//------------------------------// // Awakening // Story: Subject 27 // by Phyrexian //------------------------------// Chapter 5 - Awakening         Slowly pulling out my blood soaked arm, watching Keith’s body lazily slump over to the ground. The feeling that this brought was magnificent! My first kill, finally getting revenge for the pain this son-of-a-whore caused my mommy and I. I couldn't help myself from laughing hysterically. The sound of the front door opening forced me to stop, not caring if I get caught, punished, of hell even thanked for wiping this sad excuse of a human being from the face of the Earth.         “Keith, honey... You here?”         This voice I did not know who it belonged to, certainly not my mother, hearing her high heels tapping against the tile of the hallway as she walked closer and closer to my room. Watching her walk past my open door, only to stop and turn around to poke her head into my room.         “Keith, are you.......”         The look on her face turning pale white as she noticed the bloody and the destroyed room. With me standing in the middle of it, she slowly walked into the room, her hand covering her mouth. The mixed look of shock and horror was so beautiful on her face. And then she noticed Keith’s bloody corpse laying in front of me. Shrieking in terror, she quickly backed up against the wall, tears running down her face seeing her “beloved” Keith dead with her own eyes.         “Sweetie.... W-what happened here?”         Staying silent, just standing there, basking in the aftermath of my new friend’s power, seeing the destructive force behind it. With a malicious grin across my face, I raised my blood stained hand towards this strange woman, seeing my hand, she abruptly vomited and fainted.                                                   - - -         Coming back to reality, hearing the cries and pleads coming from Cloud as she tries to see if I survived the magical blast. Slowly putting Cloud to the ground as I stand up, the dark energy quickly goes to work, surging through my body as my good friend comes to play once more. Hearing his insane laughter echoing through my head, the feeling of a grin breaking across my face as the energy floods my body makes it all the better. This time, I was in control.         “2-27... W-what happened? I thought the blast had k-killed you...” Looking down to see her big blue eyes barely holding back the tears, I put my hand on her head and ran my hand down her mane before turning around to face this foal.         Hearing the gurgle of blood with each scream the foal makes, her horn flares up again, quickly charging up for another attack. As I walk across the room, the dark force now thriving in my body, regenerating missing pieces of my body, healing any damage that I took since my arrival to this hell hole. My fractured ribs now beginning to heal themselves, the hole through my chest now closing, feeling of air inflating my lung as it begins to work once more. The burnt muscle mass and bone in my left leg quickly heals. My left arm now having more motor function in it as the gash and the missing collarbone starts regenerate as the torrent of energy inside me goes to town.         Walking closer and closer to the foal, she shoots off another beam of dark red energy, penetrating my stomach, right below the belly button. Not even flinching from the blast as it rips through me, hitting the wall behind me, only a few feet away from Cloud. Oozing out of my new flesh wound was not blood, but more of a black ichor as the new wound starts to close. The demonic little foal fires off a barrage of magical beams, each one randomly striking my body. Ichor dripping from these wounds landing on the ground as the holes healed themselves.         Her horn flares up as she charges her horn, first layer of dark red, then the second layer of bright red, she launches the ball of paralyzing energy at me. Striking my body, forcing me to take a step back as it lands against my chest. Only stopping for a brief moment before continuing towards the foal. The horrifying little foal lets loose one more scream as she charges her horn up for her finale attack, first layer went quickly, the second layer almost as fast, the finale layer, creeping its way along.         Seeing this, I quickly start to charge towards her, trying to stop her before she let this one loose. Quickly closing the gap between us, grabbing her by the horn trying to interrupt the channel again, but no such luck. With only one thing I could do before she let this blast off without me to protect Cloud from it.         “Hey Subject 27, mind if I show you a new trick? Let me take control of ‘our’ body while you sit back and watch.”         Doing so, my friend hastily took over. He quickly forced as much of the energy that was in ‘our’ body into my right arm. My arm now turning black as the ichor rushed into it. The concentrated amount of this chaotic energy morphing my whole arm into something new. Transforming quickly into this new shape, black scales rapidly grew on top of my arm, while underneath a red vein traveled from my torso all the way down to my hand. My hand slightly increasing in size as my fingers became covered in smaller scales.         “Subject 27, this is a rather simple trick to do, you can transform your body to anything you see fit, or you can grow a new pair of limbs if you felt like it. BUT be warned, forcing the energy to a certain part of your body WILL leave the rest of you vulnerable to attacks.”         Nodding in agreement, my friend lets out another insane laughter, echoing off the walls of the room before whispering to the foal.         “Sorry little one, it’s your time to die. My you find peace in the abyss.”         Saying this the red vein pulses with energy, creating massive amount of strength in my arm. Still grasping her horn, forcing the strength now being generated through my new trick, I snap the foal’s horn at the base, causing her spell to backfire, creating a small but powerful explosion from her horn, engulfing the filly and causing serious damage to my arm and sending me flying back.         The magical explosion left no trace of the filly, just a burned circle on the ground where it hit. Being knocked back by the explosion, hitting the opposite wall of the room, my back slamming against it, knocking the air out of me. Cloud rushing to where I was to see what happened.         “27! What was that explosion? And are you oka-? Gasping at the sight of my damaged arm, cutting her off mid sentence.         The black scales were incinerated off my arm, smoke still coming off the freshly burnt skin, barely having any feeling or control in my arm, my hand just as bad as my arm. The damage that I obtained might take a little time to heal, hopefully nothing too exciting happens before its fully restored. Finally able to catch my breath, I get up and head towards the door, just wanting to get out of this room.         Opening the door, Cloud and I walked into the next hallway, the door locking behind us, the hallway wasn't too long, seeing a total of three doors and two camera in the hallway. The microphone comes alive with energy and starts to talk.         “Ah Subject 27 and Cloud, I’m glad to see you both made it out of that last test room alive. We rather enjoyed the little show you two put on for us, and Subject 27, you're full of surprises, aren't you? Oh, I almost forgot, I never did properly introduced myself, have I? You may call me ‘The Master’, my real name is not important to test subjects. And we have good knows, there’s another one of your kind in Equestria Subject 27. We’re going to bring him in for testing as well, should bring in some interesting results, don’t you think so? As a reward for surviving the last room, all three doors at the end of the will benefit you, but once again, you may only pick one.”         Fade starting to stir inside me as “The Master” started to speak, she seems a little anguish.   “It’s been awhile since I heard that voice, he was the one who set the trap up to capture me. Subject 27 I still want the unicorn first, she has to pay, but if you get the chance, let me consume ‘The Master’ as well. And I’ll be in your debt.”         Nodding to Fade, Cloud and I walked down the hallway, picking a door at random. We open the door to are left and are relieved to see it wasn't another test, but in fact an actual reward for once. The room was a decent size, no cameras in it, well lighted, had a fairly good size bed, a small table with fruit on it, a small pool of water. And what appeared to be some sort of shower. Hearing my stomach gurgle, realising its been awhile since I had something to eat, and it would be nice to get all this blood off of me. Cloud spotting the food, she quickly flies over and starts to chow down. Realising I was still with her, she stops eating with a piece of fruit hangs off the corner of her mouth.         “Come and get some food 27 before it’s all gone! It’s really fresh!”         Joining Cloud for a bite to eat, sitting down at the table, looking over all the fresh looking fruit there was to eat, I pick up a banana, peeling away the skin and biting down into it. Shock to taste such a sweet banana, so fresh, with a fine texture on it, not bruised at all. Greedily eating the banana quickly, and picking up an apple next. Biting into, just as fresh as the first one I had back in my cell. These ponies are rather impressive farmers to have such fresh and tasty fruit.         After Cloud and I were done with our feast of fresh fruit, I head towards the shower, glad to finally get all this blood off my chest and back. I take off my boots and socks before getting into the shower before removing my pants and boxers. Closing the curtains and removing my pants and boxers and toss them out of the shower before turning the nozzle hoping for some warm water. Hot water quickly rushing out of the spout, hitting my aching body, easing the tension in my sore and stiff muscles. Standing in the warm water, watching as the dried blood washes off my body and goes down the drain with the now crimson water. Closing my eyes and letting the water wash pass my face, standing there listening as the water runs down my body. Listening to the noise of the water hitting my face brings back a fragmented memory.                                                    - - -         I was in a jungle, the heat mixed with the humidity made the air heavy and wet. Hearing the wildlife all around me, feeling slightly on edge, not knowing when we would be ambushed by the enemy. Holding my breath as I looked down my scope, scouting ahead the road to see what laid ahead for my team. Sweat running down my forehead making it hard to keep my eyes peeled opened to spot any movement. Hearing my spotter call out coordinates and quickly adjusting to where he was looking.         “Movement spotted, 400 feet down hill from us, slightly to the east, near the treeline next to the road, see em?”          Shifting my attention to the three men walking along the road, there just walking along the road patrolling.         “Movement spotted, about 75 feet up the road from the first group, small convoy.”         Looking further up the road from the small patrol squad I spotted a small convoy of two chemical trucks slowing down to meet the squad. The men began raising their guns at the trucks ordering them to stop, the trucks slow to a crawl just before stopping . Watching very closely seeing what the party will do to the chemical truck drivers. The drivers slowly stepping out of the trucks, their hands in the air with papers, slowly approaching the party, but before they reached the party, shots rang out across the jungle.         “Shots fired, shots fired!”         Watching the patrol party bodies hit the ground as the drivers quickly run back to their trucks. I try to find the other sniper to take them out.         “There! About 150 feet to the east of the trucks, up in the trees, you see e-”         One more shot rang out before my spotter could finish talking, the bullet hitting him in the chest, killing him instantly. Trying to find the other sniper before he tries to take me out. THERE! The sun reflecting off his scope, giving away his position. Pulling the trigger tight, a shot echoed across the jungle once more, landing home on its target, the body of the sniper now falling from the tree to the ground below. I held my ground, only for a few second after watching the other snipers body fall to the earth before I checked on my spotter. The bullet went through his chest, and came clean through the back. Saying a word of pray for my fallen brethren, I closed his eyes and took his dog tags.         There was a foul odor in the air as the wind started to pick up, quickly moving to the next location, making sure I covered my tracks so I couldn't be tracked by the enemy. Coming up on a hillside that overlooked a small bridge crossing a river, the two chemical trucks about to cross it, Looking down my scope, scouting ahead of my targets. Hearing thunder made me jerk a little, my scope now laying on someone who was about 100 feet away from me. The rain started to kick back u-.                                                  - - - “Hurry up 27! Somepony would like some hot water for themselves too!” Being kicked back to reality from Cloud’s complaining, I turn off the shower. Reaching my hand through the curtains of the shower to grab a towel, but instead I grab something much different.... “Woo! 27! W-What do you think you’re doing?! That’s my flank your grabbing their!” Cloud quickly grabbing a towel and putting it in my hand, my face bright red after that accidental fondling. Quickly drying myself off and tying the towel around my waist, I step out of the shower, my face still red from embarrassment. Cloud’s face slightly red as well, she quickly jumps into the shower and closes the curtains. I put my boxers and then my pants back on, leaving the towel next to the shower for Cloud to use. Glad to finally clean my blood stained body, feeling my spirits rise in new joy of being cleaned since I was brought here. I walk over to the small pool to take a drink, kneeling over and scooping water into my hand, the cool water running down the back of my throat felt cool and refreshing. Looking back over my right arm to see the damage I’ve sustained, the flesh was still burned pretty badly, but it started to heal slowly, the rest of the scales fell off while I was in the shower. The nerve endings in my arm and hand started to reconnect and I started to feel the burning sensation caused by the blast. Thankful that I still had an arm after such a powerful backlash of chaotic energy. Only able to move my fingers at this point, I’m grateful that I’ve regained proper motor function so quickly.         With Cloud still in the shower I walked over to the bed, lay down on my back and stretch out. The quiet popping of my spine mixed with the stretch felt wonderful. The nozzles of the shower made a squealing sound as Cloud turned the shower off. She stepped out of the shower and started to dry herself off. She spread her wings and started to flap them to remove the excess water from her feathers. Her cheeks still a little red from earlier, she trotted over to the bed, slightly hesitant to get in at first. Slightly flustered from what happened earlier, but eventually gets into the bed. Standing on the bed, looking like she is trying to put words together to say.         “Hey 27... I-I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life so many times.... I-I..”         She leans her head against my chest, after a few moments I put my left arm on her mane and start to pet her. Her mane is surprisingly soft, it looks rough and jagged but soft to the touch. Her head on my chest, listening to my heart beat, low but loud enough to hear, each beat a steady rate. Bump... Bump... Bump.... She looks up to me, her face now a brighter red than before. She leans closer to my face, my eyes focusing on what she is doing, not knowing what to do, I just sit there. My heart rate increase, feels like there’s a lump in my throat.         “27.. I..”         She kisses me, I’m now blushing brightly, eyes going wide not expecting that she was going to do this. Her face now a bright shade of red, she slowly pulls back and looks into my eyes.         “27, thank you for saving my life. When I woke up in the hallway after the tentacle monster and saw you not moving, your body cold, my heart nearly broke.”         After saying that, she lays down next to me after I made myself comfortable. Her soft coat resting against my body, the feeling of somepony(?) else laying next to me, felt rather.... Nice. My eyes felt very heavy, like weights were tied to them, my body was begging for me to finally get some over needed sleep. Slowly closing my eyes before drifting off to sleep.                                                - - -         I was in the jungle once more, the rain kicking back up. The thunder and the sound of the pouring rain silenced my movements, making it all the easier to sneak up on this accidental target. Taking my combat knife out now since I was about 20 feet away from him, crouching down while I crept up on him, his back turned to me. Every so often he would take a drag from his cigarette, the rain kept on pouring, like mother nature didn't want this guy to live. Only about five feet away now, my knife thirst for blood, his walkie talkie goes live as words start to pour through it.         “Sector Alpha, check in!”         My target takes one more drag of his cigarette before responding to the walkie talkie.         “Yah yah yah, I’m here. No signs of any infiltrators. Alpha out.”         “Roger that Alpha, keep your post.”         Standing up straight, directly behind him, my knife ready to drink his fresh blood. I quickly move my left arm around him, putting my left hand on his mouth so he couldn't call for help. Quickly bring my hungering knife to his throat, holding the cold steel blade against his throat, just waiting for him to give me a reason to end his life any quicker.         “What are those chemical trucks for? Answer my questions quickly and quietly and I might spare your life.”  Slowly removing my hand from his mouth, the man starts to speak quickly. “I-I don’t know! I was just posted here today to watch the roads! Please don’t kill me!”         “If you don’t have any information to give, then why should I spare you?”         “W-Wait! I do have information, please just listen!” The man's voice was uneven, his legs trembling with fear as my knife rested against his Adam’s apple.         “Speak quickly, I don’t have all day.”         “T-The b-base is running highly classified tests on living things, I-I don’t know what though. I-I see a lot of animals being brought in and locked up in cages for testing, I-I heard some of the egg heads start talking about testing on prisoners that we cau-.” My knife slid through his throat like a hot knife through butter, severing his carotid artery, causing him to bleed out quickly and saving me the trouble of being discovered. The rain kept on coming, every few minutes lighting would flash, followed by loud thunder. I kept on walking to my target, to find this base and discover what they are testing. The sun is now dropping, I must go find someplace to set up camp for the night. Scouting the nearby area, I found a small cave out of the way. Setting up in the cave and arming traps in the mouth of the cave to wake me if any intruders try to come in. The storm still raging on outside, lighting flashes every so often illuminating the world outside. With a small fire going inside the cave, only big enough to light the cave so I can do some service work on my rifle to make sure she is in tip top shape for the day ahead. Leaning against the furthest wall from the mouth of the cave, propping my back against it to give me the best position just incase anything happens. Barely asleep for only a few moment, my traps go off, quickly alerting me to the intruders. Quickly taking my sidearm out and pointing at what tripped the alarms, only to be pointing my pistol at some wildlife seeking shelter inside the cave away from the storm. Holstering my sidearm and getting up to rearm the traps, I lean over to re-arm them when something hits me from behind, knocking me out.                                                   - - -         Quickly waking up from my dream in a cold sweat, breathing heavily as the back of my head burns, like if I just relived that moment of my life. Wiping the sweat off my brow, I look down to see Cloud still fast asleep, laying next to me. I place my hand on her mane, petting her as I try to recollect that memory once more, only able to see what I dreamt about. I take a few deep breaths before laying back down next to Cloud and going back to sleep.                                                  - - -         I awoke once more, but this time not in the cave I once was, but instead in a cage outside in the raging storm. I’ve been captured by the enemy, my arms were bound by shackles. The rain beat against me like a mallet against a war drum. It was still night, only seeing few other empty cages in the yard I was at. A few guards standing watch up on the walls surrounding the yard, a guard tower rises in the corner where two sides of the walls met. Lightning flashed once more, illuminating the yard showing two guards approaching my cage.         “Rise and shine princess! You’re the new recruit for testing! You should feel honored being the first human test subject!”         Standing there quietly as the rain beats against my body, the guards now standing in front of my cage with both of them pointing their rifles at me.         “What? Cat got your tongue?” The other guard laughing at his stupid joke only to be quieted by the thunder. The guards now unlocking my cage as the other still pointing his gun at me.         “Make any sudden movements and you’re dead.”         Now being forced from the cage and into the facility. The two guards now shoving me along, one in front and the other in back. My body soaking wet from the rain, we turn a corner and I slipped. The guard behind me laughing at my clumsiness as the other turns around. Before the guard in the front turns around completely, I swept his legs out from under him, making him come tumbling down to the floor. The other guard quickly stops laughing as I lunged at him, forcing him down to the floor as I wrapped my shackles around his neck, choking him and causing him to lose consciousness. The first guard now getting back up to his feet and raising his gun towards me, I quickly grab his friend’s rifle by the barrel and throw it at him. As the rifle made contact with him, bought me enough time to move in close enough to remove him silently. He quickly brings out his combat knife and lunges at me, sidestepping it and grabbing his right arm using his momentum to throw him over my shoulder. He landed on his back as the knife hits the ground, I quickly raise my foot and bring down an axe kick to his throat, crushing his windpipe so he couldn't call for backup. I move towards his knife as he squirmed there on the floor gasping for air.         Picking the knife up, I moved towards the now suffocating guard. His eyes are bulging out of his skull with every failed attempt to breath, his hands around his throat trying to undo the damage I caused to him. Kneeling down next to him I whispered into his ear before plunging the knife deep into his chest.         “May you find peace in the abyss.”         The other guard now starting to stir from his slumber, I toss the knife at him, the knife making itself a new home in the top of his skull. I began going through both guard’s pockets, finding only a few things useful to me, one of them being the keys to my shackles. My hands now free from their bonds, I pick up one of the rifles and the other guard’s combat knife before setting off to finish what I came here for.         Hugging the corner, slowly peeking my head around it to spot two guards coming out from a nearby door and walking in the opposite direction from me. I quietly sneak up to the door and begin slowly opening it. The door now barely open, I was able to make out what this room was for, it was the showers and changing room, perfect. Hearing a few showers running and a few men talk amongst themselves in the showers. I slip into the room, and begin to quickly undress myself to blend in, hoping that none of the guards are the wiser to see another man out of uniform in the shower room. Spotting a uniform in a open locker I grab it and hastily change into a disguise. Picking up my weapons before leaving the room before the owner of my new uniform finds out what happens.         I walk around the hallways acting like I have a purpose, no one stops me or even takes a second glance at me. I come across a door with two guards standing post right outside of it. Both of them guarding it, no one leaving or entering it. Must be something important behind those doors. I begin to walk towards the guards, both of them salute me as I near them, stopping to salute back not to arouse any alarm. I walk past both of them entering a new wing of this facility, I kept on walking, seeing a few guards walk around the halls as scientists walk together talking about their work. One pair of scientists conversation peaks my interest as they walked by.         “So, the prototype is now in functioning condition. We’ll start testing on human subjects very shortly, if all goes as planned, we’ll have it working by the end of the month.” I started to follow the two scientists, keeping my distance not to arouse any suspicion. Both of them come to a door and walk into this new room. I waited a few moments before entering the room as well, giving them enough of a lead to keep attention down. I entered the room, coming to my mission objective, to destroy their prototype. Quickly getting to work, I scouted the room out, total of four guards and three scientists in the room. Mostly computers and schematics are in the room, in the center was my target. My mission was to destroy their prototype teleporter, only after being a few minutes in this room, the alarms start to scream and the microphones go live. “Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Code orange, code orange! All personal report to your stations immediately!” The Four guards quickly run to the entrance of the room, ducking behind one of the server towers before they past me. The three scientist went to the back of the room, and started to use the computers, their fingers quickly running across the keyboards. The four guards holding their ground, guns pointed towards the door and their backs turned to me, perfect. Stepping out from behind the server tower, slowly making my way to the four unexpecting guards, the sirens masking the sound of my boots hitting the ground. I grab the furthest guard to the left, my left arm wrapped around his neck, I grab his gun and open fire on the other three. Killing the closest one and landing a few good shots on the second one, the third one open fires on me but his bullets being absorbed by my meat shield. My shield screams in agony as each bullet bites into him, I force him to walk, closing the small gap in between us. The second guard gets back up on his feet, severely bleeding, barely able to stand. He raises his gun at his scream friend, but only half way up before I put a bullet in his head, causing his body to drop to the floor with a wet thud. The final guard trying to reload his gun, I push my nearly dead meat shield at him, causing him to drop his gun. I pull out my combat knife and step to his side as he catches his friend, and swiftly thrust the knife into the soft under part of his jaw and twist it, causing his body to go limp and fall to the ground. The sirens still crying out as all four guards of the room lay dead in a bloody pool. I turn my attention to the cowering scientists at the computer, nearing the computer one tries to make a run for it, but falls to the ground as I shoot his knee cap. The second grabs a pistol, shaking in his hand as he aims it me. “S-Stop! Don’t come any closer! I-I’ll shoot!” “Drop the pistol and I’ll spare your life, your not a warrior, you're a scientist, no need for your skill to go to waste.” Still approaching the computer which they are at. “I-I s-said s-stop!” The pistol still shaking in his hand. The third scientists puts his hand on the barrel of the gun, lowering it. “Larry don’t, he is right, if he wanted us dead we would’ve been dead already.” “I-I..... You’re right.” admits Larry lowering the gun down, and then drops it to the ground. “Now, tell me everything I want to know and I’ll leave you two with very little injuries. How far have you gotten on the teleportation?” “Teleportation? What makes you think we’re creating a teleporter? This is a Dimension Gate.” Wait, I was sent here to destroy a teleporter, was I given a false mission? Or were my leads just faulty? I take my PDA out of my pocket, typing in the passcode “Tango Sierra”  and toss it to the middle scientist. “Here, catch. Download all your data that you have about your project and I’ll leave.” After a few minutes, the data finished downloading to my PDA, walking over to the computer to retrieve my data the scientist backs away from the controls. “There, we helped you, now are you going to hold up to your end of the bargain?” “Yes, but I need to hurt you first, so your boss doesn't get suspicious.” I swiftly head butt the closest one, giving him a bloody nose as he claps to the ground in pain. The second one I hit him with the butt of my gun, knocking him out. I walk towards the door as the alarms go quite. “Come out and play you roach!” The voice came from behind the door. I walk to the door, opening it and stepping into the hallway to see roughly 20 guards, all their rifles pointed at the door. Ten in the front kneeling down, and ten in the back standing straight up. I stood there in the hallway, the door to my back and the small army blocking my way. “There’s nowhere to ru-.”                                         - - - Waking up from Cloud kicking me in my side as she stirs in her sleep. Laying in the bed, I pull my PDA out of my pocket, typing on the screen when it starts up, asking for a passcode once more. I enter ‘Tango Sierra’, the device unlocks and comes to the a page with lots of folders on it. One of the folders is listed ‘Abyss’. Tapping on it the folder request a passcode, I type in ‘Tango Sierra’ but my access is denied. Looking through the other folders, Music, Pictures, Missions, Tricks, Contacts, Debt, Messages. I clicked on every single one of them asking, but each one asking for a passcode, besides Music. Going through the folder, a lot of artist’s names come up. Putting my PDA back into my pocket for now, I try to go back to sleep to continue the dream. - - -         “Run! If you just hand over that little PDA of yours, I’ll let you walk away alive, but if you don’t you’re a dead man!”          Taking the PDA out of my pocket, looking it over, I put it back into my pocket and look up at the small army.         “No, the only way you’ll get this if you pry it from my cold dead hands.”         “Say your final words then! I’ll give you 5 minutes to get your affairs in line”         Kneeling down on one knee, my put my head down and bring my hands together, resting against my forehead. Then I started to call upon my pack. “Seriously? Are you for real? Your praying?! There’s no god here!”         “Darkness that resides within my soul, please protect me while I borrow your power. Make our movements swift and our actions just. If we take any souls while you or I are in control, please be their shepherd to the abyss. When the day comes that you call upon my debt, I’ll gladly pay. Please grant these poor souls entry into the abyss and grant me protection from our scythe. May the abyss be vast and always welcoming to any unfortunate soul that is harvested by our scythe. May the abyss watch over me.”         “What’s that? Are you finally done praying to your false god?! HA! I gave you a fair chance to walk out of here alive but you passed it up! Now it’s time to die!”         After he finished that, I looked up and said one thing before I began:         “I wasn't praying for my soul, I was praying for yours.”