((After a little talking with ThLunarian, I wrote up a death scene for Brick. The length went a bit runaway on me, so with no further ado, here's a small novel XD))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBiI6GONRWk
For a fleeting moment, things looked up for Brick. The forces he had aligned himself with appeared to be winning, he had just cleaved deep into the catwoman twisted enough to befriend Ciel, and there was hope of finally getting retribution in the near future. This moment was short lived, as the catwoman turned into a large tiger and proceeded to eviscerate him with the aid of a dinosaur. Barely clinging to life, Brick hacks away with a short sword, hoping to take the assassin's ally with him. His final blows are disrupted by three bullets through his chest. As the desperate warrior's eyes glaze over, his mind returns to that fateful day...
----------------------------------------------
The men were lined up in one block in the town square, with the women and children in an adjacent one. A mid-sized group of bandits watched the blocks with swords drawn, as a lithe, young looking man strolled down the line. Today's your lucky day, friends! One of you has a very prominent mithral amulet I've been paid to retrieve and a death sentence placed upon your head, but I can't be assed with figuring out which of you it is. So we're going to play a game! I'm going to ask the audience who has the amulet, and if I don't get an answer, well, you'll see. Ciel grins devilishly. So, anyone? Going once! Going twice! And it looks like we've got a game! Who gets to go first? Eeny meeny miny YOU! Ciel points to a startled man in the crowd, who by his appearance probably works the town's bakery.
The rules are simple. It's a straightforward game of choice. The assassin hands the man a dagger. You can kill any one person from the group of women and children over there. If you refuse, I'll shoot five of them. Oh, and don't even think of trying to fight back. That will get ten of them tortured, then killed. So go on, pick a corpse, any corpse. The baker freezes up, trembling with tears running down his eyes. When he collapses to his knees, Ciel silently counts to five and shoots a woman in the crowd, dropping her instantly. No, wait! cries out the baker. Oh, so you're ready to play now? Good! You've only got one person needlessly killed. If I might make a suggestion, why not knife one of the kids clinging to her corpse? That would be keeping things nice and symmetrical. Unable to bring himself to kill a child, the baker approaches one of the seemingly childless women, a young elf, and weeps and begs for forgiveness. After a tearful nod of understanding, he stabs her and collapses himself when he discovers that he misgaged her familial status. Round one complete! Ciel cheers. Now, anyone want to share where the amulet is? No takers? Ok! Round two!
Will the relative of the woman that man just stabbed stand up? The crowd is again noncomplaint, causing the assassin to sigh and give the bandits an order. Fine. Men, go down both blocks killing every tenth person until the relative stands up. This elicits a response more quickly, and Brick, an apprentice of the town's blacksmith, stands up and is dragged to Ciel, shellshocked at the death of his wife. Now, this round will work a little differently, Ciel says handing Brick the bloody dagger. You can kill the man who just stabbed your wife and one child, or one woman and one child. And just to make it interesting- Ciel snaps his fingers and the bandits grab the two children weeping over his wife's corpse. They don't even try to conceal their identities, do they? Kids eh? So adorably naïve. As for the twist I was talking about, you can kill an additional three people from the women and children... what noun am I using now? Heap? Pile? Fuck it, each three will grant one of your kids immunity in the following rounds. So, time to decide how much you love them! Ciel bends down and pinches one of the kid's cheeks. Aww, who's a good boy? Who's a good boyyyy? Whose dad is about to kill a bunch of people or leave you to rot? Is it you? Is it you? Oh, it is you!
Trembling with rage and despair, the only easy part is tackling the baker and stabbing him to death. The rest is a red haze as Brick comes to, standing in a pile of corpses and shaking. Oh, very good! The assassin says sarcastically, doing a slow clap. I think you went into a blood rage there, you almost killed extra! And your kids saw every last bit, I made sure my men kept their eyes open. Let's see, they look about what, two and eight? That older one's never going to see you the same if you survive this, and the toddler? I'm sure she'll make a lovely serial killer some day, now.
That's the breaking point for Brick, as he rushes the assassin with the dagger bared. His is rewarded with an arrow in the knee for his trouble. Oooh, now see? That's a penalty. That's going to be five deaths, and you just lost that immunity you worked so hard to get your kids. Before Brick can scream, they hit the ground with arrows in their backs. The bandits begin to pick another three at random when the innkeep stands up and says Enough! I have the amulet! Sto- He doesn't even have time to finish his sentence as an arrow catches him between the eyes as soon as the confession is out of his mouth. Finish killing the other three penalty deaths, then make one of the men search him. If he was lying, kill another five. Sure enough, the innkeep did not have the necklace, and another five are massacred. A forced search of the penalty corpses reveals the amulet on an elderly man. Huh, well ain't that some shit? I guess the game's over then, you were good contestants, everyone! Ciel turns around to walk away and simply looks towards one of the bandits saying Kill them all, then torch the place. I'll call it even for your group's harebrained attempt to stick me up after that.
The slaughter begins almost immediately, with buildings lit ablaze and the survivors cut down in the streets. Brick, still running on rage, forces himself to his feet and manages to kill one of the nearby bandits with a nearby stone. The bandits appear poorly trained, and he is able to pick up the fallen man's sword and slog forward, cutting down roving bandits as he hobbles after the twisted assassin. He eventually catches up, roaring CIEL!! with foam dripping at the mouth as he finds the energy to sprint at his back. Ciel doesn't even turn around, simply flicking an arrow over his shoulder and into Brick's chest. The puncture saps the life out of the once imposing man, ending his rage and dropping him to the ground. The arrow penetrated with sadistic precision, and for five excruciating minutes, he bleeds out as him hometown dies with him.
----------------------------------------------
For an amount of time Brick can't measure, he floats aimlessly through the afterlife, unable to move on from the horrors thrust upon him. When approached by the Raven Queen for a chance to work at the Observatory, he leaps at what he sees as an opportunity to seek revenge against Ciel. Brick goes to meet his two co-attendants, but only Arlen is there when he arrives. They have a short chat, and it is quickly apparent that while Arlen did a lot of bad things in his life, he was basically an angel compared to Ciel. The two look around the one unlocked room prepared so far, and immediately regret doing so. The room, he can't even imagine what a room that looks like the sight of a gory mass murder is for. Arlen takes it in stride, just sighing and muttering something about trying too hard while Brick loses his lunch.
The third attendant eventually arrives, and Brick stifles a gasp when he sees the spitting image of his wife. It has to be a coincidence, there's no way she was brought here too, she can't be made to suffer from him more. Thankfully, she introduces herself as Dyliah, and he can rest assured that it is indeed just some quirk of fate that she resembles his late wife so. He can't let himself get close to her, Ciel would just torture her for his own amusement if he saw that. For her safety, for everyone's safety, he must avoid getting too close to anyone during this ten year period. Having to greet her some how, he puts on a gruff exterior. Name's Brick. I was the only one of us crazy enough to volunteer to serve this sick son of a bitch."
The moment of truth finally arrives as Ciel comes waltzing out of the dungeon. Brick eyes him intently, but throughout his introduction, the assassin gives him no acknowledgment. No double take, no surprise, not even amusement beyond what he's showing the other two. It begins to dawn on Brick that Ciel doesn't recognize him. How is that possible after all he did? I don't look particularly different, how could he not recognize my face? Was that day just a regular Tuesday for him for him or something?
Two weeks later, as Brick stands in a colliseum pit with a jagged sword and minimal armor under the orders of fighting Arlen and Dyliah to the death all because a piece of beef was served too well done, Brick has come to acknowledge that the horrific sacking of his town was in fact a normal Tuesday for Ciel. Brick is willing to fight it out with Arlen- the dwarf has some level of skill in killing people with prison-centric techniques, but he's not much of a match for Brick in a head to head fight, given the Large man's greater innate strength and intensive training he's been doing since arrival. But Dyliah? Seeing her cowering, hardly able to hold a weapon gives him flashbacks of his wife's final moments. He can't bring himself to to cut her down. The dhampir looks down at him from his chair, dressed as a Roman emperor and eating popcorn. Well, did I say stop? Go on! Fight's not over yet! When Brick refuses again, Ciel snaps his fingers, and the pit gate opens. A giant-sized, three headed nearly blob-like monstrosity shambles out of the gate, held up by two large arms ending in savage claws. With a blood-curdling roar, it descends on them.
Brick comes to in the servant quarters, along with Arlen and a catatonic Dyliah. I said I wouldn't get close to her, and I haven't, but it's happening again! He's torturing her anyway, and he's going to get away with it again! Is there anything I can do? Seeing that he can't confront Ciel just yet, he tries to console Dyliah. I know it seems like a hopeless situation and all, but you've got to stay strong, lass! We'll get through this- you'll get through this- and that rat bastard will get what's coming. You just have to stay strong for a little while longer Ellwyn- err, Dyliah. The elf at least stirs in response to Brick's words. Ellwyn? Is that someone you knew or something? His face a shade of red that looks awkward on his craggy features, Brick looks away and says Uh, well, don't worry about it.
Brick's attempts to protect Dyliah prove moot, as she is quickly removed from service. This is a relief for Brick, as not only will she be spared Ciel's cruel whims, but she'll now be a much harder target for retaliation. In what may be related, Ciel's treatment toward him and Arlen improved drastically following Dyliah's removal. The coliseum bouts have stopped, as have the other arbitrary punishments. He is distraught upon hearing that Ciel got away with practically sabotaging a mission, but sees a silver lining. The assassin may not be in any visible trouble, but he's probably on some kind of probation. This seems like the perfect time to strike, Brick thinks. I may not be strong enough to kill him with one blow yet, but if I lose, I can at least get him expelled. He trains intensely while the crew is in the Abyss, but regrettably, Brick is unable to land a hit on Ciel at all, and the assassin gives him a slap on the wrist, his expression all but saying that he had seen through Brick's ploy.
He does not utterly fall into despair, as he eventually runs into Mako during one of his library trips. After thanking her profusely for helping Dyliah, he becomes friends with her, eager to be around someone who shows Ciel the complete lack of respect the assassin deserves. The homeliness and close-knit nature of Mako's quarters reminds Brick of his home town, and he spends time there being sociable when he is able, not worried about retaliation since she has already made it clear she's repeatedly crossed the assassin.
Conversely, he is shocked to see the catwoman beginning to spend more time with Ciel. From a distance, she struck him as a good person, but if she's willing to get friendly with that monster, there must be a lot of darkness in there after all. Brick will certainly remember that. He continues training, striving for that perfect killing blow.
When some weird robot thing makes its move on the Observatory, Brick is all too quick to jump aboard. It seems far preferable to serving further years under a goddess who seems to have no intention of giving Ciel his comeuppance. Rounding up the others is somewhat uncomfortable, but he is relieved to see that he is not the only one with a grudge against his master. When Ozzang'ac returns alone and is converted, he is further convinced that he's joined the winning side.
Brick is caught of guard when Ciel is not with the party upon their return. At the same time, he is relieved he doesn't have to potentially try and kill Mako, though if anyone would have understood his reasons and stood aside for him, she would have. Used to acting the tough guy by now, he gives his spiel and launches at the next best target available.
----------------------------------------------
Once again, Brick is fatally wounded in the chest and left bleeding out. Retribution has alluded him yet again. The dying warrior attempts to speak, but blood gushing from his mouth makes this difficult. The worst of his past having flashed before his eyes, he weakly gurgles No... justice... in this... world...
There is no void this time, no regeneration by archons or magical pillows. Brick sees a light, and rubs his eyes, unable to believe what he sees. His wife and children are beckoning him to the whiteness ahead. Slowly, steadily, he floats toward them. There will be no justice for Brick, but he may yet find peace the second time around in the Astral Sea.
Will sit down and post shortly!))