Corrupted Salvation

He could only wish that the blackness that claimed him after the scientist was finished was quiet. It was filled with nightmares and the clamor of offended demons. They snarled, angry at how they had been violated as their host had been violated, and demanded escape at the least.

They would prefer retribution.

He felt one of them come forward, while he was too exhausted to fight them off. He felt the changes, felt himself becoming something inhuman, felt the chains around him breaking into pieces. He didn't want to fight it—he wanted to let the beast run free.

He wanted to make Hojo hurt. Badly.

The beast ran, tearing through the corridors of the basement and into the halls of the mansion. The gathered scientists screamed and scattered like prey animals. The beast fought his instincts and ignored them, focused on escape.

The beast's anger promised that they would come back for vengeance after they had healed.

They were almost to the door—almost to freedom, for the Shinra guards would never find the beast once they made it into the mountains—when Hojo's shrill shriek cut through the air.

"Shoot it! Shoot! It!"

The beast's back stung and bled where the bullets struck and still it ran. He could feel that their escape was a losing battle, though the beast was valiantly determined. Powerful claws slid down the door in defeat when the beast finally fell.

The other demons howled in rage. He howled in pain.

He reverted back to himself, bones and skin sliding around to form something that looked like a man but wasn't—not any more. He looked up at his tormentor through bloody eyes when Hojo came to stand in front of him.

"What an interesting development."

The silence following that statement was deafening. He knew he would be returning to his chains and tortures.

"Put him in the graveyard."

The demons clamored at the words, but Vincent Valentine could only feel relief.