Swan Song

All Along The Watchtower

When Lock came to, he was lying in the middle of a poorly lit room. He looked around, and realized he was surrounded by familiar faces. Most of them were barely acquaintances, but he did recognize three of them; Rem, who had been the one to bring him there, his father, whom he had already known counted among the members of this faction, and, to his surprise, his mother, whom he had not expected.

"Mom?" he called, but Mirana looked away, shame in her eyes. That was when Lock realized there was an odd sensation lingering on his chest. He pulled the white preacher's robes, which had been put on him by these people, aside, and saw there was some sort of tattoo there. "What is this?"

William Baskerville stepped forward, intimidating as ever. "If you will not accept Samael willingly, he will have you serve him by force."

Lock knew it was coming, but it still stung. "Oz," he whispered, eyes widening. "Ozzie was taken. I need to go after him!" He stood up, then tried to push through, but his father held him back.

"Your brother was taken by the sleepers, and will be used as the vessel for their earl."

"Not if I can help it!"

"But you can't help it," the man said firmly, pushing Lock down to the ground with ease. "It is your destiny to be Samael's host, just as it is your brother's-"

"Ozzie's!" Lock corrected, yelling as he stood back up. "Call him by his name for once in your life! He's not a piece of furniture; He's your son!" When William didn't flinch, the boy whispered, "I'm your son." He turned to his mother next. "Mom, please."

Miranda looked hesitant, but didn't step forward. "It has to be this way."

Not expecting any better from his family, Lock immediately started thinking of ways to get out, doing his best to remember what had happened prior to him being taken there. "Where's uncle Oscar?" he asked, remembering the man being returned to him. "And Allen - where is he?"

The crowd parted, revealing the two of them tied to stone pillars inside the room.

Great, Lock thought. When Allen comes to, Manticore can get us out.

Then he looked around the room once more, and realized all these people were eves, each with their own angel. There weren't many combat-type angels, sure, but if enough weaker ones gathered, they could even put a stop to Manticore. He knew Rem was his biggest threat; Rem, whose angel could put people to sleep with a simple touch of its black feathers.

They're going to be hurt if we try to leave by force, he thought, then softly smiled. Good.

"What happens now?" Lock asked, looking at his father. "I don't feel Samael inside of me."

The man scoffed. "You aren't his host yet. As of now, you're simply his eve. I knew we should've chosen this method the first time around, but your weak-kneed mother persuaded me into giving you a choice."

It sure didn't feel like a choice, Lock thought.

"You're fine with your sons killing each other?"

"The hosts of Vanitas and Samael are destined to fight; There is no other way."

"That's not what I'm asking you!" Lock snapped. "I'm not asking you about some stupid prophesied chosen ones; I'm asking if you're really ok with one of your sons dying." Hate burned in his eyes more harshly than ever before. It was the first time he directly looked at his father like that. He still feared the man greatly, but he feared for his brother's safety more.

William backhanded him, and the boy helplessly fell to the ground again. "Love is weakness. I will not let it ruin destiny itself."

As soon as he heard those words, Lock knew what he had to do. He looked at his mother, and remembered her angel, Memento, and its terrifying power to tamper with memories, as well as the memories it had already tampered with. He knew his father had loved his forgotten brother, Leo, and knew he would have to do whatever he could to make his mother return those memories.