Aberrant: Dead Rising - [DR End] The End? 2 [Fin]

[Ira Sagebrush]

A Disclaimer:

This isn't finished and I don't remember where I was going with it...honestly...perhaps I'll finish it, if I can think of a decent way to...otherwise, enjoy what there is of it.

It also has a flashback that is a big part of Ira's past, so I couldn't not share it.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Ira floated through the clouds, the atmospheric winds rushing through him, unimpeded by the out-of-place guest. He started to descend towards the mountaintop as he shrugged the layer of frost off of his blood-red cloak. Landing lightly on the marble steps of the Oracle’s Temple, he was greeted by the rather large Knight Bracks, Ward of the Door.

“Hail Lord, I trust your trip was fruitful?” the portly Guard asked, quickly shoving a bottle of Ambrosia under his armor.

“Indeed.” Ira said, waving a hand in dismissal of the issue, “Negotiations with the Undead Nation are proceeding as planned, Lord Ty is securing the signatures as we speak. Any word from the Acadians?”

“Unfortunately, no. The Lady continues to scry at the Pool, but its waters remain murky. Her vision has been…difficult…since…you know…” Bracks said, looking uncomfortable and instinctively reaching for his ‘hidden’ bottle.

“Since the Ending of Felicia?” Ira finished for him, sighing at the social difficulties of his head of security.

“Yes, Lord. Sorry Lord, it has been difficult for many of us still to deal with it, we…ah continue to cope…we are not as strong of will as your Lordship.”

“Indeed, Knight. You are allowed your time of grieving, but do not let it consume you in our time of need. We have larger issues at hand that require a faithful diligence to our cause, would you not agree?” Ira said to the keen Knight, fully knowing the answer to his question and expecting nothing short of pitiful groveling.

“Of course Lord,” Knight Bracks said, nearly throwing himself to the ground in debasement, which caused his half-empty bottle to fall from his clothing.

Ira glanced sternly at the bottle, his clenched jaw the only sign of his concealed anger. “The door, Knight.” He bit off, his eyes boring figurative holes into the follower’s armor.

Nearly collapsing on himself in embarrassment, Brad managed to collect himself enough to make his way to the giant gilded doors. Tapping three places on the mosaic-covered door, which depicted a stalemated conflict between a zombie in armor and a similarly clad warrior, who was glowing with the light of the sun. The style bore strong resemblance to that of the Minoans, but Indian influence could be seen as well.

Three melodious tones emitted from within the Temple, and the doors swung wide. They opened with an ease belying their massive size, silently seating themselves against the walls on the inside of the Temple.

Storming into the Temple, Ira ignored the robe-clad priestesses going about their tasks, who quickly darted out of his way, bowing as he passed. The inside was even grander than the out, large decorated marble columns rising to massive heights, terminating into the ceiling of rock from which they had been carved from. Large portions of the floor were massive painted reliefs, portraying various people of authority. Ira and Cassandra were easily recognizable amongst the less obvious Gods depicted.

Brushing aside the heavy material of the violet curtain that separated the inner sanctum from the larger temple, he slowed his pace. Entering into the calm area, his anger was soon forgotten as he basked in the beauty of his Baby, always his Lady.

She was bent over a crystalline pool of liquid, intently looking at its surface which was still and emitting a soft blue glow. Ira remained quiet as he approached the pool, not wanting to disturb her efforts during this time of emotional turmoil. He sat down on the edge and peered in, wondering for the hundredth time what she saw in the liquid, his own vision failing to see anything beyond the coins of a bygone era he had tossed in over time as a joke.

After a few silent moments shared together, Cass leaned back and blinked a few times. She looked at Ira, not showing any sign of surprise at his seemingly sudden arrival.

"Anything?" Ira asked, before leaning in and giving her a kiss.

She responded reflexively, but her face was quickly becoming troubled and confused. "They are gone."

"Gone?! What do you mean 'gone'?"

"They are not anywhere."

"Are you sure this isn't Arcade...Screening you off again?"

"No, they're just gone." Cass whispered.

"Gone where? How does a third of the population disappear overnight! Our treaty with the Undead requires their participation!" Ira screamed. He quickly jumped to his feet and started pacing around the pool as he pulled at his hair with both hands. The room visibly chilled and the surface of the small pool iced over.

"I am aware."

I wish Felicia was here.

Cassandra immediately started sobbing, her head falling into her hands as tears fell through her fingers into the pool.

Ira immediately regained control of himself, "Sorry my Love, my thoughts and emotions stray, however this does complicate matters."

Cass nodded as she stood, brushing hair and tears alike from her face. "Come Knight," she said, holding out her hand, "We must explore."

Ira gently took her hand, taking a moment to look at her hands as he entwined his fingers in hers.

We will never be free.

Then suddenly they were floating over a massive crater. Its walls were smooth, not blasted or hewn, but smooth like someone had taken a hot knife and carved a bowl from the Earth. It was roughly two miles in diameter with a small lake in the bottom where spring water had already started to collect. Nature seemed unharmed all the way to the rim. Tree roots were even sheared clean off where they had dared to extend into the crater area. Taking the curve into account and ignoring the water, Ira quickly calculated it to be about one hundred feet deep.

“Gone is right.” Ira said, glancing around. “You know what this means…”

“Yes, Ira…” Cassandra responded, tears being fought back as she dared to glance at him.

Ira steeled himself, “Let’s not wait then, the UN will not suspect anything yet, we don’t have time to waste.”

After 300 years it has come to this.

The pair reappeared in the scrying room and Ira was already moving.

“She has detected our intentions…” Cass mumbled, glancing at the pool. “She will be here soon...maybe...”

“There is still time.”

Casting aside the curtain he entered the Temple proper again, sending the priestess’ scurrying.

“Get the book.”

Three words have never had such effect, as did they. Such turmoil was caused, that anyone short of Ira would have seen nothing but chaos. He, however, saw the control and discipline of an executed plan.

He released the exertion of will that for so long had kept him as part of the living. Like sloughing off a robe, Ira’s appearance changed, revealing the true Lord of the Dead. His flesh had long since given way to the skeletal countenance he held now. His parchment-like skin stretched over his frame, threatening to break or crumble at any moment. He removed his clothing and walked to the center of the room, his footsteps setting a deliberate pattern into the mosaic, small clicks echoing as he stepped.

Ira lost himself in the memory of the pattern, letting happiness wash over him one last time.

Click to reveal.. (Flashback)

I had a crush on this sophomore and I was a junior who was friends with her best friend. I had never really talked to her before. Gathering my courage, I had convinced our mutual friend to tape a pink rose to the inside of her locker with a note that asked, 'Will you go to prom with me? Love, Ira.'

Lisa had thought it a joke at the time by her friend, and I never got a response. Fueled by chance since she had not accepted, I made a last ditch effort two days before prom and called her. She was elated to find out that I was indeed sincere, but at the same time, overcome with panic at not being prepared in any way.

She got permission to stay home the next day to shop, and went out with my Mom to find a dress and whatever else it is that women need.

Our friend had gone over to help her get ready, her and her date were going to share the limo. From what I found out, her makeup and hair were all done. Her dress was perfect, but she couldn't find her second shoe. They looked for it for the better part of an hour, trashing the house in the process, but never finding it.

About that time, I arrived with the limo, our friend's date, and my parents trailing in a car. Our friend's date rang the bell, (was his name Caleb?) and Lisa answered it to the sight of me standing in front of the white limo with her other shoe on a red pillow. 'My beautiful Cinderella, you can't go to prom without your other glass slipper.'

My Mom cried and took pictures, because that's what mom's do. I knelt on the pillow to put her other shoe on, and when I stood I could tell that she was torn between laughing, crying, or something else entirely that I would later come to recognize as a desire to jump me.

We had a wonderfully blissful evening that culminated on the dance floor when I paid the DJ $20 to play a waltz. The best he could do was Eliot Smith's "Waltz #2" But the music was the important part and we waltzed ourselves across the gym, lost in the moment with each other.

">

" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350">

Ira danced to the music in his head while a dais raised itself out of the floor after he completed his first cycle of the steps. Once finished, Ira stopped wistfully and hopped up onto the slab of stone and sat down, crossing his legs. The priestesses then sat down a cloth wrapped book in front of him and retreated as more of the loyal servants filled the area below the dais with braziers full of what appeared to be hot coals.

The temple doors must have been shut while he was gone, for now they flew open, slamming into the walls and shattering to pieces, sending debris in all directions. This was followed shortly by the flung form of Knight Bracks.

"I found your dog sniveling outside." a woman said, her voice sweet, and seductive, but at the same time, bringing images of death and decay.

"If it isn't the Queen of the Damned...You are too late Violet."

"You know, that I know, I am not. You won't die, you have to survive." she sneered, "Isn't that right Ira? Above all? Isn't that why you needed the treaty so bad?"

"In a different time and place, yes, it was. But you forget...I have one last thing to bargain with, the one thing you have sought all these years, but never gained....Me."

Violet laughed, a malevolent, evil laugh that caused a few priestesses to die, just to hear it. The rest cowered in shocked fear, their legs unable to carry them away. "What makes you think that I desire you?"

"Because, I can tell you no."

Eyes of her namesake narrowed to slits as she regarded Ira for a moment. "Fine. What is your last request?"

Ira casually unfolded the cloth and revealed a rather plain-looking journal from an age long gone. "A Call."

"Done." she said immediately, desire burning low in her lavender eyes.

[Ira Sagebrush]

[Ira Sagebrush]

Ira's skin cracked as he nodded at her assent, "So be it."

He opened the book carefully, many pages crumbling despite the book's care and his precautions. The destruction mattered not as Ira sought only one page, one that would not let itself decay until its purpose had been fulfilled.

The Fox said that there would be peace for none until the Lord and Lady slumbered...

As soon as Ira let the thought echo through his mind, the book crumbled, its tenuous stasis, seemingly let go. Immediately, a cold wind started to swirl through the temple, the braziers went cold and frost started to gather along the surface of the metal. The cold seemed to expand from the dais as Ira concentrated, hoar frost buckling the stone floor of the temple as it creeped slowly and steadily outward. The wave of cold overran one of the priestesses and she was frozen in place, iced over almost immediately.

Outside dark brooding clouds had gathered over the mountain and were swirling around its top as the bitter winds became colder and colder.

"What are you doing, Ira?!" Violet raged, approaching him, but hesitantly stopping before the widening ring of frost.

"Bringing this all to an End, but I will honor the agreement, you will have me for all eternity. Come, Queen, to me." Ira said.

Half of her own will, and yet partly of compulsion, she entered the ever expanding wave of cold and approached Ira, biting her lip as desire overtook her. Tendrils of frost slowly began work up her legs, but as though living, they would ebb and flow, being fought back by the heat of Violet's internal fiery passion. While she made the slow progress towards the center, her attention completely absorbed by the Lord of the Dead, the frost continued to expand and the wind began to sing with an unholy intensity, its frigid cold starting to erode flesh and stone alike.

Soon, all the priestesses were frozen in time, most bent down and prostrated towards Ira. As Violet finally reached the dais and reached out to Ira, the wind culminated into an apocalyptic fervor, tearing away chunks of the frozen temple until there was nothing left above their floor.

"At last, we are alone, to finish what we once started, so long ago." Violet purred, drawing a finger under his chin and restoring his Seeming as she climbed up and straddled Ira's once-more flesh-clad body.

"NO!" Cassandra screamed, the powerful force vibrating the pair on the dais to their very core. She tried to run towards the pair, her violet eyes bleeding tears of energy as the frost quickly ravaged its way up her legs. Before she had even made it ten feet though, she was frozen in mid place, unable to move her legs against the frost and the wind beating at her. Crying in rage and frustration, she started to 'blink', teleporting herself forward, but still only making it scant inches at a time. Realizing her plight, she started to flicker as her teleporting came faster and faster and the distance she covered got smaller and smaller.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Violet looked over at Cassandra and smiled as she reached down and grabbed Ira, her expertly proficient grasp arousing him quickly. Knowing the pain she was causing, she bent down and kissed him as she took Ira within herself. She was too consumed in her passion to notice the cold overtaking her, that it had already moved up her back and had even toned the brilliant purple of her eyes to an drab indigo.

Cassandra came within inches as the frost nearly completed overtaking her, only her head free of its grasp. Violet glanced over and pulled away from the complacent Ira just far enough to speak, "I win, sister." Though Cass could only read her lips, the dagger struck home and her last thoughts as her head was encased was of betrayal and despair.

Never seeming to be aware, Violet once again locked with Ira and that is when the ice completed its journey over the dais, sealing the entwined pair.

The maelstrom roared ever stronger and let loose with a single massive violet lightning bolt, shattering the mountaintop and sending icy shards for hundreds of miles.

With the Enthraller and the Commander gone, undead everywhere fell over, finally at peace as the forces that had held them in this world had finally ceased.