Crystalline Universe: Team Fortress 2 Overwatch - Volume 3: Crystalline Universe: Bloodline's Curse Chapter 80 Haunted By Mistakes
Sparks flew out from the gun barrel alongside a single round of compact shrapnel bullet. Smoke filled the air while the glass window shattered upon contact with the projectile. Then everything went silent as a corpse dropped to the floor. The moon shined brightly upon the assassin’s armour as he stared down at his victim from a few buildings afar.
The woman rested on the floor without her head as the shot entered through her left eye and busted into crystal shrapnels which left her upper body in an utterly bloody mess. The shrapnels left a set of burning holes inside the room and the rest of its occupants.
Soon, a few security guards and a distressed man rushed inside the room. The scene leaves no place for other thoughts as the bloodshed is as cruel as reality can get. With his hand buried in the red river, the man screamed as loudly as he could. He expressed his hatred, he expressed his sorrow, he cried out his pain, he protested against this injustice, he pleaded for a miracle but there is no answer.
He raised his head to see the dark figure standing in front of the moon, who remained in gloom even as the moonlight shined behind him. Like a black mist, the killer disappeared without a sound or a trace into the night’s obscurity.
Back to the present day, 2 weeks into the battle of Warsaw, the SCOL (supreme command of the Liberaforza) sat down with the SCB (supreme command of the Blastforces), the SCBA (supreme command of the blitzAir) and the SCX (supreme command of the XX).
The men in the room discussed the current situation, which is extremely complex on top of the additional troubles in the association. The battle of Warsaw was intended as a breakthrough by the Liberaforza into enemy lines to link up and encircle the Allied forces’ 8th, 16th and 34th armies in the Slovak-Ukraine region with the arrival of army group South from Romania. But with 2 weeks of intensive battle, the advanced came to a complete halt due to fierce allied resistance.
[The Judge] – “My emperor, we only need to send in the 3rd and 6th armies to help at Warsaw! We are on the verge of success. ”
[Field marshal of XX army group center, Valentine] – “We cannot afford to send in more troops! Warsaw is a death trap, we already lost 870 000 men in battle and over 330 000 missings. Supreme leader, please, this is a pointless offensive! Operation Euro is a complete failure! ”
[Mazzatello] – “Maybe the XX 7th army alongside the enforcement that was meant for Warsaw could make a breakthrough at Gdynia behind the enemy line. The place is thingly held and can easily be turned into a backstab into the armies defending Warsaw. ”
Mazzatello’s opinion was ignored by all the generals, admirals and commanders inside the room as they saw him as a more of a puppet than a commanding officer. Sniper showed slight interest in his plan but overall, the proposition made little to no impact on the final decision.
[Sniper] – “We’ll extend the battle until next month. If there’s no significant gain into enemy lines during this period, the same day next month will the deadline for operation Euro. ”
After the conference, the Judge walked up to Mazzatello and dragged him to a corner where no one is watching.
[The Judge] – “Launch operation cleanse! I want those POWs to choose their side and those who refuse to be part of us will be eliminated. Do you understand? ”
[Mazzatello] – “I understand but… why would- ”
[The Judge] – “You are in no position to talk, my friend. You do as I asked, you’ve got this position thanks to me and my orders won’t be questioned or worse, be denied! ”
[Mazzatello] – “And I never chose this position! I’m not here to serve as your dog! ”
[The Judge] – “Please, you are part of something great! This is the military and not the mafia, you need to understand that you are not being a dog but being a loyal comrade serving for the greater good of humanity. This is for lord Sniper, this is for us all, death is a necessary evil! ”
[Mazzatello] – “I don’t see lord Sniper giving orders such as this, you have your own ambitions don’t you? ”
[The Judge] – “I managed to see what others can’t! War isn’t gonna change it all, we need new ideologies, new people and a new age! Those who can’t stand this change will be a nuisance to our future! Like all those fighting in resistance groups and rebellions or even… Mike! ”
[Mazzatello] – “I will personally take care of Mike myself when the time comes. But as the commander of the XX, you can rather dismiss me or let me do my work, your choice. ”
The Judge kept a calm exterior but in reality, an uncontrollable rage boiled inside him.
[The Judge] – “Keep it… but remind yourself to never forget that a change is coming and no one can stop it! ”
[Mazzatello] – “Then let it come, I’ll be ready to face it. ”
Alone in the rain, Mazzatello, with a black umbrella, a formal burial dress and his face still hidden in the shadow created by his hood and hat, passed beside thousands of gravestones. After paying respect by putting down flowers on each of his friends’ graves, he moved to stand in front of Toro’s tombstone.
It was silent, just the sound of the rain hitting against his umbrella and the sound of the trees moved by the wind. He opened his eyes, stared at the sky and then looked upon the tomb. To his shock, he saw a letter by his foot, no yet soaked by water as if it just appeared there.
Carefully, he bent down and observed the small message written on top of the paper.
“You could’ve been more but now, you’re just a coward and a snake. ”
Before he could understand the message, a bullet out of nowhere pierced through his heart. By putting his hand on his wound, he could only feel a giant hole from his back all the way through his chest. As his heart stopped, Mazzatello dropped to the ground in agony. He only has a few seconds before he loses consciousness. Thinking fast, Mazzatello’s crystals glowed in a corrupting dark-blue colour.
Seen that his target is still alive, the assassin fired 3 more shots at his neck, head and spine. Mazzatello’s crystals’ light slowly faded away as he stopped moving on the ground while blood poured out of his heart wound like a river.
Seen that his target died, the killer jumped down from his position in the tree and marched toward his prey. While taking the mask off his face, Sepoltura dropped the gun beside Mazzatello’s body. To make sure that his target is dead, he waited for 30 minutes before gradually making his approach. By that time, it looked like Mazzatello lost all his blood and is dead for a long time.
By kneeling beside the corpse, Sepoltura paid his final respect for his fallen brother, Toro, before turning to Mazzatello.
[Sepoltura] – “I’ve decided to take the radical action here. You are as much useless to the association as to us. You cared only about Sniper, not even us, you filthy snake. ”
In a fit of rage, Sepoltura kicked Mazzatello’s corpse with all the anger he stored inside his heart.
[Sepoltura] – “Toro died because of you, you could’ve saved him. I heard my brother’s final conversation with you and you promised him that you will help but… *angry cry* you left him to rot by the railway. ”
Sepoltura cried by himself for a while before standing up and kicking the body once more.
[Sepoltura] – “I’ll take your position from now on. You won’t hurt anyone anymore. ”
As Sepoltura prepared to leave, a grunt could suddenly be heard from Mazzatello.
[Sepoltura] – “Wha- ”
All the blood on the ground abruptly returned inside Mazzatello’s body before the man stood up like a zombie.
[Mazzatello] – “Toro trained you well… He was a great teacher and a good friend. ”
[Sepoltura] – “How the hell? Im- Impossible! You… You can’t! ”
[Mazzatello] – “You never knew what is my ability… but on Toro’s account, I’ll let you leave without harm unless you want to fight me. ”
[Sepoltura] – “Toro once said I have to fight until there is no more blood left in me. ”
Both sides stood without further sound with only the rain making the only noise around them. With a snap of his finger, Mazzatello created a huge shockwave on Sepoltura’s position. After the shock, Mazzatello saw that Sepoltura is no longer where he was. In the sky, Sepoltura noticed how the rainwater at that place created holes in the concrete ground.
[Mazzatello] – “I’m sorry about Toro but there are choices that must be made in life! You can’t always choose friends. ”
[Sepoltura] – “But you could’ve chosen friends but instead, you are too busy being Sniper’s dog! ”
[Mazzatello] – “Toro is a good friend, it broke my heart to leave him but it was a necessary action. ”
[Sepoltura] – “A necessary action? You must be delusional, you sick snake. ”
[Mazzatello] – “It was his fault for disobeying orders. He went out of his way to search for Mike without any authorization from Sniper or me. If anything happened to him, there is nothing I could’ve done. ”
[Sepoltura] – “You… you sick son of a bitch. I thought we are all brothers to each other but you betrayed us all… even IDD and Lapidazione. It was you! All your fault they are dead! ”
[Mazzatello] – “My loyalty is to Talon… I will choose to serve for the greater good of this world over my friends. ”
[Sepoltura] – “Then it’s me or you today that will leave this alive. ”
Sepoltura dashed behind Mazzatello’s back and used his ability to accelerate a knife to the speed of light with all his power before throwing it toward his foe. Upon contact with Mazzatello, the weapon disappeared without a trace.
Confused and shocked, Sepoltura pulled himself away from Mazzatello and observed his opponent from afar. Mazzatello’s body was filled with injuries, some of them so grievous that it should’ve caused his death long ago but he can move normally and even use his ability without any bother.
With a burst attack, Sepoltura threw everything he could find at Mazzatello only for them to also disappear once coming into contact with him. Now confident that physical attacks could not harm his opponent, Sepoltura resulted to use his most powerful attack on Mazzatello.
By slowing everything around him, even Mazzatello’s organ and the air around him, Sepoltura hoped for his enemy to suffocate by lack of oxygen and blood flow. But Mazzatello stood without a problem for several minutes before turning his head toward Sepoltura.
[Mazzatello] – “I don’t want to fight you, Sepoltura, don’t make me do this. ”
Sepoltura now knew that he’s no match against his opponent as each of his attacks has been so far, tickles and pointless struggles.
[Mazzatello] – “I’m already dead, that’s why I can’t be killed. ”
[Sepoltura] – “Shut up! I will fight till I can’t! ”
As Mazzatello’s crystals glowed with its dark-blue colour, the water on the floor started to rise up toward the sky. Meanwhile, the rain started to rain toward the sky while the soil followed soon after from the ground. Soon, to Sepoltura, it feels like the earth has turned upside down as the gravity shifted toward the sky. Sepoltura quickly felt that he’s being crushed from all directions by an overwhelming force that he could not fight back.
[Mazzatello] – “I didn’t want to come to this. Just give up and I’ll let you live. ”
[Sepoltura] – “I’ll rather join my brother than living in the same world with you! ”
Mazzatello hesitated as he stared into the hatred-filled eyes of Sepoltura before closing his own eyes.
[Mazzatello] – “My ability allows me to keep my blood circulation going even when my heart is damaged. You should’ve shot me in the head from the very beginning since once I’m aware of an attack, my defences are absolute. ”
[Sepoltura] – “Why are you telling me this? Just kill me already! ”
[Mazzatello] – “I want you to know that I’m alive, I want you to know that I did care. It’s only fair that you know what is your opponent’s ability is, right? ”
[Sepoltura] – “But I don’t care anymore, he’s dead, that’s it. ”
As the gravity slowly shifted back to the earth’s surface, a thunder hid the sound of the ordeal. Just like that, Mazzatello caused the death of another of his friends but this time, the bloodstain is on his hands. Mazzatello put his face in the palm of his hands and mourned in silence in front of Sepoltura’s body.
The guilt will add to all the regrets he once had in his life. That day, he felt closer to death than never before, he felt like a ghost, mere refraction of refraction, a lifeless shell.
To be continued… Next Chapter: [Another side of the war]
*EXTRA
-Profile: Sepoltura Prematura (translation: premature burial)
-Real name: Nimit,
-Ability: [Gone with the wind]: “Allows Sepoltura to control all movement speed within a radius of 1km around him. He can choose to accelerate or decrease the movement speed of anything he desires around him without restriction. Maximum acceleration can reach light speed and maximum deceleration can slow something to -50 times their original speed. ”
-Affiliation: Talon, La Squadra del Divino Servitore
-Role: Minor antagonist.
-Backstory: Both of Nimit’s parents died in the 2064 Sri virus outbreak, which made him orphan at the age of 5. It was until sometime later that he migrated to America as a refugee and was adopted by Toro and his family. Together with Toro, he dreamed of a world of peace and justice, a dream which pushed both of them to join Talon with the promise of a better world through revolution. Nimit was later named Sepoltura as the tradition of La Squadra del Divino Servitore to name their member after ancient execution methods.
-Reference: Premature Burial, a method of execution consisting of burying someone alive.
ABILITY STATS:
Power – B
Speed – A
Sub. speed – A
Range – B
Durability – A
Sub. Durability – A
Precision – D
Potential – A
