Chapter 78

Elizabeth's POV

This is what it all comes down to. Every bit of grueling training I've done and every foe I've fought, all have prepared me for this fight that could change everything. The fate of every living thing in this world is in my hands. I will fight with these hands and ensure that humanity lives to see a better tomorrow! I won't let everything end by the hands of Zalgo, this tyrant, this monster! I will win!

There was no hesitation in starting the fight. Zalgo came running at me with a fierce look in his fiery red eyes. He swiped his fist at me but I ducked and moved aside. He swung another punch at me and I dodged that one too. I decided to throw an attack of my own and jab him in his side. He didn't take too kindly to this and elbowed me in the face as I was backing up. I stumbled back and got over my dizziness to eject my blades and come charging after him. I swiped down at him, creating a gash down his chest and he growled. I stepped back just as he threw a fatal punch, tendrils of black mist circling his fist. His arms where practically bathed in the stuff as the tendrils whipped and thrashed.

Zalgo suddenly charged after me and I tumbled out of his way. I heard a loud metallic bang and turned to see he had run into a truck. The metal was dented and he was standing there, yanking himself out of the damaged vehicle. He gave me an infuriated look and grabbed ahold of the truck. I started backing away to maintain a good distance. What is he doing?

He twisted the metal in his hand as he began...lifting it. With barely any effort, he picked up the whole truck and, to my dread, threw it at me, full speed. In the short second I could gasp, it was nearly at my face. Stupidly, I held out my hands to stop it. Surprisingly...it worked. I felt the metal crunch up in my hands as I skidded back to stop it. The asphalt under my feet tore up and I grit my teeth to keep my grip on the truck. Finally, I stopped skidding back as the truck had lost it's momentum and stood there, panting from the rush. Once I caught my breath, I frowned and began crunching up more of the metal. I heard things creak and clang as I did this more and more until I ripped the entire thing in half like it was nothing but paper. I kept my frown up but I was amazed on the inside. I ripped apart a three ton payload truck.

Ho. Ly. Crap.

Without a second thought, I flung one half of the truck towards Zalgo. He dodged it, sending the half of the truck flipping across the ground behind him. I sneered and flung the other half at him. To my surprise, instead of dodging it or getting hit, he charged through it and came bounding towards me. I was caught a little off guard by this which gave him enough time to finally reach me and kick down at my head. I was smashed down onto the street, with Zalgo stepping on my head and burying my face into the broken asphalt. "Well, look at you," he started, "You're as strong as a demon. Maybe even stronger. Too bad I'm still here to top that strength." He stomped on my head, causing the asphalt to break more. I felt his foot come off of my head and I shakily picked myself up onto my elbows. I could feel blood seeping from the scratches and scrapes I just gained. Before I could fully get up, Zalgo grabbed onto my ankles, picked me up and threw me. He threw me farther than I expected and I crashed into a building wall. I tumbled across rubble and slowly came to a stop. I coughed up dirt and dust and picked myself up.

The sounds of crunching echoed and I turned just in time to see Zalgo coming through the opening of the wall I crashed through. He flashed me a smirk and I frowned. He suddenly came running at me and I dodged to the side before he hit me. He turned to attack again but I kicked him away and got him against the wall. He shook his head and I caught him off guard as I charged towards him and tackled him through the brick wall. We tumbled onto the other side and onto a new run down street. I got on my feet and eyed his figure as he did too. He gained a few cuts and bruises and I couldn't help but smile a little. But, I quickly changed it to a sneer and went after Zalgo.

I ejected my spearheads at him and I caught his arms, three spears on each arm. He growled as he tried to tug them off but I yanked him towards me and kneed him in the gut. He grunted and I spun him around, the wires pinning his arms to his chest and I drove both of my blades into his back. He growled and gagged as I moved them around, tearing up his flesh and muscle. After a few more moments, I pulled the blades out and retracted the spearheads back into their slots, causing Zalgo's arms to get ripped up. I kicked him away from me and retched at the sight of the flesh hanging and exposed bone of his damaged arms. He glared at me, his fiery red eyes seeming to flare brighter, and he fully turned to me. Without even flinching, he ripped off the hanging flesh and I saw the wounded areas fill with new flesh. I shuddered from the grotesque sight and glared back at Zalgo.

He started running towards me and I raised up my fists. He then threw punches and kicks as he reached me and I dodged or blocked the attacks. As I watched him move, I caught an opening that only lasted for a second but I managed to reach it in time and I grabbed onto his head. I pulled him down and kneed him in his face. His nose bloodied and I threw him down. I got behind him, grabbed his head again, and harshly snapped his neck. A loud, spine-tingling crack erupted and I let him go so he could fall forward. I backed away from his body and watched. That one move couldn't have been enough to take him down. And, I was right, as I watched his body shakily move and he sat up on his knees. He grabbed onto his head and snapped his vertebrae back in place, causing another loud crack to sound.

Zalgo huffed and then turned his gaze onto me. He stood up and started walking towards me. I ejected my right spearheads at him but he caught them all by the wires and yanked me towards him. I yelped and tumbled up next to his feet. My spearheads retracted and I looked up to see Zalgo's menacing glare. He picked me up by the throat and I choked and wheezed. He growled at me, like a wild dog and said, "Its not very polite to snap someone's neck. It might give the wrong impression. Because, I'm getting the impression that you're going to be strewn across the pavement soon." He suddenly threw me and my back hit a street lamp. I fell down onto the concrete and felt the light of the street lamp land on top of me. I coughed and got on my hands and knees. I glanced to the right just in time to see Zalgo next to me. He kicked me in the face and I went rolling across the ground some more. My body shook as I was struggling to pick myself up again.

Come on, Elizabeth, you can do this! Don't give up now! Everyone's counting on you! You can do this! You can win! For you! For everyone!

With some motivation, I finally stood up with firm footing. I spit out the blood in my mouth to the side and glared at Zalgo once again. I sprinted towards him and slashed his arms as he had raised them up to block. Before he could throw a hit, I kicked him to the side and he went flying onto the hood of a car. The alarm started blaring and the lights flashed repeatedly. He held his head as he was on the car and I jumped on top of him. The car sank lower and the alarm slowed down as my landing had damaged it. I raised up my fist and punched him across the face, then did the same with my other fist. I did this sequence over and over again, bloodying Zalgo's face hit after hit.

He grew infuriated with this and slipped a punch in. His fist hit my jaw and my head jerked to the side. He grabbed my shoulders and flipped us over. Now he was on top of me, punching me repeatedly too. He busted my lip and blood dribbled down my chin. My cheekbones throbbed as he punched them. And blood clogged my nose, making it hard to breath with it. After a while, he stopped and glowered down at me. With a defiant look in his eyes, he asked, "What makes you think you can ever defeat me? Is it because you're brave? Is it because you're strong? Is it because you're hopeful?"

Through the blood staining my lips, I muttered, "I am none of those things. No one is ever those things. Us humans are meant to survive. We're meant to strive and fight to keep striving. That is why we exist. To fight and live! So, I believe I can defeat you because I know that everyone is meant to survive, no matter what gets in the way! That is our purpose. That is everyone's purpose! We are human!"

Zalgo didn't seem too pleased with my answer. "Funny you should say that," he started, "considering you're the offspring of all evil itself."

I frowned and said, "Maybe that's true, but in my heart and soul I am human! I don't care if my heart and soul is a part of you. They're mine, not yours! I am who I want myself to be! And, I am human!"

Zalgo frowned and back-handed me across the face. I glared at him and grit my teeth. "I'm human," I seethed, "and if you don't like that then you can go fuck yourself!" I punched him across the face and flipped us over. I was back to being on top of him, punching his face over and over again. He was having enough of this and had grabbed my wrists and flung me over his head. I landed onto the roof of the car and groaned as I got up. Zalgo got on his feet too and we both started fighting on top of the car. I ducked a punch and kicked the side of his leg. He nearly buckled and then kneed me in my side. I gagged and head-butted him. He grunted and started throwing punches at me. I blocked and dodged them swiftly, just as he was attacking with equal agility. I pulled back my left fist and brought it towards his jaw, landing an uppercut. He staggered slightly and growled at me. He raised his fist that was covered in those black, trashing tendrils and brought it down on me. Before he could hit me, I leaped back, landing on the ground, and he hit the car instead. The metal crunched and the vehicle jolted from Zalgo's hit. As he pulled his hand away, I could see that the crater he had made was scorching.

He stood up straight and glared at me through the smoke. He suddenly leaped through the smoke and landed in front of me, ready to attack. I moved out of the way just as he went to grab me and I kicked him down. Once he fell, he kicked up my feet from under me and I landed on my shoulder, hard. I winced and then gasped when I caught Zalgo bringing his fist down. I rolled out of the way just in time and he ended up punching the ground. I got back up and saw another smoldering crater from where he had punched. He stood and came running towards me. He kept throwing forceful punches at me and I tried my best to dodge them but every so often I'd get hit.

I was having enough of this and I ejected one of my blades. As soon as I caught an opening in his attack, I slipped through and swiped my blade at his face. Zalgo yelled out and staggered back as he held his face. Blood dripped through his fingers and he turned away. He winced and seethed in pain. I didn't know what I had hit but it seemed to be very painful to him. Finally, he turned back towards me and I saw the damage I had done. His left eye was closed and bleeding profusely. "You little whore...!" he growled as he staggered a bit. He seemed to have a hard time finding out exactly where I was. His one working eye was flaring with rage and I was surprised by how intense his gaze was.

Zalgo didn't give me time to react as he ran at me at seemingly impossible speed and grabbed ahold of my hair. I yelped and he struck my head down onto the hood of another car, over and over and over again. He turned me over and held me down as he glared at me. My body trembled as a feeling of uneasiness and dread settled in my stomach. Zalgo was literally enraged. And it's terrifying to see that in his gaze. In a low, and harsh growl, one that was utterly demonic, he said, "You little fucking whore! How dare you disable half of my sight?! I will NOT allow you to desecrate me in that way!" He held my head in place and forced the eyelids of my left eye open. He smiled a wide and wicked smile as he hissed, "As Hammurabi had said...an eye for an eye!!!"

Zalgo suddenly drove his fingers into my eye and I let out a shrilled scream. I thrashed and flailed under his hold as he dug his pale fingers around inside my socket. I could feel the tissue around it tear and I clawed frantically at the metal of the car, creating multiple scratch marks. I kicked my legs around and moved my head from side to side to get Zalgo to stop but he was persistent. Immense pain rocked my head and my vision pulsated with colors. Suddenly, I felt a painful tugging sensation and, with my other eye, I could see the optic nerve being pulled out along with a round, white object.

My eyeball.

I screamed as Zalgo kept tugging playfully on the nerve to tease me. He cackled like a madman as he watched me writhe. "Aw, is someone crying? How sad. Too bad you'll only be left with one eye to spill your pathetic little tears from...!" I hadn't even realized I was crying. Then, without any warning, he yanked at the optic nerve, ripping it out completely. I screamed as the pain rattled my brain and I covered what was now an empty socket. Blood spilled profusely down my face and through my fingers. I could hear Zalgo's satisfied laughter and I looked, with what was left of my vision, to see him smiling down upon me. He held up my eye and I stared at the crimson red of the iris. The red slowly faded into ocean blue and I shrieked even louder at the horror of the reality that I lost my left eye. And, to make things worse, I looked at Zalgo, only to see that his own left eye was fine. Only the skin around it was damaged, leaving a gnarly wound.

"Why are you screaming?" He said, "You really do have beautiful eyes, Elizabeth. You should embrace the fact that you get to see that beauty without the aid of a mirror." I shook my head and sobbed as the pain was still present. He smirked and added, "See how soft and fragile it is?" He began to lightly squeeze my eye and I pleaded for him to stop. He looked at me and smiled. "You want me to stop? Fine. I will stop." Suddenly, to my dismay, he crushed my eye in his hand, causing liquid to splatter onto me. I practically screamed my lungs out and I writhed again. Zalgo cackled at my own misery and got off of me. He grabbed me and shoved me off of the car and down to the ground. I lay there, sniveling and shaking from the pain. I felt at my empty socket with shaking fingers and that made me cry some more. Tears streamed down through my right eye and I already missed the feel of tears coming down through my left. I wanted my eye back. But I knew it was far too late, far too splattered and too mushed to fix. It was really gone...

Zalgo wasn't feeling any remorse towards the loss of my eye as he paced around me quizzically. "Quit your pitiful crying. It's really killing the mood." I tried getting up but I was too rattled to do so. I felt utterly pathetic and disabled. This frustrated me and I kept letting my tears fall. Zalgo growled and violently stomped down on my head again. He snapped, "What did I just say, you fucking pig?!? You're nothing but a pitiful little thing and your cries only serve to prove that!!! So SHUT UP!!!" He dug and moved his foot around onto my head and then lifted it off. I picked my head up and wheezed. I started pulling myself up only to he kicked back down and to have my right hand stomped on. I cried out from the pain as Zalgo kept squishing my fingers under his boots.

"Absolutely pathetic," he muttered, then kicked me across the face. I spit out blood as my head jerked to the side and I panted. I felt the weight of Zalgo's foot on my head once again as he stomped down on it, allowing me to get another face full of asphalt and snow. He kept doing this over and over, again and again. I could barely breathe through my blood and the dirt and would only have small opportunities to get some air, until Zalgo stomped my face back into the ground.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he stopped and backed away, leaving me to cower and wallow in my blood and tears. He huffed and remarked, "Well, there is no doubt in my mind that you are what you claim to be. You're nothing but a mangy human, just like the rest of them. You're just as weak and pathetic as them, too. You're existence is utterly worthless and disappointing. I might as well leave you here to bleed out." He kicked me one more time and by now I can barely move at all. My tears stopped flowing because there was no point to my dismay. I was nearly numb from the pain.

I can't see. I can't move. I can't do anything. All I can do is lay here. This can't be how it all ends. I have to defeat Zalgo and destroy the anchor that keeps him here! But what is it? I can't seem to figure it out. No...I have to win. I have to save everyone. I'm the proxy. It's my duty, my purpose in life! It's the reason why I exist! I have to fulfill that purpose and win! I can't die... Not here... Not now... Not when I've lost so much... Not when life itself is counting on me to keep it thriving... So much hope and belief was put into me. I can't let everyone's sacrifices be in vain. I just can't. I can't die...! I won't die! I just won't allow it!!!

I WON'T DIE!

My vision went black as a racing feeling of adrenaline rushed through me. I managed to start picking myself up and I got onto my feet, wobbling slightly. The darkness began to subside and I could see my surroundings again. I could see Zalgo a few feet away from me, shielding his eyes. When he finally looked at me he practically gaped. This puzzled me and I looked around. I gasped and felt a wave of relief and confidence wash over me as my little friend, my Dark Hand, had arrived. It swayed and the mist that it was made out of swirled and danced with energy. I think it's ready to join in on the fight. I smiled gratefully and then looked at Zalgo. He frowned at my little friend and then frowned at me. "I see you have that too..." he grumbled. He raised up his right hand and black tendrils formed and slithered up to his shoulder. The tendrils grew and formed into another Dark Hand, only Zalgo's was black and red.

I looked at his and then at him directly. "Mine's better," I stated and willed my Dark Hand forward to claw at Zalgo. He jumped to the side just as it was about to hit him and the hand hit the ground instead. I frowned and searched for Zalgo. I couldn't see like I used to. It'll be hard for me to aim correctly. Losing my eye may have already been my death sentence. But I can still prevail! For as long as I can. I raised my hand, my Dark Hand mimicking my movements, and I swiped down at the air. My Dark Hand smashed down right next to Zalgo and I growled from frustration. Dammit, I missed! Zalgo could tell I was having trouble and smirked at me. He raised his hand so his own Dark Hand could mimic him and it came barreling towards me. I leaped to the side just in time as his Dark Hand hit the ground next to me. I glared at him and clenched my fists. I have to get myself together and work my way around my uneven vision.

I focused on Zalgo intently and then willed my Dark Hand to strike without having it mimic me. The hand swiped at Zalgo, causing him to get thrown to the side. I felt satisfaction and triumph but it wasn't over yet. Zalgo used his Dark Hand to pull out a street lamp from the concrete and swung it towards me. I caught it and pulled it out of his grip. My plan was to keep my distance from him as much as possible, until I figure out how to work around my vision and find out what the anchor is. Our Dark Hands swatted at each other, throwing things and smashing the ground. They pushed each other back and forth and it felt like I was pushing against a brick wall. I glared at Zalgo and he did the same. He flashed me a smirk and raised up his own hand. Black mist started circling in his hand and it shot out towards me. This caught me off guard and the blast struck me on my shoulder. I fell back, taking my Dark Hand with me and I groaned from the hit. I looked up and quickly rolled out of the way of Zalgo's Dark Hand coming in to hit me. It struck the ground, a tremor rushing throughout, and I quickly got up.

I turned around, only to see red and black, and I panicked. Without realizing it, I held out my hands and conducted a spell. When I got out of my panic I figured out which one I used. Zalgo's Dark Hand wasn't moving. Time-freeze! I looked at Zalgo and noticed how desperately he was trying to get it to move. He growled at me and sent another blast of black mist my way. I ducked under it and came up with a plan. I pointed at the ground under his feet and scarlet lines traced the asphalt. It broke apart and burst under him, causing him to fall into the hole I made with my destruction spell. Zalgo grunted when he fell and started trying to climb out but I used my Dark Hand to smash him back in. I punched him into the ground over and over again. "How does it feel now, douchebag?!" I yelled.

Before I could throw in a couple of more punches, I was smacked aside and into a building by Zalgo's Dark Hand. The Time-Freeze must've worn off. I groaned and pulled myself out of the dented wall. I looked at Zalgo to see him climbing out of the hole, seething. When he stood up, he whipped his Dark Hand at me again. I blocked it with my own but the attack was only a distraction as I saw Zalgo charging towards me, out of the corner of my eye. In time to defend myself, I stomped my foot and created a shock-wave. He got thrown off of his feet and he lost his control on his Dark Hand. Mine was free now so I smashed him into the ground once again. I backed away from him to keep my distance, like I wanted.

Zalgo started getting back up, with more wounds on him. He spit out some blood and glared at me, his fiery red eyes flashing like many times before. He stood defiantly and then, to my absolute shock, drove his Dark Hand into the ground. I was confused. Why the Hell is he doing that? He's not attacking me. Did I mess up a few brain cells or something? What could he possibly be doing to hurt me-?

The ground under my feet began to tremble but I was too late to react. Zalgo's Dark Hand came bursting through the snow and asphalt and it put me in a vice tight grip. I groaned as it squeezed me, nearly crushing me. I wiggled around but my struggle was no use. I used my Dark Hand to punch at Zalgo's but nothing seemed to work. I turned and saw Zalgo walking towards me. He looked up at me and smirked knowingly. I frowned. There's no way in Hell I'm losing this fight!

I concentrated really hard on a special spell and, luckily, it worked. A dark figure came rushing towards Zalgo and it tackled him down. It was my shadow. She pinned him down and started punching him across the face repeatedly. He growled and raised up a hand to her neck. His black nails elongated into claws and they slit her throat. She stopped moving and fell over, realistic blood pooling from her wound. My shadow dissipated into smoke and Zalgo got back up. But I wasn't done yet. Another shadow came running to him, kicking him in the back and then kicking him down to his knees. He turned to it and began raising a fist to attack but another shadow came over and kneed him on his chin. This caught him off guard and the two shadows went at it. They beat him around, kicked, punched, pushed and pulled. When Zalgo killed one off, I sent another to replace it. He was too distracted by my shadows that his Dark Hand's grip on me loosened and I slipped down to the ground.

I landed safely and put my attention back on Zalgo and the shadows. I watched the two keep fighting him and he was clearly growing irritated by constantly being shoved around. He started attacking more ferociously and I couldn't let him over power my shadows. Things got to the point where there were no longer two shadows but about a dozen of them. One after the other came throwing in hits and dog piling him to his knees. I was feeling elated by how smoothly things were going. But, just as soon as my confidence went up, it came crashing down to a pit of nothing when Zalgo roared fearsomely and a bright flash of crimson engulfed the area, sending the shadows flying back. I used my Dark Hand to shield me from the flash and the debris that flew. When the crimson light dimmed slightly, I looked at Zalgo and nearly fainted. His eyes were practically blazing like Hellfire and his skin was lined with red, glowing marks. His teeth were grit together and razor sharp. He's more than just angry.

In a deep, growling, unbearable voice, he said, "You have desecrated me for the last time!!! I have HAD IT with you!!! You've pushed me too far, and now you have forced me to discard this pitiful facade that is a mortal body!!! You want to fight me?!? FINE!!! GO AHEAD AND FIGHT ME!!! THE REAL ME!!!!!"

The crimson light started glowing brighter and I covered myself again. I took a peek through the fingers of my Dark Hand and....I froze... Every bone in my body shivered, my blood ran dangerously cold and my legs might as well have been Jell-O. Every thought in my mind faded and was replaced with the horrifying image of what I'm bearing witness to.

I could hear Maribel's voice in my head, from a seemingly distant memory...

Just know that he has two forms, his human form, which he rarely uses, and his true form. His true form can cause the most sane person to lose it.

"Oh my god..." I breathed, my voice quivering from the intensity of my terror.

Zalgo finally revealed his true form to me. He wasn't the cold-eyed and demented man I was fighting before. No, he was something no living thing should ever, EVER see. I could already feel my mind bending and if I don't get a hold of myself, I'll snap.

Red and black. That's all I could see. Zalgo was...much more taller now. He was about the size of the buildings all around us. Forty feet. He's forty fucking feet tall. His body was obsidian black and bony yet built. He glowed with a deadly aura, the frame of his body literally glowing red. His claws were longer and thicker, glinting menacingly. There were many, many mouths all over his body, each one of them snapping and hissing, ready to maul anything they could grasp onto their sharp teeth. Something whipped around behind him and I looked to see a long, spiked tail. Long horns protruded from his head. His eyes were a deep, bloody red and they glowed with vicious intent. And his actual mouth opened, letting steam poor out into the cold air. I could hear a deep, low growl sound from his throat, a growl that was like that of a tiger but deepened and amplified a hundred times more.

He was a monster. And, unfortunately, I was his prey.

Being near him suffocated me. His aura crushed my body, clutching onto every organ and bone in my body and squeezing. It's as if nothing could function anymore. My ears started ringing at a deafening high pitch and soon I could hear...voices...

His six mouths speak in different tongues...

They tell of life and death, and the future of man...

Mankind shall fall into his six maws...

The innocent shall listen to his hymn...

The unjust to suffer millennia of his corruption...

But, soon, the seventh gate will open, releasing the fall of all life...

Only six mouths speak in different tongues...

But the seventh chants the death of all creation...

These voices repeated this over and over again, until the words were burned into my memory. I shook my head and covered my ears. They were unbearable. They bored into every crevice of my mind, just like the image of Zalgo's true form. I clawed at my skin and seethed from the unbearable feeling of being violated by these words, this riddle. I could hear my own heart beat in my ears and I could feel it in my throat. It beat faster and faster and faster until I couldn't take it anymore and I screamed.

Get a hold of yourself, Elizabeth! You can prevail! End this and no one will have to suffer anymore. They'll be free. You'll be free...!

I pulled myself together and silenced my screams. I've got this. I've got this! With some courage, I turned to face Zalgo again and I took note of his many mouths. Two on either arm. Two on either leg. His actual mouth and...where's the seventh? I looked at his chest and saw black, fleshy patches that stretched over a long line. The seventh mouth. Once it opens, shit's gonna hit the fan. I have to end this.

The anchor. What is it? What could it be? He wasn't wearing any sort of pendant before. There was nothing that he had with him that would've been deemed relevant or of vital importance to him. So what the fuck is the anchor?!

My thoughts were interrupted by a deep, rumbling voice. It sounded utterly demonic and I knew it was Zalgo who was speaking.

"Why The Pale Face, Elizabeth?" He stifled a deep chuckle and continued. "You Made Yourself Sound High And Mighty Before. So, Why The Cold Feet? I Guess That's The Price For Being A Lowly Human."

I frowned and glared up at the demented face of this demon. I don't care how tall he is or how fucked up he looks, I'm going to send this bastard back to the pit he came from. I'll figure out the anchor eventually. Right now, I have to fight. I'll die if I don't. I prepared myself to fight, despite the unfair circumstances of the situation. I heard Zalgo speak, but with a different mouth and in a different language. Even though I didn't know the language, I deciphered what he was saying without really knowing how. He told me, "Let This Battle Be One For Fate To Remember."

Our fight began with Zalgo making the first move. I dodged his punch by rolling out of the way in time. The place were I stood before was nothing but a crater of rubble from the force of his hand. He turned his gaze to me and I could hear that same demented growl within his throat. Suddenly, he let out a loud, guttural roar, opening his mouth wide, baring black, sharp teeth at me. I covered my ears from the volume of his roar and, because of this, I got distracted and I was kicked. I was sent back into not one, but three buildings, crashing and bursting through brick walls and windows. I rolled to a stop inside one building and wheezed like never before. My Dark Hand was gone for now and I felt utterly cold without it. Every inch of my body was in immense pain. I began to gag and I hacked up blood and bile, the odd mixture burning and hurting my throat. My whole body was trembling and I almost thought I would go into a fit of convulsions.

I stopped vomiting and scooted back, dirt and gravel crunching under my body weight. My back against the farthest corner there was in this abandoned building and I took this moment to regain my composure. I slowed my erratic breathing and gradually stopped trembling. My body was still in pain but, all and all, I'm okay. Though this didn't last long, as the sound of pounding footsteps reached my ears and I froze. My breath hitched and I was as still as a statue. Just to keep myself from gasping and whimpering, I covered my mouth, blood and dirt grazing my lips. With every footstep, my chest grew tight with anxiety, and the pressure was compressing my poor racing heart. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped and I was greeted with deafening silence. I didn't dare move a muscle because I knew that Zalgo was waiting for me, waiting for me to walk out there and get slaughtered alive!!!

The building creaked and dust fell from the roof and onto the dirty floor. These random noises put me on edge and every time a piece of wood shifted, I prepared myself for a brutal attack. I was growing so paranoid and scared that I began to let a couple of tears fall, only my right cheek painted with them. My left painted in blood and eye fluids... I didn't dare turn my head towards a noise. Not moving a muscle. I was utterly terrified. This situation was different. Before, Zalgo was just some twisted bastard, but now he's an utterly demonic entity that overpowers all the good that exists. He could kill me with one punch, kick or even a simple poke. He is the being that created all the evils in this world, and he's just as bad as every sin and monster he's made. Especially when he's in this current form. And, I'm destined to put him to slumber, like others before me.

Dust began falling on me, then more, and more, and more. I slowly looked up to see nothing but the cracked ceiling. A bit more dust fell until the ceiling caved in with a loud bang and a gaping mouth came bursting through the broken opening. I screamed and got flat on my back. The mouth snapped wildly at me, inching closer and closer to my body with every snarl and bite. Another loud, deep roar came from the maw and I screamed, though I could barely hear myself over the monstrous wails of Zalgo. I knew I couldn't lay here for long. Soon he would get close enough to snatch me in his jaws and maul me to pieces. I positioned my hand enough to aim my spearheads into his mouth and fire. They struck his tongue, the roof of his mouth and the back of his throat, and the spears seemed to work as his growls of bloodlust turned into wails of pain. He backed away enough for me to move from my spot and I retracted my spearheads as I ran out of the building.

Despite my aching legs I still ran and ran. I heard a loud crash and another roar behind me and I craned my head enough to see Zalgo shaking off rubble from his head. Once he stopped, his eyes immediately narrowed onto me and he snarled. I stifled a small cry and ran even faster. I heard him bounding after me and he was already behind me within ten seconds. His hand crashed into the ground next to me and the tremor threw me off of my feet. I rolled onto my back and saw Zalgo's hand coming down to hit me. In a panic, I released my Dark Hand without thought, and it immediately clasped onto Zalgo's hand and began pushing back. Zalgo grunted from pushing against my Dark Hand and soon grew impatient. He raised up his other hand to strike me from the side but, without me even controlling it, my Dark Hand tugged on the hand it was clasping so hard that the force sent Zalgo down to his side, interrupting his attack.

I quickly got up and started running again. Zalgo was getting back up again and still had the mindset to pursue me. As I ran, still under its own whims, my Dark Hand grabbed onto broken down vehicles and hurtled them towards Zalgo's body. Sometimes one of his mouths caught onto them, other times they'd cause some damage. I spotted a car that was leaking gasoline all over and then picked up a broken piece of metal pipe from off of the ground. I ran towards the leaking car, and as I did, I dragged the pipe across the ground, leaving a trail of sparks. A few sparks hit the puddle of gasoline and trailed up to the car itself. My Dark Hand grabbed it and threw it at Zalgo. To my luck, one of his mouths caught it and as soon as the vehicle touched it's tongue it exploded. Zalgo howled in pain, along with his other mouths and he staggered back. I heard him curse in another language, saying, "YOU LITTLE, FUCKING BITCH!!! I'LL-!!!" He couldn't say anymore as the mouth that was damaged by the explosion began gagging and screaming deep, gurgled cries. I began having some confidence and kept running with some hope still left in me.

I turned a corner and kept running down the street, my Dark Hand looking out for me from behind. Zalgo's snarls and growls echoed into the air and the crashing of buildings only served to prove his violent rampage was increasing. My Dark Hand was still throwing things at Zalgo to slow him down, which was helpful for me. I began wondering. I still have absolutely no idea what the anchor is. I feel utterly brain-dead when trying to figure it out. Dammit, there's got to be something!!!

A sudden white flash came across my vision and I caught a glimpse of something. It was my hand, covered in blood and grime, cut up and bruised. And in my hand, was a gun, covered in the blood that seeped from my fingers. I've...seen this before. It was one of the visions that's supposed to come true, just like all of the rest. And, this time, I noticed something I hadn't before. In the background, barely recognizable, was my destroyed house, the place where my parents died. The image flashed away and my vision cleared. I was still running along the street, my boots kicking up snow and dirt. I know where I have to go now. I don't know exactly what I have to do but I have to go back to my house. And the gun. It's my grandmother's, Maribel's. That gun is in the trunk of that old car I use. And from what I recall, that car is still there. I have to get home! I have to!

My Dark Hand pulled up a street lamp and threw it at Zalgo like a javelin. Zalgo caught it in his hands and broke it in half. He then roared loudly and threw one half at me. Unfortunately, the half he threw caught my legs and I tripped and tumbled across the ground. I shakily sat up and began quickly getting back up but I fell over again and cried out from the pain in my right leg. I looked at it and could already tell what the problem was. I must've twisted my ankle when I tripped. Zalgo was lurking towards me, growling with eagerness. I tried to ignore the pain as best as I could and quickly got up. Just as I thought, I couldn't run anymore. I decided to take the best course of action and teleport. I'm weak so I won't be able to go far distances, but if I can make it to my house with short teleports then I'll be able to make it. I can only hope that my energy won't be drained on the way there.

I teleported a few meters ahead and this didn't seem to please Zalgo too much. In another different language, he called out, "Do You Honestly Think The Face-Less Man's Trick Will Keep You From My Grasp? How Cute."

I ignored his taunts and kept teleporting. Every now and then I would stop and let my Dark Hand make anything it could grab into a projectile weapon. Attacking Zalgo isn't the best thing to do right now, considering that attacking him would only anger him more. But, I'm at least fighting back.

As I had guessed, Zalgo was growing enraged again by my annoying hits. He roared at me again and his pounding footsteps intensified as he picked up his speed. I took a glance at him as he was getting closer and closer. Just as soon as he was about to pounce on me, I teleported up to the rooftops of the buildings around me. He only hit the ground and snarled once he saw I wasn't there, pulverized. I didn't wait around for him to get back on his feet. I went back to teleporting, from rooftop to rooftop, away from Zalgo. I heard him smash the buildings behind me and I could feel the tremors from the hits too. I just kept going. I'll get there soon. I know I will.

There was nothing else my Dark Hand could throw at Zalgo so I remained teleporting and it eventually dissipated, to wait for the next time I call it back. I felt alone without it but I knew that I couldn't dwell on that stuff. I have to keep going.

While I was busy teleporting and thinking about my house, Zalgo was growing more aggressive by the minute. At first, I paid no mind to it since I could easily teleport away from him. But as his roars grew louder and more guttural, and the damage he made increased, I grew a bit concerned. Though I should've been more than concerned. But I was all too late to feel that way. Zalgo had suddenly charged forward and leaped up onto the buildings, snapping at me like a wild animal. He bounded at me like a wild cat, his tail whipping just like one and I grew more frantic with my teleporting. Then, with one more loud roar, he leaped one more time and landed in front of me. I didn't have enough time to teleport out of his way. My foot had caught onto the railing of the roof and I was thrown forward by my own momentum. And, at that moment, as I was thrown over the space between two buildings, where Zalgo stood, everything seemed to slow.

I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, sweat dripped down my face, and I stared at Zalgo in panic and fear. Then, I shifted my gaze to his chest, where his patched over seventh mouth was and felt my blood run cold. The fleshy patches were tearing...tearing...tearing until...they snapped apart and released the seventh mouth. No...! Despite my dismay, I was given no second to grieve. Zalgo leaned forward, his seventh mouth growing closer and closer to me and then I felt a sharp pain. And then suddenly...time went back to normal.

I crash landed onto the roof in front of me and then onto many more, until I fell into an alleyway and landed on the snow covered ground. My vision was hazy, my heartbeat echoed in my head and I felt more wounds spill blood. Despite the harsh landing, I couldn't feel the pain. I've taken so much that I've grown numb to it. I can't feel anything at all... My breathing was slow and airy. And the winter cold didn't help my numbness. My head lolled to the side and that's when I saw it. No wonder I'm so numb... No wonder I'm so dizzy and weaker than before...

My arm...my right arm is gone... Bitten off by the seventh mouth... The snow under me was being painted in my blood, making the crimson red liquid stand out more than it already does. My arm was...nothing but a bleeding, torn stub... It was gone...

I looked back up, staring at the sky. Whether it was the blood loss or just me, I could hear myself, in a memory...

We should go to the country side and star gaze!

With all the strength I could muster, I slowly, shakily raised up my still intact arm and reached up to the sky. My hand was bloody and trembling but I still held it up, reaching longingly at the sky above me. I...I want to see those stars. I want to see those stars...just one glimpse. I want to see them and be happy... I couldn't bring myself to imagine them. I want to see the real deal. I could feel the tears well up and fall down the side of my face. They fell and fell until I began sniveling like a little child.

"Mooooom!! Daaaaaaddd!!!" I bawled. I cried and cried, utter sorrow filling up every part of my mind, all of the sadness and hurt I've held inside, escaping through the form of tears. I lay there, still sobbing, still reaching out to the sky, yearning for the ones I've lost and loved. And soon, I wailed, "JEEEEEEFFF!!! J-JEFF!!" I needed him. I needed him more than I needed to breathe. And, I'm sure if he could hear my cries, he would run to my aid and stay by my side. But, I was alone. No one resided to hear my cries, and help me. I was alone.

I let my arm drop and my cries of anguish turned into that of anger. "This isn't how I want to die! I refuse to die like this! I want to see the light of another day! I want to see a better tomorrow! Do you hear me?! I will not die! Not like this! NOT LIKE THIS!!!"

No one answered my angered cries. As my blood kept pooling around my body, I thought. I have to win this fight. I have to save everyone. That is my duty as the proxy, and god dammit I will do my duty with honor! WITH FUCKING HONOR!!! I want to succeed! I won't die by the hands of Zalgo, the monster who ruined life, the man who is my father. I will rid the world of his corruption one day and NO ONE will have to suffer any more! I am the proxy and I WILL defend and protect mankind from the evil that lurks in the darkness! And I'll destroy that evil, no matter what! I won't die. Not now. I've defeated countless foes, have prevailed through the thickest of corruption and have been strong enough to come this far. I'm an Umber, Elizabeth Umber! The shy girl, the girl who endured bullshit from society, the girl who trained with monsters, no, family! The freak, the light in Jeff's life, the fighter, the daughter of my mother and father, the daughter of Zalgo, the one who will end him! I'm the proxy! And I'm the one who can end this devastation! Because now I know. Now I know...!

Despite my wounds, despite the blood that caked my armor, despite my frail body, I got up on my feet and teleported. I held onto my bleeding stub of an arm and kept going. There was a loud growl and Zalgo, still in his true form, leaped in front of me and towered over me. I looked up at him as he glowered at me. His crimson red eyes glowing with a hunger for more destruction and chaos. A deep, growl slipped through his teeth and he finally spoke to me in regular English. "You Really Weren't Joking, Elizabeth. You're Still Striving And Fighting, Like You Said. You Were Right. I Guess, You Really Are Human After All. Well Done."

I glared at him and replied in a growl, "I'm barely just getting started, bitch...!" He frowned and snarled at me angrily. I raised my intact hand and cupped it near my mouth. I took in a big, deep breath and then let out a loud and long howl. It echoed through the air, being just as loud as Zalgo's roars. Once I stopped, there was a pause of silence and then...howls of reply...

Out through buildings, and around street corners, Corrupted, of all sizes, came charging towards us, towards Zalgo. Immediately upon reaching him, they all latched onto Zalgo's legs with their jaws, gnawing and tearing at his obsidian black hide. Zalgo growled at them to stop but they didn't listen. One large Corrupted took him by the tail and he fell over. They all started attacking him, clawing at his eyes and chewing on his limbs, eating their own creator. He glared at me with a dumbfounded look in his eyes and I simply replied, "I may be human, but I can still call the shots." I began limping forward, still intent on going to my house and finishing this once and for all. "Have fun...Dad," I jeered and never turned back to Zalgo and the Corrupted that turned against him to do my bidding. I could hear his loud growls of anger and pain and the howls and screeches of the Corrupted. But I never turned back for a second.

Once I was ready, I teleported to my home, bit by bit, farther and farther from the havoc behind me. After what seemed like forever, I finally saw my broken house up ahead and out of relief and excitement I limped the rest of the way there. I stumbled onto the charred grass of the front yard and fell over onto wreckage every now and then. I saw my car under a pile of charred, broken wood and I quickly made my way towards it. Shoving away the debris with my working arm, I uncovered the whole car and popped open the trunk by punching the top of it. And, right there, in the very middle of the compartment, was the gun wrapped in many bags, courtesy of me and my paranoia. I grabbed onto it and tore through the bags, finally revealing what I wanted. I checked the cartridge and saw a few bullets left in it. That's fine. Examining the gun, I noticed the dry blood spots left on it from when I used it to kill my grandmother, my first ever kill. The guilt of that day still eats away at me, just like every other terrible emotion I'm feeling right now.

I sighed and started walking, or limping, out onto the street filled with sprawled wreckage. I walked straight on the line, just walking and waiting for the right moment. For now, I took in the peace and quiet around me. Despite how terrible things looked, I took comfort in the fact that this will be nothing but a distant memory to everyone in the future. I couldn't help but smile. I've already won this battle. I've done my duty as the proxy. I've won.

Far behind me, I heard the sound of struggle and I turned around to see none other than Zalgo, crawling across the ground, looking disheveled. One of his eyes was bleeding, two of his mouths were damaged and hung dislocated, and his arm and legs were torn away, which is why he crawls. He spotted me and growled in a...weak tone. "Y-You..! Y-You Dare Turn My Own C-Creations Against Me, Their Master...? You...Are A Despicable, Little, Wretch...And A Poor Excuse...Of A Proxy....! N-Nothing But Mortal...W-Waste...!" He began coughing and he spit up black fluids. He was a wreck. And I was proud of myself for that. I made my way towards his weak, obsidian body, with an expressionless face. Zalgo saw me coming and crawled forward slightly, still weak and damaged. I stopped a few feet away from him and he had stopped crawling too, leaving himself to fall limp on the ground. I clutched the handle of the gun, my hand feeling clammy from the blood and grime. The blood dripped through my fingers and down the gun, tracing down the barrel and dripping onto the ground, into the snow.

With a stone-cold face, I raised the gun and pointed it at Zalgo's head. He began to stifle a wheezy laugh and weakly remarked, "Do You Really Think...A Measly Bullet Will Kill Me...? You Can't Be Th-That Stupid...!"

"You're right," I said, "I'm not that stupid. Because now I know..."

The confusion in Zalgo's eyes was clear. I gulped down saliva and stared intently into his eyes. This crimson eyes. Mine look the same right now. But my eyes will always be shared with my mother. My blue eyes. I am not his to keep. But I have always been...something he needed...

Never faltering my gaze into Zalgo's eyes, without expression, I slowly pulled the gun to my head. Zalgo tensed up. He knows what I plan to do. He opened his mouth to speak but he ended up hacking up more black fluid instead. I'm glad he's suffering. And he can suffer back in his realm. We just stared at each other and I listened to the rhythm of his deep, wheezing breaths. This will end, all of it, because now I know...

I...have always been his anchor. The person that would keep him here, so long as I didn't die. He would never kill me for he needs me more than anything else. But I will never let him have me. I am both his daughter and his anchor; I am something precious to him. And I want him to suffer. What better way to make that happen than by destroying the most precious thing to him, right before his very eyes? And even if I didn't want him to suffer, this is how it would all end anyways. I am the proxy. This is my fate.

Zalgo didn't protest. He couldn't. He was too weak, too beaten. I've really won. I clutched the handle of the gun tighter in my hand. Strangely, I'm not shaking. I'm not scared. The image of my grandmother's smiling face, right before she died, flashing in my mind. She was prepared to die. And, just like her, so am I...

Memories danced through my mind, melodies of happiness and lament echoed and everything I've lived through came rushing back to me. My mom and dad, happy and joyful. They loved me like no other parent could. My true gift of life was from them. They cared for me and gave me a warm home to grow and learn in. They were always so happy to even say my name. "It's a beautiful and elegant name," my mom would say. Whenever I make mistakes, my mom and dad were always there to lead me back onto the right track. I know they will always be proud of me, proxy or not. I know they were probably chanting my name in motivation, somewhere, rooting for me with smiles on their faces. And I've won. They're my family. My mom and dad. And I'm proud to be their daughter, whether in life or in death. I hope they can wait for me.

My friends. My lovely, quirky friends. Addie, Johanna and Ian. Seeing Addie smile was something special to me. Her smile is contagious and so is her impeccable joy. Always making a day brighter, making the world brighter. Johanna's strength and care is something I will always be grateful for. Her words of wisdom and assuring hugs warm my heart and soul every time and have constantly put me at ease with life. Ian's wisecracks and stories always have amused me. He kept me up when he didn't have to and he's grown on me in a good way. He cares about me just as much as Addie and Johanna do and I'm grateful for a one-of-a-kind friend like him. They're all family to me, even if they're not blood related. They helped me through tough times and I have so many "Thank You"s to say for all of the things they've done to keep us together and smiling. Though we could never be separated anyway. I hope they'll remember me and always smile.

The special sort. Slender, Ms.P, Ben, Masky, Hoodie, Jack, little Sally, Toby and lovable Smile Dog and Grinny. They've taught me so much, have shared laughs and knowledge of a strange world with me. I wouldn't be able to withstand this reality without them, and I don't blame them for any of this. They've all endured their own Hells and some might still live in theirs. And, I've become the fighter I am now through their devotion and care. Despite their looks or abilities, they're not the villains. Not anymore. They're the good guys now and in my heart I know that they will always be the heroes. None of them are perfect, none of them wear capes, and not a single one of them is a knight in shining armor but to me they're amazing. They're family, to me and to each other. And there's always a special place in my heart for them. I can only hope that my absence won't leave a void between them.

And then... Oh, god...

Jeff.

I don't know if I can bear to leave him behind. I love him. I love him so much. He has changed my life in many, many ways. We may have had our differences but in the end I always loved him and he always loved me. Every time he calls me Sunshine it makes me feel so happy and special. He would never give that name to anyone else. I mean so much to him. I mean everything to him. I was the light that led him out of the dark of his sad, disheveled mind. I-I...I don't know if I can...leave him here without me... He needs me just as much as I need him. The promise that we made together is imprinted into my mind and with each second I replay that scene in my head, the guilt and sadness builds up. I can't leave Jeff alone! He can't ever be alone again! He's been through so much and now here I am, ready to give my life for him and the entire race of mankind, only to leave him alone in the dark again. But...I want him to live. I want him to live and eventually be happy again. And that pains me even more that I won't be the person making him happy anymore. It will be someone else who is not me, who is not his Sunshine...! I'm scared. I'm scared to leave him. I love him...s-so much...! I wanted us to survive this! I wanted us to be together! I wanted to become his wife! Who knows?! We could've started a family!!! But that CAN'T happen...! I love him too much to let him go. But...I love him too much to let him die... I'm so sorry, Jeff.

I gently began to graze my finger against the trigger. It still troubled me that I'm not shaking. Soon my finger was on the trigger...ready to push down.

I love you, Jeff.

I closed my eye and took in a deep breath. All of the madness here will end soon. This is my duty. This is my fate. I would do my duty with honor. And...I am honored to have fought for everyone and I would be honored to give my life for the sake of that bright and special future... One life over billions...

"Please...," I breathed through silent tears, "everyone...forgive me..."

I pressed and pulled the trigger-