Chapter 11: Red Pill, Blue Pill
As we ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, my uncontrollable sneezes echoed through the tranquil surroundings. A perfect white blanket blanketed the trees, casting a haunting spell over the winter landscape.
Amidst my discomfort, I couldn't help but marvel at the captivating beauty unfolding before me. The snow-covered scene mesmerised my senses, yet its allure carried an unsettling undertone, amplifying the eerie atmosphere.
Navigating through the woods, my persistent sneezes grated on my nerves, provoking frustration to bubble within me. Unable to contain my irritation any longer, I grumbled, "This place is stunning and all, but do we really have to fight here? I know a spot downtown where you guys can duke it ou-"
"Shhh..." Killer Frost silenced me abruptly, her icy gaze piercing through me as she detected another heat signature nearby.
"He's here. Stay put and don't interfere unless necessary," she commanded, her revulsion apparent in her expression, threatening dire consequences if I disobeyed.
"I was planning to do just that," I retorted, swiftly deploying my grappling hook to the pinnacle of a towering tree. As I hoisted myself aloft, suspending any further communication, I observed their fight from above.
...
Oh, here we go.
As Killer Frost entered Cisco's line of sight, they engaged in their usual banter, but it quickly escalated into a fierce battle. The air crackled with tension as their powers clashed, each trying to gain the upper hand. Killer Frost, fuelled by a determination to prove herself, unleashed a barrage of icicles, each aimed at killing Cisco.
As I watched the fight unfold, frustration and regret filled my thoughts. I had believed I had successfully persuaded her away from the path of killing, but it seemed I didn't truly know her at all. Sighing bitterness welled up within me, only to be replaced by a flicker of hope in the next moment.
A blast of absolute zero energy sent Cisco crashing to the ground, incapacitated and shivering from the bone-chilling cold. Helpless, he lay there, at the mercy of Killer Frost's next move. But then, a fleeting moment of hesitation passed through her piercing blue eyes. It was a crucial opening for Cisco to counterattack with a vibe blast of his own, propelling Killer Frost into a nearby tree and swiftly reversing the situation.
"Oh shit," I muttered, the expletive escaping my lips involuntarily.
Swiftly donning my mask, I brushed off the popcorn crumbs from my gloves and landed next to Cisco. Before he could defend himself, I struck him in the throat, silencing him with a gasp of shock and disbelief. His faltering figure careened to the ground, emitting desperate choking sounds as he desperately fought for air, clutching his throat with trembling hands. As he lay there, helpless and vulnerable, I levelled my pistol, its cold barrel aimed unwaveringly at his head, warning him from making any sudden movements.
But just as I was about to pull the trigger, Savitar appeared before us, clutching a metallic, futuristic device pulsating with energy. His commanding presence filled the air, and I hesitated, my finger hovering over the trigger.
"Keep him alive," Savitar commanded, his voice laced with authority.
"What? Why?" Killer Frost rose to her feet, her voice carrying the tone of a child denied permission to stay up late.
"Because I need him and Jason to construct something for us," he explained.
Before he could elaborate further, Savitar's breathing grew heavy, and he clutched his head as if experiencing a severe migraine.
"Savitar?" I inquired, concern lacing my voice.
Leaning against a nearby tree for support, he lowered the Speed Force bazooka and spoke, his voice strained, "Something's wrong."
"What is it?" Killer Frost frowned, displaying her own unease.
"She's not dead," Savitar revealed, surprise evident in his voice for the first time since I had encountered him.
"How is that possible?" Killer Frost asked, her frustration giving way to confusion.
"H.R. He took her place," he responded, his words revealing a hidden truth.
"But you said H.R. survived," Killer Frost's confusion deepened.
"NOT ANYMORE!" Savitar snapped, his outburst causing her to recoil in fear.
"If Iris didn't die..." My voice trailed off, realisation dawning upon me.
Then Savitar will never be born.
"That means the future is changing," Cisco interjected. His voice was tinged with both relief and sadness.
"And so is yours," Savitar declared menacingly, as he swiftly ran us all to his lair, the world shifting around us in a blur of motion
...
Upon returning to Savitar's lair, Savitar hurled Cisco to the ground with a forceful thud. Cisco, however, couldn't resist taunting him while chuckling.
"Oh, you better have a plan B, 'cause I don't think your plan A worked out too well."
God, this guy never shuts up. I rolled my eyes, tuned out their banter, and focused on the task at hand. I started gathering the necessary tools to construct the Inter-dimensional Quantum Splicer that Savitar needed me to build.
"Hand me the box, will you?" I motioned towards the box positioned near Killer Frost, who seemed to be studying me intently.
"So, this is how you came up with the idea of helping me," she deduced, her voice laced with curiosity.
I paused for a moment, catching her meaning. "Yeah, pretty much. You could say Savitar did help you embrace who you truly are," I replied, attempting to lighten the mood. I took the box from her, carefully placing it beside the Speed Force Bazooka. With preparations complete, I leaned against the wall, contemplating my next move.
Should I split? Savitar is about to be dead anyway. But what about Rebekah? Can he truly succeed in his plan and uphold our deal?
Doubts swirled in my mind as I pondered future countermeasures. However, before any further ideas could take shape, something Savitar uttered snapped me out of my thoughts.
As Cisco rejected his offer to help him become a God, Savitar phased his hand through the air, pointing menacingly at his chest, threatening to end his life, or at least that is what it seemed.
"That's your plan? Do it or you'll reverse-flash me?" Cisco challenged, eyeing the hand that is blurring in and out of existence, dangerously close to his heart.
"Not you. Her." Savitar shook his head, a twisted smile forming as he pointed towards Killer Frost, who was nonchalantly painting her nails across the room.
The moment those words left Savitar's lips, doubt flooded my mind like a tempest of uncertainty, threatening to sweep away any semblance of confidence. Could I really trust Savitar to keep his end of the bargain? What if he saw me as nothing more than a disposable pawn, just like he did with Frost? The image of his vibrating hand thrusting through my chest, ending my life, sent a shiver down my spine.
Is it really worth hurting all these people (Team Flash) just because I want to get my happy life back?
The moral ambiguity of my choices pressed heavily upon me, overshadowing my desperate desire to reclaim what I have lost.
The more I pondered, the more the doubt gnawed at my resolve.
Pulling out a crumpled photo from my pocket, I clutched it tightly in my hand, my fingers trembling. It depicted a moment frozen in time—a snapshot of me and her on our first date, smiles illuminating our faces. Looking at it now, the bittersweet memories stirred conflicting emotions within me.
Damn it. I cursed inwardly, the frustration mingling with my doubts. Despite the storm raging within me, I couldn't find a definitive answer. In the end, I made the choice to proceed with the plan, hoping it would lead to the end I wanted. But doubts persisted, like persistent whispers in the depths of my mind, questioning whether my decision was the right one.
At the same time, Savitar concluded his threat to Cisco and turned to me, issuing an order.
"Jason, help Cisco with the Inter-dimensional Quantum Splicer and ensure he doesn't cause any trouble."
Nodding in acknowledgment, I presented Cisco with the tools and began working on the Inter-dimensional Quantum Splicer alongside him.
...
I felt a growing suspicion as I observed his actions and decided to confront him. "Hey, have you checked the polarity of the climbing ark?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Yeah, I did. It's fine," he replied, but his nervous body language betrayed him. A gulp slipped down his throat, and beads of sweat streamed down his forehead.
"Okay, let me see." I pushed him aside and inspected it. Can't say I was surprised when I discovered that Cisco had tampered with the polarity, altering the effects of the splicer.
"Wow, trying to double-cross us. Who couldn't see that coming?" I mused as I restored the polarity to its original state.
"Why are you even helping him? You know he won't uphold his end of whatever deal you two made?" Cisco snapped, frustrated that I had uncovered his motives.
"He will," I replied, though my belief in my own words wavered. But I guess they were right—love had made me blind to certain things.
As Killer Frost walked in, she spotted our inactivity and assumed we had completed the task. "Is it finished?" she asked.
"Yeah, it's finished," I confirmed with a nod.
"Fantastic," she smiled, oblivious to the betrayal that had taken place.
"You know Savitar will turn on both of you one day," Cisco persisted, desperate to change Killer Frost's mind.
"No, he won't," Killer Frost smiled, shaking her head, still holding onto hope that Savitar was her friend.
"A bad guy like Savitar always turns on his partners." Cisco continued, his voice filled with frustration.
"Not this time," Killer Frost replied.
Killer Frost replied confidently, her faith unwavering.
"Wake up!" Cisco slammed his hand on the table, his desperation evident. "You're only saying that because he needs something from both of you. Once he's done, it's over for the both of you. Why do you even think he would help both of you? Once he becomes God, he won't need both of you anymore."
"We had a deal," I responded, trying to convince myself as much as Cisco.
"Do you really think he'll risk his godhood to save your wife? The timeline would unravel, and there's no telling how the future would change. He won't take that risk," Cisco said, distressed.
Before we could say anything else, Savitar returned, a gust of wind blowing past us.
"How did it go?" Killer Frost asked eagerly.
"As I expected, I was a fool to think otherwise," Savitar spat, his disappointment evident.
"Where did he go? What did you do?" Cisco asked, worried about his friends.
Ignoring Cisco, Savitar asked, "Is it finished?"
"Yes," I confirmed, my mind racing with conflicting thoughts.
Savitar motioned for Killer Frost to eliminate Cisco, but before she could make a move, a sudden portal appeared, snatching Cisco by the collar and whisking him away from the lair.
Noticing that Savitar remained motionless, Killer Frost questioned, "Don't you care that they got away?"
"No, it doesn't matter. It's time," he replied, shaking his head and lifting the Splicer, preparing to depart.
In the midst of all this chaos, I found myself caught between two choices—should I betray Savitar or help him become a God?
Savitar had clearly shown he had no regard for his teammates and wouldn't hesitate to eliminate Killer Frost or me in an instant. What were the chances of him actually helping me? Cisco was right, I needed to be honest with myself. Helping me would mean risking his ascension, and I knew deep down he would never take that risk.
My mind raced as I weighed the options. "Shit. Shit. Shit," I cursed under my breath, my gaze fixed on the enigmatic object lying just a few meters away from me.
Should I take it?
Time seemed to stand still as Savitar's words, "It's time," echoed in my ears. The urgency of the moment snapped me back to reality, leaving me with only a split second to decide. In that fleeting moment, I silenced my doubts and fears, allowing a surge of determination to take over. Screw it, it's better than nothing, I thought, snatching the pouch containing the object and swiftly putting it into my pocket.
The weight of my decision settled upon me as the world blurred around us, and we emerged in a clearing adorned with ancient stone monuments.
"Today I become a God." Savitar declared.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone