The Coming Darkness
From his old, worn chair, he stared out the window of his room. Here he could overlook his estate. Of particular interest was the car pulling up to the front of his home. It was a shiny, gloss black, decorated with the usual red, white and black flags. The display disgusted him. Bringing up his fist, Paul coughed loudly, his lungs spasming from the vile cancer that ate them from the inside out. He struggled against the momentary convulsions for a short time before regaining control of himself.It had been like this for some time. His lungs no longer cooperated, instead choosing to disobey him, to mutiny and produce that vile, black substance. Each day, his life ticked away, every cough bringing him closer to the end. Though perhaps it was for the best. His beloved Fatherland was quickly changing before his very eyes. Strange men were coming in to power, good men were dying in the streets. All of it was strange, none of it anything he agreed with.
A knock came at the door from one of his servants. It was an announcement he'd hoped wouldn't have come. "Herr Hindenburg, the Chancellor has arrived." Lowering his head, Hindenburg raised his hand, motioning for the servant to bring him up. He didn't want to see that man. The Chancellor had thought him a fool, but Hindenburg knew of the man's antics. There was a time when he thought the man might see reason, but it was long past.
The sound of approaching boats echoed the now empty halls. Many of his servants had been given the day off, his family told to go some place far from this house. This was not something he wanted them to become caught in.
Looking up, he saw the man standing in the doorway. He'd grown stronger since their last encounter, radiating charisma and charm. Hindenburg was no fool, he stared the man down much the same way he'd faced down the British and French many times during the Great War. "What do you want, Hitler." Hindenburg spat the name, remaining in his seat. Adolf forced a feeble smile, his brown outfit tailored to hide his somewhat slender frame. His strength was not one of Germany, it was another power, one far darker than Hindenburg thought the young Chancellor would turn to.
"Come now, is that any way to greet the Chancellor of the Fatherland?" he purred, the shadows on his face deepening with each syllable.
"It is a greeting for cowards who dare prey on tired, old men." Hindenburg shot him a withering glance as he spoke, his eyes only briefly connecting with the younger man's. Hitler had lost even the faint smile he had worn before, a deep scowl sitting beneath that slender mustache of his.
Growling, Hitler brought an accusing finger to the old man's chest, "Be careful how you speak, old man. My power has grown since we last met, no longer do I rest in your shadow. Now, my star is on the rise, soon to outshine all others." Clenching his fist, Hitler's arm crackled with energy. A red and black skein of energy wound its way around his arm, cracking and spitting erratically.
"Now, give me the stone." Hitler commanded. Narrowing his eyes, Hindenburg lifted his head. No longer did he stare at the ground, now he stared the young head of the Nazi party in the eye.
"Never." his voice was deeper than the Koenigssee, far stronger than any deranged howls. Rising from his seat, he threw his arms out, sending a great shock wave towards the small Austrian man across from him. It ripped at the floor boards, hurling the great bed against the far wall as though it were but brush in the wind. Raising his arms over his face, Hitler steadied himself against the attack, the heels of his boots scoring deep grooves in the wood beneath him. The attack forced him back, inch by inch, leaving him standing beneath the door frame.
Lowering his arms, he found himself staring into the eyes of Hindenburg, only a half step away. The massive man's fist descended towards him with shocking speed, a mighty crack resounding throughout the estate as it tore through the door frame. Narrowing evading the mighty attack, Hitler rolled to the side, his arms flashing with power. "Give me the stone! Let me rebuild Germany!" Hitler shrieked as crimson bolts of power lashed out at Hindenburg. Batting aside the attack, Hindenburg leaped after him. Another mighty blow from his fist burst through a wall that had sat behind Hitler's head, sending the shattered mass of wood out of the manor.
"I will never surrender Germany to your madness!" Hindenburg bellowed. Swinging his hands back, he brought them together with a resounding crash. From the impact, another shock wave rippled outward, turning ancient wood to splinters, ages old paintings and statues to little more than shredded canvas and powder. Still, Hitler remained, his body seething with dark energies.
Darting towards the older man, Hitler brought his fists up, slamming into Hindenburg's chest with a quick series of blows. Taking a half step back, Hindenburg took the hits with little more than a grimace. Swinging his broad arms downward in return, he again nearly crushed the nimble man. Instead his fists found the floor, smashing through with ease. Both men tumbled downward through the debris, Hindenburg's fists swinging with all the force of the Rheine while Hitler twisted and contorted to evade each blow.
Hindenburg met the ground first, smashing a lavishly decorated couch. Hitler landed on the man's chest, one hand wrapped around Hindenburg's collar while the other fist slammed into the old man's face. Over and over he brought it down, energy coursing through his clenched fingers and into Hindenburg's body. Blood ran down Hindenburg's face, dripping onto his neck. Holding back his next blow, Hitler looked down at Hindenburg, "Give me the stone and I might let you live."
Smirking, Hindenburg spat a thick wad of phlegm into the Chancellor's face, "You'd have better luck asking the French to tear up the Travesty of Versailles." As Hitler wiped the bloody mess from his face, Hindenburg swung a fist up. This time, his blow connected, launching Hitler backwards through the wall behind him. Rising, he chased after him, smashing through the debris of each wall Hitler plowed through. Hindenburg followed him through the dining hall, the kitchen, even through the pantry, hardly slowed by the falling remains of each wall Hitler had flown through. Every bounding leap that Hindenburg took allowed him to rain even more blows upon the flailing man, great fists only adding to the unending momentum imparted on the helpless Chancellor.
Erupting from the side of the house, Hitler tumbled across the surrounding lawn of Hindenburg's home. His body rolled and flipped, tearing up the lawn as he went. As soon as he came to a halt, Hindenburg was upon him. The man brought a great fist around Hitler's throat, squeezing the life from him. "I should have killed you long ago Adolf. I have watched your machinations for far too long. Germany will not be plunged into darkness a second time!" he roared, drawing in the great power that was invested to him. His fingers tightened, twisting and crushing the Austrian's neck. Yet, no matter how he tried, he could not crush the man's throat.
Smiling through bloody teeth, Hitler reached up, pressing a palm to Hindenburg's chest. A sharp crack echoed across the estate, as well as a momentary flash, though Hindenburg still remained atop the Chancellor. "Is that all? I had expected more from you." Hauling Hitler up by his throat, Hindenburg bodily hurled him back into the house, sending him crashing through yet another wall. No sooner had Hitler vanished from sight did Hindenburg find himself coughing and hacking into a closed fist. As he brought it away from his mouth, he found it covered in some sort of thick, black tar. Unsure of this revelation, he bounded off into the house, intent on finishing the younger man.
"You should perhaps see a doctor, old man." Hitler's voice crooned from some hidden corner. Standing at the heart of his entrance hall, Hindenburg turned, searching for the source of the voice, "Perhaps it was something you ate?" Hitler chided.
"Mighty words for a cowering sorcerer. Come down and fight like a true German!" Hindenburg's voice boomed through the empty halls, sending a faint vibration through the estate. Slowly, he turned, listening intently for the inevitable response. Lungs weakening, he felt his body wracked with sudden spasms. From his mouth came more of the black tar, mixed with the blood of the effort needed to expel such a toxin.
As he rose, Hitler landed upon the mighty man's back, fists slamming into him. Again the arcane energies flowed from every strike, burning their way through Hindenburg's body. Roaring in anger, he thrashed wildly about, seeking to dislodge the Chancellor. Leaping free of the man's back, Hitler took with him a ragged strip of the President's coat.
Throwing them aside, Hitler brought his hands to bear. Bolts of eldritch lightning sprung forth, scouring the man's flesh. Flesh popping and boiling, Hindenburg howled in agony. Grabbing a toppled marble statue of a German soldier, the President flung it at the sorcerer before him. His attack landed uselessly on the floor where Hitler had been a moment earlier, Hitler rolling aside with ease. Hindenburg darted forward, hefting up the fallen statue in his hand before swinging it into Hitler's chest. Sent flying once more, Hitler crashed through the ceiling, disappearing into the third story.
As he prepared to follow, Hindenburg's legs gave out beneath him, leaving him kneeling on the floor. The black tar drained from his mouth, pooling on the carpet beneath him. His lungs refused him now, unable to draw even the slightest breath. It was all he could do to keep from collapsing to the ground.
A short distance away, Chancellor Hitler landed gracefully. Patting himself down, he slowly approached the weakened President. "Trickery...sorcery!" Hindenburg managed between gasps.
"Oh Paul," Hitler leaned in, gently lifting Hindenburg's face to look at him, "You should know that I will do whatever it takes to restore Germany to its former glory." Hindenburg tried to speak, but found himself hurled backwards from the force of Hitler's sorcerous blow. Landing on his back, he felt the tar bubbling up from his lungs, draining down the sides of his face.
All he could see then was a great shadow looming over him, over Germany. Hitler stood over him, a foot planted on the President's chest. As the last of his strength left him, Hitler released him, kneeling beside him once more. With a thrust of his hand, Hitler pierced Hindenburg's chest. Gasping, Hindenburg desperately tried to muster the strength to force the Chancellor away, but it was no use. Already, Hitler's fingers closed around that which kept him alive. With a violent snap, Hitler ripped the Rheine Stone free of Hindenburg's rib cage, leaving the man finally lifeless.
