The Bell's Toll (15/?)

[monstrousreg]

Title: The Bell's Toll (15/?)
Author: monstrousreg
Word count:  4112
Warnings:  I sort of hate to do this again, but THIS CHAPTER. THIS WHOLE CHAPTER. Fragmented mind ahead. Beware. Also bring tissues. And tequila. You've been warned.  I know this chapter is short, but when you read the POV and how it works, you'll understand I can't possibly make it

Comments

[furius]

My arm cramped reading this. The intensity!

[monstrousreg]

/massages your arm

Thanks! Ugh I can only imagine what it must be like reading these chapters, but I can tell you, writing them is... it burns me out every time, which is why i take so long between updates to write the following chapter!

[synekdokee]

I'm angsting all over for Erik here, but I don't quite understand why Charles has made it seem like Erik voluntarily betrayed him when wasn't it Emma who tampered with his mind again? Or am I missing something here?

Whatever the case, my heart aches for Erik who is clearly so very close to being unhinged by what (he thinks) he did to Charles and the haunting memories of him and what he thinks was Charles's betrayal.

ETA: Like, I understand why Charles might be bluffing to Erik about thinking he turned on Charles on his own, but I don't understand why he's made others (Alex) believe that as well.

[monstrousreg]

Oh, I know., Writing Erik breaking apart as he was in this chapter was heartbreaking for me, because I like my Erik determined and firm, and this slowly dying creature was just painful. A lot of things were tearing him apart.

You're not missing anything! Emma did mess up Erik's mind, knowing he would be the one person Charles would not kill. Charles knows this. Unfortunately Charles is a sociopath, and a very angry sociopath with a lot of power at his disposal. It was easiest for him to make Alex believe Erik had betrayed him voluntarily, so that Alex would put special effort into getting Erik into the trap.

One of the most pronounced characteristics of the sociopathic individual is the ability and willingness to manipulate others to get what he wants, and the complete and absolute lack of remorse. The truth was Charles needed a dedicated pawn, and Alex fit the role. The end. What happens to Alex from here on out is of no interest or relevance to Charles.

I never said Charles was a nice person, I'm sorry to say XD

[singingduck2]

Oh, poor Erik. The trap ws realy closing on him the entire chapter. All his comrades disappearing one after the other, and Alex spying on him...

Charles must know that Erik's not been himself these last years, and in a pretty bbad shape. And he must have known it wasn't really Erik's fault that he turned on Charles.

But I guess Charles got pretty angry and isn't very forgiving, so there might be hard feelings between them... for a while... no?

Brilliant writing, as usual!

[monstrousreg]

I know, right? That was a well thought-out trap and he had, of course, no way to see it coming. Not convinced as he was that he'd killed Charles.

Ah, yes. He does know that it was Emma who made Erik shoot him, of course, and he understands that it was he himself that was outplayed. He let her crawl in behind him and use his own pawn against him. But you know a bullet to the hell does not logic people make XD

As for hard feeling and what is between them, well. I hope to cover the basis of that in this next chapter!

Thank you!

[monstrousreg]

Thank you! I;m glad you enjoyed it! I do love writing tension, and I always wonder if I manage to pull it off as well as I like to think I do.

I'm sorry it takes me so long to update! This story burns me out every time I write a chapter so I take too long between updates to take a rest. I'll try to be more diligent <3