Chapter 300: The Long Whisper Part 1 (2/2)
The Woman turned to Alton, looking for his input. ”So?”
”None of this makes sense. This is before the war. Before Adam became Bargaining. Why are they both here? Why was I friends with Eve?”
”It's hard for me to state such things. At that moment in time, I was only in a Stage of Grief preparing for a war we had readied ourselves for nearly 500 years. That war would devastate your world and cause the first collapse.”
”I don't understand; how am I only a few years older here? I should be an old man by the time my father found me.”
”Time works differently in the Garden compared to your world. In fact, everyone works differently. The Garden is in its own space-time circular free of outside interference. 400 years in your world is nothing more than five here. An advantage you might have, that's why we chose to work as quickly as possible and prepare the next vessels for our stages which you were meant to be one of them. Do you know which Stage you were training to take over? Bargaining isn't that funny.”
Alton stared on arms crossed, full of questions. ”Then how did I end up in Fairy-Tale?”
”Why don't I show you?”
****
The young Alton walked into the heart of a dead Titan sitting behind the small village as a reminder. Crouching in, Alton already noticed Eve sitting on a log waiting. ”We're back, Eve.”
Standing up, Eve turned to Alton with a soft smile. ”Hello, Alton.”
”Yo, Adam told me you were leaving for the outside. Can't say I'm jealous.”
Adam began walking around Alton marking symbols on the trunk of the Titan, making Alton slightly confused. ”Do you trust us, Alton?”
”Huh?”
Adam walked back, kneeling down placing his hands on Alton's shoulders. ”Do you trust us, boy?”
”I- I do.”
”Good, then all our work wasn't for nothing. We can move forward with One's plan.”
”One?” Alton whispered before freezing in shock as he spotted the Fairy-Tale symbol on Adam's hand. ”No, wait. One as in the Ten Judgement's One?! You're….”
”I guess we never did formally introduce ourselves, did we? Under the Ten Judgement, I am Eight, and my sister here is Nine. Yes, we are members of Fairy-Tale.”
Alton felt overwhelming dread as he tried to run, only to find himself trapped on the spot as the symbols plastered in the trunk began to glow. ”What…. What are you doing to me?!”
”There are no hard feelings, Alton, but we're only completing our mission. We were to infiltrate the Garden and snatch a Child of the Garden for our own use. It took us a while, but we finally found you before the Gardeners could act. In simpler terms, we are making you one of the Ten's Judgement.”
”You tricked me…. Lied to me! All this time, I thought you were my friends?!”
Eve crouched up with a blank stare. ”Feeling any sort of anger against us is pointless. You will soon relish us as your family and see the Garden as your enemy. This is a blessing you should embrace.”
Eve held her head, whimpering slightly as Adam kneeled. ”Easy now, try not to use too much of your power. Salvation will take over quicker if you do. Alton, whether you like it or not, you will become Ten aid us in taking down the Garden and free my sister. You were chosen from birth. It is your destiny; you cannot escape this.”
Alton collapsed as the Fairy-Tale Logo burned into his hand forever. The Woman stood over the young Alton shaking her head. ”Do you understand now? You were taken from birth. Brainwashed slowly but surely by the Berry siblings to hate us. Before you had the chance to free your people, you were snatched by Fairy-Tale and wiped away your life here. After they held us back, Adam, now Bargaining, used his newfound authority to sneak you into the Garden where who would find you?”
Alton looked up from the Titan as he saw his father approaching the young version of himself. Adam watched as he was taken. ”All of this was planned?”
”From the very beginning. Your fate sealed from birth. They say destiny is set in stone, but I believe that not to be true. You are free to make your own choices, not theirs. You are one of our children. Stolen from your home to kill your own people. It doesn't have to be this way. Come home, Alton, return to us and take back your rightful place as Acceptance.”
Alton turned away, whispering. ”No. You're wrong. I'm don't belong with you nor Fairy-Tale. My name is Alton Brantley; my father was Ragnar Brantley my mother, Debra Brantley. I was born in Sunset Peak. Victoria is my home, and I will fight for it till my last breath.”
”Is that so? Very well, it appears you need more encouragement. If the past won't make you realise that, then let us show you the terrible present you cannot stop.”
The world faded as Alton found himself standing over Victoria on a Titan. Looking down, he stepped back, confused. ”What is this?” Turning his heart sunk to see Alice bloody and beaten facing off against Eve. ”Alice….”
”Bear witness to a horrid present, Alton, one you cannot stop. Witness the death of your dearly beloved Alice Hawthorne.”