It unfortunately appears that being here is actually sapping their strength, so we hurried on hoping to get through this before they'd be too weak to help. We reached the gates. It was just like in my dream. I approached alone the others stayed back, whether out of fear or awe I'm not sure. The creature roared to free it and I could see thousands of eyes staring at me. I held the pocket watch in my hand, the ghostly images of it's victims surrounding me and I approached the gate. On cue The Archangel showed up. With a cry of rage it fell from the sky, landing in front of me and slapping me back towards the others. It hurt, everything hurt as I hit the ground and the rest of my friends rushed The Archangel. I don't know how to describe what he looked like. It was a man, an angel, a demon, a beast and A God. It grew limbs and body parts at will and could change it's mass and form. Harold barreled into it and a mouth of sharp teeth opened up and bit into him beginning to drag him into it. Ariadne grabbed him with strings and pulled him out then tried to grab hold of The Archangel who simply melted through the strings as if they weren't there and lanced an arm tipped with what looked like a spear at her. She managed to evade, but another arm swung out and scythed through her. She fell screaming and Harold summoned blades seemingly out of wind and began hacking at The Archangel. The terrible mass simply absorbed his slashes and spiked appendages lunged out and speared into his body. He started to turn to smoke, but the creature surged forward engulfing his form and I saw no trace of the smoke escape. Dr. Malice began shooting the creature, but it had no effect. Throughout it all I tried to get up, to do something, but a pressure was holding me down.
Get up you stupid Girl! The Liar spoke in my head, You killed yourself, you killed all these people and you even killed me, to get to this point. I refuse to have been defeated and killed in vain!
The pressure holding me down snapped and I got to my feet. The Archangel was devouring Dr. Malice as I began to run towards the gate.I almost made it, then a tendril wrapped around my waist and yanked me back, in desperation I tossed The Pocket Watch. It landed just short of the gate. The tendril yanked me back and then slammed me against the ground. It's haphazard and terrible face loomed over me and it let out a sound like a laugh.
"So, close and you fail. Isn't that just like your pitiful species. Weak, unsuccessful and easily frightened. Even in death I can see that you're afraid. Well you should be. I can make your afterlife as painful or painless as I want and in your case it will be painful," he spoke directly into my head. I didn't struggle, I didn't cry. I don't know if it was simply because I'd accepted my fate or because I was still so crushed by my failure. However, at that point a voice spoke quietly.
"Hey, Archie. You forgot someone," Portnoy stated in a quiet, matter of fact voice. Portnoy was standing by the gate holding The Pocket Watch. The Archangel didn't turn in surprise or anything. The moment Portnoy finished speaking all manner of limbs launched from the mass towards Portnoy. The Pocket Watch began to glow in Portnoy's hand and The victims of The Pocket Watch appeared again. Blocking and destroying the limbs before they could reach Portnoy. Portnoy touched the Pocket Watch to each of the locks in numbered order and they all snapped open. The Archangel was screaming in rage and it's scream hurt my head and filled my mind with nothing, but white hot, painful rage. As a result I didn't get to see what happened next. I was only aware when the pain faded and I could see that The Gates stood open and there was nothing beyond them. Portnoy was simply standing there. The Pocket Watch seemed to be gone and so did all the summoned. Except me, though I'm not actually sure why I remained.
The Archangel was focused entirely on Portnoy now. Portnoy raised a hand and The Archangel's form began to shrink and change and then became the Gas Masked form.
"Know me, Grave Digger," Portnoy commanded and The Archangel seemed to cower a little and then reached up and removed the Gas Mask. Underneath it was a mildly handsome man with blond hair. He looked on the verge of tears.
"I... I should have killed you, when I had the chance," he said quietly and Portnoy... Or probably God? nodded.
"Killing The Echo would have been best. However, like your creator, you never destroy what you think you can control or use," Probably, God responded.
"You took the powers I was given... You've made me human again. What will you do now?" The Archangel asked, his voice trembling.
"I could destroy you with ease. Punish you for the terrible things you've done, however, forgiveness is in my nature," God responded and then snapped his fingers. The Archangel was gone. God approached me and then looked around. Ariadne, Dr. Malice, Harold were all dead and of course Lisa, Muffin and many others as well. He made a sound like a sigh. "I wish I could return them and you, but I can't. Not now, not like this. It would... unbalance things and they have not even yet been completely balanced. I can only promise that I will do as The Man in Grey wants. Now that I am free again I will oppose Jack and bring Balance," he looked thoughtful, "There is perhaps one more thing I can do for you though. Like Jack created universes of terror and pain I can create new universes as well" he said and placed a hand on my head.
"Finish your story and then sleep, when you awaken you will be in a better world one free of monsters and full of friends," he said and then vanished.
I guess my mission is complete... I guess I knew it would end like this. I practically called it.
"I'm important... I have a purpose... and everyone I know and love is going to die as a result." Good call me.
I guess there's nothing to do, but go to sleep.
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