Post by Lantlas on Apr 6, 2006 0:35:22 GMT -5
Walking down the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, my hand in that of another's, I walk out of the Mariott Inn for the last time that year. What a year it had been too! For once, with the help of another, I'd managed to pull off a terrific costume. A popular icon, one whose picture was taken and adored by many. Granted, beneath the layers of makeup they had no idea who I was, but that gave me the time and independence to spend with the one I love. To the outside world, I was nothing more than a giant dressed as Eric Draven, the one known as the Crow. To the one beside me, I was everything in the world, often told her only reason for living.
Leaving for the final walk around the convention center before our departure back to our home state, we noticed not many were in costume that day. It was difficult to blend in on the trains when you look like a gigantic Gene Simmons impersonator, but with no one else in costume, it was twice as awkward. The urban culture wasn't particularly used to seeing this kind of presence, and I could feel every eye in the train watching me as I stood up to leave. There was a Ravens game that afternoon, so there were plenty of purple jerseys swarming the area just across from the convention center. The little red-head next to me barely seemed to notice the attention brought onto us, as she only cared about spending time with me. That was a first for me, as it always seemed someone always had some sort of alterior motive when it came to these sort of things.
As we left the busy train area, heading in the air-conditioned convention center, where more people were carrying bags than they were costume props, we took a last walk around, even though most of the displays had already been taken down. The pane glass and beautiful architecture still made the place breathtaking, and down the escalator we headed to the marble fountain, where we'd spent most of the weekend sitting and obliging picture requests.
As I turned to look into her eyes, I couldn't help but melt inside. Those eyes had such the power to just make me weak in the knees. Only one pair of eyes had ever had the power to do that before... No, I couldn't think about that right now. Oops, too late. She'd already seen the flicker in my eyes, the kind that always came around whenever that memory floated into my brain.
"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" God, she could read me like a book. It was both a gift and a curse of hers, and I could never really hide it from her.
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry."
"Lantlas, honey... You have no reason to be sorry. I understand that she meant a lot to you, and it just reminds me of how you're going to be a great father someday." That cute little smile perked up from her soft cheeks, and I instantly felt a sense of relief. "You know, I've come to a conclusion."
"Oh really," I replied, "what's that?"
"I know we're going to start a family someday. I graduate from art school soon, and I'm already interning at this office. It's a lead-in for a sure full-time job."
"Yeah, I remember you saying something about that," I responded. "What's the conclusion to which you've come?"
"First of all, if we have a daughter, I think by all rights, you should be the one who names her." That sentence right there meant more than anything ever had to me. This girl loved me so much and acknowledge and accepted my past to the point that when it came time that a daughter of our own would be born, she would allow me to give her the only name I'd ever want to name a little girl.
"What's the second part?"
"Well, I'll be making enough money at this office job that you'll be able to take some time off and spend it being a stay-at-home dad. I know how you missed a lot of that time before, and I don't want you to have to compromise missing a solitary second of our little child's life when you don't have to."
I felt a tear stream down my cheek, and I thought to myself, wondering how one person could be so wonderful. I look into her eyes, and my mind begins to see them enlarge. I see my reflection change from that of Eric Draven to what I really look like. Long blue strands of hair, turning purple at the tips. A squarish face, bright blue eyes. It fades back, and I see myself as a solitary giant, one not relating to anything else in this world, and I see this girl who I thought was so wonderful, just walking on away from me. "Come back!" I scream, but it's no use. This is the way things always seem to end... I hate it. I hate it! I HATE IT!
I hear something crash, and I quickly look up. I'm in my place of solitude, my locker room, concealed from those except whom I have told. A lamp has crashed on the concrete floor, and I realize I'm not under attack. I breathe in a sigh of relief, but then, as I awaken a little more, I slowly come to a realization... That I am not where I was when I fell asleep.
I sit up and try to recollect what has happened, and how I could've gotten here. I remember checking into a hotel room, so that no one could bother me, but somehow a policeman found me there. Somehow, that just didn't seem to add up. If I told no one where I was going, and I didn't use my real name to check in, how would anyone have found me there? Besides some conversation within myself about this pest known as Jason Willard, what else happened? I know something major happened, otherwise I wouldn't care so much. What did that police officer want... Something to do with a virgin... No, that wasn't right. Was it a virgil? No, it was Virgill. Why did I know that name...
My eyes scanned, and saw Devon's journal. On the cover, I spotted the name "DR. VIRGILL WHITE". That's right, the officer had told me that Virgill had been found dead! Devon was still on the loose somewhere! I picked up the phone to call Dr. White's office, to see if someone may had seen her. Who knows what she could do with Kieran on the loose and no one to control her? The phone rang several times, and finally I heard a voice...
"Dr. Virgill White speaking."
I was so shocked that I clicked off the phone. Something really weird was going on. I saw her picture lying on the counter near the journal. I picked it up, looking at the one who was my closest friend, but I realized something... It had been so long since I really took notice of how beautiful she was. A tortured soul like so many of us anymore, her eyes were green in this picture. I guess Kieran was around when this one was taken. I picked up another one, and my heart almost skipped a beat. Another picture, taken only days previous, there were differences I never noticed before. Not only were her eyes blue, but the realm of sadness wasn't there. The impression of anger was supressed by the heart and soul gleaming from this tiny figure and those blue eyes. The red hair fell over her tiny little face so gorgeously in this one, it reminded me of something... no, someone...
Red hair, how could I have struck the memory chord with the red hair? Devon's was fake, hers was real. I met her after Devon had betrayed me in HHW. At a time where I barely spoke, where I reverted back to speaking German as it fucked with my mind so much. Something took over me, something evil. Within a few months, I'd done such heinous things as kidnap the sister of Al Laiman, screw Geno out of the world title, but at the same time assert myself as the rising star of HHW. But whenever I was around this girl, all that hatred and anger seemed to disappear. I felt at peace, like someone genuinely cared.
While in the memory, I take a closer look at the one I called my red-headed princess, and I notice something... Green eyes. How could I have not noticed this before? She was human, this I knew, but did Kieran have something to do with this one too? Is that why everything happened this way? Could it have been Kieran who lead me on this track of destruction, only to bring me to eternal solitude and loneliness?
Suddenly, I'm at HHW: UNCUT! It's not anytime recent, actually it's about August 9th, 2004. I'm about to hit Joey Cranston off the ring apron when Devon suddenly sneaks in and hits a low blow! I turned around, and she hit me across the face. Devon laughed and slid out of the ring. My opponent stood up, but I felt like the life had left me. He kicked me, yelling at me to get up, but in the midst of betrayal, I couldn't move. He pinned me, and was announced the winner. I couldn't have cared less. My mind was in a place where it only ventured in the darkest of hours, and it had only reached that point. That rainy night, the blood on my arm, the boy in the room... It was building inside of me, I wanted to BREAK SOMETHING!
...
CRASH!
...
I look around, startled by a sound. It appears a lamp had fallen on the floor, but for some reason my heart was racing. I stood up for a second, and everything I was taking in was leading me to a dark place. A mystified place, where only a certain part of me existed, from which came total destruction of anyone in my way. At last, I felt a calm rush through me, and something inside of me stirs.
"At last, you have found it."
"Found what?"
"The darkness within yourself, the epicenter of all your emotions, your past, and the anger that fuels it."
"I thought I wasn't supposed to have human emotions."
"It is too late to erase the humanity from you completely. Besides, the fire that burns as a result brings to you a power unbeknownst to any of the Elven minds... One that will be the determining factor in the destruction of this Willard."
"Says the same things they all have."
"No matter how many credentials you achieve, they will mean nothing to the next arrogant human in line."
"Says I have not faced wrestlers of his caliber, but I have a victory over the world champion."
"Oh, but you have no world championship."
"Nor have I been given a shot."
"In time you will."
"And it will be mine."
A knock at the door interrupts my thinking, and I feel the side of me supressing back into a dormant stage. I open the door, and I see a police officer looking up at me. I felt my stomach drop.
"Lantlas Anduril?"
"Yes, officer?"
"I regret to inform you of something concerning your close friend, Devon Drake."
This was all too creepy.
"It appears that her doctor, Virgill White, was found dead today. Devon has gone missing, no one has any idea what has happened to her. We were wondering if you had any information."
Exactly what the officer had said when I saw him at the hotel. But wait a second, didn't I just talk to the doctor not too long ago?
"When did this happen, officer?"
"We received a call about twenty minutes ago that there was a break-in. He was confirmed dead at the hospital just eight minutes ago. A witness said a young girl was in his office just moments before it happened."
"This may seem a strange question to ask, officer, but what color were her eyes?"
"The witness said the young lady had green eyes. Why, do you know something?"
"Not yet, sir, but I will tell you if I do."
I close the door before he can hand me his card. Somehow I'd known the balance of fate would be completed before it happened, and I still could do nothing about it. For now, there was only one objective on the horizon...
...
Find Kieran before she hurt someone else.