Chapter 22 - Black Slumber

"What do you mean, he's brain dead? How's that possible?" Jarvis asked furiously.

They were all present in Jarvis's office.

"Uncle we have no idea what happened, none of his brain cells are functioning again," Rory said.

Jarvis rubbed his forehead confused.

"His brain is inactive, we could only hope if he will ever wake up again" he adds.

"What if he doesn't?" Evan said with a horrifying look in his eyes.

"We can only hope he can," Sean said.

"We can't do anything from the outside, we should all depend on Liam, his consciousness is locked inside his brain if we try anything from the outside, and it could lead to more complications if we do" he adds.

"You mean we should leave him in there like that?" Iris said sternly.

"It's our best chance in getting him back, do you have any other way," Sean said.

Iris looked away.

The silence grew every knowing Sean was right, it was up to Liam to wake up.

*

Liam Consciousness

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Heart Beats Slowly

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Solemn Silence

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Faint Whispers

Liam slowly opened his eyes, the world around him was spinning like he took a bullet to his head.

He tried moving his body but he couldn't, he gasped when he saw the position he was in, he was seated on a chair, and his hands tied at the handle, Liam looked around in panic.

He was in a dark hall with not a single glimpse of light, at his front a mirror was present, and he turned to it but it wasn't his reflection but that of Ghost in the same position he was in.

Ghost smirked, as its elongated tongue came out, sliding to and fro in amusement.

Liam's look darken.

"What's your deal Ghost? You wanna devour your own master?" Liam asked sternly.

Ghost tilts its head to the side.

"Well, here I am, what you will do. Go ahead, eat me!" Liam said.

Ghost growled releasing himself from the chair and walked out of the mirror clashing it in an instance, Liam was immobile as Ghost stood in front of him and leaned face to face with Liam.

"What are you waiting for," Liam said sternly.

"Eat me!"

Ghost chuckled lightly, it was deep and dark, it always found everything amusing.

*Sounds of Childlike Laughter*

Liam froze when he heard the laughter. He turned and saw an image in a distance.

His eyes widen, when he saw himself, he was 3 then, in his room, smiling at the shadow of Ghost.

In the image Ghost shadow hand reach for Liam, it pointed to his forehead.

"What is this?!" Liam asked pissed turning to face Ghost but his eyes widened in shock when he saw Jenna instead.

"Jenna?" Liam said as his eyes watered.

"You promised we will always be together," Jenna said.

"Stop this Ghost, stop using Jenna's face," Liam said in anger.

"I would never devour you, I just want you to reach the full extent of your powers. Together you and I will reshape the world as we please" Jenna said amused.

"I SAID STOP IT!" Liam shouted in tears.

"She's gone, Jenna's gone, so please stop" Liam cried.

"You devoured me, Liam, therefore I will always be with you forever… am a part of you," Jenna said hugging Liam tightly.

"Forever," she said faintly.

'Why?' Liam thought.

Everything went in white light, as they reappeared in a place that looked like the skies like they were levitating. The tears just fell from Liam's eyes, Jenna embracing him tightly.

The cool wind blew around them.

"You have to accept us, Liam," Jenna said close to his ear.

"We are the darkness that drives away other darkness, we are more than that, and we are one," she said.

Liam's eyes shake.

"We are stronger together".

She broke the hug placing her forehead together with his, her eyes closed.

In that minute of silence, Liam replayed his past life in his head.

His mom and dad, his sister, everything they went through together, the harsh cruel fate they had to endure, the point at which they lost everything dear to them, it was all gone, nothing to hold on to.

The tears gushed out his eyes endlessly. 'Now I understand. Liam thought closing his eyes.

He sniffs rising to his feet, the chains breaking as he did. He stood high and tall, feeling the wind around his body, Jenna stood beside him. Liam opened his eyes staring at the skies.

'The world is messed up, we don't see eye to eye, what is left of a world drifting into darkness, a world on the brink of extinction. Liam looked down at both of his hands.

Jenna walked and stood in front of him smiling.

'A world where humans and ghouls can coexist as one, but to achieve that, blood will be spilled at both sides, it's a common truth, a truth so hard to admit.

Jenna reaches out her hand for him to take.

'It's all clear now. Liam thought as he reaches for her hand and took it, he closes his eyes and opened it, and it was no longer Jenna but Ghost, smirking at him.

"It's just you and I Ghost," Liam said.

Liam looked behind him, in a far distance, Riley stood there, her back facing him, and she turned, her sad eyes facing him as she slowly disappeared.

'Are there any greater bond than siblings, is blood stronger to fight against all odds bestowed upon us or is there a greater threat that we can't fight. Does our bond weaken us in dark situations?'

'Could there be a world where ghouls and humans could coexist or a world where one species will rule the world?'

'What would become of the world that is driven by pain and revenge, a twisted fate that is unleashed on both sides like a raging fire that can never be quenched?'

'When your Achilles' heel is taken away from you, what is left of a man, a man consumed by hatred or a man with a new resolution?'

Liam closed his eyes as everything faded away, it was only him in black standing amid white.

'I will neither be a man consumed by hatred or filled with a resolution. I shall become a plague that drives out darkness. A hero doesn't exist, only the strong ones able to fight for a possible reason'.

Liam's body vibrated in black shadow, he flashed his dangerous beaming ghoul eyes open, veins at both sides.

'In this black world, I shall become a plague driving out the darkness where ghouls and humans can coexist as one.

Everything went blank.

*

Two Months Later

Sean was asleep in the lab, his head against the keyboard.

Evan walked in, his eyes drifted to the other side of the room, Liam's immobile body, still levitating.

"You can't just go like that Liam," Evan said with sad eyes.

"You are our only hope, Riley is waiting for you… to make things better" he adds, looking away, dropping a drink on the table for Sean when he wakes up.

He turner about exiting the lab, but suddenly the computer went off in a beeping sound, as the light shake with a spark of electricity.

Evan looked around puzzled.

Sean jolt awake, his eyes landed on the computer.

"Holy shit!" Sean exclaimed as fingers went through the keyboard.

"What's happening?!" Evan asked panicking as the lights kept sparking.

"His brain function is back on full drive".

"What? does it mean he's waking up?" Evan asked with hope.

"Shit! Get down!" Sean hissed as they duck.

The moment he said that the room went on full spark as a small electricity explosion happened.

"What the fuck just happened?" Evan said taking harsh breaths as he raised his head, his eyes fixed on the destroyed room, glass is broken everywhere, steams around.

Iris and Rory rushed in, Jarvis came behind.

"What happened?" Jarvis demanded.

"His brain function came back up on full drive," Sean said.

"Wait you mean Liam's brain did this?" Iris asked staring at Sean like he had two heads.

"It sounds crazy if you make it sound that way," Sean said.

"He has been connected with his claw ever since, waking up on full drive must have shocked the system" he adds.

Jarvis's wheelchair moved to the front.

"He's awake!" he said certainly.

They turned to the view as they waited in anticipation, the steams in the room cleared, their hearts slamming loudly in their chest.

Their eyes widened, when they saw Liam standing, Ghost high and tall beside him with a wide smirk.

Liam cracking his neck, earning a sound. His eyes landed on their intense gaze.

"What?" Liam referred to their shocked faces.

"You were brain dead Liam... for 2 months," Sean said clearly.

"We thought you were dead," Evan said.

A dark smirk pursed up his lips slightly.

"Well am a dead man walking," he said amused.

Ghost chuckled deeply in a haunting manner.

"Did that Claw just laugh?" Iris said with a shiver.

"I think it did," Rory said gulping hard.