Genesis Chronicorum β1: Hellfire

Chapter 40: Endgame

"Sanctuary!! Sanctuary!! Sanctuary!" yelled Quasimodo from the top of the cathedral, holding Esmeralda in his arms and lifting her over his head. Claude heard the people cheer happily, knowing the horror was half over, knowing Maria was still alive to hurt him once more. He couldn't let this go away, he needed to act, to keep his promise and make the deed he needed and wanted to complete. "Captain! Seize the cathedral!" yelled an angry Claude to his new and obedient captain.  Claude was out of control, he had to make everything possible to stop his enemies and his new one. He revealed his true nature to everyone, he was not a saint nor a merciful person, the fire inside him burned bigger and hotter, threatening the hands that tried to put him out. Were the people so wrong to trust him? Their minister? As their protector? Was Quasi wrong to trust him? Was the world cruel to someone like him for his deformity? 

"Pick up that beam! Break down the door!" Claude yelled at the top of his lungs giving orders to soldiers who were starting to grow tired and scared of the cathedral's wrath. Quasimodo did his best to help his friends in keeping the soldiers out of his home, dropping rocks, wood, and catapults. Claude was looking at his men attempting to infiltrate the church as he heard Phoebus making a speech to the people of Notre Dame and helping the other gypsies escape their prison. Claude felt like something was impaling him, he finally had everyone in his clutches and now they were falling and escaping him. His only option now was to kill them all without a proper execution, fate was playing with his patience and what little sanity he had left. "This...is your doing, my darling." said the same female voice that warned him to look behind. Beside Claude stood Maria, or her ghost, a mockery made for him. She swore he saw fire in his eyes, threatening to pour out and devour anything close to him. She was alive, in a way, in one way he never wished for.

"Look at our people. Look at what you have created. Civil war against those you swore to help with your mother. War in my child's heart, the son you stole from me...If I were you, I would leave Paris now...or put an end to this madness you caused." whispered Maria. She was directing her words to his mind, only for him to hear. Claude felt so many emotions, the innocent boy wanted to hug and cry but the other wanted to strangle her and make her suffer; In the end, he knew exactly what he had to do. "This is all YOUR fault. You should have chosen me, not him. You played with my feelings, poisoned my mind with such thoughts for the future, and for what? I will help the demon that you call son reach you, and your little vessel that has been a curse upon this earth. You should have run away from Paris when I warned you all those years, and you did not listen, Maria. This is your doing, your mess." said Claude approaching the specter. His hands lunged to her neck, but she suddenly disappeared like smoke. Like the smoke that was coming out of the fire that was being poured out of the tower by Quasimodo to scare the remaining guards away. Claude grabbed a sword and hid it in his scabbard, he knew it was time to put an end to two more lives like before, and he knew exactly how to, the old trick he used on Jacque. 

He managed to get inside the cathedral without burning himself, the plaza was becoming hell itself as the fire spread and the smoke covered the sky in black and red, almost as if Notre Dame was representing Claude's inner hellfire. He had to care for Phoebus and the rest, later on, he desired to destroy Maria and his son once and for all. Once Claude entered the hall Jehan confronted him, another obstacle for him. "Frollo, have you gone mad? I will not tolerate this assault on the house of God!" cried Jehan, blocking his brother's way. It was the second time Claude heard Jehan call him Frollo, like others, would call Jacque by their family name, it was a symbol that they were the cruelest people of Notre Dame, but Claude had finally accepted that he was just like their father and, in a way, Jehan was like Jacque too, following orders and fulfilling his duty. "Silence you old fool! The hunchback and I have unfinished business to attend to. And this time you will not interfere!" said Claude, so impatient he had to push his brother away, and let him fall down the stairs that led to the bell tower. Jehan seemed he got hurt but he was too scared for Quasimodo to worry about any injury. Claude shut the door behind him with locked it, making sure no one stops him, Jehan wasn't there to protect Quasimodo again. Claude would take matters into his own hands and do what he should've done many years ago. "Don't do it...it will mean your greatest sin, my son," said Laverne's voice in the air, Claude looked down to see the gargoyle statues and watched as one came to live, Laverne's. She had always been watching him and Quasimodo through the eyes of the statue, it was a hunch Claude had all the time but kept denying to not look crazy. "You have fallen so low. You will fall lower after I am done with him. Witch."

Claude opened the door to see a sobbing Quasimodo, hugging Esmeralda's body. Claude had done it, he killed Maria. The ghost he saw earlier was hers wandering about before being dragged down to the abyss. Quasimodo's spirit was broken and with that, Claude can put an end to the poor creature he had to raise and call his son. "It was my duty. Horrible as it was. I hope you can forgive me. There, there, Quasimodo. I know it hurts, but now the time has come to end your suffering." said Claude as he placed on hand on Quasimodo. He remembered he had his dagger that day, the one he used to stab his father and others, he knew it had to be used only for family matters. Matters like getting rid of Pierre Gringoire for stealing Maria away from him, his future, his saint. Claude held it tight in his other hand and raised it above Quasi, ready to stab him dead. In an instant, Quasi turns around to stop and hold Claude's attack, he was stronger than Claude. So strong he managed to take the dagger from Claude and push him away. Claude tripped back to a corner and supported himself on the wall.

Claude: Now now. Listen to me, Quasimodo.

Quasimodo: No, you listen! All my life you have told me that the world is a dark, cruel place. But now, I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you!

Quasi's words were like knives cutting through Claude's insides. Some words sound like he would say to Jacque but never dared to. For once Claude admitted to himself that he was impressed by Quasi's courage, one he didn't have before Maria. It made Claude think he was as cruel as his father, becoming the monster he never wanted to be. Both men heard Esmeralda's voice, weak, low but alive. Claude saw how she was trying to sit up and search for Quasi, Claude had failed, but not for long. "She lives..." Claude unsheathes his sword, ready to taste some blood and cut them dead, Quasi knew what was to happen, he picked up Esmeralda and ran out the balcony, making sure Claude doesn't keep up but he was smarter than that. Claude followed the younglings out to witness an empty path, no one was around and then he remembered Quasimodo had been a very good climber, so good Claude sometimes had to scold him harshly for it, in case he would escape and run away. 

With his sword in hand, Claude looked over the edge to find Quasi holding onto one of the small gargoyles as Esmeralda held onto him. "Leaving so soon?" said Claude before swinging his sword at them, attempting to hurt them, Quasi dodged the hit, however, Claude swung his sword again and again to the point they were cornered, unable to escape Claude. He saw how he swung Esmeralda up to touch the balcony floor, but Claude didn't care about Esmeralda at the time. He focused on killing Quasimodo first, who was keeping balance so he wouldn't fall. "I should have known you'd risk your life to save that gypsy witch. Just as your own mother died trying to save you. " said Claude, trying to hide his grudge against Maria. He remembered that night, the day he pushed her and hit her head on the steps of Notre Dame. Quasimodo was shocked to hear such revelation coming from the person who had raised and taken care of him, his own master killed his mother, and at what cost? "Now I'm going to do what I should have done 20 years ago!" yelled Claude.

He swung his cape to Quasi's face, covering it, and distracting him. He pulled it down to make Quasi fall, he succeeded but Quasi pulled the cape to drag Claude with him. However, Esmeralda quickly held Quasimodo's hand and Claude was holding onto Quasi who was holding his cape, trying to give Claude a second chance "Enough of this nonsense, Claude. Fate will punish you!" Yzanami's voice echoed in his mind. Claude had the idea to drag himself on another gargoyle and lift himself, leaving Quasi and Esmeralda stuck in place. Both of them were vulnerable, "Think about the consequences Claude!" a voice said in his mind, it was Claude's chance to strike and end it "Don't become the monster your father was!" yelled Maria. As soon as Claude got back on his feet on the structure, he cackled at the sight, it was time.

"And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!!" Yelled Claude, lifting the sword to his head. He felt the gargoyle holding him crack, so violently that he lost his balance and drop the sword. He held onto the gargoyle, so they were face to face.  For the first time in many years, he was afraid, afraid that it was his final minute on earth. As the stone was cracking, Claude swore he saw the face of the gargoyle come to life. He recognized the face before fate decided his outcome. He saw his father's face smirking at him, a devilish smile, knowing he had come to take Claude with him to hell. Claude spotted Yzanami on the edge of the balcony in front of him, she couldn't help him, could not interact. "Look at you. We warned you so many tines, my dear. My creators, Laverne, even me. Fate has chosen a better life for you...by my side." said she as she took Claude's emerald ring from his finger. Claude's eyes widen and his mouth let out a gasp and then a scream as the gargoyled Jacque broke and Claude hugged the stone as both fell into the fire.

And everything went black as father and son fell like angels...