Chapter 98: Kill That Wizard
"Did you see that? It was a miracle!"
Barry Allen's face was filled with excitement.
"That Ultraman... of course I know him. I've seen him on TV, I know he's an alien, and I know he's strong... but do you get it? Seeing him in person is a completely different feeling!
I mean... that was a wormhole! It could have been a devastating disaster. A lot of people could have died... I could have died. After all, I was right underneath that wormhole at the time.
But he just appeared like that, suddenly, and resolved the problem so effortlessly. Do you understand? It was... it was just..."
"Yes, I think I understand, Barry," Orin Vale smiled.
"Oh right, of course you understand, because you were probably nearby at the time... haha, what am I saying... But he saved my life, and it's more than that. Seeing him appear, seeing that miraculous sight, it means a lot to me."
Barry said softly, his tone lowering slightly.
Orin Vale knew what he meant.
When Barry was very young, his mother was killed in their home, and his father was accused of the crime and has been in prison ever since. Barry was the only eyewitness, but his testimony wasn't accepted because he was too young and it was too absurd.
He said he saw a hurricane.
A red and gold storm, swirling through their house. He saw an impossible sight.
Experts believed that because he was so young, his brain couldn't accept the image of his father killing his mother, so it twisted the scene to deceive himself. But Barry knew what he saw.
So he spent his life chasing the "impossible." He wanted to prove the existence of supernatural phenomena and, more importantly, uncover the truth behind his mother's murder to clear his father's name.
"Sorry, I tend to talk a lot when I get excited... You're leaving, aren't you?" Barry took a deep breath.
"Yeah, just came to say goodbye. Thanks for the help, you did a great job." Orin Vale shook his hand.
This trip to Central City had been very fruitful, and Orin Vale was in a great mood. He couldn't wait to get back to the laboratory to further study the properties of the Speed Force energy.
"Thanks... too bad others don't think so."
Barry sighed softly.
"Another unlucky day, consistently so, as always. I was late again this morning, and I only realized I'd forgotten my office key when I got to the door.
At noon I bought an ice cream cone, but I lost my grip and dropped it on the way upstairs.
Just as I was feeling down about it, I turned and saw Captain Singh coming up from downstairs. He looked even worse than I did. But I didn't dare go up to console him, because I saw an ice cream cone on his head."
"Uh, that's... really unfortunate." Orin Vale never knew how to comfort him, and even felt a little like laughing.
He patted Barry's shoulder. "It's okay, take it easy. Ever heard of the saying? The Law of Conservation of Luck. Your luck is bound to turn around eventually."
"Yeah, I guess so."
Barry smiled.
"See you around, sir."
"See you."
Central City, 6 PM.
After work, Barry went to Iron Heights Prison, where his father was incarcerated.
"Why are you here again?"
Henry Allen wasn't very happy to see his son from behind the iron bars.
"Didn't we talk about this? Don't come back."
"But it's the anniversary of Mom's death... I went through the files again. The truth will come out, Dad. Technology is advancing quickly, and there are innovations in forensic science every year."
Henry shook his head. "Don't torment yourself anymore, son. Don't trap yourself in the past. I killed your mother. I'm a sinner."
Barry was angry. "You and I both know that's not true."
"It is what it is. Don't waste any more time on this. Go live your own life, Barry. She would have wanted that too."
"..."
The visit ended on a sour note.
Central City Police Department, sterile laboratory, 7 PM.
A bolt of lightning shattered the laboratory window.
A shelf full of chemical bottles was pierced, and glassware exploded one after another. An azure electric arc, like a writhing thunder dragon, carried a spray of splashed chemicals as it struck Barry Allen squarely behind the lab table.
Just as fate had ordained.
Barry's entire body was thrown into the air by the electric current's impact, and all sensation, including pain, vanished. In that instant, a single thought flashed through his mind.
He was going to die.
In his final moments, his father's words echoed involuntarily in his mind.
"I killed your mother, I'm a sinner."
"Let go."
"..."
Yeah, let go.
What was the point anymore?
From the moment his mother died, his whole life had been trapped in an invisible vicious circle, endlessly going around and around with no way out.
Maybe this was for the best.
Just let go, sink, fall into the abyss.
It didn't matter anymore.
He would see his mother soon.
Boundless darkness swallowed everything. Barry Allen collapsed amidst the fragments and residual solvent, unconscious.
Arcs of electricity danced across his body. A strange energy gathered on his chest where his clothes were burned through, briefly coalescing into a winding bolt of lightning.
Elsewhere, in the darkness.
Dr. Thaddeus Sivana slowly opened his eyes.
One human left eye, and a magical right eye that flickered with arcane lightning.
"Success... finally, success." Doctor Sivana's face flashed with excitement. "This is the power I've pursued my entire life!"
He flung his arms wide, and immense magic power erupted from his body like tangible black mist, transforming into seven dark, twisted demons.
The Seven Deadly Sins!
The powerful demons once sealed in the Rock of Eternity, the seven brothers: Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Bliss. They possessed immeasurable magic power and had chosen Doctor Sivana as their agent in the human world.
Now he had obtained unparalleled power, able to do whatever he pleased in this world and make everyone who had ever looked down on him pay the price!
"First," said Greed from among the Seven Deadly Sins in a sinister tone, "the target of our revenge is that detestable Wizard!"
Pride spoke from the darkness, "Correct. He imprisoned us for countless ages. He must pay the price!"
"Find him and grind him to dust!" roared Wrath.
"That's letting him off too easy," Bliss said in a low voice. "We must first destroy everything he cares about, and only then subject him to a slow, torturous death."
The demons quickly reached a consensus.
Doctor Sivana listened to their discussion, pondered for a moment, and couldn't help but ask.
"By the way, just asking... but are you brothers telepathically linked or something?"
"Correct. The Seven Deadly Sins are a single entity," said Envy. "We brothers are of one body and mind."
"Hmm... so when you're all having a meeting and discussing things here, aren't you essentially just talking to yourselves?" The genius doctor's curiosity got the better of him. "Because that sounds really strange."
The Seven Deadly Sins: "..."
A brief silence fell in the darkness.
"That's not important," Sloth interrupted. "The point is, the Wizard must pay! And we'll start with the things he cares about most!"
"That's right. My spell has already searched. The Wizard has left the Rock of Eternity. He's now in the city that humans call Gotham. And the people he cares about most..."
As Pride spoke, a misty magic power swirled and formed a projection-like image.
In the image was a handsome young man of Eastern descent and a pretty little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.
The members of the Seven Deadly Sins glanced at each other.
Then, they all let out sinister, villainous cackles.
(end of chapter)