Chapter Text
The scene begins in an underground bar in Zaun.
4 people are there to attend the secret meeting. The bar only a cover for what this room shall inevitably become.
The first was a corrupt banker named Emanuel, who placed Amy of his client through terrible scams.
The second was a Loan shark named Nathan, who by any Means necessary will collect the debts of anyone in the city.
The third was a Shopkeeper named Hannah, who was known for swindling the most gullible of men.
The fourth was the one who brought them here, a Chembaron named Philip Reed. Who by last second, called for them all here in secret and seemed to be in distess.
"Geez Phil " Emanuel chuckled as he took a sip of his drink" You seem shaken, what's gotten into you my friend?"
"..."
Philip said nothing.
"I think we already know why" Nathen grunted with a low voice, crossing his arms across his chest" Those so called demons are on the lose again"
"Demons!?" Hannah scoffed " They're nothing more than a Bunch of hired guns"
"But they killed Philip's Mother "He then corrected "Did you not see the newspapers in Piltolver!?"
"I did!" She defended before turning towards Philip" Sorry for your loss"
Philip only sighed. Rubbing his face as he began to tell them the reason they were here.
"We need a plan" He said to them" We need a plan to stop them "
"And you expect us to have any ideas" Nathan rolled his eyes" I say we just-!"
"NO!!"
With a hard slam Philip rose up from the table. Spooking the 3 into fear.
He was breathing heavily. His mind filled with rage over his mother's death.
"I WANT THEM DEAD!!!" He screamed "They murdered my mother so they must pay!"
His mother, Gertrude, had been known for her extortion of the lower class. With her selling of her over priced respirators, she had created a major monopoly and had gain millions because of it.
He found her dead 3 days ago or more rather he saw her get murdered before his own eyes.
3 days ago...
"Ma!" Philip called out happily as he entered her home" I've manged to become chembaron, Can't you belive that mother!?"
He was so happy about it too. Since Thomas Newton was dead, Philip was able to raise up in the ranks, just as his mother wanted him to be.
He rushed up the stairs, straight towards her room at the end of the hall. Where he opened it wide with a big and open smile.
"Let's celebrate!" He announced " I say we both enjoy ourselves a bite at the Grand Cali-!"
!!!
He did not expect to see the horrific scene before him. Just up ahead was his mother, but she was in a rather terrible spot.
She was held up to the ceiling by her neck, the rope was strange swirl of colors that he did not understand. Her limbs were contorted into long strings of lights. Which spilled liquid down on the floor reaching to his feet.
Gertrude was still alive, choking up blood, and when she saw her son. She let out a garbled scream.
"hHHHAAAHHH!!!!"
"Mother!!?" He shrieked " Oh gods no!"
He tried to save her, but by the time he got her down it was too late.
She died in him arms. Eyes lost of life and only letting out her last words
"Philip...Behind...you..."
She pointed at the hallway her messed up hand drooping soon after.
"No!" He cried" Please don't die! I beg of you! Please-!"
"Hehehehe~..."
"Huh!?"
An eerie giggle caused Philip to lift up his head. There before his eyes down the hall was a group of black silhouettes. Dark shadows which hide just mostly in the darkness of the hallway.
The giggles persisted. As if mocking him. He felt terror and rage all the same.
He knew exactly who killed her.
Demons they called them.
Monsters.
And now they have taken his mother, tortured her, and turned her into their twisted masterpiece.
"YOU!!!!!!"
He Carefully dropped his mother's corpse to the floor and stormed his way down the hall. He grabbed his gun and aiming his ahead, ready to pull the trigger at their heads.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
yet before he could do anything else, he felt something pull him back. Slamming him across the floor. It was that same tendril of color which burned greatly, and the impact of the fall made Philip grovel in pain.
He tried to reach for the gun. He crawled his way towards it, hoping to get his revenge.
"I'll kill you...I'll fucking kill you..."
He was so close to reaching it, but that hope was soon swept away by a tiny foot pushing it to the side.
"You're mommy made quite a struggle for us"
"!!"
He lifted up his head, now fave to face with a girl wearing a sun mask.
The lightbringer.
"She caused so much suffering to so many other mommies" she said eerily" And yet had the audacity to call us monsters "
"Who paid you!?" He screamed " Who!?"
The girl let out a giggle. Much to his horror.
"And ruin the show?" She teased" Oh no no no! That wouldn't be fun"
That's when her expression changed behind the mask. It was cold, menacing. Deadly.
"Seeing your mother die truly hurt you didn't it?" She said coldly tilting her head" Well imagine what she did to do many others, she held no care for them now did she?"
Philip tried to grab her ankle, but That was when he felt someting sharp on his neck. It happened so fast that he was left frozen in terror.
"I wouldn't move if I were you sir" they said" You wouldn't like the consequences now would you?"
It sounded like a boy. Not one he that he knew before.
"You're performance is not over yet" the lightbringer said" we will see you again in 3 days, and once your finale is set, you will meet your mommy again"
"..."
"And oh before we leave, let me tell you something..."
She knelt down before him, leaning her mask towards his ear, as she said the most chilling words of all.
"You met a girl a while back, a girl with no name, 5 or 6 I give it" she whispered "I saw what You did to her"
"W-what?" He sputtered "what are you taking about!?"
"Bertram Hayes " she then said with a hiss" He said that you called her the most beautiful flower you've ever seen "
"-!!!"
...
Oh...
Now he remembered...
"I've been looking all over for you" She growled menacingly "Who would've guessed killing your mom would lead me to you, and daddy always loves these scenes..."
She moved away from him, and like that the knife on his neck was gone. He saw the one who did it, a boy dressed in black, wearing a mask which covered his lower face. The boy's arms covered in black markings, which emitted a shadow so dark that it could consume him.
The boy held her hand, leaning his head onto hers. The two children bowing before Philip before returning to the others in the darkness.
The last thing Philip heard before they left was this, and it came from the one who was given the pay.
"You will be a fine puppet, and oh boy we will have so much fun with you"
Then that laugher again, now more magical than ever as they all began to leave down the hall.
"Wait!" He screamed "Please! NO!!"
It was too late. They were gone. The laughter fading away.