The Beautifully Tragic: A Steddie Romance

 Chapter nine: Kas the Bloody Handed

The group walks slowly down the streets of Hawkins, huddled close together, weapons at the ready. "It's quiet. Too quiet." Steve whispers to Eddie. Eddie nods in agreement, a grim look on his face. They see Eddie's trailer coming up, and hovering over it, is the mind flayer. There was still no sign of Vecna though. If the mind flayer was here, Vecna couldn't be far away. The group collectively moves in a slow circle, looking for Vecna. Eddie turns, and comes face to face with Vecna. He looks around, but doesn't see the rest of the group. Vecna sneers at him. "Hello Eddie. I've missed you. Did you not find the upside down to your liking? I have a special place there for you. Don't worry about your friends. They can come too. I have very special plans for you and them." Vecna reaches out and places a hand over Eddie's face, causing him to become unable to move. Vecna makes a low growling sound in his throat. He leans over and whispers in Eddie's ear. "I've such sights to show you and your friends. I'll make sure you have a front row seat when I end their suffering. I'll save Steve for last. Maybe I'll even let you say goodbye to him first. You humans are so foolish for forming these attachments to each other. It's nothing but a weakness, a weakness that can and will be used against you. It's definitely one thing I don't miss about being human. The one who helped make me like I am today is among you. I have special plans for her as well. I suppose I should thank you for gathering them all in one place and making this easier for me. As a sign of my gratitude, I will spare your life. You can be my right hand man. You will have unlimited power, power like you've never known before. Serve me well, and I may bring back your precious Steve to join you. I'm not usually so generous, but I'm in a good mood today. The demobats being destroyed was a bit of a nuisance, but nothing I can't fix later. It's all going to plan, my dearest Eddie. Soon everyone will know the true power of Vecna." He drops Eddie onto the ground. Eddie's body starts shaking with laughter. Vecna looks down at him, confused. "I fail to see the humor in anything I've said here. Have you starting to descend into madness?" Eddie sits up and rolls his eyes. "You talk too much." He gets to his feet, and his eyes start to darken, his skin becoming like smooth pale marble, his nails and teeth becoming longer and sharper. Large black wings push through his shoulder blades as Vecna looks on in shock.

The glamour around them vanishes, and the group comes back into view. Their jaws collectively drop in perfect unison as they get a good look at Eddie. Steve rushes over to Eddie and grips his arms. "Eddie? Are you ok? What happened to you? What did he do to you?" Eddie leans his forehead against Steve's. "This is who I am now Steve. He hasn't done anything to me. I am however, about to do something to him. I'm going to get rid of him once and for all. I'm no longer Eddie the Banished. I'm now Eddie the Bloody Handed and this tentacled freak is about to pay." Vecna looks at the group and does a sarcastic slow clap. He pretends to dab at his eyes. "My what a touching speech. I almost believed it myself. I see you have managed to destroy my mind flayer. No worries though. I can destroy this pathetic Town just fine on my own." He turns to Eddie. "If you really think you have a chance against me, then let the battle begin. Remember your friends lives are on the line. If you fail, they die." Eddie charges at Vecna and the battle is on. He punches Vecna, sending him flying hard into a nearby building. Vecna charges at him, knocking him to the ground. Eddie kicks him off, and he and Vecna stand there staring at each other, eyes locked in challenge. "Eddie, I don't want to kill you. You could be useful to me. Join me and I'll spare your friends. Deny me, and I kill them all. The choice is yours." Eddie rolls his eyes again. "Still talking. Over my dead body, will I join with you and I think we've both seen I don't exactly stay dead." Vecna growls angrily and using a blast of power, pins Eddie to a building. Eddie's face contorts in pain, as bones are heard cracking loudly. Eddie screams helplessly as one by one, his bones are snapped in two. Vecna release him and watches him crumple to the ground. He turns to the others. "I'm actually disappointed. I thought your friend would be more of a challenge... Well, now to deal with the rest of you. This is going to be fun. Don't worry, I will end your suffering. You will join your friend soon enough...

End of chapter nine