Editing Trip Into Hell (Warhammer High) (section)

==Alternate Ending==

When he opened his eyes, Isis was still there. She was hurting as well, but she was keeping her hurt under control. Her words were slow and deliberate.

“If I left right now, if I just went like you want, what would you do?”

“I’d manage.” Julius croaked. He wouldn’t manage, but it for her sake, not his own that he wanted her gone. He was deadweight to her; she didn’t need to be saddled with him.

“You say the old Julius has died, but you’re acting like him right now.” Despite the pain he had put her through there was a sad smile on her face. “The old Julius would always try to make others happy at his own expense. If he’s still around, there's hope for you yet.” He heard her words, but the meaning vanished. Then she said something else. “There’s no old or new you, there’s only Julius. There’s only the boy who impressed me with his stubborn willingness to stand up for others. There’s only the boy who would do anything for other people, even at his own expense. There’s only the boy I fell in love with. Julius, you are only human, and no human can go through that amount of shit without something giving. You are not weak for falling apart like this. For what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry about Summer. She must have been someone special.”

The dawning comprehension that she wasn’t about to reject or abandon him finally pushed him off the edge. He started bawling like a little baby, his body wracked with deep sobs and more tears then he thought he was capable of producing pouring out of him. Dimly, he felt Isis embrace him, holding him tight, pulling him against her. He tried to shrug her off but she was stronger then he and he surrendered to her grip. A small part in the back of his head noted how warm her body felt. Like Summer’s did.

“We’ll get you the help you need.” She whispered into his ear as she cradled him. “Uncle Magnus helped Remilia when she hurt, he’ll help you as well. I have the weekend off; I’ll stay with you. Furia’s gone; I can’t lose both of you.”

Julius gave himself over to her, and for a long time he just sat there in her arms, the knowledge that he wasn’t alone filling him with unlooked for hope. With her help, he would get over this, he would move on. The pain would go away.


A Tearful Reunion.
Eventually she took him by the hand, led him to her car and drove him home. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t hold onto a single thought, his mind was a whirlwind of memories and emotions, the pain lurking at the surface ready to spring out again.

“Hello Sieur Pius.” She called as she came in the door. Oll turned to see the pair of them coming in. “Please, call me Oll,” was his reply. “Will you be staying for tea?”

Isis nodded as she breezed through, leading Julius to his room, sitting him down and a few seconds later brought out his chess board.

“Fancy a game?”

Julius couldn’t say no, so she set up the board and took white. 1. g3. Benko's Opening. The cogs and wheels in Julius’s mind began to turn again. Chess always did that for him, chess was a game of war where strategy and tactics were paramount. He went 2. c6, for King's Indoin Attack. She ended up winning that one, and straight away she set up for another, swapping sides. For the entire afternoon they pitted their wits against each other in game after game, the simple act soothing Julius. The Void faded away.

It was at the end of one of those games that the unaddressed issue finally came out. Julius had been reamed once again, and he shook his head in mock disgust.

“I thought I had planned enough moves ahead to win with ease this time.” He commented.

“A good chess player thinks five moves ahead,’ said Isis, ‘but a great chess player–“

“Only thinks one move ahead, but it is always the best move,” finished Julius. “If you’re going to quote Lord Guilliman to me, at least have the decency to let me win first.”

She laughed, but her laughter seemed hollow, forced. He could see things that others couldn’t pick up on, and despite the charade she was putting on, she still wasn’t happy.

There was only one way he could try to fix this: by confronting it directly.

“Are you having second thoughts?”

“What?”

“Second thoughts about me. I know any trust you may have had in me is gone now, I’ve squandered it, and I understand if you will never trust me again. You can still go, I’m…better now.” He turned his head, unwilling to look at her, to see himself damned in her eyes.

“You're right Julius... I don't trust you.”

Her words were like knives, and Julius felt his spirit sinking like a ship in a storm. But then he felt her taking his hand and he looked up to see her softly smiling at him.

“But it’s not gone forever either. You can earn that trust back.”

Julius looked in her eyes, searching for the lie. Instead he Saw something else entirely: understanding, real understanding. He didn't want to think about how or why, but somehow she understood what it was like for him in that dark hole, death looming over every moment. She knew the fear, the need to find solace, as much for Summer's sake as his own.

That thought emboldened him. His honour may be in tatters, his faith shaken to the core, but now he had hope he could repair them and redeem himself in her eyes.

Tea was a jovial affair, Isis really liked Oll and he the same. Their good natured banter eventually sucked Julius in as they talked about how the Merican pattern Colleges differed from the Universities found in Alba and Diemenslandt.

Oll passed no comment when the two finally retired for the night. Julius had half-expected her to stay in the guest room, but instead she came to Julius’s room and after standing in the doorway for a few seconds Julius nodded.

The bedsprings creaked as she joined him. His bed here was a double, far larger than the cramped cot he had shared with Summer that night. He could barely even tell Isis was in it as well. He closed his eyes shut and prayed for a fitful night.

The Nightmare still came. The fireball was sailing towards her, she was about to die and no matter how hard he screamed at her to look out, she couldn’t. Suddenly the nightmare collapsed as he was dragged back to reality. Isis was holding him tight, her hand gently but firmly clamped over his mouth, drowning out his screams. She whispered soothingly into his ear.

“It’s ok Julius, its ok. It’s just another nightmare. Everything will be fine, I’m here now, I’m here for you.”

Abruptly he noticed her breasts were pressed tight against his back, and he felt himself stirring. His sex drive had been fired up, and he couldn’t turn it off again. He wanted her, wanted her so badly. But he was soiled goods now. Nevertheless, he had to say it.

“Isis, I never told you this, but I was going to give myself to you at graduation, have us sleep together. I felt like it was the right time, that my god wanted you to be my first. But I fucked up.”

“Julius, I love you but this is not the right time for this. You still hurt too much, I could never do anything until I know you’ve been cured. There’s the mid-year break of our first year though. We’ll go on a road trip of our own together, might see if we can drag a couple of the others along with us. I saw how much fun Venus, Freya and Remilia had, I’d like to try that myself.”

“I’d like that.” Julius replied, before reaching over and pulling Isis towards him. Julius pressed himself into her, moulding their bodies together and burying his face in her hair, and together they drifted off to sleep.

[[Category:Warhammer High]][[Category:Stories]]