Chapter 12: Act 1, Scene 12
Previously on Rise of the Titans: Gora's manipulations have torn apart Radasa and Kaneki's bond, and now Radasa, under the sway of Gora’s promises, has betrayed Kaneki. With Radasa now in Gora’s control, Kaneki must fight to reclaim her before it's too late, while Gora moves ever closer to achieving his dark goals.
The air was thick with an eerie silence after Gora’s departure. Kaneki stood frozen in disbelief, his eyes wide as he stared at Radasa, the woman he had trusted, the one he had shared countless battles with. But now, she was slipping through his fingers. The darkness had taken hold of her, her resolve shattered by Gora’s lies.
Kaneki (voice trembling, desperate):
"Radasa... no! Please, don’t do this! You can’t let him win!"
His words hung in the air, but Radasa didn’t respond. She stood by Gora’s side, her expression hollow, her eyes distant and cold. It was like she was a stranger, someone he no longer recognized. The connection they had shared—the bond that had been their strength—was now a broken thread, lost in the wind.
Gora, standing beside Radasa, looked at Kaneki with cruel amusement, savoring the pain in his eyes. His grin widened as he watched the desperation grow on Kaneki’s face.
Gora (mocking, his voice dripping with satisfaction):
"Do you see it now, Kaneki? She’s mine. I told you, she would choose. And you... you couldn’t save her."
Kaneki’s fists clenched as he struggled to control the rising tide of rage and despair within him. Gora’s words were a knife to his heart. He had fought so hard, had sacrificed everything to protect Radasa. But now, in a single moment, everything was slipping away. The family he had fought to protect, his friends, and now Radasa—lost to him forever.
Kaneki (shouting, voice raw with emotion):
"Radasa, please! Don’t let him control you! You’re stronger than this! Don’t listen to him, he’s lying!"
Radasa’s face remained unreadable, her gaze locked on Gora as if he were the only one who existed in that moment. The pain in Kaneki’s voice barely seemed to reach her, the bond they had once shared now a mere echo in her mind. Gora had twisted her grief, her longing for Shela, and made it a weapon against everything they had built together.
Radasa (her voice barely a whisper, trembling with conflict):
"I… I just want to see her again, Kaneki. I want Shela back."
Her words sliced through Kaneki’s heart like a blade. He had seen Radasa mourn, seen the depth of her sorrow after Shela’s death. But this was different. This wasn’t the Radasa he had fought beside, the one who had stood by him through every battle. This was someone else, someone Gora had crafted out of her pain.
Kaneki (his voice breaking, desperate):
"Radasa, listen to me! I know how much Shela meant to you, but this isn’t the way. Gora won’t bring her back! He’ll use you, and when he’s done, you’ll be lost forever. Please, I can’t lose you too."
Radasa’s eyes flickered for a moment, a brief spark of uncertainty flashing across her face. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the cold determination Gora had instilled in her. The promise of Shela’s return was too powerful, and Kaneki’s pleas were no longer enough to reach her.
Radasa (coldly, her voice distant):
"I’m sorry, Kaneki. I have to do this. I can’t live with the pain anymore. I have to bring Shela back."
Gora (laughing darkly, pleased with her submission):
"That’s it, Radasa. Embrace your true power. Let go of everything that holds you back, and join me. Together, we’ll bring about the end of this world and the rise of a new era."
Kaneki took a step forward, his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn’t just stand there and watch Radasa fall deeper into Gora’s clutches. He wouldn’t let it happen. Not without a fight.
Kaneki (voice filled with anguish, his hands trembling):
"Radasa, don’t do this! You’re not alone! I’m right here! You don’t have to give in to him. Please, I need you. We can get through this together. I won’t let you become his pawn."
For a moment, Radasa’s gaze flickered again, her eyes meeting Kaneki’s. There was a brief moment of recognition, a silent plea in her expression that made Kaneki’s heart ache. But before he could speak, Gora’s power surged, a dark, oppressive energy that forced Radasa back into his grip.
Gora (snarling, his tone vicious):
"Enough, Kaneki! She’s already made her choice. You’re wasting your breath. She’s mine now, and there’s nothing you can do to change that."
Kaneki’s eyes widened as he felt the weight of Gora’s power press down on him. His body trembled with the effort to resist, but the overwhelming force of Gora’s will was crushing. He knew he had to do something, anything, to break Radasa free from this curse before it was too late. But with every passing second, the distance between them seemed to grow.
Kaneki (voice barely above a whisper, filled with desperation):
"Radasa… I can’t lose you. Please, don’t let him take you from me. You’re not just a tool for him. You’re more than that. You’re… you’re everything."
Radasa’s expression remained blank, her eyes deadened as she turned away from Kaneki. The last spark of the woman he loved seemed to fade, replaced by a hollow shell controlled by Gora’s dark magic.
Gora (smirking, his voice dripping with victory):
"Let her go, Kaneki. She’s already lost. There’s nothing you can do. She’s mine, and I’m going to use her to reshape this world."
Kaneki’s chest burned with grief and fury. His thoughts raced, but they were clouded by the overwhelming sense of loss. The woman he had trusted, the one who had stood by his side through the darkest times, was gone. Taken from him by a monster who had played on her deepest desires and fears.
Kaneki (gritting his teeth, his voice low and threatening):
"You won’t get away with this, Gora. I swear it. I will stop you. I will save Radasa, no matter what it takes."
Gora’s laughter echoed in the distance as he pulled Radasa further away from Kaneki. Her body seemed lifeless, her mind under his control. Kaneki stood alone, a storm of emotions swirling inside him—grief, anger, and a desperate need to reclaim what he had lost.
He had failed. But he couldn’t give up. Not now.
Kaneki (whispering to himself, voice full of determination):
"I won’t lose her. Not like this. I’ll save you, Radasa. I promise."
As Gora and Radasa disappeared into the darkness, Kaneki was left standing alone in the night, the weight of his failure heavy on his shoulders. But in the depths of his heart, a fire burned. This battle was far from over. He would fight, no matter
the cost, to bring Radasa back. And Gora would pay for what he had done.