Twinkle in Sweet Repose

[The Vision]

The Vision whirled around, noting his companion collapse.

> scan(“Goku”) $vitalsigns
Scanning...
Vitals indicate extreme exhaustion
Stabilization probability: 100%

The Vision nodded in relief. Noting another one of the monsters reaching for him, the Vision accessed his Adaptoid database.

> open adaptoid.zip
> run “mjolnir.exe”
Running...

The hammer formed in his hand and he swung upwards, aimed at the undead’s chin. He went flying, armor shedding during his ascent from the impact. The Vision shot himself towards another part of the horde, who were gathering around Goku’s collapsed body. He swung again, hitting another zombie and knocking it into three of its friends. The Vision glanced at the corpse about to claw into Goku’s body. He swung the hammer back and smashed it into the back of the zombie’s head. And with that, the hammer crumbled into data.

Thankfully, these monsters were fairly weak. The ones Vision and Goku had hit had already fallen and were not rising again. They were also slow, thankfully. But the sheer number of them concerned the android. He remembered the strong technique that Goku used to thin the herd.

> scan entity(“Goku”)
Scanning...
(1) valid abilities found
kamehameha.exe
> run "kamehameha.exe"
Running...

The Vision gathered solar energy and channeled it into his hands. He was not confident that he could manifest an attack as powerful as the one Goku had just unleashed, but it would at least clear the field. Goku’s own voice rang from his speakers.

“Ka... Me...”

The zombies, recognizing Goku’s battle cry, began to scramble back.

“Ha... Me...”

They were fleeing towards where the shack once stood and the Crimson Witch now floated.

“HA!”

The gargantuan beam of solar energy launched from the general vicinity of the Vision’s hands. He still had a weak understanding of how the attack exactly worked, but thankfully, his Adaptoid programs did not need an exact definition. The blue beam swept across the marsh, practically annihilating the remaining undead.

WARNING
Power levels below 30%
Largest energy usage: AdaptoidCompensator.app
Close program?
> Decline

The Vision lowered his hands and the Kamehameha Wave faltered. When the beam finally disappeared, there were no more undead, only corpses scattering the battlefield.

The Vision looked up at the Crimson Witch, who shrieked again, uncomprehendingly pawing at the pyramid that had replaced her head. The android, unamused, floated into the air.

“Willa Ironheart,” the Vision shouted, “I will grant you one opportunity to relinquish the Artefact and-”

With another shriek, the Crimson Witch spread her arms and legs, releasing a huge wave of red fog. Only the Vision was affected. He was flung back into the edges of the rapidly spinning clouds. Stopping himself just before he was sucked into the current, the Vision glared at the Witch. Her enormous right hand gripped into a tight fist as she flew towards the Vision.

“Very well,” the android shouted in response.

The Vision followed suit, pushing himself towards the Crimson Witch. As they got closer, the Crimson Witch threw a punch.

> set.selfvalue density 10.451%
Shifting...

The punch flew straight through the Vision’s body, just as the Vision flew through the Crimson Witch. Stopping again just behind her, the Vision ran another command.

> set.selfvalue density ($restore)
Shifting...

The Vision kicked the Witch from behind with both legs, sending her flying a short distance. The Crimson Witch quickly recovered. Her rocky hand swung backwards, smacking the Vision with the back of it. The android grunted and solidified his fist, punching the Witch back.

This fist-fight continued for the better part of the minute, neither combatant relenting or pulling their punches. The Vision’s damage reports warned him against being further hit by the Witch’s rocky right hand, but digital adrenaline was pumping through his synthetic veins. Without even bothering to parry the blows, the Vision threw his own as rapidly as he could.

Finally, the Crimson Witch stopped the fight by latching onto the Vision with her telekinetic fog. She swung her arms, and the Vision flew backwards, landing in the mud and sliding back. As the android slid on the ground, a trail of fresh dirt appeared and dirtied his boots.

The Crimson Witch began lifting huge chunks of mud out of the ground, leaving several craters where the now-projectiles once lay. She flung them at the Vision.

> run “gazerbeam.exe”
Running...

His eyes glowed a dangerous red, and two beams of heat blasted from his face at the projectiles, burning them out of the air. The Witch, screaming in presumably frustration, carved out another muddy boulder and launched it at the Vision.

The Vision flew forward, solidifying his fists once more and punching straight through the boulder. He continued his flight towards the Crimson Witch, who created a solid lance out of the fog. She threw it, but the Vision caught the weapon out of the air, never breaking his figurative stride. Spinning in the air, the android threw it back. The Crimson Witch floated gently to the side to dodge it, but now the Vision was within a dangerous range once more.

The Crimson Witch once more seized the Vision’s body in mid-air, this time holding him by the neck.

> set.selfvalue density 10.0345%
ERROR: unknown error.

The Vision choked. He did not require oxygen, but the Crimson Witch was damaging several of the Vision’s circuits and impairing his movement. The android struggled and searched for a solution.

> run “unibeam.exe”
Running...

The Vision couldn’t move his body, but his chest transformed into an arc reactor. It flashed, then it shot out in a violent burst of energy. The brunt of the blast landed on the Crimson Witch’s pyramid-head, forcing the Witch to break her concentration. The Vision caught his balance and tackled the Witch, driving his body downward as he did so. They both collided into the mud, the Vision using the Witch as a cushion.

The Vision was the first to recover, standing unsteadily and looking down at the Witch, who remained lying still.

“Please, Willa,” the Vision muttered, “Surrender.”

The Witch screamed loudly, knocking the Vision off his feet. She extended her arm, and Goku’s motionless body flew towards her. She floated once more into the air, telekinetically holding the martial artist’s body.

The Vision glared and lifted himself into the air as well.

Goku began to groan unconsciously, feeling his body not cooperating with him. The Crimson Witch screamed again, and the fog wrapped around the warrior’s head. It began to slowly and unnaturally twist Goku’s head, and showed no signs of stopping. She was going to snap his neck.

> run “webshooters.exe”
This program has never been run on this computer before. It may contain viruses. Run anyway?
> Accept
Running...

The Vision stuck out both of his hands, pressing his middle and rings fingers to the base of his palms. Two mysterious projectiles launched from his wrists, aimed at the Crimson Witch. They both exploded in mid-air, forming a crude net made of what appeared to spider-webs. The nets wrapped around the Crimson Witch on contact, tying her limbs to her body. The force of the nets knocked her slightly back. She dropped Goku’s body.

The Vision used her temporary confusion to launch his body forward.

> set.selfvalue density zone[11051335] 8.3415%
Shifting...

The Vision’s right hand passed through Willa Ironheart’s chest. He searched for the woman’s heart, and finding it, wrapped his transparent fingers around it. The Crimson Witch used the fog to untangle herself from the webs, then processed what the Vision was doing.

The Vision had somehow not noticed, but the pyramid on Willa’s head had disappeared at some point. The air raid sirens silenced.

“Recommendation: do not move,” the Vision reported, his voice calm and collected as always, “I am currently holding your heart in my hand.”

Agent Crimson’s eyes grew less frenzied as Willa’s spirit inside calmed down. She gave the Vision a sad smile.

“You always did,” she whispered.

The Vision’s face contorted in despair. Tears began welling in his eyes. He blinked, and the tears launched from his eyes to his cheeks, streaming slowly down his mechanically neutral face.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered back.

> set.shiftvalue density zone[11051335] 300%
Shifting...

The Vision’s hand suddenly solidified inside Agent Crimson’s body, instantly killing both Agent Crimson and Willa Ironheart. Both women screamed simultaneously from the same mouth as they felt their heart crushed by the Vision’s hand. As the mystical powers of the fog evacuated their body, the Vision felt their weight being supported by his hand.

> set.shiftvalue density zone[11051335] 8.3415%
Shifting...

The lifeless body of Agent Crimson dropped to the ground, making a dull thumping noise upon contact with the ground. The Vision opened his hand, looking at the blood turning his exoskeleton a deeper shade of scarlet. In the center of his palm lay the Star Piece, its violet light piercing through the fog.

He closed his hand and gently descended to the ground. His face remained expressionless as the tears continued rolling down.

23996 words out of 13000.
Hear about the beacon in the fog.
Opt to cooperate with the guild.
Get lost in the fog.
Find my way into the suburbs.
Get lost in the fog again.
Make my way into the cabin.
Showdown. (Kill the enemies, the Astronomers (in this case, Agent Crimson), and claim the star piece.)
COMPLETED

[The Vision]

EPILOGUE

From the fog of Silent Hill, a purple light glimmered dimly. If you didn’t know better, you would have sworn that the fog was trying to hold the light back, somehow. But the light persisted and grew gradually brighter until it turned into a green and red man with a cape carrying another in orange clothes.

Darkshire was not too far away. Goku required solid rest more than he did medical attention, but time was still of the essence. The Vision’s cape fluttered behind the android as he soared over the horror-riddled marshes of the Pale Moors.

When he finally arrived at Darkshire, the archers did not raise their bows. They knew who he was now. Of course, soon enough, they would fire at him on sight.

Goku was placed in an inn. The Vision paid for his stay there while he recuperated, as well as a business card for the Avengers. Goku would be welcome in the Tower, the Vision decided. Then he activated the recall teleporter. He would need to stay in the same place for an estimated time of 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Very well. He would finally watch the footage of Willa Ironheart. There were logical reasons, of course. He needed to analyze all files relevant to this incredibly powerful individual and judge the current threat level of the Crimson Witch now that she was deceased. But there was a second, more compelling reason that the Vision could not quite figuratively put his finger on.

Perhaps it was regret.

But he would never be quite sure, for as he scanned the footage that he collected from Alchemilla Hospital, this emotion, whatever it was, transformed quickly to rage. At that moment, the Vision made a decision, one that he did not expect to make when he set off on this mission. He grimaced as he realized that, once more, he would find himself on the wrong side of the law.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

> print(time_to(recall_completion))
3:47 remaining

The Vision scowled and turned to the door.

"Come in."

Lysander opened the door and nodded at the android.

"Vision," the Astronomer greeted, "I had heard that you had returned. I wish you had called for me."

"Apologies, Lysander," the Vision said, his voice hiding his disgust, "I was preoccupied."

Lysander nodded at the sleeping Goku. The once-impressive fighter was now snoring extremely loudly. "I see what you mean. Who is this?"

"This is Mr. Son Goku. He was held captive by the hostile elements of Silent Hill, and the Star Piece was separated from him."

"Ah, yes," Lysander said, frowning, "And what has happened to the Star Piece?"

"Query: are you not curious as to the whereabouts of the rest of the team?"

Lysander's brow twitched.

"I- Yes, of course. Presumably, they are nearby?"

"I am unsure as to the current whereabouts of Mr. Wright," the Vision confessed, "The three agents you deployed alongside us are KIA."

"A shame," Lysander lied, "I hope you at least recovered something from the journey."

"Affirmative," Vision replied, "The Star Piece. I found it within the heart of one of the Silent Hill... monsters."

"I am glad to hear you defeated it," Lysander smiled, then reached out with his hand. "I would have the Artefact, so that we can-"

"Her name was Willa Ironheart."

Lysander flinched upon hearing the name.

"I... see. Related to the late Agent Ironheart?"

"His daughter."

"Ah."

"Yet you knew it."

Lysander acted surprised. "How would I-"

The Vision wordlessly opened his palm, from which a small holographic screen appeared. A video began to play.

willaironheart.mp4

The screen comes to life, static making way for the image of a clean, crisp hospital room. It's Alchemilla Hospital, in better days. Willa Ironheart is sitting in a chair, trapped in a straitjacket. She has manic, hollow eyes. A deep voice starts speaking.

"Subject 19, Experiment 64. Subject name, Willa Ironheart. Her body is starting to accept the infamous fog into its system. I had to participate in some less-than-holy rituals, I will admit. But once the ritual was complete, and the blood of all four virgins were absorbed, Subject 19 began to demonstrate some signs of connection with the fog. Perhaps we could better understand what's going on in this town through her."

The speaker stands up, and you can hear the chair scraping on the floor behind the camera. Lysander appears with lodes and wires. He begins attaching them to Willa's head and wrists. She shakes defiantly, but Lysander persists. Willa stares fearfully at the wires climbing from the suction cups on her forehead. Lysander rolls up a towel and puts it between her teeth. It is large enough that it stretches her jaw a little. He moves behind the camera.

"Now beginning the low-stress experiment."

Lysander flips a switch off-screen, and Willa starts screaming in pain, muffled only slightly by the towel. The woman, in pain, starts shaking her head furiously, and the towel drops out of her mouth. Now her scream is unrestricted, and it is horrifying. Smoke starts sizzling out of where the nodes are connected to Willa's skin. She weeps openly.

Suddenly, an air raid siren is heard. Lysander gets up again, muttering something. A door is heard opening. He doesn't turn off the machine, and Willa continues to scream. We can hear the voice of a young man storming down the hallway, along with the voice of a young nurse. Willa begins screaming Victor's name.

"Mr. Shade, please don't-"

"No, let GO of me. Lysander, you canNOT put my wife through these experiments."

"Now, Victor, calm down-"

"They are inhumane and sadistic! Release- Jesus, is that her?"

"Victor, I think we need to talk about this somewhere else."

"Willa! Willa! Let go of her, you asshole!"

"Victor, calm down-"

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD. LET MY WIFE GO-"

A gunshot is heard. The nurse screams. Willa's face contorts in horror and she momentarily stops yelling. The smoke from her burning skin begins to turn a shade of red. Then, she screams once, louder and more terrifying than ever before.

"VICTOR!"

End of video.

The Vision closed his hand and the screen folded. Lysander sighed.

"I don't know where you found that, but-"

"You did that to her," the Vision said, his voice for once shuddering in rage, "You... You... You killed her husband in front of her. You branded her skin. You tortured her in every way you could imagine."

"And she died. There was no harm done."

The Vision resisted slamming Lysander with everything in his arsenal.

"Not only did you harm two innocent individuals, the three soldiers you sent on this suicide mission fell to Willa's powers. There was plenty harm done."

Lysander's ears perked and his eyes brightened.

"It worked?"

The Vision scoffed. Lysander scowled.

"You don't understand what was happening," Lysander mumbled, his face inches away from the Vision's, "You couldn't. We were trying to understand why the town was-"

"I'm going to kill you," the Vision announced, "One day, I will come for you and tear your heart out of your chest."

Lysander chuckled. "If you think that's the first death threat I've ever heard, you're wrong. You would do well to reconsider it. I am an Astronomer of Dalaran, backed by one of the most powerful forces in the Omniverse. So. I'll take that Star Piece off your hands now. I have many more important experiments to undergo- Why are you standing so still?"

> print(time_to(recall_completion))
0:04 remaining

"I am going home," the Vision replied, "And I am taking this with me."

And with that, to Lysander's rage, the Vision warped back to Avengers Tower.