even as the bristling cold gales tore at her whipping red cape, even as her bow, a golden eagle, slid down, letting strands of perfect summer orange hair fly free. She narrowed her rosy-hued eyes and marched onward. The monolith drew nearer still, as the grounds around her reflected the horror she knew she should feel.

Twisted roots grew from burnt black soil, decorated with earthen scar tissue that refused to heal with time. Bitter blades of wither-brown grass struggled to push their way through the rocky Earth's surface, while gnarled black trees suddenly tore free in a pyre of hellfire and shrapnel. Every step the heroine took closer, the Earth grew darker. Overhead, the dark moon's red light intensified, as if daring her to venture closer. Though logic would have turned her away, passion drove her forward to accept the challenge. As she drew near the moat of molten steel that circled the dark obelisk, the creaking wooden bridge sank beneath the slag. Taking a moment's hesitation to voice her disapproval, the heroine took a brave step over the edge.

The river of smelt quivered and shot upward in furious streams. A hellish veil of blackness fell over the world in her wake, leaving her stranded, hovering over a veritable sea of smoldering metal. Now, over the new bleaker horizon, she shot forward; the arc of her travel painting the wicked canvas with a uniform rainbow of pastel pink. The sea did not let her advance without continuously reminding her of its disapproval. As the darkened observatory grew closer, the sky quaked and began to rain down a torrent of black fire. The heroine noticed with only a passing glare, quickening her pace and outrunning the world trying to stop her.

At long last, she set foot on the first step, and then the second. Each advancing step was echoed by the advancing wall of black, now closing in on her. Narrowing her eyes, the heroine continued up the steps, even as the world about and behind her melted into nothingness. When she, at last, pushed open the door, the world faded into a cacophony of beeps and jolts echoing through a metal jungle. Wires dangled from the ceiling, showering her with sparks, and computer monitors crackled just moments before exploding. The heroine threw the door shut behind her, unmoved when it simply collapsed, melting away to join the ever advancing black.

There, through the long and winding road of steel contraptions and duranium death machines, she found what she'd come for. A tube rose up from the ground, connected to the blackness above and beyond it. Four thick wires stretched from the top of the tube, but two had been severed and now violently flew back and forth. A once green light on the terminal had turned to a cautionary shade of yellow, though it struggled to avoid sinking into warning red. The tube was filled completely with bright orange fluid, periodically jolted by bursts of electricity. There, in the midst of it all, was the final enemy. The ultimate evil.

She was a hideous monstrosity, a twisted amalgam of everything wrong with the world. Her inky black skin absorbed the light, just like her dark creator's. Her pale green cheeks were flushed, her jaw clenched in fits of rage and pain with each jolt from the machines. Her summer orange hair was wild and untamed, flowing out around her like a mane, pinned down only by the mocking black crown she wore. Her crown of thorns, her symbol of wretchedness. Though she was restrained, the silvery-blue bands were merely for show. The heroine knew they couldn't hold forever.

"I finally found you..." She whispered, speaking at last. Her palms trembling, she reached her hand out and touched the tube. The glass was cold, colder than the wind outside. The liquid, the antidote that kept the monster powerless, was kept at a low temperature to slow her down, to keep her tired and weak. The heroine narrowed her eyes and glanced down at the diagnostic panel. The hold was weakening...soon she'd be free.

"I will never let you hurt anyone again, mark my words. You die tonight," Liberty Belle vowed, turning toward the control panel. She froze, hearing something move. As she turned, the glass next to her shattered, and the antidote washed over her, knocking her back. A great, powerful form slammed into her side and drove her to the ground. She opened her eyes to stare into a pair so violently familiar, so damningly similar, she nearly screamed.

And every night...I lay awake

The sun overhead was blisteringly hot, bearing down on her like a spotlight. No matter how fast she ran, it followed her, piercing every dark crevice, every shadowy corner she sought salvation. No cloud passed overhead, no shade even dared to exist. Sweat trickled across her brow, her cheeks were flushed dark, and her chest stung painfully. There was no where else to run, even the sun itself had aligned against her. There was no option but to be discovered.

And what was there to be ashamed of discovery? She'd lurked in darkness her entire life, she'd repressed urge to taste freedom, she'd been denied a chance to ever kiss the sky. As she peered from her perch out at the city streets, the anxiety rose once more, the fear gripped her heart.

The city had always been crowded, but today it felt painfully so. Everyone pushed and shoved, trying to go about their own way. Cars were stopped in the streets by passersby, and even the local pets seemed to have come out to enjoy the sunlight. Her heart blasted in her chest, there was no way she could show her face. A horn honked behind her; she screamed and turned, only to find herself standing in the middle of the street.

Thousands of eyes were watching her, countless faces twisted into masks of hate and rage. None were distinguishable, but they were all piercing. Even overhead, the sun now glared at her with bulging yellow eyes and sharp, jagged teeth. It seemed to be getting closer with every passing second, rather than setting in the west, it was descending on the city, descending on her! She clenched her fists and spun around, trying to find an escape, trying to find some way to break free. People piled on top of each other, animals and children crawled between the taller citizen's legs. All with a single purpose, a single goal: to express their contempt.

The city around her looked like a photograph, a still frame that extended on forever. She turned to find her father, joining the rest of the furious masses. Just like they, he seemed painted onto the picture, not truly there but an addition. However, though he seemed painted on, his eyes were different. They were impossibly real, impossibly large. Never blinking, never looking away, they twitched and trembled with unbound fury, veins popping around the shaking yellow iris. His pupils, their pupils, seemed to go on forever, like gaping holes.

Your fault

They were closer now, as if they'd been pushed closer. She gasped and held her chest. Her heart couldn't settle, she couldn't catch her breath. And, in the back of her mind, she was furious. There was a fire building up inside her, just a smoldering ember now, but growing with every frenzied glare. She turned, baring her teeth, only to spot her sisters mere inches from her face. They didn't look the way she remembered. They were just like the others, except...painted on in watercolor. They seemed to be melting somehow, all except for their eyes. The girls didn't look like her, they looked normal. They looked human. But their eyes, they were the same hyper-realistic eyes the other citizens wore. Yes, wore. These weren't their own eyes, these eyes simply hung on their still melting faces.

It's your fault

She took a single step backward, only to suddenly find herself falling. She hit the ground, deep within a crater. She gasped, recognizing the pit. Overhead, three burning lights were growing brighter and brighter. A simple attempt to sit up proved futile, her arms were shackled to the ground, bounding in glowing white bands. She began to panic, thrashing at her restraints. The glowing lights overhead suddenly fell, careening towards her. A glittering meteor of green and red, shifting from deepest black to brightest white as it fell. There, in the center of the meteor, was a pair of impossibly real yellow eyes, glowering at her. She screamed, tugging at her arms with all of her might.

Your fault

She was in a white padded room, strapped to a table. No, not a table, a machine. A machine that could do away with her, make her normal again. She shook her head, trying to pull free. It was no use, the machine was starting up. She stared at her father, who manned the controls, and her sisters. They were normal, they were normal little girls. No nubs, no mitts, perfect little girls. All three turned their bulging yellow eyes to her. The Professor's lips curled back into a grin that split his face from the tip of each eye. His teeth were razor sharp, his eyes were gleaming.

"Don't do this..." she whispered, trying to find the courage to scream. No, not the courage, trying to quell the fury building in the back of her mind. Trying to rid the flush from her pale green cheeks. He only chuckled, they all chuckled in unison, and his leer darkened.

All your fault

"Don't worry honey, we're going to fix you," His voice pierced the air, practically assaulting her. She growled and narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits. Her body was on fire, her eyes were glowing. As she clenched her fists, her hands began to change.

"I'm not broken," She spat back. The three only laughed. The door opened and she turned to face the newcomer. Her cape blowing in the wind, her lasso dangling from her hand, she narrowed her eyes. The others were now behind her, floating heads with giant Cheshire grins.

"We're going to fix you, Honey!" he repeated. She shook her head, struggling with her restraints. She was getting closer, the light in the room was getting brighter. Devil Blossom threw her head back and screamed.

I find the conclusion

The city of Townsville was in shambles, punctured by energy fire and pure force, rendering it a wretched ruin of its former glory. As she touched down, she stared in horror at the destruction wrought in such a short span of time, destruction wrought right under her nose. She narrowed her eyes, shoving aside an upturned hunk of metal, once upon a time a car. There in the distance, she could hear thunder strike, she could see fire rising. Her enemy lay over the horizon.

Liberty Belle stopped as she passed by his battered and broken body. Her lips quivered, she barely managed to look away as a single tear slid down her cheek. He hadn't been perfect, he had faltered as all people do...but he hadn't deserved this. James Utonium was her father, he didn't deserve to die this way. Battered and broken, lying in a tomb built by his own body, painted in his own life blood. Choking back a sob, she hurried forward, advancing on the churning blackness in the distance.

The Pokey Oaks Kindergarten had been a refuge, a place of safety and serenity. She'd made her friends, she'd made her identity in those hallowed walls, now smashed and strewn across the city street. The playground was engulfed in a wall of fire, the equipment broken and twisted into unmentionable shapes of nightmarish, impossible architecture. Somewhere inside, she could hear a child's voice, sobbing uncontrollably. Liberty Belle started to venture into the fire, but a crash of thunder stopped her in her tracks. She couldn't be deterred, she couldn't be delayed. She turned back to the spotlight of sinister red, shining down from the dark moon above.

She tried to fly, but found the air impossible to traverse. She tried to run, but found the distance to great. Liberty Belle settled for simply marching onward, ignoring the death and carnage around her, silently swearing to make things right. As she drew nearer to the zero ground, she stopped dead in her tracks, spotting a familiar figure lying in the side of a collapsed, twisted building. She wasn't dead, but she refused to look at her. When Liberty Belle knelt in front of her, she realized it wouldn't have made a difference.

Buttercup's eyes had been cut out, bloody tears streaking down her blackened cheeks. Liberty Belle reached toward her, pulling away when she hissed in pain. She trailed her gaze down her fallen sister's form, her heart stopping when she laid eyes on her sister's fatal wound. A burning, dark cut across her chest, through her chest. Liberty Belle swallowed and stood up, unable to take her eyes away from her sister. In her hand, Buttercup clutched a silver-blue knife, stained with blood. Choking back a sob, she hurried off toward the light. If she hurried she could still save Bubbles.

The sky began to scream, fire rained down in a downpour, obliterating everything in its path. Liberty Belle ran faster, ignoring the stinging sensation in her chest. She had to find her sister, she had to save her no matter what. She slowed, watching spires of blood and bone shoot up through the city streets. They stretched an infinite distance into the air, even blocking out the red light of the dark moon. Further and further into the air, until it seemed they were trying to point something out to her, trying to direct her. Liberty Belle shook her head and shot through the spires, gasping at what lay on the other side.

There laid Bubbles, sprawled out on the ground, blood trickling down her legs. Burns and frost bite covered her naked body, tears streamed down her indistinguishable face. Liberty Belle tried to get closer, but it seemed every step she took, Bubbles became a little more blurry, and a little further away. She growled and took off running. The result never changed; Bubbles never came closer.

"This is your fault, you took her away from me!" Liberty Belle shouted, whipping around, staring into the blackness. Fire had woven a twisted web across the sky, painting obscene images, trickling down a shower of blood. Liberty Belle spun again; the darkness grew thicker. The fire was spreading, threatening to consume everything.

"I won't let you win! I won't let you ruin everything I've worked for!" The black peeled away and a pair of gleaming pink eyes hovered in the darkness behind the heroine. As the monster flew from the darkness, Liberty Belle turned to face her.

And every night it just stays the same

She stood outside the dark, empty kindergarten, staring up at the rain. The clouds were thick, dark gray, pouring down moisture and misery by the bucketful. She slowly sighed and lowered her head. He wasn't coming; they weren't coming. She looked to her left and then to her right. She was alone, waiting on the sidewalk for a ride home that wouldn't ever come. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head and started off down the sidewalk.

Somehow, even though it was raining, the sun seemed unaffected by the thick clouds. It still barreled down on her with extreme prejudice. Her skin crawled, torn between burning and soaking. The people scrambling through the streets glared at her with eyes that couldn't possibly be real. Big, gleaming yellow eyes that followed her, even long after the owner had passed. A car shot by, splashing her with dirty rainwater. It trickled down her naked skin, doing nothing to alleviate the heat of the sun.

She stopped next to a window, peering in to watch the televisions set up inside. Her family was sitting at the kitchen table, laughing and enjoying a nice hot supper. She narrowed her eyes, feeling her hair rise a little, feeling her chest burn a little. The sun grew hotter still, practically scorching her, when, suddenly, they turned to face her.

They wore the same big, bulging eyes the rest of the citizens wore. Veins popping around the twitching, piercing irises, encircling pupils that went on forever. They were angry, they were disappointed. Above all else, they were disgusted to even look at her. The sun grew hotter still, or maybe it was her skin. As the rain touched her, it began to turn to steam. The air around her sizzled, as her own eyes narrowed and she gnashed her teeth. They kept staring at her, eyes filled with hate and disgust...until the Professor suddenly smiled.

His pearly white teeth stretched his mouth wider and wider, until it reached from the corner of each eye. Slowly, Bubbles and Buttercup joined him. Devil Blossom took a step backward and spun around. The entire city wore that same expression. And, as if on cue, they all laughed. They pointed and they laughed at her. They doubled over with tears streaming down their faces; their eyes refused to close. No one would look away, no one could look away. They laughed louder, until the entire city's trembling laughter drowned out the rain. She clutched her head, snarling at the pavement.

"Stop it...stop laughing..." They laughed louder, screaming and falling to the ground in hysterics. Devil Blossom stared at her wrists, where giant chains had appeared. She tugged on the shackles with all of her might, but to no avail. The laughter rose higher and louder. A brutal force tugged at her chains, dropping her face first in a puddle. Just like that, the laughter stopped, in fact, all sound was gone save for the rain trickling against the ground. Devil Blossom pushed up on her hands and stared across the black alley.

"I finally found you...you won't get away this time," A pair of pink eyes gleamed in a cardboard box. There she was, her golden eagle bow glistening in the fierce sunlight. Her cape billowed in the wind, untouched by the rainwater. Devil Blossom scrambled to her feet and took several steps back. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. The heroine stalked closer still, righteous fury blazing in her eyes.

"You're a monster...a disgusting freak! I'm going to finally kill you!" She screamed as she charged through the rain, her arm becoming a twisted dark blade.

I dream...of absolution

Blossom stared at her feet, watching the water swirling around the drain. Blood trickled down her left arm, casually dripping from the tip of her mitt. Her eyes were wide; she hadn't blinked in an hour. Through the steam filling the bathroom, a strangled sob broke the morning serenity.