Benjamin was in a world of darkness. It was an oblivion of nothingness. Time for a review. He heard, suddenly. It echoed through the oblivion, despite being a small whisper. He didn't know why he heard that voice, but for some reason it made sense to him. "Alright. I'm ready." he said, his voice sounding like a hoarse whisper even though he spoke normally. It didn't echo. Why did I just say that? I'm not ready. And ready for what? Benjamin thought to himself, confused, though his face didn't show it. Suddenly, the darkness faded away and revealed a scene.
A scream of pure, unhindered rage struck the serene landscape of Pax. "I'VE FOUND YOU, AND NOW, I WILL MAKE YOU FEEL THE PAIN YOU MADE MY WIFE GO THROUGH." Benjamin cringed on the inside... He knew those words and knew what he was about to witness. He didn't want to be here. His past was meant to stay in the past. He never dwelt on it, anyone who brought it up would get hurt. But here it was, and there was no escaping it. He sighed deep and braced himself for what he was going to see.
A crowd of humans desperately rushed through the shrubbery in front of him in a hysterical craze. They ran with all that was within him. One of them ran through Benjamin. He was a ghost, they couldn't hear him. Suddenly, Benjamin saw himself teleport in front of the crowd, bloodlust in his eyes as his clenched fists trembled with sorrow and hatred. The crowd screamed and ran in the opposite direction, but Benjamin was there too.
The future Benjamin looked at the scene with a hint of regret as the scene froze. He stood in front of himself and stared into his own face. "Is that really me? Do I really look like that?" Benjamin looked at himself with a blank expression, as the scene abruptly started again.
He cast an immobilizing spell, and their feet stuck to the ground, their arms stuck to their side. Benjamin turned his head. He felt a pang of pity, the look on their face was one of true fear, truer then he'd ever known. He looked back to see himself screaming at them as he pounded them to bloody pulps. He turned away again. "Please... Take me from here. I've seen enough." And lo, his wish was granted. The scene faded to black as his screams of anger and the cries for mercy slowly faded out. "What do you want from me?" Benjamin whimpered, as the darkness faded again. This time, he saw a scene of him floating in space, right after using the Ex Omni for the first time. He was using a breathing spell, but wouldn't last much longer. He caught sight of a ship coming in. It was a Legacy ship. The scene changed again to him being sworn into the Legacy Empire.
He had made a promise to remain forever loyal to them. This was a scene he didn't regret. "Avidan. What a jerkoff. That whole Empire was full of complete asswipes. That's why I did what I did. I feel no regret for that."
The scene, again, changed into a montage of people he'd killed for the Legacy Empire, and the familiar feeling of guilt clouded within him. "I had to do what I had to do, to bring down the Legacy Empire. The ends.... justify the means." He didn't really believe that. That was complete bullshit but he couldn't let it show. He stood strong, his face like stone as three years worth of death floated by, ending with the sentient tree on Nosvasia.
"Ahh... Yes. That was an interesting day." His surrounding again faded to black, and he was back into a dark oblivion.
You killed thirteen humans in a bloodlust and rage. You went against your word and betrayed an entire empire. You killed hundred for them, and only dozens deserved the fate. You destroyed a serene environment of ancient, peaceful creatures without a second thought. Benjamin South of Pax, do you not feel sympathy?
For a few second Benjamin stood as solid stone, his face showing no emotion. In his head, he was ripping himself apart.
HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ALL YOUR BELIEVERS, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS? YOU BECAME A MONUMENT OF HATRED. HOW COULD YOU LOSE YOURSELF LIKE THIS? HOW DID YOU BECOME THIS? It tore him up. For minutes, until he remembered.
"I don't have to take this from you or anybody. I have no regret, NO REGRET!" he screamed, lying to himself and the being he spoke to, it made him retreat even further inside himself. He felt such remorse, but he piled past it. He fought internally about what he did, but in the end he had decided. No. It wouldn't hold him back. He was Benjamin South, he would kill every human and destroy earth.
Then view these scenes in another light. All the things he had seen before flashed before him, but something was different. He could see Nikariam's ghost, screaming and pleading with him. Every life he took, she was there, fighting it. But she could do nothing to stop him.
His entire core shook with regret. Three times as much as last time. It broke him down, and he fell to the ground, a whimpering sobbing mess. "Nikariam... I've failed you. I'm so sorry..... I'm so sorry..." He was shaking in the fetal position sobbing, when he saw her. The whole time it had been Nikariam speaking to him in the oblivion.
"I hate you." She said, as she drove a dagger through his heart....
--
Benjamin woke up, in a cold sweat and in tears. That dream wouldn't be easily forgotten.
