The Slender Man (a Hetalia fanfiction - Book 2)

Chapter 21 - It's Not Over Yet

Omniscient P.O.V

The pain and despair is unbearable. The second Rosalie saw Romano's lifeless body, it shattered her completely. She's unable to think, unable to do what should come naturally, like breathing.
They found him too late.
She has to gasp a breath of air after every minute or so, because she keeps forgetting to breathe. She can't breathe, not with the love of her life laying lifeless before her.
The grief is all she knew. She can hear the voices of the others in the background, but they're muffled compared to the laughter that rings through her ears.
The voice that's recently been bugging her shouted words that only elude her at the moment.
"You let him die! You killed him! Ahahahahaha! Look at what your stupidity has led to, now! Did you really think you could save him!?"
However, Romano, or his soul, stared at Rosalie, watching her fall apart before his very eyes.
"She thinks I'm dead," he whispered.
"Well, you kind of are," the small boy standing next to him said.
"Do you children know how they can...come back?" England asked, a little bit hesitant with his words.
"You'll have to ask him," the girl who is named Alexis said. "He is in control their souls."
"How in the world do we ask him?" England's eyebrow furrowed in confusion. All he knew was that if he faced Slender Man, then he could take him.
America is concerned, for both Rosalie's and England's sake. First off, Rosalie's dead, and now England is talking to his imaginary friends. He's even heard him say Italy and Romano, as if he's talking to them!
America decided to go to Rosalie first, kneeling next to her and setting his hand on her shoulder.
He tried to make her meet his gaze, but she's almost lifeless herself.
She won't respond to anything. Tears fell silently from her eyes and dripped onto her arms, which lay in front of her, holding Romano's head to her.
America sighed softly, now looking up at the others. Spain is in despair too, not as bad as Rosalie, but still pretty bad. His eyes are filled with tears that had yet to be shed, and he hadn't stood up from his downfall yet. He feels...awful.
It was a shock that what he had tripped over was Romano's body, the boy he had raised, and now his mind can't process it.
Japan looks down at Romano's body, but he has worry in his dark eyes. What would Italy feel about this, if he doesn't already know? Is...Italy as lifeless as his brother? If he's still alive, he'll have to take over for his brother.
Germany seems to be stuck, not sure of what to do. He should be a leader at a time like this, but his thoughts held him back. How did this happen? What about Italy?
China had broke from his shock not too long ago, now is staring with pity and sadness at Romano, and then the young Rosalie.
Russia wasn't sure of what to do. Does he carry on like this is nothing? No. He feels pity too, and now he's curious as to what Slender Man would do next.
France and Prussia are next to Spain, there for him, but they're not sure of what to do either. They know that they can't exactly comfort him in this kind of situation at the moment, they know how close Romano was to Spain.
Canada is confused about why England is talking into thin air and saddened by the sight before him. He's not sure what to do. What can he do in a situation like this?
The air is heavy and the only sound there is was England's voice, but none of them can really understand what he's saying through how loud their thoughts are at the time.
"Wh-What do we do...?" Italy murmured softly, relieved to see all his friends again, but...he's hardly even alive. He's just a spirit now, right? The only one who can see him, Romano, and the children, is England.
Romano urges to go to Rosalie, to comfort her, but he knows he won't have any affect in this state. She can't even see him, right?
"We need to find that Slender asshole and tell him to let us go," Romano said, his fists clenching as a glare formed in his gaze.
"He won't let you do shit with that attitude," the boy said, smirking at Romano and the Italian growled back.
"Well, I'm not going to stand around as...this happens!" Romano said, pointing towards the other countries and human.
"Should we...continue searching for the last of the notes?" France spoke up and most of them looked at him.
"That...That would be best," Japan said softly.
"We can't just sit here, wallowing in sorrow," France continued. "If gathering all eight notes is our only escape, then we must do that. We can't risk anyone else being taken away."
"France is right," America spoke up, standing up with determination in his gaze. "We're not gonna sit around as there's something out there wanting to take our asses. We need to move and find those last three notes."
"Leave me here..."
They all looked in the direction where they heard the broken mutter to see Rosalie, looking up at America.
"I...I don't want to...leave him. I can't...I can't go. Not without him." Rosalie ended in a whisper, her voice became thick with emotion. Romano couldn't do anything but watch and listen as she said those words.
"Hell no to that, dudette." America said sternly, "We need to get outta here and find the last three notes. Isn't that what you wanted us to do?"
Rosalie didn't respond, so America continued.
"We can't let Slender Man scare us! We're countries, dammit! And if we're just gonna be cowards and let a death tear us apart, then what are we? What will we become?"
Despite his efforts, he doesn't seem to be raising spirits as well as he hoped, and America immediately noticed that.
He threw his hands into the air. "C'mon, guys! It'll be a long time in Hell before I let this get to us! We're not losers, we gotta finish this!"
"Idiot," England muttered before turning towards Italy and Romano again. "How...long have you two been out of your body?"
"If I had to guess, not very long." Romano said, lo.oking at the ground in thought. "Maybe...Half an hour?"
England nodded. "Alright, that's good, we have time."
"Huh?" Italy asked, tilting his head in confusion.
England shook his head. "Doesn't matter right now. We just need to find...him, then."
"B-But..." Italy stuttered, not really wanting to see that thing.
"Well, you don't have to look very long," Alexis said, her smile widening.
Abruptly, the air in the basement became heavier, colder even. That same eerie feeling increased, and so now they all know who exactly is with them. He's somewhere in the darkness, watching them all with an intense eyeless gaze.
Romano growled under his breath, clenching his hands into fists.
"Right on time," England murmured.
America clenched his hands into fists. "Everyone, stay close."
With the help of the light from the flashlights, Italy and Romano can see all the others, besides England, group closely by Romano's body and Rosalie.
"Angleterre, what are you doing?" France called in a hushed voice.
"Something important, you frog." England responded, now walking over to them. "May I see one of those flashlights?"
"Why?" Prussia asked, looking confused and his face is paler than usual.
"Here," Russia said, handing the flashlight to England. The Brit nodded to him and then waved the flashlight around the spacey room. Romano and Italy's eyes followed the beam and then they blinked in surprise when they found who, or what, they're looking for.
Slender Man stood not too far away from the group and they all jumped in surprise once they saw him. As usual, a headache formed and their vision blurred.
"Run!" America shouted, but then England's shout made them pause.
"No! We can't run, not now."
"Are you crazy, aru!?" China yelped, looking frightened and pale, taking a few steps farther from Slender Man.
Romano noticed that when he looked at the Slender Man, he didn't gain a headache. His vision didn't blur, which is unusual.
So he can finally glare at the thin figure clearly, gritting his teeth with the fury that once again builds up within him.
He knows Slender Man is amused by the despair, shock, and fear filling the room.
"You think this is funny, don't you?" Romano growled. Slender Man didn't respond, as per usual.
"Calm down," England murmured to Romano. The Italian growled under his breath, but gained control of his anger.
England faced the direction of Slender Man, but he didn't look at him.
"Don't try anything on us," England spoke up. "Not until you hear me out."
Nothing was said, and England still wondered if Slender Man is an intelligent being or not.
"You need to return these two," England said pointing in the direction of Italy and Romano, leaving the others confused.
"We need these two back," he continued, "So I...I will ask nicely. May you please return them to their bodies?"
England's voice is calm and he kept an emotionless expression, looking towards the floor by Slender Man's feet.
"What are you doing!?" America hissed towards England, giving England an aghast and frightened look.
England didn't reply to the American, instead he waited for Slender Man to respond.
Alexis and the boy stood next to the figure, no longer smiling.
Then, there was a buzz in England's and the Italian brothers' heads. A distorted voice made its way into their minds, or, well...the voice seemed to be spoken by many voices at once.
"What will you trade in return for the two souls?"
Italy whimpered and stepped closer to his brother, whom continued to glare at the creature. England kept calm, but he was deep in thought. He wasn't sure what he can give to get Italy and Romano back. But then it hit him.
He and the others may not like it, but it's what he's got.
"Take mine in exchange for those two."
Italy and Romano blinked in surprise at what England had said.
Then that strange voice rumbled through their heads again.
"Very brave. To make such a sacrifice is not very common amongst humans."
England was about to speak, but the voice isn't finished.
"But," it spoke. "There is no need. A willing sacrifice amused me, and that does not occur often," The voice paused, then continued. "I will give you the choice to make a deal with me."
"A deal?" Romano murmured, not liking the sound of that.
"How so?" England asked, prepared for anything.
"If you can find the last of the notes before dawn, I will return the souls and you are free to go."
The three were surprised to hear that, but then England spoke up.
"And if we don't succeed?"
"If you fail, all of your souls belong to me."
Romano looked downwards, then he glanced towards the others. They're all still pale and ready to run any second. Rosalie is still sitting on the floor, Romano's head sitting on her lap and she clenched his unresponsive hand tightly.
Romano looked at his brother and met his frightened gaze, then he met gazes with England. Then Romano gave him a nod.
England swallowed, then faced Slender Man again. It's all or nothing.
"Deal."