PART TWO

The woman and the beast were sitting on the same couch now, still in the dark, the lighter tucked away in her pocket again. Heather sighed against the beast's neck, leaning on its shoulder.

"They're halfway there." It muttered against her skin. "You excited?"

Actually, the information seemed to dim the light in her eyes. "... you like destroying me, don't you?"

"I can't destroy you. Nothing can."

That knowledge, too, seemed to add weight to her eyes. She sighed, and closed them.

They continued to wait.

When Henry awoke, he was lying on a bed, on his stomach, his wound only burning a little. He groaned as he moved, and heard a creak.

"You feeling all right?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes to see James beside him.

The man looked worse for the wear - sleepless and hopeless. Henry forced himself to sit up, and a hand suddenly pressed on his back. "Don't rush it." Gently he was pushed back onto the bed. "You're still healing."

"We can't afford to wait. We gotta keep moving." Henry forced out the words with quickened breath. James heard the exertion and a light smile pulled at his lips.

"It's all right. We can afford a few hours rest. You sleep, I'll keep watch."

"What... about you?" James needed sleep - he needed rest, years of it, to catch up to all he'd lost. The man was hardly able to stand, shoulders slumped, sweat on his brow. Had he been fighting while Henry was asleep?

Despite how tired he was, Henry closed his eyes and worked with another new power - one he'd never tried, but he'd seen it done. Surprisingly enough, it was pretty easy.

"There's a barrier," He whispered, glancing over at James. "It's safe now. You can rest."

Surprised, James looked around as if he might see it. "What...?"

"Just get over here." Henry rolled his eyes and smiled, slowly inching over so there would be room for James. The other man blanched.

"Y... you sure?"

Again rolling his eyes, Henry gestured. "Come on. You look ready to fall over. We both need our strength if we're going to make it through." That was true; it seemed to convince James, who finally struggled over to the bed and collapsed beside Henry. The mattress shook. It took a minute to make room for both of them, adjusting nervously, as Henry felt his face color. Eventually, so that Henry's wound wouldn't be bothered, he was pulled onto James chest slightly, the other man's arm resting in the curve of his back. His heart was hammering.

The image of the one he loved flashed before his eyes again and again - and so did the heartbroken way it had looked when they'd parted. Henry's heart shattered again, and as he fell back into a dreamless sleep, he resigned himself to this.

They got moving a few hours later, using the stairs to make it to the roof.

"See anything?"

The fog layered the town, but it was still possible to make out streets, monsters walking through the shadows, the rippling lake. But no people. No matter how Henry and James searched, there was no one to see.

Sighing, Henry turned his gaze to something on the lake - there was a soft light filtering through. It would appear, dancing through the fog, only to disappear, then reappear for a brief moment. As it continued, Henry realized what it was. The fog parted slightly.

"A light house..." Henry squinted at it, trying to see better. The light fell over the scenery, and he could see a road, a few piers on the lake, monsters...

... a figure on the end of the dock.

His breath caught, and Henry stared as the figure disappeared when the light left. But a moment later it returned, and so did the human shape, with a human shadow. Then it was gone.

"James!"

The other raced over, and Henry pointed to where the light house revealed the human on the dock. James gasped, eyes lighting up.

"Who else could it be?" Henry asked, excitement rising. They had found her! Once they got to her, they could finally get out! Hope had returned.

"It's looking up." Henry smiled at James, but the other wasn't listening. He was still staring at that distance shadow, the promise it held - but he didn't seem happy. He... didn't seem anything at all. "James?"

More metal screeching in the distance, the wail of monsters. Henry ignored it - he had a feeling James was so far gone he hadn't even heard it. A hand came to the taller man's shoulder. "You all right?"

Finally, the other closed his eyes and nodded. Another metallic screech, a little louder, and suddenly James' eyes flew open.

Terror. Pure, unadulterated terror. Henry's heart stopped.

"... J - james?"

"Fuck."

Both of them noticed it at the same time, spinning to face the towering, lumbering monster with the blade as long as its body, head covered in the rusted cage, coming towards them with killer intent. Henry's scream died in his throat as that heavy sword as lifted, as James pushed him back, and they both stumbled away, and there was no escape -

"HENRY, JUMP!"

They both turned and leapt off the hospital building, and Henry thought to use his powers, to do something, but he'd already used so much and he couldn't do anything - and then two strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him to a strong chest, and before he could even think, James' body came between him and the ground, and then -

THUNK.

Unconsciousness.

It was the kind of fall that could kill mortals, in the mortal plane. But these men had been touched by the beyond, and were hardly mere mortals anyone. One was already dead, and the other - the other - he had power. He had strength. The fall that should have cracked his head like a watermelon and poured his brains across the cement, the fall that should have cracked his spine and killed him, did not.

James lived.

But he was badly wounded, bleeding, bruised, and broken, and Henry realized he was a very heavy guy when he tried to lift him.

The siren had gone off while they were unconscious, and Henry was astonished that they had been left alone there, no monsters eating at them. But now he had to get James to a safe place to heal, or else they'd be doomed.

Where to, though? Henry had no real clue. There was no way he was going back to the hospital, afraid that helmeted beast would be there, but he didn't know where else to go. Confused, he wandered the streets with his heavy partner on his back, breathing hard as his own wound began bleeding again.

"Shit..." Henry pulled James up higher, and kept walking. He wouldn't let him die. He wouldn't let him die.

Keeping him alive... it's all I have left...

Shaking his head, Henry kept walking vaguely in the direction of the girl they'd seen, looking for a safe place along the way. But each place he looked at was surrounded by monsters.

None of them attacked - but he didn't dare get close. So he kept walking, carrying James, hoping someplace soon would be abandoned, would be safe.

He kept going for what seemed like hours, until there were no more places, just open road, and the lake to their right, the light house getting somewhat closer. That gave him hope. So, instead of resting, he let his powers stretch out over James, giving him strength, trying to heal him, as they kept walking.

On they went on their slow way, moving down Nathan avenue towards the other side of Silent Hill, James still unconscious. Henry felt himself losing strength as time passed - James was getting stronger, but he was losing his energy. His legs began to trembling with the weight, his vision swaying.

I can't keep going like this...

Finally, finally, a place appeared again, someplace without any monsters hovering near, and Henry bolted for it, ready to take a break and heal James for real. He didn't even look at the sign outside it.

The Lakeview Hotel.

Inside it was dark and cold, just like the apartments, water dripping down the walls, wall paper peeling. All in all it was foreboding, in fact terrifying, especially since carrying James meant that Henry couldn't hold a flashlight. Calming himself, trying to steady his breathing, Henry began looking for an open room to rest in.

He desperately ignored the screeching in the background. Screech. ... screech.

It had followed them.

Fumbling with the first doorknob he found in the dark, Henry found it to be locked. The same was true of the next, and the next, and the screeching was getting closer. "Come on, come on!" The fourth doorknob broke off in his hand, and down the hall a red light was coming closer, the screeching so loud it burned his ears.

There was no where to go - a grate covered the stairs, and all doors were locked, and it was a dead end. Shaking uncontrollably, Henry gently took James off his lap and laid his body on the ground, then turned to face their tormentor.

Pyramid Head came to a stop a full three feet from Henry's trembling form.

Step aside, Henry Townshend.

The deep, thundering voice raised all the hairs on his body, but Henry violently shook his head. "N - No." He clenched trembling hands, bit his lip, and tried to feel brave.

The beast stepped closer and Henry literally jumped, hands flying up in front of him, a trembling sob escaping his throat. "No! P - Please..."

Why protect him, Henry? He must die here. He is on the verge of death already.

Risking a glance back, Henry saw James face was pallid, scrunched in pain, as he breathed heavily, chest heaving. Seeing that only strengthened Henry's determination. He turned back to face the monster with a hard glare.

"Why? Why does he have to die?" Henry shouted, throwing his fist out. "Why have you condemned him?"

He is guilty. You know this - you feel it.

There was some truth to that, Henry knew; he remembered the trunk, the heaviness of James' soul... he was carrying a burden, a sin.

"But..." Henry, lost and saddened, shook his head. "There must be... he can atone... how do you find forgiveness in death? You can't... he can fight..."

But you know he won't. He wearies of it. He welcomes death with open arms... as you did.

Those words hurt like a punch to the gut, and Henry scrunched his eyes shut. It was true... but he couldn't just...

"Please... let him go..."

Another step closer, but this time Henry didn't move, only letting out a strangled, fearful cry. "Wait! W - Wait..." Tears were pouring down his cheeks.

If you do not move... I will be forced to make you.

"Oh - Oh god..." Despite the overwhelming terror, his shaking legs, Henry didn't move. He clenched his fists until blood poured out his palms.

They were chest to chest, Henry's face right in front of his muscular form, and he was breathing erratically, vision swimming, fearful of what was coming, yet...

Henry's head dropped, fell against the beast, and he let out a whimper. "Please... end it... make it stop..."

You are already dead, Henry.

He shook his head and gritted his teeth, still leaning on Pyramid Head. "No! This isn't death! I'm... I'm still here..."

Humans make the mistake of confusing death with a lack of existence - a total destruction of self. Death does not mean you will vanish. You are still here.

"Vanish me then!" He shouted desperately, pounding his little fists against Pyramid Head. "Make me go away... make the pain go away..."

Two strong hands came up and gripped his wrists, and with a sharp gasp, Henry found he was being lifted off his feet. One hand moved from his wrist to his back, pulled him right up to the beast's chest... and then...

Darkness. Squinting, Henry tried to see, tried to understand, and suddenly realized he was inside the helmet. Breathing heavily, he tried to back away, but a hand pressed against his neck until he was being almost cradled against Pyramid Head's shoulder.

You misunderstand, Henry. Being so close, the voice was even more intimidating.

I am not your monster.

"W ... what?" Something... a head... Pyramid Head was leaning against Henry's shoulder, talking into his skin. Henry's whole body shivered.

We, the powerful ones of this place, are balanced by our other halves. Each of us belonged to someone. The monstrous and the human - but each of us have a little of what the other is. Innocence and darkness. Damnation and Salvation. Together we are one.

The beast Valtiel, an amoral cretin which feeds upon depravity, is balanced by Heather Mason, an innocent young woman from the outside. Yet, the woman also carries a great darkness, and the monster has within him powers of light as well.

There is James... a good man given a hard path, and torn apart by it. I am his monster, his guilt, and he and I will forever be tied by fate.

"And..." And I am alone, I have nothing. Henry thought. These others are tied together, but no one is tied to me, I am alone.

Your monster is waiting for you.

"What!"

A deep chuckle. You are both young fools. Walter Sullivan is your monster Henry. He always will be. You will never escape him - and he will never escape you. Without the other, what are you, but halves of a broken whole?

"I... I don't... I don't understand..." I don't deserve him.

You are afraid. Poor fool. The hands on his neck and back began to... message, to comfort. It was eerie, and it actually felt nice, and Henry felt his stomach clench. Walter has an advantage over you; he is tied to the town already.

"You mean the orphanage?"

Deeper than that. He knows all, but you have been told nothing. In his efforts to protect you he has pushed you away. The hand at his neck brushed his hair to the side.Well... we shall balance this. All must be balanced. Suddenly the grip on him tightened, and Henry's stomach clenched.

"What are you doing?" He whimpered, almost afraid to ask.

As Valtiel and Walter were tied... so you and I shall be.

Pyramid Head bit his shoulder, hard, teeth sinking in deep into the skin.

"AU - AUHH!" Henry screamed and it echoed beneath the helmet as pure molten fire poured into his veins, and his soul felt ready to burst. It hurt - it hurt so much - as if part of his soul was being ripped from his flesh - all his muscles were on fire, and he tried to thrash, but the grip was too tight -

Then the feeling changed - water. Water was being poured into his veins, knowledge, power, agelessness... the beast was sharing its soul with him. Images and thoughts and things were poured into him, but they were immediately locked away. He wasn't ready for them, not yet. The feeling was ... comforting... like when he shared his mind with W - Walter...

Do not fear.

The grip tightened, and the bite on his shoulder no longer hurt, it felt... soft, gentle, like a tender caress. Henry let out a slight moan, collapsing against the stronger form. Finally, the teeth left his flesh, and a long black tongue licked the wound.

You will be stronger, now, boy. With practice, and with knowledge, you will be able to meet Walter on an equal level. Light flooded his world again as he was placed gently on the ground beside James. His head fell to the side, and he saw the blond, still weak. Everything flew back to him as Pyramid Head stepped over him, to get to James.

"Wait! No! Don't hurt him!"

The man fell deathly silent when he suddenly realized James' eyes were open, weakly, but open. They met gazes... and James smiled. Then, the blond looked up at Pyramid Head towering over him.

You... another deep chuckle. You thought you could run.

Slowly, James sat up, grunting with the effort. "I... I tried."

Did you not wish for death?

He looked up, leaning against the wall. "Yes. But I... I know that's not what you're giving me. You... you're saving me." Gasping, or maybe sobbing, James looked away. "Please... don't. I don't deserve it."

You foolish children, you know nothing. Despite James' protests, Pyramid Head knelt and easily pulled James into his arms, like he was a rag doll. The blond feebly tried to push him away, but ended up collapsing in his hold, head resting against his shoulder. Pyramid Head turned to go, stepping over Henry, leaving his giant blade behind.

"W - Wait." Henry called softly. Pyramid Head paused, and turned to the exhausted man. "... James. I'll get Angela. I promise I'll save her."

Half asleep, James smiled. "Thank you." Henry watched as James lifted his hand, grabbed Pyramid Head's shoulder, and pulled himself up to look at Henry better. "You're a good man. I hope you make it." When Henry nodded, James fell against Pyramid Head's shoulder, and the monster's hand came up to hold his back. They disappeared down the hall just as Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep.

In his dreams, he was Pyramid Head, walking up the stairs of the hotel, holding James gently in his arms.

Pyramid Head was an old soul, with an old name, a Judge of villainy since ancient days, a kind of demi god adapted by the cult when it rose to power in Silent Hill. But he was older than the town, a beast of power from ancient days.

With changing times came changes in form. Now, he took the appearance of an executioner, a function he practiced well.

"Mary... is she still here?" James whispered against his skin, his heart slowly. He could hear the thumps growing further apart, the lungs breathing more weakly.

No, he said. She passed on when you left. Her soul is free of this place.

"G... good..."

And what of you? You plan to follow her?

James weakly shook his head against Pyramid Head (Henry's) skin. "No... I don't deserve her..."

His grip tightened and James gave a whimper. Cease this. Stop speaking so darkly of yourself.

"... can't help it. It's the truth."

They kept moving, towards a hotel room which did open, and when they entered James let out a sad moan.

"Had to... pick this one..." He was placed gently on the bed, and Pyramid Head towered over him.

They were both quiet for a moment, as James heart slowed more. Blood was soaking the sheets.

Having seen Henry... do you understand your fate?

Eyes almost fully closed, James whispered. "... am I... like him..."

You can be. It is a purpose you can fulfill, a role for you to take. Otherwise, your soul shall be ripped to tatters by this town when you pass, before being transformed into a monster yourself.

Even as he said it, Pyramid Head knew James would reach for that choice. Say nothing. It is not what you deserve. ... We must come to an understanding.

Suddenly the dark, dead skin, the giant metal helmet, the bloodied apron, they faded away, and Pyramid Head's form changed. He was just as tall, just as muscular, but he appeared almost human. Almost.

This new beast climbed onto the bed beside James, leaning over him, getting close to his face. The blond was staring wide eyed at this form, despite his rising weakness.

"You suffered. So did she. In that suffering, you made a hard, desperate choice. Anguished by it, you fell into delusion, and came to this place. You relied on this town to punish you, to free you of your suffering by causing you other suffering. You could forget your guilt if you paid for it in pain."

James tried to look away but a strong hand forced him to look up. "But you are not a monster. You have seen monsters. You have faced them down. Now, face down your guilt. Do not be defeated by it."

"... I'm so tired." James whispered as his blood fell down to the floor. "... I'm... so lonely..." A tear fell down his cheek.

"I know." The hand on his chin caressed his skin lightly. "You needn't be any of that anymore."

James eyes fell shut just as Henry woke up.

He was running, racing through Silent Hill's streets as tears poured down his face.

He hadn't saved him - he had ruined him. If - If he hadn't pulled James down, hadn't been such a weakness - Sobbing, Henry kept running, renewed by sleep and Pyramid Head's shared potential, legs throwing him further ahead. He'd never been this strong.

The lighthouse was getting ever closer, and he sped on, driven by need. He had to keep that final promise, he couldn't let James down again...

Turning, he hurried down the rusted metal, ignoring the monsters. They wouldn't bother him anymore, not with Pyramid Head's blood in his veins. They were mere gnats compared to him, now.

But with the power came the knowledge, knowledge which was being slowly unlocked the further he got from the hotel. More of it leaked into his head, and he began to know things - the cult. The poor, innocent child, chosen by a horrible mother.

Our parents never loved us.

Burned alive in her own home but saved - so sadly, she was saved -

Don't pity us, just kill us.

Henry kept running despite the burn, as he saw the town being engulfed, the guilty falling through the cracks -

And the splitting of the soul, the passing of time, the return home -

Cheryl!

Daddy!

Harry...

How horrible, to try and birth a god from a child - a nasty, hate filled being - and the father - the father

No! Cheryl... you can't leave me...

And the baby that was delivered - not quite Cheryl, not quite Alessa - Heather. Her name was Heather.

And then... and then...

It's all so terrible. It's all so fucked up, all these poor people brought here to suffer, these twisted freaks the source of it all - poor Alessa... poor Cheryl... poor Heather...

He kept running, tears still falling.

By the time he'd arrived at the end of the dock, he had fallen to his knees, sobbing as he did, shoulders shaking. He did not bother lifting his head, because he already knew what he would see. Instead, he fell forward, crouching on the dock and screaming in agony.

The figure was gone, and James was dead.

Despite every instinct and each disconcerting, deep seated fear telling Henry to turn back, the exhausted photographer pressed on into Silent Hill. James had been lost to the shadows, but Henry had a promise to keep. He would fight on, alone.

But where to go? Where to look? He didn't have the luxury of James' past knowledge, now; he was on his own, and Silent Hill was very new territory for him. Wounded, tired, yet filled with newfound power, Henry wandered the streets nervously, looking for any sort of clue.

There was no one around, not even any monsters. The fog drifted down silently, blanketing the old, rusted homes. Silence. It was almost more terrifying than noise, because Henry spent every moment wondering when that silence would break, trembling with the anxiety of it. He kept moving.

"Henry."

Jumping, Henry spun around, eyes wide and frightened.

"Henry."

It was a light voice, young and girly. But he couldn't see where it came from -

A door swung, like it had been pushed open a moment before. It swung back, and through the crack, Henry saw a little girl running on the opposite side. As it swung closed again, he rushed over and grabbed the handle, throwing it open.

"Wait!"

The little girl turned and entered another door, disappearing into darkness. He sped after, the grated floor creaking under his weight. The light was dim, the street lamps above barely lit. Henry grabbed the other door handle and pulled it open violently.

Inside it was even darker than it had been outside. He stepped in warily, hardly able to see at all. The door slammed shut behind him, echoing in the darkness.

"... hello?" Lightly stepping forward, the man tried to squint into the shadows. "Anyone here?"

Footsteps, to his right. Henry's head spun around, and for a moment he saw a bit of light filter into the room. Then it was gone. Another door. He raced around the circular platform, finding himself face to face with at least five possible doorways.

Aggravated, Henry set to trying them all. The first opened, but there was no light - it led to an old shop, full of creepy rabbits and stale candy. He let the door go and it slammed shut on its own.

The rest were locked, leading nowhere, but for the very last door on the end. When he opened it, a bit of light from the outside fell into the room. It wasn't much, but it was brighter than inside. Henry stepped through.

Once he walked into the dim light, he was able to tell where he was - and it was a strange revelation. Henry walked as if in a daze, as if he wasn't really believing where he was, eyes darting over the rusted metal, the ruined equipment, the ghost of an amusement park.

He had a minute to stare in wonder, before he remembered the girl, and set to looking for her. It took hardly a second to see a dark figure standing on the carousel, holding the bar that connected the horse to the ride, standing on the saddle. Henry walked slowly, as if he might scare her off, but she just smiled at him.

"Hello, Henry." The girl looked to be about fourteen, wearing a long black dressed with white frill at the neck, an old fashioned school uniform. Her hair was black and pulled back, face beautiful, pale, haunting.

The ancient knowledge that flowed in his veins reached his heart, overflowed, thrust a name into his mouth. "Alessa Gillespie." The girl nodded when he named her.

"Henry Townshend." Alessa replied in mocking. But he knew she meant no harm - there was a kind smile that seemed odd on her face. "Do you like amusement parks?"

He glanced around before giving an uneasy shrug. "Never been to one." He admitted. Her eyes fell and she nodded.

"Me either." The two raised eyes and met gazes. "We both lived very dark childhoods, didn't we?"

Nervous, Henry glanced down. "I lived through mine, at least. But... you..."

She shook her head and Henry looked to her again. The pale skin, luminescent, as if it had never been burned beyond recognition... she was an angel, fair and ethereal. "Don't speak like that. This isn't a contest. I did not live, but in a way, I live again." She smiled and it was the most wonderful thing. Henry doubted she had ever smiled in real life, and a thought occurred to him.

"Have you ever thought about people?" The man asked suddenly. Alessa didn't seem surprised by his sudden query. "I mean... like there's certain kinds of people?"

Clenching his fists, Henry glanced around the ruined park, the falling signs, the empty food stalls. "There's people who live in fear of death, trying to cherish the years they have..." He returned to her, eyes staying on her dainty feet, on top of the horse. "Then there's us. People who feared living, and only found happiness in death."

"It is strange, isn't it?" The girl murmured, leaning against the pole, hair falling to one side. "And Silent Hill... it calls out to those kinds of people. The ones who would rather die." Henry bit his lip and remained silent, seeing in his mind the people Silent Hill had called. James...

Something in the distance began to sound. Henry jumped, shocked out of his reverie, trembling at the sudden break in the silence.

"No!" But he couldn't wish it away - the siren. Alessa looked up to the darkening sky emotionlessly, with only a hint of regret.

"I am sorry, Henry Townshend, but I can't accompany you to that side." She murmured as the siren grew louder. Henry could hardly hear her. "And once you cross over, the monsters will seek you again. Your strength will not scare them away while they have the darkness to empower them." Vision darkening, Henry tried to move towards Alessa, towards the carousel, but the girl faded out of the air. He clambered onto the ride but no one was there.

Henry... the girl you're looking for seeks her own death, just like everyone else who wanders here. If you want to save her, you'll have to find the instrument of her destruction. She wishes to die by the blade. Find the blade, and you'll find her.

Then darkness.

Before he could see again, Henry could hear: an eerie, faded melody, the chime of a children's ride, and then a great thunder as metal moved against metal, rust flaking away. The screech grew louder and Henry felt his feet move beneath him - the ride was moving.

When the shadows cleared, Henry could see the lights on the ride were on, and the carousel was moving in slow circles, music blaring from the old speakers. Henry felt his feet waver, but he forced them to move towards the edge so he could get down -

There was no ground.

The carousel was surrounded by shadows, and unless he would brave falling into - into nothingness, he had nowhere to go. He was trapped on the ride.

Startled, Henry spun around and took a better look at the carousel.

It was rusted, and coated with blood, an eerie red light filtering down on it, and the horses - some of them were alive. Covered in sheets pulled tight, their heads wavered violently as they let out shrill cries of pain, bleeding as no plastic toy horse should. Horrified, Henry turned away, but was once again faced with the darkness. He was trapped.

There was a shift in the air, and Henry froze. Something was near, something seeped in darkness and power, something malignant, like a cancer, a rotting sore, a molded soul. Trembling in terror as he turned to face it, Henry gasped at the sight before him.

Standing on the other side of the ride was a figure born of shadow - skin an unhealthy white and lined with red and black things that writhed on its skin. It seemed born of the darkness, made of nastiness, carved into a human shape but not human at all. In one hand it held a gun, in the other a lead pipe. It was a clear cut replica of Walter Sullivan.

"SHIT!"

Henry backed away as the Walter-clone stalked forward, head hung, hair that usually was blond now pitch black and falling over its dead eyes. Heart hammering as he tried to run, Henry realized there was no where to go - he was literally running in circles, with the monster right on his heels, and he had no way to fight.

But then, just as he was giving up hope, the skin at the base of his neck throb in pain and he gasped, hand flying up to clasp it. He felt the wound, healing, but still there, and remembered. He did have a weapon - it was just beneath his skin.

But how to use it?

Standing, Henry turned to face the beast with renewed vigor, though he still trembled at the sight of this dark, vicious form of his lover. Even when they'd been enemies, Walter hadn't been this steeped in violence. This - This thing was pure evil.

Taking slow steps back, Henry tried to think of what to do, and how to do it, feeling the power quaking inside him with no way to let it out. What should he do? Raise his hands and just let it fly? Open his mind and give free reign to this other side? Confused and sweating, Henry saw the beast getting a bit too close and jumped far back.

Then, he noticed it slowly raising its gun hand.

Gaping, Henry leapt behind one of the horses just in time as a bullet grazed his skull. The copy had just as much deadly accuracy as the original had. Quivering as he ducked and ran, Henry realized that having power was useless if you had no fucking idea what to do with it.

Gasping for breath, he remained kneeling behind the big central pillar, eyes wide and searching for the dark figure to turn the bend. Maybe if he could just survive long enough, the darkness would recede and the fog world would return -

Suddenly it was right in front of him, and the shriek of metal hitting metal ripped Henry's ears apart. What was that noise coming from? Oh. Henry's eyes flew wide as he realized what it was. The lead pipe in the things hand had become impeded in the central pillar - impaled right through Henry's ribs.

"AU - AUGHHAH!" Blood spewed from his mouth as he screamed in choked gasps. Where the hell had the thing come from? In one second, it had been on the other side, the next -

A gun cocked right in front of Henry's head. Eyes stunned wide, gasping for painful breaths, Henry trembled and wondered if he could die a second time, if Silent Hill would claim his soul, if he would ever see the real Walter again -

"AH!"

Before the final blow could be delivered, Henry found himself fighting back - he wasn't even sure of what he was doing, or how he knew to do it, but suddenly he threw his feet up and they reached an unimaginable distance, bent at an impossible angle - he had never been this flexible before - but in the blur of an instant both his legs flew up, and his feet pressed against either side of the beast's wrist, as if Henry was sitting indian style midair, before he twisted his legs and feet, bending the appendage until he was forced to let the gun go. Then, his hands flew out and grabbed the things head and neck, and with a sick twist, crack its spine. When he let go, the body thumped to the floor uselessly.

Henry stared at the limp form in awe and shock, still breathing hard from exhaustion and pain. The pipe was piercing a lung, and blood was spewing from his dry mouth. Weak, Henry lifted his trembling arms and pushed against the pillar, letting out half screams, half choked sobs as he pushed his body down the length of the pipe. It took time, and it hurt like hell, but eventually he pushed himself off and collapsed to the floor.

The spinning was starting to make him sick, and the little jingle that played endlessly was annoying the crap out of him, but he couldn't escape until the darkness faded, and even then he wasn't sure he'd have the strength to stand.

Thump. Henry let out a gasp, shivering. Couldn't be, couldn't be - he forced his head to turn - the beast was standing, holding the gun, took aim at his head -

Henry's eyes shut and he screamed in his head do something do something what was the use of all this power if he couldn't do anything? Come on, make something happen!

The bullet fired.

It hit metal, ricocheted, and hit the beast in the thigh. Shocked, Henry slowly opened his eyes. What the hell had happened?

The thing was distracted by its leg for only a millisecond before turning back to Henry, raising the gun. The brunet took that millisecond for granted, grabbing the great metal thing that had formed upon his head, wrenching it off, and beating the beast in the head with it. It started tumbling to the side, and Henry kept hitting, pushing it towards the edge, until with one great, final shove, he pushed it over the rail and it fell into the shadows.

Leaning on the rail, Henry watched it fall into the pit with half lidded eyes, before collapsing to the ground. He was bleeding all over, delirious and in pain, hardly able to think. His savior fell from his limp hands, hitting the floor and rolling a foot before its awkward shape stopped it from moving any more. Henry's eyes fell on it and he gave a little laugh.

Pyramid Head's helmet.

Hope he doesn't mind I borrowed it.

The carousel slowed to a halt and Henry felt himself waking up. He couldn't remember falling asleep, but he must have at some point. The ride slowed to a halt, metal screeching, and Henry weakly pulled himself to his feet. He wasn't bleeding anymore, but every muscle ached, trembling with the effort of just standing.

Each movement was heavy, slow, but eventually, leaning on the rail, Henry pulled himself to the exit. But, when he looked to the stairs leading off the ride, his eyes flew wide.

The carousel was still surrounded by darkness. There was nowhere to go.

"S..." He tried to curse but blood welled in his throat. He spit it to the side, glaring at the stairs and wondering what to do next. He never finished his thought - suddenly, two small hands pressed against his back, and Henry lost his balance.

Before he could do anything, he felt his feet leave the ground and the shadows racing up to meet him, and he fell unconscious before he could even scream.

Water. He heard it splashing, felt it waving against his legs, and when Henry opened his eyes, saw it surrounding him.

He was in what looked like a cross between a hallway and a tunnel, somewhat human made, somewhat dug from the earth. Lights were strung across the ceiling, like in a cave, and a few inches of water covered the floor. As Henry slowly stood, he felt something.

James has walked this path before.

He'd been this way, during his trip through Silent Hill. Maybe Henry was headed the right way. But which way now? He glanced right, then left, and saw no difference between the two. Biting his lip, Henry felt frustration welling up and resisted the urge to scream.

Suddenly, something grew inside him - a knowledge. He felt something calling to him in this place, pulling him in its direction, summoning him and he was useless to resist.

He came to a halt outside a small, dark room, hardly lit by the lamps outside, and within he could see the dim light reflecting off a rusted blade. Eyes wide, Henry took a small step towards the enormous blade propped against the wall. It was Pyramid Head's blade, left alone in the maze, and... there was a girl standing next to it.

His eyes fell on her and Henry knew.

Angela Orosco, runaway, broken child - he felt who she was and in an instant of being unable to control his new potency, Henry let his power reign free and it exploded into the room. Light filled it and he could see Angela fully - and she was screaming.

"Ahhh!"

"AUH!"

Her screams of terror at the sudden brightness and his random appearance were added to his cries of surprise. The use of power, and so much of it, made him sick, and he fell to his knees in the water and lost his stomach. The light disappeared.

A moment later, Henry was kneeling in the tepid water, sore but safe, and the screaming had all stopped. With weary, half lidded eyes, he turned his head and looked to the girl, wide eyed and trembling.

"S - Sorry..." he whispered. "Don't know... how I did that..." As he dragged himself up, he saw the girl flinched. Henry froze in a seated position. "I'm not going to hurt you." With his sleeve, he wiped off his chin, leaning back on his heels.

Fire and distrust flared in her dark eyes as she glared. "W - Who are you?" But Henry was no longer listening - his eyes fell to the blood dripping into the water.

His eyes shot open, head snapping up to the wound on the girl's lower arm.

"You -"

She seemed to notice it for the first time, looking at the skin with surprise and only a little alarm. "I... I hadn't meant to... not yet..." But she hardly sounded concerned. "You surprised me. I must have slipped..." Her free hand brushed the air near the wound, but she left it alone. Henry rushed over to put pressure on it, but she screamed.

"No!" Angela screeched, and Henry slid to a halt. His arms came up in submission. "D - Don't come any closer..."

"Okay." Henry aquiesced. "But please, let me fix that -"

"Stay there!" Angela shouted, and Henry nodded fervently.

"I won't move!" He promised. "I can help you from here." The girl frowned, and in her puzzled state, she didn't notice the flow start to ebb, the skin resealing itself. After a moment her eyes fell to the now flawless flesh.

"How did you..." She began, but when she looked up, she said, "Why did you do that?"

Slowly, Henry's arms came down, but he didn't move back. "... It was my fault, wasn't it?" He settled on. The shy man glanced to his raw hands, caked in dirt and blood, blistered on the fingertips. "I was given a gift; I should use it."

"But why me?" The pronoun was said with such disgust Henry couldn't help but feel nostalgic. She's just like me...

"I didn't mean to hurt you," The brunet began with a gesture to the blade. "And... James asked me to."

A spark of recognition; sadness, and doubt. "Huh. So he did?"

Dry mouthed, Henry nodded. "Y - Yeah. He came with me to find you, but..." eyes fell to the dingy water. His legs were getting cold. "He didn't make it." When he looked back at Angela, sadness and doubt had been replaced with confusion. "He got injured protecting me... the trauma killed him." The last words left him in a single burst, and he trembled as it did.

"I'm here to help."

A vicious spurt of laughter erupted from Angela's pretty lips. "Oh, really?" She spat, a half hearted smirk on her face. "So you think you can save me?" The second sentence was quiet, a forgotten hope.

Think this through carefully...

"Yes."

More laughing, tinged with despair, almost on the edge of a sob. "Even James hadn't been able to say that. Who are you?"

"Henry Townshend."

"You think you can save me, Henry?" Slowly she stepped back, eyes on him, harsh and thin. She was woozy from blood loss but he made no move to help her. "You think... getting me out of this place will do anything? No." Simmering just below the surface, she took a step to the left, around Henry. "I'll always be in a nightmare no matter where I am. You can't stop that."

There was no hesitation when the brunet muttered, "I can try."

Shocked, she spun at him, staring incredulously. "... you actually believe that don't you?"

There was no other way to explain it, than to tell of the source. Henry had to share with her how much he knew, how much he could relate, for he had felt some of what she felt too.

It wasn't something he liked talking about. Unsteadily, he got to his feet, but he didn't stray from his spot.

"My father wasn't always a violent man."

There, he had to pause and catch his breath, when the words reminded him of those few fond times with his father. Memories of those hurt most of all.

"He began beating me - and my mother - when I was a teenager. I was shy and awkward, and had no friends. There were other factors, money, stress... but I think he targeted me most because I was a failure. I was never what he wanted me to be: a football player, a jock with a bunch of friends." There was forced laughter here. "But I was an artist, a photographer. He didn't like that... not at all." Images of his cameras, destroyed, blood covered. "Dad, he... when he discovered my boyfriend, he tried to kill me." As he spoke the memories flooded his mind, but he fought through them, tore them apart. "The only reason he didn't succeed was because he had a heart attack right in the middle of it."

There was no way to tell if Angela was really listening from the dazed, empty look on her face. She stared at Henry but whether she was looking at him or at some horrid remembrance replaying in her head, he didn't know. But he kept going, fighting the physical agony at the memory.

"After that, I left home and wandered from city to city, apartment to apartment, never settling down or trying to make friends. I lived in absolute terror of everything. There wasn't a thing in the world I trusted not to hurt me. The only person I had ever loved tried to rape me, and that was when I shut everyone out."

"Then, my fears came true when the nightmare came. My apartment was taken over, just like this place... I could only watch as everyone else in the complex was brutally murdered. I was next."

"When the madness came for me... I... was unable to fend it off. Now I'm dead, a ghost wandering the world, with only one purpose." Then he looked up to Angela, saw the tear soaked eyes, and realized she was reliving his past as well as hers. She was listening. "I'm trying to help people like you. To save others from this..." He shrugged his shoulders. "My fate."

The retelling done, Henry felt his strength leave him and he collapsed back to his knees with a splash. Despite all the power he'd been using, all the strange tricks he'd performed, the most draining of all was sharing his life with this girl. The center of his chest burned and throbbed the way it would after sobbing in agony for hours on end.

Angela remained where she was, eyes locked on Henry, somewhat incredulous and... understanding? It wasn't pity, and it wasn't empathy; it was the dark recognition that horrible things aren't limited to happening to just one person.

"You..." First she scoffed, then said, "You..." but she couldn't finish.

"I know I can't fathom your pain. I can't share it." Henry admitted. "But I'm in pain too. WE can fight it together." The teen was slowly shaking her head as if Henry couldn't be real.

"What kind of monster are you?" Suddenly she whispered, face breaking into a twisted grimace. Henry's head shot up.

"What?"

"Someone like you can't exist. You're torturing me! Why don't you just kill me!" The tormented girl thrust her arms out and screamed, pushing away at an invisible attacker. "Leave me alone!"

Spinning on her heel, Angela sped across the tarnished room for the entrance.

Henry leapt to his feet, feeling the danger before he could see it. "NO!"

Angela stood staring up at the enormous form in the doorway. It was a human - a human - in a miner's uniform, complete with the alien gas mask, a pick ax and a lantern in either hand, a human made monstrous by his guise.

Angela leapt away screaming as the man approached, followed by many others like him, all towering and armored and pouring into the room. Henry leapt forward to grab Angela and pull her out of the way, even as the other men reached for her - he snapped her towards his chest.

"Find Cynthia and Eileen," He muttered quietly into her ear, walking carefully backwards with her. "They live in Apartment 301, they'll take care of you."

"Henry?" She gasped, trembling in his hands. The men were getting closer. "No!"

A burst of light - blast of power - dozens of screams - Henry Townshend fell helpless into the water, face first, the last vestiges of his energy emptied, and he fell alone. Angela was gone.

Immediately he was surrounded by the miners, lights flashing in his face, the reflections of their rusted weapons blinding; weak, reeling from confusion, the ghost had no warning before a piercing pain ruptured his chest.

The loudest scream yet tore his hoarse throat as the spear was shoved into his spine. Pure anguish ripped him, bone to sinew, rendering him deaf, dumb, blind, and immobile, stabbing flesh and spirit to form an agonizing prison.

Through heavy eyes, Henry saw vague shapes leaving the room, abandoning him to his fate - trapped to the floor, made to wait forever in pain, or until a monster found him. Beyond doomed, Henry let out a sorrowful groan, resigning himself to hell, before his muscles gave out and his head fell to the floor, going unconscious once more.

In his dreams, he was the monster.

It was once again in its helmeted form, wandering a deep, dark part of Silent Hill few ever traveled. The only light was a distant red glow, and even more distant was a sound, the deep chanting of prayer. Pyramid Head was moving towards it.

The closer it got, the more blaring the noise was, until the beast turned its head and saw through the barred window of a room the worshippers themselves; the monster was blocked from entering, but could see hundreds of robed people gathered in dark circles, praying to a hateful god.

There were men, women, even children, standing round circles within circles, all drawn in blood, each repeating their prayer with practiced ease. These people - the true monsters of Silent Hill - remained undisturbed in the town, continuing their dark worship, aiming to bring 'paradise' to the world.

The vision faded into dreamless sleep.

You are even more foolish than I thought.

Slowly, heavy footsteps. They sounded more distant than they were.

But perhaps that is all right. Our master has seen some use for you.

The spear was ripped form his skin - "A - AUGH! A... ah..." and dropped with a careless thunk. Strong hands, surprisingly gentle, picked up his broken form.

It is time you and She spoke. There is much to tell. The beast walked with him in its arms, and along the way, he fell asleep again.

There was a dark room and within sat Heather Mason, and the human form of her attendant, Valtiel. The pitch blackness was interrupted when the door was flung open.

Pyramid Head stood in the doorway with Henry in his arms, bathed in flickering light. In he stepped, the door shutting behind him, locking all the brightness out.

Henry came to slowly as he was set on the couch opposite Heather and Valtiel. Once his vision cleared he recognized the blonde at once.

"Cheryl..." He muttered tiredly. A snort came from Valtiel, but Heather pointedly ignored him.

"Hello again, Henry Townshend." Heather/Cheryl/Alessa began. In her eyes Henry saw all three forms, but he wasn't quite sure which one was really in control. Coudl the girl even tell anymore? "We've got a lot to talk about."

His head nodded slowly, but his thoughts were scattered all about. "... you led me here. Why?"

This time laughter came from her. It was the giggle of a child; it was the sardonic chuckle of a dark teenager; it was the half-hearted laugh of a very tired grown woman.

Before she explained anything, Heather reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver lighter. Held in her right hand, elbow on her knee, Heather leaned forward and looked Henry in the eye.

"Do you know the nature of light and darkness, Henry?" She muttered, letting the lighter flip open. A flame was born. "Good and evil, dark and light?" Down came the lid, killing the fire. "People wonder why evil exists, why people enjoy hurting others, profiting from it." Sardonic chuckle (Alessa). "But that's not really the question we should ask." Back with the flame; she looked over it at him, her eyes bathed in red. "The real question is: why does good exist? Why are there kind hearted people in this god forsaken world?" Away with the flame, away with the lighter, back in her pocket. Heather leaned against the couch with a small smirk.

"Relax, Henry. I've got a story to tell."

...

I suppose, so that you can fit all the details into place, I'll start at the very, very beginning, as far back as I can relevantly go.

The Origins of Silent Hill.

It was sacred Indian ground, long ago, before the settlers took their lands. These settlers: many of them came to America looking for religious freedom, and not all of them were Christian. As far as I can tell, the Church of the Holy Way, the cult's religion, came from the old country.

Once Silent Hill was settled, and the cult began its rituals the land and its power began changing. Tragedies happened. Wars and plagues. The energy around the town took a turn for the dark.

Now, jump forward to the 20th century, and the most recent incarnation of the cult. When Alessa was born, and showed obvious psychic powers, she became a target for the cult's machinations.

What led up to it is long and complicated... but eventually her "mother" performed upon her the ritual you saw in your mind. She was impregnated with the God, and kept alive in a horrifying, burned state, the hatred festering inside her. To stop the God from being completed, she split her soul, and Cheryl came into the world.

Fast forward seven years; eventually the time came when Alessa's strength was waning. The town had changed. I don't know exactly how it happened... in part, Alessa's pain and suffering, combined iwth her abilities, allowed her to change the world. The God had something to do with it. When something with that kind of malice and prowess enters the world... it tears the barrier between the spiritual and the physical... like Walter did in Ashfield.

Anyway, to jump to the important things, it became necessary to call Cheryl to Silent Hill to make Alessa whole again, in the hopes of destroying the God for good.

With some help from... a few humans... it was defeated. But not destroyed. When Alessa's soul was put back with Cheryl's, "Heather" was born, and within her - within me - the God lay dormant.

Eventually the cult came after me, trying still to ressurect it - I defeated them, and another incarnation of their God. Sometime after that I realized something.

The God hadn't ever been summoned; it couldn't be. When Alessa's mother tried to use her daughter as the sacrifice, letting the God exist inside her for seven years... and then, the God lay inside my soul for seventeen more.

In all that time, the God's powers had become My powers.

I became the God - the Goddess - of Silent Hill. Those creatures the cult had thought was the God were just like the other monsters skulking the streets - albeit a bit stronger.

They weren't the God.

I am.

It's a strange thing to get used to - but it's what I am, and I have all the powers that come with it. But Silent Hill isn't under my control. I can't stop the darkness.

In this town, there are three influences - me, the cult, and the town itself. The three entities fight for control, each with their own agenda. I can't guess what the 'town' wants, but as for the 'Church of the Holy Way', it is their goal to spread the shadow of Silent Hill across the whole globe, in an effort to bring "paradise" and resurrect their deity.

There's no way in hell I'll let that happen.

I knew, as soon as I realized who and what I was, that I had a responsibility to stop these idiots from destroying the world, from destroying everything good out there.

A few problems stood in my way.

My powers, no matter how great, aren't quite great enough. I'm no one man army. The Church has hundred's of followers, all of whom have crossed to the other side like you, and have all the abilities of a ghost and a cultist combined. Each is proficient with psychic or supernatural abilities - God or no, I can't stand against that.

Secondly, the cult knows I'm fighting them. Wards and spells they've created to keep me bound are spread over most of Silent Hill; there are tons of places I can't go, including their holy places.

They are powerful. I knew I couldn't stop them alone.

So I had a job to do - to find people who knew Silent Hill, who had suffered through it as I had - and commit them to my cause.

It was around this time that Walter Sullivan's sixteenth victim was found.

I was in Ashfield, moving into a new apartment in order to live closer to Silent Hill, when I saw the article about her death. Soon as I saw it, I felt the cult's influence on her. Immediately, I saw out information on Walter Sullivan and his origins.

As much as the truth pained me - his past and Alessa's were so similar - I knew I had to stop him, to face him down. I was preparing to do just that when I discovered you.

Just like with the murder, I realized when I saw you that you were different - trapped in your own home, in a personal hell, taunted by death on all sides. You looked pitiful. But there was a spark of something in you that took me by surprise. I was... curious.

So, I decided to give you a fighting chance - to open a hole in your wall so you could get out and face Walter, instead of waiting for him to find you and kill you. I didn't help other than to put you and he on somewhat equal footing. Other than that you were on your own. I stepped away and watched the plot unfold.

Every time you faced Walter I was stunned, shocked to see how far you'd go to try and stop him - despite paralyzing fear, and great danger.

As time passed, and Walter grew more powerful, I became nervous. I knew I was playing a dangerous game - In truth, I didn't really think you could stop Walter.

Imagine my shock when the final showdown happened - and you laid down your life in an attempt to save a serial killer.

I was then I knew you were definitely of a different sort.

You had changed Walter - saved the damned souls of his victims - and sacrificed yourself to do so.

I had found my target - someone who could face down the darkness, someone without guilt. Most people who enter Silent Hill are pulled in by a crime committed or a heavy burden. Not you. Walter chose you, an innocent man, tormented by his dark youth, yet somehow, still a believer in good.

But I still needed reassurance. I knew you were different, but I didn't know if you were strong enough to help me.

When I found out Jimmy Stone and George Rosten's little plot, I once again decided to move the pieces on the board and see where it all would fall. This was a test of you, and Walter. I had to see if he really had changed - and if you had either.

Not to mention it was the perfect opportunity. As long as that piece of Valtiel was in Walte,r the cult could manipulate him - use him as a powerful weapon. I cerntainly didn't want that, especially since he'd likely fight against them if given the choice.

So, with Valtiel, and the Judge, I set out to create the spell that would pull Valtiel's flesh from Walter - starting by hypnotizing you. PH and Valtiel placed the spell on you, and I activated it in the prison. When you saw your 'father', it was really Valtiel - I was trying to see if you would stand up to him, face down your worst fears. You did admirably; and then, Walter showed that he was regaining his humanity - freeing himself from the cult's influence - by protecting you.

We all came from that incident for the better - Walter was free, you and he had finally admitted your feelings to one another, and I had just about perfect proof you were the man I needed. There was only one more thing to do.

You had to face Silent Hill.

What you saw in the nightmare realm, in Walter's mind, was horrendous, and scarring. But Silent HIll is a whole 'nother story. I had to know if you could survive this place, with all its madness.

I knew the chance was perfect when James Sunderland, a previous survivor, came home to Ashfield Heights. He already had it in his head to go back - guilt over Angela, as you know. I only had to encourage you to follow.

Through Cheryl, I told you the truth; that James would die, and you couldn't stop it. James should have died when he first entered Silent Hill. The only reason he didn't drive his car into Toluca Lake was because of his obligation to take care of a little girl named Laura. It was his fate to die, Henry, and I think it was what he wanted.

But the reason I told you that was another test. There are many things about Silent Hill that are inevitable. You can't change them; you can't save everyone. If you didn't understand that, you'd never survive.

And so you entered Silent Hill, saw its hopelessness and its suffering, and still you didn't give up trying to help people, to save lives. I never expected you would face Pyramid Head down and even earn his regard in return. Then, true to your word, you went after Angela yourself - again saving a life and sacrificing your own.

And now you are here, and my story is over.

...

Henry couldn't really see in the dark; what the appearance of the room they sat in was, he couldn't tell. But he could see each of the three other figures in the room. All three were lit by a dim, effervescent light, the color of crimson, radiating from their skin like an aura. In the shadows, Heather's eyes blazed, her white teeth flashing glaringly red. It was surreal - and it made sense, given what Henry knew now.

it was a lot to take in, all at once. But put it together with all the madness going on in his life currently and it made perfect sense. I can't believe this insanity makes sense, he thought, but it was true. It did.

"This isn't a dream," He stated dryly, trying to lean back, but fire shot through his back and he winced.

A sigh. "Get over here." Two hands came to his head, pulling him forward until his forehead touched hers. Slowly, warmth flooded his being, comforting and healing, until the wounds washed away.

When he leaned away, Henry felt better than he had in years.

"Thanks," He muttered. The woman shook her head.

"See? That's why I picked you." Heather explained. "After everything that's happened... most people would blame me. They would be cursing me out and throwing a fit. Not you. You're sitting here, thanking me, as if it wasn't my fault to begin with." Shaking her head as if it were ridiculous, she stood and walked away. "You're different." But the way she said 'different' sounded vicious. Henry didn't comment.

THe other two denizens of the room were quiet; the taller on by the door, the other pulling his legs up to lounge across the couch.

Silence settled in deep, and no one seemed willing to break it.

Finally, Henry stood, no longer wearied and strained, crossing the room to stand nearer to Heather. Despite being unable to see, he walked confidently. Nothing could hurt him - not here.

"You..." He started slow. "I'm not really sure what you want from me. What you think I'm capable of." A quiet laugh started low in his throat, but it died before it could escape. "I'm really... nothing much. I'd love to help you but I don't see..."

The blond spun on him, and this time he could see her eyes burning red all on their own.

"You make me sick." She spat suddenly, glowering at him. "You! You who have faced the darkness of both the living world and the dead, and here you stand, as kind hearted as ever! Where are your scars? Where is your jaded heart!"

Now she was advancing on him, and he began to back away.

"Maybe you're thick in the head. Don't you understand! You've lost everything! Your family is long gone, and your life was stolen from you in the most violent of ways! The man you love has disappeared! And your friends? They won't tell you, but they fear you too - they always fear what is different. You may have saved them, fighting through hell and back, but that only makes them suspicious. Don't you understand? You are doomed to loneliness and darkness forever!"

She was in his face, shouting, face contorted in rage. If she hadn't been so close, Henry wouldn't have noticed the unshed tears in her eyes. He stared at them, hardly hearing what she was saying, wondering to himself what she saw when she went through the town.

"... I'm sorry." He whispered, and her tirade was silenced. Eyes wide, the ancient soul in a twenty year old's body stared, slowly moving back as she did.

"..." Heather turned on her heel and walked towards the couch, where Valtiel leapt to his feet to stand beside her.

"No I... I'm sorry Henry. I ... lost it for a minute there." Wiping her hand over her sweat laden forehead, the girl turned tired eyes to him. "I... I shouldn't have... what am I doing?" She asked the question to herself, eyes falling to the floor. The woman/girl collapsed onto the couch, and Valtiel moved to sit beside her. A broken hearted laugh escaped her lips. "What am I playing at! I'm not a God! I'm not - I can't do this..."

Henry approached her slowly, and the eyes of both monsters in the room remained on him. He knelt by Heather's side, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You're right." Henry muttered, squeezing her shoulder as she looked up. "You can't do this... not alone." Then he smiled softly, watching as her eyes lit back up.

"Henry... I apologize for everything. I've been playing with people's lives and justifying it... but it wasn't right. I -" She gave a heavy sigh. "I'm turning into them. Into those people I'm supposed to be fighting, treating people like tools..."

"You're not like them, Heather, or else we wouldn't be having this conversation."

The two humans stared at one another for a moment, before both broke into smiles. Heather gave a strong laugh, her happiness returning, before she stood. Valtiel, ever her shadow, stood with her.

"You really are amazing, Henry." She glanced up at him and smiled, and this time, he glanced down, only half smiling. Heather turned towards him, once again very serious. "Are you sure you want to help me? Do you realize what it would mean?"

He looked back up, and she explained.

"You, a ghost, would have to remain on this mortal plain until Silent Hill is gone, or until the cult is defeated, and who knows who long that will be. It will require fighting - it will be a war. There will be death of many kinds, not just mortal. There are risks... and it won't be easy." They looked into each other's eyes.

"I'm asking you to be my commander - my general - my first in line. You have the heart to face down the monsters, and you are also a good person who many connect to very easily. Think of all the people in the apartment - I lied when I said they feared you, by the way - they adore you. They'd follow you anywhere. Perhaps they'll even help us."

Heather lifted her hand, the red in her eyes fading, but still ever present deep within.

"Henry Townshend, will you join me?"

His eyes drifted to the hand, as thoughts drifted into his mind. Slowly, his arm came up. Hesitating, but almost decided, the palms came within inches of each other.

"NO!"

Henry jumped away, shocked at the voice, turning to see Walter Sullivan storming into the room. Behind him, Heather side and glanced sideways at Valtiel, who glanced away guiltily.

"You knew he was coming didn't you?"

"Maaabye."

"Walter!" The name was a breath of relief and shock as Henry stared at him, but Walter was looking behind him to Heather.

"You can't ask this of him. You know he'll agree, and the risks are too great."

"Who shall I ask then, Walter?" Heather shrugged, arm lowered. "You? The famed serial killer who murdered most of the people I'm hoping to recruit to my cause? They would have a hard time overcoming that."

Walter's eyes widened, then lowered, as Henry clenched his fists and spun around.

"Walter would make a fine leader! He's strong and smart, and he's a good man. What he did under the cult's influence can't be forgotten, but it wasn't his fault!" Henry glared at her, but Heather only smiled.

"I think I'm finally starting to understand you, Mr. Townshend. You're getting predictable."

"Henry..."

The brunet spun around and his heart stopped to see Walter so close, only a foot away, his eyes saddened and deep like the ocean. "Henry, I..."

"Walter, I'm sorry -" Henry felt his throat clench as he began to spew all the thoughts in his head unbidden, only relieved to see Walter again and afraid he might disappear if he didn't convince him to stay. "I overreacted, I shouldn't have, you were trying to protect me, and I know that now -"

A hand covered his mouth, and Henry realized he was trembling.

"No, Henry, it is my fault. I should never have tried that. If I resort to violence to solve everything, I'll never escape what the cult taught me - what they forced down my throat." Sighing, Walter lowered the hand to Henry's shoulder, squeezing. "I am so, so sorry."

Looking into his eyes, Henry could only nod. "... Walter." An instant later he pulled the larger man into a death grip, hugging him for all it was worth. "W - Walter!"

Heather and the others watched knowingly, and after a moment, she cleared her throat. Still in the embrace, both men turned to look at her.

"Business before pleasure, right boys?" She quipped, sticking her hand back out.

Henry looked to Walter. "You know I have to do this. I can't let others suffer this. Now that I've seen it... I can't let the whole world end up this way."

The other nodded slowly, sighing. "I know. But, Henry..."

Lifting his hand, Henry took hold of Walter's. "Then let's do it together. Stay with me. We can fight it side by side." The hope in Henry's eyes almost made Walter forget all his fears. Almost.

"All right, Henry," He sighed, but before Henry could grin in excitement, he added, "But on one condition." Confused, Henry watched as Walter turned to Heather. "It will not affect him."

She nodded. "I know. When the time comes I'll do what needs to be done. Neither you nor him, nor anyone else will be affected by that." Heather promised, and then reached her hand out a third time.

Walter looked back at Henry, and to their intertwined hands. They let go, and turned to her, both placing one hand on either side of hers. A burning hot sensation gripped them when the palms touched, rushing through their hand and up their arms, setting nerves alight. For a moment it was impossible to let go - when they finally could, both came back sporting new "tattoos".

On the tops of their palms was a red circle, with three smaller circles within. But just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, fading out of sight.

"Thank you, gentlemen." Heather smiled, looking from one to the other. "I suppose we'll be seeing more of each other, but for now, I'll leave you two alone." She grinned knowingly, before giving a small bow. "Bye for now!" Then she was gone.

Valtiel and Pyramid Head approached them, Valtiel's human form melting away. Both of them stood across from the one whose powers they augmented. Henry felt slightly intimidated, looking up to that large helmet which hid those knowing eyes.

Good luck boys. Valtiel grinned at them, tongue flicking at the air towards Walter. The blond looked disgusted.

Take care. Pyramid Head offered, his deep voice ominous and echoing as always. The two broke into dark laughter, before they disappeared as well.

For a moment after their disappearance, Walter and Henry stood stock still, as if they might reappear at any moment. Then, without any warning, Henry leapt on Walter and wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck tight, ignoring Walter's confused sputtering.

"Henry? What are -"

"Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

The brunet buried his face in the crook of Walter's neck as two strong arms wrapped around the base of his back. "Henry... I'm so sorry... like I said, I'll never go that far again."

Slowly, unwrapping his arms a bit, Henry leant a few inches away. "That's not what I meant." Confusion warped Walter's face. Henry laid a palm on his cheek, caressing gently, ignoring the tears falling down his own face. "I... I thought you were gone, forever. I thought I'd never see you again." With that he dropped his head again, trying not to sob as his grip on Walter tightened.

"Henry..." The blond sighed and held him closer, his hands moving over his back in a relaxing pattern. "I could never leave you, even if I wanted to. ... you're all I have."

How long they stood their in silence, holding one another, no one could tell. Eventually, one of them caught sight of the large hole that had appeared in the far wall, and they journeyed through it, finding themselves back in their own apartment.

As soon as Walter stepped out behind Henry, the hole vanished, but the two of them were so wrapped up in each other neither noticed. Arms were back around one another, but this time the intent was less comforting and more fervent; mouths upon skin, arms under shirts, backs against walls. They had their fun for a bit in the hall before the two stumbled upon the bed, and fell inside. They wouldn't be seen or heard of until late morning.

Boisterous laughter filled apartment 302 the next morning; a large crowd of people were squeezed inside, sitting on the couches leg to leg and on the floor around the coffee table. Little Walter and Cheryl were on top of the counter, legs dangling over the edge, while Heather was a bit further away, leaning against the dishwasher.

In a sudden loud burst of laughter the two of the men sitting on the long couch leapt up, staring at the furniture like it had betrayed them, while the others around them laughed.

"Cynthia, that's just mean!" Eileen giggled while the Hispanic merely smirked at the two men, Richard and Eric.

"But probably true!" The woman saw Henry walk in from the hallway and gestured at him. "Here, let's ask. Henry!"

At hearing his name, the brunet looked up. By that time Eric had found a new seat by the window, while Richard stood glowering by the couch.

"Is it true that you and Walter have had a bit of fun on this couch?" Cynthia asked with an innocent grin, and burst into laughter as Henry's face lit up like a Christmas light.

"Wha... what?"

Choruses of laughter erupted as Richard smirked, rolled his eyes, and sat back down. "What the hell." He took his place next to Eileen, and the two smiled at one another.

Still beet red, Henry tried to ignore Walter's chuckles to his left (the blond was against the wall), and approached the group, standing nearby quietly for a moment. He scanned the crowd: everyone who lived in the apartments was there. Also he now noticed that Heather was not alone in the kitchen. Two tall, man shaped beings stood beside her: a scrawny one in a dusty black hoodie, and a much more muscular one in a trench coat. You couldn't see either one's face, one being blocked by a hood, and the other blocked by a shadow that Henry wasn't even sure should be there. The lighting wasn't that strong, was it?

"Come on, Henry, get on with it!" Someone shouted.

"W - What are we h - here for?" Jasper questioned from nearby, his usually stutter almost gone completely. Henry smiled at him, then turned his eyes on the group.

Before he said a word, he let his thoughts come together. Breathe in, breathe out. Oh god, what the hell are you doing? He opened his mouth and started to speak anyway.

"I'm not really sure how to start, or how to explain this..." He rubbed the back of his head, eyes to the floor. "It's sort of a strange story."

"We're livin' a strange story." Richard muttered, and somebody added "Hear, hear".

"You're right, we are." Henry began, gripping his hands. "Up to a few months ago, we were all of us either alive, or mad ghosts wandering eternity. Now, we live in relative peace here, safe from all the violence that brought us here." Sighing, Henry glanced to the window, to the world outside. "... have any of you heard of Silent Hill?"

The room fell quiet for a moment. Eyes glanced around nervously. A moment passed before Jasper raised his hand.

Henry glanced to him, motioned for him to speak, and the teen slowly sat up. "S - Silent Hill... it's filled with the occ - occult. There's... there was this r - religion, there, and t - they did all sorts of s - stuff..."

"I heard about the fire," Eileen added. "The one the little girl got trapped in. Apparently people started leaving town in droves soon after that."

"It was a tourist sight wasn't it?" Steve added.

"Yes, yes, I went with my family quite a few times, before it fell to pieces." Sharon added from her seat.

"All of that is correct... and there's more." Henry's voice silenced the crowd. "The town... it's just like this apartment was, before we changed it. It's a living hell."

Deathly silence covered the room as Henry lowered his eyes.

"I was there... just yesterday. Monsters prowl the streets and everything is destroyed, abandoned, dirtied. People are pulled there by some inner drive and then they're pulled apart. There is a religious group there, yes... and they're not peaceful. They don't preach love and hope. They want to, in a way, take the world over... spread their violent religion from continent to continent."

"What?" Richard interrupted, brow furrowed. "Make the whole damn planet a monster haunted shit hole?"

Henry nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's what they want."

The silence burst at the seams as everyone started talking at once. Most of what Henry heard were confused evocations and very loud streams of curses.

"Please, settle down for a second. I still have some things to say. Please." It took a minute but the group acquiesced, calming down. "It is horrible. I would never want that to happen. What I saw there... in Silent Hill..." Clenching his fists, Henry glanced to the floor. "I watched a man bleed to death before my eyes and I could do nothing. I saw people praying in circles of blood while in the distance the suffering were screaming."

The images flew into his head, but Henry bit his lip and fought them down. "... it was hell, or as close to it as I can imagine. And... the idea that they want to make the whole world that way! That... if we had failed here, Ashfield might have turned out the same way." The same thoughts were flying through the other's heads, by the horrified looks on their faces. "I knew, after seeing that, that I couldn't stand by and let it happen."

"That's when I met Heather Mason." He gestured to the blonde, who everyone turned to see. She smiled and gave a small wave. "She has been fighting Silent Hill for years, having lost her own father to it. She asked me for my help." Turning back to the group, Henry took in one last deep sigh.

"I have pledge to fight the town and its cult until it is finally eradicated, no matter how long it takes. It'll be dangerous... they have magic, and they're ghosts like us. But I won't let what happened to me... what happened to everyone who went into that town... happen to anyone else. I won't let it spread." Henry looked up to his friends with pleading eyes. "I'm here today asking your help."

They stared for a moment, torn between sadness and shock, and for a long moment not a lot was said. Henry waited. Clenching his fists, he stood before them feeling smaller than ever, and hardly a leader. Doubts rose in his mind: why in the world would they want to help me?

Eileen suddenly stood, and the sudden movement caught Henry off guard. She smiled gently at him.

"I'm with you Henry," She walked through the group over to him, gripping his hands. "No matter what it takes." Then, she stood beside him, facing the group.

Somewhat shocked, Henry grinned and shook his head. "Are you sure?"

The woman smirked and shrugged. "Can't be harder than fighting monsters with a broken arm, sprained ankle, and one eye, right?" Behind them, Walter flushed crimson. As if realizing what her words had done, Eileen left Henry's side and approached the blond's, wrapping her arms around one of his sweetly.

"Well, I'm not gonna be shown off by a sprite of a woman half my age." Richard stood, crossing his arms. "You've got me. I'm in."

"M - Me too." Jasper stood, nervously shaking his arms. "I - I can help. I know a lot about Silent Hill, a - about cults, and stuff."

"I'm with you." Eric added from where he sat, and beside him, Steve nodded.

"Can't imagine... a whole world like that?" Steve frowned, and Henry looked to him knowingly.

"There were animals in Silent Hill," He added, and Steve glanced up. "It was horrible, what they had turned into." The pet owner's frown hardened, and he stood.

"I'm with you, Henry."

"I don't know how much fighting I can do, son," Sharon began, "but I will help in any way I can."

"I'm all for this!" Cynthia bounded over to Henry, giving him a big hug. "We're going to save the world! Like a super hero group!"

Eileen gasped happily, rushing over to her. "Can we all have outfits? Uniforms?"

"Spandex armor?" Cynthia giggled, and Eileen nodded happily.

"Oh, do you know how much fun that would be!" Eileen gasped, hugging Henry. "Henry would be Superman, Walter would be Batman -"

"Because Superman and Batman are totally butt-fucking," came Richard' easily ignored quip.

"- And I could be Wonder Woman!" Eileen grinned.

"Maybe Richard should be Batman since he's such an ass." Cynthia glared playfully at the man, who just cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh, we need a super hero group name!" Eileen was practically jumping up and down in excitement.

Henry, watching her gush, could only laugh. "Eileen! I don't - I really don't think this is quite like being super heroes!"

"Hey, I think it's a cool idea." Heather grinned at him. Seeing a supporter, Eileen turned and beamed at her. "Can I be Hawk-woman?"

"Sure!" Eileen happily replied, ignoring Henry's groan.

As the group began prattling on about fighting the darkness, and super heroes, and a name for their new group, Walter slowly approached Eileen and Henry. Nervously, he leaned towards Henry, trying to whisper, but Eileen heard him anyway.

"Henry..." The man began as the brunet turned to him. The blond glanced down, confused. "What are super heroes?"

Henry stared for a moment blankly, before given a soft smile. He took Walter's hand in his, then looked up at the ceiling.

"Little help, please?"

The sound of furniture moving behind them prompted Henry and Walter to turn - a new bookshelf was against the wall where Walter had been standing. On it were tons of comic books and movies. Henry approached and pulled a movie off the shelf.

"Well, guys, now that business is over for now, whose up for some group bonding?" Cheers of agreement erupted as Henry turned to smile at Walter. "We've got some catching up to do."

The blond smiled warmly back.

Ding-dong.

Confused, Henry glanced to the door. "Did you hear that?" Walter, brow furrowed, apparently had not. Henry handed the movie to him. "Go ahead and put the movie on, I'll be right back."

He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, smiling to the person standing outside.

Angela glanced down. Henry stayed a few feet from her, not moving. The nervous brunette glanced up at him, sighed, then glanced away.

"... thank you." The woman finally muttered. "You shouldn't have done it... but thanks."

He nodded in return. "So... how do you like Eileen and Cynthia?"

She shrugged. "They're... nice." She glanced to the apartment the three now shared. "... Cynthia's strange. ... I like Eileen."

Smiling softly, Henry nodded. "That's good."

The two stood in awkward silence.

Ding-dong.

Remembering his reason for leaving in the first place, Henry jumped. He walked carefully by Angela, heading for the front door, as the brunette stared after him.

Down the stairs he went, as the bell rang a third time. "Coming!" Above, Angela approached the rail and looked down, watching as Henry came to the front door.

He pulled it open, revealing the courtyard and the front step, and a beragled looking man standing upon it. Angela gasped from above, but Henry was too busy staring in shock to notice.

"Hey," James began. "... I heard this was a place for ghosts."

Henry continued to stare, quietly, before regaining his senses. "Uh, yeah, yes! Yes it is."

James smiled, and the weight in his eyes seemed a little bit less. "Do you have any room for me?"

After a pause, Henry smiled back.

"Of course. Welcome to Ashfield Heights."

This totally was gonna be done on Halloween, I promise, but lots of stuff happened... really, really sorry. Still, at least I've finally got it! I've had it mostly written for a while, I've just not had the time to sit and finish it.

So, now, more of the plot has been revealed. What do you guys think, hmm? Was it what you expected? And of course there's more to come. Future chapters will likely have PHXJames, HeatherxValtiel, and who knows? I might mix it up a little. Of course, there's also RichardxEileen. I'd love to hear what y'all think of each of these pairings thus far. I hope you enjoyed it, and please review!

Sulhadahne