Chapter 158: Claudia
Jon found himself in a world under siege by an encroaching Darkness, a realm where nightmarish creatures roamed freely.
As the heavy iron gate creaked open, Jon stepped into a corridor that seemed to swallow all light, its walls and floor tarnished with the patina of rust and the dark smears of old blood.
He emerged from the gate, which closed behind him with a resounding clang, sealing him inside. Jon proceeded down the corridor, his footsteps the only sound aside from the distant, haunting howls of unseen monsters that filled the air with a sense of dread.
He continued until he rounded a corner and was suddenly confronted by a grotesque monster. It was a mass of flesh, lacking any facial features, its limbs twisted in unnatural ways. Jon didn't flinch; he raised his gun and fired without a second's pause.
The creature fell, and its demise was met with a chorus of angry cries from its kin, all identical horrors hidden in the shadows.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
Jon's high-tech gun roared as he fired again and again, obliterating the approaching monsters with precise, deadly shots.
After ensuring the immediate area was clear of threats, Jon began to put away his pulse gun.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the sound of footsteps approaching.
Clap, clap, clap.
Then, the soft but distinct sound of someone clapping echoed through the corridor.
Jon turned toward the noise and saw a woman slowly making her way towards him. She was middle-aged, with long, flowing white hair, and her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
But Jon's gaze was fierce, his eyes reflecting a fiery intensity as he recognized the embodiment of sin in this woman.
"Is this all your doing?" Jon asked, his voice steady and cold.
The woman didn't directly answer his question. Instead, she spoke with a casual tone, "I'm quite impressed with you, young man. You can enter that girl's dreams and stand up to these monsters without a hint of fear. But," her face shifted to a look of annoyance, "do you understand the magnitude of the plan you're interfering with?"
"I'm well aware," Jon responded with unwavering calm. "You're attempting to summon gods, aren't you, Claudia?"
Claudia was visibly shaken when Jon not only addressed her by name but also pinpointed her grand scheme.
As a pivotal figure in the movie sequel and the story's primary villain, Claudia was a fervent cult leader and the high priestess of the Silent Hill cult. Her life's mission was the 'God Descending' project, an endeavor to summon their deity into the world. Jon had pieced together her identity from her distinct appearance and her ability to navigate this otherworldly realm without any sign of astonishment.
"Who exactly are you?" Claudia demanded, her gaze sharp and probing. She had hoped to unsettle him with her enigmatic presence, but Jon had effortlessly seen through her guise, prompting her to question him.
"There's no need for you to know my identity. What you should understand is that you're not making it out of here today," Jon declared, pointing his gun directly at Claudia.
"Hold on!" Claudia instinctively raised her hands in defense.
But Jon was resolute. A beam of pulsing light erupted from his weapon, and a brilliant blue energy streaked towards Claudia's head.
A deafening explosion followed, and blood and tissue flew in all directions. However, the victim of Jon's shot wasn't Claudia; it was a monster that had thrown itself in front of her at the last second. Jon scanned the area for Claudia, only to find she had disappeared without leaving a single clue behind.
"You're quick to escape~," Jon remarked icily, then holstered his weapon.
He didn't waste time pondering why Claudia was there; he had already surmised a portion of her motives.
Thirty years prior, the church had condemned a girl named Alessa to flames, and in response, she transformed into a demon, plunging the entire town into a hellish state as retribution, ensnaring the church within Silent Hill. They could only leave occasionally by special means, and even then, at a great cost.
Alessa had separated her benevolent side from herself, converting it into an infant and sending it to an orphanage. This benevolent side was Sharon, whom Jon had previously encountered. Meanwhile, Alessa's malevolent aspect became the terror that haunted Silent Hill, dominating the fears of all its residents.
Since Alessa's soul was fragmented, the church was unable to destroy her. They needed Sharon to return to Silent Hill and reunite with Alessa, restoring her soul to its complete state before they could attempt to end her existence.
Claudia's appearance and her deployment of the Darkness monsters to stall Jon were clearly tactics to gain time.
If Jon's assumptions were accurate, Rose and Sharon were already en route to Silent Hill. Claudia needed to delay Jon to ensure Sharon's arrival preceded his, thus safeguarding the fulfillment of her plan.
Yet, Jon was undeterred. He had faced the so-called god in the game; as the final boss, even an average person could vanquish it with a firearm. For Jon, it was merely a target to be set ablaze.
The only entity in Silent Hill that could potentially challenge Jon was Alessa herself!
After all, Alessa was the architect of both the tangible world and the shadowy realm of Silent Hill.
With this knowledge, Jon didn't hesitate any longer and made his way toward Silent Hill.
His powers now included the ability to wield the Darkhold, which could allow him to escape the Darkness and return to the real world. However, Jon saw no advantage in doing so; staying within the Darkness could save him precious time.
The original narrative dictated that Rose and Sharon would be ensnared within the world of Darkness.
Furthermore, Jon had less to worry about in the Darkness. In the real world, he would need to drive and navigate around potential complications, but here, in this deserted Darkness, he could call upon Igris without concern.
With this in mind, Jon hastened his steps outside. As he encountered the monsters that littered the landscape, a slight smile crossed his face. He gestured with his hand, summoning the long-absent Igris.
A fiery dragon materialized, and Jon mounted its back with ease. He then issued a command to Igris.
Roarrrrrr!
The dragon let out a thunderous roar, soaring into the sky. Flames gathered in its maw as it glared down at the swarming, insignificant monsters below.
To the average person, these creatures were grotesque, fearsome, and the stuff of nightmares. But beneath the mighty gaze of Igris, they were rendered powerless. They were mere ants.
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